C18 Xue Chen Said That He Was a Cultivator.

Soong Wanli sat at his desk, lost in thought.

Perhaps Mrs. Huang was right; in recent years, he had poured his energy into the family business and his own training, neglecting his son, Soong Ziyang.

Soong Ziyang had barely mastered a fraction of his martial arts and his behavior was far from exemplary. His reckless actions in Yunzhou City had caused quite a stir. It was high time for some strict discipline, or the Soong family's legacy—and his son's life—might be at risk.

Soong Wanli gathered the Soong family's secret martial arts manuals and the classic texts, intending for Soong Ziyang to study them.

But Soong Ziyang's worldview was already set in stone; changing him now seemed an almost impossible task.

"Master!" Soong Wanli was sorting through books when he heard a voice from outside the study. Looking up, he saw Zou Zhifa.

"Guardian Zou, please come in!" Soong Wanli invited.

This was Zou Zhifa's first visit to Soong Wanli's private chambers since becoming head of the Soong Mansion's guards, and he seemed somewhat out of his element.

"Master, I..."

Soong Wanli was known for his strictness with the servants, and his sudden warmth was somewhat disconcerting.

"Come in!" Soong Wanli said with a smile.

Zou Zhifa hesitantly stepped into the study and approached Soong Wanli.

"Master, did you want to see me about something?"

"Just one moment," Soong Wanli replied.

He retrieved the four treasures of the study and penned a letter, which he placed into a brocade pouch.

"Guardian Zou, deliver this letter to the Cloud Deriving Sect at Fengwei Mountain. Make sure it reaches Xu Daozhen, Immortal Xu, personally."

Zou Zhifa accepted the pouch with both hands, "Understood, Master."

As Zou Zhifa reached the study's doorway, Soong Wanli called out to him once more.

"Master, is there anything else?"

Soong Wanli got up and walked to the doorway.

"Guardian Zou, be cautious on your journey. Depart after nightfall."

Zou Zhifa bowed with a fist, "Rest assured, Master. I will ensure the letter reaches Immortal Xu's hands myself!"

...

Dinnertime arrived.

Soong Wanli, carrying a bag, entered the dining room.

"Master, where are you headed?" Mrs. Huang inquired.

"My dear, didn't you mention that I've been lax with Yang'er's discipline? These are some books I intend for Yang'er to read."

Mrs. Huang offered a slight smile, "Have you come to a realization, Master? Isn't it a bit late, though?"

Soong Wanli shot Mrs. Huang a look, "It's never too late to learn. Did you forget that I'm over fifty and still pursuing knowledge?"

"Enough of that. Let Yang'er out for dinner."

"Actually, my dear, I didn't want to confine him. He's just recovered from his injuries, and if he's not kept in, he'll be up to his old antics again, which won't do his health any favors. Rest assured, I'll release him in a day or two."

Mrs. Huang sighed, "Master, I understand you only want what's best for Yang'er, it's just..."

"What is it?" Soong Wanli pressed.

Mrs. Huang, despite her fondness for Soong Ziyang, was well aware of his nature.

"I know Yang'er's temperament all too well. It's far too late for him to start learning the classics now," she remarked.

Soong Wanli was left without a response.

...

Today marked the first dinner Xue Chen and Yin Qionger shared as tablemates, and the mood was exceptionally congenial.

Xue Chen harbored a hopeful fantasy that Yin Qionger would extend an "invitation" for him to join her in the Embroidery House for the night. However, defying his expectations, after the meal, Tieh Yaner escorted Yin Qionger back without a hint of such an invitation.

"Ah, Chen, now that your standing in the Yin Mansion has changed, you must be proactive!" Yin Yusheng advised, watching Yin Qionger's retreating figure.

"Father-in-law, these things take time. Perhaps Qionger hasn't fully accepted me yet. We should be patient," Xue Chen counseled.

"Ah, Chen, I'm not getting any younger. I'm eager to hold a grandchild soon!" Yin Yusheng confessed. "I'll find an opportunity to speak with Qionger about it."

"Father-in-law, with the Yin family facing such challenging times, perhaps we should postpone this discussion. I'll retire to my room now," Xue Chen suggested and headed back.

Upon returning to his quarters, Xue Chen settled in to read.

There was a knock at the door.

He rose and opened it to find the Five Tigers standing there, their smiles not quite reaching their eyes.

"Come in," Xue Chen invited.

His room was sparsely furnished with only one chair.

"Young Master, your quarters are quite spartan. It's nearly as bare as ours, with nowhere to sit," Lee Chunhu observed.

"Is the bed not suitable for sitting?" Xue Chen quipped. "So, how was the rice business today?"

The Five Tigers made themselves comfortable on the bed.

"Young Master, it's no wonder the Soong family is wealthy; the rice business is booming. I'm exhausted," Lee Chunhu admitted.

"Tiring, is it? More so than watching the courtyard?" Shea Daming inquired. "Surely managing the shop is more enjoyable than patrolling."

Xue Chen chuckled. "If you're keen on trying your hand at shopkeeping, that can be arranged. I've said before, the Five Tigers can take turns at the rice shop. Tomorrow, it's your turn, Daming."

"Great!" Shea Daming exclaimed. "I can be a shopkeeper too. Hahaha!"

"You all seem fixated on the idea of shopkeeping, forgetting the real reason we came to see the Young Master," Wuh Zhihao interjected.

"The real reason? What is it that you want from me?" Xue Chen inquired.

"Young Master, we've discussed your situation at length before coming here. You've suffered injustices in the Yin Mansion for years, yet you've always borne them silently, never voicing a complaint. It's a testament to your composure. Moreover, your guidance in the Soong Mansion's fight with Gu Sanqi and how you subdued Soong Ziyang with a single move at the rice shop's entrance—it all points to your exceptional abilities. We aspire to attain immortality and have agreed to seek your guidance on cultivation," Wuh Zhihao explained.

Xue Chen couldn't help but smile inwardly. The Xue Chen of Yin Mansion's past was indeed a pushover, lacking the capacity and courage to even grumble. The Xue Chen of today was a different entity altogether from the original. Yet, to tell the Five Tigers that he was a cultivator who had failed in his hundred lifetimes of cultivation and had since taken over the body of a namesake in this world and era—well, that would be a tale too far-fetched for even ghosts to believe.

"I'm hardly an expert—I've just practiced a few martial arts techniques, that's all!" Xue Chen remarked.

"No way, son-in-law, you coached us in our face-off with Gu Sanqi. The strategic thinking, the bravery, and the skill you demonstrated are far beyond what someone with just a handful of techniques could achieve," Lee Chunhu, who was sharp with numbers and a clever man, insisted. "You must be an accomplished cultivator!"

"Exactly, son-in-law! We're eager to achieve immortality. Could you offer us some guidance?" implored Yan Aze.

Xue Chen intended to offer some quick, general advice to appease them for the moment.

"In truth, the path to cultivation is quite straightforward. First, you must grasp the initial method of entry..."

Before Xue Chen could elaborate, Wuh Zhihao eagerly cut in, "Son-in-law, please, tell us how to begin!"

"To ascend to immortality, one must progress through seven phases: Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Void, Tribulation, and finally, True Immortal. Only after these can one achieve immortality. The very first step is Qi Refinement..."