Retreat into Seclusion

As he spoke, Su Chen opened the System Inventory and took a look.

Earth Treasury Fruit: 3120.

There were still over three thousand left. No big problem.

Su Chen handed an Earth Treasury Fruit to Su Hongyuan. "Old Master, try it first and see if it works. If not, I'll give you something even stronger."

Even stronger!

Su Hongyuan's entire body trembled. He had something of a higher grade than the Earth Treasury Fruit?

He suddenly fell into a daze. I've only been in that underground cave for a dozen years. Has the world outside already changed beyond recognition?

"Chen'er, just what is the background of this master of yours?"

Facing Su Hongyuan's question, Su Chen wore an equally baffled expression. "I don't know. His old self has never told me his identity."

I made the whole thing up myself. You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?

Sometimes, the simpler the lie, the better it worked. The more perfect a fabrication was, the more holes it had.

In any case, Su Chen knew nothing whenever asked. Even if they had their doubts, they could find no evidence.

And if they could find no evidence, then it was the truth.

Su Hongyuan did not dwell on it. His face was filled with excitement. "Who would have thought that the person who saved me would be a junior?"

Though grandfather and grandson had never met before, Su Chen had given him such an immense gift at their very first meeting.

Su Chen said with a smile, "We're family."

Family.

Upon hearing those words, Su Hongyuan said no more. He took the Earth Treasury Fruit Su Chen offered and swallowed it directly.

In an instant, incomparably dense life force flowed through his body. His once withered meridians rapidly revived, like dead wood meeting spring.

His aged body swiftly became younger and more resilient.

In the span of a few breaths, Su Hongyuan's appearance changed from that of a decrepit old man into that of a man in his sixties.

But it was not over yet. The Earth Treasury Fruit's life force was still circulating within his body.

Several dozen breaths later, the Earth Treasury Fruit's life force was finally completely exhausted. The aura around Su Hongyuan became incomparably powerful, and his appearance returned to that of a middle-aged man, imposing and extraordinary.

"I... I've fully recovered!"

Su Hongyuan's face was brimming with excitement. A single Earth Treasury Fruit had completely healed all his injuries and restored his cultivation to its peak.

Half-step Void Refinement stage!

"Chen'er, it was all thanks to you this time."

Su Hongyuan looked at Su Chen with eyes full of doting affection. If not for this young grandson of his, he would likely have died in two days.

Su Chen smiled. "It was nothing."

Seeing how calm and unruffled he was, Su Hongyuan was even more shaken.

After calming the excitement in his heart, Su Hongyuan drew a deep breath and said, "I may need to enter seclusion to break through to the Void Refinement stage. I won't be able to leave for some time."

The Earth Treasury Fruit had not only restored his body, but also allowed him to touch upon the bottleneck of the Void Refinement stage.

Thus, he intended to seize this chance and break through to the Void Refinement stage in one stroke.

Su Chen bowed. "Then this grandson will not disturb you any longer."

Su Hongyuan nodded. As he watched Su Chen's departing back, his gaze flickered.

For some reason, he always felt there was something extraordinary about this grandson, as though he carried a great secret.

Aside from that mysterious master, there had to be other things they did not know.

But Su Hongyuan did not ask. Who did not have a few secrets? So long as Su Chen did not harm the Su Family, that was enough.

"Chen'er has grown up too. It seems I should find a chance to tell him about that matter."

After murmuring to himself, Su Hongyuan withdrew his gaze.

His tranquil heart surged once more. Feeling the power flooding his entire body, Su Hongyuan's face was filled with fervor.

If he could break through to the Void Refinement stage this time, then the Su Family could directly take control of all Bright Moon City. As long as they held most of the city's benefits in their hands, the Su Family would become even stronger.

After Su Chen walked out of the underground cave, most people had already left. Only Su Qingtian and Su Yunqian remained.

Su Qingtian sighed helplessly. "The formation has been activated. It seems Old Master does not want us going in again."

"Let's go, Chen'er. We're heading back."

With that, Su Qingtian turned and left, though his back seemed somewhat lonely.

Su Chen did not mention Su Hongyuan's situation either. Once he emerged from seclusion, everyone in the Su Family would naturally know.

Su Yunqian was also preparing to leave when Su Chen asked, "Second Uncle, do you know anything about my mother?"

Su Yunqian's footsteps abruptly halted, and his expression became somewhat unnatural.

"Isn't your mother already dead? Why ask about that?"

Su Chen shook his head. "I'm merely curious."

Hearing this, Su Yunqian said nothing more and quickly left.

Watching his departing back, Su Chen's eyes shifted. It seemed there were still things about the Su Family that he did not know.

From what he understood, the Su Family had not originally been from Bright Moon City. They had come from another place in the Eastern Domain, ten thousand miles away from Bright Moon City.

Back then, the Su Family had not been called the Su Family. It had been known as the Qingfeng Gang, specializing in robbery and plunder.

Only after some unforeseen change had they crossed ten thousand miles to come to Bright Moon City, as though they were fleeing from something.

Although Su Yunqian had not answered directly, it was clear that it was related to his mother.

"Looks like I'll have to find a time to ask about it."

Su Chen murmured softly before turning and leaving.

The next day, early morning.

Today was the day the Lineage distributed cultivation resources. All the direct descendants had gone to Su He's place to collect theirs.

Su Minghu held a Cosmic Bag in his hand, his eyes full of confusion.

In the past, resources had always been handed out directly. Why were they packed in Cosmic Bags this time?

Cosmic Bags were small storage artifacts. They were inexpensive and practically essential for cultivators, whereas spatial rings were far more precious.

Only after all the direct descendants had received their resources and left Su He's courtyard did they begin checking them.

"Why is there so much!"

Su Minghu's eyes were filled with shock. "Thirty thousand Lower-Grade Spirit Stones, and ten Vitality Restoration Pills? Isn't this far too much?"

Previously, the direct descendants generally received only three to five thousand Spirit Stones as resources, along with an occasional pill. This month's resources were nearly ten times what they had received before.

"I got thirty thousand Lower-Grade Spirit Stones too, along with ten Vitality Restoration Pills."

"I got twenty thousand Lower-Grade Spirit Stones and thirty Spirit Gathering Pills."

"I only got fifteen thousand Lower-Grade Spirit Stones and twenty Spirit Gathering Pills."

The crowd whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with shock. Though the resources each had received differed, they were all ten times the previous amount.

The direct descendants had different cultivation levels, so the quantities of resources distributed would naturally differ as well.

Qi Condensation Stage cultivators only received Qi Gathering Pills, while Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators received Vitality Restoration Pills.

Su Minghu immediately walked back into the courtyard and said to Su He, "Fourth Elder, what is going on? The Lineage is in such difficulty right now, so why are you giving us so many resources?"

Su Shanshan, the youngest daughter of Fifth Elder Su Yunpeng, had only mid-stage Qi Condensation cultivation. She also spoke up, "That's right, Fifth Uncle. Getting the Lineage through this crisis is what matters most. We can endure several months without resources."

A group of direct descendants all expressed their desire to return the resources.

Su He merely smiled. "Enough, stop making a fuss. You are the Lineage's future. What could be more important than you?"

"These resources were ordered by the Family Head. Just keep them. Besides... the Su Family is not short on resources now. You only need to cultivate well. Do matters of the Lineage require your concern?"