Family Development Plan

After putting the Spirit Stones into the Storage Bag,

Chen Daoxuan and Chen Xianhe left the Secret Chamber.

In the Cave Mansion's reception hall,

the uncle and nephew sat facing each other. A tea set rested on the table before them, and Chen Xianhe was brewing tea for Chen Daoxuan.

Clear tea streamed from the spout into the cup, and its fragrance immediately filled the air. Breathing in the aroma, Chen Daoxuan felt his Divine Sense stir with newfound vitality. This was clearly no ordinary tea, but a type of Spirit Tea.

Seeing the hungry look on Chen Daoxuan's face, Chen Xianhe smiled and handed him the cup. "Try it. This Spirit Nourishing Tea is one of the few good things your Thirteenth Uncle has."

"Then this nephew will humbly accept."

Taking the cup, Chen Daoxuan gulped it down like a cow chewing a peony, then smacked his lips afterward.

"Well?"

As Chen Xianhe savored his tea, he asked.

"Fragrant!"

When his Thirteenth Uncle glared at him, Chen Daoxuan hastily added, embarrassed, "It feels as though my Divine Sense is soaking in warm water. Very comfortable."

"That's right. Spirit Nourishing Tea is greatly beneficial to a cultivator's Divine Sense. Drinking it over time can increase one's Divine Sense."

At this, Chen Xianhe gave a self-mocking smile. "Mortals all think cultivators live on wind and dew, fasting and feeding on qi. How could they know that it isn't that cultivators do not eat—we are simply poor and cannot afford to."

He looked at the Spirit Nourishing Tea on the table and continued, "This tiny pot of Spirit Nourishing Tea alone is worth fifty Spirit Stones."

"Pfft!"

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Chen Daoxuan had just poured himself a second cup when he heard that terrifying price. He immediately choked and began coughing violently.

"Fifty Spirit Stones? It's that expensive?"

Chen Daoxuan stared wide-eyed, his face full of disbelief.

Chen Xianhe went on as if nothing had happened. "Not to mention Spirit Tea, cultivators from great families eat Spirit Rice every day. You should know that eating Spirit Rice over a long period can nourish the physical body.

And in Guang'an Prefecture, even first-tier spirit rice Jade Crystal Rice sells for five Spirit Stones per hundred catties. How could ordinary cultivators afford to eat it year-round?

Not to mention the various Spirit Pills, Spirit Fruits, Spirit Wine, and even other rare treasures that can aid cultivation. All of this requires Spirit Stones!"

Chen Daoxuan fell silent. He knew that after saying so much, his Thirteenth Uncle still wanted to tell him that once they had enough Spirit Stones, they had to first nurture their Spirit Vein.

Because once they had a Spirit Vein, all the cultivation resources Chen Xianhe had mentioned could slowly be obtained through it.

"Thirteenth Uncle, Daoxuan understands what you mean. Once the Artifact Forging Workshop is completed and begins earning Spirit Stones, I will immediately induce the Spirit Vein."

Chen Daoxuan vowed solemnly.

Seeing Chen Daoxuan's attitude, Chen Xianhe said no more. Instead, he changed the subject. "Daoxuan, do you have any thoughts on the family's future development?"

This was the first time Chen Xianhe had taken the initiative to discuss the family's development plans with Chen Daoxuan.

In the past, Chen Xianhe had rarely let Chen Daoxuan worry about family affairs. He had told Chen Daoxuan that his most important task was to study Artifact Refining and strive to become an Artifact Forger as soon as possible.

Now that Chen Daoxuan was already a first-tier Artifact Forger, the increasingly aged Chen Xianhe had no choice but to consider training a successor.

Hearing the question, Chen Daoxuan knew that his Thirteenth Uncle was testing him.

After gathering his thoughts, Chen Daoxuan said, "Clan Leader, I believe the family's most important task right now is constructing the Artifact Forging Workshop. And for its establishment, we need to make three preparations."

"Which three?"

"First, investigate the market for selling Magic Artifacts in Guang'an Prefecture. Second, purchase the Ore Materials needed to construct the Artifact Forging Workshop and refine Magic Artifacts. Third, rent a storefront in Guang'an Prefecture to sell the finished Magic Artifacts."

Chen Daoxuan laid out, in measured detail, his ideas from all these years on how to develop the family.

As Chen Xianhe listened, he would sometimes slap the table in praise, and sometimes interrupt to offer corrections.

Amid the uncle and nephew's continual discussions, the Chen Family's rough development plan for the coming years gradually took shape.

In summary, it came down to one sentence: over the next five years, the family's development would revolve around the Artifact Forging Workshop.

And Chen Daoxuan would be the core executor of this development plan.

Because he was the only one in the Chen Family who knew Artifact Refining, and only he could forge the one-of-a-kind Spirit-Melding Furnace.

Before they realized it, the pot of Spirit Nourishing Tea had run dry.

Chen Daoxuan lifted the teapot and gave it a shake, only to find not a drop of tea left inside. He could not help smacking his lips.

Awkwardly setting down the teapot, he thought bitterly, Once the family is rich, I'll definitely buy Spirit Nourishing Tea to bathe in.

"Very well. Since this matter has been settled, tomorrow at the Clan Meeting, I will use the Clan Leader's Order to announce this development plan publicly."

Chen Xianhe concluded.

Seeing Chen Daoxuan's hesitant expression, Chen Xianhe withdrew the gesture he had been about to use to see him off and asked, "What? Is there something else?"

At that, Chen Daoxuan said seriously, "Clan Leader, Daoxuan believes that while developing the Artifact Forging Workshop, we must also keep up with training the family's younger generation. Our Chen Family cannot keep relying on just the two of us forever!"

He knew full well that Chen Xianhe had his heart set on saving up one hundred thousand Spirit Stones before inducing a Spirit Vein.

But Chen Daoxuan believed that nurturing the family's younger generation and inducing a Spirit Vein did not conflict with each other. The only prerequisite was that the Artifact Forging Workshop had to earn a large amount of Spirit Stones.

Otherwise, whether training the family's younger generation or inducing a Spirit Vein, it would all be fleeting clouds before one's eyes—a fool's dream.

Hearing Chen Daoxuan's suggestion, Chen Xianhe hesitated.

After thinking for a moment, he shook his head. "We will set this matter aside for now. But I can promise you this: once the Artifact Forging Workshop earns Spirit Stones to a certain extent, we can simultaneously begin the family descendant training plan and the Spirit Vein induction plan.

But one thing is certain—the Spirit Vein induction plan must take priority over the family descendant training plan!"

"Alright!"

Chen Daoxuan nodded. "However—"

"However what?"

Chen Xianhe glared. He had discovered that Chen Daoxuan's usual obedience was all an act. In truth, this brat had more ideas than anyone.

Chen Daoxuan said sheepishly, "Thirteenth Uncle, if the Artifact Forging Workshop needs to earn a certain amount of Spirit Stones each year before reaching the standard, you should at least give me a specific number, right?"

"Since you insist so strongly on training the family's younger generation, then I'll give you a standard. If the Artifact Forging Workshop's annual net profit can reach more than three thousand Spirit Stones, I will agree to your request!"

Hearing this promise, Chen Daoxuan was overjoyed. He leapt to his feet, his face brimming with excitement. "A deal is a deal. Let's clap hands as an oath!"

"Get lost! I'll whip you!"

Seeing his disrespectful manner, Chen Xianhe immediately blew out his beard and widened his eyes, raising a hand as though to strike him.

At the sight, Chen Daoxuan turned and ran without another word, darting out of the Cave Mansion like a wisp of smoke.

Seeing Chen Daoxuan's light, cheerful steps, a trace of a smile could not help appearing on Chen Xianhe's deliberately angry face.

"You little brat, haha!"