The Ying Family Made Its Move

Ying Sihai drew a deep breath, an astonishing light blazing in his clouded eyes.

He had lived for over eighty years and weathered countless storms, yet even now, he could not contain his shock.

"Butler He, did you just say the Wuyi Mountain Qin Family, the Chancheng Ye Family, and the Luocheng Wu Family were all making moves behind the scenes?"

Butler He nodded. "I already had my men discreetly ask around. All Three Great Martial Families are convinced the Agelessness Elixir is real. They're privately contacting Chen Siyao now, hoping to buy it in secret. They don't dare say so openly in the livestream!"

Ying Sihai fell silent for a moment, then said slowly, "That Gu Diao, that monk, those Three Blue Birds, and that Agelessness Elixir... if they're all real, then this Chen Hao is truly frightening."

"Frightening?" Ying Wenjie froze. "Don't you mean impressive?"

"Impressive?" Ying Sihai glanced at him. "You think someone who's lived for who knows how many years is merely impressive?"

Ying Wenjie was at a loss for words.

Ying Sihai rose, walked to the window, and gazed out into the night.

"Wenjie, do you know how our Ying Family made its fortune?"

Ying Wenjie blinked, unsure why his grandfather had suddenly asked that.

"Our ancestors managed the emperor's silver treasury. For centuries, we've relied on keen judgment and ruthless action." Ying Sihai turned to look at him. "And now, an opportunity is right before us."

Ying Wenjie's eyes lit up. "Grandpa, you mean..."

"Tomorrow, go to that livestream using our family's official account," Ying Sihai said gravely. "Send gifts. Big gifts. Then contact Chen Siyao privately and buy the Agelessness Elixir."

Ying Wenjie was overjoyed. "Grandpa! You agreed!"

Ying Sihai nodded. "If we miss an opportunity like this, we'll regret it for the rest of our lives."

Ying Wenjie nodded emphatically. "Understood! Grandpa, I'll get right on it!"

He turned and ran off.

Ying Sihai watched his grandson leave.

"The Agelessness Elixir... hopefully, we can get a few pills."

Early the next morning, sunlight streamed through the loft window, bathing everyone in warmth.

Chen Siyao was the first to wake up, stretching luxuriously.

She had slept wonderfully, without even a single dream.

After washing up, she went downstairs and found Chen Hao already sitting in the courtyard. Tea simmered on the little stove beside him, giving off a sweet, refreshing fragrance.

"Morning, big brother!" She ran over. "That tea again?"

Chen Hao nodded and poured her a cup.

Chen Siyao took it and sipped, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh, right, big brother. Those three families from last night—the Ye Family, the Wu Family, and the Qin Family—contacted me privately? They want to buy the Agelessness Elixir?"

Chen Hao glanced at her. "They contacted you?"

Chen Siyao shook her head. "Yes. They're so eager, they must want it."

Chen Hao said calmly, "Of course they want it. But they don't dare say so publicly."

"Why?"

"Because saying so would confirm to the entire world that the Agelessness Elixir is real." Chen Hao took a sip of tea.

Understanding dawned on Chen Siyao. "So they can only contact us privately?"

Chen Hao nodded.

"Big brother, are we selling it, then?"

Chen Hao stroked his sister's head and smiled. "Not yet. You might need these pills yourself later. We have plenty, though, so if they're genuinely sincere, selling them a few wouldn't hurt."

Chen Siyao was puzzled. I'm not some eighty-year-old. Why would I need them? Still, she said nothing. She could never go wrong following her brother's lead.

These pills were actually intended for cultivators. Extending a mortal's lifespan was merely a tiny, insignificant side benefit. After all, the Queen Mother of the West would never make pills specifically for mortals.

Over countless millions of years, Chen Hao had witnessed far too many partings and deaths. Now that he had returned to the modern world, he could not bear for his sister to have a lifespan of merely a hundred years, so he planned to set her on the path of cultivation as well.

Chen Hao sighed inwardly. Spiritual energy was now so scarce it was almost imperceptible, and even he could not be sure how far his sister would progress. Besides the things in his Qiankun Bag, he remembered that there should still be opportunities scattered around the world. He would look around when he had time.

Yang Wanqing came downstairs, yawning. "Morning... that tea smells so good..."

She took the tea Chen Hao handed her and gulped it down, instantly perking up. "Hao, where are we going today?"

Chen Hao was just about to speak when Yang Wanqing's phone suddenly rang.

She glanced at it, her eyes widening. "Holy shit! More gifts!"

"Who sent them?" Chen Siyao leaned over to look.

Yang Wanqing turned the phone screen toward her. In the livestream, a glittering golden username was flooding the screen—

[Jingcheng Ying Family] sent Carnival ×200! Message: The Jingcheng Ying Family pays its respects to Celestial Master Chen!

[Jingcheng Ying Family] sent Carnival ×200! Message: The Ying Family wishes to forge a friendly bond with Celestial Master Chen!

[Jingcheng Ying Family] sent Carnival ×200! Message: Ying Sihai, head of the Ying Family, respectfully invites Celestial Master Chen to visit our family should you ever pass through Capital City!

In the livestream:

[Yaoyao's Little Red Riding Hood: The Ying Family? Which Ying Family?]

[Snow Blows at the East Gate: The Jingcheng Ying Family! One of the four great families! A truly elite clan!]

[You and Him: Another major family has joined in! Is Celestial Master Chen trying to collect all seven Dragon Balls?]

[Motorbike: The Ying Family really went all out. Six hundred Carnivals at once—that's millions gone.]

[Chancheng Ye Family]: Congratulations to the Ying Family! Let's befriend Celestial Master Chen together!

[Luocheng Wu Family]: Welcome aboard, Ying Family!

[Wuling Mountain Qin Family]: Our patriarch says, welcome, new friends!

Yang Wanqing stared at the screen full of gifts, her hands trembling. "Hao, the Ying Family is here too! The Jingcheng Ying Family! One of the four great families!"

Chen Hao glanced at it and said calmly, "Mm."

"Chen Hao, how can you be so calm?"

Chen Hao looked at her, then suddenly smiled. "So what?"

Yang Wanqing froze.

So what?

Right. So what?

Before Chen Hao, weren't the Ye Family, the Wu Family, and the Ying Family all just mortals anyway?

She suddenly felt at ease and chuckled. "Right, right! Before Hao, none of them matter!"

Chen Siyao smiled too and looked at Chen Hao. "Big brother, that 'I Am Ying Zheng' from the Ying Family is their young master, right? He kept wanting to become your disciple before. Now that his family has stepped in, he must be over the moon."

Chen Hao said nothing and simply continued drinking his tea.

Just then, Li Li and Cai Jingwen came downstairs as well.

"Morning... smells so good..." Li Li walked over, rubbing her eyes.

Cai Jingwen took a cup of tea and sipped it, then suddenly asked, "Chen Hao, do you have anything planned for today?"

Chen Hao set down his cup and stood. "Yes. I'm taking you somewhere."

"Where?" Yang Wanqing's eyes lit up.

Chen Hao smiled mysteriously. "You'll find out when we get there."

After finishing their tea, the group followed Chen Hao deeper into the valley.

They crossed a stream, skirted the grove of Mortal World Fruit Trees, and passed through a meadow dotted with pale golden flowers. A small mountain appeared before them.

At its foot was a cave entrance.

The entrance was small, its edges covered in unfamiliar vines. Little pale purple flowers bloomed along them, giving off a faint, refreshing fragrance.

"Another cave?" Yang Wanqing was a little nervous. "There won't be another monster, will there?"

Chen Hao glanced at her and said calmly, "Scared?"

Yang Wanqing immediately puffed out her chest. "Who's scared? With you here, Hao, I'm not afraid of anything!"

Chen Hao smiled and entered the cave first.

The women hurried after him.

The cave was not dark; luminous pearls were embedded in its walls as well. After about ten minutes of walking, the space before them suddenly opened up.

It was an enormous sinkhole, surrounded by sheer rock walls but open overhead. Sunlight poured straight down onto a pool at the bottom.

The water was crystal clear, yet shimmered with a faint golden glow. Its surface was still as a mirror, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds with an almost unreal beauty.

All kinds of plants and flowers grew around the pool, each brimming with spiritual energy. Several bore fiery red blossoms, dewdrops rolling over their petals and sparkling in the sunlight.

"This is..." Cai Jingwen's eyes widened.

Standing beside the pool, Chen Hao said calmly, "The Jade Pool."

The Jade Pool?!

The women gasped.

Yang Wanqing stammered, "The legendary... Jade Pool? The one where the Queen Mother of the West bathed?"

Chen Hao nodded.

The livestream erupted:

[I Am Ying Zheng: The Jade Pool?! It's really the Jade Pool?!]

[Yaoyao's Little Red Riding Hood: Oh my god! The legendary Jade Pool! Where the Queen Mother of the West bathed!]

[Snow Blows at the East Gate: The Jade Pool grants Sinew Washing and Marrow Cleansing, Rebirth and Renewal! Those are its legendary effects!]

[Break Up Later: I'm jealous. So jealous. I've turned into pure sour grapes.]

[Phone Exploded: Wanqing, get in and bathe! I want to see a fairy emerge from the water!]

[Chancheng Ye Family]: Our patriarch says he wants a bath too...