Whether they came to take advantage of his influence or to curry favor, Chen Shuangbai didn't really care.
My grandfather and second uncle will handle it.
That evening.
Chen Moyan followed his father to Chen Shuangbai's courtyard, where he saw the Foundation Establishment cultivator sitting. Although the sky was dim, his body was filled with a clear light, which was enough to show the difference between mortals and immortals.
Chen Shuangbai looked at the two elders, her eyes flickering slightly, and asked, "Is that Yizhao outside the door?"
Old Master Chen nodded and said, "The day you returned to your hometown, I sent someone to Wind Howling County to ask Yizhao to come back."
Chen Shuangbai nodded slightly.
Grandfather's meaning was clear: he wanted the only two Spirit Root in the family to pay homage to him, their elder, to witness the majesty of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and to show them some affection, as a form of encouragement.
Not long after.
A young man dressed in the robes of a student from the Spring-Venerating Daoist Academy walked in, knelt down respectfully, and addressed the monk as "Shangxiu"!
Looking at this person, who was one of only two Spirit Root in the White Water Chen Clan besides himself, Chen Shuangbai immediately discerned his Spirit Root aptitude. Sure enough, at most, he was only at the mid- Middle Qi Refining Stage, and he would probably never make any further progress in his life.
There are methods to change Spirit Root... but they all require top-grade rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures, and require the True Person Divine Ability of at least Late Golden Core Stage cultivator to achieve!
How could Chen Shuangbai, a mere Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivator, possibly accomplish this?
Chen Yizhao knelt on the ground, feeling the extremely terrifying and vast spiritual pressure emanating from his cousin in front of him, and was both surprised and delighted.
Then Shangxiu asked, "How is the academy doing now? How are the two abbots? Which art do you practice within the academy...?"
And so on.
Chen Yizhao reported everything in detail without the slightest hesitation.
Hearing that he had gradually begun to cultivate the art of talismans, Chen Shuangbai nodded slightly and said, "Alchemy, array Talisman Artifact, and talismanic artifacts are the four great arts of cultivation. Your Spirit Root aptitude isn't very high, so the art of talismans is suitable for you... I bestow this talisman brush upon you, hoping that you will work diligently and assiduously in the future to give back to the clan!"
Chen Yizhao held the talisman pen and respectfully withdrew.
Chen Shuangbai then looked at her second uncle and said, "He is a kind-hearted person. We should hope that more good talents like him will emerge in the clan in the future... Second Uncle, as the head of the family, you must remember those eight words I said!"
Chen Moyan bowed slightly.
After applying color to her second uncle, Chen Shuangbai looked at her grandfather, "Grandpa, how are the two aunts...?"
Old Master Chen remained calm and said, "My family is more prosperous than the Liu Household that married into the family. Although your eldest aunt is kind-hearted, I send people to check on her every year, but I dare not make things difficult for her."
"Now that you, this immortal master, have appeared, naturally everyone is eager to curry favor with her and with the White Water Chen Clan."
As for your aunt...
Speaking of his youngest daughter, a hint of heartache appeared in Old Master Chen's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it and said in a deep voice:
"Never mind her!"
"Her return today... is most likely because her husband's family knows of your success in cultivation and is eager to arrange a marriage. I will not let her see you again, and I will stop her from asking for anything!"
It's clear that the grandfather still harbors deep resentment towards his aunt's actions back then.
Chen Shuangbai didn't really want to get involved in the affairs between the mortal and royal families, so she nodded, indicating that her grandfather would handle it.
The three chatted for a while longer, discussing some future plans for the White Water Chen Clan, before departing.
Two or three more days passed.
When Chen Shuangbai had finished recuperating her grandfather and second uncle, Divine Sense subtly sensed a woman pacing back and forth at the entrance of the courtyard where she was resting.
Su Lan walked over from the side hall and bowed, saying, "Young Master, your aunt... is here again."
These past few days.
This young woman came every day, but was stopped by the servants at the door and warned by Su Lan with her eyes, but she still did not give up. She just paced back and forth in the corridor outside the door, with a deep worry on her face.
The two Chen Household aunts returned home this time, each bringing their children with them.
The eldest aunt, Chen Wanru, didn't ask for much from her family. When she visited Chen Shuangbai, she brought her two children with her. After learning that the children had no Spirit Root, she was only slightly disappointed.
The aunt and her son never met.
Firstly, she couldn't get past her grandfather's objections; secondly, the other party's son, relying on his noble lineage, was arrogant and often berated the servants in the Chen Clan family, making him quite disliked.
The mother and daughter had been lingering at the door for several days; it was clear they wanted something.
Chen Shuangbai frowned slightly, sighing inwardly: It's time to leave.
He had originally intended to spend ten days or half a month with his grandfather upon returning home, but he forgot the difference between immortals and mortals. The longer he stayed, the more likely he was to cause unnecessary trouble.
Chen Shuangbai asked Su Lan to pass on a message to him.
Su Lan bowed and withdrew. When she found her aunt Chen Wanying, the latter's face immediately lit up with hope, and she asked eagerly, "But... Shangxiu is willing to see me?"
Su Lan maintained a polite smile and replied, "The young master is preoccupied with cultivation and cannot receive guests, so he asked me to deliver a message."
"... What?"
Su Lan said softly, "If only you had known this would happen, you wouldn't have done it in the first place."
Chen Wanying was struck dumb, staggered a couple of steps, and almost fell to the ground. Fortunately, her child, who had been attending to her, rushed forward to support her, preventing her from falling. However, seeing his mother like this, he was also angry and was about to start cursing.
He couldn't utter a single word, his face flushed red, and after a long while he finally let out a long sigh, his eyes revealing fear.
Su Lan smiled and said, "My young master treats you with the utmost respect, considering you a relative. Please remember... words can be offensive."
That's all.
The female cultivator at the Middle Qi Refining Stage left gracefully, leaving the mother and son lying on the ground, their expressions complex.
For a long while.
Yin Kuangyu withdrew his gaze from the direction Su Lan had left and said softly, "Mother... let's go."
"Walk?"
Chen Wanying's face was ashen, and she seemed to mutter to herself, "If this doesn't work out, my son and I will probably have an even harder time when we get back..."
Chen Shuangbai heard everything the mother and son said, but still chose not to see them.
Two more days passed.
Old Master Chen also felt that his Zhangsun was no longer suitable to remain in the mortal world, so he personally pushed Chen Shuangbai away.
On the eve of parting.
Standing in the courtyard of the White Water Chen Clan, Old Master Chen looked at his Zhangsun, who was dressed in a pine-frost-colored robe and stood tall and elegant. His cloudy old eyes showed reluctance, but even more so, pride.
But their Zhangsun is a prodigy, already a figure of great stature; how could he remain mired in this filth forever?
Looking at the few new strands of white hair at her grandfather's temples, Chen Shuangbai felt a pang of reluctance, but mostly a sense of peace.