Chapter 402 - 368: Gathering Treasure

Chapter 402: Chapter 368: Gathering Treasure

In a side courtyard of the Chen Mansion, two independent small yards had been prepared.

Song Ying had deliberately arranged for the group of government constables to be housed here; she had her reasons.

The area was secluded and quiet, and the furnishings were respectable enough so as not to seem neglectful.

More importantly, Tributors like the Martial Dao expert Liu Zongying also resided here, making it convenient to secretly keep an eye on the group’s movements.

For the evening meal, the kitchen prepared a five-table banquet. Steward Chen Yougui went to the side courtyard to invite the government constables to feast.

Unexpectedly, Li Jishan showed no appreciation for the gesture.

The government constables gathered in the yard on their own, gnawing on the hard, dry biscuits they had brought with them and washing them down with cold water, their attitudes indifferent.

The smile plastered on Chen Yougui’s face froze. ’This is bad,’ he thought.

Their refusal to even attend the banquet was a clear sign they weren’t giving any opportunity for private communication. This made arranging a "gift" much more difficult.

After mulling it over, he gritted his teeth and decided to take the initiative.

He called over Chen Daifu and a few other Stewards, took a food box with five hundred taels of silver hidden inside, and forced himself to go to the main room where Li Jishan was staying alone.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK...

Chen Yougui knocked softly on the door. ℯℯ𝑙.

A moment later, the door opened with a CREAK.

Li Jishan looked at Chen Yougui and the others outside his door, his brow slightly furrowed. "What is it?"

Chen Yougui quickly bowed, forcing a smile as he cupped his hands. "Master Li, you’ve worked hard all day. Daifu is a crude man who doesn’t know how to speak properly. He offended you, so I’ve come to apologize on his behalf. You are a man of great magnanimity; please don’t take it to heart. This is just a small token of our appreciation, hardly a sign of proper respect. We hope Master Li will be merciful, bear with us, and make things convenient for our Chen Family."

Li Jishan’s gaze swept over the food box, and a cold sneer touched his lips.

As he reached out to take the box, he abruptly flipped his wrist, his five fingers clamping down on Chen Yougui’s arm like iron pincers.

"Aiyo!"

Chen Yougui felt as if his wrist bones were about to shatter. An excruciating pain shot through him, and caught off guard, his hand went limp. The food box fell to the ground with a CLANG.

The lid flew open, and ten fifty-tael ingots of silver CLATTERED onto the ground, looking especially glaring on the stone slabs.

Li Jishan’s voice suddenly boomed like a clap of thunder. "How audacious! You vile servant, daring to openly bribe a Court official! You’ve been caught red-handed with the evidence. What do you have to say for yourself?"

In the quiet night, the harsh shout carried far.

WHOOSH...

The government constables from nearby rooms and those patrolling the courtyard instantly rushed out from all directions, surrounding Chen Yougui and the others in a flash.

Chen Yougui was both shocked and furious. The pain in his wrist was bone-deep as he struggled and cried out, "A misunderstanding! This is a huge misunderstanding! I was just bringing some late-night snacks for the hardworking Lord Officials... I had no such intention!"

"The evidence is right here, and you were caught in the act. The proof is ironclad, yet you still dare to argue?"

Li Jishan gave him no chance to explain, commanding harshly, "Chen Family’s wicked servant, Chen Yougui, has bribed an Official. His crime is compounded! Seize him! Chain him up and take him back to the County Magistrate’s Office to be interrogated by the County Magistrate."

"Yes, sir!"

Two government constables, fierce as wolves, stepped forward in response. With a shake of the cold iron chains and a CLANK, they fastened them around Chen Yougui’s neck, then twisted his arms behind his back and locked them securely.

"What do you think you’re doing!"

Seeing this, Chen Daifu and the other Stewards surged forward to stop them.

SHING!

Li Jishan drew his saber, his gaze as sharp as the blade. "Anyone who dares obstruct the Government Office in making an arrest will be charged with the same crime and killed without mercy!"

The other government constables also stepped forward, drawing their swords and sabers, their killing intent palpable.

Terrified by the display, Chen Daifu and the others stumbled back. Though their eyes were wide with fury, they didn’t dare fight the Officials.

"Don’t move!"

Chen Yougui, despite being in chains, grew calm and shouted urgently at Chen Daifu and the others, "Go! Don’t worry about me! Just go!"

Chen Daifu and the others stared daggers at Li Jishan and the constables, but finally, they slowly retreated from the small courtyard and rushed toward the main residence.

Li Jishan watched them leave with a cold expression, making no move to stop them. He merely instructed the men at his side, "Keep a close watch on the prisoner. Tomorrow morning, we escort him back to the County Magistrate’s Office."

「...」

Inside the main residence, Song Ying’s face turned pale the moment she heard the report from Chen Daifu and the others.

She waved a hand, her voice trembling. "I understand. You... go and rest for now. I will handle this matter."

After everyone had withdrawn, Song Ying was left alone.

Panic and helplessness washed over her.

She sat alone in the main hall for a long time before slowly rising to her feet and walking toward her husband Chen Li’s study.

The study was silent.

Song Ying went behind a bookshelf against the wall, felt around to move an inconspicuous cabinet, and then carefully searched the brick wall with her fingers, finally pressing a loose brick.

She removed the brick, revealing a hidden compartment behind it.

Inside the compartment lay a single Copper Gong.

Song Ying looked at the gong, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes.

Before entering seclusion, her husband had warned her not to disturb him unless it was an absolute emergency.

But now, the other party was clearly intent on escalating the situation. They were targeting the Chen Family, and if this wasn’t handled properly, it could lead to their ruin.

After a moment’s hesitation, Song Ying picked up a small mallet and struck the gong three times lightly.

A clear ringing sound echoed. It wasn’t loud, but it pierced through the thick walls.

「...」

In the secret chamber, Chen Li slowly opened his eyes and let out a long, turbid breath.

The Primordial Qi surging around him had now been completely drawn inward, flowing smoothly and harmoniously. A sense of clarity, of holding the world in his palm and bending the rules to his will, filled his Spirit Platform.

The Dharma Aspect was formed!

The cold voice that had long been silent in his mind rang out without warning.

[Congratulations, Host, for breaking through to the Spirit Realm Eighth Level, the Dharma Aspect. Reward issued: Treasure Basin.]

’The Treasure Basin?’

Chen Li was slightly taken aback, and his Heart Spirit sank inward.

Within the system’s space, a simple, ancient-looking three-legged basin floated quietly.

The basin’s body was neither gold nor jade but had a dark golden luster. Its surface was engraved with countless fine, intricate cloud patterns, ancient seal script, and various transactional symbols.

Even more mysteriously, the bottom of the basin seemed to contain a miniature, chaotic world of its own, hiding a formless power that was present but not yet unleashed.

Chen Li checked the system’s description.

Treasure Basin: A relic of the Ancient Shang Clan. Forged from the copper of Shoushan and the gold of the eight directions, it is a Divine Artifact created with supreme Divine Abilities. This basin does not collect worldly items, only Wealth Qi. The one who holds this basin stands at the eye of a wealth spring, able to observe the flow of profit throughout the world and command the fortune of commerce.

After a careful examination, understanding dawned on Chen Li, followed by a wave of joy.

’With this, my Cultivation will be greatly simplified.’

The greatest difficulty in cultivating the Righteous Wealth Law was the collection of Wealth Qi.

The Wealth Qi attached to silver coins could not be seen until one reached the Guiyuan Pass, the Spirit Realm Seventh Level.

And in the entire Chen Mansion, he was the only one who had broken through to this Realm.

Whether it was Shouheng Shouye or anyone else, they were all still far from this level.

Therefore, he could foresee that for a long time to come, he would have to handle his Cultivation all by himself.

He had to personally touch the silver coins, circulate his Cultivation Technique to absorb the Wealth Qi, and painstakingly differentiate between the mixed attributes of the Qi, which was highly inefficient.

Now, with the Treasure Basin, he just needed to pass money through it, and all the Wealth Qi would automatically gather, saving him countless hours of tedious effort.

He could just draw from it at regular intervals. He no longer needed to spend so much time and energy extracting it, nor worry about the Wealth Qi dissipating over time.

This meant he could save much more time.

’The Unity Realm...’

Chen Li murmured to himself.

Having broken through to the Dharma Aspect, the next step was to ascend to the ninth level of the Spirit Realm, the Unity Realm.

Cultivating the Unity Realm was not about comprehending and merging countless rules. Instead, it involved constantly deriving, comprehending, and filling in more detailed and specific branch Rule Runes under the rules one had already mastered.

It was like a great tree growing branches, and those branches sprouting leaves, until finally, all the leaves returned to a single trunk, forming a unique and complete system of rules that infinitely approached the corresponding Heaven and Earth Laws.

Take the Righteous Wealth Law he had comprehended as an example.

The Rule Rune he had currently condensed using the Wealth Qi converted from Qin Yirong was merely a relatively thick branch on the great tree of True Wealth.

Because Qin Yirong had not agreed to become Chen Li’s concubine, the attribute of this rule leaned more toward Subordinate Wealth.

But the tree of True Wealth could sprout many other branches.

Things like spousal wealth, Inheritance Wealth, family enterprise wealth, and salary wealth could all derive corresponding subdivided runes.

With every subdivided rune he comprehended and filled in, his own Law would become more complete and his foundation more solid.

When all the branches were integrated, that would be the time he ascended to the Unity Realm and glimpsed the threshold of the Dharma Realm.

However, Chen Li also knew that the Cultivation of the Unity Realm could not be rushed. It required opportunity, insight, and for things to fall into place naturally.

The most pressing matter at hand was the Blank Deity.

He had been using this object as a second Divine Sense to control his physical body. It was still in a state between an illusory Divine Sense and a tangible Divine Embryo, completely unable to bear or contain Primordial Qi.

The Primordial Qi he had previously generated by cultivating the Five Grains Spirit Nurturing Technique was currently stored in the Tuo Dragon Pearl.

Once the Primordial Qi left his body, it was slowly but constantly dissipating.

If left unattended, years of hard Cultivation could go to waste over time.

’Perfect. I’ll take this opportunity to refine this Blank Deity into my Second Primordial Spirit!’

A sharp glint flashed in Chen Li’s eyes.

When that time comes, not only would it solve the problem of storing Primordial Qi, but he would also gain a powerful clone that could cultivate and fight on its own—a true ace up his sleeve.

Cultivating a Second Primordial Spirit was both difficult and easy.

The principle was identical to the Cultivation of the Void Transformation Pass: use a Divine Flame to temper the Divine Sense, transforming it from illusory to real, condensing True Intent, and giving birth to Spirituality.

But where he had once used mortal fire ignited by Inner Qi, cautiously fearing that Fire Poison would damage his meridians, he could now use his own pure Primordial Qi as fuel to ignite a Primordial Qi True Flame. The efficiency and safety were on a completely different level.

As for Fire Poison, with his current Dharma Cultivation, he no longer needed to take Elixirs. His Primordial Qi could grind away any trivial amount of Fire Poison.

Having made up his mind, Chen Li focused his Heart Spirit and, in one go, ignited the Primordial Qi Flame to begin refining his Second Primordial Spirit.

HUM!

A small golden flame began to burn.

The illusory figure flickered in the flames, beginning its transformation into something tangible...

Just as Chen Li was fully focused on refining his Second Primordial Spirit with the Primordial Qi True Flame, sensing it solidify bit by bit...

CLANG!

The sound of the Copper Gong pierced through the walls of the secret chamber and reached Chen Li’s ears.

Chen Li was instantly jolted awake. A golden light flashed in his eyes and vanished, and the Primordial Qi True Flame circulating around him quietly extinguished.

His brow furrowed in surprise.

’I set up this Alarm Bell specifically to be rung only when a truly urgent, major event occurs at home.’

’It’s never been used since I set it up.’

’What happened?’

His Divine Thought spread out like quicksilver, silently covering the entire Lingxi Village in an instant.

There were no powerful, unfamiliar auras, nor any fluctuations of combat...

The village was tranquil.

’It’s not an external invasion. So what could have happened to make Ying’Er sound the Alarm Bell?’

Chen Li hesitated no longer. He immediately stopped his cultivation and rose to his feet.

He pushed open the secret chamber’s Stone Gate and walked into the outer study.

The study was brightly lit. His wife, Song Ying, was sitting uneasily on a couch, her face etched with worry.

Hearing the sound of the Stone Gate, she looked up sharply. When she saw her husband, the tense expression she had been wearing finally relaxed a little.

"Husband." Song Ying stood to greet him.

"What happened?" Chen Li asked.

Song Ying composed herself and told him what had happened that day.

"Heh. Surveying the fields, making an arrest on the spot... Luo Pingyuan..."

After listening quietly, Chen Li chuckled. "And here I was, wondering what great power had come knocking. Turns out it’s just a bunch of imps."

"Husband, what should we do now?"

Seeing his calm expression, Song Ying felt a little more at ease and took the initiative to ask.

"If it were just Luo Pingyuan, he wouldn’t have the guts or the ability to do this. For him to target our Chen Family with such fanfare, someone must be pulling the strings from behind."

Chen Li smiled. "We’re in no rush. Let’s see what they’re planning to do first, then we’ll make our move."

"But... what about Yougui?"

Song Ying asked worriedly.

Chen Li gently patted her shoulder. "Let them make their fuss for now. I’ll handle it. It’s late. Come, let’s go back and rest. We can talk about it tomorrow."

The unease in Song Ying’s heart gradually faded. With her husband out of seclusion, she had her pillar of support back.

She nodded obediently and said softly, "Alright. I’ll listen to you, Husband."

The couple extinguished the lamps in the study and returned to their bedroom.

Tranquility returned to the mansion.