Chapter 688 500: Chen and Li_2

Another figure exuded a much steadier presence, with a longsword strapped on his back, wearing a light grey robe, his back slightly bent as he leaned on a wooden chair.

Chen Mufeng was very familiar with these two faces; as a young boy, he had sat respectfully beside their desks when Elder Chen left him in the care of Chen Donghe. Chen Mufeng quickly knelt down and said respectfully,

"Mufeng pays his respects to Master and Elder."

The elderly face of Li Qiuyang was somber; this farmer-turned-elder was now one of the oldest in the clan, yet his expression remained unchanged.

He had once led horses for Li Xiangping and served swords for Li Tongya, witnessing a century of trials and tribulations. Even if Chen Mufeng's cultivation level was far above his, the elder showed no impatience and kept his head down in silence.

Chen Donghe also looked at the man before him without speaking. The two elders sat in quietude, casting a solemn atmosphere that silenced even Mrs. Li.

As his heart was thumping with anxiety, he saw his senior relative Chen Donghe wave his hand and softly say,

"It's good news. Chen Yan has caught the attention of Qingdu with his talent. This should be a congratulatory occasion for you and your wife."

Upon hearing this, the couple exhaled in relief. Chen Mufeng smiled and clasped his hands in thanks,

"Many thanks to the two elders for your support!"

Li Qiuyang slowly nodded, put down his wooden cane, and one empty sleeve floated silently in the air. His demeanor serious, he spoke in a low voice,

"Feng'er! Bring the boy up for us to see."

Chen Mufeng hurried to fetch the person, remembering that Li Qiuyang was not only his mentor but also his former father-in-law. Unfortunately, his daughter had passed away early, leading him to marry the current Mrs. Li.

Chen Donghe waited silently, and when Chen Yan quietly walked up from in front of the hall, he scrutinized the boy, frowning.

Li Qiuyang, on the other hand, seemed to have blurry vision, squinting his eyes for a long time, thinking to himself,

"A bit of a fierce and cunning look, but those eyes, when deep in thought… remind me a bit of Chen Erniu back in the day… Both harboring deep thoughts within."

These grayish-black eyes and unusually long eyebrows were all too familiar traits to Li Qiuyang, who had dealt with such people for nearly a hundred years—the very demeanor of the Li Family's main vein.

"The child is interesting indeed. He has inherited the deviousness and intelligence of both the Li and Chen families entirely. No wonder Xijun asked me to take a closer look… Truly exceptional!"

He paused, then added,

"Qingdu's intention is to have the child train under Donghe."

The statement startled the couple, who exchanged glances and saw joy in each other's eyes.

They had entertained the idea for a while, as Chen Yan was the most talented child in the family and should naturally be taught by Chen Donghe.

However, the Chen Family had always conducted itself with integrity, never doing things that could lead to suspicion. Chen Donghe, who never returned to the Chen Family and held no old affections, left such thoughts to linger unspoken in their hearts.

Since Chen Donghe was at the Qi Cultivating Late Stage and held a prominent position in the family, and it was rumored he had even learned the family's swordsmanship, a delighted Chen Mufeng was about to pull the boy forward to express their thanks when Chen Donghe interjected,

"Don't be too pleased too soon, for I have suppressed it."

The atmosphere chilled instantly. Chen Yan's eyes shifted slightly, and he lifted his chin just enough to furrow his brow, feeling a faint throbbing pain at his forehead.

Yet this subtle expression did not go unnoticed by the two seniors at the head of the room; a thought flashed through Chen Donghe's mind:

"There's arrogance."

Chen Donghe adopted an elderly demeanor and spoke softly to Mrs. Li at his side,

"I see the boy harbors improper intentions. The family head has made repeated proposals, which I have all rebuffed."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Li understood and stepped forward to take the boy's hand, speaking with a grave voice,

"The Xuanjing Spirit Oath... make a vow in front of these two esteemed persons..."

After a bit of a rigmarole, Chen Yan remained calm and let his mother dictate, while Li Qiuyang tapped his pipe and Chen Donghe silently observed the boy's behavior. Chen Donghe then stepped down from the platform and led the boy out of the hall.

He walked with the boy to the riverbank and sat down with Chen Yan. He started his story with Chen Erniu's escape to Lijing and continued until the current situation, his voice soft as he said,

"The Chen Family owes its existence to a meal given by an ancestor of the Li Family and has been entrusted with responsibilities generation after generation. Together, we benefit; clashing brings the pain of kinship strife. You must keep a clean mind,"

Chen Yan's expression seemed to soften, and with pursed lips, she remained silent before whispering,

"Yan'er understands, the grace and power of the Main Family are immense."

These words, when they reached Chen Donghe's ears, felt like:

'Great Ancestor, Yan'er understands that the Main Vein has many who have reached Foundation Establishment, and even has connections with the Immortal Sect and Zifu, and will not do anything foolish.'

Chen Donghe sighed, pulled him up, and said in a grave tone,

"Just outside this hall lies Wangyue Lake, and our entire Chen Family depends on the grace of the Main Family. If you ever do something that betrays the Main Family, under the clear sky and bright sun, your spirit and body will be completely destroyed."

Chen Yan looked at him blankly, watched as the night gradually darkened, and found herself compelled to repeat his words in her head.

Chen Donghe's spirits seemed to wane, and he weakly waved his hand, whispering,

"You may go back."

The youth took one step, then turned back to look again at this man who was admired and relied upon by the entire Chen Family, then stepped out and quickly vanished from sight.

Chen Donghe then sat alone by the lake for a while until he saw Li Qiuyang returning from the mountains. Qiuyang's mana wind was gentle and feeble, shaking unsteadily in the air. Chen Donghe quickly supported him, and they landed together on the shore. Li Qiuyang stroked his beard and whispered,

"Thank you, Donghe."

Not many in the Li Family could address Chen Donghe in such a manner. Chen Donghe silently nodded in acknowledgment, and Li Qiuyang said softly,

"My feeble body is scorched by internal fire. Whenever there's the weather of wind and rain, it hurts so much I can't speak, as if every bone in my body is crushed to powder, and my mana is completely lost. Now, even riding the wind has become a challenge."

Li Qiuyang had long avoided others, and Chen Donghe had tried many times to visit him, without success. Finally meeting him after so much difficulty, Donghe could imagine that these years of weather imbalance must have been tough for Qiuyang, so he angrily said,

"Curse that Xu Family scoundrel!"

"There's no need for that, Donghe,"

Li Qiuyang whispered,

"At our age, there are no things worth labeling as 'despicable.' He was a genius favored by the heavens. He hadn't done anything to incur the wrath of heaven and the resentment of people, yet because of me, he met his death. It's only right that I suffer the consequences."

There was a profound tolerance in his expression, which left Chen Donghe speechless. Li Qiuyang looked at him deeply and the old man began to speak,

"Jingtian has passed, and you have lost five out of your seven souls. There is no longer any sparkle in your eyes. The younger generation might not see it, but Chen Donghe, this is not like you."

Chen Donghe was even more at a loss for words, while Li Qiuyang bowed his head slightly. The two men walked along the lakeside in the night. Donghe whispered,

"I was with her for over sixty years, she... had grown accustomed to it."

Li Qiuyang sighed softly, his expression somewhat shaken, and he said in a hoarse voice,

"Donghe... why do you torment yourself? Let's not talk about Xuanxuan, even I understand her somewhat. She just got used to it. With no Spirit Aperture... she saw her life as something to just muddle through, never truly loving anyone."

A fierce emotional tumult finally crossed Chen Donghe's usually undisturbed facade as he softly said,

"In the end, it's a matter for me alone."

Li Qiuyang said,

"I just can't stand to see you unable to move on! You still have more than a hundred years of life... If you continue to live like a walking corpse, it would have been better if you had died together in the Shanyue Region!"

Chen Donghe paused slowly in the darkness, not replying, as an elegant shadow gradually surfaced in his eyes. Chen Donghe had been with her from childhood to adulthood, from life until death, through marriage and having a daughter, seemingly fulfilling every wish, completing her wishes, gradually settling everything, as if he himself had become immersed in it.

But he had long understood something, and had deliberately cast it to the back of his mind, yet this thing had always lingered like a shadow, twining thoughts around his heart. Now, it finally revealed its true form.

Li Jingtian seemed grateful to him, trusted her, willing to marry him and have a daughter with him, but had never looked at him with the eyes of a wife looking at her husband.

He had long understood:

Although she was a mortal, although she was so fragile in his hands like a piece of tofu, she still held an almost cruel resistance to everything she did not love.