Building a Martial Dao Celestial Family by Laying Low

Liyang.

The Governor’s Mansion.

The atmosphere in the side hall was so heavy you could practically wring water from it.

County Captain Zhao Yuanhong sat in the main seat, his expression solemn.

Seated to his left was a middle-aged man in the official robes of the Jingwu Bureau. With his sharp, chiseled features, he was Households Commander Sun Hongyi of the Jiangzhou Martial Bureau.

Behind him stood Zhou Chengkai, a Hundred Households officer from the Liyang County Martial Bureau.

Sitting opposite them was a beautiful woman.

Though she was middle-aged, she had maintained her looks well and still possessed a mature grace.

Right now, however, her lovely face was an icy mask, her elegant eyes a whirlwind of anxiety and fury.

This beautiful woman was none other than the wife of Liu Gongchang.

Yun Ya.

Beside her sat a young gentleman, Liu Yunfeng.

"Captain Zhao."

Yun Ya’s voice was frigid. "My husband was on official business for the Jingwu Bureau, investigating a case here in your Liyang County. Now he, along with two of his Hundred Households officers and over fifty Standard Bearers and Junior Banner Officers...

They’ve vanished without a trace in your jurisdiction, and there’s been no word for nearly ten days. For this, no matter what, you must give me an explanation today!"

Zhao Yuanhong forced a solemn expression and cupped his hands. "Madam Liu, please calm yourself. We are just as worried about Households Commander Liu’s disappearance. The Commandery Magistrate’s Office has already dispatched additional personnel to conduct a search, but... we have yet to find any clear leads. I must ask you to be more patient."

"Patience?"

Yun Ya sneered, her eyes sweeping over Sun Hongyi and Zhou Chengkai. "My husband is a Divine Hall Grandmaster. He had two Spirit Realm Hundred Households officers and dozens of other experts under his command.

How could a force of that magnitude simply vanish into thin air? You expect to fob me off by simply saying you have no leads? Households Commander Sun, is this how the Jingwu Bureau conducts its investigations?"

Having been called out, Sun Hongyi’s expression soured. "Madam Liu, after Brother Gongchang left Qingshui County, it’s as if he vanished into thin air. The matter is truly strange and will require time to investigate thoroughly."

Yun Ya’s gaze landed coldly on Zhou Chengkai, her tone growing even sharper. "Zhou Chengkai, you were the last person to see my husband before he disappeared. What orders did he give you? Where did he go? Are you telling me you truly know nothing?"

Cold sweat instantly beaded on Zhou Chengkai’s back. He hurriedly bowed and said, "Madam, Households Commander Liu ordered me to lead my men in an all-out effort to track down and capture Liu Yuanzhao. As for his own whereabouts, Lord Thousand Households did not inform me. I... I truly don’t know where he went after that!"

"’Truly don’t know?’ Hmph! A fine ’truly don’t know’ indeed!"

The more Yun Ya listened, the angrier she became. Her chest heaved as her fury threatened to boil over.

She was well aware of these bureaucratic games of passing the buck, but she would not let it go.

She shot to her feet, her gaze sweeping over the three men in the hall as she delivered her ultimatum. "Fine. Since you all say you’ll investigate, I will wait. But let me make myself clear: for every day you fail to find my husband, I, Yun Ya, will remain here in Liyang County.

I will keep my eyes on this case. I want to see if, in a world supposedly governed by law and order, the bizarre disappearance of a Jingwu Bureau Households Commander can truly just vanish without a trace!"

With that, she turned away from the men and said to her son, "Yunfeng, let’s go!"

Liu Yunfeng shot a fierce glare at Zhou Chengkai before following his mother, and the two of them turned and left.

After Yun Ya had left, Sun Hongyi and Zhou Chengkai also rose to take their leave.

Once he had seen them out, the solemn mask on Zhao Yuanhong’s face dissolved into deep exhaustion.

He sank back into his chair, sighing heavily as he massaged his throbbing temples.

After resting for a moment, he dared not delay any longer. He stood, straightened his official robes, and went straight to Governor He Mingyun’s study.

Inside the study.

Governor He Mingyun was at his desk reviewing documents. When he saw Zhao Yuanhong enter, he put down his brush and looked up. "Are they gone?"

Zhao Yuanhong gave a bitter smile and bowed. "Your Excellency, they’ve left, but not before laying down the law. This Yun Ya... she’s completely intractable. There’s no fooling her. If she’s really dead set on staying in Liyang to watch us, I... I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold her off for long."

He Mingyun showed little surprise at his words. "Even if you can’t hold her off, you have to. Stall for as long as possible."

Zhao Yuanhong lowered his voice. "Your Excellency, it’s been about ten days. In my opinion, Households Commander Liu and his party have most likely met with disaster. Why don’t we just report them as killed in the line of duty and close the case?"

"Not yet!"

He Mingyun shook his head. "The County Magistrates of Mirror Mountain and Lishui have died one after another. Now, a Jingwu Bureau Households Commander and two Hundred Households officers have perished within Liyang County as well. If this string of major cases is included in the upcoming capital review, your career and mine will be finished. We just have to make it past May."

Zhao Yuanhong was speechless, but he instantly understood He Mingyun’s meaning.

The troubled expression on his face, however, did not fade. "But... this Madam Liu is truly difficult to fool. I must ask for Your Excellency’s guidance."

He Mingyun suddenly smiled. "She insists on results, does she not? In that case, give her the process of an investigation."

Zhao Yuanhong was taken aback. "Your Excellency means?"

"She wants to keep watch, doesn’t she?"

He Mingyun said, "Then organize a team with great fanfare and invite her to join the investigation. Make a big show of it. Assign plenty of men, plan out detailed search routes, and hold frequent case discussions to show how seriously we’re taking this.

In short, you just need to keep up appearances. Make her believe we’re doing everything in our power to investigate. As for the actual investigation... there’s no need to be too diligent."

"Not be too diligent?"

Zhao Yuanhong was dumbfounded.

"We can’t actually investigate for real, can we? What if we end up finding something?"

The smile on He Mingyun’s face gradually faded.

Within Jiangzhou, the number of people or factions capable of making a Grandmaster vanish without a trace could be counted on one hand.

Until he was certain who had made the move, he could not—and would not—act rashly.

The study fell silent.

...

After refining the Qiankun Qi Roaming Dragon True Intent, Chen Li spent some more time in the secret room of his study, diligently consolidating his new Realm, before finally ending his closed-door cultivation.

A long-absent emptiness gnawed at his stomach.

On the third day, he had eaten a simple meal of clear water and a hard, dry bun that had been prepared in the secret room.

After that, he had immersed himself completely in his cultivation, losing all track of himself and the outside world, and hadn’t eaten since.

Since breaking through the Inner Mansion Pass, his Inner Qi had formed a self-sustaining cycle, greatly reducing his dependence on grains. However, he had not yet achieved complete Fasting, and long periods of seclusion still left him feeling hungry and thirsty.

He immediately instructed the kitchen to prepare more food than usual for that day’s meals.

For dinner, Chen Li, his wife Song Ying, his concubine Liu Yun, his daughter Shouyue, and his three young sons all sat around one table, enjoying a cheerful meal together as a family.

They had just finished eating when Bai San came looking for him, with Liu Zongying in tow.

"Master."

Bai San was wringing his hands, a fawning smile on his face, but his eyes were shifty. He stammered, "I... I have a small favor to ask, Master, if you would grant it."

Chen Li glanced at him and took a sip of tea. "What is it?"

Bai San glanced at Liu Zongying beside him, then mustered his courage and said in a low voice, "Master, I’ve been stuck at Qi Realm Perfection for a few years now. I was hoping you might show me some grace and let me... give it a try."

His words were vague, but Chen Li knew what he wanted: the Yin Yang Unity Scripture that had been taken from Liu Gongquan’s residence.

What Bai San lacked was, after all, an Inner Qi Heart Method.

However, the True Scripture did come from the Liu Family.

With a member of the family present, Chen Li turned his gaze to Liu Zongying and asked, "Master Liu San, what are your thoughts on this matter?"

Liu Zongying’s expression was placid as he shook his head. "Though that True Scripture can be considered part of the Liu Family’s legacy, it does not belong to my line, the Eldest Branch. This old man is in no position to comment... The decision rests solely with the Patriarch."

Chen Li turned his gaze back to the anxious Bai San.

It was true the man was greedy, lecherous, and cowardly; he had plenty of flaws.

But since he had started following him, he had proven to be quite capable.

He had completed his missions well on several occasions.

Finding the Yin Yang Unity Scripture had also been largely thanks to Bai San.

Moreover, his cultivation was still stuck at Qi Realm Perfection.

In the conflicts Chen Li was now involved in, which often reached the Spirit Realm or even Grandmaster level, Bai San was indeed starting to look a bit weak.

After a moment of consideration, Chen Li nodded in agreement.

Bai San was overjoyed. He dropped to his knees with a THUD. "Thank you, Master! Thank you for your grace! I will lay down my life to repay your immense kindness!"

"Get up."

Chen Li waved his hand dismissively.

He led him to the study and handed the Yin Yang Unity Scripture Secret Manual to Bai San. "Read it here. Do not copy it, and do not show it to anyone."

"Yes, yes, yes! I understand!"

Bai San hurriedly agreed.

He took the Secret Manual with both hands as if it were a priceless treasure, moved to a corner, and began to devour its contents, committing them to memory.

While Bai San was busy memorizing the Cultivation Technique, Chen Li did not leave. Instead, he spread out paper and a brush, pondered for a moment, and then began to write swiftly.

The letter was for his eldest son, Shouheng.

In it, he mainly informed him that Liu Zongying’s Divine Sense had been restored. He also mentioned some questions he had regarding his Cultivation of the Divine Intent Pass and asked Shouheng to help him find some answers.

After Bai San had memorized the True Scripture and left, Chen Li placed the letter into a Black Wooden Box.

He then retrieved a Soul-Stabilizing Pill from the System, placed it in a Jade Bottle, and put that in the box as well.

The next morning, Chen Li found Shouyue and handed her the Black Wooden Box.

"Shouyue."

"Father?"

Shouyue turned her head, a confused look on her pretty face.

"Take Shouyi and Chen Pi with you, and drive the carriage to the County Town. Give this box to your second brother, Shouye, and tell him to get it to the He Niu Martial Arts Academy and into your eldest brother Shouheng’s hands as soon as possible," Chen Li instructed.

"To the County Town?"

Shouyue’s eyes instantly lit up.

Growing up, her world had been largely confined to Lingxi. The farthest she had ever traveled was to the nearby market a few times; she had never been to the county town before.

"I’ll go tell Chen Pi to get the carriage ready right now!"

Shouyue exclaimed happily, taking the Black Wooden Box and running off.

...

「Jingshan County Town.」

Inside Ji’an Hall Pharmacy, it was still rather quiet.

The apprentice behind the counter was dozing against a medicine cabinet, and only one or two people were sitting in a corner, waiting for their prescriptions to be filled.

Chen Shouye stood before the medicine cabinets, carefully taking stock of a new batch of herbs his uncle, Bai Shixuan, had delivered a few days prior.

Most of these herbs were the main ingredients for making Blood-Strengthening Powder and the Mysterious Black Tortoise Tribulation Secret Medicine.

The ordinary medicinal herbs sold in the pharmacy moved very slowly.

Most of the purchased herbs were to meet the needs of the family back in Lingxi.

His father had previously asked him to find out if the pharmacy could apply for a license to sell medicinal cuisine that aided cultivation.

He had asked his father-in-law, Li Weikun, to make inquiries through various channels in the Commandery City, but the answer that came back was always the same: it was next to impossible.

The matter required special approval from the State Magistrate’s Office.

Without the right connections, greasing the necessary palms would cost a fortune, often requiring several thousand or even up to ten thousand taels of silver.

The profits from medicinal cuisine were nowhere near enough to cover such an enormous expense, so the matter had to be dropped for the time being.

For now, the pharmacy’s business could only continue to be bleak.