Building a Martial Dao Celestial Family by Laying Low

Night fell, and the clamor faded.

The gates of the Chen Mansion slowly closed.

The servants cleaned up the remnants of the banquet.

In the rear residence, the courtyard designated as the bridal chamber glowed with warm candlelight, illuminating the bright red "double happiness" character on the window lattice.

Chen Li walked into his study.

Inside a secret chamber, Si Chenyin was shackled hand and foot, slumped against a corner.

When he saw Chen Li enter, his eyelids twitched, revealing a complicated expression.

Without a word, Chen Li hauled him up and, with a single movement, arrived at another courtyard.

Shi Yuheng and the others were waiting in the courtyard.

Hearing the door, all eight of them shot to their feet, their gazes locking onto the entrance.

Chen Li strode in and casually tossed Si Chenyin forward.

"Boss!"

The Eight Generals of Wind Gate scrambled forward, clumsily catching Si Chenyin.

"Boss, are you alright?"

The second-in-command, Lie Qianjun, supported Si Chenyin.

Si Chenyin gave a miserable smile and shook his head, his heart filled with an unbearable bitterness.

Compared to a few months ago, he had actually put on a little weight.

Chen Li had not mistreated him during his imprisonment.

Three meals a day were delivered on time.

Even when Chen Li was away, he had his daughter, Shouyue, deliver them at the scheduled times.

Although his life in the secret chamber had been decent, his Dantian Qi Sea had been utterly shattered by Chen Li’s punch. His meridians were all severed, and his lifetime of hard-won Cultivation had been wiped out, leaving him a cripple.

This was worse than death and had nearly driven him to a complete breakdown.

Now, his eyes were vacant, his face ashen. The aura around him was dissipated, and the bearing of a Grandmaster was long gone.

Chen Li paid him no more mind and asked, "Where is the item?"

Shi Yuheng took a deep breath, produced a wooden box about a foot long, and presented it with both hands. "We have found the Yun Family’s Divine Sense object. But I do not know if this is what Patriarch Chen requires."

Chen Li opened the box. Lying quietly inside was a piece of jade bone, about the length of a finger and as thick as a baby’s arm.

It was a warm, milky white, with the faint luster of jade. A closer look revealed extremely fine, strange patterns within it.

Chen Li’s fingertip gently touched the Jade Bone. A cool sensation spread from his finger, unexpectedly calming his Heart Spirit.

A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. He looked up and asked, "What is this?"

Shi Yuheng was taken aback, clearly not expecting that Chen Li also didn’t know the object’s origin. She explained, "We are not entirely sure what this is either. But judging by its form, texture, and aura, it might be a Relic left behind by a great master of the Buddhist Sect after their passing."

Seeing Chen Li frown slightly, clearly unsatisfied with her answer, she didn’t dare to delay and recounted their journey in detail.

It turned out that after the eight of them went to Jiangzhou, they investigated and found the person Chen Li had mentioned: the former thousand households of the Jingwu Bureau, Yun Ya.

But when they met him, Yun Ya was already like a piece of rotted wood. He spent his days slumped in a wicker chair in his courtyard, basking in the sun. His former Power was gone, making him no different from any other dying old man.

At first, they thought they had the wrong person, but after much trouble, they confirmed his identity.

By gathering intelligence, the eight learned that Yun Ya had a good-for-nothing younger son who was addicted to vice and squandered the family fortune.

They disguised themselves as creditors to get close to the son, hoping to find an opening.

But to their surprise, their masterful Thousand Gate Skill was seen through in an instant.

They later learned that two months prior, Yun Ya had transferred all of his Power to his youngest son through a spiritual infusion.

That was how they were exposed.

With no other choice, the eight went to find his son.

Yun Ya had told his son to stay far away from Yunzhou and never return.

The eight had expected a long and difficult pursuit.

But in a twist that was both comical and frustrating, Yun Ya’s son hadn’t taken his father’s warning to heart at all. Instead, he continued to frequent the Jiangzhou Black Market, buying and smoking Opium.

The eight made a few inquiries and immediately found out where the son was.

Although this wastrel had received his father’s power, his foundation was weak and his character corrupt. His Cultivation was only at the Inner Mansion Pass of the Spirit Realm’s Third Level.

They subdued him without much effort and found the Jade Bone on his person.

According to him, a few months ago, after his older sister and brother-in-law disappeared, his father, Yun Ya, had lost all hope. He sought out the Buddhist Sect and traded the Yun Family’s entire fortune for a spiritual infusion technique, transferring all of his Cultivation to his son.

During the power transfer, his father had him hold this Jade Bone in his mouth to try and break through to the Divine Hall.

Unfortunately, his aptitude was poor, and even with the help of his father’s lifetime of Power, he failed to open his Divine Hall.

Yun Ya could only instruct him to wear it at all times, claiming it could alleviate the symptoms of his Opium addiction.

As for the Jade Bone’s specific origin and uses, the wastrel was completely clueless.

Chen Li listened quietly. He secretly sent a sliver of his Divine Sense to probe it, and the cool, calming sensation became even more pronounced.

’This item is indeed effective on the Divine Sense and soul, but I don’t know its specific function.’

He asked no more questions and put the Jade Bone away.

"This is the antidote."

With a flick of his sleeve, he tossed a Jade Bottle to Shi Yuheng.

The Eight Generals of Wind Gate caught it and exchanged glances, each seeing the urgency in the others’ eyes.

They didn’t hesitate. They immediately took the pills, found a spot, and sat down cross-legged to absorb the medicine’s power.

An incense stick’s time later, the eight of them opened their eyes, looks of joy on their faces.

The residual poison that had been in their bodies for months finally dissipated, and they all felt a sense of lightness.

"Thank you for the medicine, Senior!"

Shi Yuheng led the others in a deep bow to Chen Li.

"Go."

Chen Li waved his hand dismissively, not giving them a second glance.

Shi Yuheng and the others said no more. They took their boss, Si Chenyin, and hurriedly left the courtyard.

Their figures soon vanished from Lingxi.

Only Chen Li remained in the courtyard.

He took out the Jade Bone again, toying with it between his fingers. After a moment of thought, he went to another courtyard.

After he knocked, Liu Zongying opened the door.

Seeing Chen Li’s late-night visit, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. "Patriarch, what brings you here?"

Chen Li handed over the Jade Bone. "Master Liu San, take a look at this. See if it’s of any use to you."

Liu Zongying was startled at first, then took the Jade Bone.

The moment his fingertips touched it, the cool, calming sensation invigorated his spirit.

He immediately realized the item was extraordinary. Thinking of the search for a Divine Sense object, he felt both overjoyed and grateful.

He had never imagined that Chen Li would still keep this matter in mind.

"Thank you for your concern, Patriarch."

Liu Zongying bowed deeply.

"Try it."

Chen Li waved his hand, signaling that there was no need for formalities. "It should be most effective if you hold it in your mouth."

Liu Zongying said no more. He immediately sat cross-legged in the courtyard and, as instructed, placed the Jade Bone in his mouth.

He closed his eyes, silently circulated his Cultivation Technique, and focused on the feeling.

After about an incense stick’s worth of time, Liu Zongying slowly opened his eyes, which shone with delighted surprise.

He took out the Jade Bone, his voice filled with excitement. "Patriarch, this item is useful to me. There’s no need to look for that Qian Shiqian anymore."

"Explain in detail."

Chen Li’s gaze shifted slightly, gesturing for him to continue.

Liu Zongying calmed his excitement and explained, "This is very likely a Relic left by a Dharma Realm Powerhouse of the Buddhist Sect after their passing. Just now, while holding it in my mouth and circulating my power, I could faintly hear the echo of Sanskrit chants in my sea of consciousness. When I entrusted my Divine Soul to it, I felt as if my Divine Soul had come back to life."

As he spoke, a flash of understanding crossed his eyes. He continued, "This old man now has a good idea of how Yun Ya broke my Silent Extinction Finger back then. With this Relic for protection, one could forcibly attack a Seal without fear of their soul shattering. Yun Ya must have used this treasure to repeatedly attack the seal, at any cost, until he fortunately broke free."

Liu Zongying grew more and more excited. "For all these years, my Divine Soul has been weak, and I haven’t dared to practice Cultivation precisely because I lacked a treasure like this to protect it. Now that I have it, I just need to entrust my Divine Soul to the Relic. With its power, I can reignite my Inner Qi Flame, refine my Divine Sense, and restore my former Cultivation in no time. I no longer have to worry about my Divine Soul dispersing during Cultivation."

"That’s good."

Chen Li nodded. "Master Liu San, recover your Cultivation as quickly as possible. I have other matters to entrust to you."

"Patriarch, please wait a moment."

Liu Zongying immediately began to recite, without reservation, the Cultivation Techniques for the Vein-Severing Soul-Breaking Finger and the Silent Extinction Finger, detailing the circulation routes, key acupoints, and crucial points for Inner Qi manipulation.

Chen Li listened intently, occasionally asking about critical points.

After Liu Zongying finished, Chen Li repeated the essentials of both finger techniques, confirming there were no errors or omissions before nodding.

"I will not pass these techniques on to anyone else."

Chen Li nodded in agreement.

"Thank you, Patriarch."

Liu Zongying bowed.

Chen Li said no more and turned to leave the small courtyard.

「The next morning.」

The newlyweds, Chen Shouheng and Zhou Shuwei, came to serve tea to their elders as per tradition.

After the ceremony, Zhou Shuwei found an opportunity to tell Chen Li in detail about the night before the wedding, when Governor He Mingyun had broken into her chambers late at night to threaten her.

After listening, Chen Li simply nodded. "For now, just stay here in Lingxi and be at ease. If there’s nothing important, don’t go out. Focus on your Cultivation."

He then changed the subject, asking about their Cultivation progress.

Zhou Shuwei replied, "Father, your daughter-in-law has finished tempering the five viscera and is currently trying to construct her Inner Mansion Little World."

She reached the Profound Acupoint Pass nearly half a year before Chen Shouheng.

After her family’s misfortune, she had dedicated herself even more to her training at the Martial Arts Academy, and her progress was quite fast.

Chen Li then looked at his son, Chen Shouheng.

A look of shame appeared on Chen Shouheng’s face. "Father, I have not yet finished tempering my heart and kidneys."

His progress had been the same when he returned home before the Provincial Examination.

Although he had been busy traveling back and forth during this period with little time for Cultivation, he had also slacked off quite a bit.

Chen Li immediately urged him, "Shuwei is ahead of you. You need to work harder and not fall behind."

Chen Shouheng replied, "Yes, Father."

...

Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, it was the last month of the lunar year, and the weather had turned cold.

「That afternoon.」

A green-canopied carriage quietly entered Lingxi and stopped at the gates of the Chen Mansion.

The curtain was lifted, and the Magistrate of Mirror Mountain County, Luo Pingyuan, dressed in plain clothes, hurriedly disembarked.

Seeing that the County Magistrate had come in person, a servant dared not be slow. He led him into the front hall and then rushed to report to Chen Li.

Chen Li had the servant bring him to the study.

"Senior."

Luo Pingyuan cupped his fists in salute, his tone carrying a deliberately suppressed urgency.

Chen Li looked at him. "What brings Magistrate Luo here today? Please, sit."

Luo Pingyuan sat down and got straight to the point. "I apologize for disturbing your peace, Senior. It’s just... about the matter we discussed previously. Regarding the Jiang Family’s second master, Jiang Hongxin, I was wondering when it would be convenient for you to act."

Seeing Chen Li’s expression unchanged, he added with a hint of desperation, "Jiang Hongxin is already on his way back to Songjiang. He is traveling alone, which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If we wait for him to return, trying to make a move then will be fraught with complications. Senior, you promised to help me eliminate this threat. The time has come. I ask that you honor your agreement."