---
The Chen family mansion was built on a hillside beside the water, with pavilions and towers scattered among rugged mountains and trickling streams.
The overall layout showcased a sense of ingenuity. However, once inside, the mansion's ostentatious decor revealed its nouveau riche temperament. After all, its foundation was still too shallow.
From conversations along the way, Qi Yuan learned that the beautiful woman in black was Chen Yuer, the sister of Chen Honghao, the head of the Chen family.
"Brother, Miss Xin is here, along with her friends and maids."
As soon as they entered the grand hall, Chen Yuer's gentle voice was the first to be heard.
Sitting on a golden, dragon-headed chair in the center of the hall was a thin middle-aged man in a dark blue robe. He had a clean-shaven face and bright eyes. This was Chen Honghao, a cultivator at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.
Waving away the family members he had been speaking with, Chen Honghao stood up and greeted them with a smile. "Miss Xin, how have you been?"
Xin Ruyin bowed politely and responded softly, "Greetings, Master Chen."
After exchanging pleasantries, Chen Honghao turned his attention to Qi Yuan. He had taken note of him the moment he entered the hall.
At such a young age, he had already reached the early stage of Foundation Establishment. This was not an achievement a mere rogue cultivator could easily attain. Yet, among the young talents of Yuanwu Country, there had never been mention of such a person.
"What is your name, young man?" Chen Honghao asked.
"I am Zhang Tie," Qi Yuan replied with a respectful bow.
Chen Honghao continued, "Fellow Daoist Zhang, you are quite young and already possess such a high level of cultivation. Which sect did you train under?"
"My master is a rogue cultivator, and I am also unaffiliated—without any sect or school to call my own. I fear I may disappoint you, Master Chen," Qi Yuan answered smoothly, feigning embarrassment.
Chen Honghao was momentarily surprised but quickly dismissed it with a chuckle before shifting the conversation back to Xin Ruyin's expertise in formations.
** Nightfall **
The Chen family naturally hosted a lavish banquet with fine wine and exquisite dishes to entertain Xin Ruyin, Qi Yuan, and their companions.
The feast lasted until the moon was high in the sky.
As moonlight filtered through the eaves, casting a soft silver glow on the dark tiles, Qi Yuan sat cross-legged, turning his spiritual consciousness inward to observe the Chaos Cauldron within his soul. Inside, the damaged magic harp lay dormant, slowly being repaired.
The cauldron actively purified the Yin and Yang energies absorbed from the surroundings before channeling them into the harp. Under this nourishment, the harp's once-dull surface had begun to regain its luster.
Upon reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, Qi Yuan had discovered that the cauldron not only absorbed Yin and Yang energy more efficiently but also refined it to a higher degree.
For magical treasures at the Qi Refining stage, this purification significantly improved their quality and restoration speed. However, for Foundation Establishment-grade treasures, the effect was merely average. As for treasures at the Golden Core stage, the repair process was painstakingly slow.
Ever since arriving in Jinma City, Qi Yuan had placed the magic harp inside the Chaos Cauldron, absorbing Yin and Yang energy each night. To do so, he would linger near the city's brothel district, where such energy was abundant.
Apart from cultivating an additional twenty-five Sky Thunder Seeds, all the energy he collected was funneled into repairing the harp. Even so, it had taken half a month to restore only half of it—meaning a full repair would take about a month.
In that same span of time, he could have refined countless pills and talismans. The opportunity cost was significant.
If only he could absorb the Yin and Yang energy of a Golden Core cultivator, the process would be much faster. However, Jinma City was a small place, home to only a handful of Golden Core experts. In half a month, he had only encountered two instances of their energy leakage—far too little to be of real use.
Thinking back to his five years in seclusion, Qi Yuan recalled how a certain woman, Chen Qiaoqian, had constantly emitted Yin and Yang energy due to her unique constitution. It was because of this that he had uncovered her… peculiar obsession.
After arriving at the Chen family estate in Yuanwu Kingdom, Qi Yuan was surprised to find that the Yin and Yang energy here was remarkably abundant—perfect for steadily repairing the magic harp.
It seemed the Chen family's younger generation had quite an interest in this domain. Not bad… not bad at all.
** Late at Night **
As the night deepened and the world quieted, Qi Yuan noticed that the Yin and Yang energy in the air had begun to wane. Rising to his feet, he returned to his room.
Rather than immediately meditating, he retrieved several Sky Thunder Seeds and mid-grade magical weapons from his storage bag.
The Sky Thunder Seeds were undeniably powerful, but their accuracy left much to be desired. Qi Yuan pondered ways to disguise and refine them for greater precision.
He took a fire- and water-resistant beast hide, cut it to size, and wrapped it around the Sky Thunder Seed, sealing it with silk thread.
Next, he affixed the wrapped seeds onto a silver wheel—an enchanted mid-grade magical weapon. He attached four Sky Thunder Seeds to the front and back of the wheel, intending to use the weapon's innate speed to launch them with greater accuracy before the enemy had time to react.
While Qi Yuan busied himself with his modifications, a secret discussion was taking place elsewhere in the Chen family estate.
**The Chen Family's Secret Meeting **
In a hidden chamber, Chen Yuer and Chen Honghao sat respectfully before a young man with closed eyes.
After a moment, the young man opened his eyes, exuding an aura of absolute authority. "Hao'er, for the future of our family, we must ensure that the little girl remains under our control. Is everything prepared?"
Chen Honghao stepped forward and spoke solemnly, "Father, everything is in place. Once she sets up the formation, we can execute the plan."
The young man nodded approvingly, then turned to his daughter. "Yuer, you seem to have something on your mind. Speak freely."
"Dad, Miss Xin is accompanied by a maidservant and a Foundation Establishment cultivator. We should be cautious and eliminate him first to minimize our family's losses," Chen Yuer suggested calmly.
The young man contemplated for a moment before nodding. "You're right. If a Foundation Establishment cultivator goes berserk, our Qi Refining disciples won't stand a chance. We must take care of him discreetly."
At that moment, a burly man stepped out of the shadows, dragging a thick iron chain attached to an iron ball made of an unknown metal. The heavy object left deep grooves in the chamber's stone floor.
"Leave it to me," the man declared with excitement.
The young patriarch of the Chen family sighed, glancing at his son, who had just ruined the newly repaired floor tiles.
"Duan'er, how many times have I told you? Put the iron ball away when you come inside," he said, exasperated.
Chen Duan scoffed. "Father, it's just a few floor tiles. Why scold your own son over something so trivial?"
Taking a deep breath, the young patriarch turned back to his daughter. "Where were we?"
"Capturing the Foundation Establishment cultivator," Chen Yuer reminded him.
"Ah, yes. Should we use poison as usual, or lure him into a trap before killing him?"
Chen Duan grinned. "Forget the tricks. Just let me smash him to death."
Chen Honghao, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. "Second Brother, don't be reckless. That young man conceals his magical power well, which means he isn't easy to deal with. Given his talent, he might be an elite disciple from a major sect."
"Hmph! We've killed disciples from major sects before. Why be so cautious now?" Chen Duan sneered.
Ignoring his brother, Chen Honghao turned back to the patriarch, awaiting his decision.
"Did he say who his master was?"
Chen Yuer smiled. "He claims to be a rogue cultivator, likely from Yue Country."
"In that case, no need to worry. Dispose of him cleanly."
(End of Chapter)