The Chen Estate.
This sprawling complex covering dozens of acres was the most magnificent mansion in all of Suishuo City.
Several young servants dressed in blue, looking to be around seventeen or eighteen years old, hurried across the bridge spanning the lake in the estate's inner courtyard.
As they passed the pavilion at the lake's center, these servants respectfully bent at a ninety-degree angle, bowing with near-sycophantic deference in the direction of the pavilion, before quickening their pace and hastily moving on.
Seated in the direction of the pavilion was a young master dressed in luxurious robes, reclining lazily on a rattan chair. In his arms, he held a petite beauty. Her thin gauze robe had slipped slightly, leaving her jade-like arms and fragrant shoulders bathed in the breeze. Her cloud-like hair was slightly disheveled, her features stunningly beautiful.
The young master lifted a hand and waved impatiently at the several blue-clad servants.
Then he placed his hand on the waist of the beauty in his embrace, giving it a light, encircling squeeze.
"Young Master~"
A voice so sweet it was almost sickening rang out.
His name was Chen Hao, the second son of the Chen Family in Suishuo City, twenty-three years old this year.
His father was Chen Zhengye, originally a cloth merchant in Suishuo City. While not fabulously wealthy, the family's circumstances were undoubtedly considered prosperous within Suishuo City.
The beginning of the Chen Family's meteoric rise could be traced back thirty years.
Chen Hao originally had an elder brother. The year his brother turned seven, an Immortal Master clad in pure white daoist robes wanted to take him up the mountain to cultivate.
Though Chen Hao's father and mother were quite reluctant to part with their son having such an opportunity, they absolutely could not let their son miss out.
So, when that Immortal Master took Chen Hao's elder brother away, he left Chen Hao's father and mother with a copper coin. The coin was engraved with four large characters: "Kongshan Asks Fate." He said that if they ever encountered any real difficulties, they could take this coin to the nearest Kongshan Sect Stationed Envoy Residence. The stationed envoy there would naturally lend a hand.
Of course, Chen Hao's father, coming from a cloth merchant background, had no idea what the three words "Kongshan Sect" represented in the cultivation world.
It wasn't until one day two years later, when a rogue cultivator Immortal Master was passing through Suishuo City. Chen Zhengye seized this opportunity, approaching the rogue cultivator to have him appraise the copper coin that the white-robed Immortal Master had given him, to understand what it truly meant.
Initially, the rogue cultivator's attitude was somewhat arrogant and impatient. That was, until he took the copper coin from Chen Zhengye's hand and clearly saw the characters engraved on it.
Kongshan Asks Fate!
This coin was a credential left by the Kongshan Sect for the mortal relatives of a disciple when the sect recruited that disciple.
Instantly, the rogue cultivator's attitude became considerably more friendly. After explaining the coin's function and the origins of the Kongshan Sect to Chen Hao's father, he left Suishuo City.
The words spoken by that rogue cultivator Immortal Master brought immense shock to Chen Zhengye.
Especially the final sentence the Immortal Master left before departing:
"Under the vast heavens, all who hear the name of the Kongshan Sect, do so as if struck by thunder!"
So, the immortal sect that Yan'er had joined was actually such a revered behemoth...
Gazing at the copper coin in his hand, which now felt noticeably heavier, and recalling the Immortal Master's drastic change in attitude towards him, Chen Zhengye immediately conceived a rather audacious idea.
First, he spread word everywhere that his wife, Chen Hao's mother, was gravely ill. He spent a fortune hiring famous doctors from the capital, yet none could cure her, creating a huge stir. Soon, almost the entire populace of Suishuo City knew about it.
Then, Chen Hao's father traveled to the nearby Fushan Prefecture, went to the Kongshan Sect Stationed Envoy Residence there, and through connections, managed to invite back an outer court Medical Hall disciple from the Kongshan Sect to treat his wife.
That Medical Hall disciple was very young, a cultivator who had just entered the Qi Circulation Realm in his early twenties.
The moment he placed his hand on Chen Hao's mother's pulse, he was immediately dumbfounded.
Her pulse was strong and vigorous, not showing the slightest sign of illness.
Subsequently, Chen Hao's father explained to the Medical Hall disciple from Kongshan Sect that Chen Hao's mother had fallen ill from longing for Yan'er, that it was a sickness of the heart. He hoped the Immortal Master could leave something behind, claiming Yan'er had entrusted him to bring it, just to serve as a keepsake.
This young outer court disciple usually spent his time cultivating and studying medical arts. How could he understand the convoluted schemes and intricate thoughts in Chen Hao's father's mind? He immediately believed this story, even feeling quite moved by the mother's deep affection for her son.
He wondered, did his own parents miss him this much as well?
But the sect's requirements were extremely strict. Disciples were to sever all mortal ties. As for any difficulties or injustices suffered by their closest mortal relatives, the sect's Stationed Envoy Residences would naturally uphold justice for them.
This now-melancholy Kongshan Sect outer court Medical Hall disciple then left a small porcelain vial of medicinal pills for Chen Hao's mother, followed by exhortations for her not to worry too much about her son.
These pills weren't anything particularly rare, at most having some blood and qi replenishing effects.
Then, this Kongshan Sect outer court Medical Hall disciple left the Chen Estate.
Within two days, Chen Hao's mother reappeared on the streets of Suishuo City, full of vitality.
The matter of Chen Hao's mother's stubborn illness was thus concluded.
However, the fact that an Immortal Master clad in pure white daoist robes had been invited by Chen Zhengye to his home to treat his wife became known to everyone in Suishuo City almost overnight.
The Chen Family could actually move an Immortal Master to come treat an illness!
Instantly, Chen Zhengye's prestige within the city soared, and the family's cloth business grew increasingly prosperous.
After that, Chen Zhengye conceived a new plan. He began forging letters, claiming they were sent home by Chen Yan.
Using Chen Yan's name, he swallowed up the entire cloth trade of Suishuo City, then continued extending his reach into other industries within the city.
Over the next twenty-plus years, the Chen Family had already become a behemoth within Suishuo City.
Chen Zhengye was no longer called "Boss Chen," but "Squire Chen."
Following Chen Yan, Chen Zhengye also had another son and daughter: Chen Hao and Chen Lan.
At this very moment, Chen Hao was enjoying a leisurely afternoon in the pavilion of his family's estate.
He didn't know the name of the beauty in his arms.
But it didn't matter. He was already tired of looking at her anyway. Which beauty in Suishuo City wouldn't throw herself into the arms of the Chen Family's Second Young Master?
"Second Young Master! Second Young Master!"
An elderly man's shouting voice came from the distance.
Chen Hao's brow furrowed slightly, a look of displeasure appearing on his face.
"What is it?"
He asked impatiently, looking at the old man who was trotting over.
This man's surname was Zhang. Everyone in the estate called him Uncle Zhang. He was the steward who had been by Chen Hao's father's side even before Chen Hao was born.
"The Master is calling for you and the Young Lady to come to the main hall immediately!"
The old man said, panting for breath.
"What does Father want with me and Lan for?"
Chen Hao asked, puzzled.
Hearing this, the old man lifted his head, took another deep breath, and said:
"An Immortal Master from the immortal sect your eldest brother joined has come to visit!"