Chapter 51

In mid-October, Zhao Ruhui and Zhang Huayu led six hundred disciples and their families and servants to relocate to the Huanglong Spring at the foot of Yulong Mountain. Zhou Jingyuan, along with Shen Xiu, Zhou Qingyun, and other young people, also moved to Yulong Mountain with the main group...

Upon learning that Zhou Jingyuan and the others had arrived at Huanglong Spring, Chen Hai, Ge Tong, and Shen Kun took leave from Li Hu that very day. They coincidentally met Zhou Jun, who was on official business at Nantianmen Fort, and together they returned to Beitianmen Fort to meet Zhou Jingyuan and the others.

The distance between Nantianmen and Beitianmen Forts was about forty miles, and the road along the west bank of Huanglong Spring had not yet been opened, so the round trip took a whole day.

As Chen Hai and the others rode their horses halfway, they saw a green-scaled thunder goose soaring over Huanglong Spring. Chen Hai recognized it as the feathered creature raised by Chen Lie, and he wondered: Could Chen Qing have come to Yulong Mountain again?

"Could it be that Uncle Chen Lie has been transferred to the Yulong Camp?" Zhou Jun, with his quick thinking, saw this unique spirit bird of the Taowei Sect and immediately thought about the Yulong Camp's recent efforts to strengthen its forces by drawing in elite troops from various units.

"It's really possible!" Shen Kun and Ge Tong were greatly excited, thinking that if Chen Lie were transferred to Yulong Mountain, following Chen Hai would truly mean they had found a strong supporter.

Chen Lie, as a third-generation true disciple of the Upper Seven Peaks, served as a General of the Military Command in Weijiang Camp. After his transfer to the Yulong Camp, his rank would not be lower than that of a General of the Military Command, a position far beyond what Li Xianghai, Zhao Ruhui, and others could achieve.

However, the most critical thing was for Chen Lie to accept his estranged nephew once again.

Chen Hai looked at the thunder goose soaring over Huanglong Spring, his brows slightly furrowed, and his thoughts wandered to other matters...

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Chen Hai, Shen Kun, and the others entered the cliffside along Huanglong Spring, galloping on the riverbank, and arrived at Beitianmen Fort. Indeed, Chen Lie, his adopted son Chen Zhang, and his daughter Chen Qing were there. Chen Lie had indeed been officially transferred to the Yulong Camp by order of the Grand Marshal's Office.

Accompanied by Li Xianghai, Zhao Ruhui, Zhang Huayu, and others, Chen Lie was inspecting the defense construction of Huanglong Spring. Seeing Chen Hai arrive at Beitianmen Fort without waiting for him to send a messenger, he was very pleased and pulled him into the meeting hall of Beitianmen Fort:

"I received the transfer order in a hurry, thinking we would meet when I arrived at Yulong Mountain, so I didn't write to you."

In front of everyone, Chen Lie did not hide his satisfaction and joy with Chen Hai's recent performance.

"You have been diligent in your cultivation at the Dao Academy and have also earned military merit. I was very pleased to hear about it in Weijiang City. Now that I am serving as Deputy Marshal in the Yulong Camp, I need to form a new guard unit. Come and help me..."

Chen Hai and the others had guessed that Chen Lie was being transferred to the Yulong Camp, but they did not expect the outcome to be even better than they imagined.

The Grand Marshal of the Wuwei Army oversaw the military and political affairs of the western river counties. Each major camp was responsible for the defense of a specific direction, with a Marshal, several Deputy Marshals, and various ranks of generals, including Senior Generals of the Military Command, Generals of the Military Command, and mid-to-low-ranking officers such as Commanders of the Guard, Commanders of the Army, Commanders of the Thousand, and Commanders of the Hundred.

Previously, Chen Lie served as a General of the Military Command in Weijiang Camp. This time, as Deputy Marshal, his rank was promoted by one level. More importantly, according to the usual practice of the Great Yan Empire, high-ranking positions like Deputy Marshal were typically accompanied by a noble title.

Chen Lie, a young and vigorous figure in the Chen family, had not yet inherited the county marquis title due to his collateral lineage. However, with his cultivation and military achievements, even if he were granted the lowest rank of a village marquis, he would truly become a high-ranking figure in the western river counties and the Taowei Sect.

In the Chen family, besides Chen Lie, one person was a county marquis, one was a town marquis, and one was a village marquis, all with the cultivation of the Mingqiao Realm. However, except for County Marquis Chen Zhiyi, who served as the Left Chancellor of the Grand Marshal's Office, Chen Lie held the highest military rank. Moreover, being in his prime, he was considered one of the most promising figures in the Wuwei Army to achieve the Dao Pill.

Chen Lie thus officially became the third most important figure in the Chen family, after the old patriarch and the clan head Chen Zhiyi, and his cultivation was not inferior to that of Chen Zhiyi.

Chen Hai had not expected Chen Lie to have the opportunity to serve as Deputy Marshal in the Yulong Camp. Now, he had truly found a strong supporter in Yulong Mountain, but he hesitated about whether to be directly transferred to Chen Lie's side.

The Wuwei Army had extremely strict discipline, and any military transfer required a formal, stamped official letter.

Personal troops of mid-to-low-ranking officers were an exception. For mid-to-high-ranking officers, such as Commanders of the Thousand and above, their personal guard units and escort units could be considered private troops.

As a General of the Military Command, Chen Lie previously had a guard unit of two hundred men, mixed with Chen family troops and personal guards. This time, with his promotion to Deputy Marshal, the guard unit could be expanded to five hundred men.

Chen Lie's intention to transfer him to the guard unit clearly indicated that he had accepted him again.

If he returned to Chen Lie's side, he would no longer have to worry about resources for cultivation. Chen Hai's cultivation was much more difficult than that of ordinary people and required several times or even ten times the resources. But with his cultivation at the Tongxuan Realm, if Chen Lie could not support his own nephew's cultivation, he would be a failure as the third most important figure in the Chen family and Deputy Marshal of the Yulong Camp.

Chen Zhang stood behind Chen Lie with a warm smile, seemingly welcoming him back to Chen Lie's side.

Chen Hai thought to himself that as long as Chen Lie accepted him again, he could return at any time. Why should he join forces with the scheming Chen Zhang now?

Moreover, the guard unit under Chen Lie was commanded by Chen Zhang!

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"I have fought alongside many comrades and developed a deep bond. If I were to leave them now and return to Uncle's side, retreating to the north of Yulong Mountain, they might gossip behind my back, saying I am a coward and seek comfort. I would rather stay here and have the opportunity to earn more military merit..." Chen Hai said lightly.

Chen Lie and his adopted son Chen Zhang were slightly taken aback, not expecting Chen Hai to refuse to join the guard unit. Chen Qing was also confused, not understanding why this rogue would give up such an opportunity.

However, Chen Lie appreciated the spirit Chen Hai showed and laughed heartily, saying, "If you have such aspirations, that's excellent. I don't have to worry about Li Xianghai complaining about losing his 'great general'!"

"I dare not," Li Xianghai said with a smile.

He had witnessed Chen Hai's bravery in battle, but given his low cultivation, Chen Lie's decision to transfer his nephew to his side would not cause any resentment, especially since he was currently serving a punishment.

Of course, if Chen Hai stayed in his unit, he would not only have a capable assistant but also a chance to build a closer relationship with Deputy Marshal Chen Lie, which would be even better.

Even Zhang Huayu, a member of the Chai family, praised Chen Hai's diligence and rapid progress in the Dao Academy, as well as his bravery in battle, as if he had no knowledge of Chai Rong's bullying of Chen Hai last year.

Chen Qing, standing beside her father, looked at Chen Hai's scarred, swollen, and ugly face with disgust. After seeing everyone's reactions, she thought that this rogue was merely trying to win her father's favor.

Thinking this, Chen Qing felt even more dislike.

Chen Zhang also smiled, but Chen Hai could see a shadow of darkness in his deep, starry eyes. He smiled coldly and said to Chen Lie, "Uncle, I have a request, but I'm not sure if I should bring it up now."

"What is it?" Chen Lie asked.

"I have committed a grave mistake and have been expelled from the Yao family. It is only because of Uncle's favor that I have the will to reform. I want to change my name to show my determination to start anew. From now on, there will be no more Yao Xing in this world. I hope Uncle will grant me this favor!" Chen Hai said firmly.

"Oh," Chen Lie was surprised by this request and asked, "What name do you want to change to?"

"I would like Uncle to grant me the name Chen Hai..." Chen Hai said.

Hearing this, everyone in the hall was stunned. They did not expect Chen Hai to request not just a name change but a name granted by Chen Lie.

Previously, Chen Hai was Chen Lie's nephew, a collateral descendant of the Chen family. Now, by requesting a name from Chen Lie, he was asking to be officially recorded in the Chen family's genealogy, becoming a direct descendant of the Chen family and Chen Lie's lineage.

Chen Zhang's good acting skills could not hide his sudden change in expression. He did not expect this young man to reveal his ambition so openly, and he felt a deep hatred...

Even Qian Wenyi, standing to the side, thought Chen Hai was being too hasty. Chen Qing was full of disdain, believing that Chen Hai's previous gift and flattery were all for this moment.

As the saying goes, "Even a fair judge finds it hard to resolve family matters." Chen Lie knew that his adopted son Chen Zhang and daughter Chen Qing might not truly accept his nephew, but he did not want to discourage his nephew's resolve to reform. Without hesitation, he nodded and agreed:

"Very well. Since the Yao family does not accept you, the Chen family will open its arms to you. I suggested to your father years ago that he join our Chen family instead of staying with the Yao family, but he refused. If your father were still alive, he would likely be both amused and saddened. But I will grant you the name Chen Hai and record you in our Chen family's genealogy!"

As for whether his nephew seemed too eager, Chen Lie did not mind too much. He could always teach him to be more patient and calculating in the future.

What pained him more was that his nephew had become depressed and self-destructive after being struck by adversity. In fact, the Chen family needed ambitious and cunning men.

After his wife's death, he had not remarried and focused solely on cultivation and military affairs. He hoped to have more children, especially since he would be able to start a new lineage under the Chen family once he was granted the title of village marquis. How could his lineage not flourish?

Li Xianghai, Zhao Ruhui, Zhang Huayu, and others exchanged glances. They did not know that Chen Hai simply wanted to be himself. In their minds, this person was extremely cunning, but making such a request at this time was too hasty and might ultimately prove him to be of little use...

However, since Chen Hai was requesting to be recorded in the Chen family's genealogy, it was an internal matter of the Chen family, or more specifically, of Chen Lie's lineage. Seeing Chen Lie agree to grant Chen Hai a name and record him in the genealogy, they all offered their congratulations.

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