Chapter 22 of 100
Chapter 22
7 min read1,808 words
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Chen Xuan, a young man standing outside the courtyard, is the eldest son of the Chen family patriarch. He has a naturally righteous demeanor. He hurriedly came here upon hearing that Chen Ye's death had prompted Xu Hao to recruit a group of outsiders, using their influence to seek revenge and drive out the Chen family.
He rushed to rescue them, hoping to win the favor of the talented and beautiful Helian Huowu. He never expected to witness such an astonishing scene: Chen Mo, long considered a waste by the family, had suddenly displayed great power, sweeping all before him. It was truly exhilarating and satisfying, and he couldn't help but admire the seamless cooperation between Chen Mo and his sister. Such默契 (mòqì) — such默契 (mòqì) could only be achieved through years of close interaction and mutual trust.
Chen Mo frowned, looking at Chen Xuan, who was slowly walking into the outer courtyard. Chen Xuan, a prodigy in the family, was not much older than him but had already reached the peak of the high-level Spirit Apprentice stage, the brightest and most dazzling presence in the family, a treasure in the hearts of the elders.
Although he is the son of the patriarch, Chen Xuan has worked hard and diligently in his cultivation, with the advantage of abundant resources. His cultivation progress has been astonishing, and he is now only one step away from becoming a Spirit Master. He is the default successor to the family patriarch and the hope for the family's revival.
"Chen Mo, I didn't expect that you would have grown so much in just a few days. I was worried for nothing," Chen Xuan said with a face full of amazement and a sincere smile. Servant Uncle Chen, who is mute, followed respectfully half a step behind.
Chen Mo felt neither good nor bad about this person. He thought that a silver-spoon kid offering help without a reason must have ulterior motives. Since Chen Xuan is the young master of the family, Chen Mo couldn't afford to offend him. He said coldly, "Young Master, what brings you here?"
Helian Huowu strolled out, saw Chen Xuan and his servant, and smiled faintly, nodding slightly, her politeness tinged with a hint of distance.
"Chen Mo, you are a few months younger than me, so you are my younger cousin," Chen Xuan said, a bit awkwardly, quickly explaining, "Don't misunderstand, I'm here to help."
Helian Huowu raised her eyebrows, her eyes clear and bright like a tranquil lake, and asked in confusion, "Young Master, you want to help us?" They had killed so many family members, and even if they were in the right, there would be no evidence. Chen Mo had just returned and couldn't afford any more trouble. Chen Xuan's help would make things much easier.
"A small favor, Miss Helian, don't refuse," Chen Xuan said, his lips curling slightly, his eyes hiding deep admiration. While speaking, he carefully sketched Helian Huowu's image in his mind, engraving it deeply, and made a firm decision.
Without waiting for Chen Mo to speak, he turned and nodded slightly to Servant Uncle Chen.
"Chen Xuan, I can handle it myself, no need for your unnecessary actions," Chen Mo said, feeling uneasy as Chen Xuan kept staring at Huowu. "Huowu, don't let others... uh."
In an instant, black smoke rose, and Xu Hao's corpse began to sizzle and rapidly decay, soon turning into black ash that scattered in the wind. Apart from the bloodstains on the ground, there was no trace left. In the courtyard, Servant Uncle Chen held a bottle and quickly sprinkled 'Corpse Dissolving Powder' on each corpse.
Helian Huowu's almond eyes widened in surprise, and she smiled, pulling Chen Mo's arm and cooing, "Second Brother, this is really great, a one-time solution."
Seemingly sensing Chen Mo's slight displeasure, Helian Huowu pouted and shook his arm, saying softly, "Second Brother, let's not dwell on this." Her eyes were filled with a hint of pleading.
Chen Mo understood that Huowu didn't want to bring more trouble to the family. A man should not be overly cautious and lose his broad-mindedness. He bowed to Chen Xuan, acknowledging his kindness, "Thank you, Young Master. I will remember this and repay you when the opportunity arises." His sense of justice and generosity soared.
"Good," Chen Xuan said, not being overly modest, accepting Chen Mo's words. He glanced at Helian Huowu, who was intimately holding his arm, and felt a bit jealous. He touched his nose, feeling a bit sour.
Servant Uncle Chen quickly finished the task and stood respectfully behind Chen Xuan.
"I'll take my leave now. Chen Mo, don't worry, this whole incident was caused by those evil servants. The blame won't fall on you. If Elder Three is dissatisfied, I will explain everything to Father," Chen Xuan said, bowing to take his leave. Before leaving, he looked at the charming Helian Huowu with lingering affection, clenching his fist tightly, his resolve growing stronger.
After the first victory, Chen Mo felt no joy. He knew his own strength and realized that it was far from enough to protect his family. Even Chen Xuan's strength was not to be underestimated, and he was not yet a match for him. Chen De Shui was also watching him with a venomous gaze. He needed to focus on his cultivation.
However, Chen Mo was confident that with the Light Divine Tree, he would definitely surpass Chen Xuan.
After chatting with their family, the siblings cleaned up the messy courtyard.
Hu Lingping quickly prepared the washing supplies, a coarse towel and a basin of clear water, and silently helped Chen Mo clean the bloodstains, her heart full of pain and reluctance, her eyes brimming with tears, but she bit her lip to keep them from falling, not wanting to worry the children.
"Mother, I can do it myself," Chen Mo said, snatching the basin and turning to push Hu Lingping into a chair.
The strong mother had managed the household, working hard for the three siblings, her temples already showing a hint of gray.
If not for the trouble he caused, his elder brother, who was a talented genius, wouldn't be in such a pitiful state. His heart felt heavy, and he silently vowed to cure his brother and restore him to his former self, and to make the woman who brought her lover to break the engagement regret her actions.
After treating his wounds, Chen Mo returned to his room to meditate. The Light Profound Qi was indeed extraordinary, with a powerful and pure force that perfectly matched the essence of the Vajra Fist.
This was just the first level of the Great Light Divine Art, a cultivation technique of the lowest rank, yet it had such great power. Chen Mo couldn't help but imagine himself reaching the second and third levels, becoming invincible and mighty, his face beaming with pride.
But then, his face turned gloomy, and he pouted. To advance to the second level of the Great Light Divine Art, he needed to fuse and absorb other main cultivation techniques. But he was poor, and the only technique he had was the Green Wood Art, which was not enough to upgrade.
Moreover, the tender sprout growing in his consciousness sea was equally effective. In today's fierce battles, without the help of the green liquid, he wouldn't have won with just the Great Light Divine Art and the Vajra Fist. This also required a lot of resources, and if he didn't take good care of it, he couldn't expect it to produce green liquid in the future.
Thinking of this, Chen Mo's frown deepened. He muttered to himself, "Poor children have to grow up early. I must find a way to earn money. If I had the same opportunities as Chen Xuan, these problems wouldn't be problems."
In a daze, he dreamed of the sprout growing into a towering tree, bearing the fruits of the Light Angel. He didn't know if it was real or just a dream.
Chen Mo returned to his consciousness sea. The sprout had been repeatedly drained of its green liquid and was now withered and lifeless, its leaves gray and dull.
Chen Mo felt a bit scared. If the sprout withered, he would be in a dire situation. He didn't dare to delay and began to use the Light Profound Qi to nourish the sprout.
Immediately, the withered sprout, like a cat sensing food, began to stir. It greedily devoured the Light Profound Qi, like a hungry beast.
After three cycles of the Light Profound Qi, the sprout had only slightly perked up. To fully recover, it would need much more Light Profound Qi. Chen Mo was amazed; the green liquid was not an inexhaustible resource, and every drop was precious.
To make it more effective, it needed to grow stronger.
A few days later, Chen Mo's injuries were fully healed. The sprout, after continuously devouring the Light Profound Qi, had finally regained its vitality.
He got out of bed and went to his elder brother Chen Hao's room. After some casual conversation, Chen Mo explained his purpose.
Chen Hao's eyes were dim, and he sighed, "Second Brother, I know you care about me and are determined to cure me. But I am very clear about my condition; it's hard to recover. Second Brother, promise me that you won't take unnecessary risks for me, okay?"
"Okay, Elder Brother, I understand," Chen Mo nodded, then said hopefully, "But this time, let me try. In the Small Heavenly Grotto, I had some extraordinary experiences. Perhaps a miracle will happen?"
Chen Hao looked at his excited younger brother, unable to refuse his good intentions, and nodded helplessly.
Chen Mo's face was serious as he carefully examined his brother's injuries. His brother had two major injuries: his qi sea was damaged, and his leg meridians were severed, leaving him completely paralyzed and unable to stand.
The damaged qi sea was a major issue. This time, Chen Mo wanted to try to help his brother stand. Although Mother had been massaging his legs, the severed meridians had caused severe muscle atrophy, and the situation was not optimistic.
Taking a deep breath, Chen Mo focused his mind and entered his consciousness sea, asking the sprout for green liquid. The well-fed sprout was in a good mood, its small green leaves swaying, and after a bit of showing off, it obediently produced a drop of green liquid.
Chen Mo used the Light Profound Qi to activate the green liquid, which turned into a mist of green, like a group of green fairies, flowing through his legs via the meridians he touched.
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