Chapter 5

The next day.

In the early morning, the snow-covered Yu Mountain was a uniform white, the sky and clouds blending with the water, radiating a brilliant light that illuminated a thousand miles, casting a jade-like luster, as clear as crystal.

Shortly after, the sun rose in the east, its path bathed in great light, the crimson color spreading, and the golden dawn filling the sky with a kaleidoscope of colors.

Seeing this scene, Chen Yan felt his mind and spirit calm. He felt like the rising sun, his complexion as red as cinnabar, the warm true qi circulating through his meridians, and his pores naturally opening, full of vitality.

The *Liu Jia Shang Yuan Gong* was a top-notch guiding technique, specifically used for refining essence into qi, a first-rate mystic art. It was characterized by its continuous and unhurried nature, achieving results naturally, and was always praised for this.

Such a mystic art did not seek quick success and instant benefits; it was solid and steady, allowing for a gradual buildup and eventual burst of power.

There were three stages to immortality: Sensing, Cultivating Qi, and the Great Circulation.

Chen Yan had already passed the Sensing stage. Next was Cultivating Qi, where he would gradually increase his true qi until it filled his dantian and meridians, allowing him to proceed to the final stage, breaking through the bridge between heaven and earth, and performing the Great Circulation.

"Cultivating Qi is a process of grinding water; it lies in being slow, not hasty."

Chen Yan, with his past cultivation experience, was neither anxious nor impatient, letting things take their natural course.

"Ha ha ha,"

As for Ying, she was sitting under a tree, playing with the celestial horse, laughing nonstop.

"Neigh, neigh,"

The celestial horse kept rubbing its head against Ying's legs, looking almost like a domesticated dog.

"What a beautiful horse,"

Ying stroked the celestial horse's silky mane and said, "It's just a pity that its tail isn't very pretty."

"Neigh, neigh,"

The celestial horse neighed twice, as if it understood human speech, showing its dissatisfaction.

Knock, knock, knock,

At this moment, urgent knocking came from the door, followed by the voice of the neighbor, Carpenter Wang, saying, "Is Ying at home? Something terrible has happened. Zhao Laohu is leading more than ten people here, saying he wants to take you home to pay for his third son's life."

"What?"

Ying was startled and quickly ran to open the door, her face pale. "I haven't offended Zhao Laohu. Why would he come to take me?"

"I heard his third son was scared out of his wits while walking at night."

Carpenter Wang didn't know the details but urged Ying to run away. "You know Zhao Laohu is unreasonable and tyrannical. Hurry up and go hide."

"What can I do? What can I do?"

Ying was in a panic, at a loss.

After all, Zhao Laohu was notorious for his brutality, robbing and bullying, committing all sorts of evil deeds. In this area, even the cries of children would stop at the mention of his name.

Usually, whenever Zhao Laohu went out, every household would close their doors, fearing trouble. His cruelty was well-known.

Even if she could endure hardship, she was still a young girl. How could she not be afraid of a notorious bully like Zhao Laohu?

"It seems the person you scared that day was Zhao Laohu's third son."

Chen Yan didn't take a local bully seriously and said slowly, "Such a bad seed, it would have been better if you had scared him to death."

"Oh dear,"

Carpenter Wang was stomping his feet in anxiety, repeatedly saying, "Young Master Chen, you should keep quiet and run away with Ying. Zhao Laohu acts without restraint. If he really catches you, the consequences will be unimaginable."

"Uncle Wang is right. I and Young Master should go hide."

Ying nodded, but before she could move, there was a commotion outside, and the sound of hooves approached.

Boom, boom, boom,

The next moment, the front door was smashed open, and a rough voice boomed, "Where's that girl Ying? Come out quickly."

The voice was like thunder, echoing far and wide.

"Finished, finished,"

Carpenter Wang's legs went weak, almost sitting on the ground, his voice trembling. "This is Black-faced God Tiezhu, Zhao Laohu's top enforcer. I've heard he has more than one life on his hands."

Rustle, rustle,

Such a rude door-smashing naturally alarmed the neighbors.

"Hey, who is this, smashing people's doors like that?"

Someone, not knowing the situation, felt a sense of injustice.

"Who else? Zhao Laohu from Zhao Village."

Another person, recognizing Zhao Laohu, lowered his voice, as if afraid of being overheard by Zhao's people on the street.

"Phew,"

Hearing "Zhao Laohu," the person sucked in a cold breath, his voice becoming as small as a mosquito's. "How could it be the notorious Zhao Laohu? The Chen family is in for a disaster this time."

"Indeed, poor Ying. She finally saw Young Master Chen recover, and now this trouble comes."

The people around, intimidated by Zhao Laohu's reputation, sympathized but dared not intervene.

In such a small place, the tyranny of local bullies was truly helpless.

"Ha ha,"

Zhao Tiezhu, waving a club as thick as his arm, smashed the courtyard wall, grinning wickedly. "Ying, you little girl, if you don't come out, your Grandpa Zhao will burn down the Chen family courtyard and make you a burned ghost instead of a hanged one."

"Hmph,"

Chen Yan sneered, holding the scroll in his sleeve. "Bully and thug, truly rampant."

"Let's go,"

Chen Yan, with his other hand, gently held Ying's slender waist and stepped out. "Daring to destroy my Chen family's gate, today they will pay for it."

Soon, Chen Yan saw the notorious Zhao Laohu.

Zhao Laohu was riding a tall horse, with a lion's head, leopard eyes, and a face full of scars, looking like a fierce demon, clearly not a good person.

More than twenty burly men surrounded him, like stars around the moon.

Chen Yan even recognized two familiar faces, former servants of the Chen family who had fled with goods after he fell ill.

He never expected they would join Zhao Laohu.

"Bandit and bully,"

Chen Yan's eyes flickered, thinking to himself, in such a place, it was indeed the wicked who thrived.

"This time, I must teach them a lesson."

Chen Yan was not a soft-hearted person. His past memories made him know how to deal with villains.

"Wow, you really dared to come out."

Zhao Tiezhu, with eyes like oxen, sized Chen Yan up, his eyes full of malice, and said through gritted teeth, "Ying, you little girl, you have some nerve to scare my third son. Today, Grandpa Zhao will make you a real ghost."

"Zhao Tiezhu, right?"

Chen Yan tightened his hold on the girl in his arms, looking at the black giant opposite him, and said sarcastically, "I've heard you're called a tiger and wolf within a hundred miles, with lives on your hands. Today, you look like a big fool."

"You—"

Zhao Tiezhu, not expecting anyone to mock him to his face, was stunned, then flew into a rage. "You bookworm, today Grandpa Zhao will send you and your family to the underworld as ghostly spouses."

"Zhao Tiezhu,"

Hearing the threat to Chen Yan, Ying, finding courage from somewhere, shouted loudly, "If you have the guts, come for me. It has nothing to do with my Young Master."