Chapter 5

Xiao Cheng had been resurrected for nearly half a month. Due to the misdeeds he committed before his rebirth, he was punished by the old man to face the wall for half a month. Because of his good behavior, he was unexpectedly given a two-day reduction in his punishment.

During these ten days of facing the wall, Xiao Cheng had been diligently cultivating the Nine Profound Immortal Scripture. This scripture was not just a simple heart scripture; it contained not only extremely powerful cultivation techniques but also countless Daoist and immortal arts, making it a comprehensive encyclopedia of cultivation.

The vast array of Daoist and immortal arts contained within it need not be elaborated upon. This Immortal Scripture was simply a heaven-defying heart scripture. Other heart scriptures involved absorbing the spiritual energy from heaven and earth and converting it into the true qi of the practitioner. However, this Immortal Scripture could not only absorb the spiritual energy from heaven and earth but also forcibly absorb the spirits of plants and trees.

In the current era, where the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is sparse, the lack of spiritual energy has become the greatest obstacle to the cultivation speed of practitioners. This Immortal Scripture had completely broken this obstacle. No spiritual energy? Just absorb the spirits of plants and trees directly.

However, what disappointed him was that the Nine Profound Immortal Scripture had nine levels, and he could only see the first two.

During these ten days, he had been working hard on his cultivation, and the results were excellent. He was a rare talent in cultivation within his family, and in his previous life, he had already reached the peak of the innate realm, just one step away from the golden core realm. With the Nine Profound Immortal Scripture, his cultivation was like a well-trodden path, and in a short time, he had broken through to the fourth stage of the foundation-building realm.

This rate of advancement satisfied him, but he would not become arrogant because of it. In his previous life, he had seen many geniuses in the cultivation world, some of whom had completed the foundation-building stage in just three days, reaching the condensation realm.

Xiao Cheng had never lived in the family compound. The Xiao family was a hidden cultivation family and would not live in the city center, but the younger generation had needs such as attending school and managing the family business. Xiao Cheng, due to his schooling, had always lived with Aunt Yu. Today, he returned home directly but forgot to bring the key, so he came to the company to get the key from Aunt Yu.

Xiao Cheng made his way to the 18th floor, intending to enter the president's office, but as soon as he arrived, he saw a familiar figure standing at the door of the president's office, with his ear pressed tightly against the door, clearly eavesdropping.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be his fourth uncle, Xiao Guowei.

Xiao Cheng gave a cold laugh. Although he did not know what this bastard was eavesdropping on, the smug smile on his face told him it was definitely nothing good.

In his previous life, although he had lived in a daze, always thinking about how to do evil and indifferent to other matters, he still knew a lot about major events. It was this fourth uncle who, two years later, completely took control of HuXiao Pharmaceuticals, betrayed the family to start his own business, and caused the family to suffer huge losses. He was definitely a man with ulterior motives.

For Xiao Cheng, Xiao Guowei had already endangered the family's interests. Even if it was something that might only happen in the future, he would not allow it and would crush such a threat in its infancy. However, he could not do so now. If they really fought, Xiao Cheng knew he was no match for Xiao Guowei, who was not only a despicable person but also a master of internal martial arts.

"Fourth Uncle, what are you listening to? Is it interesting?" Xiao Cheng walked over and patted Xiao Guowei's shoulder.

Xiao Guowei was startled, thinking how this wretch could walk without making a sound, like a ghost. Turning around, he saw Xiao Cheng staring at him. Perhaps due to his guilty conscience, he instinctively lowered his head and explained, "I'm worried that Yu Jia will be deceived, so I'm listening!"

After saying this, Xiao Guowei felt it was inappropriate. He had no need to explain himself to Xiao Cheng, who was just a worthless and unruly young master. However, he still dared not look Xiao Cheng in the eye, feeling that Xiao Cheng's gaze was somewhat eerie.

Xiao Cheng nodded noncommittally, quite satisfied with the effect of his single glance. Although his rebirth had cost him his peak innate cultivation, his divine consciousness remained, and the pressure of a peak innate divine consciousness was not something just anyone could resist.

"How did you get here, Xiao Cheng? This is a family stronghold, not a place for you to come!" Xiao Guowei felt that explaining himself by lowering his head was embarrassing, so he scolded Xiao Cheng with a show of authority.

"Can't I come here? Fourth Uncle, you're joking!" Xiao Cheng simply ignored him and prepared to knock on the office door.

He was the only direct descendant of the Xiao family, and the entire Xiao family would eventually be his. Where was there that he could not go?

"Wait! Yu Jia is doing business. Don't go and disturb her now!" Xiao Guowei shouted again, this time even reaching out to grab Xiao Cheng's wrist to prevent him from knocking on the door.

Xiao Cheng was puzzled. It was just a knock on the door; why was this old man so agitated?

He was no longer the naive young man he once was. Seeing Xiao Guowei's agitation and his eavesdropping earlier, he guessed that something was definitely amiss.

Could this guy be planning to harm Aunt Yu?

Xiao Cheng stared coldly at Xiao Guowei, his heart tightening. The people he cared about most in this world were his aunts, sisters, and grandmother. If anyone dared to harm them, he would not let them off. At this moment, he had already decided to kill.

Feeling the cold intent emanating from Xiao Cheng, Xiao Guowei, out of instinct, released his grip.

Xiao Guowei felt that Xiao Cheng was different from before, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly what had changed.

It seemed that with just a glance, Xiao Cheng could see straight into his heart, exposing all his dirty thoughts.

Xiao Guowei shook his head, finding it somewhat amusing. Perhaps he was just too tired recently, leading to a paranoid feeling.

Xiao Cheng had grown up under his watch, from a child to a rascal, with his own encouragement. How could a rascal become so terrifying overnight? Even if his ancestors' graves were to sprout green grass, it wouldn't happen.

"You're talking a lot today!" Xiao Cheng squinted at Xiao Guowei.

"Ridiculous, I am your fourth uncle!" Xiao Guowei scolded.

Although Xiao Guowei still saw Xiao Cheng as a rascal, he could not allow Xiao Cheng to disrupt his plans. Xiao Cheng had no other abilities, but he had a unique talent for making a mess of anything, a natural troublemaker.

Xiao Guowei stood at the door, blocking Xiao Cheng from entering.

Xiao Cheng gave a cold laugh. The more agitated Xiao Guowei became, the more certain he was that Xiao Guowei was indeed planning to harm Aunt Yu Jia.

In his previous life, he had lived in a daze, never considering things from the perspective of a family heir, let alone taking on the responsibilities of a family heir.

It was only after his aunts passed away that he realized they had been the ones holding the family together. The messes he had made were all cleaned up by his aunts. Four women had been struggling to support the family, a task of immense difficulty.

All four aunts had died protecting him, with Fang Yu Jia even using her body to shield him from a fatal sword strike. Now that Xiao Guowei seemed to be targeting Aunt Yu, he would not allow it.

Xiao Cheng didn't bother with words. He extended his right hand, took Xiao Guowei by surprise, grabbed his collar, and lifted him into the air, then flung the over 100-kilogram Xiao Guowei away like a disgusting fly.

Xiao Guowei, whose collar was grabbed, was furious. He had made great contributions to the family, and even the family head treated him with respect. How dare Xiao Cheng humiliate him like this? Before he could scold, he felt his body become light, his feet leaving the ground, and realized that his 180-centimeter, 100-kilogram frame was being lifted like a chicken by Xiao Cheng.

Xiao Guowei was terrified. Although he could not practice the family's secret techniques, he was still a master of internal martial arts. How could the always incompetent Xiao Cheng so easily lift him? He had not even seen how Xiao Cheng moved. Even the family head, a peak innate cultivator, would not do it so effortlessly.

Could Xiao Cheng's cultivation be higher than the family head? This was impossible, absolutely impossible. Xiao Cheng had grown up under his watch and could not become a master overnight! It must have been his carelessness that allowed this boy to succeed.

"You..." Xiao Guowei prepared to scold, but found himself flying through the air, his voice stretched out. This fall left Xiao Guowei with internal injuries, and he could not get up for a long time.

Xiao Cheng dusted off his hands as if he had just done a trivial task.

In reality, only he knew that that move had almost exhausted all his cultivation. He was only at the fourth stage of the foundation-building realm, and in a direct confrontation, he would not be a match for his fourth uncle, a master of internal martial arts.

Internal martial arts did not have the same future as cultivation, but before reaching the innate realm, cultivators were no match for internal martial arts experts in close combat. Each had its own specialty, and internal martial arts focused on techniques and moves, giving cultivators no advantage in this area.

It was like a ten-event gold medalist fighting a martial arts expert; generally, the martial arts expert would win.

Only by reaching the innate realm and having innate true qi to protect the body could one easily handle an internal martial arts expert.

Just now, he had used his innate divine consciousness to interfere with Xiao Guowei's five senses, allowing him to successfully grab Xiao Guowei's collar. The greatest advantage of cultivators over internal martial arts experts was their divine consciousness, while internal martial arts experts relied on their five senses.