You Promised to Be an Idle Son-in-Law, How Could You Become a Land Immortal?

”If you have nothing more pressing, you should attend. As long as your scores aren’t too bad, you’ll just get a lecture at worst.”

Before Chen Yi could speak, Xiao Wuge lifted his head and said, ”If you take the Annual Examination, Brother-in-law, you’re sure to take first place.”

Pei Guanli, who was beside them, chimed in, ”Brother-in-law will have no problem, of course.”

”First place? He’s qualified enough to be the head examiner.”

Chen Yi let out a helpless laugh. ”I haven’t touched those classics in a long time. I’m not confident I can pass the Annual Examination.”

But when he saw the eager look in Xiao Wan’er’s eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse outright. He just said,

”There are still two months left, anyway. I’ll think about it.”

A smile bloomed on Xiao Wan’er’s face, her bright eyes reflecting his image. ”That’s more like it,” she said, her voice tinged with delight.

”You aren’t just an Instructor at Guiyun Academy anymore. You’re also Mr. Qingzhou, whose fame has spread throughout the Great Wei Nine State and Three Prefectures. If you don’t have an official rank, you’re bound to become the subject of gossip among the world’s scholars.”

’Let them talk.’

Chen Yi wanted to say as much.

But on second thought, he realized Xiao Wan’er had a point.

’It’s true that I don’t care for fame and fortune, but the world is full of mediocre, vulgar people.’

’If I don’t have an official rank, some people will undoubtedly show up just to cause me trouble.’

’Officials would demand I bow, scholars with ranks would look down on me, and members of Noble Families would mock me with scorn.’

The mere thought of such situations was a nuisance.

”I’ll go to the academy in a few days and look over some of the classics.”

”Okay, good...”

A short while later, they finished dinner.

Xiao Wan’er escorted him, Xiao Wuge, and Pei Guanli out of the wooden building. Gazing at the rain falling outside, she asked hesitantly,

”I’m planning to visit my fief in a couple of days. I was wondering if you would have time, Brother-in-law?”

She had spent the last while making all the necessary preparations for the Medical Dao Academy and now wanted to visit her fief to find a suitable location for its construction.

But since this was her first time undertaking such a project, she couldn’t help but feel a little unsure of herself.

Chen Yi guessed what she was thinking and nodded with a smile. ”If you’re not in a hurry, Sister-in-law, let’s plan for three days from now.”

”Tomorrow, I have to go to Hundred Herbs Hall to discuss the matter of those one hundred and twenty-seven Celestial Sect disciples with Wang Ji.”

”The day after tomorrow, I have two Calligraphy Dao classes at the academy.”

Xiao Wan’er started to nod, then froze. Her beautiful eyes widened as she stared at him.

”One hundred and twenty-seven?”

”That many disciples from the Celestial Sect came?”

”It was Fairy Tingyun’s decision. I have no idea how she managed to persuade the Celestial Sect elders.”

”Then Huatang... she doesn’t know about this yet, does she?”

Chen Yi spread his hands. ”I’m guessing Fairy Tingyun is in for a rough night.”

Xiao Wan’er smiled. ”Huatang does have a rather cold personality.”

”But I’m sure it will be fine. Hundred Herbs Hall and Boss Chen can certainly find a place for the Celestial Sect disciples.”

”True...”

As it turned out,

Xiao Wan’er had underestimated Shen Huatang.

No matter how cold and aloof she normally was, in the face of this situation, she was like a volcano on the verge of erupting.

After Shen Huatang and Xie Tingyun left the Xiao Mansion in their carriage,

Shen Huatang had initially assumed Xie Tingyun was hiding a dozen or so fellow disciples at most.

But the carriage took a long, winding route, going from North City to West City, then from West City to South City, before finally stopping in the West Market.

It made frequent stops along the way, with Xie Tingyun keeping her head down as she notified their Celestial Sect junior brothers and sisters one by one.

By the end of it all, Shen Huatang’s expression was completely numb.

”Just tell me. Exactly how many are there?”

”Fifty?”

Xie Tingyun shook her head. ”Nope.”

”Eighty?”

”A little more.”

”A hundred?!”

”More... It’s one hundred and twenty-seven...”

Shen Huatang asked through gritted teeth, ”Senior Sister, did you inform Master that you were bringing them down the mountain?”

Xie Tingyun flinched. ”Master wouldn’t have agreed, so... I had them come down in batches.”

CRUNCH.

Shen Huatang nearly ground her teeth to dust. ”You just wait! I’m writing a letter to tell Master everything right now!”

”Junior Sister, no, please...”

...

Chen Yi had also underestimated Xie Tingyun.

But this situation only benefited him, so he decided to feign ignorance.

’I’ll just have Hundred Herbs Hall give them a bit more silver in the future.’

「After nightfall.」

The rain had lightened.

But on an autumn day, the rain carried a distinct chill.

Especially on a rainy night. The cool wind sent petals and leaves fluttering from the trees and flowers.

It lent an air of desolation even to the perpetually green Spring Lotus Garden.

Chen Yi glanced at the sky, then instructed Xiaodie to give Xiao Wuge and Pei Guanli an extra quilt so they wouldn’t catch a chill.

Once Xiaodie had everything settled, he returned to his room and sat cross-legged on the bed.

After a brief rest, he began circulating his Four Symbols Skill.

Chen Yi had been cultivating diligently these past several days.

He had already reached Sixth Grade Perfection and was just one step away from breaking through to the Fifth Grade Realm.

He had originally planned to find another time to make his breakthrough at his residence on Chuansi Street.

But since Xie Tingyun and Shen Huatang were both out of the mansion tonight, he decided not to wait any longer.

His True Essence surged through his limbs and bones like liquid mercury.

Wisps of Heaven and Earth’s Spiritual Mechanism condensed in his three great Seas of Qi: the Forehead Acupoint, the Chest Acupoint, and the Dantian.

This rapidly increased his Cultivation.

’Guide the Four Directions Spiritual Qi into the Sea of Qi, open the Four Divine Positions...’

As he recited the incantation for the Four Symbols Skill, the phantoms of the four Divine Beasts within his Forehead Acupoint—the Cyan Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—grew increasingly solid.

Four-colored streams of light flowed from their bodies, merging with his True Essence. This mixture circulated along the Twelve Main Meridians, drawing True Essence from his three great Seas of Qi and channeling it into the four phantom Divine Beasts.

An unknown amount of time passed.

”ROAR!”

”SCREECH!”

”CRY!”

”HUMMM!”

Chen Yi heard four deafening sounds ring out and echo ceaselessly in his mind.

The next moment, he felt a strange transformation in his True Essence. The mercury-like energy began to condense even further.

Amidst a flicker of four-colored light, his True Essence crystallized, becoming dazzlingly brilliant.

In a single circulatory cycle, the amount of his True Essence had more than doubled.

Its quality was also far beyond what it had been before.

Before he could investigate further, several lines of large, golden characters floated before his eyes:

[Cultivation successful. Cultivation: Lower Fifth Grade.]

[Four Symbols Skill (Earth Tier): Divine Position Spiritual Essence has advanced. The empowering effect of Wood, Water, Fire, and Gold Spiritual Qi has increased by fifty percent.]

Chen Yi glanced at the text with a small smile, then continued to guide his True Essence back into his three great Seas of Qi.

It was then that he discovered that within his Forehead Acupoint Sea of Qi, the Divine Beasts on the Four Divine Positions had become completely solid.

Where before there were only phantoms, they now had flesh and skin; even individual strands of fur were perfectly distinct.

After a moment of internal inspection,

Chen Yi understood what had happened. He slowly retracted his power, exhaling a faint, white Qi Sword.

His entire being felt reborn, much lighter than before.

He rose lightly to his feet. Looking down at himself, his smile grew wider.

’Martial Arts are truly miraculous,’ he thought. ’The Heaven and Earth’s Spiritual Mechanism manifests internally as divine entities. They’re still tangible but without true substance for now. But as my Cultivation deepens, maybe I can make the Divine Beasts form real flesh, blood, and organs.’

That was the thought, anyway.

Chen Yi was already thrilled to have raised his Cultivation to the Fifth Grade.

In particular, the fifty percent increase to the empowerment from his Four Directions Divine Essence had led to significant improvements in all his Techniques.

Even the effects of his Four Symbols Skill, Big Spear Pile Skill, and Black Tortoise Concealment Technique—which he had thought were maxed out—had noticeably improved.

After another brief rest,

Chen Yi changed into a set of light clothes and slipped out to the Purple Bamboo Forest.

There, he began practicing all the techniques he had learned, one by one.

Mountain Shattering Fist, Hundred Flowers Palm, Wandering Dragon and Phoenix Body Technique, Meteor Butterfly Step, the Dragon-Falling Spear Technique, and the Brocade Spring Saber Technique.

Aside from the Dragon-Falling Spear Technique—which he had yet to fully integrate all the Profound Mysteries of, due to its Celestial Tier nature and his Spear Dao Perfection—he had already cultivated all his other Techniques to their absolute limit at his current stage.

The moment he began to execute them, Chen Yi noticed the difference.

The power of each Technique had increased dramatically, and the empowerment from his Divine Position Spiritual Essence felt like divine assistance.

Take the Dragon-Falling Spear Technique, for instance. Even without drawing upon the Heaven and Earth’s Spiritual Mechanism or unleashing his Spear Intent, its power was now comparable to what it had been with the full enhancement of his Great Success Spear Dao.

If he were to use his full power, he estimated a single spear strike would be enough to instantly kill Yan Fusha of the Five Poison Sect.

’If I’d had Fifth Grade Cultivation on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, how could a mere Yan Fusha have possibly injured me?’

Just then, the hour of Zi arrived. A dazzling golden light flared—

[Daily Intelligence · Profound-rank Middle Grade: At the third quarter of the Hour of Hai, a Hidden Guard retrieves a secret letter at the wonton shop on Kangning Street. A minuscule Opportunity can be obtained.]

’The wonton shop...’

The smile on Chen Yi’s face grew wider. As he tidied up the Purple Bamboo Forest, he thought to himself,

’Ah, Lou Yuxue. She’s really something else now.’

Thanks to Ma Guan’s calligraphy, business at ”A Wonton Shop” in Yunbian was booming.

Customers came and went in an endless stream.

When Chen Yi had gone to the academy to teach, he had glanced over once. The sight of Lou Yuxue, disguised as the busy proprietress, had almost made him laugh out loud.

’It really has been a while since I last went to say hello to an old friend.’

’And as it happens, I need the help of those White Tiger Guards for that other matter...’