Chapter 1261: with translation of chapter title

"Third Uncle, you wouldn't also have something for me to help with, would you?" Chen Chuyang suddenly turned around and asked abruptly.

The point is to catch you off guard, impossible to defend against.

Third Uncle Chen Shen gave Chen Chuyang a glance and said, "Kid, don't try to fool me. Your third uncle has already turned over a new leaf; I wouldn't do such nonsense. In my heart, Yu'er is the most important; those women outside are nothing."

The loyal third uncle answered instinctively, a standard reply that clearly showed he had passed Third Aunt's test, probably having been hammered and questioned by her many times. Chen Chuyang smiled and said, "Third Uncle, that's fine. It seems Third Aunt has hammered you a lot; the answer is so formal."

He answered without thinking, purely instinctive, making people both laugh and sigh.

Third Uncle Chen Shen patted Chen Chuyang's shoulder and said, "Kid, you're not a good person; you always try to trap your third uncle. This time my third uncle is going up the mountain mainly to have a reunion meal. Xiao Qian'er rarely comes out of the sect, so I naturally have to go up the mountain."

"Your Third Aunt personally asked me to come up, so I wouldn't dare disobey. I've already found replacements for those family matters. These past few days I've been on the mountain with your Third Aunt and Xiao Qian'er. I haven't seen her in a long time. You, kid, really are something—can't you stop giving so many tasks to Xiao Qian'er?"

"All year round, Yu'er hasn't seen Xiao Qian'er even once; the mother‑daughter relationship is getting worse, and Yu'er has complained to me about you more than once."

Chen Chuyang placed both hands out and said, "Third Uncle, you need to think before you speak. It's not that I keep Xiao Qian'er from coming out; she's just too eager to improve her Pill Refining. I, the nephew, am being wronged."

"You and Third Aunt have two children, so Xiao Qian'er has nothing to do. I guess that's why she chose to stay in seclusion all the time."

This pot, Chen Chuyang doesn't carry; he immediately picks it up and hands it to Third Uncle to bear.

"Nonsense, you kid, don't slander me. It's entirely your master's fault, constantly exploiting Xiao Qian'er. Look at how many pills she has refined over the years, how much she has contributed to the Chen Clan. And you, you've become a hands‑off manager, caring about nothing."

"If you just supervised Xiao Qian'er a bit, it wouldn't be like this."

Chen Chuyang retorted, "Third Uncle, this is your fault, it's a problem of you and the Chen Clan, not mine. You haven't coordinated properly; all the big and small matters of the Chen Clan are your responsibility, and regarding pills, you basically have the final say."

"How many pills are needed is also up to you. Your steps are too grand, requiring a large amount of pills. This portion is handled by Xiao Qian'er; if you asked for fewer pills, Xiao Qian'er would have emerged long ago."

Third Uncle froze in place, pondering for a long time, and it indeed seemed to be the case.

He patted his head and laughed foolishly on the spot.

On Longshe Shan, aside from Chen Chuyang being able to refine pills, only Xiao Qian'er remains; the others are not Pill Refiners and lack the talent for Pill Refining.

Whether it's Shang Hongxue or Shang Hongchen, neither is a Pill Refiner and cannot refine pills.

Naturally they cannot practice Pill Refining; Pill Refining differs from cultivation, requiring talent and abundant experience, both indispensable.

On Longshe Shan there are so many people, yet none have Pill Refining talent; it's not that they don't want to learn, they truly cannot.

Even Chen Chuhao, the third uncle's good son, wanted to learn Pill Refining. After a few years he learned nothing; it wasn't that Xiao Qian'er didn't teach him, but he truly lacked talent, couldn't learn or refine, and eventually gave up, turning to study the cultivation of spirit herbs.

Cultivating spirit herbs is much simpler than Pill Refining; easy to learn, hard to master.

Compared to Pill Refining, it's far better; Pill Refining is hard to start, and mastering it is even harder.

Even with so many members in the Chen Clan, none have Pill Refining talent; it's not that they don't want to cultivate, they truly cannot.

Without talent, bringing them in is useless.

The Chen Clan, having experienced the benefits brought by Pill Refiners, naturally wants to train several more. In that case, the rise of the Chen Clan is imminent. They know well that relying on Chen Chuyang alone is unlikely; in the future Chen Chuyang will certainly go to Tianwai, and then the Chen Clan will have to rely on themselves.

They began training disciples early, and the clan now has many outstanding disciples; overall strength has increased by over tenfold. In recent years, several promising talents have emerged. Compared with the Chen Clan of the early Condensation Pill era, which were already masters, the current Chen Clan's Void Pill is only at a mid‑level.

Talent in all fields needs cultivation; it can no longer be the same, single‑track cultivation.

Breeding, planting, as well as Pill Refining, artifact forging, including Formations, all require cultivation, step by step.

With the new resources Chen Chuyang provides, everything else can be cultivated slowly, but Pill Refining remains difficult to cultivate.

Otherwise, why are there so few Pill Refiners?

"Alas, Third Uncle can't help it. The Chen Clan is currently rising and cannot be cut off; it needs many resources. In recent years the clan's consumption has gradually doubled."

"We must have more pill supplies, and also need various spirit herbs and spirit rice. The Chen Clan has already expanded cultivation of Dragon Tooth Rice and Dragon Blood Rice; the outside places are nowhere near Longshe Shan, their spiritual energy is far weaker."

"Fortunately, after whatever you did last time, the heavenly and earthly spiritual energy became dense, and among the territories the Chen Clan controls, many good spots have appeared, along with numerous spirit herbs emerging."

"Mountains and rivers are changing; our Chen Clan has begun gradually exploring the surroundings, striving to create another spirit vein for the future of the Chen Clan."

Longshe Shan is Chen Chuyang's territory; others cannot enter, and the Chen Clan cannot reap many of its benefits.

At most they obtain high‑quality Dragon Tooth Rice and Dragon Blood Rice, plus some pills; everything else belongs to Chen Chuyang.

If another spirit vein appears, the Chen Clan will spare no effort to forge it, then transform, granting the Chen Clan its own territory.

This is extremely necessary; the last time Tianwai's spiritual energy was stolen was also nearby, and the Chen Clan benefited the most.

It can't be said there's no change; there is a significant shift. The heavenly‑earthly spiritual energy density has risen slightly—not much—but with careful sensing one can still feel it, especially in the nearby areas where the change is great.

Regarding spirit herbs, there are many more—at least ten times the previous amount. The Chen Clan discovered these herbs and now guards them; many good spots are also sealed off by the Chen Clan's Formations, becoming their territory.

In short, within the Chen Clan's domain, everything belongs to the Chen Clan.

"In short, in recent years the Chen Clan continues to rise, and the demand for pills will increase, while you, kid, have reduced pill supply. The clan can manage in the short term, but over the long term, problems may… arise."

Third Uncle glanced at Chen Chuyang; this ascent up the mountain, besides the reunion meal, is also to discuss this matter.

Chen Chusheng felt embarrassed to speak, so he let him speak.