Chapter 124: 122. Shen Qingyi's Hatred (1/2)

122. Shen Qingyi's Hatred (1/2)

【Alchemy Experience +4】 x66

【Name: Song Huaying】

【Cultivation: Qi Refining First Layer】

【Attribute: Repay a drop of kindness with a gushing spring】

【Affection: 4 stars (5201/12500)】

The next morning, while the sky was still just barely bright, Chen An sat up from the bed, his gaze falling upon the notification information and attribute panel before him.

It had increased by 264 points of experience in one go.

This efficiency was too high.

If it had been that very first day, he could have broken through from a First-tier Primary Alchemist to a First-tier Intermediate Alchemist that same day.

The speed of leveling up had greatly increased.

At the same time, behind the cultivation column of his little wife, it was no longer the two words "None yet" as before.

Instead, it had changed to Qi Refining First Layer.

Most importantly, his little wife did not need to cultivate at all; she could directly absorb wood-attribute Spirit Qi from the air and refine it into Spirit Power to store in her body, which was stronger than many cultivators.

This Flower God Bloodline was truly powerful.

Just by reviving a mere wisp, it could transform a mortal into someone stronger than an ordinary cultivator.

Chen An thought to himself, his gaze quickly falling to the affection attribute column at the very bottom.

It was already at 5201.

The progress bar was almost halfway through.

It far exceeded his other three wives and concubines.

"Ying is truly my source of good fortune."

Chen An looked at Song Huaying, who was sleeping soundly curled up in his arms, his eyes full of affection.

Seeing that the time was about right.

He got up, put on his clothes, got out of bed, and went to the Alchemy Room to refine pills and earn money.

With this session of refining, the entire morning passed.

Even the mealtime had passed.

During this time, no wife or concubine came to call him for a meal.

He had told his wives and concubines some time ago that when he was refining pills, they should try not to come and disturb him if there was nothing urgent.

As for meals, there was no need to come and call him either.

Ever since he achieved Foundation Establishment, his need for food had significantly decreased, and he no longer needed three meals a day.

Many times, the reason he sat at the table to eat was simply to look after Gu Xinyue's feelings.

In the blink of an eye.

Another two hours or so had passed.

Chen An felt that he had refined enough.

He pushed the door open and went out.

He intended to go to the room to find his wives and concubines to cultivate.

Just as he stepped out, he bumped into his eldest daughter, Chen Yuejian, walking in from the courtyard outside.

As soon as Chen Yuejian saw her father, she immediately trotted toward him, opened her arms to hug his thigh, and looked up with a small, smiling face, saying:

"Daddy, I just finished practicing guiding Qi into the body; will you play with me for a while?"

"Alright, Daddy will play with you."

Chen An stroked his eldest daughter's head with a loving expression, watching her height, which was almost reaching his waist, and couldn't help but sigh at how fast time passed.

The way his eldest daughter used to be so tiny felt like it was just yesterday.

And now, she had already grown to his waist.

He really wished time could pass a little slower.

That his daughter could grow up a little slower.

And always be his little darling.

Chen An thought with a touch of sadness, and was soon led by his eldest daughter to the courtyard outside.

"Daddy, I want to do Sword Flight!"

Chen Yuejian's eyes brightened, and she looked at Chen An with a pair of adorable, large, sparkling eyes, her face full of excitement and anticipation.

Chen An smiled, thinking that his eldest daughter really loved Sword Flight.

She never got tired of flying, no matter how much she did it.

She would love to float in the sky for twelve hours a day.

He wondered if there was a wisp of bird-related bloodline sleeping in her body.

For example, a phoenix, a golden crow, or something similar.

"Come, get on yourself and hold onto Daddy's leg."

With a thought, Chen An took out the Flying Boat Sword, stepped onto it first, and then let his eldest daughter get on herself.

Although Chen Yuejian was only three years old now, her physical fitness was already no weaker than a child over ten; she easily jumped onto the Flying Boat Sword and skillfully opened her arms to hug her father's thigh.

And this superior physical fitness was all brought about by her persistent practice of guiding Qi into the body every day.

Seeing that his eldest daughter was standing steadily, Chen An soon took her and flew into the sky.

During the flight, Chen Yuejian was like a curious baby, asking many questions.

"Daddy, when will I be able to perform Sword Flight myself?"

"Xiao Yuejian is so smart; as long as you practice more after you grow up, you will be able to learn Sword Flight very soon."

"When is 'after I grow up'?"

"Probably about as old as your mother is now, around twenty years old."

"Daddy, then why can't Mother perform Sword Flight?"

"Because Mother has been busy taking care of you and hasn't had time to learn Sword Flight, that's why she can't."

"Ah?"

Chen Yuejian's little face changed, and then she said with a bit of guilt: "Mother is so pitiful. When I grow up and learn Sword Flight, I will take Mother flying every day."

Chen An smiled and said: "My little Yuejian is truly filial. When Daddy is old and can't fly anymore in the future, I'll let you carry Daddy to fly too."

"Okay, okay! When that time comes, I'll carry Mother, carry Mother Gu, carry Mother Wen, and I'll carry Sister Shen along too!"

Chen Yuejian said with a face full of longing.

About two quarter-hours later.

The Sword Flight ended.

Chen Yuejian stayed in the courtyard to practice drawing Qi into the body.

Chen An returned to the room.

He walked to the front of Wen Zhiyun's bedroom door and stopped, asking softly: "Zhiyun, can your husband come in?"

"Mm, come in."

Wen Zhiyun's lazy voice came from inside the room, sounding as if she had just woken up.

Chen An pushed open the door and walked in, seeing Wen Zhiyun sitting by the bed nursing their daughter.

He walked to the side and sat down, his gaze falling upon his daughter.

Then, his whole person was suddenly filled with astonishment.

What is going on?!

Is this my second daughter?

Wasn't she just tiny yesterday?

How did she grow a size larger after just one night?

Chen An looked at the second daughter in Wen Zhiyun's arms, feeling very shocked in his heart.

Wen Zhiyun knew he was shocked, because she herself had also been shocked when she woke up this morning, but now she just habitually rolled her eyes at him and said in a huffy tone:

"What is there to make such a fuss about? She is your own daughter, don't you know her yourself?"

"A special constitution, born with vigorous Blood Qi, doesn't she just grow this fast?"

Chen An still felt it was incredible and said: "But this is growing too fast, isn't it?"

As he spoke, he extended a finger for the second daughter to grasp, wanting to see how her strength was.

The next instant, a force several times more savage than that of his eldest daughter Chen Yuejian immediately came from his finger.

The strength was truly immense!

Chen An was extremely shocked in his heart; she had only just been born and already had such strength, what would happen when she grew up?

Never mind growing up, I'm afraid she will be heaven-defying by the time she is three or four years old.

By then, she'll be punching her mother and kicking her father, taking down little friends one punch at a time.

"Residents of South Lane!"

"All of you, come out!"

"I have important matters to announce to you all!"

Suddenly, Manager Gao's notification voice came from the lane outside the house.

Hearing this, Chen An said to Wen Zhiyun:

"I'm going out to take a look."

"Mm, come back early."

Wen Zhiyun's voice was much softer, without the sharpness and bitterness from just before.

Chen An kissed her on the face and turned to leave the room.

While passing through the hall, he saw Shen Qingyi also walking toward the outside of the house.

Thus, the two of them walked out together to the lane outside to see what this Manager Gao wanted to announce.

Arriving outside.

Both sides of the lane were filled with residents.

Manager Gao stood in the middle of the lane, and seeing that the residents had mostly come out, he used his Spirit Power to announce loudly:

"The Red Fire Gang Leader, Zhou Tianyi, Gang Leader Zhou!"

"Starting from today, he is charging toward the Golden Core Mid-stage!"

"Once successful, the security of Baicao Lane will rise by a level, and by then you will all be able to enjoy the blessings!"

The residents looked at one another, all feeling that this was a good thing.

Until the next moment, when Manager Gao spoke again:

"Charging from the Golden Core Early Stage Great Perfection to the Golden Core Mid-stage requires the consumption of massive resources!"

"Therefore, starting from next month, the Protection Fee for residents of Baicao Lane will increase from 2 Middle-grade Spirit Stones per month to 3 Middle-grade Spirit Stones per month!"

"I hope you are all aware!"

Once these words were spoken, the residents of the entire South Lane exploded.

Looking over, it was nothing but wailing and the anger of blood pressure skyrocketing.

"Damn it, the Red Fire Gang is bullying us too much! The Protection Fee was already high enough, and now they want to raise it again. Do they even want us to live?"

"Exactly! We were living just fine here in Baicao Lane; why does the Red Fire Gang have to disturb our lives?"

"Since the Red Fire Gang won't let us live, then nobody should live!"

As they spoke, many residents rushed out, wanting to beat Manager Gao to vent the dissatisfaction in their hearts.

However, how could the gap between the Qi Refining stage and the Foundation Establishment stage be bridged by mere numbers?

Before these Qi Refining stage residents could even get close to Manager Gao, they were sent flying in the next instant by the spiritual pressure he released, falling to the ground in a heap, wailing in pain.

"Heh, a bunch of trash."

Manager Gao cursed with disdain, then shouted loudly: "Those who can't pay the Protection Fee next month, all come to Sanmei Lou to work as laborers for me, otherwise get out of Baicao Lane!"

The residents dared to be angry but dared not speak.

Seeing that the residents were unhappy with him but could do nothing about it, Manager Gao felt a sense of satisfaction in his heart.

He walked toward the spirit fruit stall in front, reached out to grab the widow's smooth, delicate hand, and while stroking it, said: "Madam, I know it's hard for a woman to live all alone. If you serve me well in the future, I'll pay your Protection Fee for you, how about that?"

The widow was unwilling, but she dared not refuse; the slap she had received in front of her house last time had left her with significant psychological trauma.

She was terrified that if she refused now, she would end up being beaten by Manager Gao again in a moment.

Just then, a male cultivator in the crowd who had a secret crush on the widow couldn't stand it anymore, stood out, and accused him:

"Gao Xiaowen, you were also a resident of South Lane back then. Now that you've achieved Foundation Establishment and joined the Red Fire Gang, you turn around to bully your neighbors. Are you even human?!"

"Conscience?"

Manager Gao raised his eyebrows, looked at the male cultivator with an amused expression, and asked: "My achievement of Foundation Establishment is entirely due to my own hard work; does it have anything to do with you?"

"I was mocked endlessly in this Baicao Lane before because I was ugly. You actually have the nerve to turn around and accuse me now?"

"A person like you, just die."

As the words fell, Manager Gao casually conjured a ball of pitch-black flames and smashed it toward the male cultivator.

Then, accompanied by a heart-wrenching scream, the male cultivator who had just been accusing Manager Gao quickly turned into a pile of remains on the ground, dead as could be.

Seeing this scene before them, the other South Lane residents were broken out in a cold sweat.

Everyone was silent as a cicada in winter.

No one dared to make a sound again.

This Manager Gao killed whenever he felt like it; they were all terrified.

Manager Gao ignored the surrounding residents, turned his head back to look at the widow, and said: "Madam, what do you think of my proposal just now?"

"I... I..."

The widow was struggling intensely inside; she wanted to submit to this Manager Gao, but she truly could not accept that ugly face of his that made one want to vomit.

Just as the widow was about to grit her teeth and agree, Manager Gao kicked her away with a "bang" and said ruthlessly: "Since you are so unwilling, then get lost."

After speaking, Manager Gao turned and walked toward a house in front.

He saw a familiar face in front of that house's door; it was a female cultivator he had liked when he was in South Lane back then.

This female cultivator was now married, standing in front of the door with her husband, silently watching everything happening on the lane.

Seeing Manager Gao walking toward their house, the couple's expressions changed instantly.

Soon, Manager Gao stopped in front of the female cultivator and smiled innocently: "Fellow Daoist Wang, I didn't expect you to still be living in South Lane. Do you still remember me?"

"I... I remember."

The female cultivator spoke stutteringly, very nervous and afraid.

Looking at the "white moonlight" of his past before him, Manager Gao didn't waste words and went straight to the point: "Fellow Daoist Wang, come to Sanmei Lou to find me five times every month from now on, and I will pay your family's Protection Fee."

The female cultivator trembled her lips and refused: "No, no need, my family can afford to pay..."

The husband on the side heard this, immediately glared fiercely at the female cultivator, then looked at Manager Gao with a face full of smiles and said: "Thank you, Manager Gao, thank you, Manager Gao. Don't worry, Manager Gao, as long as you have a need in the future, I will wash her clean and send her to Sanmei Lou to serve you well!"

As a Talisman Maker, he was not short of the 3 Middle-grade Spirit Stones for the monthly Protection Fee at all.

But thinking of the scene where Manager Gao killed without blinking just now, he felt afraid, terrified that he would follow in the footsteps of that fellow daoist who had turned into a pile of remains.

"Not bad, you have a good eye. Send your wife to Sanmei Lou washed clean tonight, and you won't need to pay next month's Protection Fee."

After speaking, Manager Gao smiled and patted the Talisman Maker on the shoulder, then turned and left via Sword Flight.

After Manager Gao flew far away, the female cultivator said with an unwilling expression: "Husband, I don't want to go accompany that..."

"... Slap!"

Before the female cultivator could finish her sentence, she received a fierce slap from her husband.

The husband, who was a Talisman Maker, glared at her angrily and said: "What's wrong with letting him play with you for a few days a month? Do you have to provoke him and make me accompany you to the grave? Didn't you see that pile of remains on the ground? Do you want me to become like that too?!"

The female cultivator looked at the pile of remains on the ground, her face full of despair, forced to accept the fact that she would be toyed with by Manager Gao in the future.

Many residents saw this scene and couldn't help but sigh in grief.

"Sigh, 3 Middle-grade Spirit Stones every month, I don't know what to do."

"Those dogs from the Red Fire Gang are truly not human; all day long they just think about how to squeeze us bottom-tier rogue cultivators dry. If this continues, we won't be able to survive."

"Someone come and deal with that pile of remains on the ground, dig a pit to bury it, and then set up a tombstone."

"I don't know where that Masked Heroine went. Back when she was here, those beasts from the Red Fire Gang still had some scruples."

"Now... sigh, it's too hard."

At this very moment, the residents on both sides of the lane were talking about the Masked Heroine from a while ago, full of longing for this heroine who had helped those in need.

Unfortunately, the heroine had already disappeared.

South Alley Number Eight, in front of the door.

Chen An looked at the beautiful female cultivator with a face full of despair in front, couldn't help but shake his head, thinking that the state of the world was truly cold and fickle.

Subsequently, he looked at Shen Qingyi beside him and said in a calm voice: "Fellow Daoist Shen, let's go, let's go back inside."

Shen Qingyi didn't make a sound; she stood motionless, looking up at the direction where Manager Gao had just flown away, her right hand gripping the hilt of the sword at her waist tightly, gripping it until the veins on the back of her hand bulged and the sword hilt deformed.

……

PS: Setting out my bowl, begging for monthly tickets and recommendation tickets!