Chapter 166

160. Strategy in Progress (1/2)

The Market, Lu Clan Firm.

Chen An landed slowly on his sword and walked into the firm at a leisurely pace.

He had originally intended to go straight to visit Jiuji.

But on the way there, he suddenly felt it would be better to bring a gift.

At the very least, it could boost Jiuji's favorability.

"An honored guest, truly an honored guest! Come, Alchemist Chen, sit over here."

Seeing Chen An stride in, the shopkeeper, Manager Lu, immediately greeted him with a face full of enthusiasm.

Chen An exchanged only a few polite words with him before turning his focus to buying gifts, not wasting a single moment.

After looking around, he carefully selected and purchased several books on romance, plus six sets of clothing and forty-one boxes of Spirit Cake.

Then, he quickly left the Lu Clan Firm and flew toward the cave where Jiuji was located.

Just as he took flight on his sword, he heard the sound of a Sound Transmission Talisman exchange coming from inside the firm.

It was the sound of Manager Lu communicating with someone else.

Listening to the content of the conversation, it seemed the Lu Family was going to move against the python demon in the swamp today to obtain its Demon Core to help the head of the Lu Family break through to the Golden Core Late Stage.

Chen An was not interested in this matter, but he still paid a little attention to it in his heart.

Because on the way from the Lu Clan Firm to that cave, he would happen to pass by that very swamp, and there was a certain probability he would run into people from the Lu Family.

Qianye Forest.

The swamp.

While passing over the swamp, Chen An deliberately spread his Divine Sense to perceive what was below.

As it turned out, he really did perceive people from the Lu Family.

There were over fifty of them in total.

All of them were elites.

The one with the lowest cultivation was at the Foundation Establishment Mid-Stage.

As for the leader, their cultivation was exaggeratedly high, reaching the Golden Core Ninth Layer.

Chen An was puzzled.

Are there Golden Core Ninth Layer powerhouses here in the Red Cedar Forest?

Wasn't it said that the strongest person was the Gang Leader of the Void Kun Gang, whose cultivation was at the Golden Core Sixth Layer Great Perfection?

Where did this Golden Core Ninth Layer powerhouse pop out from?

Chen An could not fathom it.

At this moment, sounds of people fleeing in panic suddenly came from below.

"Deacon Wu, was... was he swallowed?!"

"Run!"

"Retreat quickly!"

"..."

Accompanied by this sound of panic from below.

Chen An saw that the Golden Core Ninth Layer powerhouse had actually been swallowed in one gulp by that python demon.

The remaining Lu Family members were immediately terrified and fled in a panic.

However, coming was easy, but leaving was not.

That python demon had a massive appetite; after swallowing the Golden Core Ninth Layer powerhouse, it immediately chased after the fleeing Lu Family members.

Like a game of Snake, it swallowed them one by one.

Many cultivators hadn't even managed to take flight on their swords before they were swallowed into the snake's belly, dying on the spot as their lives and cultivation dissipated.

High in the sky, Chen An felt a sense of shock as he watched this scene.

This was the true world of cultivation.

In order to obtain cultivation resources, cultivators choose to step into dangerous lands, risking their lives to struggle.

Then, some die and some are injured; perhaps not even one in a hundred truly obtains the resources.

Seeing many fleeing Lu Family members flying on their swords toward his direction, Chen An, acting on the principle that it is better to avoid trouble, immediately flew his sword away from the sky above the swamp.

Barren mountain, outside the cave.

Chen An landed on his sword, not rushing to enter the cave to find Jiuji.

Instead, he cut down a tree near the cave entrance and fashioned an exquisite, homemade wooden box on the spot.

Then, he took one of the boxes of Spirit Cake from his Storage Ring and poured the Spirit Cake inside into the homemade wooden box.

In this way, he had a box of Spirit Cake he had prepared with his own hands.

Everything was ready!

Enter the cave!

Strategy for the fox demon!

Chen An walked slowly into the cave holding the box of Spirit Cake and saw Jiuji lying on her side on the bed, fast asleep.

He walked to the bedside and sat down, examining Jiuji on the bed with an appreciative gaze.

Her hair was soft and tinged with pink, her face was slender and small, her eyelashes were long, there was a tear mole under the corner of her eye, her nose was petite and high, her lips were crystal clear and pink, and her skin was fair and delicate; her whole face looked both pure and seductive, making one's heart flutter.

Looking further down, her body was curvaceous, full where it should be full and slender where it should be slender.

Among these, the body parts that one could not take their eyes off of were Jiuji's slender lower legs and that pair of petite, exquisite Jade Feet.

The purple long dress just covered her knees, revealing a pair of straight, slender, perfect lower legs without a single ounce of excess fat, possessing only the smoothness and fairness of her skin, inviting endless reverie.

Next were the most alluring Jade Foot, small enough to be held in one's palm, with toes as round as grapes, making one want to take them into their mouth and eat them like grapes.

Seemingly sensing that someone was sitting nearby watching her, Jiuji, who had been lying on the bed sleeping with a sweet expression, slowly opened her beautiful eyes.

When she saw a person sitting by the bedside, she couldn't help but be startled by instinct.

However, she quickly realized that the person sitting by the bed was Chen An.

"Young Master, how did you enter and sit by my bed without a sound? You gave me a fright."

Jiuji covered her heart, which was beating slightly faster, a hint of reproach on her pretty face.

Her hands and feet were currently shackled with Sea Tower Stone, and the Spirit Power within her body had been drained completely, leaving her in a constant state of weakness; thus, her Divine Sense and sensory perception were both affected, making it difficult to detect someone approaching.

The reason she was able to wake up this time was due to the innate danger perception of a living being.

Facing Jiuji's reproach, Chen An just smiled faintly, handed over the box of Spirit Cake he was holding, and said, "This is Spirit Cake I made myself, brought especially for you to taste."

"Young Master can also make pastries?"

"I can make a little, though I don't know if it suits your taste."

"Then I shall have a taste."

As she spoke, Jiuji took the wooden box Chen An handed over, her gaze falling on the lid as she moved her thoughts, intending to open the lid from a distance.

However, the lid did not move at all.

She had forgotten that she currently had not a shred of Spirit Power in her body.

After realizing this, she impatiently opened the lid with her hands, looked at the colorful Spirit Cake inside, picked up a purple piece, brought it to her mouth, and took a bite with anticipation.

"Mmm, so delicious!"

Jiuji's eyes lit up, and she couldn't stop praising it.

Chen An smiled warmly and said, "If you like it, I will make an extra portion for you whenever I make some for my wife and daughters in the future."

"Okay, okay!"

Jiuji nodded while eating the Spirit Cake.

After finishing, she said with some disbelief, "Young Master is truly a good husband, actually taking the initiative to make food for your wife and daughters; you are completely different from other human male cultivators."

"It's alright, I suppose," Chen An said with a smile.

Jiuji did not respond further, continuing to eat the Spirit Cake in her hand, starting on another piece before the one in her mouth was even swallowed, looking like a mortal who had been starving for days.

Regarding this display from Jiuji, Chen An felt a strong sense of déjà vu, as if he were seeing his silly second daughter, Chen Yike.

After Jiuji finished the Spirit Cake.

Chen An's gaze fell upon the few storybooks placed at the head of the bed, and he asked Jiuji, "Have you finished reading those books?"

"Mm, I finished them."

Jiuji's pretty face was somewhat flushed.

She recalled the acts of procreation described in the books and felt very embarrassed in her heart.

Chen An did not point out her shyness, but instead moved his thoughts to take those books about the love between men and women out of his Storage Ring, and handed them to her with a calm expression, saying:

"These are new ones I bought for you to read; I will buy you newer ones once you finish these."

"Are they the same as the previous three?"

Jiuji reached out to take the books, the flush on her pure yet seductive face growing more intense.

Chen An nodded and said, "Mm, they are the same as those three books; if you don't like reading them, I can buy you others."

"That's not necessary, I quite like reading them."

Jiuji's voice sounded lighter than usual, and it carried a hint of shyness.

After speaking, she asked curiously, "Young Master, is the content in the books all true?"

Chen An was surprised; you are a fox spirit, and you don't know about the love between men and women?

After complaining inwardly, he replied, "Mm, it is true; the reason you were born into this world is because your father and mother did the things mentioned in the books."

In the time that followed.

The two chatted more and more, and the conversation became increasingly open.

Jiuji lost the embarrassment she had at the beginning, turning instead to ask Chen An prying questions, very interested in the matter of love between men and women.

Chen An was already a man with four wives, so he could naturally speak about such matters without any reservations.

As for Jiuji, a novice fox, she listened until her face was red and her ears were hot, her delicate body burning, not daring to look into Chen An's eyes, yet at the same time, her heart was filled with curiosity about the love between men and women.

Time passed quickly.

When the two finished this topic, the sky outside the cave was already pitch black.

Chen An realized it belatedly.

He checked the Sound Transmission Talisman in his Storage Ring immediately.

This check was a shock; it was full of voice messages from his wives and concubines at home.

He did not mind that Jiuji was right there and let the voices play out directly.

Song Huaying: "Husband, it is so late, when are you coming back?"

Gu Xinyue: "Husband, Xiao Yuejian and Chen Yike are hungry, we won't wait for you to come back for dinner."

Wen Zhiyun: "You surnamed Chen, did you die on that fox demon's bed?"

Shen Qingyi: "Husband, when do you plan to return? We are all very worried about you."

Wen Zhiyun: "You surnamed Chen?"

Wen Zhiyun: "Where are you?"

Wen Zhiyun: "Can you hear me?"

Song Huaying: "Husband?"

Song Huaying: "Husband, don't scare me, please reply to us once you receive the transmission, okay?"

"..."

After listening to these voice messages from his wives and concubines, Chen An immediately realized he had messed up and made them worry.

Without a second thought, he quickly sent a voice transmission back: "I was passing through the swamp during the day and accidentally got entangled by a python demon there. I just managed to break free. Don't worry, I'll be back very soon."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Sound Transmission Talisman began to vibrate repeatedly.

Song Huaying: "Husband, I'm just glad you're safe."

Gu Xinyue: "Husband, I'm going to the kitchen to heat up some food for you now."

Wen Zhiyun: "How do you manage to run into trouble every time you go out? Try to go out less often if there's nothing important."

Shen Qingyi: "Husband, be careful on your way back."

Chen An: "I've made everyone worry. It's already very late, so everyone should get some rest. I'll be home in a while."

Chen An: "By the way, Yue, I'm not hungry, so you don't need to heat up any food. Go to sleep early."

After sending these two messages to his wives and concubines, Chen An put the Sound Transmission Talisman back into his Storage Ring.

Seeing this, Jiuji couldn't help but raise her slender, beautiful willow eyebrows and said: "Grandmother was right after all. Men are all liars and cannot be trusted."

"That's other men. I'm different. I may lie, but they are white lies, all to keep my wives and concubines at home from worrying."

After dropping this remark, Chen An took out his Flying Sword, flew out of the cave, and headed toward home.

Jiuji watched his receding back with a lingering reluctance, already looking forward to his next visit.

Qianhua Forest.

Inside the tunnel.

When Chen An returned home, it was completely quiet inside; one could hear a pin drop.

It was too late, and his wives and daughters were all asleep.

However, there was still one figure in the main hall.

It was the figure of his little beloved wife.

But at this moment, his little beloved wife was so tired that she had fallen asleep slumped over the table, completely unaware that he had returned.

Chen An felt a bit guilty.

With a thought, he levitated his little beloved wife through the air and sent her back to her room to sleep on the bed.

Afterward, he took out the clothes he had gotten for free at the Lu Clan Firm during the day from his Storage Ring, picked out a peach-colored long dress, and placed it on her bed.

Then, he did the same by entering the rooms of his other three wives and concubines and his two daughters, taking out the gifts he had bought for them during the day and placing them on their bedsides.

Waiting for them to wake up tomorrow morning to give them a big surprise.

After finishing all this.

Chen An returned to his own room and, having nothing else to do, sat cross-legged on the bed to cultivate.

"Husband, are you cultivating?"

After cultivating for an unknown amount of time, the voice of his little beloved wife, Song Huaying, suddenly sounded from outside the door.

Chen An replied: "Yes, I am cultivating."

"Can I come in?"

"Come in."

As he finished speaking, Chen An moved his mind to open the door through the air.

Immediately, the scene that met his eyes was Song Huaying wearing the peach-colored long dress he had bought during the day, standing gracefully outside the door, looking breathtakingly beautiful.

"Husband, you're so mean. You didn't even wake me up when you got back."

Song Huaying walked toward Chen An with light steps and stopped, pouting her red, beautiful lips slightly, her tone sounding a bit unhappy.

Chen An gently took her small hand, pulled her to sit on his lap, and explained with a smile:

"I saw you sleeping so soundly on the table, I didn't have the heart to wake you."

"You still have the nerve to say that. If you hadn't come back so late, would I have fallen asleep on the table?"

Song Huaying looked as if she were holding him accountable, but she had no intention of blaming Chen An; instead, she felt very sweet inside.

After speaking, she got off Chen An, stepped back twice, held the edges of her skirt with both hands, lifted them slightly, and spun around once like an ethereal fairy. After spinning, she asked:

"Husband, do I look good in this dress?"

"You look exceptionally beautiful in it!"

Chen An praised her from the bottom of his heart.

Song Huaying then asked: "Then Husband, who is more beautiful, me or that fox demon?"

"She doesn't compare to even half of you."

Chen An lied to coax his little beloved wife.

His little beloved wife didn't care if it was true or false; she was happy just hearing it.

With a sweet smile on her face, she walked gracefully to Chen An and stopped, sat sideways on his lap, raised her slender, jade-like hands to wrap around his neck, and said in a soft, sweet voice:

"Husband, no matter how many concubines you take, I will always support you, as long as you love me just the same."

"No matter when it is, the person I love most has always been Ying."

"Husband is just being a smooth talker."

"Whether I'm smooth or not, why don't you try and find out?"

After Chen An finished speaking, he took off his little beloved wife's embroidered shoes and white socks, removed her peach-colored long dress and pink bodice, and they fell onto the bed in an embrace to deepen their marital affection.

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