[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s":3,"chapter-immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-chapter-146":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Immortal Through Martial Path, I Who Cannot Die Shall Ultimately Be Invincible",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2325364,4549,"Chapter 146: Outwardly Stern, Inwardly Lustful","immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-chapter-146",146,"\u003Cp>After seeing off Liu Xiaochuan, Chen Guanlou was greeted by Pan Niangzi from across the way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Niangzi, as always, was a helpless, innocent little white flower, even thinner than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She brought a bowl of freshly made dumplings, head bowed, seemingly too shy to speak to outsiders, appearing overly timid, “These days, I’m deeply grateful for your care, Elder Chen. We have nothing fine to offer, just these dumplings—please don’t refuse them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou stared at her, watching her earlobes slowly turn red, crimson as dripping blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He cleared his throat lightly—it was unkind to test a young widow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Pan Niangzi. I love dumplings—they’re excellent. I was just worrying about what to eat tonight. Your dumplings arrived at the perfect time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Pan Niangzi smiled softly, like a spring breeze brushing past willow banks, carrying the fragrance of spring, the freshness of flowers and grass, caressing cheeks, drifting into nostrils, soothing the soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One would be drunk!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou hadn’t drunk any alcohol, yet he already felt three parts intoxicated. He took the bowl and said, “Let me go clear a space first, then return the bowl to you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No no, no need to rush. We have extra bowls at home,” Pan Niangzi said urgently and nervously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou smiled at her, then went inside to clear space. In these times, urban folk lived frugally—every bowl had its use. Lose one, and the kitchen’s whole rhythm fell apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew the old mother across the way, Hu Dainiang, was a formidable woman; if Pan Niangzi returned empty-handed, she’d surely be blamed, giving Hu Dainiang an excuse to punish her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t let the gentle Pan Niangzi suffer because of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It broke his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he wasn’t Cao Cao, he now understood Cao Cao’s heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After returning the bowl, Pan Niangzi smiled again and thanked him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou told her, “If you ever need anything, come to me—I’ll help if I can.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Niangzi bowed repeatedly in gratitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From across the courtyard came Hu Dainiang’s furious shouting, indirect but venomous, ranting and raving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Niangzi’s face turned pale; she hurried back without a moment’s delay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as she left, Chunxiang Sao emerged from the neighboring courtyard and teased Chen Guanlou, “You’ve got it bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t speak nonsense. Pan Niangzi is a good woman.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s why so many men want her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tell me,” Chen Guanlou immediately sensed Chunxiang Sao had more to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chunxiang Sao glanced around, pushed Chen Guanlou into his courtyard, and shut the gate to prevent eavesdropping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chen Ergou pretends to check on the house, but he comes back every other day. Hmph—who doesn’t know his intentions? He’s lusting after Pan Niangzi, hoping to get close and claim her first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That scoundrel Chen Ergou—he drove his first wife away with beatings, and now he dares to covet Pan Niangzi? If she falls into his hands, she’ll be dead.” Chen Guanlou was furious; he hadn’t known Chen Ergou had dared to lust after Pan Niangzi. Clearly, he needed a beating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not just Chen Ergou—down the alley, your peer Chen Guanqing has sent people to inquire about Pan Niangzi. Looks like he’s got wicked thoughts too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou’s anger flared further: “Chen Guanqing’s an old cabbage stalk—not even fit to be dried pork—and he dares to covet Pan Niangzi?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Chen Guanqing was his generation, he was nearly twice his age. He was a grandfather already, yet still dared to scheme—clearly exploiting her lack of male protection, relying on his surname Chen to bully the weak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou despised men like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chunxiang Sao told him further: because of all this, Hu Dainiang’s temper had grown worse, daily hurling insults at Pan Niangzi, accusing her of being immodest, flirting outside, scheming to abandon her and her granddaughter to climb higher and live better. Pan Niangzi wept every day, her eyes always red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pan Niangzi has done enough. Hu Dainiang still doesn’t cherish her. Only when she’s driven the woman to despair and forced her out will she regret it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou nodded in agreement—Hu Dainiang was the classic cruel mother-in-law, finding fault in every move her daughter-in-law made.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chunxiang Sao added, “You’re a grown man, still single—don’t even think about a young widow. People will gossip. Pan Niangzi has suffered enough—she can’t endure more pain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou smiled bitterly, “Chunxiang Sao, which eye do you think I’m lusting after Pan Niangzi with? Don’t wrong me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Both my eyes saw it. All men are the same. Don’t think pretending to be upright hides your lecherous heart. Dare you swear to heaven you have no feelings for Pan Niangzi?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To say he had no feelings would be self-deception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to say his feelings were strong? Not really. Everyone admires beauty. But he had boundaries—he wouldn’t use force or ruin a woman’s reputation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aren’t brothels fine? For money, you get pleasure with no consequences. If you find them unclean, keep a courtesan—no need for top beauty; eighty percent looks plus gentle, attentive service, learned from the elders, could make a man blissful. And it doesn’t cost much. With his income, he could satisfy every whim without blame or responsibility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing him silent, Chunxiang Sao clicked her tongue. “I told you—men are all no good, especially you, always lingering among flowers, never settling down. I’m speaking seriously: you can chase anyone, but don’t touch Pan Niangzi. If a single man like you pursues her, no one will blame you—they’ll blame her for seducing you, wasting a healthy young man. Then the spittle will drown her. Pan Niangzi is so gentle—how could she bear gossip? Don’t end up driving her to death—that’s a sin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not that bad, not that bad,” Chen Guanlou protested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How not? You’re not a woman—you don’t know how deadly gossip is, how hard life is for us women. Bottom line: if you want a woman, tell Sister, and I’ll find you a suitable match.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No rush, no rush—my marriage isn’t urgent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not urgent? Look how old you are. Men your age are already fathers,” Chunxiang Sao scoffed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou: …\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was twenty, even a year younger than that—how was he “old”?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thanked Chunxiang Sao for her kindness, said he’d think carefully, and would decide after proper consideration—just to pacify her for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Chunxiang Sao left, she still wasn’t reassured: “Don’t you dare think about Pan Niangzi—her mother-in-law isn’t someone to mess with.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Relax—I’d think about cats and dogs before I’d think about Pan Niangzi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou gave this assurance, though he himself had no idea how credible it was. But right now, he was focused on cultivating the Sheng Tian Lu, pushing toward the third chapter—he had no mental energy for romance.\u003C\u002Fp>",1120,"2026-06-20T17:39:56.967Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","d25f5a0ae0d6c59ea9824d4e6c5799073c01bc46b8fe0d1b63b2241a19316bbe","immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-chapter-147","immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-chapter-145",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fimmortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-cover.jpg"]