[{"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-43":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},2325261,4549,"Chapter 43","immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-chapter-43",43,"\u003Cp>On his day off, Lu Datou brought two jin of braised beef to Chen’s house to drink with Chen Guanlou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou’s old hen was washed in hot water, then stewed with various spices into a fragrant roasted chicken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Datou was starving, gulping down wine and devouring meat in big bites.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your place is the best, Chen Tou—plenty to eat and drink. I’d even move in with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t call me Chen Tou. Just stick to the old way—call me Xiao Lou.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Datou chuckled, “Then I won’t be polite—Brother Xiao Lou!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou: …\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was too lazy to correct him again—better to eat first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Datou gnawed on a chicken leg and muttered, “You’re incredible. Back then you said Jiang Tu would be reinstated before year’s end—I didn’t believe you. Now I trust you one hundred percent. You should’ve seen Xu Fugui’s face when he heard Jiang Tu was reinstated—pure poison. He probably regrets not listening to you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If he regrets anything, it’s only that he didn’t squeeze more money out of Hou Fu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou understood Xu Fugui well—greedy, lustful, and short-sighted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did the Jia-1 group give you trouble?” Lu Datou asked in a low voice, clearly worried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou shook his head with a smile. “So far, everyone’s keeping the peace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Datou fretted for him: “I heard your position was coveted by every notable jailer in Jia-1. Some spent a fortune bribing connections. Then you showed up out of nowhere and took it—half the place resents you for stealing their spot. Watch yourself—Jia-1’s waters run deep.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thanks for the warning, Big Head Brother. What else did they say? Tell me everything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Someone wants to teach you a lesson.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t know. I just overheard a couple of whispers. Just be careful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Lu Datou left, Chen Guanlou tidied up and took a small flask of wine to visit Master Du for lessons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Du sighed heavily when he saw him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou teased, “What’s wrong, Master Du? Did someone misbehave again in class?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alas, I may lose my post.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How? You’ve taught at Hou Fu’s private school for years—who’d fire you? Master Du, don’t joke.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Du poured himself a cup of wine. “You know the old lady of Hou Fu was a second wife, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou nodded—he knew that well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then you also know the eldest master was born to the first wife, while the second and third masters are the old lady’s own sons.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou nodded again. “Master Du, what exactly are you getting at?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Du sighed. “I was hired by the eldest master to teach. Since he was injured, he’s stopped managing affairs. The second master and his son now run the household.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two days ago, the second master came to inspect the school—I thought he’d finally taken an interest. But no—he came because his grandson returned home with lipstick on his lips. Someone then exaggerated, claiming the school was chaotic, that the boys learned nothing but bad habits. It’s a terrible injustice!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These are precious young masters of Hou Fu—I dare not discipline them or even ask questions. They come to school only in name; they never show up. Reading is just a pretense. Who knows where they’re sneaking off to? They return reeking of perfume, then blame the school—and me—for it. I can’t defend myself. Yes, I’ve been lax in managing the school, but I’d never allow such things. Absurd! Utterly absurd!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Du’s beard trembled with rage—he was furious the second master refused to hear his defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing the loss of his post, Master Du had been miserable these past two days. When Chen Guanlou arrived, he felt like he’d found a lifeline and poured out everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hou Fu is a four-generation household.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most respected is the old lady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below her is the eldest master, heir to the marquis title.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the eldest master fell from his horse years ago while hunting, broke his leg, and has been crippled ever since—he’s changed completely and no longer manages affairs. The eldest mistress is perpetually ill and can’t manage anything either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eldest master’s first son secured a post but is away from home constantly, leaving no time for household matters. The eldest daughter-in-law, after bearing two children, became an invalid too—unable to manage anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, household management fell to the second branch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second master holds a sinecure at the Guanglu Temple—he never shows up for duty, spending his days at home drinking, composing poetry with guests, or vanishing for weeks on end. He’s a middle-aged playboy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His son, the second young master, is neither scholarly nor martial—he secured a sinecure at the yamen but refuses to work, so he handles all household affairs instead. He manages the outside; his wife runs the inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, every matter in Hou Fu, big or small, is decided by the second branch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the third branch, they’re busy fighting among themselves. The third master is lustful, bringing woman after woman home; his wife and concubines are locked in endless battles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone can see the old lady clearly favors the second branch, actively supporting them. She may even be considering replacing the eldest branch with the second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had the eldest master not broken his leg, the old lady would never have dared such thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the eldest branch is sick, crippled, and helpless—the old lady naturally begins to think. Under her subtle encouragement, the second branch grows bolder. The third branch naturally aids the second, uniting to suppress the eldest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hou Fu is in chaos—all because of this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder Master Du fears losing his post.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second master’s precious grandson is still young—how could he return from school reeking of perfume? Anyone would fly into a rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Master Du was hired by the eldest master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What will you do, Master? Just sit here sighing and do nothing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What can I do? The eldest master ignores everything. The eldest son is away. The eldest mistress and daughter-in-law are both ill. What am I supposed to do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can the eldest master just watch while the second branch fires you?” Chen Guanlou ate a peanut. “The eldest master is the true lord of Hou Fu. Other matters aside—this concerns the private school, the welfare of Chen clan children—can he not intervene?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Du hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou added, “You can’t control those little devils—would a new teacher do any better? Besides, the school’s decay started with the second young master. I studied here too—I know better than anyone what it was like. My elder sister couldn’t bear it—she feared I’d go bad, so she paid to have me study under Master Su instead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Actually, since you arrived, the school's atmosphere has improved. At least now some students study hard—unlike when I was here, when every student was a good-for-nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Du saw a glimmer of hope. “You truly believe the eldest master will act?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whether he acts or not is another matter—you must first meet him, lay out the full truth. Whether you keep your post or not, you must fight for yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1185,"2026-06-20T17:39:56.967Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","3e7a907f3101c326b42759b5e291ea81c7517648ea76b6d808e6d9699ea0571b","immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-chapter-44","immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-chapter-42",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fimmortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-cover.jpg"]