[{"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-77":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},2325295,4549,"Chapter 77","immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-chapter-77",77,"\u003Cp>Since you started working at the Tianlaomiao, you’ve been regularly bringing wine and food as gifts, and your mother-in-law’s attitude has changed a great deal—she’s become much warmer than before. Last time your father-in-law’s birthday came around, though you didn’t come yourself, the gifts you sent were cherished by them like precious treasures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Chen Xiaolan spoke, she lowered her voice, her face glowing with pride: “Now, my mother-in-law treats me far better than she does my sister-in-law. All the heavy, tiring chores—and even the kitchen work—are left to her. All I’m waiting for now is to give your brother-in-law a fat little son.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder sister Chen Xiaolan has been married for years and currently has only one daughter, three years old, nicknamed Yaya, who spends her days chasing after her cousin next door, playing wildly. She wasn’t around now—she must be out playing again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Elder sister will surely get her wish—twins, both boys.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Xiaolan grinned broadly, “If it really happens like you say—two boys in one birth—I’d wake up laughing in my sleep. You should get married soon too, and give the Chen family an heir.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know, I know.” Chen Guanlou grew impatient with this talk—he had no intention of marrying at all. Marriage would only slow down his draw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His secrets were not to be told to anyone—not even a wife. A wife meant more trouble, and his secrets might easily be discovered by someone sleeping beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Continuing the family line could wait; there was no need to rush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afraid his elder sister would keep nagging, he made an excuse about official business and quickly took his leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back home, his neighbor Mrs. Chunxiang called out to him to come eat, and he gave a casual reply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mrs. Chunxiang told him that Master Zhao had recently befriended a great scholar from the city; the scholar held Master Zhao’s talent and future in high regard and intended to take him as his final disciple. For the past several days, Master Zhao had been living at the scholar’s home, studying diligently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Zhao will be moving out soon. In two years, when you see him again, you’ll have to call him Master Zhao. My courtyard producing an official—word will spread, and renting it out will become much easier. Xiao Chen, when Master Zhao leaves, should I raise the rent? That’s the room where the Heavenly Literary Star lived.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou sincerely advised, “Why not wait a bit longer to raise the rent? Wait until Master Zhao officially passes the imperial exam—that way, the increase will be justified. What if Master Zhao runs into trouble, doesn’t go well…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Impossible! The first time I saw Master Zhao, I knew he was the Heavenly Literary Star incarnate—he’ll surely pass the exam and enjoy a brilliant official career. But you’re right—it won’t hurt to wait a little longer. The rent on every house on this street is fixed. If I raise mine now, I’ll invite gossip. Better to wait until Master Zhao’s success is announced—then raising rent will seem perfectly reasonable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among neighbors, mutual understanding, tolerance, and compromise matter. If you don’t want enemies, and can’t be a local bully, don’t turn against your neighbors. Distant relatives are no match for close neighbors—when real trouble comes, you’ll need their help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like a laborer far from home—if disaster strikes, his family back home can’t help right away; he must rely on colleagues, classmates, friends.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after, Master Zhao indeed moved out. When he left, Chen Guanlou was on duty, and the two never got a chance to say goodbye. Chen Guanlou had planned to treat him to a meal, but their schedules never aligned. In the future, when Master Zhao becomes Master Zhao the official, they’ll have even less chance to drink together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou could only sigh inwardly at the missed opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guest room in Mrs. Chunxiang’s house stood empty, and soon a new tenant arrived—a traveling merchant from afar, often absent yet generous with his spending, showing none of the stinginess or petty bargaining common among other merchants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou had met him only once—he was surnamed Lai, with a broad face, high forehead, small but sharp eyes, clearly the type to make money. Upon learning Chen Guanlou worked in the Tianlaomiao, he clearly wanted to get closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou told him, “Government business—you’re from outside the city, you can’t touch that. Stick to your own trade for now. Once you’ve saved enough capital, then consider other options.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Chen speaks wisely. I didn’t realize how wealthy Beijing was until I came here—I thought I was a man of means, but now I know I’m just a frog at the bottom of a well. I’ll need your continued favor, Master Chen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No problem! If anyone gives you trouble, don’t confront them directly—come find me afterward.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou only said “come find me,” but didn’t say how he’d help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Lai, being shrewd, immediately offered silver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou, upholding his principles, refused to take it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He always operated this way: help in exchange for payment, payment in exchange for help. He refused to accept money upfront—letting someone use his name to act outside the law, waving his banner as a shield—was unacceptable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his eyes, this kind of game wouldn’t work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Lai felt awkward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Beijing, he knew no one. In his eyes, jailers of the Tianlaomiao were all people to be courted. But this man refused to be courted—leaving him embarrassed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Chen, is the amount too little?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou waved his hand. “You misunderstand. You’ve just arrived in Beijing—you’re starting a legitimate business, and you need capital. Focus on your trade. We’ll talk later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, yes! Thank you, Master Chen! When are you free? If you don’t mind, I’d like to treat you to a drink.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’ll be plenty of chances for drinks—same as before: wait until later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou dismissed Master Lai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mrs. Chunxiang didn’t understand. “He offered you money—why didn’t you take it? If you don’t take it, Master Lai will panic!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m just a lowly jailer. Why would I take his money? I don’t need his pittance. As a jailer, honestly, the help I can offer is limited—just gathering information, giving a little protection. I have no power to be anyone’s shield.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He understood why merchants sought powerful protectors. But he knew himself—he had neither the status nor the circumstances to be anyone’s shield. For a few taels of silver, exposing his secrets would be a terrible bargain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, he had many ways to make money. Master Lai’s coins meant nothing to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mrs. Chunxiang clucked her tongue. “You’re so modest. You’re far more perceptive than your father, and your words are smoother. If your father had half your sense, he wouldn’t have earned a bad reputation and still ended up penniless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lately, people kept bringing up his dead father. How rigid and stubborn his father had been in life! And yet he’d chosen the job of jailer—strange indeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He chuckled. “The lessons my father left me—I naturally learned from them. Without his mistakes as a warning, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mrs. Chunxiang laughed. “No matter how you put it, you’re always right. But learning from your father’s mistakes? That’s your own talent. Next time Big Wang’s husband comes back, I’ll prepare a feast—you must come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Big Qian is coming back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mrs. Chunxiang’s husband’s surname was Qian, his full name Qian Youli—a practical name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By now, he should be returning. I asked the escort agency—they said this trip went smoothly, no trouble on the road.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Safe return is all that matters.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1272,"2026-06-20T17:39:56.967Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","2a54d860077ca0a686accf4db408a67afbb738bb5b0add85978f7ccdf952e40a","immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-chapter-78","immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-chapter-76",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fimmortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-cover.jpg"]