Chapter 349

City Lord's Mansion, Heng family, bustling beyond compare: first a grand ancestral sacrifice, then a great feast; all elders and direct disciples of standing attended to see Young Master Xian!

However, Donglan City was unusually quiet.

With Heng Xian's return, his past deeds rose one by one in many people's minds——

Stockpiling Seven Cliff Grass brought a huge profit, alleviating the Heng family's spirit crystal shortage!

At the Alchemy Assembly, Heng Xian commanded the family's alchemists to turn defeat into victory!

"The Donglan Martial Assembly" saw his cultivation suddenly surge, crushing all opponents, making him famous throughout Donglan!

In the resource trade war, the four supreme elixirs emerged; with a wondrous business model, he ruthlessly crushed rivals and madly amassed wealth!

The nine clans confronted each other, spreading colossal lies, forming alliances and counter-alliances, nine against nine!

When the nine clans moved to destroy the Heng family, at only fifteen he took full command, finally broke through, and single-handedly wiped out the nine clans, slaughtering tens of thousands, establishing the Heng family's absolute hegemony in Donglan City!

Finally, this drew cultivators from all major sects across the world rushing to become his disciples!

These one after another great events all happened to the same youth; upon reflection, one finds he is simply an extraordinarily terrifying monster!

And this is merely what he did six or seven years ago!

Over the years, his cultivation has risen, his mind matured—just how terrifying will he become?

In just half a day, the whole city fell silent as if choked by winter insects; pickpockets vanished, usually boorish ruffians grew gentle, and arrogant young masters and misses of the great clans stayed indoors.

Even the likes of the Money Assembly Chief, Wu Da Gongzi, and Sun Da Shao all disappeared.

The heads of the major clans and powers, as well as wandering cultivators, began frantically preparing gifts, ready to pay a visit.

……

"Today I'm happy!"

"Life couldn't be better than this!"

"If the family ever produced a child like this worthy one, it could rise without limit!"

"One day, our Heng family will grow ever stronger, found an empire, and become emperors!"

"Hahaha..."

The Heng family estate, the "Sea of Acceptance Courtyard," was somewhat in disarray.

From the city lord and family head, Elder Heng Xiu, down to all the direct-line sons and daughters, they threw open their hearts and drank freely.

Maids and servants bustled back and forth, bringing plate after plate of fruit, vegetables, and drink.

Heng Xian drank with them awhile, glanced at the sky—night dark, moon high—then looked at his drunken grandfather and uncles, and simply rose to return to the East Garden.

A group of maids, servants, young masters and misses saw him off, all performing a salute together.

Sometimes, when one's status is too exalted, it becomes a pressure on those beneath.

A Gou had followed from somewhere, his beard shaved, eyebrows trimmed, and he again wore his former downcast, fawning look, bowing and scraping.

Heng Xian glanced at him: "Dressed like that, do you want to be a Tàijiān?"

A Gou chuckled along: "I fear being too slovenly would disgrace my station as your servant, Master."

"Do you still remember you're a servant?" Heng Xian kicked him hard in the rear, "Damn it, you've kept all the young masters of the city under your thumb, even more imposing than I am—tell me, how many wives have you taken these years, and how much money have you saved?"

"Ah?" A Gou blinked, then broke into flattery: "Master knows even this; my reverence for you is like an endless river, ceaseless and unstoppable!"

The old servant... has saved 380,000 low-grade spirit crystals, taken a wife and three concubines; the wife is an old maiden from a concubine branch of the Heng family, eleven years my senior; the concubines are: one, the daughter of the southern gate oil presser Old Zhang; two, the sister of Zhang, owner of the Yun Gui Xiang tailoring shop; and three, Xiao Hong from the Fragrant Joy Pavilion.

"Damn impressive!"

Heng Xian felt a twinge of emotion; originally he had three personal attendants—Su Wan'er, Lan Xiang, and A Gou. Lan Xiang died in battle, Su Wan'er followed him into cultivation, leaving only A Gou behind, and now he's ended up like this, more comfortable than a petty shopkeeper among ordinary folk.

Moreover, it's no wonder the Heng family and outsiders value and respect him, for he married an old maiden from the Heng family, making him, in a sense, a son-in-law of the Heng.

However, although this lad plays at taking wives and concubines rather extravagantly, the world has its ways, and as a master it's not proper to say too much.

A Gou glanced at his expression, then spoke carefully: "I usually favor Ping'er, the sister of the tailor shop owner Zhang—she has a wasp waist, boneless softness; if you like her, Master, I'll have her attend to you..."

He hadn't finished speaking when Heng Xian kicked him flying again.

"Do you think I'd eat your leftovers?" Heng Xian walked on with his hands behind his back.

A Gou startled, scrambled up, bowed and ran over: "I spoke out of turn; of course you, Master, are peerless—only a heavenly fairy could match you. I'll never spout nonsense again!"

Heng Xian said: "If you still want to remain my servant, from now on keep a low profile; don't flaunt my name everywhere. Also, treat your wife and three concubines well—that's enough; don't seek more, treat them well, don't give them away casually—this is my rule."

A Gou bowed deeply: "I understand; I will inscribe this in the family precepts, never to forget!"

Master and servant talking, they had already reached the East Garden; a group of maids stood before the door and inside, lamps lit, awaiting respectfully.

Heng Xian stopped at the gate, gazing at the East Garden before him—unchanged from his memory.

The scene of his arrival just now, followed by the bits and pieces of stockpiling Seven Cliff Grass, unbidden welled up in his mind……

A Gou whispered: "Second Uncle said, you cherish the old ways, so all the other courtyards have been renovated, but ours remains as it was!"

"That's right!"

Heng Xian entered the gate, glanced at the old tree where he practiced swordplay and the pool where he trained his body; sure enough, the two ancient trees scarred with sword marks and the slick, smooth lotus pool were still there.

Then he went to look at his father's room: a lone lamp, gray bedding, a few old pieces of furniture, and nothing else; the air carried a faint sandalwood scent.

He had seen his father's room before, but this time it evoked an indescribable feeling.

He turned to A Gou involuntarily: "Has Second Uncle's room always been like this?"

A Gou nodded: "It's never changed."

Heng Xian lowered his voice: "Did Second Uncle ever chase women—visit brothels, or drag maids into his room?"

A Gou stared: "Never in Donglan City; when any fairly pretty maids approached on their own, Second Uncle would scold them away, and the next day send them off to a separate villa."

Heng Xian scratched his head—was this old man simply not lustful, or deeply devoted to his mother? Quite austere!

Bringing A Gou back to the hall, Heng Xian sank into his large carved fur chair: "The Jiangxin City 'Old Man Sleeps with Women' scheme, the Huishui City 'Forceful Bed Ascension' plot—who carried them out?"

His uncle had just told him at the banquet.

"The 'Old Man Sleeps with Women' plot" was the Heng family using some means to cause the Jiangxin City lord's Fate Opportunity to coincidentally result in him sleeping with his own not-yet-married daughter-in-law; afterward father and son turned against each other, removing the threat Jiangxin City posed to Donglan City.

"The 'Forceful Ascension to Bed Scheme' is the young city lord of Huai Shui City visiting a brothel, inexplicably sleeping with his own sister-in-law, and the two brothers came to blows."

"They are not good schemes, rather wicked; but even if the parties involved know they were framed, they cannot let go of their resentment."

"A Gou chuckled and said: 'It was all done by Eldest Young Master Heng Ruize, who took the young master's eight big horse girls to do it; although this Eldest Young Master is afraid of his wife, he still has his scheming ways!'"

"Heng Xian nodded. 'This Heng Ruize isn't too stupid; the key is, has Aunt Heng Yue Ruo sent her own big horse girls over yet??'"

"He also asked: 'Has Heng Ruize's wife really taken her brother back to her parents' home?'"

"A Gou replied: 'They left at dusk; they should be home soon.'"

"(End of chapter)"