[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-watching-the-immortals-fall":3,"chapter-watching-the-immortals-fall-watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-137":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Watching the Immortals Fall",{"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},2260010,4410,"Chapter 137: Youzhou Chu Family","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-137",137,"\u003Cp>In the northwest of Qingyun Continent, central Youzhou, Shanyin City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, a hundred households are arranged in the eight directions—Qian, Dui, Li, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Gen, Kun—with uniform houses extending outward in orderly rows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very center stood a vast, sprawling mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mansion’s design was ancient and simple, its surface shimmering with divine light, while the wind howled across the sky; every resident of the city, whether porter or peddler, possessed at least the Micro-Illumination realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was simple: they all shared the same surname.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, even distant branches and offshoots of the family, as long as they bore the family name, were entitled to receive the Family’s Spirit Awakening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the eight main avenues leading inward stood an ancient, solemn, towering estate, its gate plaque inscribed with the characters “Chu Family,” surrounded by rivers that curled around its grounds, their waters murmuring softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, deep within the estate, in a dense grove of bamboo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dozens of servants carried a massive iron chest inside, spent long moments fussing within the grove, clinking and clanking, then emerged carrying the empty chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they stepped out, thick black smoke continuously rose from within the grove, seeping outward in thin, drifting wisps, rendering the air before them chaotic and obscured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Xiong, the current head of the Chu family, stood outside the grove, his aura vast and surging—he had clearly reached the Spirit Wandering realm, just one step away from completing the Upper Five Realms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a realm could only be found within immortal sects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among secular clans or immortal estates beneath the sects, even one such individual was considered top-tier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, without sect approval, they could not enter the Linxian realm; the completion of the Upper Five Realms was the final realm they could ever attain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Chu Xiong turned his head slightly toward the old servant standing behind him: “Where is Chu Xian? Why haven’t I seen him these past days?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My lord, the eldest son went to Yunzhou recently and is now returning to Youzhou—he’ll arrive shortly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He returned to Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old servant bowed low: “The Xuan Yuan Patriarch has been in deep seclusion for years; the son oversees sect affairs in his stead. The Patriarch’s own son is a rogue, so the son must constantly shuttle between places—it’s truly exhausting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Xiong nodded slightly, then turned his gaze back to the bamboo grove, watching the black demonic energy continue to seep out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This process lasted nearly two hours, until the sun began to sink westward, at which point the demonic energy slowly retracted toward the grove’s center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the energy receded, the view within the bamboo grove gradually cleared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Chu Xiong’s eyes, his second son, Chu He, sat cross-legged deep within the grove; the once howling demonic energy now slowly flowed into his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until the demonic energy had fully vanished within him, the grove became utterly clear, and Chu He’s aura grew immeasurably vast and profound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes slowly opened, gazing blankly at Chu Xiong outside the grove.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In their gaze, Chu He’s eyes gradually came alive—from emptiness to confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Xiong smiled at him: “Son, how do you feel?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu He snapped back to awareness, staring at the swirling energy around him and taking a deep breath: “I feel incredibly strong—just one day, and if this continues...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Son, you’ve been back for two months now,” the old servant behind Chu Xiong interjected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu He froze at the sound, his eyes clouding once more with confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his memory, he had only just returned home the day before, then been brought into this bamboo grove.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He closed his eyes to cultivate, and felt countless powerful energies unfolding within his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those energies were fierce and resilient—he greedily absorbed them, and his aura grew stronger and stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he had no idea so much time had passed, nor any memory of returning to his room to rest or eating meals after each cultivation session.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Xiong, seeing his son’s puzzled expression, said nothing more, but turned to the old servant behind him: “Take the second son back to his room. Let him rest well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the old servant approached, Chu He rose from the grove and, after a long silence, spoke: “During cultivation, I felt something speaking inside my head...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old servant paused, then glanced at him: “Perhaps the son has pushed himself too hard—he can now communicate directly with the Dao.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can the Dao speak?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why not? The Dao is myriad paths; each cultivator’s insight differs, so their feedback differs too. Hearing the Dao’s whisper means the son’s talent far surpasses ordinary cultivators—no common immortal aspirant could achieve this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu He suddenly smiled: “Just a backwater private cultivator...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old servant patted his back, then led him back to the front courtyard’s bedroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, a luxurious carriage, adorned with jade and emeralds, slowly entered the Chu family estate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the carriage halted, a man with a face like polished jade stepped down, wearing a purple immortal robe and a lapis crown; his features bore a strong resemblance to Chu He.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet even with his aura restrained, it was vastly stronger than Chu He’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Xiong had already left the bamboo grove and waited here; seeing him disembark, he led him into the Chu family ancestral hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hall was spacious, filled with hundreds of ancestral tablets, incense curling around the candlelight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Xiong held three incense sticks, kowtowed to the ancestors, then turned to his legitimate son: “Xian, I’ve thought long and hard—I fear our methods are too risky.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father, what part is risky?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can the Dao truly tolerate such cultivation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Dao has failed—it can no longer govern this world.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But recently, the Danzong’s Immortal Cauldron leaked Dan Dao.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Xian placed his incense into the censer, knelt back on his cushion, and turned to look at him: “There could be many reasons for the Dan Dao leakage—I cannot confirm—but the fact that the Zheng family’s patriarch broke through Linxian and opened the Path to Immortality is proof. Otherwise, the demon clans and barbarian tribes wouldn’t be so restless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Xiong stared at the ancestral tablets, his brow deeply furrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sacred artifacts of the Seven Immortal Sects could move according to their wielder’s will—but also according to the Dao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many years ago, Lingjian Mountain’s Ling Jian chose its master on its own—that was clearly the Dao acting directly; otherwise, the sect’s lineage would not have shifted from Tianjian Peak to Xuanjian Peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if the Zheng patriarch could ignore sect restrictions and enter Linxian directly, even nearing the Path to Immortality, it meant the Dao could no longer constrain this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, demon clans began stirring, and the barbarians of the Northern Plains surged forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet soon after, the Danzong’s Immortal Cauldron leaked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This had nothing to do with the wielder’s will—meaning the Dao still watched over the earth. This contradiction left hearts uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Chu Xiong pondered, his eldest son’s voice spoke again beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How is Chu He’s cultivation progressing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s going well, no adverse reactions—but there’s one obstacle to his entry into the Inner Court: a student named Ji You.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu He’s admission to the Tian Shu Academy and placement in the Inner Court as a Fifth Hall direct disciple was decided long before last autumn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In their view, with Chu He’s talent, entering the Inner Court should have been effortless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His contemporary, the Lu family’s daughter, though also a Lower Three Realms completion before age twenty, had built her foundation solely from refined spirit cores—nothing to fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet no one expected that this year, the Tian Shu Academy would be invaded by a prodigious backwater private cultivator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On any other day, the Inner Court would never have been so difficult for a Chu family member to enter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Xian frowned slightly: “I spent great effort bolstering him—his strength now far exceeds his current realm. That backwater cultivator is merely a Tongxuan realm beginner; even with high talent, what can he do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That boy seems extraordinary—they say he possesses the Sword Heart Enlightenment Body. He spent three days at Lingjian Mountain and returned with sword arts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Irrelevant. In the coming days, I will remain at home and personally instruct Chu He.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no other choice...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Xian rose from his cushion, brushed his sleeves, and walked out of the Chu family ancestral hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old servant who had just escorted Chu He back now stood guard in the night-lit courtyard; seeing Chu Xian emerge, he stepped forward to follow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Son, the one who escaped from Fengxian Estate has been dealt with.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Xian halted: “Though I now oversee Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion, using their people for this is still too risky. I only regret my weakness—I hesitated to use our own clan members.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old servant bowed deeply: “Son’s kindness is the Chu family’s blessing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t be so kind again—it will cause trouble. That old bastard is deeply suspicious of me. Had his son not been a useless waste, I’d never have reached my current position as direct disciple.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Son speaks wisely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Xian opened his palm, and a wisp of black energy rose from it: “Had the Zheng patriarch succeeded, we wouldn’t need to hide so desperately, fearing the Dao’s annihilation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1561,"2026-06-19T15:28:39.995Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a188c4921608356f01cc77c6b265f3d74c67c1dd643b56537d5090459c399e22","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-138","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-136",430,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwatching-the-immortals-fall-cover.jpg"]