CHAPTER 105: CHAPTER 93 GENIUS_4

"I’ll lead Chen Brothers’ horse. You just go on ahead." Zhang Xianmin, whose family ran a brick kiln, volunteered with a broad smile, reaching for the horse’s reins.

"No need, no need. Be careful not to get kicked," Chen Ku said hastily.

"It’s alright, it’s alright! We have a mule at home; I know how to lead one. Don’t worry, don’t worry, you just go on..." Zhang Xianmin, his face flushed, insisted on taking the reins. He then struck up a conversation, "I heard from my son, when he went to town, that on your opening day, you were taken as a disciple by Old Master Yang Luochen from Baojiao County? And he gave you a robe—is this it?"

Chen Ku keenly felt the subtle pride and sheer pleasure of returning home prosperous.

Zhang Xianmin’s behavior was quite common in the village; people did such things so they could later boast about having led the horse for some prominent figure.

Chen Ku was now considered one of the most important figures in Dachen Village.

To speak of his connection brought honor to everyone.

"Yes, yes, it is." Chen Ku felt somewhat overwhelmed. Fortunately, he spotted Zhao Bocai approaching, which allowed him to break away. He went up to him and asked, "Big Brother Zhao, my mother, my sister-in-law, and Hu Zi—are they all well in the village?"

"They’re all fine, healthy and strong. When I left home, they were taking Hu Zi to the fields," Zhao Huaicai said cheerfully. "You know those two women in your household? They had leased out all their land, but then they asked for a plot of land back. Now they spend every day tending that vegetable plot. When I asked, they said that next year, all the vegetables, harvest after harvest, are to be sent to you and your sister in the city to eat."

Chen Ku’s eyes reddened slightly.

He hurried ahead of the others and arrived home first. Seeing the three figures busy in the vegetable garden, he quietly approached.

His sister-in-law was still digging. Sensing a presence, she subconsciously turned around.

"Ah, brother, you’re back!"

"Uncle!"

His mother also turned around in excitement. Seeing it was indeed her son, she exclaimed, "You’re back?"

"Yes." Chen Ku nodded. "I’m back."

"It’s good you’re back, so good you’re back." His elderly mother rushed forward, taking her son’s hand. Then, she asked carefully, tentatively, "How long are you staying this time?"

His sister-in-law and Hu Zi also listened with bated breath.

Chen Ku gently touched the back of his mother’s withered hand, took a deep breath, and announced, "I’ve bought a house in the city—a very large courtyard. I’ve come back this time to take you all to live there..."

As he spoke, he looked at Hu Zi, then at his sister-in-law, and finally at his mother. "Mother, our family has money now."

His mother and sister-in-law were stunned by this sudden, enormous change in their lives.

Although Chen Ku had mentioned when he left that he hoped to buy a house in the city someday, and that he wanted Hu Zi to study to become a Scholar, perhaps even the top scholar, it had all happened so quickly.

He had actually bought a large courtyard house in the city already.

His mother hesitated and said, "Son, I heard you started a mine, but your money wasn’t easily earned. Buying a house so quickly... you still need to do business. Maybe you should sell that house... keep the money for your business. We’re fine living in the countryside."

But Chen Ku shook his head. "There’s no need to discuss this further. I am the head of the family, and what I say goes. This New Year, we are moving to the city. It’s perfect timing, actually, as my sister and brother-in-law live close by. We can all be together."

Seeing her son so determined, the two women lowered their heads in silent agreement.

"Go home and pack your things. Just take the essentials; everything else is provided there," Chen Ku said when they reached the house.

Suddenly, he noticed his sister-in-law holding some Talisman Paper. His expression changed slightly, and he asked, "Where did these come from?"

"Hu Zi often has stomach problems. A while ago, a traveling Taoist came through the village, offering free medical consultations to every household. He gave us these few Talisman Papers. After Hu Zi drank the talisman water made from them, he improved significantly. We still have these few left and thought we’d continue using them in the city," his sister-in-law said. Sensing the change in Chen Ku’s tone, she lowered her head and added, "Then... then we won’t take them."

Chen Ku’s heart grew heavy. He stepped forward, picked up the Talisman Papers, and sniffed them. He recalled what he had overheard that day...

Snake Fish Town was indeed one of Peace Path’s rural strongholds.

However, he offered no explanation to his sister-in-law, merely saying, "You forgot, I’m with the Medicine King Hall. When someone is sick, they should take proper medicine. The origin of this talisman water is unknown. Let’s go to Jiao County to get Hu Zi properly examined."

Following Chen Ku’s advice, they left many things behind, thinking they could use them if they returned to the countryside for leisure in the future. By evening, he had moved his family into the new courtyard.

In the courtyard, his sister Chen Tian was already cooking with the newly hired chef.

When Chen Tian saw that her brother had brought their mother to the city, she rushed forward. They embraced and cried incessantly, with Chen Tian continuously praising him, "My brother has really made something of himself!"

Later that evening, Li Yuancheng returned.

"Now, only your brother is missing," his sister-in-law said, wiping her tears as she looked at the table laden with food. "I just don’t know... if he’ll ever return alive."

"Don’t worry," Chen Ku assured her. "If Brother is alive, I will definitely find him someday."

And so, the family had a reunion dinner, even though it wasn’t a festival or holiday.

Afterward, they settled in completely.

Chen Ku also moved out of the Medicine King Hall. He spent most of his time in the large courtyard practicing martial arts and cultivating, except when he had to attend to some secret matters at a small courtyard in the outer city.

「In the blink of an eye, fifteen days passed.」

He had ingested five Treasure Herbs, one every three days.

With the enhancement of his spiritual power from the Ling Transformation, the speed at which he circulated his vital energy and blood was astonishing. One day of his circulation was equivalent to three to five days for others, allowing him to digest the Treasure Herbs extremely quickly. Chen Ku’s Qi Power achieved a minor breakthrough.

He could feel that the Qi Power within his blood vessels had connected to form a complete circuit, a continuous loop.

Simultaneously, Chen Ku’s hair became even more lustrous.

Hair is the surplus of blood. A deficiency of blood leads to dry hair, while abundant blood ensures sufficient Qi. Sufficient Qi, in turn, nourishes the hair, making both hair and beard lustrous and beautiful...

Chen Ku exhaled, his breath strong and resonant. "My vital energy is abundant!" he declared. "I’ve reached the middle stage of Inner Qi!"