Chapter 148: Chapter 144: The Way of Raising Children

“Fellow Daoist Wei’s proposal is excellent!”

Jin Sheng, in a shift from his previous lazy demeanor, instantly sat up straight and said, “There are many opportunities in the Yangnao Land. Some loose cultivators from worldly noble families and forces have chanced upon them. They either hide them away or don’t realize their value, squandering good things.”

“If this market can be set up, they can bring their items to the market for exchange.”

“In this way, they can obtain elixirs and spirit crystals, and if we’re lucky, we might also get some rare treasures.”

The others nodded in agreement.

Shen Wenxing felt tempted and also gratefully glanced at Wei Qiuling.

He knew that by including the Shen Family and putting them on an equal footing with the Five Great Immortal Sects, Wei Qiuling had secretly done the Shen Family a great favor.

Compared to the Immortal Sects, the Shen Family’s current foundation was indeed too weak.

If this market could truly be established, it would tremendously benefit the Shen Family in both accumulating foundation and laying the groundwork for future integration into the cultivation realm.

Seeing that none of the present objected, Wei Qiuling continued, “Since everyone agrees, let’s settle this matter then.”

“Brother Shen, let’s leave the market’s construction to the Shen Family.”

Shen Wenxing smiled and nodded, “That’s simple.”

For the worldly mortals, constructing a market wasn’t considered a difficult task.

“To prevent mortals from straying in, once the market is built, we must trouble Qiyun Valley to set up an array to completely shroud the market.”

Wei Qiuling looked towards Li Heshan as she spoke.

Perhaps because of that incident at the Cliff Mountain Courtyard, Shen Wenxing could sense a noticeable cooling in the relationship between Luoxia Mountain and Qiyun Valley.

Li Heshan nodded.

“Leave that to Qiyun Valley.”

“What about us?” Jin Sheng asked eagerly, as if the Vajra Sect would be at a loss if they did nothing.

Wei Qiuling smiled and replied, “We will be responsible for maintaining order in the market.”

“Since it is a market, it should be a place for fair trade. Let’s not have incidents of murder and treasure-snatching that tarnish the market’s reputation.”

Hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.

In the cultivation realm, murder and treasure-snatching are commonplace. The Yangnao Land is currently like scattered sand, and to ensure that cultivators entering the market follow the rules, absolute force must be used to deter those with ill intentions.

Everyone proposed some details, discussed, and found solutions.

At the last moment, Shen Wenxing finally asked, “Where do you all plan to build this market?”

The group exchanged looks and proposed several locations, but none were unanimously agreed upon.

“Let’s build it in the Jinghe Swamp.” Wei Qiuling thought for a moment before speaking.

“Jinghe County is closer to the center of Yangnao Land, and the Jinghe Swamp is at the center of Jinghe County.”

“Though there is friction among us from different immortal sects, market transactions and exchanges of cultivation resources can still proceed.”

After some consideration, everyone thought that the Jinghe Swamp was indeed suitable.

The main point was that it’s seldom visited, so not many mortals would come near.

“In that case, once the market is established, how about calling it Jinghe Market?”

Wei Qiuling spoke again.

Everyone agreed with no objections.

By the time they’d finished discussing these matters, the wedding feast had already ended.

Being cultivators, they didn’t mind missing the wedding feast or not drinking the celebratory wine.

In the evening, everyone gradually left the Shen Family.

Li Heshan seemed to have something to say but seeing that Wei Qiuling had no intention of leaving, he didn’t speak and only said, “I’ll visit again in a while” before leaving.

Watching him leave, a faint smile appeared on Wei Qiuling’s face.

She slowly turned towards Shen Wenxing and said, “The python hide Brother Shen entrusted to Qiuling three years ago has been completely refined into magical robes.”

“A total of twenty pieces.”

As she spoke, with a gentle wave of her hand, two stacks of patterned leather armors, emitting a faint spiritual power like those worn by soldiers, appeared on the ground before them.

The leather armor retained the unique black-red patterns of the Pan Mountain Python, giving it a sense of heaviness.

“This magical robe is refined with essence blood and should be nurtured with spiritual power for better effect.”

Wei Qiuling introduced the usage of the magical robe.

Shen Wenxing slightly bowed, “Thank you, Immortal Wei.”

“I wonder if the fangs and poison sac of the giant python back then are enough to cover the remuneration?”

“I…”

“No worries, it was a bit short, but Qiuling has already made up for it.” Wei Qiuling waved her hand, “There are no other matters this time.”

“Brother Shen, farewell.”

“Fairy Wei, take care.”

After seeing Wei Qiuling off, he returned to the courtyard and collected all the magical robes.

In the back courtyard of the manor, after Shen Yuan had entrusted all the family matters to him, he moved to the secluded rear courtyard with Hu Yufen.

By the time he arrived at the rear courtyard, Shen Wenping was standing beside Shen Yuan and Hu Yufen, complaining about something, while He Zishi stood beside her with a smiling face, continuously pulling at her sleeve.

Shen Yuan sat with a smile, his eyebrows lowered, on a recliner, with his three-year-old granddaughter Shen You crawling all over him, occasionally pulling at his eyelids and tugging on his beard.

“Ah Die, are you listening to your daughter’s words?”

Seeing his posture, Shen Wenping pouted.

Shen Yuan slightly lifted his eyes and, looking at Shen Wenxing walking from afar, pointed.

“Here comes the main figure, stop nagging your father and go talk to him.”

Upon hearing this, Shen Wenping turned around furiously, glaring at Shen Wenxing, seemingly very annoyed.

Shen Wenxing, looking bewildered, approached, first paying respects to Shen Yuan and Hu Yufen, then lifting the little girl Shen You down.

“What’s wrong, why get upset on the wedding day?”

Not speaking was fine, but as soon as he said this, Shen Wenping grew even angrier.

“Big brother, you still remember it’s my wedding day today?”

As she questioned him, tears of grievance actually fell.

“Hey, hey?”

“What’s up?”

“Why are you crying?”

Shen Wenxing quickly put down his daughter and asked with concern.

“How dare you ask.”

Beside Shen Yuan, Hu Yufen sighed, “Ah Nu is not home, and Wen’an is cooped up cultivating in the Black Water Pavilion.”

“You, as the elder brother, didn’t even show up at the entire wedding. How could she not feel wronged?”

Shen Wenxing was slightly taken aback, then looked apologetically at Shen Wenping and He Zishi, saying, “It’s my fault, it’s my fault.”

He Zishi repeatedly cupped his hands and smiled, “Elder brother had important matters to attend to, my wife, you need to understand him.”

Shen Wenping, who was already crying in sorrow, seemed even more upset upon hearing this, and turned angrily, saying, “You’re always playing the good guy, smoothing things over!”

“Other people at least have two elder brothers and a younger brother, but in the end…”

Shen Wenxing also realized that he and his brothers were somewhat excessive, and with a smiling face, he said all sorts of comforting words to appease his sister.

“I… I don’t mean I don’t understand you, I just feel a bit wronged.”

Shen Wenping wiped the tears from her face and spoke.

“I know, I know.”

“Alright, you’ve cried, and you’ve made a fuss.”

“If there’s nothing else, go back and rest, and let your parents have some peace.”

Shen Yuan gently patted the big black dog lying obediently on the ground beside him and said.

Upon hearing this, He Zishi quickly tugged on her sleeve, cupped his hands towards Shen Yuan and his wife, and Shen Wenxing, then left.

Watching the backs of the two, Shen Wenxing bitterly smiled and shook his head, then turned around, cupped his hands, and said,

“Father, today I was indeed negligent…”

Shen Yuan pointed to the bench beside him.

After Shen Wenxing sat down, he changed the subject, “The Five Great Immortal Sects came to offer congratulations today. Except for Qiyun Valley, they all have intentions of drawing our Shen Family closer.”

“Immortal Wei from Luoxia Mountain suggested that our family establish a market for cultivators in Jinghe County.”

“Oh yes, Immortal Wei also sent over the magical robes she’s refined, a total of twenty pieces.”

As Shen Wenxing spoke, his eyes remained fixed on Shen Yuan’s face.

But Shen Yuan kept his eyes down, absentmindedly stroking the glossy fur of the big black dog next to him, as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

“Shi Tou is talking to you.”

Beside him, Hu Yufen held Shen You, unable to resist reminding him.

“I’m not deaf.”

Shen Yuan replied, a touch of exasperation in his deep voice, “It’s been three years, and you still report everything to your father.”

“What’s this, you feel at ease after telling me everything?”

Shen Wenxing said nothing, his head lowered.

“You are now the patriarch of the Shen Family. You need to know everything and be confident in your decisions.”

“Are you counting on acting based on your father’s expressions?”

“If your father were to die, would you still have to go to his grave every day to chatter?”

“By then, that mound of earth won’t give you any hints.”

Facing his father’s stern gaze, Shen Wenxing bowed in shame.

“I was wrong.”

Over the years since taking over the Shen Family, every time a major event occurred, he would instinctively want to run to the backyard and report everything to his father.

Although each time Shen Yuan would give no advice, in his view, his father’s silence signified support, indicating the matter was feasible and his decision was correct.

“Go now.”

Shen Yuan waved his hand, “Next time you come, if you just want to chat with your parents, chat properly. But if you keep this up, don’t come to the backyard anymore.”

Shen Wenxing stood up, bowed, and prepared to leave.

“Wait.”

“Take your daughter with you.”

Watching the father and daughter leave the backyard, Hu Yufen finally spoke sternly, “You’re a grown man, when your child comes to talk to you, how does it hurt to respond?”

Shen Yuan sat up straighter, his gaze profound as he looked into the distance.

Hu Yufen also said, “Shi Tou just feels more at ease after talking to you.”

“If you don’t want to intervene, just listen.”

“He relies on this.” Shen Yuan scoffed, “Does he think my silence means I don’t oppose?”

“Is this little smartness useful?”

Shen Yuan stood up from the lounge chair, hands behind his back, and said in a deep voice, “Your father has been gone for forty years. These forty years, I had no one to rely on.”

“I’ve made countless decisions, some right, some wrong.”

“If you don’t eat those losses yourself, you won’t know their taste, and you won’t remember them.”

“I can help him for a while, but can I help him for a lifetime?”

Hu Yufen said nothing, only sighed softly.

At the courtyard gate, a figure approached.

Noticing the tense atmosphere between the two, Shen Chongming cautiously spoke, “Grandpa, who upset you?”

Shen Yuan said nothing.

“Grandma?”

Shen Chongming looked at Hu Yufen.

Hu Yufen slightly shook her head, composed herself, and smiled, “It’s so late, are you here for something?”

Shen Chongming retrieved a jade bottle from his pocket and handed it over, saying, “The Profound Water Sect sent Profound Water Pills today, saying they could preserve one’s looks.”

Preserve one’s looks?

Hu Yufen was intrigued upon hearing this, then smiled and said, “You should give them to your mother and your second aunt.”

“And your aunt.”

“Grandma doesn’t need these things.”

Shen Chongming waved his hands continuously, saying, “Father said these are for you.”

“If you don’t use them, mom and second aunt surely won’t either.”

“Besides, there are ten pills here, each for you, mom, and the others.”

As Shen Chongming spoke, he directly stuffed the jade bottle into Hu Yufen’s hand and then dashed away.

“Ah! This child…”

Hu Yufen stood up, and Shen Chongming was already out of sight.

Shen Yuan turned his head to look at the jade bottle, saying, “The children and grandchildren are filial, don’t refuse it.”

“Profound Yin Qi is beneficial for women. Perhaps it’ll help you break through to the Qi Cultivation Realm.”

Hu Yufen looked at the jade bottle in her hand but remained silent.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep