Longevity starts with choosing Hextech enhancement

Chapter 491 Playing Cai Youde

Regarding Grandpa Cai's plans for the Shang family business.

Xiao Chen remained neutral, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, letting him figure it out himself.

He only cared about how to make a subtle appearance without being completely exposed to the outside world.

After successfully creating some traces of activity here, he still needs to go back to his secluded cultivation to break through his physical cultivation.

The delayed opening of the Vast Ocean Secret Realm gave him ample time to advance his physical cultivation.

However, Grandpa Cai did not think so.

He excitedly studied the map for a moment and then suggested, "If it's convenient for Senior Xiao, why don't you make an appearance during this memorial ceremony?"

"To demonstrate force in order to compete for industry, or to show development potential."

"This is a perfectly reasonable opportunity to show off our strengths to the outside world."

"Take advantage of this moment to showcase the prodigy nurtured by the family, thereby putting pressure on others."

"It can be said to be one of the most logical and least suspicious actions."

"Moreover, Senior Xiao mentioned last time that he wanted to play a genius boy who broke through to the Nascent Soul stage in just a few years."

"In that case, the clan should also make some noise."

“These actions would naturally arouse suspicion, so it’s better to let them discover the ‘truth’ directly, so that we can make further disguises.”

Grandpa Cai wasn't just making things up to fight for the assets.

The main reason was when the two of them were discussing the disguise plan last time.

Xiao Chen made it clear that the fake identity he needed was that of a Nascent Soul True Monarch who could withstand secret investigation after he went to the Holy City.

After taking into account various factors, I decided to play the role of a prodigy with exceptional talent.

While this might seem a bit high-profile, it also gives him more freedom of action, making his collection of various resources more reasonable.

Conversely, if Xiao Chen decides to play the role of a normal newly promoted True Lord.

Although it may seem low-key and not easily attract attention, it can also bring a lot of inconvenience.

Firstly, the cultivation speed of ordinary cultivators is usually not very fast, and breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage is a relatively long process.

This means that Xiao Chen might have to pretend to wait for decades, which is obviously too long.

Secondly, after ordinary cultivators break through to the Nascent Soul realm, they should also be busy consolidating their cultivation, practicing techniques, and accumulating strength.

They are less likely to seek out breakthrough techniques or compete for breakthrough pills early on.

In fact, even if they had some ancestral spirit stones, they wouldn't easily spend them, let alone compete for various rare spirit items at high prices.

But if it is a genius cultivator, a peerless prodigy who is expected to break through to the Nascent Soul stage in a short period of time.

Then all of these actions seem perfectly logical.

Finally, a false identity often involves the issue of acting skills.

However, Xiao Chen doesn't even need to act out the role of a genius boy, because he is already very young.

Just standing there, he's a genuine genius!
"But I still have a lot of important things to do."

Xiao Chen felt this seemed like a good idea, but there was one problem: "If we make a public appearance this time, won't we have to make regular public appearances from now on?"

"As you probably know, the impact of the large-scale cleanup is still very serious."

"If anything unexpected happens, I might not be able to come back for another six months or even a year."

"What if it arouses suspicion from the outside world?"

However, it seemed that Grandpa Cai had already anticipated this situation.

Almost instantly upon hearing the question, he replied, "This matter is quite simple to handle."

"We can arrange a battle or a contest, or at the very least, a philosophical discussion."

"Then announce to the public that you have benefited greatly from the battle or the exchange, and that you will go into seclusion to cultivate after returning."

"Just control your cultivation level when you first appear, for example, the early stage of the Golden Core realm."

"At the same time, when you make your next public appearance, show the outside world that you have broken through the bottleneck through seclusion and reached the middle stage of Golden Core."

"In this way, we can openly refuse visits from outsiders during our seclusion."

"At the same time, it will also allow everyone to witness that your talent for cultivation under this false identity is truly amazing."

You know what, it actually sounds like a good idea.

He had an epiphany during the battle, and then went into seclusion to break through his bottleneck. This is indeed in line with what everyone imagines a genius cultivator should be like.

The only problem might be that Xiao Chen didn't learn any proper third-tier wood-type spells back then.

Therefore, if he goes out to fight under a false identity, he will have to learn two new spells to fight the enemy.

Furthermore, to better disguise oneself, it is best not to choose yellow-level spells, but rather to choose locally well-known heaven-level spells.

This was so that the onlookers could easily recognize it as a Heaven-level spell, thus confirming his status as a genius cultivator.

Fortunately, this problem is not difficult to solve.

As one of the four great families, the Cai family possesses all five elements of magic and has everything from heaven and earth to black and yellow.

So Xiao Chen directly obtained a copy of the "Rongchun Duling Technique" from the Cai family and then practiced it for a few extra days.

To be honest, as a Nascent Soul True Monarch practicing a third-tier cultivation technique, the whole process did feel much simpler.

He successfully learned the two main spells that came with it in just two days.

These are the "Rongchun Thousand Leaf Sword," which is primarily for offensive purposes, and the "Duling Spring Flower Barrier," which is used for defense.

Then, he easily mastered several other complementary spells in just three days.

Although the proficiency is slightly lower, this deficiency can be compensated for by a higher quality of true essence.

In other words, Xiao Chen mastered a complete set of Heaven-level spells in just five days.

Even though it's only a third-tier spell, the speed is still astonishing.

From this perspective, those wood-type spiritual items they consumed and the wood-type Dao-nurturing crystals they absorbed were indeed not wasted.

Of course, Xiao Chen felt that his own high level of comprehension and outstanding talent were also very important.

Because he learned so quickly, they had to wait two more days.

It wasn't until the Guiyun Sect set up a memorial hall and temporarily lifted the restrictions on the blessed land, allowing outsiders to come and pay their respects, that the situation improved.

Only then did he put on a cloak and, together with the rest of the Cai family, head to the blessed land of Zejing to offer sacrifices.

Elder Luo held a high position in the Guiyun Sect, mainly because he had indeed cultivated many good relationships during his lifetime.

Therefore, the mourning hall built for him by Guiyun Sect was grand in scale and of extremely high standard.

The white gauze and plain silk in front of the hall stretched for ten miles; thousands of lamps burned on both sides, burning day and night.

The elder in charge of rites from Guiyun Sect personally presided over the ceremony, holding a jade tablet and reciting the sacrificial text.

His expression was sorrowful, and his eyes were red-rimmed, but his voice was steady and his words were exceptionally clear.

Many disciples, dressed in plain clothes and holding white banners, lined up on both sides to welcome the guests.

There were even a few white cranes kept by the family circling in the air, occasionally letting out a clear cry, as if bidding farewell to the deceased.

The number of cultivators coming to worship was endless, including a large number of cultivators from the wilderness.

Of course, some of them may be genuinely grateful for Elder Luo's past kindness, so they came to sincerely pay their respects.

Most of the others are more likely taking advantage of the fact that the blessed land is open to the public to try and absorb some of its spiritual energy.

Before leaving, take a sacred fruit as an offering, according to local custom.

In the Guiyun Sect, the principle during the worship ceremony is that everyone who sees it should have a share.

In other words, all monks who come to worship can share at least one sacred fruit that has been offered from the shrine.

This indeed attracted many independent cultivators who came specifically to pay their respects. After kneeling and bowing, they stared longingly at the mountain of spiritual fruits piled up in the mourning hall.

Although most of them are worthless first-tier spirit fruits, they are still spirit objects at least.

It's better than them being outside all year round, unable to even smell a fragrance.

Even some independent cultivators, whether out of genuine emotion or feigned grief, burst into tears on the spot before the altar, murmuring sorrowfully to themselves.

It tells the sad story of how Elder Luo once gave him guidance in a certain year and month, but he was unable to repay the kindness in the end.

There are quite a few people like this.

When Xiao Chen arrived with the Cai family, he saw several cultivators crying loudly.

One of them was crying and kowtowing on the ground, drawing blood on the spot, but he still didn't care.

Then he was grabbed by the nearest Guiyun Sect disciple and thrown out on charges of maliciously disturbing the mourning hall, without even getting any spiritual fruit.

"These rogue cultivators are clearly overacting; they're just making a scene here."

Grandpa Cai glanced at it disdainfully, then whispered, "Senior Xiao, when we pay our respects later, just stop here."

"Anything in excess is as bad as anything in moderation. If you talk too much or in too much detail, it's easy to run into problems."

"How about we do as we agreed before and simply express our gratitude, making it seem more sorrowful?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen nodded almost imperceptibly: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

"Also, I've told you so many times, once we're outside, don't call me 'senior' anymore. Just treat me like a junior member of the Cai family."

"To avoid the possibility of eavesdroppers overhearing it."

He's emphasized this at least eight, if not ten.

But every time, Grandpa Cai would readily agree, only to secretly change back to the honorific title a short while later to show his respect.

The key point is that he really didn't have any malicious intent; he was simply being cautious towards high-level cultivators.

In fact, the line of people who came had already formed an exceptionally long queue, but as one of the four great families, the Cai family certainly did not have to wait in line.

Soon, disciples from the Guiyun Sect came forward to greet them.

They were respectfully led to the other side and given priority to enter the mourning hall to pay their respects.

Of course, not all members of the Cai family can enjoy this treatment.

Some less powerful branches and distant relatives could only kneel and pay their respects from a distance of half a mile in the front half of the mourning hall.

However, members of the main lineage and several important branches can go deep into the mourning hall, three zhang in front of it, and even personally light an incense stick in the long and wide bronze cauldron in front of it.

"This young master looks unfamiliar."

The Guiyun Sect's internal affairs elder, who was in charge of guiding the worship ceremony, quickly noticed Xiao Chen and asked curiously, "But I wonder which generation you belong to?"

As expected, Grandpa Cai immediately gave the answer he had anticipated, explaining simply, "This is one of my adopted sons and nephews."

“From the generation name ‘You’, the given name is You De, the De that means both virtue and talent.”

Oh?
Upon hearing this, the elder in charge of internal affairs immediately looked Xiao Chen up and down again, a hint of surprise that he could hardly hide showing in his eyes.

Grandpa Cai's words seem simple.

However, upon closer examination, it actually contains many hidden meanings. It should be noted that while large families do not particularly value the difference in birth between the main line and branch lines, all family members with sufficient talent are treated equally.

However, the premise of 'having enough talent' is itself quite special.

It is extremely rare for someone to be directly adopted into the direct line, unless they encounter a prodigy with exceptional talent who is expected to revitalize the family.

Of course, sometimes a single inference is not necessarily correct.

However, Mr. Cai added an extra detail: the name was chosen based on the phrase "possessing both virtue and talent".

Moreover, during the introduction, his tone unconsciously revealed a sense of recognition towards this younger person.

This means that he must have really agreed with this assessment.

The elder in charge of internal affairs was no fool. Combining these two points with some rumors about the Cai family over the years, he almost immediately guessed Xiao Chen's false identity.

He smiled and nodded in praise, "I see. He truly lives up to his name; he looks like a very talented person."

They wrote the name down directly in the roster.

He also made a mental note of this matter, intending to report it to the sect for record-keeping upon his return.

Often, some secret intelligence comes from these subtle clues.

However, this time, he didn't really need to go to such lengths.

Because Xiao Chen and Grandpa Cai came here specifically to leave a trace.

Next, they will directly expose this false identity.

As planned, Xiao Chen lingered a little longer in front of the mourning hall, pretending to be reluctant to leave.

He had already discussed it with Old Master Cai, and afterwards he would send someone to spread rumors that Elder Luo had indirectly given Cai Youde a few pointers.

Anyway, the other party is a very kind person who has accumulated a lot of good karma, so there's no way to verify everything.

Besides, this is a good thing, not just gossip, so no one will take it seriously.

With the Cai family's encouragement, this matter will soon spread widely.

After a few years, the rumors can no longer be traced back to their source, and what was false becomes true.

At that point, even if an investigation were to be conducted, no matter how capable the investigator was, they would be absolutely unable to find anything amiss.

"The ritual is over. When do we start next?"

After leaving the mourning hall, Xiao Chen asked in a low voice about the next step.

Grandpa Cai immediately replied, "I've already made arrangements..."

Before he could finish speaking, he looked up at the sky.

All the cultivators present looked up and gazed at the sky.

A large, two-headed swallow was seen slowly descending, flapping its wings.

What followed was a powerful pressure belonging to a fourth-order great demon, which immediately made many low-level cultivators feel as if they were being pressed down under a mountain.

Many people felt breathless, and some Qi Refining cultivators were even forced to suffer internal injuries and vomit blood by the sheer pressure.

On the back of that two-headed swallow stood an old man with snow-white hair, wearing a long robe and holding a dragon-patterned staff.

He gently lifted the dragon-patterned staff and pointed it downwards: "You beast, don't you dare act recklessly!"

The two-headed swallow immediately became much more docile, suppressing its imposing aura.

Then, ignoring the Guiyun Sect elders who were crowding around, the old man went directly to the front of the mourning hall and lit an incense stick.

To outsiders, it appeared to be a group of friends of Elder Luo who had come to pay their respects.

However, Xiao Chen clearly sensed that the other party directly used their divine sense to erase the simple restrictions on the scene and entered the coffin inside the mourning hall.

Normally, this is to avoid offending the deceased.

Not only are there restrictions around the mourning hall, but there are also restrictions on the coffin itself to prevent outside spiritual beings from spying on it.

However, the old man still managed to forcefully break through the restriction with his divine sense and take a look at the situation inside the coffin.

Then he withdrew his divine sense and slowly walked out.

She turned her head slightly and glanced in Xiao Chen's direction.

Instead of taking the spirit fruit, he boarded the two-headed swallow and quickly left the scene.

This is very strange. He came and went in such a hurry, and we don't know what he was planning to do.

Not only were the people present unaware, but even the True Monarchs of Guiyun Sect were caught off guard.

By the time they arrived, the other party had already ridden away on a spirit beast.

So only True Lord Guiyun, True Lord Caiyun, and the others remained standing there, looking at each other in bewilderment. Then they pulled aside the elders and stewards present and questioned them in detail about the specific circumstances that had just occurred.

This disrupted the entire worship process.

Meanwhile, the planned appearance was also disrupted.

"The situation seems to have changed. What do you mean now?"

Xiao Chen and Grandpa Cai stepped back a short distance and then communicated quietly.

"The situation is special today. I think it would be best to postpone it for two days and observe the situation."

Grandpa Cai was actually a little unsure, so he subconsciously chose to play it safe.

"That's fine."

Xiao Chen did not object, but reminded him, "But don't drag it out for too long, I have to take care of other things in a few days."

He didn't want to spend too much time here.

Fortunately, the inner world of the Vast Ocean Secret Realm has been open for a full year, so his time is not too tight, and at least a few more days won't make a difference.

However, coincidentally, due to the interference of the mysterious True Lord who controlled the two-headed swallow.

Several True Lords who were originally in Guiyun Sect all came here, and a temporary tent was set up next to them.

Xiao Chen had originally thought that he would have to return empty-handed today.

Not long after, an elder from the Guiyun Sect came over and said, "True Lord Guiyun invites Elder Cai and his disciple Cai Youde to come to the tent for a chat."

It seems that during their investigation, they may have accidentally discovered the traces that were deliberately left earlier.

Upon hearing this sudden request, even the seasoned Mr. Cai, who had weathered many storms in his life, couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

Without prior preparation, suddenly having to meet with several True Lords of the Guiyun Sect shouldn't cause any problems, right?

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but turn his head slightly to glance at Xiao Chen.

However, it was noticed that after a brief moment of surprise, the other party's expression quickly returned to calm.

He looked like an ordinary junior who had been unexpectedly summoned by his senior, showing no signs of anything unusual.

Grandpa Cai couldn't help but admire him. No wonder he was Senior Xiao; his mental fortitude was truly remarkable. He remained calm and composed in the face of danger.

Despite the suddenness of the event, there was absolutely no sign of anything unusual.

He seemed completely unconcerned about being exposed by the Guiyun Sect and facing the grave danger of being surrounded.

Actually, he was overthinking it.

Xiao Chen appeared calm and unhurried because he was confident and fearless.

Firstly, the entire disguise plan has only just begun, so even if it fails today, there will be almost no loss.

So there's no need to be nervous or worried.

Secondly, Xiao Chen's own safety is no longer a concern.

Don't be fooled by the fact that this place seems to be the territory of the Guiyun Sect. Once we are discovered, we will be surrounded immediately.

If a fight were to break out, it would be hard to say who would be surrounding whom.

Without external interference, and without any special methods within the Guiyun Sect, it would be difficult to achieve anything significant.

Xiao Chen could fight three against one, and even if you include the ancestors of the Jin and Gao families in Linggu, he could still fight five against one without any pressure.

Even if Guiyun Sect could produce special sect-protecting treasures like the Li Huo Divine Light Spell or the Liao Yan Warship.

He was also confident that he could leave safely.

Since he could come and go freely and there was no danger whatsoever, he naturally had nothing to be nervous about.

The two entered the tent together and saw the three True Lords of Guiyun Sect seated in a triangular formation.

Leading the group was none other than True Lord Guiyun, who was wearing a stern face at the moment.

However, his tone was rather gentle: "No need for formalities, please sit down."

Xiao Chen bowed to Grandpa Cai and then sat down on a row of small stools on the right.

"Young friend, are you Cai Youde?"

Caiyun Zhenjun looked over with great interest, carefully examining the Cai family from top to bottom: "The Cai family can be considered a prominent clan in our blessed land."

"But in recent decades, I haven't heard anyone mention any outstanding members of the Cai family."

"Just the other day I was thinking, surely it can't be that in this generation we haven't even produced a single outstanding member of the family."

"Sure enough, so this is where it is."

The Cloud-Gazing True Lord beside him also cast a scrutinizing glance.

Xiao Chen could also feel three different divine senses sweeping over him in turn, seemingly trying to directly probe his background.

However, their efforts were destined to be in vain.

With the help of Hextech, they don't have the ability to see through their disguise.

"You flatter me, Your Majesty. My nephew has only a little talent, nothing to mention."

Grandpa Cai pretended to be humble, but actually boasted, saying, "It's nothing more than that I'm diligent in my daily practice, quite sensible, and willing to stay home and meditate in peace."

"So his cultivation level is still quite pleasing, but it has also consumed a lot of spiritual items in the house."

"This child has only one good point, which is that he knows how to repay kindness."

"I received a few pointers from Senior Luo in my early years, but it was actually heard indirectly, not spoken directly to his face."

"But I've always kept it in my heart and never dared to forget it."

"After hearing about Senior Luo's passing a couple of days ago, he begged me to bring him out so he could offer incense and express his condolences."

Although the original plan has changed, since things have come to this point, we might as well go with the flow and introduce the fake identity first.

Grandpa Cai also emphasized the importance of gratitude.

This will also be a crucial feature going forward.

With such a personality, it would be easier for the Guiyun Sect to accept the Cai family, and the Cai family might produce another True Monarch to revitalize the family.

If they can continue to show obvious hostility towards the other three factions, as well as friendliness towards the Guiyun Sect.

They would most likely try to win them over beforehand, tacitly allowing the Cai family to expand their businesses to a certain extent, and might even provide some conveniences.

(End of this chapter)