Book 2 - Fame Spreads - Chapter 3 - Agreement

After a martial competition filled with twists and turns, He Yitian finally managed to claim his wife.
However, what truly caused He Quanming and He Quanyi to feel incomparable excitement was He Yiming’s performance.
The strength he’d displayed simply horrified them. However, at the same time, this strength had earned enormous face for He family. Anyone who saw Lord Master Cheng or his son’s behaviour while they escorted He family out of the mansion could easily testify to this.
Especially towards He Yiming. Even an eighty-year-old elder like Cheng Zhusheng threw his face away and chatted with the former while beaming with smiles. The courtesy he offered to He Yiming didn’t seem one bit inferior to how he treated Jadeting’s Lin family’s young master.
Similarly, Lin Taoli’s attitude towards He Yiming seemed affectionate to the point of being excessive. For a stranger, the two could easily qualify as a pair of brothers.
As the sun inclined to west, Cheng Shine could no longer find an excuse to stop He family and had to let them leave.
Amongst sounds of drums and gongs, the group covered half of the county town before arriving at the courtyard that He family had already prepared beforehand.
The main members of the family could only resume their journey on the next day.
Lin Wenyu personally accompanied Cheng Yanli to the bridal chamber. Today naturally wouldn’t be the bridal night, and thus, her personally accompanying the bride seemed the best alternative.
In a room, He family’s few direct, blood-related members dismissed all the servants before staring at He Yiming with a gaze full of joy and also resentfulness.
He Yiming touched his hair as his vision roamed about. Regarding this joint interrogation sort of attitude from his family members, he felt quite a headache coming his way.
However, his eyes slightly brightened as he perfunctorily laughed and said, “Father, third uncle, I have gained a lot from today’s fight. I wish to cultivate behind doors to digest today’s gains. Please don’t disturb me before tomorrow.”
After saying these words, he effortlessly flicked his sleeves once, then left the room.
Behind his back all looked at each other’s faces. Although they knew that He Yiming’s words were ninety percent bluff, even still, none of them dared to confront him.
If, by any shred of chance, his words happened to be true, none of them could bear the responsibility of ruining his comprehension of daos.
Bitterly smiling, He Quanyi said, “This little rascal…”
However, as he remembered He Yiming’s god-like might today, he forced his subsequent words down his throat.
With a slight cough, he continued, “Yiming, this chap, has actually cultivated to this level. Second brother, as his father, how can you not know?”
He Quanming mood worsened as he glared at He Quanyi, “I’m his father, fine….but how many times can I see him throughout the year? But you? As his third uncle, who oversees all the matters in the manor, you actually didn’t have a clue.”
He Quanyi bitterly laughed a few times before saying, “Second brother, don’t tell me you forgot that I no longer have control over the children after they attain the sixth layer, especially He Yiming- he’s had such achievements since a young age. How could I have looked after him?”
He Quanming faintly nodded. What his third brother spoke was true as well. Their father had specifically said not to watch over He Yiming at all and allow him to grow on his own. However, today, this self-growth had actually resulted in him growing to such a realm- this was rarely seen.
At this moment, the two brothers felt like prostrating in admiration before their grandfather’s profound vision.
A festive atmosphere enveloped the Cheng Residence. Lanterns and colored banners could be seen everywhere.
Lord Master Cheng and Cheng Shine were grinning from ear to ear regardless of whomever they talked to.
These two seemed exceedingly pleased regarding their marital connections with He family. From their appearance, it seemed that if they were not bound by rules and propriety, they would have left for He manor themselves.
After they bid farewell to their daughter with great difficulty, the guests also started to leave. These two individuals who held the highest authority in the Cheng family remained by the side of Lin Taoli- chatting with him merrily, lest they make the young master of Jade Ting city’s Lin family feel neglected.
In the company of Cheng Yanjuan, Lin Taoli had been extremely courteous, at least so far, he’d truly treated them as a part of his family.
At night, the Lord Master finally left. Lin Taoli sat in the backyard’s most luxurious courtyard. With a faint smile, he said, “Senior father-in-law, how much do you know about the affairs of He manor?”
Cheng Shine faintly started, then pondered for a bit before saying, “He manor…was established single-handedly by He Wude forty years ago. After sustaining forty years of rain and storm, He manor now sits as a tyrant at their side of the county. From today, He manor’s fame would certainly climb to the top of the county’s three influential families.”
As he spoke these words, Cheng Shine’s expression was exceedingly grave.
Overall, Tai Cang county could be considered as a peaceful and harmonious region. However, here, the martial way was extremely prevalent. Although, one wouldn’t find a single person in a hundred who could obtain teachings of Internal Energy and further cultivate in it, anybody could get their hands on body strengthening techniques. Under such conditions, every single individual’s strength and prestige must complement the clan as a whole.
If not for such conditions, He Wude wouldn’t have been able to lay the foundation of He manor relying on his martial power alone.
Of course, the fact that he could accomplish this also meant that he’d encountered many strokes of fortunes. This feat was not something a tenth layer cultivator could easily accomplish relying on his own strength.
After recounting the past achievements of He Wude, Cheng Shine said with a bit of hesitation, “This person is from my father’s generation. If young master Lin wishes to know more about this person, I can ask my father to come over.”
Lin Taoli casually waved his arm and said, “No need to disturb Lord Master. I was just casually asking.” After thinking for a bit he continued, “After some time, I wish to visit He manor. Please ask senior to make suitable arrangements.”
Cheng Shine immediately agreed but felt quite grave inwardly. He could faintly guess young master Lin’s objective.
After Lin Taoli left, Cheng Shine thought for a short while then eventually turned his body and headed to his father’s courtyard.
After a few moments, he arrived in the Lord Master’s room where Lord Master was leisurely drinking tea- taking every sip unhurriedly as if a common old man enjoying himself.
“Father, you guessed correctly. Lin Taoli indeed asked about He family’s affairs.”
The Lord Master faintly nodded while slowly taking another sip, then said, “This time He family had come up with such a geniu….devil spawn. If Lin family didn’t make their move, that would have been strange instead.”
Cheng Shine lowered his head for a few moments, then lamented, “He Yiming is indeed a genius….Unfortunately, not one of our Cheng family’s.”
For a super genius such as He Yiming, big influential families indeed wouldn’t spare any cost to attract him.
The reason influential families of Jadeting region didn’t had their vision on Tai Cang county was that the cultivators here were too weak. Moreover, a true genius had never emerged from here. Thus, nobody paid much attention to this region.
However, this wouldn’t be the case anymore. A fifteen year old ninth layer who had even grasped a Xiantian battle skill- no influential family would even think of declining such a character.
Although He family was an influential family in Tai Cang county, once they left this county, this wouldn’t remain the case anymore.
Thus, if Lin family showed intentions of recruitment, they would most likely succeed.
Cheng Zhusheng placed the teacup in his hand down then partially closed his eyes- seemingly pondering over something.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open before he said:
“Shine, you can leave. Your uncle is here.”
Cheng Shine made a sound of agreement, feeling absolutely puzzled as he subconsciously walked out of the room, thinking, ‘Since when did this family have an uncle of mine?’
Suddenly, his front blurred, and a withered, seemingly bloodless face appeared before him, making his heart leap out to his throat. Fortunately, he managed to calm himself down quickly. Although his mouth opened, he prevented himself from crying out.
Subsequently, he clearly saw what appeared in front of him wasn’t some ghost, but Xu family’s Lord Master, Xu Yinjie.
He felt extremely shocked, ‘When did my old man become this understanding of Lord Master Xu?”
As he respectfully sent him in, Cheng Zhusheng’s voice sounded, “You’ve come.”
Xu Yinjie softly said, “Didn’t you have already guessed that I will come?”
Cheng Zhusheng’s face suddenly tensed as he said emphasizing every word, “Thousand Year Blood Ginseng, it was truly not you?”
Xu Yinjie calmly welcomed his stare- not even flinching as he coolly said, “No.”
Cheng Zhusheng took a deep breath before saying in a voice filled with a myriad of emotions, “Hehe, we fought together against He Wude for so many years. Hard to imagine it’s his victory in the end.”
“This round, it’s his victory. However, this doesn’t mean that he will eternally suppress us.”
Cheng Zhusheng faintly shook his head, “As long as He Yiming could ascend to Xiantian, He family’s position would be as stable as Mt. Tai for two hundred years. They will never decline in this period.”
“We can wait,” after pondering a bit Xu Yinjie suddenly said, “Uncle, I don’t think you would wish to see He family- as the only big family in Tai Cang county for eternity either.”
Cheng Zhusheng faintly started, then bitterly smiled, “Several decades before, to resist He Wude’s rise, our two families established marital bonds. Didn’t expect that now, several decades later, we’ll have to resist from getting suppressed.”
Xu Yinjie cooly said, “There won’t be just a single genius forever. Who knows, perhaps, one day one of our two families will also see the likes of a genius.”
Cheng Zhusheng pursed his lips before saying, “Fine. We two families will help each other. However, if He Yiming ascends to the Xiantian realm, for these two hundred years, we have to behave properly and let He family take the lead.”
Xu Yinjie faintly nodded, then suddenly exclaimed, “If our Xu family’s ancestor agrees to come in person….”
Cheng Zhusheng’s expression revealed a bit of schadenfreude as he said, “Wasn’t your Xu family’s Ancestor chased out of the Xu family by his predecessor? The fact that he can let go of the old hatred is extraordinary in itself, don’t tell me you truly expect him to return good for evil?”
Xu Yinjie’s complexion darkened a little but he eventually let out a sigh and remained quiet.
As the two Lord Masters chatted, Cheng Shine slowly left the room. Looking at the sky, he himself didn’t know what to infer of his own thoughts.