Chapter 724: A Heaven-Blessed Talent

The Chen family of Suishuo City had produced a martial arts prodigy.

By the fifth year after Madam Chen gave birth to Chen Yan, the news had spread throughout Suishuo City.

The Chen family dealt in cloth in Suishuo City. Though they were not fabulously wealthy, they were comfortably well-off, and their cloth shops were fairly well known throughout the city.

Not long after Chen Yan was born, the Chen family soon noticed that there was something unusual about the child.

Aside from the day he was born, he rarely cried.

Usually, he would sit quietly by himself, secretly observing everything around him.

In particular, whenever he saw the obedient, adorable maid in the estate whom Madam Chen always called “Cui'er,” the child would keep his eyes fixed on her face.

Then, as his gaze traveled downward, he would always shake his head with a look of regret.

Madam Chen was naturally somewhat worried. After all, her son’s behavior was indeed rather strange.

After she told her husband about her concerns, Chen Zhengye merely said to her offhandedly,

“Everyone appreciates beauty.”

Those words did indeed stir Madam Chen’s jealousy. Before long, she gave the maid called Cui'er some money and sent her away.

Chen Yan’s childhood instantly became much less interesting.

It was not until Chen Yan turned five that his life took another turn. On the day Zhao Zheng, head of Suishuo City’s greatest Martial Arts Family, the Zhao family, celebrated his eightieth birthday, Chen Zhengye, whose business dealings with the Zhao family were extensive, received an invitation from Master Zhao and brought his son to the Zhao residence to offer his birthday congratulations.

Though Master Zhao was already eighty, he was, after all, a Martial Artist, and had achieved a great deal in the martial arts. His vitality was therefore abundant.

Many of the younger guests who came to offer their congratulations, despite being only in their early sixties, looked older than Master Zhao when they stood beside him.

And those who came to celebrate his birthday were not limited to the wealthy and powerful of Suishuo City.

Even the Minister of Rites of the Qingque Kingdom came in person to the Zhao residence to offer Zhao Zheng his congratulations.

After all, Zhao Zheng was a Martial Arts Grandmaster.

Several exceptionally outstanding generals in the Qingque Kingdom’s military had once studied under Zhao Zheng.

Chen Zhengye did not have a chance to congratulate Master Zhao on his own. Instead, he joined the other merchants of Suishuo City.

But Zhao Zheng had clearly noticed the little Chen Yan standing beside Chen Zhengye, as adorable as a porcelain doll.

To show everyone his “kindness,” Master Zhao called Chen Yan over from beside Chen Zhengye, then picked him up in his arms.

The instant Master Zhao lifted Chen Yan and his palm touched the bones of the boy’s shoulder, the “phony” smile on his face froze.

Then, looking utterly astonished, he squeezed Chen Yan’s shoulder.

The pain made Chen Yan grimace immediately. Meanwhile, Chen Zhengye, who had been standing before Master Zhao and respectfully paying his respects, was also slightly taken aback, unsure what Master Zhao was doing.

“This child’s physique…”

Master Zhao exclaimed,

“This old man has never seen such a prodigy! If he takes up martial arts, he is certain to become a Martial Arts Grandmaster!”

The guests in the Zhao residence erupted in an uproar. Everyone’s attention turned to the child in Master Zhao’s arms.

Chen Zhengye was overjoyed.

He knew very well how much the imperial court valued martial masters. If Yan'er could achieve something in the martial arts, then the future of both him and the Chen family would be limitless…

The Chen family had produced a martial arts prodigy.

The news quickly spread throughout Suishuo City.

But in the end, the Zhao family’s Martial Arts School was unable to bring Chen Yan under its wing.

That was because someone even more powerful had taken an interest in Chen Yan’s talent.

Two hundred and seventy li from Suishuo City lay a city called Yiyang.

Within Yiyang City was a true colossus, the reclusive Pu family.

Rumor had it that the four great families of Yiyang City all had the Pu family behind them.

Some even said that the so-called Four Great Families of Yiyang were nothing more than puppets of the Pu family.

Three days after Master Zhao’s eightieth birthday celebration, someone knocked on the outer gate of the Chen residence early one morning.

A servant of the Chen family opened the gate just a crack. Through the gap, he saw a handsome young man with a face as fair as jade, dressed in light gray daoist robes.

“Please inform the head of the Chen family that Pu Jinsheng of Yiyang has come to call.”

The young man spoke with a warm voice and a slight smile.

This was the Chen family’s first contact with a so-called cultivation family, and the first time Chen Yan had heard that cultivators existed in this world.

As a transmigrator, Chen Yan had never felt much attachment to the Chen family, not from the day he was born into this world.

After all, in his eyes, both his father and mother should have been the same age as him.

Chen Yan seemed to have an extraordinary natural physique and talent, making him a martial arts prodigy.

Chen Yan was not particularly shocked when he learned this, because in his eyes, a transmigrator’s talent ought to be extraordinary.

Becoming a noble and serving as a high-ranking official, that was the goal Chen Yan had initially set for himself.

Power, wealth, beautiful women…

All of it was waiting for him in the future!

Cui'er, here I come!

Pu Jinsheng’s arrival began to reshape Chen Yan’s understanding of this world.

Cultivators!

Cultivators existed in this world!

If he could cultivate, why bother becoming a noble or a high-ranking official?

Not cultivating when immortality was within reach would be idiotic!

Besides, once he became a cultivator, wouldn’t power, wealth, and beautiful women be even easier to obtain?

Even if he made the emperor of the Qingque Kingdom shine his shoes, the man would have to kneel down, smiling obsequiously as he did it!

After Pu Jinsheng visited the Chen family, the Pu family officially began cultivating ties with them.

With the Pu family’s support, the Chen family’s cloth business grew larger and larger. Before long, people stopped calling Chen Zhengye Boss Chen and started calling him Squire Chen instead.

This was the Pu family’s investment in Chen Yan.

The Pu family understood that with Chen Yan’s talent, as long as he embarked on the immortal path, reaching the Middle Three Realms would be all but certain. With talent like his, he would absolutely be able to join a fairly reputable cultivation sect.

If they invested in the Chen family before Chen Yan soared to greatness, the returns the Pu family received in the future might be several times, or even dozens of times, their investment.

Just like that, another two years passed.

And it was in this year, when Chen Yan was seven, on an utterly ordinary month, day, and hour.

Someone knocked on the gate of Chen Manor, which had only recently been repaired.

The manor gate slowly swung open.

Inside the gate, two swaggering servants stood beside a richly dressed steward.

Outside stood an elderly man dressed in pure white daoist robes, with an immortal air about him. He was alone.

“Immortal Master, what brings you here?”

Seeing the daoist robes on the old man, the steward naturally did not dare neglect him. He stepped forward twice, bent at the waist, and asked respectfully.

“The young master of your household has a strong affinity for cultivation. This old man has come today to invite him to return to the mountain with me and begin cultivating.”

The elderly man in pure white daoist robes said with a smile.

“May I ask which immortal mountain you mean, Immortal Master?”

The steward continued.

“Kongshan Sect, Wenyuan Mountain.”

The old man replied.