Chapter 313

The central area, affected by the battle, was leveled as if numerous bulldozers had continuously worked on it, making it extremely flat.

This made Lin Shuyou search for a long time before he finally found a fertilizer bag at the edge of the ruins.

The bag had a hole at the bottom, so A-You gathered it up and tied a knot.

Then, A-You carried the bag over to Xiao Yuan Ge.

With a rustle, he first emptied everything from his hiking backpack and transferred it into the torn fertilizer bag.

Next, A-You carefully began placing the broken porcelain pieces, one by one, into the hiking backpack.

The thought that these porcelain shards could eventually be melted into his talisman armor, allowing the Two Generals of Gain and Loss to descend and work for him, filled A-You with an inexplicable, intense joy.

Although there was now a nominal distinction between superior and subordinate, and the Boy had become a ghost general whose life and death A-You controlled, A-You had always given the Boy wide latitude, just as before. Consequently, the Boy's emotions could still influence him.

The Boy clicked his tongue. “Tsk, tsk, what excellent materials! They’re getting off too easily. I’m almost jealous.”

Lin Shuyou asked, “Then why don’t you go?”

“No way,” the Boy replied. “They’re just conscripted for temporary labor. I hold an official position.”

Lin Shuyou asked, “Are you really that happy about this?”

The Boy declared, “It’s one of the greatest joys in a deity’s life: you switch allegiances, and then your old establishment collapses right after.”

Lin Shuyou asked, “Are these porcelain shards really that precious?”

The Boy whispered, “I’ll tell you something taboo: the moment that woman displayed this blood porcelain in front of that person, she had no chance of survival.”

Lin Shuyou clarified, “But that woman was trying to kill Xiao Yuan Ge first.”

“Right, right, right,” the Boy agreed.

The hiking backpack was full, but there were still porcelain pieces left. Lin Shuyou simply took off his clothes, spread them on the ground, and continued to pack the shards.

The Boy continued, “Actually, the old establishment hasn’t just collapsed; it’s about to be absorbed by my new establishment.”

Lin Shuyou asked, “So after this wave ends, I’ll have to go back to Fujian?”

“Definitely,” the Boy affirmed. “You can’t handle it alone. It’s likely that person will return with you, to the main temple of the Guanjiongshou that you visited for training when you were a child. The Bodhisattva has been suppressed into the Underworld by the Great Emperor Fengdu. The Guanjiongshou have not only suffered heavy losses but are also leaderless, making it the perfect time for reorganization.”

Lin Shuyou’s eyes lit up. “Reorganization?”

The Boy said, “That person undoubtedly has a plan, but you can also make some preparations yourself.”

Lin Shuyou asked, “Should I also follow Three-Eyes and write a book?”

“Don’t bother writing a book,” the Boy advised. “Instead, come up with a three-point code of conduct. Haven’t you always wanted mediums and Yin Gods to be equal? This is an excellent opportunity. Why should those Yin Gods be able to lord it over and ride roughshod over battle children? It’s outrageous!”

“Exactly,” Lin Shuyou agreed.

The Boy then said, “A great fortune is coming for your master and your grandfather.”

“Great fortune?” Lin Shuyou echoed.

The Boy explained, “Do you think that person went to the Fujian main temple to negotiate? When a new emperor rises, so do his new officials. With the Bodhisattva gone, the main temple naturally needs to be replaced. Tell me, besides your family’s temple, who else could take that position? Ah, things in this world are truly interesting. Between annihilation and rise, all it took was a kneecap.”

Back then, when Lin Shuyou’s grandfather and master came to Jinling to stir up trouble, they passed by the Dragon King’s house. If their kneecaps had been even slightly slower or stiffer, their family temple would have been gone.

Instead, now, while they light incense at home, the esteemed position of the main temple is about to descend upon them from the heavens.

This is the true depth of the Dragon King’s family, and why so many heroes throughout history have yearned to attach themselves to his lineage. Even a mere wisp that slips through their fingers is enough to transform a minor lineage completely.

Lin Shuyou felt a little awkward. “Is this… alright?”

The Boy retorted, “What’s wrong with it? Your grandfather and your master excel at discernment; they know how to adapt and understand boundaries. The fact that they’ve kept your entry into the Dragon King’s lineage a complete secret for so long is extraordinary. Anyone less shrewd would have surely blurted it out.”

Lin Shuyou, feeling a bit guilty, agreed, “That’s true.”

The Boy concluded, “Ultimately, it’s all thanks to you. Just think of it as you working out of town and sending your monthly earnings home to build a house.”

Lin Shuyou scratched his head. “That’s a good analogy.”

Meanwhile, Li Zhuiyuan sat there, bandaging the wounds on his hands.

He also had bruises on his ankle, so Li Zhuiyuan applied some medicated oil that promotes circulation and relaxes tendons.

Ever since Old Tian Tou entered Nantong and A-Li began learning cultivation and pharmacology with him, the team’s medical supply had seen a simultaneous increase in both quantity and quality.

In truth, normally, not just the Dragon King’s family, but any family with some heritage whose members embark on a River Journey would provide basic support within their means.

It was rare to see someone like Li Zhuiyuan, who, despite sitting on a mountain of gold, still had to bring in soil from outside to cover the gold and re-cultivate the land.

After treating his injuries, Li Zhuiyuan opened a can of Jianlibao.

He stood up and walked towards the Taoist priest’s body.

He squatted down, placed one hand on the priest’s forehead, and held the drink in the other hand, occasionally taking a sip.

Interrogating living people was not only inefficient but also prone to inaccurate information.

In comparison, Li Zhuiyuan preferred to question corpses.

When the young man removed his hand, the priest’s body began to decompose at a visibly rapid pace.

Li Zhuiyuan had obtained the information he wanted.

The true purpose of their current “wave” was to kill the Great Elder of the Zhao family.

This was the same elder who had once sent a formal visiting card to Grandma Liu.

That Great Elder rarely left the Zhao family’s ancestral home in the mountains, so the best opportunity to strike was during the ancestor worship ritual, by assassinating him while he kowtowed.

One of the “wave clues” Qiu Huaiyu’s team received concerned the wicked deeds of the Second Branch.

This meant that other teams likely received clues about the wicked deeds of the First, Third, and Fourth Branches.

The wicked deeds of the Second Branch were explicit, but those of the other branches were probably more generally indicative, referring to some original sin of the Zhao clan, thus providing an excuse for the River Travelers when they acted.

Given how the Heavenly Dao set its challenges, it didn’t want everyone to start fighting chaotically from the outset; it preferred that everyone first “get into position.”

Within the Taoist priest’s memory fragments, there was a detailed explanation—or rather, a reminder—from Qiu Huaiyu, their team leader, about this current “wave.”

Qiu Huaiyu had said that on the surface, this “wave” was about killing the Zhao family’s Great Elder, but there were certainly other hidden implications. The Great Elder was likely just an exposed trigger.

This “wave” might involve a deep secret within the Zhao family, and since the Zhao family had once produced a Dragon King, that secret could very well point to Zhao Wuyang.

Qiu Huaiyu also stated that their opponent this time was the entire Zhao clan of Jiujiang. Everyone should remain vigilant and not assume that successfully assassinating the Great Elder and escaping alive would signify completion. Even if they succeeded, they wouldn’t receive all the merits that this “wave” was supposed to bestow.

Li Zhuiyuan once again felt that Qiu Huaiyu was indeed an opponent to be taken seriously.

She and her team truly had no weaknesses.

But this was the River Journey.

In the jianghu, one is not one’s own master.

Were not all those memorial tablets on the offering tables of the Qin and Liu families those of their ancestral enemies?

Thinking from another perspective, it was precisely because of these high-quality, high-caliber opponents that the River Journey would not be boring, and the position of Dragon King could truly command respect.

Lin Shuyou had finished collecting and packing the porcelain shards. He then walked over, holding three small figurines.

“Xiao Yuan Ge,” he said, “I found these under the porcelain pieces.”

Each figurine was only the size of a thumb, exquisitely crafted, and gleamed with a porcelain-like luster.

Li Zhuiyuan had seen similar techniques used by Xu Yijin in Lijiang, but Qiu Huaiyu was clearly more advanced.

“Keep them,” Li Zhuiyuan instructed. “Give them to Zhao Yi later.”

“Understood.”

Tan Wenbin was very busy.

Although he had tried his best to protect the crime scene, Xiao Yuan Ge’s array confrontation with the opposing leader, followed by Run Sheng’s physical clash with that zombie, had still caused significant damage to the area.

Tan Wenbin had to put on gloves and meticulously collect and arrange the scattered physical evidence and clues. Especially the plastic shed; he had to reassemble it.

It wasn’t that he was intentionally creating work for his father; rather, this investigative lead was a channel they had dug themselves, so they naturally had to provide basic protection for it.

Once he was mostly done, Tan Wenbin jumped down from the second floor.

The Taoist priest’s body had completely liquefied into a pool of pus. Tan Wenbin touched his kidney area.

During their final mutual struggle, he truly hadn’t expected the Taoist priest to unleash a world-shaking ultimate technique: the “Kidney-Replenishing Sword.”

In this world, probably few men could refuse that particular sword technique.

Unfortunately, this sword technique could only be used by burning one’s essence, and the Taoist priest could only use it once in his lifetime.

Looking at the liquid human-shaped residue on the ground, Tan Wenbin smiled.

This Taoist Priest Liuyun was indeed quite interesting.

If they had met under different circumstances, perhaps they could have sat down and had a good chat.

Tan Wenbin took out a talisman paper, pasted it onto the remaining traces, and blue flames ignited. Along with the clothes and the last bit of residue, everything turned to ash. A gentle puff of breath, and it all vanished into thin air.

It had to be cleaned up thoroughly, otherwise, if his father came and found numerous corpse remnants, wouldn’t that just complicate the investigation?

He walked over to Run Sheng, who had finished his meal. Run Sheng sat there, one hand covering his stomach, the other holding a “cigar.”

Run Sheng was very full and very satisfied.

He could feel that the contents in his stomach were digesting, and even the color of the flowing channels on his body had changed.

Tan Wenbin asked, “Does the corpse poison have any effect?”

Run Sheng shook his head. “I could use more.”

Tan Wenbin remarked, “You really showed him respect.”

When the opponent declared himself an “orphan,” Run Sheng had responded with “orphan” as well.

Run Sheng explained, “He knew I was going to eat him, so he deliberately softened his body before dying to make it easier for me.”

Tan Wenbin nodded. “Well, in that case, he certainly deserved respect.”

He pulled out a talisman paper, threw it over, and watched the crackling blue flames erupt before him. The lingering corpse aura would probably burn for a while.

“I’ve discovered a problem,” Tan Wenbin said. “My nickname isn’t suitable for serious occasions like this. It’s likely that when the old lady taught me, ‘Boatman’s Shout’ was just a colloquial expression.”

“Hmm,” Li Zhuiyuan hummed.

“Run Sheng, what do you think I should change it to?”

“Lackey.”

“Alright, that was a redundant question from me.”

After confirming that everything was cleaned up, Li Zhuiyuan deactivated the array here, allowing the area to reintegrate with the real world.

As soon as the array’s isolation effect was lifted, the mobile phone rang.

“Xiao Yuan Ge, it’s Three-Eyes.”

Li Zhuiyuan answered the call.

They talked for a couple of sentences, then he hung up.

After walking a short distance, they arrived at the entrance of a small convenience store, where an orange cat was basking in the sun.

Run Sheng glanced over, and the orange cat, startled, scratched at the glass with its paws before tumbling off.

Run Sheng closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and his aura slowly receded.

Tan Wenbin put an arm around Lin Shuyou’s shoulder and went to the counter, picking up the phone to make a pager call.

Soon, the phone rang.

“A-You, you answer it, use your dialect.”

“Bin Ge,” Lin Shuyou asked, “Why don’t you just talk to Uncle yourself?”

“One must maintain a certain image,” Tan Wenbin replied.

“Yes, you’re right,” Lin Shuyou nodded, in deep agreement.

In truth, this was merely an excuse from Tan Wenbin; he primarily didn’t want to appear too “mysterious” in his own father’s eyes.

Lin Shuyou answered the phone, and Tan Yunlong’s voice came through the receiver.

“Hello, this is Tan Yunlong speaking.”

Lin Shuyou quickly, using a mix of dialect and Mandarin, informed Tan Yunlong of the location where the body was found, adding at the end, “Did you understand?”

“Thank you, Student Lin.”

“You’re welcome, Uncle Tan.”

After politely responding, Lin Shuyou was bewildered.

The call ended.

Lin Shuyou said, “It seems Uncle Tan already knew it was me.”

Tan Wenbin explained, “He tricked you into revealing yourself.”

Lin Shuyou paused, “Then…”

Tan Wenbin shrugged, “It doesn’t matter, just a small interlude.”

After waiting by the roadside for a while, Zhao Yi drove up.

“Get in,” Li Zhuiyuan said.

Zhao Yi pounded the steering wheel in frustration. “I hadn’t even gotten in the car yet, and you’ve already finished everything?”

Li Zhuiyuan stated, “Efficiency is key.”

Zhao Yi asked, “Targeted fishing?”

“Mm-hmm,” Li Zhuiyuan affirmed.

Zhao Yi then asked, “How good is my fake second aunt’s team?”

“Very high,” Li Zhuiyuan replied.

“That’s truly rare,” Zhao Yi mused, “to hear such a high evaluation from you. If I were to confront her, what would be the outcome?”

Li Zhuiyuan stated, “In a direct confrontation, you would find it very difficult to win.”

“No matter,” Zhao Yi said. “I’ll wait for my Xiao Jingjing to awaken.”

While driving, they summarized the information each party had gathered.

After their discussion, Lin Shuyou handed the three small figurines to Zhao Yi.

Zhao Yi took them, bringing each one to his nose to sniff.

“Hmm, this is my second aunt’s scent.”

“This one is my second branch cousin, and this one is another second branch younger cousin.”

The Second Branch had many children; Second Master Zhao, in his past efforts to appear dissolute, had often brought home children born to his concubines.

It seemed that Qiu Huaiyu had begun targeting the Second Branch long ago, but Second Master Zhao and Zhao Xu, that father-son duo, indulged in such extravagant and unconventional behaviors, often not being home, that their vices ironically allowed them to survive a few more days.

Zhao Yi chuckled. “Heh heh, these figurines have an even better disguise effect than our skin masks. Li, is the manufacturing method burning porcelain within flesh and blood?”

Li Zhuiyuan replied, “Embedding them while alive yields the best results.”

“No wonder,” Zhao Yi murmured.

Lin Shuyou, sitting in the back seat, secretly observed Zhao Yi’s expression.

It was hard to imagine how someone could remain so calm when facing the arbitrary slaughter of their own family members, like pigs being taken from a pen.

As they neared “Zhao Mansion,” Zhao Yi turned the car into an alley and parked it.

Zhao Yi pointed to the restaurant outside the car and said, “This place serves very authentic local cuisine. Let’s go try it.”

Tan Wenbin gestured for Lin Shuyou and Run Sheng to get out with him and go inside to order.

Li Zhuiyuan remained in the passenger seat.

Zhao Yi asked, “Li, tell me, if I were still out on the River Journey, unaware of this, and one day, after completing a wave, I suddenly learned that the Zhao family had been annihilated, would that be better?”

Li Zhuiyuan said nothing.

Zhao Yi continued, “They wanted me dead when I was born, and again when I first started my River Journey. Now, they’re letting me rush back to witness the demise of my Zhao family firsthand. Shouldn’t I burn incense and kowtow to properly thank it?”

Li Zhuiyuan’s gaze was fixed on the lake view ahead.

Zhao Yi said, “I originally thought it was all the same, but there’s still a difference between tidying things up yourself and having others come to your door with knives to help you clean house.”

Li Zhuiyuan picked up a bottle of water in the car, twisted off the cap, and took a sip.

Zhao Yi asked, “The overall direction of the plan remains unchanged, but I’d like to make a few minor adjustments to the details. Is that alright?”

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at the local brand of purified water; it tasted a bit strange.

Zhao Yi handed over the three figurines and a skin mask belonging to Zhao Xu.

Li Zhuiyuan took them and put them into his pocket.

Zhao Yi chuckled, “Ha, Li, in the end, I’m still not reconciled.”

Li Zhuiyuan reached out, opened the car door, and stepped out.

When he looked back, Zhao Yi was gone from the driver’s seat, but the car keys were still there.

Inside the restaurant, Tan Wenbin had already ordered. Since Run Sheng wasn’t hungry, they ordered much less than usual, but the owner still had to push two square tables together just to fit all the dishes.

Li Zhuiyuan ate a normal amount; the rest wasn’t wasted, going into Lin Shuyou and Tan Wenbin’s stomachs.

After a fight and a hearty meal, this feeling was truly invigorating.

After paying the bill, everyone returned to the car.

Li Zhuiyuan handed two of the figurines to Run Sheng and Lin Shuyou.

“Hold it, drip a drop of blood on it, and don’t resist,” he instructed.

Run Sheng did as he was told. Soon, the figurine in his hand began to melt, gradually covering his body. At first, there was a distinct sensation of porcelain edges, but after a period of wriggling, it smoothed out completely.

Run Sheng transformed into the likeness of Zhao Yong, the eldest son of the Second Branch.

Zhao Yong was already tall and robust. Qiu Huaiyu likely chose him as a disguise for the zombie within her team.

Lin Shuyou followed suit.

A little while later, Lin Shuyou transformed into the Second Aunt.

“Huh?” Lin Shuyou exclaimed.

Tan Wenbin put his own skin mask back on, then found two bottles of purified water in the car, poured them over his face, and once again transformed into Second Master Zhao.

Lin Shuyou really wanted to ask if he could change roles, but he felt too awkward to speak up.

Tan Wenbin reassured him, “When we go to the ancestral home in the mountains for ancestor worship, the First Branch couple takes two descendants. The number of people is fixed, and there must be one Cui Xinyue.”

Lin Shuyou nodded, then seemed to remember something and asked, “What about Three-Eyes? Doesn’t that mean he won’t have a spot?”

Li Zhuiyuan said, “Zhao Yi has his own method.”

“Oh, I see,” Lin Shuyou responded.

However, A-You still didn't know what Three-Eyes’ method was.

Tan Wenbin turned, extended his hand, and pointed at Lin Shuyou’s face.

“Xiao Yuan Ge, can you alter A-You’s appearance a bit? Add some bruises or handprints, something like that.”

“Sure,” Li Zhuiyuan replied.

And so, the family of four returned to the Zhao Mansion.

They passed through the front hall and entered the Zhao family’s outer residence.

Second Master Zhao was still beaming, holding the hand of the young boy born to his concubine.

Behind them, Zhao Yong remained silent, which was quite in character for him.

As for the Second Branch Madam, she had bruises at the corners of her eyes and red marks on her face, clearly from being slapped.

The servants in the outer residence were long accustomed to this.

In the past, Second Master Zhao and his wife often had dramatic quarrels, only to reconcile quickly afterwards.

It could only be said that the personas Second Master Zhao and Cui Xinyue had deliberately cultivated in the past, to conceal their true abilities, greatly reduced the difficulty of Tan Wenbin and his team’s impersonation at this moment.

Second Master Zhao, like a triumphant general, led his family back to the Second Branch courtyard.

Next, they could quietly await the ancestor worship ceremony the day after tomorrow.

The next morning, Li Zhuiyuan awoke early, following his internal clock.

He came to the front hall, where Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou were sitting at a round table, eating breakfast.

Each branch’s courtyard was an independent system; once the servants were dismissed, they were generally undisturbed.

Run Sheng was still not hungry and sat by the side without eating breakfast.

Tan Wenbin remarked, “As expected of zombie flesh, it’s hard to digest.”

Li Zhuiyuan ate a small portion, and the rest was divided between Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou, though neither of them felt full.

Tan Wenbin complained, “It tastes good, but this little amount is barely enough to feed a sparrow.”

Lin Shuyou asked, “If we ask for more breakfast, will it arouse suspicion?”

Tan Wenbin suggested, “Smash the bowls, pretend it’s a marital quarrel, and have them send another round from outside.”

“Good idea,” Lin Shuyou agreed.

Li Zhuiyuan said, “Brother Run Sheng, accompany me for a walk.”

“Alright,” Run Sheng replied.

It was perfectly reasonable for a newly arrived illegitimate son to be shown around the family estate by his elder brother to familiarize himself with the environment.

Li Zhuiyuan had no intention of probing or observing the other three branches; Zhao Yi had already handled that. He was genuinely there to appreciate the architectural aesthetics of the Zhao family mansion.

This outer residence of the Zhao family was a proportionally accurate recreation of their ancestral home in the mountains. Existing old mansions nowadays were either poorly maintained or outright rebuilt by later generations, making it very difficult to find one that was truly original.

Jiujiang had always been a place of cultural excellence. Anything with genuine cultural depth would naturally withstand the test of time, without becoming fashionable and then outdated.

As they strolled, Li Zhuiyuan and Run Sheng naturally arrived at the Zhao family ancestral hall.

Ancestral halls had always been central to ancient architecture. The Zhao family’s ancestral hall featured flying eaves on its two wings and a low arch in the middle, adopting the posture of a great roc about to take flight. Even as one ascended the initial steps, it gave off an extremely strong sense of oppression.

The prohibitions and arrays here were also the most numerous in the entire residence, though naturally, they couldn't compare to those in the old ancestral home in the mountains.

Stepping over the threshold and entering, they saw the offering table carved with intertwining dragons, rising in twists and turns, seemingly soaring through rain and mist. It was slender at the top and wide at the bottom. At the dragon’s head, a single memorial tablet was placed: Zhao Wuyang.

The remaining sections were dedicated to the legitimate descendants of the Zhao family throughout history.

Aside from the entrance, three walls were neatly adorned with scrolls and offering tables, and there were also steles recording life deeds.

Li Zhuiyuan circled the coiled dragon and then surveyed the area. All the past Zhao family members placed here were considered “figures,” yet even after being glorified, it was still unclear what exactly made them distinguished.

Being good at management was beneficial, but if one was only good at management, while it might prevent the family from falling, it ultimately lacked that grand and imposing aura.

In the end, he still felt that the only true figure in the entire ancestral hall was Zhao Wuyang, whose tablet rested on the dragon’s head.

However, Zhao Wuyang belonged to the entire jianghu of his generation. His placement in the Zhao family ancestral hall was merely the descendants brazenly trying to claim a connection due to sharing the same surname.

Grandma Liu’s family offering table was narrow and simple, characteristic of squeezing it in wherever they lived.

Yet, even the entirely cracked and dilapidated offering table from A-Li’s dream possessed a grandeur that this current Zhao clan ancestral hall couldn’t match.

True ancestral heritage didn’t need towering grandeur or opulent splendor to be displayed.

What people truly respected wasn’t even the name on the tablet, but the story that name represented.

Li Zhuiyuan took out three incense sticks, lit them with a candle, and offered them to Zhao Wuyang.

Behind him, footsteps approached—very light, yet deliberately weighted, as if intentionally challenging the hearing of those inside.

Li Zhuiyuan pretended not to notice and quietly completed the incense offering ritual.

“Not bad,” a voice said. “Though born outside, you return home knowing to offer incense and respect your ancestors. You’re a sensible child.”

The person who walked in was Zhao Shan’an, the head of the Zhao family and father of the Fourth Branch.

Zhao Yi had interacted with him and concluded that... he was an imposter.

This person was the most noteworthy.

Because the other four branches could bring their wives and children to ancestor worship, meaning entire teams could infiltrate.

Zhao Shan’an had not remarried. Nominally, he was the leader for the ancestor worship, but in reality, he could only go alone.

Therefore, it was highly probable that this imposter was a solo River Traveler.

The further along one went, without exception, those who undertook the River Journey alone were always very powerful.

Zhao Shan’an was, after all, the current head of the Zhao family, and his strength should have been the greatest in the outer residence. Yet, he was quietly eliminated like this.

Moreover, this fellow was very confident, observing the “sons of the Fourth Branch” while leisurely orchestrating “his own” birthday banquet.

Zhao Shan’an walked up to Li Zhuiyuan and reached out to pat the young man’s head.

In an instant, his gaze sharpened, and a brief surge of aura assailed them.

This was the test Zhao Yi had mentioned.

Li Zhuiyuan did not circulate the Zhao family’s core technique in response; he made no response at all.

For an illegitimate son just brought back from outside to have already cultivated the core technique would have been the biggest flaw.

Zhao Shan’an released his hand and asked, “Child, have you suffered much outside?”

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head, feigning shyness and an unwillingness to speak much upon his first arrival.

Zhao Shan’an said, “Now that you’re home, forget everything that happened outside. This is your new beginning.”

Li Zhuiyuan nodded.

Zhao Shan’an raised his head, looked at the tablet at the dragon’s head, and sighed with emotion.

“Our ancestor was truly an extraordinary figure,” he remarked. “Born from humble beginnings, he rose from the jianghu. He wasn’t just a figure for our Zhao family, but a role model for a generation, even several generations, of jianghu practitioners.”

Even without Zhao Yi’s reminder, Li Zhuiyuan would have known that this family head was an imposter.

His recent lament closely mirrored what Li Zhuiyuan had been thinking earlier.

Both perspectives were from outside the Zhao family, looking at Zhao Wuyang.

Zhao Shan’an continued, “Unfortunately, our descendants have been disappointing. For many generations, not only have we failed to replicate our ancestor’s glory, but even outstanding talents capable of navigating the River Journey have been few and far between.”

Li Zhuiyuan timidly spoke up, “My brother told me that our Zhao family has a young, great figure out there.”

A smile appeared at the corner of Zhao Shan’an’s mouth.

“Ah yes,” he said, “your cousin, Zhao Yi, my grandson Yi’er, he is currently on the River Journey. He is the most promising genius our Zhao family has seen in a hundred years.”

“When will Brother Zhao Yi come home then?”

“Not yet, it’s not time for him to return home.”

“Brother said that when Brother Zhao Yi comes home, our Zhao family will undergo a big transformation.”

“That’s very well said,” Zhao Shan’an chuckled. “But while he’s working hard outside alone, those of us staying at home can’t be idle either. We should strive to ensure that when he returns, he sees a completely transformed Zhao family, heh heh.”

His final chuckle carried a hint of amusement.

Because it was indeed amusing: when Zhao Yi returned home from the “wave,” he would find his ancestral home cleaned up by another group of River Travelers.

The thought of this scene was already entertaining.

“Is Father inside?”

A greeting came from outside. The person was Zhao Heming, Zhao Yi’s nominal father.

He was a handsome and elegant middle-aged man, impeccable in both appearance and demeanor, like a figure from an ink wash painting.

Zhao Yi’s inherent advantage for living off others was inherited from him.

As soon as Zhao Heming entered, he respectfully greeted Zhao Shan’an.

“It is Father indeed.”

Zhao Shan’an stroked his white beard and asked, “Heming is here?”

“Father, your son dreamed of our ancestor last night, so this morning I specifically came to offer incense to him.”

“For the ancestor to show his presence, it must mean your Yi’er has made further progress. This truly brings prosperity to our Zhao family.”

“Indeed. Now that Yi’er is away, I, as his father, can’t be of much help. I can only pray for our ancestor’s blessings.”

Li Zhuiyuan thought to himself: If Zhao Wuyang truly manifested and returned, he certainly wouldn't spare the Zhao family, but he definitely wouldn't spare them either.

Two imposters were putting on a show of traditional filial piety between father and son, interspersed with discussions about their ancestor, leaving Li Zhuiyuan, as an observer, with a deep sense of irony.

If not for Liu Yumei’s decades of painstaking support, would the same conversations be playing out before the memorial tablets of the Qin and Liu families?

Zhao Shan’an and Zhao Heming offered incense to Zhao Wuyang, one after the other.

Seeing three burning incense sticks already placed, Zhao Heming asked, “Who arrived so early?”

Zhao Shan’an pointed to Li Zhuiyuan. “The Second Branch’s boy.”

Zhao Heming remarked, “He looks very unfamiliar.”

Zhao Shan’an replied, “He was brought home yesterday, and it caused quite a stir.”

Zhao Heming commented, “Second Brother has brought quite a few children home over the years, but it seems he’s finally brought in a promising one.”

As he spoke, Zhao Heming unfastened a jade pendant from his waist.

Li Zhuiyuan initially thought it was a welcome gift for him, but he quickly realized he had misunderstood.

Zhao Heming held the jade pendant before Li Zhuiyuan and asked with a smile.

“Have you seen anything in this jade?”

Li Zhuiyuan looked intently. He first saw flickering green dots within the jade pendant, then flowing light and shadow, followed by the operation of the Zhao family’s core technique, and finally, piercing through the jade pendant, he saw the faint Buddha light that had just flickered in Zhao Heming’s eyes.

As long as I see through it quickly enough, you won’t be able to see what you want in my eyes.

This jade pendant was originally used to test the innate spiritual root of family descendants. Seeing green dots indicated aptitude, seeing light and shadow proved good talent, and directly seeing the Zhao family’s core technique meant one was a genius.

However, Zhao Heming hadn’t anticipated the young man’s talent being that strong. He didn’t immediately try to read the youth’s eyes, and when he finally did look, he found nothing in the young man’s gaze except the reflection of the jade pendant.

Zhao Heming sighed, “Alas, what a pity. His aptitude is truly mediocre.”

Zhao Shan’an comforted him, “We already have Yi’er; we should be content. In worldly affairs, one must not be too greedy. Cherishing blessings leads to longevity.”

“Father’s teaching is right,” Zhao Heming conceded.

Although Li Zhuiyuan’s eyes showed confusion and he didn’t understand the meaning, he could tell that he seemed to have disappointed the person in front of him. He awkwardly lowered his head, pressing his toes into the ground and continuously plucking at the fingers of his left hand with his right.

Just now, while Zhao Heming was testing him, Zhao Shan’an had been looking at Zhao Heming.

Li Zhuiyuan suspected that Zhao Shan’an had also caught that faint flicker of Buddha light earlier.

Was Zhao Heming a Buddhist practitioner?

The Bodhisattva had once left a hidden move with the Zhao family of Jiujiang. Although the Bodhisattva was now suppressed in the Underworld, Buddhism was, after all, not solely composed of the K