Chapter 240: A Brand New Old Man Fei
There was also another emerging from closed door cultivation apart from Jiang Chen, and that was Eastern Gouyu.
This girl who had given up the ident.i.ty of being an Eastern Kingdom princess had gone through great effort and finally absorbed the Five Dragons Opening Heavens Pill after three months, smas.h.i.+ng through the shackles of the true qi realm, breaking through to the spirit realm, and truly becoming a spirit qi pract.i.tioner!
After breaking through, Gouyu’s entire demeanor had also undergone a drastic change.
Her compet.i.tive spirit that had originally been written all over her twenty two year old face was now supplemented with a few traces of cool poise.
“Gouyu greets the young master.” Gouyu’s clear voice rang out like a piece of jade.
“Hahaha, congratulations, congratulations. Gouyu, you’ve finally broken through to the spirit realm and become a new legend for your Eastern clan!”
It was likely that a twenty two year old breaking through to the spirit realm had never appeared before in the history of the Eastern clan.
To this day, Jiang Chen still hadn’t caught sight of the revered patriarch of the Eastern clan. As such, he didn’t know what level in the spirit realm his training was.
However, Jiang Chen had no interest in this matter. He held no good feelings towards the men of the Eastern clan.
Eastern Lu was irresolute and hesitant, heartless and lacking in loyalty.
The old grandfather had said he was in closed door cultivation, but not even a peep had been seen from him when his family clan had sunk into dire straits.
Therefore, Jiang Chen wasn’t the slightest bit favorably inclined towards the men of the Eastern clan.
However, it was a different case entirely with the Eastern clan women.
Gouyu was headstrong and true; Zhiruo was innocent and kind.
And now that Gouyu had broken through to the spirit realm, Jiang Chen was truly happy for Gouyu from the bottom of his heart.
Gouyu was quietly delighted to hear Jiang Chen’s compliments. She had worked so hard and let go of the glories of being a princess to follow Jiang Chen. This was in order to pursue the boundless martial dao on one hand, but also to demonstrate her abilities in front of Jiang Chen and win his acceptance.
Although she already knew that Jiang Chen would never have any mundane love for her in this life, Gouyu still followed the man she had set her sights on without a murmur of complaint or regret. Her efforts in this life would be justified if she received but a word of acceptance or compliment from Jiang Chen.
“Young master, Gouyu cares not at all for some legend of the Eastern clan. I, Gouyu, am now the young master’s follower. All mundane and ordinary matters are as though the floating clouds to me.”
Gouyu’s att.i.tude was serious. Her mental state has risen by quite a bit after breaking through to the spirit realm.
She’d realized that pursuing the boundless martial dao was the truest desire within her heart. What had she gained for toiling away on behalf of the Eastern clan for twenty years?
Even the patriarch of the Eastern clan hadn’t shown himself when the clan needed him.
She was a girl, was she to fight to the death for so-called royal gains and so-called family honor?
She had done all that she could and couldn’t do.
Now, it was time to bid farewell to the matters and relations.h.i.+ps of the mundane world.
If she had to identify any mundane ties that she still cared about, that would be Eastern Zhiruo, the little niece she had doted upon since young.
Jiang Chen somewhat understood Gouyu’s thoughts.
Taking a look around, he was greatly satisfied when he saw that Xue Tong had fully recovered and that all the other personal guards were in fine spirits.
He was about to respond when an underling reported that Qiao Bais.h.i.+ was requesting an audience.
Jiang Chen knew that Qiao Bais.h.i.+ still hadn’t thoroughly handled his future mother-in-law when he saw the latter’s dejected expression.
“Bais.h.i.+ ah, it looks like you haven’t gotten a handle on your future mother-in-law yet?”
Qiao Bais.h.i.+ smiled wryly, “That old woman isn’t responsive to anything and has hardened her heart to marry her daughter off to some genius in the Azure Heaven Northern Palace, muttering something about a marriage between equal social status ranks.”
Jiang Chen started. “Equal social status ranks? What do you mean?”
“Ai, the old woman disdains that I’m from a small place like the Eastern Kingdom and am unsuited for Qingyan.”
Qingyan was Elder Ning’s name.
“This is to say that you haven’t told her our relations.h.i.+p?”
“I told Qingyan that you and I are friends. However, the old woman doesn’t seem to acknowledge the relations.h.i.+p between friends.” Qiao Bais.h.i.+ was still quite cautious. He didn’t dare reveal their master and disciple relations.h.i.+p without Jiang Chen’s nod.
Although Jiang Chen had told him to act as he would last time to the fullest extent of his abilities, he still hadn’t been able to thoroughly handle the head of the Southern Palace without Jiang Chen’s personal backing.
“This is to say that it’s not just the old woman objecting, but you also have a love rival?” Jiang Chen smiled.
Qiao Bais.h.i.+ puffed out his chest, “I’m not afraid of love rivals. Qingyan has no interest in that so-called genius from the Northern Palace. She likes me.”
Jiang Chen didn’t doubt this. Qiao Bais.h.i.+ was quite smart and had a silver tongue. He’d have absolutely no problem at all in handling a woman who liked to be pretty like Elder Ning.
Not to mention that there was a heaven defying pill like the Four Seasons Eternal Spring Pill!
“Young master Chen, the problem is that the old woman has already publicly voiced her desire to hold a compet.i.tion to select a groom, which is set for tomorrow. Once this compet.i.tion is held, it will be easy for things to become set in stone. I’m worried that the old woman is predisposed towards that so-called genius, leaving me on a pa.s.sive footing.”
“Tomorrow?” Jiang Chen started. “That fast?”
“Indeed young master Chen! So Bais.h.i.+ can only put on a thick skin and ask the young master for help.”
Jiang Chen chuckled. Qiao Bais.h.i.+ was one of his first loyal men. He’d even been the one to send Bais.h.i.+ to the Southern Palace.
Now that he and an elder of the Southern Palace had fallen in love, there was no reason for Jiang Chen not to give him a hand.
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of this matter for you.” Jiang Chen clapped Bais.h.i.+’s shoulder. “Just wait to take the beauty home!”
Jiang Chen could handle even Ye Chonglou, he didn’t think there was much difficulty in handling a mere head of the Southern Palace, even if the old woman was going through menopause.
The obstacles of marriage were just those having to do with positions of power and money.
Add to that the fact that Qiao Bais.h.i.+ and Elder Ning truly loved each other, things would be even easier then.
After sending off Qiao Bais.h.i.+, another infrequent visitor arrived at the Jiang manor -- old man Fei Xuan from the Qingyang Valley!
Ever since Jiang Chen had refined the Five Dragons Opening Heavens Pill last time, old man Fei had thoroughly vanished.
Jiang Chen had tried to find him through a variety of ways in the meantime but had failed to get in contact with him. Jiang Chen had almost suspected that this roguish old man had disappeared without a trace after receiving the Renewal Purity Pill.
But the old man had reappeared again after disappearing for a few months.
Old man Fei was wearing a uniformed outfit today, a long robe of interweaving black and green with a tree embroidered at the chest of his robe.
“Old man Fei, you’re still alive?’ Jiang Chen felt a surge of irritation in his heart when he saw old man Fei.
“Heh heh, don’t be angry young master!” As usual, old man Fei was boisterous and appeared completely without principles. He walked in front of Jiang Chen and ma.s.saged Jiang Chen in a fawning manner. “Young master, I was a bit out of line this time, but you must understand. I wasn’t just playing around, but fighting for my personal future!”
Looking at old man Fei’s joyful beam and complete lack of earlier depression, Jiang Chen was rather curious, “Old Fei, judging from your high and vigorous spirits, did you take a wife or something?”
Old man Fei chuckled, “Taking a wife is something that will happen sooner or later. I d.a.m.ned well swear that I’m going to take eight or ten wives after a short while and thoroughly enjoy life.”
“Tsk tsk, you look rather happy. What’s with the clothes? Are you purposefully here to show off?” Jiang Chen pointed at Old Fei’s clothes in question.
“Young master Chen, you’re right! I, Old Fei, am not just the master of Qingyang Valley now, but also have a senior executive position within the Precious Tree Sect! My position is second to that only of an elder-in-waiting!”
A thick sense of pride was in Old Fei’s tone as his brows and eyes danced, charged with boundless enthusiasm. He was like a child with lots of candy in hand, showing off for his friends.
Old man Fei chortled as he stood before Jiang Chen, “Of course, more than half the credit for my accomplishments of today goes to the young master. I completely utilized the Renewal Purity Pill this time to improve myself. My senior executive position goes straight to the head of the sect and was personally vested by the head of the sect!”
No wonder old man Fei was all smiles. It turns out that his dearest wish of many years to return to the sect had finally materialized!
Old man Fei suddenly fell to his knees in front of Jiang Chen and sobbed, “Young master, I, old Fei, am not someone who does not know good from bad. If it wasn’t for you, I likely wouldn’t have the chance to return to the sect in this lifetime, much less than become a senior executive. When you comforted me and said that I would have the opportunity to return to the sect in grand style one day, I never thought that this day would arrive so quickly! Young master, you’ve given me new life!”
Old man Fei kowtowed heavily a few times.
His grat.i.tude towards Jiang Chen was genuine and from the heart. He’d finally been released from dozens of years of yearning and dozens of years of striving. All had finally come true, and it had all been thanks to Jiang Chen. How would he not feel indebted towards Jiang Chen?
“Old man Fei, so you’ve got a conscience after all. Alright, I have a matter here that you can actually help with as a senior executive of the Precious Tree Sect.”
“What is it? Please speak freely, young master. As long as you don’t want me to betray the sect, I won’t even crease my brow if the young master wants me to go into boiling water and walk through fire.”
“Mm, I like this kind of att.i.tude.” Jiang Chen smiled. “I don’t want you to betray the sect, I only want you to be a matchmaker.”
“Matchmaker?” Old man Fei started.
“You know my man Qiao Bais.h.i.+. He’s with Elder Ning of the Southern Palace but is running into opposition from Elder Ning’s mother. You can do something about this, right?”
Fei Xuan laughed. “Just this? Don’t worry young master, although no one yet knows of my status as a senior executive, the medallion of a senior executive isn’t just for show! A mere elder of the Southern Palace? Harumph! That a friend of mine finds her daughter worthy is thanks the blessings of her ancestors!”
Old man Fei’s tone was completely different now that he was a senior executive.
However, he was still quite honest in front of Jiang Chen and smiled, “Young master, in front of you, I’m always your most loyal follower, Old Fei. Heh heh.”
This old man was crafty and shrewd. He knew better than anyone that this young master wasn’t simple. He’d tasted such sweetness after acknowledging Jiang Chen as his young master, if he kept close to Jiang Chen’s footsteps in the future, then perhaps there’d be more good matters awaiting him in the future!
With old man Fei’s intelligence, how would he not understand this? Therefore, even though he was a senior executive, he still kept a humble profile in front of Jiang Chen.
He didn’t feel the slightest bit of conflict when Jiang Chen told him to do something, but felt rather honored, hoping that there would be many more of these chances to narrow the mental gap between him and Jiang Chen, in the end, truly becoming his confidante.