23: incredible

Liu Jingyao's visit was like a giant rock thrown into a calm lake, stirring up monstrous waves in the small Cultivation world of Shangya Prefecture.

A Golden Core Immortal Master personally came to congratulate the Chen Family.

This news, as if it had grown wings, spread throughout a thousand-mile radius overnight.

The next day, before dawn, a long line of carriages had already formed in front of the Chen Family Courtyard.

The Family Heads of every Cultivation Family of renown in Shangya Prefecture were all present,

Each bringing the most precious gifts and the most outstanding daughters from their Family.

They came to pay respects, or rather, to seek a marriage alliance.

The spectacle was even grander than Chen Dao Xuan's wedding day, if not more so.

After all, behind the Chen Family was a true Golden Core Immortal Master!

As long as they could establish even a small connection,

Putting everything else aside, it could at least ensure the Family's prosperity for a hundred years!

At first, Chen Xu thought these people wanted to arrange marriages with his sons and daughters.

Naturally, he was happy to see this!

But as they chatted, Chen Xu and his wives realized!

These people seemed to be coming for him, the Family Head of the Chen Family?!

This led to a somewhat peculiar atmosphere in the Chen Family's main hall.

Chen Xu sat in the main seat, holding a teacup, looking at the restless Family Heads below and the meticulously dressed young women sitting upright beside them, feeling a headache.

Beside him, his three wives, Bu Yifan, Sun Xiaoyue, and Zhao Linger, were gathered together, holding stacks of paintings.

Whispering their comments.

They had clearly become the chief examiners for this grand selection of consorts.

"Husband, look at this Young Miss from the Wang Family, named Wang Yuyan, sixteen years old, with both water and wood Spiritual Roots, yellow grade mid-rank, and a proper appearance."

Bu Yifan handed a painting to Chen Xu.

Sun Xiaoyue leaned over, pouting: "Her appearance is good, but her temperament seems too timid. Look at her sitting there, not even daring to lift her head."

"Our Chen Family's future daughter-in-law cannot be someone so unpresentable."

She picked up another painting and said enthusiastically: "I think this one from the Zhang Family is good, named Zhang Jing, with fire and earth Spiritual Roots, yellow grade mid-rank. Look at her eyes, how lively, she's clearly intelligent. And I heard she knows a few Alchemy techniques, so she can also assist Husband in the future."

Zhao Linger quietly added: "But I heard that this Young Miss from the Zhang Family has a somewhat arrogant temperament..."

The three women discussed heatedly, as if selecting goods.

The Families sitting below all pricked up their ears, their palms sweating nervously.

Especially the Family Heads of the Wang Family and Zhang Family, who had been mentioned by name.

Their hearts were in their throats.

After all, to be favored by a Chen Family wife was an immense blessing.

Chen Xu listened to his wives' discussions, finding it both amusing and exasperating, yet he did not stop them.

He knew they were genuinely considering the well-being of the Family.

Ever since Liu Jingyao left, Bu Yifan had a serious talk with him.

Her words were direct: Venerable Liu was, after all, an outsider.

For the Chen Family to truly stand firm, it could not rely on the prestige of others; ultimately, it had to rely on itself.

And Chen Xu was the Foundation of this Family.

The higher his cultivation, and the more descendants he had, the more prosperous the Chen Family would become.

As wives, they could not only care about their own small affections; they also had to share the worries of their Husband and the future of the entire Family.

Thus, today's scene unfolded.

"Alright..."

Chen Xu put down his teacup, his voice not loud, but it instantly silenced the entire hall: "Chen acknowledges everyone's good intentions. It's getting late today, so please return for now. I will discuss this matter with my wives for a few days."

Everyone felt as if they had received a great pardon, yet dared not show it, and rose to take their leave.

After seeing off the last group of guests, the Chen Family Courtyard finally returned to quietude.

Bu Yifan, holding a stack of organized registers and portraits, walked up to Chen Xu: "Husband, among the dozen or so Families who came today, Xiaoyue and I have screened them, and the girls from three Families are quite good."

"Their Spiritual Root Aptitude is all yellow grade mid-rank or above, and their Family backgrounds are clean."

Chen Xu took the register, casually flipped through it, and nodded: "You can handle it as you see fit."

He was not enthusiastic about taking concubines, but he was not opposed to it either.

For him, it was more like a necessary task to be completed for the Family's development.

As long as the other party had good character and could help the Chen Family flourish,

He didn't mind having a few more people in the back courtyard.

Just then, the butler hurried in from outside again and reported: "Master, someone from the Zheng Family of Xiaoyuan City is requesting an audience outside the mansion."

"The Zheng Family of Xiaoyuan City?"

Chen Xu frowned, he had no impression of that name.

Clearly not a Family from Shangya Prefecture.

"Let them in."

A moment later, a middle-aged man with a weathered face and worn clothes, accompanied by two young women, walked nervously into the main hall.

As soon as the middle-aged man entered, he bowed deeply to Chen Xu, adopting an extremely humble posture: "Junior Zheng Youguang, with my two daughters, pays respects to Senior Chen!"

Chen Xu's gaze swept over the three of them.

The middle-aged man's cultivation was low, only around Qi Refining stage three or four, with a weak Qi and blood, clearly accumulated through Medicinal Pills, indicating an unstable Foundation.

His two daughters behind him, however, made him take an extra look.

The younger girl, about fifteen or sixteen, had a delicate and pretty face, with a hint of stubbornness and unease in her brows.

She wore a faded blue dress.

Although the material was common, it was clean and starched.

Standing beside her, the older woman, about twenty, though not as radiant as her sister, possessed a calm and gentle demeanor.

She noticed Chen Xu's gaze and met it without being servile or arrogant.

Then immediately lowered her head, shielding her sister behind her.

"Sit."

Chen Xu said lightly.

"Dare not, dare not, in front of Senior, Junior will stand."

Zheng Youguang quickly waved his hand, sweat already beading on his forehead.

The main hall still carried the aura of the powerful Families who had been there before.

The calligraphy and paintings on the walls, the tea sets on the tables.

All were priceless Spiritual items.

All of this made him feel immense pressure.

"What brings the Zheng Family Head here this time?"

Chen Xu got straight to the point.

Zheng Youguang gritted his teeth, as if having made a huge decision, and knelt down with a thud: "Senior! Junior has presumptuously come today to... to propose marriage for my youngest daughter, Ruoyan, to you!"

After he finished speaking, he kowtowed heavily.

His two daughters behind him instantly turned pale.

Especially the girl named Zheng Ruoyan, her body swayed, almost fainting.

Fortunately, her elder sister quickly supported her.

Bu Yifan and the other two women exchanged glances, all a little surprised.

Many Families had come to propose marriage today.

But the Zheng Family, with its Family Head personally kneeling and being so direct, was the first.

"Propose marriage?"

Sun Xiaoyue raised an eyebrow: "Our Chen Family's selection of wives ended today. From where did your Zheng Family get the news, only arriving now?"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Youguang's face showed a hint of bitterness: "Replying to Madam, we... we traveled from Xiaoyuan City, the journey was long and took several days..."

Xiaoyuan City, that was beyond the borders of Shangya Prefecture.

Even at a fast pace, it would take three or four days.

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiaoyue became a little interested: "What makes you think I would accept your daughter?"

His words were direct and hurtful.

Zheng Youguang's body trembled, but he dared not show any resentment.

He knew this was his only chance.

"Senior, my Zheng Family... was once a Cultivation Family."

He said hoarsely: "It's just that the descendants were unworthy; for a hundred years, our Spiritual Roots were cut off, and we gradually declined. Ruoyan is the only descendant in my Zheng Family in a hundred years to possess a Spiritual Root! She is sixteen this year and has a yellow grade High Grade Spiritual Root!"

Yellow Grade High Grade!

As these four words came out, Bu Yifan and the other two women were somewhat moved.

Among the young ladies from prominent Families who came today, the highest Aptitude was merely yellow grade mid-rank.

Yellow Grade High Grade was already considered quite good Aptitude.

As long as resources kept up, there was hope for Foundation Establishment in the future.

No wonder Zheng Youguang dared to travel thousands of miles with his daughter.

He was placing the entire Family's hope on this daughter.

"Empty words are no proof."

Sun Xiaoyue remained calm.

"Junior brought a Spirit Testing Stone!"

Zheng Youguang quickly took out a dusty, head-sized stone from a worn Storage Pouch.

This Spirit Stone was of poor quality, clearly an old heirloom passed down through the Family.

"Ruoyan, hurry, let Senior see!"

Zheng Youguang urged.

The girl named Zheng Ruoyan's face was pale, her eyes filled with resistance.

Before coming, she thought she was marrying some Cultivator from the Chen Family of Ninghai Town.

But after arriving and seeing the grandeur of the Chen Family, and hearing about the Golden Core Immortal Master's personal visit,

She realized what kind of person she was facing.

She didn't want to be selected like merchandise.

"Sister..."

Her elder sister, Zheng Ruoyu, who was beside her, gently squeezed her hand and shook her head at her.

Zheng Ruoyan took a deep breath, finally suppressing the unwillingness in her heart.

She slowly walked to the center of the hall and placed her trembling hand on the cold Spirit Testing Stone.

Buzz—

The Spirit Testing Stone emitted a soft hum, then lit up with a brilliant yellow light.

The light was so bright it almost dyed the entire hall golden.

"Indeed, it's yellow grade High Grade!" Sun Xiaoyue exclaimed.

Bu Yifan and Zhao Linger also showed satisfied expressions in their eyes.

Such Aptitude indeed qualified her to enter their Chen Family.

Seeing this, Zheng Youguang's face showed ecstasy, and he quickly kowtowed to Chen Xu: "Senior! Look!"

Chen Xu did not speak, his gaze.

However, fell on the elder sister, Zheng Ruoyu, who had been silently standing by.

Since Cultivating the Spirit Manifestation Art, his Divine Sense far surpassed Cultivators of the same stage.

Just now, at the moment the Spirit Testing Stone lit up, he keenly noticed that there seemed to be an extremely faint Spiritual Qi fluctuation on Zheng Ruoyu's body, resonating with the Spirit Testing Stone.

This fluctuation was very strange, as if suppressed by something, appearing and disappearing.

"You, come and test as well."

Chen Xu pointed at Zheng Ruoyu.

At these words, all three members of the Zheng Family were stunned.

Zheng Youguang quickly said: "Senior, you've misunderstood, this is my eldest daughter Ruoyu, she... she was tested when she was young and has no Spiritual Root, she's just a Mortal."

"I told you to test, so test."

Chen Xu's tone was unquestionable.

Zheng Ruoyu's heart tightened; she didn't know why this unfathomable Senior Chen would suddenly call her out.

But she dared not disobey.

She walked to her sister's side, hesitated for a moment, and also placed her hand on the Spirit Testing Stone.

Everyone in the hall focused their gaze on her hand.

One breath.

Two breaths.

Three breaths.

The Spirit Testing Stone showed no reaction.

Zheng Youguang's face showed a hint of embarrassment and a 'just as I thought' expression.

Sun Xiaoyue also felt that Chen Xu might have been mistaken.

Just as she was about to say something.

Just then, the dusty Spirit Testing Stone suddenly flickered.

An extremely faint, yet undeniably clear, light yellow glow stubbornly emerged from within the stone.

Although the light was dim, far less dazzling than Zheng Ruoyan's.

But that color was truly and clearly the yellow representing a Spiritual Root!

"This... this is..."

Bu Yifan covered her mouth in surprise.

"Yellow grade... Low Grade Spiritual Root?"

Zhao Linger's eyes also widened.

Zheng Youguang was as if struck by lightning, completely dumbfounded, his mouth agape enough to fit an egg.

He looked at his eldest daughter in disbelief.

How was this possible?

Ruoyu... how could she have a Spiritual Root?