Chapter 004: Divine and Demonic Bodies (Part Two)

Chen Zhong and Chen Yi stood at the door with their arms hanging down. Upon seeing Chen Zhinong return, they approached him with smiles, reporting the good news: "The master went out on business today, young master, you have escaped a calamity"

Cai Lin, the young master is looking for you

The master has returned and is said to be very angry. He has already sent people to look for you several times, but it seems you were in the midst of your training, which is why they did not force their way in. The two lackeys looked at the young master with eyes full of admiration: "Young master, is your imposing presence meant for meeting the master?"

Fortunately, after adapting throughout the night, Chen Zhining finally became accustomed to this power. He did not sleep well last night, and thus, he set out early in the morning with heavy eyelids. He spent the entire morning drinking tea at a tea house he frequently visited, had lunch, and then wandered aimlessly around the streets out of boredom

After Chen Zhining and Cai Hao left, I also felt a bit bored. Since it was getting late, I strolled back to the Chen family home

However, the mortal realm still lacks true safety. Not to mention the barbaric lands beyond civilization, which are still home to numerous ferocious beasts and secret tribes, even in areas of the mortal realm that have been conquered by civilization, there remain a significant number of ferocious beasts, and there are even "beast domains" occupied by these creatures.

Who knows that Cai Hao will not be the next one? Therefore, although those in the team look down on this patched-up boy in their hearts, very few of them express this sentiment outwardly

The person was quite anxious and casually explained, "It is time to register for the academy and the sect." He then tried to shake off Chen Zhining, but to his surprise, after several attempts, the other party remained unmoved and even tightened his grip painfully.

However, today... she felt an unbearable sorrow in her heart, coupled with despair: Chen Zhining was indeed a notorious scoundrel in Qidong County. How could she have been so naive before, thinking that he was still a good person

Cai Lin's tears fell down in drops, and she did not hear a word.

Standing in the queue, Cai Hao appeared somewhat out of place; compared to the brightly dressed individuals around him, he looked impoverished, yet there was a hint of stubbornness deeply rooted in his bones

As he walked to a certain place, he noticed a large crowd of people gathered ahead, with young men and women of similar age continuously joining in. Chen Zhining casually grabbed someone and asked, "What happened?"

In this broader context, cultivation undoubtedly became the best pathway for children from humble backgrounds to soar to great heights. Everywhere, there are numerous legends of these children relying on their innate talent and personal effort to become top cultivators, bringing glory to their families and benefiting their communities.

Chen Zhining curled his lips, entered through the main door with his hands behind his back, and casually instructed Chen Zhong: "Go and call Cai Lin for me"

Cai Lin suddenly understood something, and her face turned pale. Although she had already prepared herself for the moment of selling herself into servitude, the last time her brother caused a disturbance at the Chen residence, the young master did not become angry, which inevitably gave her a glimmer of hope.

While Chen Zhining was watching the excitement, Cai Hao had already completed his registration for the county school and then lined up in the queue for Zhenlei Hall

The members of the three major sects engage in lively conversation and laughter with one another, yet the moment they face the cultivators of the county academy, their expressions instantly turn cold, adopting a demeanor that repels others from a thousand miles away

The Cai family's financial situation is indeed very poor. A couple of days ago, when Chen Zhining saw Cai Hao, he was wearing a coarse cloth garment that had been patched seven or eight times, and surprisingly, he is still wearing the same one today

"Help me embroider one as well," Chen Zhining said. "From today onwards, you should focus solely on embroidering the pouch; you need not do anything else."

She went out without understanding what was going on

Cai Lin looked somewhat troubled at the half-peeled potato in her hand, completely unaware of the envious gazes from others in the kitchen

Chen Zhong smiled and said, "Dress up a little more beautifully, and you will never have to do anything here again"

For the common folk, these conflicts hold no significance; rather, the fact that the county academy and the three major sects are located in the same place for registration has made things much more convenient for them. Almost all the young men and women registering are currently queuing at the county academy, and after completing their registration, they directly enter the next queue to register for the Thunder Hall, followed by the Fire Drinking Sect, and then the Chuyun Gate.

"What are you looking at? A real man knows when to bend and when to stand firm." Chen Zhining, stubborn as he was, had two lackeys come forward to support him on either side. With a press of his hands, two loud cries of 'ouch' echoed as the two burly henchmen grimaced and fell to the ground, clutching their arms.

Cai Hao did not receive much attention at the first three tables, but by the time he reached the final Qingyun Gate, the old cultivator with an ethereal demeanor seemed to take a liking to him, even inquiring carefully about where he lived. It appeared that Qingyun Gate intended to take him under its wing

The two men shivered and quickly suppressed their pain, kneeling down to bow their heads: "My lord, we understand. We are members of the Chen family in life and will be ghosts of the Chen family in death. The young master is our heaven, and we will definitely keep today's matter buried in our hearts."

Chen Zhong's eyes shifted subtly, and he left without a trace of emotion

When Chen Zhining is outside fighting fiercely with other wealthy heirs, he is incredibly bold; yet, in front of his father, he is remarkably submissive. He does not feel ashamed of this at all; in Chen Zhining's view, this is a demonstration of his filial piety

Chen Zhining accepted his fate; in a short period, he would be unable to adapt to the surge of power brought by the "Dual Polar Divine Demon Body." He kicked open the door and asked, "Where is my father?"

However, it quickly dawned on me that I would no longer have to do those heavy tasks in the future. I felt a sense of joy and seemed to understand the young master's intentions, smiling sweetly: I had not misjudged the young master after all

In fact, it is the largest inn in the county town, but the entire inn has been booked out. The lobby is furnished with four tables, each of which has a long queue in front of it, extending all the way to the street outside the door

He found Cai Lin, who was helping in the kitchen by peeling potatoes. The poor girl had to deal with a pile of potatoes that was taller than she was all by herself

Chen Zhong expressed his dissatisfaction, saying, "It is your fortune that the young master has taken a liking to you!" After glancing at the people around, he held back his subsequent words and took Cai Lin out of the kitchen. Once they were alone, he quietly advised, "I have always been by the young master's side, and you are his first woman. If you seize this opportunity well, although there are no expectations for the young mistress, the status of a concubine is acceptable. If you can help the young master bear a son and a daughter, your Cai family will prosper in the future."

The several workers in the kitchen did not see Chen Zhining, only wondering: "Who is so kind-hearted to help us chop all the firewood in the room? But the craftsmanship is not great, some are long and some are short..."

Chen Zhong, Chen Yi: "... ..."

"You saw nothing tonight, do you understand?" A cold voice came from the side. The two turned their heads and saw Chen Yunpeng standing there with his arms crossed, resembling an ancient deity, his expression harboring a hint of chill.

He hid in the woodshed for an entire night, and early the next morning, he quietly slipped out the door, planning not to return until at least his father's anger had subsided

"Young Master, I have a fracture..." The two of them wore sorrowful expressions. Chen Zhining was truly at a loss and scolded, "You two useless fools!" He paid them no mind and decided to make his escape first, to avoid being caught by his father. As he exited the door, he accidentally broke it again.

Upon hearing the news, Chen Zhining immediately realized that his act of stealing his father's second-tier spirit jade from the study had been exposed. He shrank his neck and cursed, "Go to hell! Quickly help me hide in the woodshed for the night."

Chen Zhining was taken aback for a moment, while Chen Zhong was smugly convinced that he had done a good job with this task. However, unexpectedly, Chen Zhining slapped him and exclaimed, "Fool!"

Goodness, in the entire Chen family, who would dare to kick down the door to see the master? Moreover, today the young master has clearly committed an offense, yet he is still so bold!

Since ancient times, the immortals have guided the mortal realm out of the vast wilderness, giving rise to numerous heroes among the hundred clans who cultivate the Dao. They have fought against various dangers within the wilderness and have ultimately established the current situation of the mortal realm.

This young girl certainly does not know how to dress up, so Chen Zhong found a woman from the household to help her. Although it is somewhat gaudy, for a girl of this age, and with a good foundation, she truly looks good no matter how she is dressed. Although the style does not match that of Cai Lin, it presents a different kind of charm.

Chen Zhining realized this, and with a slight curl of his lips, the person looked at him in surprise, muttering "freak" before quickly going to register

Chen Zhining did not have a strong desire to enter the county school or to practice in a religious sect, as his father could guide him. Thus, he stood aside watching the commotion. Unexpectedly, he found an acquaintance in the crowd—Cai Hao.

He has also become accustomed to his own strength; otherwise, this slap would have knocked half of Chen Zhong's head off

Even so, Chen Zhong had his face swollen on one side like a pig's head, and he said with a sense of grievance, "Young Master, why did you hit me?"

"Yes." Cai Lin responded, only to be waved out by Chen Zhi Ning.

The county school is the most basic institution of the Taian Dynasty's Imperial Academy, which undoubtedly belongs to the lineage of academies. The power represented by the academies in the mortal realm, known as the "court," has long been in conflict with the power represented by the sects, known as the "outlaws," to the extent that it has become common knowledge.

Chen Yunpeng let out a sound from his nose, his figure swayed and disappeared, and the two followers did not see how he came and went at all

This rivalry has escalated to the point where every year during enrollment, everyone engages in a competitive display. In Qidong County, the county school and the three major sects conduct their admissions simultaneously, determining who possesses greater strength to attract talented disciples; and who has the keenest eye to unearth a piece of raw jade.

Chen Zhining was still worrying about how to obtain the second-order spirit jade when Chen Zhong brought in the elegantly dressed Cai Lin.

Chen Zhining ignored him and turned to Cai Lin. The girl looked pitiful, which made Chen Zhining feel somewhat embarrassed. The young man's handsome face flushed slightly as he cleared his throat and asked: "The pouch on Cai Hao, is it embroidered by you?"

There is no doubt that his registration fee was obtained through his sister Cai Lin's selling herself, and Chen Zhi Ning noticed that every time he opened that exquisitely embroidered purse, the muscles on Cai Hao's face would twitch. He actually felt a bit of sympathy for this pair of siblings

Cai Lin was taken aback; she had prepared herself to face the most terrifying moment of her life, but unexpectedly, Chen Zhi Ning suddenly asked an unrelated question. She instinctively nodded and replied, "It is me"

He muttered a curse under his breath and fled in a panic, while behind him, Chen Zhong and Chen Yi were left in a state of shock

Behind the first table are the people from the county school, while behind the other three tables are the representatives from the three largest sects in Qidong County: Zhenlei Hall, Yinhua Sect, and Chuyun Gate