Chapter 365: Chapter 334: Gathered by Fear, Scattered by Profit
Inside the Patriarch’s Hall of the Sikong family, a silence enveloped the room.
Chen Zhixing sat alone on the main seat, massaging his temples with some degree of frustration.
"Being the patriarch is truly challenging."
With a sigh, Chen Zhixing reflected on the past three days where he had been overwhelmingly busy. The Sikong family, with a heritage spanning millennia, was among the top-tier noble families, tangled with countless affairs. The handover this time was exceedingly intricate and cumbersome.
All these matters required Chen Zhixing’s decisions. Despite his great capabilities, he could not help but feel exhausted.
"When Grandfather returns, I should return this position to him."
Chen Zhixing muttered to himself. He would rather spend his time on cultivation and enhancing his strength than waste it on these trivial matters.
In truth, he had always been indifferent to the duties of being the patriarch, with his greatest pursuit being the relentless quest for the pinnacle of cultivation, to reach higher realms.
Shortly after.
Several Peak Masters came to pay their respects, each bearing expressions of joy, reporting the acquisition of various heavenly materials and earthly treasures, along with numerous divine weapons.
After handling these matters, Chen Zhixing placed the Cyan Pheasant Sword into the Sikong family’s Weapon Storage Pavilion, allowing it to absorb the energies there.
Presumably, the Cyan Pheasant Sword would experience great enhancement this time, even if it did not reach the Peak, it would not be far from it.
After completing all this, Chen Zhixing hurried to visit the Peak Ancestor Chen Tianyuan.
This ancestor remained Chen Zhixing’s stabilizing force, so naturally, Chen Zhixing needed to pay him a visit.
...
...
Within the forbidden grounds of the Sikong family.
Two white-haired figures sat cross-legged, facing each other.
"This recent battle must have been grueling for you."
Chen Tianyuan looked at Chen Zhixing’s full head of white hair and the slight wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, a gentle look in his eyes.
Chen Zhixing nonchalantly waved his hand and laughed, "Only five hundred years of life span, for us at the Nirvana Realm, our lifespan can reach over two thousand, some even three thousand. The loss of five hundred years is of no consequence."
"That’s true enough."
Chen Tianyuan was slightly at a loss for words; for people as old as them, even fifty years of life span could determine life or death.
But Chen Zhixing was indeed too young.
"Moreover, I possess the art of life and death conversion. If one day I encounter an unlucky soul, I can just absorb it back." Chen Zhixing winked at Chen Tianyuan.
Chen Tianyuan couldn’t help but laugh heartily, "True indeed."
The two chatted for a while longer.
Chen Zhixing asked, "Huai State is a place of talent and abundance, with numerous sects, frequently yielding heavenly materials and earthly treasures. Moreover, prodigies emerge like bamboo shoots after rain. Now that the Sikong family has perished, how should we proceed?"
This was a dilemma Chen Zhixing found difficult to resolve.
He could take all of the Sikong family’s resources back to the Ziwei Chen Family, yet there was much that could not be moved.
For instance, the spirit stone veins here, the millions of people, the ancient ruins, and so on.
If sentries were placed, Huai State being tens of thousands of miles from Yanzhou, the logistics would be highly inconvenient.
At this, Chen Tianyuan stroked his beard lightly, gazing into the distance, musing:
"Although the Sikong family is gone, the world today is likely extremely wary of us, fearing and uneasy, worried that our Ziwei Chen Family will continue to follow past practices, sweeping away other forces for resources."
"In these three days, I’ve secretly observed that many forces seem inclined to ally against Chen, some even secretly communicating with plans to stand united."
"Thus, if we continue like this, our Ziwei Chen Family might find ourselves enemies of the world."
Hearing this, Chen Zhixing nodded, listening quietly.
At this point, Chen Tianyuan sighed lightly and said:
"Our Ziwei Chen Family might appear strong now, but truly, the strength lies in the future, in you alone."
"Our truly elite combat power is not so formidable. To confront global hostility, we need at least twenty Nirvana Realm individuals at minimum!"
"But in such a short time, acquiring so many Nirvanas, even with plenty of resources, is to no avail."
"Therefore, what our Ziwei Chen Family needs most now is..."
Chen Tianyuan tapped his forefinger on the stone table, uttering two words:
"Time!"
Chen Zhixing squinted slightly.
Precisely, the current Ziwei Chen Family lacks neither resources nor talent, only the time needed to grow!
Consider the recent battle against the Sikong family.
If not for his overwhelmingly extraordinary combat power, defeating five Nirvana Realm individuals alone, with just the Netherworld Elders and half-Nirvana Dugu Ni of the Ziwei Chen Family, they would not stand a chance against the Sikong family!
Not to mention going against the entire world?
"To truly have Eastern Profound Domain submit, to dominate the noble families, you both must at least reach the Peak Realm!"
"With the three of us, along with the Celestial Wave Ancestor from the Celestial Wave Sacred Lands, if Qin Tianzhong could also reach the Peak, then even if the Three Great Immortal Tao Lineages do not emerge, we could truly remain unchallenged across the Thirteen States of the East Profound Domain!"
"Even if the entire world united as one against us, we could likely break them!"
Chen Tianyuan’s eyes continuously shifted, finally stating:
"In that case, it might be better to vacate the Huai State!"
"This place is affluent and fertile, abundant with resources. After we leave, no other force would leave it alone; they would certainly come in a frenzy to seize it."
"The bustling world moves for profit. With this, the so-called anti-Chen alliance would inevitably arise from fear and dissolve from interest, allowing our Ziwei Chen Family to seize the opportunity for rapid development and expansion!"
At these words, Chen Zhixing’s eyes gleamed brightly.
...
...
A month later.
"Set off!"
With a loud shout from Elder Zhaoguang.
Over a hundred Giant Wheel Flying Ships and a multitude of flying spiritual artifacts slowly ascended.
Upon those flying ships, heaps of various heavenly materials and earthly treasures piled up like mountains.
This was already the third trip of the month.
In this month, Chen Zhixing led the Ziwei Chen Family not only eradicating the Sikong family, but also sweeping through all the small worlds of ancient ruins within the Huai State.
Couldn’t take it all, simply couldn’t!
"Fourth Uncle, this should be everything, right?"
Chen Zhixing asked Chen Tianchen beside him.
"Yes, all that can be gathered for now is here. Continuing to gather would require extensive time and effort, potentially risking danger."
Chen Tianchen smiled slightly, then lowered his voice:
"Moreover, if we truly empty out everything, turning the Huai State into a barren land, those forces might not come to contest for it."
Chen Zhixing nodded.
Moments later.
BOOM——!!!
Hundreds of flying ships suddenly launched on their course.
Tearing through the void, breaking through the clouds!
Hundreds of Giant Wheel Flying Ships, like mountains turned on their side, soared through the high skies, with nine True Dragons pulling palaces, golden carriages, and other vehicle cortèges behind them, a grand procession of ancient war vehicles following suit, reaching unparalleled magnificence!
As if even the Nine Heavens Immortal King, the Supreme Giant from myths going on their journey, could not compare!