Immortality Starts With Generosity

At the rate that people came to visit, Chen Haoran would think someone was hosting a party in his manor that he didn’t know about. Even with Song Yuelin turning away visitors with weaker cultivation, he was still receiving guests one after another. Forget all his worries about being targeted and robbed, he should have been more concerned about all the talking he’d be doing.

Nevertheless, they had a narrative to craft.

“To think Lan Yao had the gall to lie in front of all our peers and say she beat me through the difference in our Layers. If I had known she was hiding an Earth-rank cultivation I would have taken her more seriously.”

“Who knows what the Lan family plans to do? I thought they wanted my cultivation method at first, but they had their own the whole time.”

“Marriage? Sorry, I’m taken.”

After using up his quota for tea, snacks, and small talk for the year Chen Haoran waved off his last guest with a polite smile. As soon as they were out of sight he collapsed into the plush couch of his receiving room.

“This is exhausting,” he sighed.

“You’re doing a wonderful job, Young Master Chen,” Song Yuelin said, appearing behind him out of nowhere as he was wont to do.

Chen Haoran didn’t even bother trying to hit him. “Spare me the praise.”

“He is right,” Lan Fen said, striding into the room. “You are handling it well.”

He sent a tired smile her way. “Thank you.”

“I’m sensing a bit of bias here,” Song Yuelin said, looking hurt.

“Of course I’m biased. Lan Fen is far more pleasant company compared to you.”

Song Yuelin dramatically clutched his chest. “Your words wound me.”

“You’ll live,” Chen Haoran snorted. “Is there anybody else?”

“No one important,” Song Yuelin replied. “I’ve taken the liberty to shoo the rest away.”

“Good.” He couldn’t deal with anyone else today. He turned to Lan Fen. “How’s the Lan family?”

“Quiet.” She took a seat opposite him, one that placed Song Yuelin as far from her as possible. “They have not made any large movements as of yet. I expect that to change once the other families begin to pressure them to confirm the existence of the Earth-rank method.”

“And how long will that take?”

“A rumor will soon spread that the Lan family purchased a Pure Redwood Tree Heart. ” Lan Fen rested her head in her palm. “Following that, word will reach the other families that Patriarch Lan has been cultivating this Earth-rank method for the past year.”

Chen Haoran made a noise of understanding while Song Yuelin curiously looked between them. At the auction, Lan Fen said that she wanted people to see the Pure Redwood Tree Heart. A powerful wood element treasure plus a rumor that the Lan Patriarch was cultivating a stronger method were worthy of at least being investigated even if it was nothing in the end. Lan Fen, all the while, would stoke the fears of the powers in Clearsprings City until they tore apart the Lan family for her in their paranoia.

It was a good plan, but a time-consuming one. Chen Haoran could see why she said his involvement sped the process up.

“What about the City Lord?” he asked Song Yuelin. “How do you think he’ll take this?”

“He won’t dare have any thoughts of stealing the technique from you, he knows better.” Song Yuelin smiled. “That being said he’s probably very annoyed right now.”

“Does his opinion of me matter? You said so yourself, he’s all bark and no bite in front of the Chen family.” Not to mention the fact that the City Lord seemingly never bothered to reign his predecessor in despite how notorious he had become. He doubted the man would start now.

“Will the Chen family not take action?” Lan Fen asked.

“They would have done it already if they wanted to.” Chen Haoran cast a deep look at Song Yuelin. The man smiled and said nothing. If the Chen family had an issue with what they were doing he was sure the assassin would have stopped them long ago.

That didn’t mean the Chen family not getting involved was entirely a good thing. Whatever deal they had with the City Lord was clearly meant to be low key and yet his predecessor was anything but. Whatever their reasons the Chen family not intervening didn’t bode well for the Young Master’s relationship with them. Originally that would be something Chen Haoran would celebrate. When he had their black-ops guy literally standing behind him?

Not so much.

“Getting back to my point,” he said, shaking off the morbid thoughts. “Do you think the City Lord will do anything about the Lan family?” While he was still unsure of the particulars of how the government around here functioned it was obvious that the strongest were the ones in charge. While the Lan Patriarch might not be a threat to the City Lord now, his superior cultivation method meant he would be one in the future should he ascend to the Crystal Transformation realm.

“It depends,” Song Yuelin shrugged. “It’s not like this particular situation hasn’t happened elsewhere. There’s no guarantee that Patriarch Lan will successfully advance. So typically speaking the City Lord shouldn’t be too concerned.”

“But the City Lord is only at the First-Layer of the Crystal Transformation realm,” Lan Fen said.

Song Yuelin raised an eyebrow and smiled her way. “Precisely.”

“I don’t follow,” Chen Haoran said.

Song Yuelin graciously nodded toward Lan Fen. She rolled her eyes but spoke anyway. “While the City Lord is certainly strong as an individual, he’s not beyond the strength of the major families to resist if they came together.”

“Wouldn’t the Empire step in then if they did?”

“That would be terrible,” Song Yuelin and Lan Fen said simultaneously.

Lan Fan and Song Yuelin looked at each other. Song Yuelin looked delighted that they were so in sync while Lan Fen turned away in disgust.

“The Empire having to intervene would be catastrophic for both the City Lord and the families,” she continued. “Thus both sides will try to avoid coming into direct conflict with each other.”

“Politics huh,” Chen Haoran muttered distastefully.

“Yes, if Patriarch Lan can advance to the Crystal Transformation then, with the backing of the other families, the City Lord will be powerless. He will be looking for an opportunity to nip this issue in the bud.”

“Do you think we can loop the City Lord in on our plan then?” Chen Haoran asked.

“That is an option, yes.”

“I suppose I’ll tell him myself then,” Song Yuelin said. “It’s been a few years since I’ve snuck into his palace.”

“Leave a note on his pillow then,” Chen Haoran suggested.

“Are you trying to get me killed?”

He was, but that was beside the point.

“So, what do you think the Lan family’s next move will be?” He asked Lan Fen.

She drummed her fingers on the armrest of her chair. “The Lan family is not prepared to deal with the City Lord or the families quite yet. They will deny and try to buy as much time for the Patriarch as they can. There will probably be moves over the next week by various forces to try and get a grasp of the situation.”

“Do you think they’ll try to rally around the Lan family?”

“The Patriarch has not reached the peak of the Liquid Meridian realm so whether the other families will support them is yet to be seen. The Lan family will certainly be pressured to give up benefits, however.”

“I take it the next stage then is to convince the other major families that they don’t want the Lan family to have that much power?”

Lan Fen nodded. “Precisely.”

“And how do you plan to tilt their opinion against the Lan family?” Song Yuelin interrupted.

Lan Fen smiled sweetly at the man. Chen Haoran felt chills seeing it. “When enough weakness is exposed a wild animal will only think to devour. Would you not agree, Manager Song?”

Song Yuelin raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Chen Haoran didn’t know what was worse. Song Yuelin analyzing Lan Fen or him being impressed with what he found. As it stood, he was already seeing far too many similarities between the two.

Song Yuelin smiled. “I must say Lady Fen, I admire your mind. Whoever saw fit to pair you with Young Master Chen despite you…” he paused, “ -lacking certain qualities, was wise.” A subtle flare of his qi made it clear what he meant. “You shore up many of his weaknesses.”

The fuck was that supposed to mean?

Lan Fen smiled back. “He lacks capable help. I only feel that it is my duty to assist him where his servants fail to.”

Song Yuelin laughed.

Lan Fen laughed.

Chen Haoran sighed and looked for more tea.

This was gonna be his whole week, he could tell.