Chapter 46: Return to the Capital

“I’m finally back. That terrible map almost killed me.” Chen Xiyi felt awful; this journey had been far more troublesome than his trip to the Western Desert.

To say nothing of other things, there were far more trees and cities compared to heading west, not to mention various other situations.

Under these circumstances, Chen Xiyi’s parallel parking skills had become quite proficient.

“But this costume does have its benefits—it never gets dirty. Thinking about it, that makes sense. Whose game costume would get dirty?”

Chen Xiyi looked at the Scholar Costume he wore, which was completely spotless and never changed.

He was getting used to wearing the costume in advance. He found that if he didn’t wear the costume and just wore the alloy armor, he would attract even more attention.

Of course, wearing the Qingxu Sect Leader’s costume was even more eye-catching than the alloy armor, probably because of the +10 charisma effect.

To this day, Chen Xiyi still couldn’t make sense of the stats in the Home Game.

Back in the Capital, Chen Xiyi no longer needed to wear the costume, as he had to maintain his persona.

He put away the Alloy Carriage and had Jianghu help him fly into the city. If he went through the city gate, he would have to undergo inspection. It wasn’t that he minded, but entering with the Scholar Costume without a travel pass would lead to unnecessary complications.

If he entered without the costume, using the alloy armor instead, he probably wouldn’t need a travel pass, but it would certainly cause a commotion and might even block the city gate.

It was better to take this opportunity to reinforce his persona and make himself appear more imposing.

Over the past few days, many people had been scheming behind his back, obstructing his supplies both openly and secretly.

[The civil official Wang Qian slandered you during the morning court. Emperor Li did not agree and thought he was talking nonsense.]

[The civil official…]

These logs kept popping up recently. Some were approved by Emperor Li, others were not, but no one’s Hostility Level or Favorability increased. Chen Xiyi couldn’t figure out why.

He guessed it might be because these seasoned officials weren’t sincere; they just wanted to pressure Emperor Li into sharing some of the resources.

Such a large amount of supplies had made many people envious.

As for Chen Xiyi’s identity, some had uncovered quite a bit about it. Combined with his high-profile departure earlier, many believed it. However, believing was one thing, and taking action was another—they probably saw no conflict between the two.

Treading on water ripples, Chen Xiyi entered the city directly and returned to his room in Prince Zhuang’s Mansion.

Before he could even take a sip of water, Wang Li hurried over.

Chen Xiyi’s trip hadn’t been particularly long, but to Wang Li and the others, it felt quite lengthy.

“Great Immortal, you’re back! I’ve been so curious—where did you go this time? What sights did you see?” Wang Li asked delicately as he entered, trying to find out where Chen Xiyi had been.

Chen Xiyi shook his head and said with a regretful tone, “I visited the ruins of my former sect. It’s a pity—the mountains and rivers remain, but the Shanhe Sect has long been buried within them.”

“Please accept my condolences, Great Immortal.” A glint flashed in Wang Li’s eyes as he silently noted the name “Shanhe Sect.”

“I’ve seen this kind of thing many times. The legacies I’ve left behind are countless across the myriad worlds—some perish, some are born anew, like an endless cycle of Reincarnation.” Chen Xiyi spoke casually, fabricating his background on the spot.

Go ahead and investigate if you can. The Shanhe Sect had been gone for who knows how many years; even the three founding ancestors were likely dust and bones by now.

In this Age of Dharma Decline, even the sacred sites had turned to rubble, let alone the Cultivators.

Wang Li had no idea what the Shanhe Sect was, as it had vanished countless years ago. Even the artifacts of the three founding ancestors had ended up among the common people, not to mention the long-lost Shanhe Sect.

However, he did know one thing: his family’s Fengshan Jade Registry must be related to the Shanhe Sect. This might allow him to claim some sort of connection.

“Great Immortal, do you have any thoughts of reestablishing the Shanhe Sect? If you are willing, we can immediately…”

“No need. What’s past is past. Let things take their natural course.” Chen Xiyi cut him off before he could finish. Reestablish a sect?

Establish a ghost of a sect! Wouldn’t it be better to spend that time gathering more resources for me?

Besides, he knew exactly what Wang Li was thinking—he just wanted to use this as a pretext to obtain his legacy.

If Chen Xiyi actually had the ability, it might not be a problem. But the issue was, he himself was relying on Jianghu to bluff. If he agreed, it would only lead to endless troubles.

Starting a sect meant taking disciples. Taking disciples meant teaching them. Then there would be all sorts of messy follow-up matters. Why would he go looking for trouble? Pretending to be aloof and mysterious was already tiring for Chen Xiyi. If he really had to deal with this, he’d have to be even more cautious every day.

Hearing this, Wang Li began scheming inwardly.

Since Chen Xiyi had refused, he didn’t dare push further. In his eyes, Chen Xiyi was a powerful figure, and what he said went.

“I didn’t expect Great Immortal to be so broad-minded. If it were me, I’d be heartbroken for a while.” Wang Li continued along the lines of what Chen Xiyi had said.

“Let’s not talk about that. During my absence, have the materials for refining the Divine Soil Xirang arrived?” Chen Xiyi had no interest in discussing these fabricated stories—he could make up a hundred of them in an hour.

Asking about the supplies he cared about was the real business.

“They are currently being checked in the warehouse. They should be delivered to the mansion tomorrow.” Wang Li had been overseeing this matter. The resources had arrived in the Capital yesterday and were placed in the Southern Capital warehouse, still being inventoried.

Chen Xiyi was quite satisfied with this. Both the efficiency and the quantity had greatly increased his stockpile of materials.

“How has His Majesty’s Nurturing Spirit been going lately? Has he developed any Sword Qi?” Chen Xiyi asked in return.

Wang Li shook his head. “Not yet. Even though he eats spirit-nourishing meals every day, he still hasn’t produced any Sword Qi. However, his health has improved significantly. The royal physician said he’s as strong as an ox.”

“It seems progress is quite remarkable. Remember, Nurturing Spirit to Enter the Dao nourishes not only the spirit but also the person.” Chen Xiyi sighed with emotion.

He had to admit, he was quite convincing when making up stories. Chen Xiyi sometimes wondered where his acting skills came from. He had spent ten years secluded in his Homestead, with no exposure to performance-related activities or experiences. Yet, when thrown into the deep end, he had managed to pull it off.

In the end, Chen Xiyi could only conclude that people are forced to grow—you never know your potential until you’re pushed.