The voice in Chen Jiuyang's mind belonged to the Qingzhu Lingxian.
It seemed that the Qingzhu Lingxian had been injured the last time Zhou Fangzun dispatched the Zhennan Army to arrest everyone in Qingzhu Village under the guise of "feudal superstition."
Chen Jiuyang said to Zhang Xiuzhen, "Mom, I'm going to wander in the mountains."
Zhang Xiuzhen replied, "Alright, you go wander. Your dad should be back from work soon for lunch."
Chen Jiuyang walked into Qingzhu Mountain and arrived at the place where the Qingzhu Immortal resided. He found the Qingzhu Immortal's本体 covered in cracks, as if it could dissipate at any moment.
Only now did Chen Jiuyang realize that his previous memories were somewhat inaccurate.
The memories passed down to him by the Chunyang Yixian depicted an era of gods and immortals, where beings like the Qingzhu Immortal were common. In that era, humanity lived in the wilderness, surrounded by dangerous demons and monsters. Beings like the Qingzhu Lingxian were akin to household spirits or ancestral sacrifices, capable of protecting the local populace.
However, countless millennia had passed since the era of the Chunyang Yixian. Nowadays, ghosts and gods existed only in legends, and the strongest force openly acknowledged in the Dragon Country was the Tianjing martial artists.
The presence of the Qingzhu Lingxian in Qingzhu Mountain made Chen Jiuyang feel that this world had changed. The ceiling of combat power in this world was definitely not as simple as Tianjing.
Chen Jiuyang asked, "Qingzhu Lingxian, how can I save you?"
The Qingzhu Lingxian's voice was that of a little girl, weak as she said, "Master's body is stained with spiritual liquid, possessing immense spiritual energy. If Master could give me a drop or two of his essence blood, I could recover from my injuries."
Chen Jiuyang nodded slowly. His body had been extremely weak before, but after resting in the spiritual liquid of the Han family's forbidden area for a few days, his injuries had completely healed, and there was even more medicinal energy and spiritual essence within him. Currently, Chen Jiuyang was a walking spiritual medicine.
Chen Jiuyang gently bit his finger, letting two drops of fresh blood fall onto the Qingzhu Immortal's本体. The Qingzhu Immortal's本体 immediately absorbed Chen Jiuyang's blood, and the previously broken bamboo body began to rapidly repair itself.
The Qingzhu Lingxian's voice immediately sounded much better, "Thank you for your grace, Master."
Chen Jiuyang replied, "Rest well. Unless absolutely necessary, do not let anyone detect your presence."
"Yes, Master."
Chen Jiuyang walked out of Qingzhu Mountain. At the end of the mountain was a river, and by the river, many people were sitting with fishing rods, fishing.
Chen Jiuyang's Marquis's mansion was still under construction, and wisps of cooking smoke rose in the distance.
Being in this place, Chen Jiuyang's soul felt incredibly peaceful.
He was born in the countryside, grew up in the countryside, and lived in the countryside. After experiencing the outside cities and their dazzling lights, he still chose not to buy a house in Fengcheng, resolutely building his own house in his village to live in.
What is home? Home is where the heart finds peace.
After the last battle, Chen Jiuyang felt a subtle change within him, but this change was not yet complete. He had not yet broken through that final barrier, but now, he was weary of the complexities, weary of the fighting, weary of the struggles.
The feeling of prosperity and glory passing before his eyes, and only simplicity remaining true, surged into his heart.
He walked step by step back home. Zhang Xiuzhen had already prepared the meal. His father, Chen Jianmin, was sitting at the dining table. Two wine glasses were placed on the table, and he held a bottle of Maotai. Seeing Chen Jiuyang return, a brilliant smile appeared on his face, and he said in a gentle voice, "Sit down and eat."
Chen Jianmin unscrewed the cap of the Maotai and poured wine into the two glasses, saying as he did so:
"This is good wine. It was a gift from Yue Xian when she visited a couple of days ago. I asked someone to inquire, and it's genuine Maotai. You can't buy a bottle for hundreds of thousands of Dragon Country currency outside. I don't know what her family does to bring such a good thing."
As he spoke, Chen Jianmin handed a glass of wine to Chen Jiuyang and picked up a glass himself. His eyes were complex, and his tone was filled with emotion as he said, "A glass of wine like this is worth tens of thousands of yuan. Your dad used to have to work day and night on construction sites for months to earn the money for such a glass of wine, and the money for this glass of wine is enough for you and Ya Ting's expenses for half a year."
"Now we are spending tens of millions to build houses and villas. To be honest, everyone else in the village envies our family, but I myself feel a bit lost."
"It was only recently that I finally understood a principle, and my heart has felt at ease."
Chen Jiuyang felt the same and asked, "Dad, what principle?"
"The rich do not go mad, and the poor do not lose their spirit."
"Whether we have money or not, we must live our lives well. Having money simply means eating a little better, living a little better, and having a little more face in front of others."
"But in terms of food, clothing, housing, and transportation, the essence of life remains unchanged."
Hearing this, Chen Jiuyang inexplicably felt his life become more grounded. He smiled and raised his wine glass, "Dad, the principle you've grasped is something many people cannot understand."
"Most people fall into the mire of fame and fortune, unable to extricate themselves."
"Based on this alone, even your university professors are not as good as you, Dad."
Chen Jianmin's face turned a little red, and he waved his hand, "I can't compare to those educated people. This is just us father and son talking casually, it shouldn't be taken seriously."
Zhang Xiuzhen scoffed, "You know it shouldn't be taken seriously."
Chen Jianmin's old face flushed with embarrassment, and Chen Jiuyang burst into laughter. He raised his wine glass and clinked it with Chen Jianmin's, "After all these years, this is the first time father and son have had a drink together."
Chen Jiuyang nodded.
Chen Jianmin said, "For so many years, I've been working outside and rarely took care of you and Ya Ting. When our family became rich and built a large villa, I wasn't happy at first."
"Son, this money is earned by you, but I didn't watch you grow up. You suddenly came home with so much money, and I was a bit at a loss."
"Later, I realized the reason: it's precisely because I didn't watch you grow up that I don't know what kind of person you've become. Your mother and I were not at ease."
"A while ago, your mother and I were always worried, and we didn't dare to spend money carelessly even if we had it."
"It wasn't until later that girls like Zixuan, Yue Xian, Leng Yue, and your classmate Hu Qijie visited that I realized my son had truly succeeded and could earn a lot of money. At that moment, your mother and I finally felt at ease."
"My son is on the right path and earns money cleanly. He uses it with a clear conscience."
As they spoke, the eyes of the father, mother, and son all turned red. Living in this world, some people live well, and some live poorly. They came from the countryside and rooted themselves in society step by step, only then realizing how difficult it was to turn their fortunes around.
"Son, your mother and I don't know what you're busy with outside all day, but as long as you're on the right path and doing things with a clear conscience, your mother and I will absolutely support you."
At this moment, Chen Jiuyang's confused and uncertain heart after awakening became a little clearer.
He, Chen Jiuyang, had already achieved wealth and had beautiful women and power. What else did he seek?
He sought to live with a clear conscience.