The interior of the villa where Chen Jiuyang's family lived was extremely luxurious, with construction costs alone exceeding ten million, and the interior decoration even more expensive.
Chen Jianmin, as a contractor, naturally had a discerning eye. Upon arriving at the Shu Mountain Chen family's villa, he repeatedly exclaimed, "I never expected our ancestral family to be so affluent."
Chen Jiuyang's grandfather spoke, "When I was young, I heard my father say that my grandfather's generation branched out and moved from Shu Mountain to Qingzhu Village in Feng Province."
Chen Jiuyang nodded slowly. Chen Jiuyang's grandfather's grandfather was indeed five generations back. With Chen Jiuyang's grandfather still alive, the Shu Mountain Chen family had documented proof that Chen Jiuyang was a descendant who had branched out and moved away from Shu Mountain.
Chen Jiuyang's grandfather continued, "When I was only seven or eight years old, I also lived in Chen County, and only later left Shu Mountain."
"It's just that our branch of the family was very ordinary when we were in Shu Mountain, which is why we were forced to migrate to Qingzhu Village in Feng Province."
"I never imagined I would live to see the day I returned to the Shu Mountain Chen family."
Chen Jianmin and the old man were filled with emotion. Chen Jianmin had lived a life of poverty, his hair had turned white, and he only began to enjoy a good life in his old age.
The Chen family not only provided Chen Jiuyang's family with an excellent villa but also assigned maids to serve them tea and water. The grandeur of an ancient martial arts family was evident, making Zhang Xiuzhen, a simple woman who had lived her entire life in the countryside, somewhat unaccustomed. She had never imagined she would be cared for by a maid.
Chen Yating asked, "Brother, after we acknowledge our ancestors this time, will we live here forever?"
This question immediately made Chen Xuecheng and Chen Xiaobo's eyes light up. If they acknowledged their ancestors, would Chen Xuecheng still worry about not being able to repay his millions in debt? The Chen family was so vast, and Chen Xuecheng was no longer a commoner; he now had a large family to rely on.
Chen Jiuyang chuckled, "Of course not. After acknowledging our ancestors, we will still return to Fengcheng to live. I spent tens of millions renovating the villa back home; I can't just abandon it."
"Hooray!" Chen Yating cheered happily. While the Shu Mountain Chen family was good, it wasn't Chen Yating's home.
Moreover, with the spirit immortal Qingzhu Xian residing within Qingzhu Mountain, and Chen Jiuyang's future residence after being enfeoffed located on Qingzhu Mountain, it was impossible for them to permanently relocate to the Shu Mountain Chen family.
Chen Jiuyang's words immediately displeased Chen Xuecheng, Chen Xiaobo, and the old couple. However, no matter how unhappy they were, the four of them would not show it openly, as they clearly understood that Chen Jiuyang was now in charge.
Their return to the Shu Mountain Chen family was due to Chen Jiuyang's excellence. Otherwise, the Shu Mountain Chen family had countless descendants who had branched out and moved away; they couldn't possibly bring them all back and entertain them with such fine food and drink.
Before Chen Jiuyang's family could even settle in, someone knocked on the door.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
Chen Yating went to open the door and saw a young man in luxurious attire standing outside, exuding an extraordinary aura. Chen Yating cautiously asked, "Who are you?"
The young man smiled and said, "I'm looking for Chen Jiuyang. Is he here?"
Upon hearing that someone was looking for him, Chen Jiuyang raised an eyebrow and got up to walk out. "Who are you?"
The young man cupped his fists and bowed, saying, "I am a member of the Chen family. My name is Chen Jianbai."
"I heard that Cousin Chen is returning to the Chen family, and the elders wish to arrange for our younger generation in the Chen family to interact and get to know each other."
Chen Jiuyang: "I understand."
Saying this, Chen Jiuyang said to Chen Yating, "Little sister, you and Mom and Dad stay home and rest. If you feel bored, go out for a walk together. I'll be back shortly."
After speaking, Chen Jiuyang followed Chen Jianbai out of the villa.
Chen Jianbai led Chen Jiuyang into a vast hall where many young men and women stood, each with an extraordinary aura and possessing martial arts cultivation.
Upon seeing Chen Jiuyang enter behind Chen Jianbai, most of them frowned and began to whisper amongst themselves:
"Is this the person who will be added to the family tree?"
"He's too young. What qualifications does he have to be valued by the family elders and specially summoned back to acknowledge his ancestors?"
"From what I see, his strength probably isn't great. I wonder what means he used to defeat Uncle Chen Gaoming."
"Heh, it's probably through crooked ways. If he wants to return to the Chen family and take advantage of our resources, he'll have to ask us first."
As Chen Jiuyang entered, a voice filled with anger and displeasure rang out.
Chen Jianbai explained, "A gentleman's kinship lasts for five generations before it weakens. Although the Chen family is large, the number of people it can support is limited. The Chen family's rules stipulate that if there are no outstanding talents within five generations, they will be forcibly relocated to branch out and make their own way."
Chen Jiuyang's expression was calm, "I understand the principle of the survival of the fittest."
Chen Jianbai continued, "Cousin Chen, you don't need to be nervous. The decision to invite you back to acknowledge your ancestors was made by Great-Grandmother Zeng, and the elders unanimously agreed. You don't need to pay attention to what others say. Today, I brought Brother Chen here to get acquainted with the younger generation of the Chen family."
A young woman at the peak of the Yellow Realm stepped forward and said, "The position of the Young Master of the Chen family will be decided in the next day or two. This person choosing this time to return and acknowledge his ancestors probably means he has ambitions for the Young Master's position."
Chen Jiuyang frowned slightly. The position of the Young Master of the Chen family? Great-Grandmother Zeng and Chen Gaoming hadn't mentioned this.
However, this young woman looked young, about the same age as Chen Jiuyang, and was already at the peak of the Yellow Realm. She would soon be able to circulate her blood and enter the Profound Realm.
Chen Jiuyang asked, "Who is she?"
Chen Jianbai replied, "Her name is Chen Zhihe. She is one of the geniuses among the younger generation of our Chen family."
Chen Jiuyang asked, "How many geniuses like her are there in the Chen family?"
Chen Jianbai smiled, "Everyone you see wearing white clothes is one."
Chen Jiuyang scanned the hall. There were one to two hundred people in the hall, and thirty to forty of them were wearing white clothes. This made Chen Jiuyang secretly gasp. The Shu Mountain Chen family was indeed extraordinary. Chen Jiuyang had not seen a single young person at the peak of the Yellow Realm in Fengcheng, yet here he saw dozens.
Chen Jiuyang asked again, "How is a genius judged?"
Chen Jianbai chuckled, "Our Chen family naturally has its own rules. If one breaks through to the Profound Realm before the age of thirty, they are considered a genius and can be invested with resources for cultivation."
Chen Jiuyang scanned the crowd and asked, "What is the status of those wearing purple clothes?"
"Those are our Chen family's seed players. They have all broken through to the Profound Realm," Chen Jianbai said. "Not everyone you see here represents the entirety of our Chen family. Our Chen family has branches all over the country, and some geniuses have gone out for training and have not yet returned."
"However, their return to the Chen family is imminent, within the next day or two, because the competition for the position of the Young Master of our Chen family is about to begin."
Chen Jiuyang nodded slowly.
There were more than ten people wearing purple clothes here. With such a scale, the Chen family's strength was indeed formidable.
At this moment, a young man wearing purple clothes stepped forward and said to Chen Jiuyang:
"Brother, let's spar a few moves. Let me see what qualifications you have to be personally invited by Great-Grandmother Zeng to acknowledge your ancestors."
The newcomer was clearly not friendly.