The old man, who identified himself as Chen You Tie, was indeed very reserved, as if he was somewhat afraid of a nobleman like Chen Yuan, who was dressed in embroidered robes, even though Chen Yuan had tried his best to show kindness.

But the old man didn't say much.

He only spoke when Chen Yuan asked him something.

However, Chen Yuan didn't think too much about it, because this was the true face of the bottom rung of this world.

Along the way, Chen Yuan indirectly asked many questions and learned a lot about Chen Family Village, even getting a general overview of the village's current situation.

Chen You Tie didn't seem to be very wary of him, and revealed everything.

From his answers, Chen Yuan gradually pieced together the history of Chen Family Village.

It was similar to what he had learned in the county town. Chen Family Village was not native to this place, but had migrated here hundreds of years ago.

But Chen You Tie couldn't say exactly when that was.

Now, there were about a hundred households, mostly the old, the weak, women, and children. They rarely intermarried with outsiders because Chen Family Village wasn't only inhabited by people with the surname Chen, but also by many people with other surnames.

As for why it was called Chen Family Village, no one knew except for the elders in the village.

Chen You Tie wasn't as old as he looked. He was actually only in his fifties, but he looked older due to years of farming.

As for the woman on the donkey cart who was silently keeping her head down, she was Chen You Tie's wife, whom he had married from another village last year. She had a disability, rarely spoke, and hadn't even looked up once in the half hour they had been traveling.

Chen Yuan had only glanced at her at the beginning and then stopped paying attention.

After understanding the general situation of the Chen family, Chen Yuan indirectly asked about the harvest in recent years, and only revealed his intentions when they were about to reach the village.

He asked if any outsiders had come to the village in the past two years.

Chen You Tie thought for a while, shook his head slowly, and told him no.

He was the first outsider to come in the past two years.

After a moment of silence, Chen Yuan asked again if anyone had left the village some years ago and returned in recent years.

This time, Chen You Tie gave Chen Yuan an affirmative answer.

He said that there was a Mr. Wu in the village, who was a capable man. He had gone out to make a living some years ago and only returned to the village to retire two years ago. He liked to fish in the back mountain when he had nothing to do.

They had even eaten Mr. Wu's fish, which was very delicious.

Hearing this, Chen Yuan had a faint premonition that the person he was looking for should be this 'Mr. Wu' in Old Chen's words, but why was his surname Wu?

Even if it was his uncle, shouldn't he also be surnamed Chen?

With these thoughts in mind, Chen Yuan asked Chen You Tie where the back mountain was located.

"We're here."

Chen You Tie pointed to the small mountain village with some smoke rising from its chimneys ahead.

Chen Yuan looked around and saw only peace and tranquility, as if it were a paradise.

"Thank you, old man."

Chen You Tie smiled and scratched his head, saying:

"You're welcome, you're welcome..."

Chen Yuan glanced at the unkempt woman on the donkey cart and said:

"I learned some medical skills in my early years, and I think I can cure this lady's ailments."

Chen You Tie wrung his hands, and a smile suddenly appeared on his face, but he hesitated, not knowing what to say. Chen Yuan nodded at him, walked to the woman's side, and slowly raised his hand.

An invisible Yuan Qi instantly enveloped the woman's entire body. In a short time, he found the source of the problem, and then it was easy to cure. He directly used a weak Heavenly Yuan Qi to unblock the woman's ailments.

Afterward, Chen Yuan took out a bottle of medicine for conditioning injuries. This was not a panacea, but just something to condition the body. The woman's physique was too poor, and it could only be slowly conditioned.

"One pill every half month, taken with water, and you will recover in three months."

Chen Yuan placed the medicine bottle on the donkey cart.

"How... how much silver?"

"It's just a small matter, consider it as thanks for the old man's kindness in pointing the way."

Seeing that Chen Yuan didn't want any money, Chen You Tie quickly walked to the donkey cart, wanting to pick up the eggs he had just bought at the market to hatch and give them to him, but when he looked up, Chen Yuan's figure had already disappeared.

"Yingzi, did you see where that nobleman went?"

"Flew away."

The unkempt woman was still holding a money bag in her hand, pointing into the distance.

"We've met a god."

Chen You Tie muttered to himself, looking at the few taels of silver in the money bag.

The reason for not giving him so much was also to avoid any misfortune. A few taels of silver was just right, and it was also a complete thanks for answering his questions earlier.

After Chen Yuan left through the air, he didn't actually go far, but just concealed his aura and entered Chen Family Village. He didn't sense anything strange along the way.

However, he stopped for a moment at a broken spear on a stone platform at the entrance of the village.

......

......

Chen Family Village, back mountain.

In the middle of the lake, an old man with white hair and a straw hat cast a straight hook. Around him, a light drizzle began to fall, moving with the wind, like a beautiful painting.

The old man looked at the lake splashed by the drizzle and whispered:

"He's not slow in coming."

In the void, Chen Yuan immediately spotted the figure on the small boat in the lake, giving him a strange sense of familiarity, and past memories came to him.

It's Uncle!

That withered figure was exactly the same as the figure in his mind.

Since the Heavenly Secret Concealment on his body had been broken by Senior Moro, many past memories had flooded into his mind, so he didn't feel unfamiliar.

Taking a deep breath, Chen Yuan fell from the void and walked on the water. The surrounding rain avoided him for three zhang. In a short moment, he arrived a few zhang behind his uncle.

Before he could speak, the white-haired old man in the straw hat spoke first, with his back to him:

"You've come?"

"I've come!"

"You shouldn't have come."

"But I still came."

"Wouldn't it be better to be a peaceful constable in Ping An County?"

"It's not my wish."

After Chen Yuan answered firmly, he bowed solemnly with a solemn expression:

"Nephew greets Uncle."

This old man in front of him was the first person he had seen since his rebirth, but he had a sense of intimacy from the bottom of his heart. After all, he, or rather the original owner of this body, had been raised by his uncle.

The kindness was great.

The white-haired old man put down the fishing rod in his hand, slowly turned his head, revealing his true face. He had white hair and a rosy complexion, bright eyes, and a long beard hanging down to his waist.

He had a somewhat immortal aura. He looked Chen Yuan up and down and said:

"You've changed somewhat."

Chen Yuan's heart tightened, but he still replied calmly:

"People... are bound to change, just more or less."

The old man was somewhat dazed. The figure in front of him was gradually overlapping with the child he had once raised, but his temperament was completely different. The current Chen Yuan didn't have the slightest frivolousness.

His whole body exuded a powerful aura.

He had a bit of his shadow.

"You've come to explore your origins, right?"

"The remnants of the Former Chu dynasty, is that it?"

Chen Yuan asked, staring at his uncle.

The old man's eyes narrowed, seemingly a little surprised, but after thinking about it, since the other party had the ability to break his methods from back then, it didn't seem strange to know about this. He then nodded:

"Yes, you are the direct descendant of the last emperor of the Xiang clan."

Hearing the accurate answer, Chen Yuan didn't know why, but he suddenly felt relieved, as if he had put down a heavy burden.

"Then why was nephew brought up in Ping An County by Uncle?"

"It was your mother's request."

"Hmm?"

Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow.

"Your mother wanted you to be safe and sound in this life. Originally, I wanted to give you the name 'Ping An' (Peace), but after thinking about it, I gave up. A dragon emerging from the abyss, you are extraordinary as a member of the royal family. The word 'Ping An' cannot suppress you."

Chen Yuan was silent for a moment.

Chen Ping An?

Phew...

What a coincidence.

"Who... is my mother?"

"You went to great lengths to find this place. I know what you want to know. Well, the Heavenly Secret has been broken, so there's nothing to hide. My original name is Wu Daozi. I love painting and have earned the empty name of a painting saint..."

Chen Yuan's eyes moved.

Painting Saint, Wu Daozi?!

He had certainly heard of this name, but the rumors in the Jianghu were that he had disappeared for decades. Hmm... now that he thought about it, it seemed that he should have been living in seclusion in Ping An County.

And his mind moved, thinking of the past in the depths of his memory.

It seemed that his uncle really liked to paint, but the things he painted were not flattering...

"I am not your uncle, but I have some connection with your mother's clan, the Chen clan. More than twenty years ago, at your mother's request, I used the Heavenly Secret Concealment technique to conceal you, and since then, I have not shown my name.

Later, I brought you to Ping An County, raised you, and found you a job as a constable. I originally thought you could live a peaceful life with this job,

Unexpectedly, in just a few years, you have undergone such changes."

"Mother's clan?"

"Your mother is the daughter of the former Chu's Zhen Guo General, and married the former Chu's Crown Prince. Unfortunately, when they married, the dynasty had already reached its end. And I have some connection with the Chen clan and have received their kindness. Your mother came to me, and I naturally had to repay this kindness. Twenty years of raising you can also be considered repaid."

"Is my mother still alive?"

Chen Yuan asked calmly.

"I don't know. After entrusting you to me, she disappeared. I think she is already..."

"Did the Sima family do it?"

It seemed reasonable that the current royal family was hunting down the remnants of the previous dynasty.

"It was the strongmen of the Xiang family."

"What?"

Chen Yuan's eyes were startled.

"Your mother didn't want to say much about the specific past, and I wouldn't ask more. I only know that you were being hunted down by the Xiang family, and it seemed very important.

And your mother didn't want this, so she secretly brought you, who was still in swaddling clothes, to Shu Province."

Chen Yuan frowned. Although he had told himself before he came that he was only exploring his past, hearing these things now, a strong killing intent still enveloped his mind.

"That's why your mother found me. Otherwise, with the connection of blood, even if you ran to the ends of the earth, the Xiang family would still sense it."

"Then, now?"

"Now, I don't think so. After all, more than twenty years have passed. Perhaps those people in the Xiang family think you have been dead for many years."

"Then do I still have relatives?"

"You have an uncle, but he disappeared decades ago. It seems that in order to cover up for the Xiang family, he took the initiative to expose himself to attract the attention of the Sima family.

I think he has already fallen... otherwise, with him there, the people of the Xiang family would probably not dare to openly hunt down your mother and son."

"He's very strong?"

"Very strong!"

"Thank you, Uncle, for clearing my confusion!"

Chen Yuan was silent for a long time and bowed to him.

If things were as he said, then his kindness to Chen Yuan was really too great. Without any blood relationship, he was willing to live in seclusion for twenty years, raising him single-handedly, comparable to his parents.

Wu Daozi also accepted Chen Yuan's bow calmly and said softly:

"I have told you everything I know. Now, you should also tell me about the changes in you in these past few years."

He looked at Chen Yuan with interest and asked.

The difference from a few years ago was really too great.

When he had not yet left, Chen Yuan had just become stable in character, but he still often went to brothels with that boy named Wang Ping.

But now, his cultivation had actually reached the Real Core Realm!

There was a world of difference!

He had raised Chen Yuan single-handedly, so he naturally knew that his cultivation had only just entered the Martial Dao. Up to now, it had been at most a little over two years.

Even Chu Taizu was only like this back then, right?

Therefore, he was very curious.

Chen Yuan pondered for a moment and told him about his affairs one by one. In order to prevent him from being too shocked, he fabricated a lie, saying that not long after his uncle faked his death,

He accidentally obtained a body tempering technique of Buddhism, and then his cultivation soared, and he gradually reached the position of constable.

He lengthened the timeline to make it seem less shocking.

Later, he was valued by a patrol envoy of the Prefectural City and was transferred to the Prefectural City to be used...

Chen Yuan tried to make the things that happened later not so amazing, but Wu Daozi was still surprised. After listening, he said in a deep voice: "As expected of the bloodline of the Chu Emperor. At first, I only thought that your roots were extraordinary, but I didn't expect you to have such potential. Not bad..."

He praised him.

Because Chen Yuan's achievements were worth praising.

In just a few years, he soared into the sky, which was in line with the meaning of the name he gave Chen Yuan.

A dragon emerging from the abyss!

"It's a pity that I can't protect you anymore."

After a long time, Wu Daozi shook his head slowly.

"What does Uncle mean?"

Wu Daozi smiled, looked at the lake in front of him, picked up the pole next to him, and then suddenly pulled it, and a lively red carp fell onto the wooden boat.

"When I concealed the secrets of the heavens for you, I fought with a strongman of the Xiang clan and hurt my origin. In order to live a few more years, I dispersed my cultivation.

Now... I'm only a little stronger than ordinary people."

Chen Yuan stared at Wu Daozi's free and easy back, feeling somewhat silent.

Before he had appeared, he felt that his uncle's aura was no different from ordinary people. He originally thought that he had reached the realm of being in harmony with the world.

Unexpectedly, he had dispersed his cultivation.

Although he looked quite immortal, his cultivation was only at the Foundation Establishment Realm.

And all of this was for him.

For the kindness of the Chen family...

"Is there a way to recover?"

After a long time, Chen Yuan asked.

"No, I've already seen it through. Otherwise, I wouldn't have left Ping An County to live in seclusion. Now that I see that you already have the demeanor of the Chu Taizu, I feel relieved. Even if I meet your mother under the Nine Springs, I can say something to her.

Although I didn't fulfill my promise to let you live a peaceful life, it's better now."

Wu Daozi said with a carefree smile.

"Why is Uncle living in seclusion here? Does this Chen Family Village have something to do with nephew?"

Chen Yuan was silent for a long time and began to change the subject.

He still called Wu Daozi "Uncle". From then on, it would always be like this.

Wu Daozi looked into the distance, seeming to be thinking of something far away, and said:

"This Chen Family Village is where the families of the Chen Family Army under the command of your mother's clan, the Chen Clan, live. After the Sima family usurped the throne, your uncle settled them here,

And he inscribed an array. Did you see the broken spear at the entrance of the village?"

"I saw it."

"Below True Monarch, whoever comes will die."

"What about True Monarch?"

"If they don't die, they'll be seriously injured..."

Chen Yuan: "....."

If his uncle hadn't said so, he really wouldn't have seen anything special about the broken spear.

"It's a pity that over the past hundreds of years, this place has become increasingly dilapidated. Perhaps in another hundred or two hundred years, this Chen Family Village will completely disappear."

Wu Daozi sighed softly.

"I'm also only left with a crippled body, but at least I still have some superficial means. I protected you for twenty years, and I'll guard this village for another twenty years, and then I'll die with it. This life will be over."

"I understand."

Chen Yuan nodded. He didn't say anything more.

Because his uncle's strength was now low, it was not suitable for him to come out of the Jianghu again. It was actually more appropriate to stay in this paradise for retirement. As for the injuries on his body,

Perhaps there was still hope in the future when his Martial Dao was accomplished.

No matter what, the kindness of raising him for these twenty years was real. If there was a chance, he would repay it, so that he could be at peace.

"You have a rare talent. At least in all these years, I haven't seen anyone who can compare to you. Your future is limitless and you will surely achieve something. But if you want to achieve great things, you need to be extremely cautious.

Those remnants of the Xiang family and the guys from the Sima family are all your future enemies. They are not that simple."

From Chen Yuan's account of the past, Wu Daozi had already noticed his ambition. Adding today's truth, he felt that Chen Yuan would never lie dormant forever.

But before he had the strength to push everything horizontally, if he was impulsive, it would be even more dangerous.

"Thank you, Uncle, for the reminder. Nephew will remember it!"

Build high walls, store up food, and be slow to claim kingship. He had already realized these nine words of truth, and he was a very cautious person himself. He would not act rashly unless necessary.

"That's good."

Wu Daozi smiled faintly and stroked his long beard.

The atmosphere between the two became somewhat stagnant. Chen Yuan thought about some past events and doubts, looked at Wu Daozi's back, and casually asked: "Was the Venerable Master Xuyan of the Ci'en Temple also a backup plan you left before you left?"

Chen Yuan had long sensed that this monk who had helped him was a bit wrong after his uncle and parents faked their deaths. Later, after thinking about it, he guessed that it was likely to be Wu Daozi's arrangement. But when he had investigated Chen Family Village, he hadn't found this person's trace.

So he was a bit curious.

Could he be a wandering monk?

"What Venerable Master Xuyan?"

"It's the monk in the Sutra Depository of the Ci'en Temple. He even gave me some pointers when I was chasing down the tracks of the demonic path. Did Uncle forget?"

"Wasn't he just an ordinary monk?"

Wu Daozi turned his head and looked at Chen Yuan curiously.

Hearing these words, Chen Yuan's eyes suddenly narrowed.