Ripples spread across the lake, shattering the moonlight.
Eventually, the small boat docked beneath a willow tree.
Willow trees are naturally associated with yin, and those that droop by the water are especially so.
In rural legends, water ghosts are said to hide under the shade of willows, preying on those near the shore, seeking substitute souls.
Thus, adults often warned children not to go near the water's edge under willow trees, and certainly not to swim.
But the person in the boat seemed unfazed. They calmly tied the boat, then produced a fishing rod from behind them.
They intended to fish at night!
"A fisherman comes from the east, fishing for souls, not fish."
The person in the boat murmured softly.
Then, they cast the hook far out!
The hook flew an incredible distance, rising higher and higher. In an instant, it soared past the willow tree, left the water's surface, and headed towards the land beyond!
If anyone saw this, they would surely be shocked and ask, "Are you fishing on land?"
The moonlight, like a spinning disc, cast specks of light.
These moonbeams fell upon the fishing line and, miraculously, were absorbed.
Instantly, the fishing line became crystal clear, merging with the moonlight, making it almost imperceptible.
Only a faint line seemed to cut through the night sky, descending rapidly into the distance.
And the target of this descent was none other than the Hu family manor!
Meanwhile, inside the manor, a group of servants, under the butler's direction, were cleaning the courtyard.
The elder Hu's awakening had greatly lifted the spirits of the servants and brought a sigh of relief to the other Hu family members.
Had they not been worried about disturbing Elder Hu, these descendants would have rushed to his side and wept.
They had once longed for their elder to pass away quickly so they could inherit the family's power. Now that he was truly on the brink, they realized they couldn't protect the Hu family alone; they were merely a prize in the eyes of others!
The Hu descendants had now reached a consensus: they would never anger the old man again and must ensure he lived for a few more years.
Some even tried to approach Ying Chen, begging him to use his divine abilities to extend Elder Hu's lifespan.
The result was Ying Chen grabbing them by their collars and tossing them out.
Extend lifespan?
Ying Chen hadn't even cured Elder Hu's underlying illness, yet they dared to speak of extending life.
What a pipe dream!
However, this reminded Ying Chen that "lifespan" might be insignificant to him, having lived for over two thousand years.
But for others, it still held immense allure!
Even those in positions of power and influence were no exception!
Otherwise, why would the First Emperor have exhausted so much effort and public funds seeking immortality in his time?
Ying Chen couldn't grant others two thousand years of life, but he could at least add five or ten years to their lives!
And the most crucial step in this was the "Mountain Lord Flower"!
This flower, with its potent medicinal properties, could temper the "Leakless Golden Body" and, naturally, could also refine ordinary human physiques, significantly enhancing them and thereby prolonging life!
However, although the Shen Nong Sect had a considerable number of Mountain Lord Flowers, they were a non-renewable resource in the short term, leaving no room for squandering.
Ying Chen himself hadn't yet mastered his Leakless Golden Body, so he couldn't use the flowers to refine longevity elixirs for others.
Unless...
An evil thought suddenly surfaced in Ying Chen's mind.
But before he could dwell on it, his eyes flickered, and he looked out the window.
"They've finally arrived?"
Ying Chen said coldly, watching a thin thread flash across the night sky outside the window.
.................oΓg
"Master, the courtyard has been tidied. The young masters and ladies have all left. As for the guests who visited today, I've called them to apologize as you instructed..."
"This is your medicine for today, Master. Please take it!"
The butler entered Elder Hu's room with a bowl of medicine.
Elder Hu glanced at the butler and sighed deeply, "I always thought the Hu family was so grand and prosperous. Now I realize it was all an illusion."
"If the Hu family is a tree laden with fruit, I am the trunk, and the others are merely branches. While I lived, people might have feared the trunk's height, its weight, and dared not cut down the tree or pluck the fruit. But once I fall..."
"Will people still fear a few remaining branches? They will only ruthlessly pluck the fruit while snapping off the branches along with it!"
"And then... the Hu family tree will cease to exist! It will become mere firewood for someone's hearth!"
"In this vast Hu family, there isn't a single capable person! How pathetic, how lamentable, how ridiculous!"
The butler remained expressionless at Elder Hu's lament, merely pushing the bowl towards his lips.
"Master, take your medicine first! With your recovery, the Hu family will have a pillar of support..."
Elder Hu sighed at this, saying nothing more. He opened his mouth, ready to take the medicine.
A strange glint flashed in the butler's eyes.
Just as the medicinal soup was about to reach Elder Hu's lips, a voice echoed, "There's something else in this bowl of medicine, isn't there?"
Hearing this, the butler's hand trembled violently.
But without looking back to see who had spoken, he grabbed Elder Hu's mouth and tried to force the medicine down his throat!
It seemed he was determined to make Elder Hu drink the medicine, no matter what.
"You're being a bit disrespectful to me."
The voice spoke again from behind.
The next second, the butler felt as if a magnet were pulling him, and his body involuntarily recoiled rapidly.
Then, with a *snap*, he was lifted by the scruff of his neck.
It was Ying Chen!
Elder Hu, on his sickbed, looked at Ying Chen's sudden appearance and the spilled medicine on his quilt with horror, disbelief coloring his words, "Could it be... he wants to harm me?"
"No wonder he's been acting so strangely tonight! In the past, whenever I discussed Hu family matters with him, even if he didn't offer an opinion, he would at least offer some comfort. But tonight, he's been unusually focused on urging me to take my medicine..."
"I never imagined that in this vast Hu family, there wasn't a single trustworthy person! My own grand-nephew wants to harm me, and my butler of decades also wants to harm me!"
"Everyone in the Hu family is just waiting for me to die!"
Elder Hu's heart sank into despair, and he spoke with utter grief.
Clearly, the double blow, both physical and psychological, was pushing him to the brink.
Fortunately, Ying Chen spoke up calmly, "It's not that exaggerated. At least your dissolute descendants don't want you dead. They were just begging me earlier to extend your life!"
"As for him..."
Ying Chen looked at the butler in his hand.
"It's not that he truly betrayed you, but rather that he's not in control!"
"Not in control? What do you mean?" Elder Hu blinked in surprise.
Ying Chen didn't explain. Instead, he extended two fingers and lightly pinched above the butler's head.
Like a pair of scissors snipping something, a faint crisp sound echoed in the void.
The next second, the butler seemed to awaken from a trance, looking bewildered. "I... why am I here?"