Eternal Life from the Golden Needle Technique

Chapter 307: Chapter 304: Challenge Match

Regret was useless now.

There’s no medicine for regret in this world.

All the Shen Family Ancestor could do now was try his best to mend the rift between the young man and the Shen Family.

”Changchuan, how are you faring in the Dragon Cloud Sect? With your current aptitude, Master Wandering Dragon, the Sect Leader, must surely value you.”

The Shen Family Ancestor casually started a conversation, making small talk.

”I’m doing well. Master does indeed value me; he has already accepted me as his Direct Disciple.”

”Oh? That actually happened?”

”You’ve been far too modest. You must choose a gift later. Consider it a congratulatory present from the family for becoming his disciple...”

After a few simple questions to understand the situation,

and a moment of small talk,

the Shen Family Ancestor didn’t press the matter. It was enough to use this opportunity to close the distance between them a little.

Anything in excess is a vice, after all.

”Regarding the matter of Shen Zhengming’s attack on you, we confiscated his assets, which amounted to seventy thousand Spirit Stones. I was going to add eighty thousand of my own to make it a round one hundred fifty thousand, which you could use to exchange for Cultivation Resources from the family.”

”However, I didn’t expect you to have already advanced to the Soul Emergence Realm. The Heavenly and Earthly Treasures I had originally chosen as your compensation are likely of little use to you now.”

”After thinking it over, I decided it’s best if you choose for yourself.”

As he spoke,

the Shen Family Ancestor handed a list to Shen Changchuan.

”This... Ancestor, there is no need for this.”

”What happened with Shen Zhengming was a personal grudge between him and me. The seventy thousand Spirit Stones from his confiscated assets are more than enough. You shouldn’t have to spend your own, Ancestor.”

Shen Changchuan took the list,

but instead of immediately reading it, he hesitated for a moment before speaking.

Although Shen Changchuan was currently in dire need of Cultivation Resources.

The Spirit Stones in his possession had been completely used up while practicing Tier Two Magic earlier.

For his daily Cultivation, he had to rely on meditating and absorbing the free-roaming Spiritual Qi between heaven and earth.

As a result, his Magical Power Realm was advancing at a snail’s pace.

But Shen Changchuan was, at his core, someone who clearly distinguished between gratitude and grudges.

What did Shen Zhengming’s attack have to do with the Ancestor? Why should he have to pay eighty thousand Spirit Stones as compensation?

Shen Changchuan shook his head.

”What expense? Just take it.”

”There are my own reasons for compensating you out of my own pocket.”

”The matter with Shen Zhengming is my failure in discipline, for allowing such scum to emerge from our family.”

”More importantly, I am not powerful enough to take down the true culprit behind it all.”

”All I can do is offer you some Spirit Stones and resources as a form of apology.”

The Shen Family Ancestor sighed.

Shen Changchuan fell silent.

He knew who the Ancestor was talking about.

First Wife Zhou Yi!

The mastermind behind Shen Zhengming’s assassination attempt!

Sending someone to assassinate a talented member of the same clan... if it had been anyone else, the Shen Family Ancestor would have surely torn them to shreds!

But he couldn’t do that to First Wife Zhou Yi.

Her background was simply too formidable.

Even the Ancestor couldn’t act rashly against her.

Therefore,

the eighty thousand Spirit Stones he was offering

were compensation for this injustice.

”In life, many things are beyond our control.”

”There are always entanglements of all sorts. I hope you can understand.”

”You deserve these eighty thousand Spirit Stones.”

The Shen Family Ancestor sighed again.

As a Divine Travel Realm expert, no one in the Tian Nan Shen Clan dared to defy him, and within the Tian Nan Small Domain, he was one of the top powerhouses in the Immortal Cultivation Realm.

But his influence was limited to the Tian Nan Domain.

In the vaster Immortal Cultivation Realm, he was ultimately just a slightly larger ant.

Hearing this,

Shen Changchuan also let out a long sigh.

He knew this feeling all too well from when he was weaker.

But what could be done about it?

The weak have no freedom.

This was precisely why he cultivated so diligently, seeking to climb to higher Realms.

It wasn’t about achieving absolute freedom,

but at least it could lessen the world’s shackles upon him.

”Then... thank you for your kindness, Ancestor.”

After a moment of silence, Shen Changchuan spoke.

He accepted the Shen Family Ancestor’s goodwill.

His gaze then fell upon the list before him.

Line after line,

column after column, listed Cultivation Resources—

all suitable for a Soul Emergence Realm Cultivator’s advancement.

And Shen Changchuan’s pupils,

contracted sharply at that moment!

’These Cultivation Resources...’

His heart

began to pound violently!

...

「In the reception hall of the Shen Family Mansion.」

The slightly plump Shen Clan Leader, Shen Fuxing, was seated in the main seat.

Below him, Zhou Lingyun sat, speaking with great eloquence.

”Clan Leader Shen, I’ll have to trouble you to arrange this matter!”

”I trust the Shen Family won’t mind, will they?”

Zhou Lingyun’s words sounded like a question,

but the disdain in his eyes for Shen Fuxing, who sat in the head seat, was unmistakable.

He didn’t even address him as ’uncle-in-law,’

making his inner thoughts all too clear.

”Hahaha! It is the Shen Family’s honor to witness the methods of an Upper Immortal from the Central State.”

”How could we possibly mind?”

”This is a rare opportunity to broaden our horizons!”

”In the end, the Shen Family will have to thank you for your guidance, Lingyun!”

Shen Fuxing said with a hearty laugh,

seeming completely oblivious to the trace of contempt in Zhou Lingyun’s demeanor.

”It is for the best that Clan Leader Shen thinks this way.”

”You people were born in such a barren wasteland of Immortal Cultivation, so your knowledge is limited. It is only for my aunt’s sake that I, Zhou Lingyun, have come to offer you some pointers.”

”This is the only chance you will have in your entire lives to come into contact with the higher-level Techniques of the Central State Immortal Cultivation World.”

”This is your good fortune!”

Zhou Lingyun’s expression was one of pure arrogance.

He readily accepted Shen Fuxing’s flattery.

”Then I will trouble Clan Leader Shen to handle the arrangements. Let the exchange conference begin in three days!”

”I assume no one would refuse such a good thing, right?”

”Of course not. Young Master Zhou can rest assured.”

Shen Fuxing guaranteed cheerfully,

looking as if to say, ’Just leave everything to me.’

After that, Zhou Lingyun didn’t bother with any more pleasantries and directly took his leave, exiting the main hall.

A long moment later,

the affable, beaming smile on Shen Fuxing’s chubby face gradually faded. His gaze grew incomparably profound, his thoughts unreadable.

”My Lord, I’m afraid that boy’s actions are ill-intentioned!”

Just then,

a worried voice emerged from the shadows behind him.

”That’s to be expected.”

”This so-called ’exchange battle’ is most likely to vent his aunt’s anger and put on a show for her, while also trampling the Shen Family’s reputation underfoot to satisfy his own desire to show off.”

”Young people always enjoy the roar of an adoring crowd...”

Shen Fuxing said faintly.

With a single glance,

he had seen right through the arrogant young man’s intentions.

”In that case... My Lord, should we pull some strings?”

the person in the shadows asked hesitantly.

”No need.”

”If the Shen Family loses face, what does that have to do with me?”

”Haven’t I long since lost any good reputation I had outside?”

”A crackdown would be good. It’s a great chance to suppress the arrogant thoughts of certain people. Otherwise, they’ll just keep spending all their time coveting the Clan Leader’s position. This will save me a lot of trouble.”