Chen Chen dismounted the horse magnanimously and walked up to his parents. Smiling, he said, "Dad, mom, I have destroyed the Wang family. The matter of Wang Hu claiming military merits that aren't his has also been solved by the county magistrate. From now on, we, the Chens, will take charge of the Wangs' properties and farmlands."
"What?!"
Before Chen Shan and Qin Rou could say anything, the old village chief exclaimed in surprise.
"Nothing much, it's only about 50 hectares of farmlands and a dozen shops. It's not a big deal, is it? It's not really worth mentioning," Chen Chen smiled placidly, looking casual and composed.
He was an expert at posing. After all, he had seen lots of rich men posing in his previous life, phrases like "small goals,""quite a big deal,""face-blind,""ordinary people,""regret-founding," (Note: terms often spoken by successful Chinese businessmen) and so on at the tips of his fingertips after having been exposed to them for so long.
"No big deal..." The village chief nearly threw up blood upon hearing this. The total area of land farmed by more than twenty families in Stone Village only added up to about 15 hectares.
Moreover, in the past years, those 15 hectares of farmland would suffice for the entire village, even after the deduction of farm rent.
But now, Chen Chen had gotten ahold of a dozen shops and around 50 hectares of good lands at once, and it was no big deal?
Chen Chen smiled without saying a word.
Having seen the immense wealth inside the secret chamber, the Wangs' assets were indeed no big deal.
In fact, apart from the Wangs' assets, he had also seized half of the Zhao's assets.
The Zhaos were tremendously powerful in their finances. Even that mere half of their assets were more abundant than the 50 hectares and the dozen shops that the Wangs owned.
"Chen, you didn't get injured, did you?" Qin Rou wasn't bothered by the assets that Chen Chen had mentioned. Instead, she looked her son up and down with a thorough glance, only beginning to smile when she saw that her son was perfectly unscathed.
"What could happen to me? I'm an fairy now."
As he spoke, Chen Chen stuck out his palm and a flame leaped out from his palm, which frightened the village chief so much that he nearly knelt down.
"I never thought an immortal would ever come from our Stone Village… Please bless us, ancestors!
"Let's call it Immortal Village from now..."
The village chief mumbled under his breath in a dumbfounded manner, but the looks in Chen Shan and Qin Rou's eyes turned complicated as they looked at Chen Chen.
"Haha! Why are you looking at me like that? I'm still your son despite being an immortal, do you think I'll fight back if you hit me?"
Chen Chen withdrew the flame and grinned.
"Chen, are you leaving soon? I've never heard of any immortals who have stayed in a small village," Qin Rou asked in a soft voice, her eyes filled with sadness and reluctance.
Chen Shan, on the other hand, was wearing a serious look, pondering something.
Chen Chen's expression turned solemn when he saw the looks on their faces. He had to tell his parents about his plans on going for cultivation sooner or later, so he might as well be honest with them now.
"Yes, I have to arrive at the Ji State City by the first of August. Counting down the days, I'll have to set off about six or seven days from now."
The Ji State City was the capital of the state. Chen Chen had no idea where it was, but according to Zhang Ji, it would take at least ten days to travel from Shichuan County to the Ji State City, even by horse carriage. Hence, he had to begin the journey around the 20th of July.
Upon hearing this, Qin Rou seemed to have something to say, but she bit her tongue.
Beside her, Chen Shan heaved a deep sigh. "It's good to go out there and see the world. I went out to serve the military for a few years too, didn't I? The outside world really isn't something that Shichuan County can compare to. The people out there are way smarter than people in small counties. Chen, while you're outside, always remember, never let your guard down for anyone."
Chen Chen nodded at that.
However, he felt absolutely confident inside.
Could the people out there be so brilliant that they could rival a time-traveler like him, who had been edified by modern civilization?
Ha! It was the people out there who shouldn't let their guards down. Otherwise, they would suffer the cruelty of society.
"Alright, dad, mom! I'm not leaving right now, am I? Don't be in a hurry to feel sad right now. The most important thing at the moment is to pack our things, so we can move to the county town."
As he spoke, Chen Chen did not bother with his parents' response, holding their hands and running back home.
...
Upon returning home, he was greeted by the broken windows of the earth house. Chen Chen did not find it shabby. Rather, he felt warm and welcomed.
His parents were packing things inside the house when Chen Chen came to the pig pen secretively.
"Oink! Oink!"
Lao Hei had become more and more like a dog somehow. Upon sensing Chen Chen's movements, he rolled to his side and stood up in the pen. Not only was he squealing, he was also wagging his little curly tail.
Chen Chen walked up to the pen and patted Lao Hei on the head. As usual, Lao Hei responded with a satisfied look.
Seeing this, Chen Chen teased him, "Lao Hei, we will be moving houses soon. To celebrate this major event, we have invited all the villagers to a meal. How about contributing your fat flesh?"
Oink! Oink!
Lao Hei squealed a couple of times and trod to the innermost part of the pen. As he walked, he turned around to cast a glance at Chen Chen, looking like a warrior that had been forced to join the frontline. His somberness couldn't be overstated.
Finally, Lao Hei trod to the corner of the pen, and slowly lay down on his stomach after releasing a long sigh. He blinked a few times, looking extremely pathetic.
"Enough, I was just fooling you," Chen Chen couldn't help but laugh.
Lying there, Lao Hei seemed to have understood Chen Chen's words. He sprang up at once, hurrying over to Chen Chen obediently.
Seeing this, Chen Chen questioned in his mind, 'Is there any living thing in the nearest 15 meters that can eat that inner elixir?'
"Yes, there is. It is the slightly mutated pig in front of you, host."
Upon hearing the system's response, Chen Chen took out the inner elixir and placed it in front of Lao Hei.
Lao Hei was a loyal pig. Even if he became humanized, he wouldn't harm his family, would he?
As the thought occurred to him, he looked towards Lao Hei very solemnly.
"Lao Hei, I'm giving you a chance. After eating this inner elixir, you will be endowed with a whole different life. Perhaps you will lose this carefree life that you've been living… You might start experiencing lots of sorrow and worries.
"Nonetheless, from now on, you will possess power that far surpasses that of ordinary pigs…"
Oink!
Before Chen Chen could finish his words, Lao Hei shrank back into the corner. His eyes were filled with inexplicable shock and horror, even more intense than before.
As he stared at the inner elixir, ir seemed as though he was looking at a poison that would kill him at the first sip.
Upon seeing this, Chen Chen's face turned extremely gloomy.
D*mn it, he forgot how much Lao Hei relished and longed for a life of just idling around and killing time.
If he had known it earlier, he would have made Lao Hei drink it straight away. What were all those explanations for?
"Lao Hei, remember you're a pig with dreams!" Chen Chen uttered angrily, hopping into the pig pen.
However, Lao Hei ignored him completely, turning his head to the corner of the wall, his buttocks facing Chen Chen.
"Lao Hei, I was lying to you. What I have in my hand is some delicious pig food that I brought from the county town just for you."
Lao Hei still didn't respond.
"It's really tasty!"
Lao Hei wagged his tail, communicating his refusal.
Chen Chen was speechless. This pig was smarter than Zhang Ji!
In the midst of his desperation, an idea hit him. He had no choice but to shout out, "Lao Hei, the sow next door has escaped her pen!"
Upon hearing this, Lao Hei turned his head around subconsciously.
Seizing the opportunity, Chen Chen moved nimbly and stuffed the inner elixir into Lao Hei's mouth.
Lao Hei's eyes were filled with despair. They showed an endless longing for an idle, carefree life without purpose.
Before he could spit it out, Chen Chen lifted his chin. Lao Hei's throat rolled for a while, gulping down the elixir naturally.
Chen Chen loosened his grip when he saw that all of it was consumed.
Lao Hei stood there in a crestfallen state, as if he had lost his most valuable possession.
Chen Chen sneered upon seeing the look on his face.
"I have to work hard for cultivation, while you're thinking of wasting your life, killing time like that? No way!"