The Chen family residence, known as the Chen Manor, was established centuries ago when the city of Biluocheng was first built and the Chen family head became the city lord. Though situated in the city center, the manor spans nearly 100 acres, equivalent to seven or eight large football fields in Chen Ming's previous life. It could be said that almost a third of the city center belonged to the Chen family.
The Chen Manor was originally a result of the founding family head abusing his power for personal gain. However, due to the few Chen family members, managing such a large estate proved challenging and prone to issues. Subsequent family heads gradually modified the estate, partitioning off streets and renting them out. Yet even after these adjustments, the remaining estate was still disproportionately large for the family's population, allowing them to construct various mimicry training grounds.
Moreover, after centuries of management, the estate had been reinforced and maintained dozens of times. It was more of a fortress than a manor, standing firm and defensible within the city. Inside, there was even a small market.
The estate housed over a thousand women, children, and servants. It contained an arsenal of spears, swords, bows, crossbows, and armor, along with labyrinthine underground tunnels that extended to various parts of the city. It had an independent water source, small farming plots for cultivation, and granaries stocked with supplies. The family also raised poultry and warhorses.
Every city lord of Biluocheng found the Chen family a constant headache. Outsiders passing by often mistook the Chen family estate for a city within a city. This was one reason why so many factions wanted to take a piece of the Chen family but didn't dare to make a move.
This situation was unique to a remote and rugged place like Biluocheng. If the Chen family were located in a major city and lacked a powerful figure such as a Titled Douluo, they would have long been eradicated and their property confiscated.
Chen Ming's second uncle carried him through the Chen Manor, following his grandfather, Chen Shijie, through a maze of twists and turns, passing numerous mechanisms and secret doors before arriving at an underground chamber. The chamber, clearly used for confidential discussions, was furnished with rows of tables and chairs made from dark wood.
Oil lamps hung on the walls of the chamber, crafted from the oil of deep-sea whale soul beasts. These lamps burned smokelessly and odorlessly, lasting an extraordinarily long time. The Chen family had hardly needed to replenish the oil for centuries. When Chen Ming was younger, he thought the lamps used whale gel and felt heartache over it for a long time, only to later learn that wasn't the case.
After lighting all the lamps, Chen Shijie took the main seat in the chamber and gestured for his second son, Chen Tianyun, and Chen Ming to sit on either side of him.
As Chen Ming habitually moved to sit on his grandfather's right, his second uncle reached out to stop him, guiding him to the seat on Chen Shijie's left instead and taking the right-hand seat himself.
Though the Douluo Continent lacked many of the traditions Chen Ming knew from his previous life, there were surprising parallels between the two worlds. For example, the left side was considered the seat of honor here as well. With Chen Ming's status and generation, he usually only sat on the right because no one else claimed it. Sitting on the left was unheard of.
Chen Shijie noticed his second son's actions with some confusion but seemed to grasp part of his reasoning. Without stopping him, he nodded slightly, permitting Chen Ming to take the seat.
"Father, Xiao Ming's martial soul awakening today was… exceptionally successful!"
"He awakened the Emerald Scorpion with innate soul power of level five."
Chen Tianyun didn't waste time on irrelevant details and went straight to the point. When Chen Shijie heard that Chen Ming had awakened with the innate soul power of level five, his expression froze for a moment before transforming into unrestrained joy.
"Innate level five? Could this be a turning point for our family?"
"A turning point? But… isn't level five not particularly high?" Chen Ming couldn't understand why his grandfather was so excited.
Sure, the Chen family's innate soul power levels had always been an issue, but he hadn't awakened with full innate soul power. Was there a need for such excitement?
"Xiao Ming, you don't understand. What you see and know is just the surface. The Chen family's deeper issues are something you've been unaware of," Chen Shijie said with a wave of his hand. His earlier excitement faded, replaced by a somber expression.
"Typically, we wait until a family member reaches adulthood to reveal this secret. But you're naturally intelligent and have awakened with innate level-five soul power, so we must tell you now."
"You know that our Chen family originally rose to nobility through military achievements, correct?"
"Our ancestor, Chen Ergou, came from an ordinary family but was fortunate enough to awaken the Emerald Scorpion, a mutated martial soul, along with an impressive innate soul power of level seven."
"At the time, the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire were engaged in localized wars. After becoming a Soul Elder, our ancestor joined the military for training. Twenty years later, when the war ended, he had become a Soul King and was rewarded with the hereditary title of earl for his extensive military achievements."
"That much is common knowledge within the family, but there's a hidden truth behind this story that few know."
"After the war ended, due to saving certain noble individuals on the battlefield, our ancestor was invited to the royal treasury during the reward ceremony and permitted to select treasures rarely seen by the public."
"During that selection, he discovered an artifact that, for poison-element soul masters, was as valuable as a ten-thousand-year soul bone—perhaps even more so."
"What artifact?" Upon hearing about a treasure, Chen Ming's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but ask.
"It was a seed of the Jade Phosphorous Flower of the Seven Absolutes," Chen Shijie replied, stroking his beard before explaining further, sensing Chen Ming might not know what it was.
"The Jade Phosphorous Flower of the Seven Absolutes is an extraordinarily rare and potent poison—a plant-based soul beast of unparalleled toxicity. Among plants, there's nothing with a deadlier poison. Even among beast soul beasts, only a few legendary ones could surpass it."
"This plant is incredibly rare, equivalent to the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear among ordinary soul beasts, perhaps even slightly superior."
"Its poison can effortlessly corrode metal and dissolve soul beasts, far surpassing the top Five Poisons Martial Soul in potency."
"Though our family's Emerald Scorpion is a beast-type martial soul and not entirely compatible with the Jade Phosphorous Flower of the Seven Absolutes, the flower's quality is so exceptional that even with reduced synergy, its effects would surpass most other soul beasts. Even a soul ring from a Jade Phosphorous Flower of the Seven Absolutes that has just reached a hundred years would outperform over ninety-nine percent of thousand-year soul rings. If its poison could be fully absorbed, the quality of the Emerald Scorpion martial soul might even rival the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."