klisemfg Chapter 437 Yanzhao Returns Home, Four Generations of Outstanding Individuals in the Wen Family!
Chapter 437 Yanzhao Returns Home, Four Generations of Outstanding Individuals in the Wen Family!
More than three days had passed in the blink of an eye, and Wen Yanzhao had already returned to Lingnan.
In May, the Lingnan region is already sweltering with summer heat.
Wen Yanzhao led his horse across the bluestone path, where the banyan trees with their lush foliage stood out against the white walls and gray tiles.
After turning the corner and walking for another quarter of an hour, Wen Yanzhao finally arrived at the Wen family's door.
The black lacquered gate of the Wen family's old residence stood quietly open, and the four gilded characters "Lingnan Wen Family" on the lintel seemed to have been worn away by time.
He had just stepped across the threshold when he heard a familiar shouting sound coming from the courtyard:
"Oh dear... Zhenzhen, slow down, I'll carry that jar of wine!"
"Warm a pot of wine! I'm only five months pregnant, I'm not made of paper, I can still do this kind of work..."
Looking in the direction of the sound, they saw Aunt Lan Zhenzhen, with her slightly protruding belly, trying to carry a jar of wine from under the eaves.
She wore a batik blue dress, and the silver ornaments on her head were dazzling in the sunlight.
Wen Hu Jiu was in a panic, wanting to take over but afraid of touching her.
"Uncle, Aunt," Wen Yanzhao said with a smile.
The two turned their heads at the same time, and Lan Zhenzhen's eyes lit up: "Oh! Zhao'er is back!"
Wenhu Jiu rushed over in a flash, first looking his nephew up and down. Seeing that he was unharmed, he breathed a sigh of relief and then punched him on the shoulder.
"You brat! It's been over half a year and I haven't heard a word from you. I thought you'd died out there!"
That's what she said, but her eyes were a little red.
Wen Yanzhao neither dodged nor avoided the fist, letting it land on his chest:
"Tch... What are you saying, Uncle? Who in this world can hurt me now?"
Wen Yanzhao's gaze immediately fell on Lan Zhenzhen's belly, and he laughed, "Not bad, Uncle. It seems I'll be getting a cousin soon!"
"How do you know it's a boy?" Lan Zhenzhen raised an eyebrow. "What if it's a girl?"
“The Wen family has been dominated by women for three generations, and it’s time to add a male heir.” Wen Yanzhao said seriously, taking out a small brocade box from his sleeve. “This is a jade unicorn that I obtained from the old emperor in Tianqi City. Consider it a gift for my future brother or sister.”
Lan Zhenzhen took it, opened it, and saw that it was a mutton-fat jade pendant carved into a small Qilin, which felt warm and smooth to the touch.
She smiled and said, "Zhao'er is so thoughtful!"
As the three were talking, a strong voice came from inside: "Is Zhao'er back?"
Wen Yanzhao hurriedly straightened his robes and strode into the main hall.
Wen Lin was sitting in a grand chair drinking tea when he saw his grandson come in. He put down his teacup and looked him up and down.
The old man's hair and beard were all white, but his eyes remained as sharp as an eagle's. He looked at him for a long while before slowly speaking in a gentle tone:
"Hmm...you've lost weight."
Wen Yanzhao's nose tingled, and he knelt down, saying, "Your grandson is unfilial and has worried your grandfather."
"Get up." Wen Lin beckoned. "Come here, let Grandpa take a good look at you."
Wen Yanzhao got up and walked closer. Wen Lin took his hand, carefully looked at his eyebrows and eyes, and felt his pulse. After a while, he said, "Not bad, your inner strength in the Divine Realm is as abundant as the sea... It's a pity that there's not much progress compared to last time. Have you felt like you've hit a bottleneck these days? By the way, have you fought with anyone recently?"
“Grandpa is amazing. He exchanged blows with the old eunuch Zhuoqing in Tianqi and almost scared him to death!” Wen Yanzhao briefly mentioned, then changed the subject, “Grandpa, let me tell you about what happened in the past six months.”
He moved a stool and sat down next to his grandfather, starting with the alchemist in Qiandong City, then recounting how he impersonated an immortal to swindle gold and silver, the defense of Xueyue City, and the rescue of Lu Ting'en in Tianqi City... He described each and every event vividly.
Wen Lin listened, sometimes frowning, sometimes clapping his hands. When he heard that Wen Yanzhao had suddenly appeared in the palace, frightening Zhuo Qing and the old emperor to the point of turning pale, he couldn't help but burst into laughter:
"Good! That's the kind of man the Wen family should be! However—" His smile faded, "next time, don't just barge into the palace alone. After all, there are many of them. I heard from that cowardly General Su Xin that the Imperial Guards number a hundred thousand!"
“Grandpa, don’t worry. I’m not afraid. If it weren’t for Master Gu Chen’s warning that I should not kill unnecessarily, I would have already gone all out and fought a big battle!” Wen Yanzhao said with a smile.
As they were talking, Wen Hujiu and Lan Zhenzhen also came in.
Wen Lin glanced at his daughter-in-law's belly, then, thinking of his grandson Baili Dongjun, asked:
"Where is Dongjun? Why didn't he come back with you?"
“My cousin is now the city lord of Snowmoon City, and he’s so busy he can’t leave at all,” Wen Yanzhao said, taking out the wooden box from his storage space. “This is a gift he asked me to bring to you.”
The box was opened, and Wen Lin examined each item: the Yunnan black tea leaves were dark and lustrous, the silver wine cups were exquisitely crafted, and the medicinal herbs from Yaowang Valley were all sealed in brocade boxes, emitting a fragrant aroma…
The final gift was a jar of wine, sealed with mud and covered with red paper bearing the words "Snow on Cangshan Mountain".
The old man picked up the wine jar, weighed it in his hand, and a warm feeling welled up in his eyes: "This child... has grown up."
As they were talking, Wenhu Jiu came over, sniffed it, and his eyes lit up: "Is this brewed by Dongjun? Quickly open it and try it!"
"What's the rush!" Wen Lin glared at him. "We'll have the family dinner tonight."
Before he could finish speaking, another figure jumped in through the door.
He was a boy who looked to be just over ten years old. He was wearing a dark blue long robe, his hair was tied up in a bun, and he had big, bright eyes.
Upon seeing Wen Yanzhao, he called out in a cheerful voice, "Brother Zhao, you're back!"
"Xiaoxiao." Wen Yanzhao smiled and waved.
Wen Xiaoxiao ran up to him, but first bowed respectfully to Wen Lin, saying, "Grandpa." Then she bowed to Wen Hujiu and his wife, saying, "Uncle, Aunt."
Finally, she turned to Wen Yanzhao, her eyes crinkling into crescents: "Brother Zhao, I heard you made it onto the list of top players!"
"You're quite well-informed." Wen Yanzhao rubbed his head, then suddenly sensed something unusual about the flow of internal energy within him. After a closer inspection, he exclaimed in surprise, "You've been practicing the Thousand Viper Bone-Corroding Technique?"
Wen Xiaoxiao nodded proudly: "I just started learning last month! Grandpa said my talent is even greater than my great-uncle's back then!"
Wenhu Jiu, standing to the side, scoffed, "Keep bragging!"
“It’s true!” Wen Xiaoxiao protested. “Grandpa Bu Ping also said that when I turn fifteen, I can try to refine the ‘Seven Emotions Soul-Stealing Powder’!”
Wen Yanzhao's heart skipped a beat. The Seven Emotions Soul-Stealing Powder was one of the Wen family's secret poisons. It used seven emotions—joy, anger, worry, thought, grief, fear, and shock—as a trigger. The poisoned person would fall into a corresponding state according to the emotions manipulated by the poisoner, eventually reaching the extreme of the emotions and dying in a frenzy!
This poison is extremely difficult to concoct. Not only are the materials hard to obtain, but the person who administers the poison must also have a profound understanding and control over people's emotions.
Wen Xiaoxiao's talent is truly astonishing that she was allowed to cultivate at such a young age.
That evening, the Wen family held a grand family banquet.
Three large tables were set up in the main hall. The main table was occupied by Wen Lin and his wife Wen Hujiu, Wen Yanzhao, and several uncles and elders.
The next table was occupied by the adult members of the second and third generations of the Wen family, while the table below that was for younger generations like Wen Xiaoxiao.
Wen Buping sat at the end of the main table. This chief pharmacist of the Wen family was usually taciturn, but tonight he was radiant and kept raising his glass.
He was already in his forties, and although he had gained some weight, his hands, which were used to concoct poisons, remained as steady as a rock.
"Bu Ping, you don't usually drink much, so drink less!" Wen Lin advised.
"Old Master, I'm so happy!" Wen Buping's voice boomed as he pointed to Wen Xiaoxiao's table—
"Look, at the tender age of twelve, Wen Lie has already entered the Thousand Viper Bone-Corroding Technique; at eighteen, he has already reached the Earth Realm; and Wen Rang has already refined his first batch of 'Bone-Corroding Pills' before he even came of age... My Wen family has now reached the fourth generation, with outstanding talents emerging generation after generation!"
He picked up his wine cup, stood up unsteadily, and said to Wenhujiu, "Hujiu, back when you were seventeen, you had just refined the Bone-Corroding Pill and got your face blasted with dregs, remember?"
The room erupted in laughter. Wen Hujiu's face flushed red: "Wen Buping, you've had too much to drink. Why bring up old stories like that!"
"I'm going to bring it up!" Wen Buping downed his cup in one gulp, his voice filled with heroic spirit. "Now, the Wen family's poison skills are unparalleled in the world! The Tang Clan of Sichuan? Hmph, while they were still playing with mechanisms and hidden weapons, the Wen family's poisons could already kill without leaving a trace! This year, when the Hundred Knowledge Hall ranks the list of the most cunning and unorthodox practitioners, the top spot will definitely belong to the Wen family!"
Everyone raised their glasses in agreement. Although Wen Lin smiled, he whispered to Wen Yanzhao, "Your Uncle Buping is drunk. You and A Lie will help him back to his room to rest later."
Wen Yanzhao nodded: "Grandson understands. Uncle Buping is very happy today. Grandpa, don't worry, we're here for you!"
When the banquet was in full swing, Wen Yanzhao got up and left his seat, walking to Wen Xiaoxiao's table.
The little boy was bragging to some other children his age about his newly learned poison skills when he saw Wen Yanzhao arrive, and he quickly sat up straight.
"Brother Zhao!"
Wen Yanzhao took out three jade bottles from his sleeve and placed them on the table: "Here, these are for you."
Wen Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up, and she picked up a bottle.
The bottle is crystal clear, and the liquid inside flows with seven colors, making it breathtakingly beautiful.
"This is my newly developed 'Crimson Neon' poison. It will cause skin ulceration upon contact and suppuration within three breaths. I will give you the formula and antidote later. However, you must be extremely careful when using it and not let even a drop get on your body!" Wen Yanzhao said with concern, and then patted Wen Xiaoxiao's head.
"Wow! This poison is such a beautiful color, Brother Zhao, what did you add?"
Wen Xiaoxiao carefully held the medicine bottle and exclaimed in amazement.
"But when it was made, seven-colored violets were added. Before dying from the poison, the poisoned person will see extremely beautiful illusions. You know, I, Brother Zhao... still have a bit of a romantic side!"
Wen Yanzhao boasted.
He then pointed to the second bottle: "This bottle contains 'Longing for Love.' Those poisoned will initially be unharmed, but after seven days they will begin to miss the person who poisoned them. The deeper their longing, the more intense their pain, and eventually their heart will rupture and they will die."
This poison…wait, why did I bring this out? No, no, you're still so young, you shouldn't touch this kind of thing yet!
As he spoke, Wen Yanzhao put away the Longing for Love and replaced it with another bottle of poison.
Just as Wen Xiaoxiao was wondering what was going on, she saw Wen Yanzhao take out a third bottle of poison.
The third bottle is the smallest and the simplest.
Wen Yanzhao handed it to Wen Xiaoxiao and said, "This bottle is called 'Return to Dust'. It is odorless and leaves no trace. The poisoned person will not notice it at first, but will weaken and die in an instant if exposed to wind. After death, the body will turn to dust in three quarters of an hour. It is best used to destroy the body and eliminate the evidence."
The boys at the table were stunned, but Wen Xiaoxiao carefully picked up the three bottles, her eyes full of solemnity: "Thank you, Brother Zhao, I will make good use of them!"
"It's not about using, it's about learning." Wen Yanzhao patted her shoulder. "Poison is a tool, people are the foundation. Remember, the Wen family's poison techniques are not static; we must innovate, understand? Only through continuous innovation can our Wen family stand at the pinnacle of the unorthodox path!"
"Xiaoxiao has remembered." Wen Xiaoxiao nodded, her big, clear eyes wide open.
……