Chapter - 20

At the very crowded business street in Zhicun city, a small house above the store was now shrouded in bright light. Currently, a young man was standing in a corner, staring blankly outside the window.

The tiny house was adorned with simple decorations. Besides a few tables and chairs in the living room, a small bedroom was partitioned into two. He could hear mumblings coming from the kitchen and could see a lively and adorable girl mumbling about something in the kitchen.

The days when he spent time with their parents repeatedly replayed in his head. The promise he made to his now-dead mother, the effort he put into cultivation. The family fortune he had exhausted to learn alchemy... this scene has repeated in his mind for how knows how many times.

And yet, all that was for nothing...

The young man felt his heartache a bit. He knew if he didn't do something now, he would lose everything he worked hard for.

"Pang!"

The kitchen door abruptly opened, and a small figure charged inside the living room. The figure was holding a large plate in her hands.

"Big brother, let's eat." The cute girl, aged around nine, placed the plate on the table, poured some water into the cups and sat down. The little figure didn't forget to wipe the unseen sweat on her forehead.

Passing the chopsticks, she yelled: "Big brother. Come eat. I have worked so hard on this !!!!"

The young man was speechless.

He said, patting her head: "Little girl, all you did was bring your plate and pour water."

He then sat down and said softly: "Let's eat."

Although he had a smile on his face, his heart was heavy. Yet, he didn't want to show any of this to this little sister. But, looking at his sister's antics, his heart warmed a little, and he ate with relish.

Sometime later, as he watched his little sister in a deep sleep, he took out a small jug from his ring. As the liquor entered his stomach, he felt as if his chest had burned up in flames. The pain in his heart subsided a little. If not for the reason he would wake this girl up, he would have poured alcohol down his throat and drowned himself in it.

Thinking about everything, his eyes reddened a little.

When he first entered the clan with his sister, his status was similar to the guards. However, after bribing many people with the pills, he managed to find himself in a very nice position in this clan.

Not long after joining, he heard from a clansman that all clan members could participate in a secret realm trail as long as he reached mid-level Qi refinement. Then, maybe it was due to blessings from the underworld by his dead parents, he managed to encounter a small cave where an ancient alchemist had left all of his wealth upon death.

The young man managed to find an alchemy inheritance jade with some recipes, techniques, and treasure, which helped him break into Spirit grade alchemist by the trail's end. Little did he know that his misfortune would start from here.

The other disciples and elders soon found out about this, and he was asked to give everything to the clan. But, as cautious as he was, he only submitted the treasure and clearly mentioned that it was the only thing he found.

After several investigations, the elders, although confirmed this, several clan members still believed that this young man was hiding something. Even his breakthrough was brought into question.

In the clan meeting hall, the young man gave a complicated look at two people standing in front of the patriarch now.

A few days ago, they had been severely trashed by another clan member and were on the verge of death. Using the healing techniques he learned from the inheritance, he saved these people's lives. He assumed that no one would find out as the two promised him an oath. But he underestimated the greed of some people.

Why would he do such a thing? Because he was once helped by these two when he had just entered the clan. Also, he was foolish.

As the elders and patriarch discussed, an incredible volatile sound came from outside. The next moment he saw the patriarch deep inside a ditch with severe injuries and a young girl looking at the ground from above.

The two young men who betrayed him were nowhere to be seen. Did they die, or were they injured again? He didn't know at that time.

The young man quietly watched, listening to the explosion; he strode towards his house.

He was then asked to look after a small store in Zhicun city.

While taking another sip from the jug, the young man looked at the sky. 'Is this karma?' he thought to himself.

The following day, he opened his eyes only to be woken up by some commotion.

Isn't that...?

An hour later, he made his way frantically towards a courtyard ignored and feared by everyone in the clan.

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"Brother Long, this is what happened." The young man kneeled on the ground, not daring to look at the person in front of him.

The person was now sitting on a reclining chair, legs stretched out. The devil in his dreams was standing right next to that person.

"So, what exactly do you want from me?". The other person asked.

The young man thought to himself. 'So, this is the Long Chen I keep hearing about?. He doesn't look any special. But why is that girl feared even by the patriarch standing like a servant next to this guy.'

He still spoke nervously: "Brother Long, I need your help". Then, taking out a jade slip from his ring, he placed it on his forehead. He gave it to Long Chen as he continued: "Brother Long, this jade contains all the inheritance information I received in the cave."

Long Chen took the jade slip and looked at it for a while. Then, taking a sip of tea, he slowly spoke to the young girl next to him: "Huian, have you ever heard of a drink called COFFEE?"

Huian replied back, thinking for a period: "No, Young Master."

Long Chen put down his cup and said: "I am sick and tired of drinking tea all day."

Looking at these two people talking without a care in the world, the young man's body trembled.

Long Chen then looked at the kneeling young man and said: "Aren't you tired of kneeling? Why do you cultivators always kneel at every opportunity?"

The young man still insisted on kneeling said: "I will kneel till Brother Long decides to hear me out."

"Fine. Get up then and sit on the chair."

"No., Brother Long."

"Whatever, man. You should know who I am, right? So what makes you think I can help you? Isn't it better to just give whatever you have to the clan?"

"Brother Long, it's not that I don't want to give. But my sister has great talent in alchemy."

"Oookkk? Just swear an oath or whatever that it's all you have. Wouldn't that make things easier?"

"Brother, I am willing to swear that. I only had shared this with my sister. But one of the elders wants to take my little sister as his disciple."

"Can you tell your story in a proper sequence? You are confusing the heck out of me."

"Brother Long, the elder's son, wants to take my little sister as his concubine."

"Go on. I hope you will reach the end soon."

"My sister's only nine, and the elder's son is around fifty."

"Huh? Can't you just run away?"

"Brother Long, where can I run with a little girl who is yet to start cultivation?"

"Although I feel like beating that bastard, I don't know what you are expecting from me. I don't have any status in this clan."

"Brother Long, The jade skip I gave you includes a map on a herb garden. Unfortunately, it's untouched, and I never got a chance to go there."

"Huh? Ok. Answer me truthfully. What's your origin in the Long clan?"

"Brother Long. I am from the branch line. My father is the son of a concubine of a Long clan disciple. But, unfortunately, he only left a token of the Long clan a long time ago, which I had used to join the clan back."

"That's not a branch. It's more like a twig on a branch which is about to fall."

".."

"Ok. So on a scale of one to ten. one being the lowest, how do you rate your problems?"

"Brother... I don't understand... Nine... No .. Ten..."

The young man saw that Long Chen was in deep thought.

Meanwhile...

"System, I found a perfect candidate for you."

"Host, the candidate is unacceptable."

"System, this guy is perfect for you. Parents dead, part of branch clan, little sister, unlucky bastard, deep problems... wait!!!"

He looked at the young man and asked: "Brother, do you by any chance have any fiancee who ditched you?"

The young man was confused but still answered: "No??"

Long Chen sighed and continued his conversation with the system.

"System, I don't see any reason to reject this guy. I found you a host, and you will give me the portal diagram. Isn't this perfect?"

"Host, this system still says no."

"System, you know when my toaster once stopped working, so I hit it a few times, and since then, it never had any problems. Do you want me to try it?"

"Host, this system is built with the most advanced technology available."

"System, then what's the problem?"

"Host, there are heavenly dao laws in play. The issue is his name."

"System, what's with you and other transmigrators always getting into people with the same names? Isn't the mapping based on the best loser there is on both sides?"

"Host, the system is now going to sleep...3...2..1..."

"System, stop right there. My original name is not Long Chen. Didn't you bring me here? What heavenly laws?"

"Host, a name although might be random still falls under the purview of karma. This is the most fundamental protocol implemented in this system. Transmigration is also a part of heavenly dao."

"System, stop bull shiting. What karma? My parents gave me my name full and proper. If that's the case, then according to my original name, shouldn't I be transmigrated to..."

"Host, how do you know that's your original name... or they are your parents.....?"

"System, now you are just messing with me, aren't you?"

"He... He... He"

Long Chen cursed the system in his heart again and again. Then, finally, he looked at the young man and asked, "What's your name?"

The young man replied: "Long Lin."

"Sigh. Brother, Unfortunately, I can't help you. You don't need to kneel for me now."

"Brother Long, I... please forgive me.... but..."

Long Lin, although stopped kneeling, suddenly kowtowed several times. Finally, hitting his head on the floor and saying in a weeping tone: "Brother Long, I don't want to offend you. Please don't misunderstand. I was kneeling and asking senior next to you to take my little sister as her disciple when you walked by and asked me what happened."

"..."

Huian calmly replied: "I have no interest in having any disciples."

Long Chen looked at the young man and said: "Although, I pity your situation. It's between you and her." Saying that, he returned the jade slip and got up to leave. Whatever his opinion was about this, he will not interfere in someone's decision.

The young man was desperate now. He didn't stop hitting his head on the floor.

Huian finally said: ".. but, I can take her as my young master's maid. If she qualifies, then I will consider it."

Long Chen groaned.