Double penetration, starting from being a trader

Western Regions, Xianbao Merchant Guild.

Chen Feng's figure appeared on the teleportation array.

As soon as he appeared, a voice rang out from the side:
"Welcome, Sect Leader Chen, to the Western Regions!"

Chen Feng looked in the direction of the sound and saw Gao Xian standing beside him, bowing with his hands clasped in prayer.

"Fellow Daoist, there's no need to be so polite. We're already acquaintances," Chen Feng replied with a faint smile.

Upon hearing this, Gao Xian was quite surprised and immediately bowed respectfully.
"Sect Leader Chen, may I ask what brings you to the Western Regions this time? I will certainly do my utmost to serve you well."

Gao Xian didn't expect Chen Feng to be so polite to him.

This made him very happy.

Being able to build a good relationship with someone like Chen Feng would be extremely beneficial to his own future.

"It's just a small matter, there's no need to trouble Fellow Daoist Gao."

Chen Feng replied.

Gao Xian bowed again:
"Then please make yourself at home, Sect Leader Chen. You may contact me anytime if you need anything."

Gao Xian is a smart man. If Chen Feng doesn't need his help, it means he doesn't want others to know what he's doing, and Gao Xian won't ask any more questions.

Chen Feng nodded, and then left the Immortal Treasure Merchant Guild alone.

The City of Ten Thousand Demons hasn't changed much compared to ten years ago, except that the number of demons in the city has indeed increased considerably.

Although the Western Regions are still openly inhabited by demons, they have long been secretly controlled by the Xingfeng Sect.

This place is naturally also preparing for the invasion of cultivators from beyond the realm.

Chen Feng did not linger in the City of Ten Thousand Demons; he headed straight for the territory of the Heavenly Fox Clan.

After a half-day journey, Chen Feng successfully arrived at the Heavenly Fox Clan.

Ten years ago, this place was turned into wasteland because of a major war, but after ten years, the trees and buildings have been rebuilt.

The original Heavenly Fox Palace is gone; only Heavenly Fox City remains.

When Chen Feng arrived in Tianhu City.

A pink streak of light flew out from a distance.

The light revealed a charming woman with seven tails.

"Su Wu greets the Sect Master!"

Su Wu bowed and paid her respects to Chen Feng.

Su Wu is now the Demon Lord of the Demon God Palace. After the beaver returned to Xingfeng Sect, she took charge of managing all affairs of the Demon God Palace.

As a result, the Celestial Fox Clan has become a major clan in the Western Regions over the years.

Chen Feng looked at Su Wu and said:

"Get up."

Su Wu quickly stood up and said, "Sect Master, the Heavenly Illusion Pool is ready."

Su Wu had already received news that Chen Feng was going to enter the Heavenly Illusion Pool, and she had been waiting here for several days.

"Okay, let's go." Chen Feng immediately followed Su Wu towards the direction of the Heavenly Illusion Pool.

Chen Feng did not encounter any other demons along the way; Su Wu had already cleared them out, as Chen Feng's secluded cultivation could not be disturbed.

Upon arriving at the secret territory of the Celestial Fox Clan, Chen Feng once again saw that pool of blood.

Various illusions appeared above the pool of blood.

Su Wu looked at Chen Feng and said:

"Sect Master, are you really going in? With your talent, even if you don't enter the Heavenly Illusion Pool, you will definitely be able to reach the Nascent Soul stage in a hundred years. There is no need to risk entering the Heavenly Illusion Pool."

Su Wu was well aware of the risks of the Heavenly Illusion Pool; cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage who entered might not be able to come out.

In her opinion, Chen Feng had no need to go in, given his talent.

Chen Feng looked at the Heavenly Illusion Pool and said:
“I don’t have that much time. Once I’m in, you’ll seal off this place.”

A hundred years is just a period of seclusion for other cultivators, but Chen Feng can't wait that long.

Leaving aside the world in the painting, cultivators could come from the spatial rift on Earth at any time.

Only by improving our own strength can we cope with the impending dangers.

Upon hearing this, Su Wu did not offer any further advice, but instead bowed respectfully.
"Please rest assured, Sect Master. Steward Liu has already instructed me that this place will be sealed off after you enter. At the same time, twenty space-based weapons will hover over this area. Anyone who steps into the area within a hundred miles will be killed."

Chen Feng nodded without saying anything more, and then walked into the Heavenly Illusion Pool.

As soon as Chen Feng entered the Heavenly Illusion Pool, he was enveloped by the surrounding mist.

Su Wu, who was outside the Heavenly Illusion Pool, could no longer see Chen Feng.

Su Wu did not linger any longer and left the Heavenly Illusion Pool.

After Su Wu left, countless arrays lit up within a radius of hundreds of miles around the Heavenly Illusion Pool.

At the same time, all twenty space-based weapons located in orbit were put into launch-ready status.

No one knows about the changes here.

Even within the Xingfeng Sect, only a few high-ranking members knew about Chen Feng's seclusion.

"Chen Feng, recite this text!"

On the podium, a man wearing glasses and holding a textbook spoke to a boy slumped over a table below.

The boy opened his eyes immediately upon hearing the sound, and then stood up in a state of fear and trepidation.

"Didn't you hear me tell you to recite the text?" The stern voice rang out again.

The boy stammered:
"Teacher, I forgot."

Many people in the classroom laughed when they heard this.

The teacher immediately said in a cold voice:

"Go stand at the door."

The boy dared not argue, and immediately walked out of the classroom and stood obediently with his back against the wall.

Soon, the sound of students reading aloud filled the classroom.

Looking at the campus environment outside, Chen Feng's face showed a look of confusion:

"Why do I feel like I slept for a long time? Is it because I've been playing games too late at night lately and I'm too tired?"

Chen Feng stopped thinking about it and stood obediently at the classroom door.

It wasn't until the bell rang and noise filled the air that Old Chen Feng snapped out of his daze.

The teacher then walked out of the classroom and looked at Chen Feng, saying:

"Come to my office."

Upon hearing this, Chen Feng immediately followed.

Walking down the street, a classmate patted Chen Feng on the shoulder and whispered:

"Chen Feng, don't worry. Teacher Wang will only scold you a few times. Just listen to him."

Chen Feng suddenly asked, "Yang Jun, what's the date today?"

Yang Jun was his deskmate and arguably his best friend in high school. The two often went to internet cafes to play games together.

Yang Jun, upon hearing Chen Feng's question, replied in surprise:

"Today is the 8th, and we have a holiday tomorrow. How could you forget that?"

"What year?" Chen Feng asked again.

Yang Jun looked at Chen Feng with a strange expression: "I'm asking you, did you sleep through class and get all confused? It's 08, the Olympics are coming up soon."

Upon hearing this, Chen Feng's confused eyes immediately cleared, and he asked in bewilderment:
"This illusion is not right."

As soon as Chen Feng finished speaking, everything around him began to shatter.

Yang Jun, who was standing in front of him, also shattered like glass.

Chen Feng then realized that he was sitting cross-legged in the water of the Heavenly Illusion Pool, which was already submerged in water.

"Isn't it said that the Heavenly Illusion Pool can create a perfect illusion? Why is this happening?"

Chen Feng looked puzzled.

The illusion he just experienced was indeed very realistic, almost exactly the same as when he was a freshman in high school, but the time was completely out of sync.

He was still in elementary school in 08 and didn't go to high school at all.

So when he heard Yang Jun mention the year, he immediately woke up.

"Could it be that the illusion cannot recreate the scene of my modern world?" Chen Feng couldn't help but wonder.

The illusions that others experience when entering the Heavenly Illusion Pool are all illusions from the Scroll World side.

However, he is an Earthling, and the illusion he experiences reflects Earth's living environment. The inability to recreate this means that the Heavenly Illusion Pool cannot construct a scene depicting him in the modern world.

"It's just a matter of timing; everything else is quite accurate." Returning to his high school days, Chen Feng had a different feeling.

He thought for a moment and then stopped sitting cross-legged. Instead, he lay down in the pool and let the water completely submerge him.

To be on the safe side, Chen Feng even chose to seal his cultivation and divine sense.

If he continues to wake up in the illusion, then the Heavenly Illusion Pool will lose its function.

Only by immersing oneself in the illusion can one elevate their state of mind.

Time is running out for him; the inner demon tribulation will arrive within six months of suppression.

If his mental state is not good enough by then, he will not be able to overcome this inner demon tribulation.

As the icy pool water enveloped his entire body, Chen Feng's consciousness began to blur.

In a small mountain village, the sound of a baby crying rang out.

"It's born! It's born! The Chen family has an heir!"

In a house somewhere in the village, a burly man stared excitedly at the tightly closed door and shouted.

A short while later, the midwife came out carrying a baby:
"It's a boy, boss, you can give him a name."

The burly man was overjoyed and quickly took the child. Then, looking at the large tree swaying in the wind outside the village, he thought for a moment and said:

“We poor folks haven’t had much education, so let’s just call him Chen Feng.”

The midwife smiled and said, "Not bad, I think this name is quite good."

The big man then took out several copper coins from his body;

"Thank you so much, Grandma Liu. This is my reward."

The midwife took the coin and said with a smile:
"The young lady has just given birth, don't forget to help her recover."

"Alright." The big man immediately carried the baby into the room.

Time flies, the years are like a shuttle.

Three years have passed in the blink of an eye, and Chen's little boy in Qingniu Village is already three years old.

Other children don't start speaking until they're three, but Chen's child could speak when he was just over one year old.

This led many people in Qingniu Village to believe that the Chen family's child was a prodigy.

Inside the Chen family's house.

A family of three is having dinner.

Dressed in linen clothes, Chen's mother looked at Chen's father and said:

"Honey, Feng'er is already three years old. Shouldn't we send him to a private school?"

Mr. Chen picked up some pickled vegetables from the plate with his chopsticks and said:

“The village’s private school won’t do. I’ve already contacted the county, and I’ll send him to a private school there in a few days.”

"Oh, the county? That must cost a lot of money." Chen's mother was very surprised.

"It's alright. I'll work as a farmhand for the Liu family in the county in the second half of the year. The wages will be enough for the kids to go to school."

Chen's mother's eyes immediately reddened: "Honey, you've worked so hard."

Mr. Chen said nonchalantly, "Our Feng'er is so smart, he's clearly a natural scholar. We can't let him suffer, no matter how tough things get."

Sitting opposite the two, Chen Feng spoke softly:
"Father and Mother, I will definitely make sure you live a good life in the future."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Chen immediately burst into laughter:

"Look how smart our Feng'er is, he's sure to amount to something in the future!"

Three days later, Chen's father drove an oxcart with his three-year-old son, Chen Feng, to the county.

Before parting, Chen's mother handed a bundle of dry rations to Chen's father:

"Here's some dry rations. Be careful on the road."

Mr. Chen took the bundle and said:

"Don't worry, just stay home and keep an eye on things."

Chen's mother then instructed Chen Feng, "Feng'er, you must listen to your father and study hard at the private school. When you come back, your mother will kill a chicken for you to eat."

Upon hearing that he could eat chicken, Xiao Chenfeng immediately smiled and said, "Mom, I will definitely study hard."

On that day, Chen's mother cried her eyes out as she saw Chen Feng and Chen's father off.

Although three-year-old Chen Feng didn't understand, he was still quite sad.

In the blink of an eye, ten years have passed.

Chen Feng is already thirteen years old.

He also grew from a child into a handsome young man.

When Chen Feng was six years old, he returned to Qingniu Village from the county.

In this era, most people would go home and study on their own after finishing their private tutoring.

Only wealthy people can afford to hire private tutors for their children.

During those ten years, Chen Feng studied while helping his family with farm work.

Mr. and Mrs. Chen are no longer young, and their faces are covered with many wrinkles.

"Feng'er, the children's examination is tomorrow. Are you confident?"

That day, Chen's father returned home after finishing his work and found Chen Feng reading in his room. He asked him a question.

A determined look appeared on Chen Feng's youthful face;

"Father, don't worry, I will definitely not let you down!"

"My Feng'er is so smart, he'll definitely pass the imperial examination and become a scholar!"

Mr. Chen's face was full of kindness.

Chen Feng has become a celebrity in Qingniu Village, and he is the only one in the entire village who has a talent for studying.

Another year has passed.

Chen Feng went to the county to participate in the children's examination along with people from other villages.

The imperial examination system in this world is divided into four stages: the preliminary examination, the provincial examination, the metropolitan examination, and the palace examination.

Passing the preliminary examination makes one a scholar, a true scholar in the real sense, and can exempt one's family from taxes.

Three months have passed quickly, and today is the day the results of the children's examination are released.

Chen Feng's name appeared prominently on the list.

When the news reached Qingniu Village, the entire village was alarmed.

It was a big deal for a village to produce a scholar.

Even if Chen Feng doesn't make any further progress, he can still open a private school in the village to teach children.

Many families came to the Chen family to offer their congratulations, and numerous matchmakers came to propose marriage, but Chen's father rejected all of them.

"My son Feng'er is destined to become a scholar in the imperial examinations. Right now, studying is the most important thing."

Chen's father had high expectations for Chen Feng, so naturally he looked down on the people in the surrounding villages.

Mr. Chen was very happy today and held a banquet at home to entertain the neighbors in the village.

After Chen Feng passed the imperial examination and became a scholar, his father stopped him from working in the fields.

He was only allowed to study in his room every day, in preparation for the provincial examination several years later.

In the blink of an eye, another three years have passed.

Chen Feng had become a sixteen-year-old scholar. He was very different from the ordinary children in the village, with fair skin and delicate features.

In recent years, more and more people have come to the Chen family to propose marriage.

But Chen's father rejected them almost all of them.

This year also marks the start of the provincial examinations. Passing the provincial examinations makes one a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial examinations), and becoming a Juren is equivalent to changing one's destiny in this world.

"Feng'er, don't put too much pressure on yourself this time for the provincial examination. Even if you don't pass, you can still open a private school in the village."

Chen's father and mother saw Chen Feng off at the village entrance.

Both of them looked at Chen Feng with loving eyes.

Chen Feng bowed to his father and mother:
"Father and Mother, don't worry, your son will not let you down."

"Okay, let's go." Chen's father stuffed a bag of loose silver into Chen Feng's arms and patted him on the shoulder.

After bidding farewell to his parents, Chen Feng set off alone along the country path. (End of Chapter)