Swords emerge from the human world

Chapter 76: Crowds of Spectators, Sudden Change of Events
The ancestral home of the Chen family is vast, with crisscrossing mountains and rivers, clusters of buildings, forming a world of its own; it is populated by many people, with continuous fields and numerous streets, making it a very prosperous and bustling place.

The truly core members are the six direct descendants.

Recently, news has spread throughout the ancestral land that Chen Shounian, the head of the sixth branch of the family, has recommended someone to hold an ancestral worship ceremony.

The act of making recommendations is in accordance with ancestral customs and is nothing new.

What's surprising is that Chen Shounian recommended an outsider this time.

Although they share the same surname "Chen", they have diverged over the past century and are now essentially outside the five degrees of kinship, no different from "outsiders".

It's quite strange that he would give up such a valuable opportunity for recommendation.

It's not like they don't have sons; they even have grandsons.

The sixth branch of the family has been gradually declining. At this critical juncture, shouldn't the whole family be working together to sincerely pray for the protection of our ancestors and gods so that good times will come?

It's truly hard to understand why they would even share their destiny with others.

At the same time, everyone was very curious about Chen Jin and inquired about him, quickly uncovering all his secrets.

Because there were already records and other documents, information about Chen Jin was not kept secret. His main resume was presented to the public and could only be described as "ordinary".

The only achievement they could boast about was "being admitted as a child student at the age of sixteen".

However, numerous examples show that a child prodigy may not necessarily become a great adult.

Perhaps it's due to a lack of foundation; perhaps it's bad luck; or perhaps its inherent potential is simply limited...

In short, not many people care about the reasons for failure.

Failure is failure, success is success.

It is a fact that Chen Jin repeatedly failed the imperial examinations, and it is even more true that he finally passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations at the age of thirty-one.

At this age, you can't really say you're old; if you're lucky, you might even have a chance to go further.

However, the chances are extremely slim.

This is determined by one's background.

I've heard that Chen Jin has offended Magistrate Zhao of Mao County, which is a huge hidden danger.

In Gaozhou County, the Chen family could certainly suppress Magistrate Zhao. The question was, what gave the Chen family the right to stand up for Chen Jin and deal with Magistrate Zhao?

It's not worth it at all for a distant relative like this.

If things escalate, it could very well turn into a vicious fight between the two families, with uncontrollable consequences.

Magistrate Zhao served as an official under the jurisdiction of Gaozhou Prefecture, and members of the Chen family also held positions in Xinzhou.

Because of the Great Qian Dynasty's decree, officials were required to be sent to other places and could not stay in their localities. As a result, the sons of the major aristocratic families were scattered in various places, forming a complex and intertwined situation.

This is the "big picture"!
Thinking about the big picture is a fundamental principle for every business leader.

Guided by this idea, not only collateral relatives but even direct relatives could be sacrificed.

What is Chen Jin, a mere "old scholar"?
What exactly did Chen Shounian see in him that made him value him so much and repeatedly help him advance?

Everyone was very curious and rushed to see what Chen Jin looked like.

For a time, the crowds were so large that they formed a dense throng.

……

Today, Chen Jin changed into a blue robe.

The fabric of the clothes is ordinary, the style is ordinary, and the craftsmanship is also ordinary.

This garment was hand-sewn by my aunt, Chen Yangshi.

Aside from food, clothing, shelter, and transportation, Chen Jin has never paid much attention to or been particular about other aspects of life.

His clothes and shoes were simple and unadorned. He wore no jade or gold, emphasizing a single style:
poverty!
As the head of the sixth branch of the family, Chen Shounian was used to seeing things. No matter how many people were watching, he didn't care. He could just observe Chen Jin's performance in secret.

Seeing Chen Jin's composed demeanor and calm manner, one could see that his composure and self-control were truly remarkable.

It should be noted that many members of the Chen clan not only watched, but also whispered and commented, some of which were quite sarcastic and cutting. Their voices disturbed the peace of mind.

Those who cannot bear it will experience panic, tension, fear, and rage.

However, Chen Jin showed no signs of these emotions; he remained calm and composed, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings.

After traversing the long stone path, we climbed the steps and headed towards the ancestral hall.

Before even reaching the hillside, halfway up, a tremendous pressure suddenly arose, as if a mountain peak were pressing down on us.

This made his legs feel as if they were filled with lead, making it extremely difficult for him to walk.

Chen Shounian immediately noticed and asked in a low voice, "Have you cultivated before?"

Chen Jin nodded: "I have learned some Qi cultivation methods."

Chen Shounian was not surprised by this.

In fact, the market and bookstores of all sizes are filled with all kinds of martial arts manuals and qi cultivation methods, most of which are crude handwritten copies and low-grade goods.

However, the price is not low.

To think that one can master unparalleled martial arts simply by buying a secret manual is nothing short of wishful thinking and a waste of effort.

Chen Shounian had already guessed that Chen Jin might have other opportunities and encounters, but since this matter involved personal privacy, he did not inquire further.

In the martial arts world and among ordinary people, the pursuit of "cultivating immortality" is highly regarded and enthusiastically pursued, but for true insiders, it has long been demystified.

During the prosperous era of the Great Qian Dynasty, the immortal path in this world had reached its end, having long lost its power from ancient times, and was thus replaced by the divine path and the human path.

What is popular in the world are mostly unorthodox and unorthodox practices.

They weren't true cultivators; at most, they were just sorcerers.

When the orthodox sects of Taoism retreated into seclusion and the major sects gradually declined, prestigious families and clans became another form of sect.

Numerous scions of prominent families received individualized education, each pursuing their own path. Some focused solely on academics and examinations for official titles; others trained in martial arts to become martial arts champions, or practiced magic and alchemy…

However, with the revival of human morality, the establishment of dynastic rites, the emphasis on literature and suppression of military affairs, the view of official careers as the glorious path, and the continuous crackdown on sorcerers and magicians, the concept of "all other professions are inferior, only studying is superior" gradually took shape.

That's how the status of scholars was elevated.

In order to improve their lives, ordinary people had to support their children and grandchildren to go to school. Due to limited family resources, they had no other choice but to study hard.

In wealthy and powerful families, the children, if well-trained, are generally well-rounded in both literature and martial arts. Those with good natural talent may even cultivate themselves and master various skills and techniques.

The difference between the two is as vast as an insurmountable chasm, and it was destined from the moment of birth.

Chen Shounian was optimistic about Chen Jin, mainly because Chen Jin's performance far surpassed his background and was in no way inferior to that of a direct descendant of a prestigious family.

After all, Chen Shounian had also practiced the art of observing qi and physiognomy, and he trusted his own judgment.

When an outsider, a Qi cultivator, appears within the territory of the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, it immediately awakens the divinity of all the ancestral gods of the Chen Clan, causing their power to manifest, looking down upon, gazing upon, and watching over them from above...

The situation changed drastically in the next moment!

The wind rises and blows swiftly;

Clouds rise, obscuring the sky and the sun.

Upon seeing this, the numerous members of the Chen clan who were watching all changed color, and their gazes toward Chen Jin were suddenly different.

It's no longer the playful, amused mentality of watching the spectacle; it's become serious.

Because they knew very well that not just anyone could disturb the ancestral gods.

This child is definitely extraordinary!
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(End of this chapter)