Transcending two realms to become an earth immortal

As soon as Butler Wu finished speaking, Uncle Fang was stunned on the spot.

Fang Chen was struck dumb, his expression frozen, as if he had not yet recovered from the sudden change.

A moment later, tears welled up in his eyes, his lips trembled silently, as if he was overwhelmed with grief. He stood there motionless, as if his soul had left his body.

Anyone who witnessed this scene would surely praise the utmost filial piety and affection.

"Alas, this unexpected tragedy is truly unforeseen. Young master, please accept my condolences..."

Butler Wu sighed softly, thinking to himself:

Anyone with eyes can see that although the head of the family seems to dote on this son, he is actually spoiling him and neglecting him. He rarely visits him when he is sick... His heart is hard to fathom.

Whether this child is foolish and ignorant, or simply kind-hearted by nature, his grief at this moment is truly moving.

He glanced at the equally shocked butler, Fang, and advised:

"Young Master had only recently recovered from his illness when this great misfortune struck. The clan elders are deeply worried. We hope the steward will take good care of him and prevent any problems from arising, otherwise we will have failed the clan head..."

"That's only right." Butler Fang forced a smile, as if he had just recovered from the unexpected turn of events.

"Then I'll trouble you. Take the young master to change his clothes..." Butler Wu's voice grew softer, "to see the head of the family... one last time."

After saying this, he seemed reluctant to say more and left in a hurry.

Watching his retreating figure, Butler Fang's heart was filled with turmoil.

Fang Yuanming really did die overnight...

Could it really be the young master's doing?

Whether by divine revelation or awakening of innate wisdom, one can reach this point in a single day.

But the young master's shocked and grief-stricken appearance just now seemed completely genuine. Could it be that he has misunderstood something?

Butler Fang felt his thoughts were in turmoil and he couldn't make sense of them.

Just as I was in a daze, I felt a light tap on my shoulder.

Turning around abruptly, she saw that Fang Chen had already stood up, his expression calm and composed. If it weren't for the tear stains on his face, one could not see any trace of sorrow.

"Young Master, you..." Butler Fang was speechless with astonishment.

Just now, clearly, it wasn't...

"Oh, I was faking it," Fang Chen said calmly. "Is there anything wrong with it?"

"No, no." Butler Fang's lips twitched slightly. "It's just that your ability to change your expression so quickly..."

"Life is like a play, it all depends on acting skills. My acting skills are nothing special in the public sector." Fang Chen stepped inside, his tone somewhat melancholy. "It's just that my adoptive father has held great power in the clan for more than ten years and can be considered a local hero... But there are countless heroes and capable people in this world. One wrong move, leaving hidden dangers, and all his scheming will be reduced to ashes..."

……

Fang Family Funeral Hall.

The white flags droop and the plain candles remain bright.

Several clan elders, dressed in mourning clothes, knelt in the mourning hall, their cries echoing. Many descendants knelt below, weeping continuously.

Amidst the swirling incense smoke, cries of weeping and wailing echoed incessantly.

"The patriarch has toiled day and night for over a decade, managing clan affairs... How could this be!"

"Just as their family business was flourishing, they abandoned us..."

"Heaven did not grant him his full life; how tragic! How tragic!"

The mournful cries echoed through the beams and pillars.

A middle-aged man even kowtowed to the ground, crying out in grief, "Brother Yuanming, the road to the Yellow Springs is cold, please wait a moment..."

The hall was filled with mourning.

Upon closer inspection, though the hall was filled with weeping, it was all just an act. Some people were secretly stretching their muscles, others were using wiping away tears to observe their surroundings, and still others were covering their mouths and chuckling... With the patriarch dead, his position was vacant, and their opportunity had arrived.

"snort!"

The mournful cries echoed throughout the mourning hall, but a cold snort came from the secret chamber in the back.

The three elderly men sat upright, their bodies exuding a somber aura, as if their time was drawing near.

The Fang family is divided into two branches:

The first is the secular lineage, which manages the clan's general affairs. The second is the Taoist lineage, which cultivates immortal martial arts techniques.

This world is extraordinary. Martial arts can defeat a thousand armies, and immortality can connect with the netherworld. Therefore, all the noble families in the world take the lineage of Taoism as their foundation and the lineage of the secular world as their means of application.

However, the Taoist lineage is limited by the fate of heaven, earth, and the nation, and during prosperous times, it often remains hidden behind the scenes, with the secular lineage in charge.

The Fang family's Taoist name follows the ten-character lineage of "Supreme Purity and Illusion, the Mysterious Truth is Completed." The three people in front of them are elders of the "Mysterious" generation. Although they have cultivated into Yin Spirits, they are all nearing the end of their lifespan and are as rotten as wood.

After all, since the great changes in the world during the Tang Dynasty, living beings in the world who do not have the support of yang energy are unlikely to live past seventy.

These three are the last remaining assets of the Fang family, and they too will soon be exhausted.

Elder Xuanfeng, who collected Fang Yuanming's body last night, swept his divine sense across the body and, without using any magic, was able to see all the details of the newcomer. His expression darkened.

He was not a pedantic person, nor did he seek harmony within the clan, but at least he needed to be reasonable and know when to advance and retreat.

In the eyes of the elders, cold-bloodedness and ruthlessness are acceptable, but stupidity is unforgivable.

At this moment, the head of the family has just passed away and the succession is still uncertain. Even if one is secretly pleased, one should show grief on the outside and pretend to be sad... That's what it means to be considerate!

But what I see before me is such an impatient and greedy ugly state, which is truly chilling.

"Over the years, Yuanming has made mistakes, but we have remained lenient because this generation of clansmen... is utterly incapable of being reformed," said Elder Xuansu, an elderly woman with white hair, in a cold voice. "They have seized the land of the widowed and orphaned, embezzled clan property, and even forcibly taken everything from the younger generation... Although it is said that the Supreme Elder, in his long-term plan, depleted the clan's fortune, making it difficult for outstanding talents to emerge, such depravity is still infuriating!"

"Fortunately, the grand plan has been accomplished," another aged old man said in a hoarse voice. "Among the new generation, many outstanding individuals have emerged. Some are born with the Daoist seed, some are destined by inauspicious stars, and some are exceptionally intelligent. Although their innate destiny is only crimson, they have repeatedly encountered opportunities and are now imbued with the aura of bright yellow, fulfilling the ancestral teachings... Some of them will enter the Daoist sect, some will guard the borders, and some will take the imperial examinations. As for those below, well..."

He paused slightly, a mocking expression on his face.

"In the two hundred years of this dynasty, the clan has accumulated deep-seated problems, which will hinder the future great undertaking. This is a good opportunity to cleanse them." The old woman nodded. "However, there are still a few members of our bloodline with bright red birthmarks and obvious natural talents. They must be sent away as soon as possible to avoid any unforeseen events..."

Before he could finish speaking, a commotion suddenly broke out in front of the mourning hall.

The three of them scanned the area with their divine senses and saw Fang Chen staggering in.

Upon catching a glimpse of the scene inside the hall, he felt as if struck by lightning, and took two steps back before barely managing to regain his footing.

He stared blankly at the coffin, his mouth half-open but silent, as if his soul had been ripped away.

After a long while, her body went limp and she collapsed to her knees, her eyes red and bloodshot, her tears dried up, leaving only a blank, sorrowful emptiness.

"Godfather...you're gone...?"

Her voice choked with sobs, and tears rolled silently down her cheeks.

"I am dull-witted and have been a dissolute young man since childhood, frequenting brothels and pleasure houses... I am only able to survive to this day thanks to my adoptive father's unwavering support and repeated tolerance. Without my adoptive father, I would not be where I am today. And without my adoptive father, he would have already passed away..."

His words were filled with unbearable grief, and his sincerity moved everyone present.

Those who had suffered at his hands, upon seeing this innocent heart, sighed inwardly, and much of their past resentment dissipated.

Some secretly laughed at his foolishness, but felt that this boy was extremely affectionate and filial, and that they could befriend him in the future, leaving him a way out.

Inside the secret chamber, the three elders were also moved. In their divine sense, Fang Chen's grief and despair were indeed extremely real.

"Alas, having lost both parents at a young age, and now also losing his adoptive father, this child's fate is truly fraught with hardship..." Elder Xuan Su sighed softly.

"The clan should provide compensation. His biological father sacrificed himself for the clan's greater cause, and his adoptive father has also worked diligently for the family for over a decade. If we do not provide compensation, it may chill the hearts of the people," Elder Xuanfeng said slowly. "I propose that although this child has no talent for cultivation, it would not be unreasonable to give him one or two precious spiritual items as compensation."

The three elders looked at each other for a moment, and finally nodded:

"That's only natural."