System crash? I prove it with my control panel!

The Heavenly Gang represents purity, while the Earthly Fiends represent turbidity.

It is a wondrous thing born of heaven and earth, a creation of innate spiritual beauty and the cause and effect of all things.

Chen Wenben thought that the Heavenly Gang Qi was definitely superior to the Earthly Fiend Qi, but then a passage was recorded;

"The evil spirits are neither good nor evil; people judge them by their own hearts. The malevolent spirits are neither auspicious nor inauspicious; the way of Heaven measures them."

This passage clearly states that power itself is neither good nor evil; only humans possess it...

The Qi of the Heavenly Gang is not necessarily good.

If a cultivator wants to establish a foundation for their Dao, they must use their body to draw in the celestial and terrestrial energies and integrate them into that foundation.

Moreover, depending on their different characteristics, they can acquire corresponding mysteries when integrated.

Of course, this matter is too far removed from Chen Wen's life to be mentioned.

There's no need to worry about that; once you join the Qingming Sect, the sect will take care of everything.

The certificate for joining the sect is this jade slip in Chen Wen's hand.

This jade slip is a certificate issued by the Qingming Sect to various aristocratic families.

Even independent practitioners have opportunities to travel to the location of the sect on their own.

Alternatively, cultivators who have accepted missions from their sects to find qualified disciples may also obtain them.

But simply arriving doesn't guarantee entry into the sect.

Moreover, most aristocratic families are unwilling to send their offspring with outstanding spiritual roots into the sect.

Having entered a sect at such a young age, how could they possibly have any feelings for their family, let alone talk about repaying it?

Composing himself, Chen Wen opened the control panel.

Name: Chen Wen (Chen Jingwen)

Lifespan: 8/99.

Race: Human.

[Spiritual Root: Mid-grade Wood Spiritual Root.]

Cultivation level: None.

[Technique: None.]

[Technique: General Language: Mastery (10/100) Calligraphy: Minor Mastery (10/100) Walking: (MAX)......]

[Supernatural Powers: None.]

...

Over the years, he has also tried to learn some skills.

Since I'm just idling around anyway, it's always good to have more skills.

However, that damned old man, Deng, disagreed!

What's the point of learning those mundane skills if he's going to become an immortal in the future? Does he want to hunt immortals by riding horses and shooting arrows?

Of all things, only cultivating immortality is noble.

All he could access were Taoist scriptures and common knowledge about the cultivation world.

After a while, he stopped learning.

He really didn't dare to face his old man, Deng; he felt a strange sense of fear whenever they met.

So I practiced calligraphy whenever I was bored, and unexpectedly I acquired a skill in calligraphy.

In the blink of an eye, three days have passed.

Chen Wen got up early, changed into a blue Taoist robe with the help of maids, got into the carriage, and headed up the mountain.

Chen Wen was filled with worry the whole way.

He felt increasingly uneasy.

The repeated strange occurrences told him that Old Deng definitely had ulterior motives towards him.

But there was nothing he could do but pray that Old Deng wouldn't make a move against him for the time being.

He was somewhat confident; if he wanted to make a move against him, why would he need to make him join the Qingming Sect?

As he got closer to the summit, his anxiety grew.

He may be confident, but that doesn't stop him from being afraid and nervous.

At this point, some people might ask, why not run away? Why not try to fight back?

Chen Wen: "I'm fighting in the late stage of Qi Refining? Are you serious?"

What is an immortal?

With its power amplified, a wave of its sleeve sends sand and stones flying; a stomp of its foot shakes the earth and mountains; and a single breath can swallow the sun and moon.

As for him, he had lived in a cage since childhood and had never stepped out of the courtyard.

Chen Wen just wanted to say, "Come here, I'll make room for you. You're the only one who can leave the Chen family!"

Apart from Lao Deng and his cousin Jingrun, who had previously tested his spiritual roots, he had not had any contact with his peers in the family.

They had even heard of him, but knew nothing about him.

In recent years, I haven't even heard from my mother.

Chen Wen didn't care about her.

Chen Wen's only hope now is to successfully join the Qingming Sect.

Regardless of what Old Deng's motives were in getting him to join the Qingming Sect, Chen Wen had no other choice but to take this path.

Let's wait and see whether you successfully outmaneuvered me, or whether my unparalleled talent will crush you. Only time will tell!

Chen Wen gritted his teeth, his eyes flashing with determination.

Anyway, the worst that can happen is death.

Chen Wen is not afraid of death; he has already died once.

But he was afraid of dying meaninglessly, dying a miserable death.

Just like when he was an infant, he dared to pour hot soup directly on Chen Polang whenever he was in a bad mood.

Go ahead and kill me if you dare!

...

In the blink of an eye.

Chen Wen then arrived at the main courtyard of the family.

Chen Polang did not go fishing this time.

Or rather, he no longer had the energy to come out.

Even when Chen Wen came, he only had Steward Wang help him up from the bed.

He was so thin he looked like a skeleton, with only a layer of skin covering his body.

His voice was as soft as a mosquito's hum, but upon seeing Chen Wen, a glimmer of light appeared in his cloudy eyes.

"Wen'er, you're here~"

"Father... what's wrong with you... sob sob sob..."

Upon seeing him, Chen Wen immediately lowered her head, composed herself, and thought through all the painful memories from her past life before bursting into tears and sobbing as she threw herself into his arms.

Chen Polang patted his back lightly and called out with difficulty:

"Wen'er...don't cry, Father...is still here..."

"Daddy, waaaaah... I'm so scared, I don't want you to leave me... waaaah..."

Chen Wen hugged Chen Polang even tighter, trying to keep him there.

Chen Polang's breath hitched as he was being embraced, and his face turned pale.

Manager Wang came to the rescue just in time:

"Ahem, Young Master Wen, the patriarch is unwell and cannot withstand your exertion. Please loosen your grip."

"Oh, Father, I'm sorry, I lost my composure."

Chen Wen then realized that his behavior just now was inappropriate and quickly let go.

He thought to himself: "My body is still too small, and I lack strength. What a pity..."

"It's alright, it's alright~ cough cough cough~"

Chen Polang coughed a few times until his face flushed, before continuing to speak.

"Wen'er, I called you here for two reasons. First, I wanted to see you one last time. Your father suffered severe injuries in his early years, which damaged his health. He doesn't have much time left."

"Secondly, I entrust to you what I obtained through my desperate efforts this morning. I hope you will make good use of it, and one day, when you attain enlightenment and establish your foundation, you will not fail your father's high expectations!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Wen panicked; this was the prelude to revealing his true intentions.

Is the next step to place your hand on my head and instantly refine me?!

He jolted awake, slid to his knees before Chen Polang, and cried out:

"Father, Wen'er doesn't want it! Please put it away! Wen'er doesn't want it! Wen'er just wants you to be well..."

This time I'm truly heartbroken.

I never imagined that I would perish here before even embarking on the path to immortality and witnessing the wonders of this vast world.

Chen Polang's face darkened. "Nonsense! Human lifespan is ordained by Heaven and cannot be defied. Stop your nonsense and come sit down cross-legged!"

He spoke a little too hastily! Chen Polang coughed again, his body so weak that he had to suppress his cough and cough in several parts before he could finish.

Chen Wen had no choice but to do as instructed.

With Steward Wang watching him intently from behind, he couldn't even put up a fight.

Don't be fooled by Chen Polang's current state of being as down on his luck as a dog. Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse, and a broken ship still has three thousand nails!

So, we can only endure it; perhaps there's still a chance for things to turn around.

Chen Wen watched as Chen Polang's hand slowly reached up to the top of his head and pressed heavily on his Baihui acupoint.

It was cold, sticky, and had a faint, almost imperceptible smell of decay.

This is a tactile sensation that directly penetrates the soul.

Chen Wen's body stiffened instinctively.

Niwan Palace—the vital source of a cultivator's soul and spiritual awareness.

The fact that he was touched so easily at this moment made him feel a strong sense of discomfort and panic.

"Close your eyes, calm your mind! If you don't want your soul to be damaged and you to become an idiot, don't resist!"

Chen Polang's voice was hoarse and rapid, and as he spoke, his face turned ashen and his hair turned blue.

At the same time, Butler Wang conjured a barrier with a hand seal, isolating the outside world.

Chen Wen had no choice but to obey, suppressing the instinctive resistance of his soul and sinking his consciousness into a dark void.

He could clearly feel an extremely cold, heavy, and ominous energy slowly and firmly flowing into his crown chakra through Chen Polang's palm.

It wasn't gentle spiritual energy; it was more like a pool of cold, viscous fluid, giving Chen Wen the feeling of a pool of yellowish-green, foul-smelling pus from the rotting flesh of an ancient zombie.

Moreover, it forcibly squeezed into his clear mind.

The process itself is not painful, but it is more despairing and suffocating than any form of torture.

Chen Wen felt his soul being dragged little by little into the abyss, tainted by its filth.

In plain language: He's dirty!

Finally, just as Chen Wen was about to give up, the turbid flow, guided by Chen Polang, transformed into a drop of thick ink and sank into the deepest part of Chen Wen's Niwan Palace.

Then it quickly converges, solidifies, and closes itself off, eventually disappearing from sight.

If Chen Wen hadn't experienced it firsthand, that nauseating feeling would still be vivid in his mind, and he might even have thought it was a hallucination.

He tried to explore, but only felt emptiness.

Only he himself knew that something extremely dangerous, not his own, had been added to his body.

A moment later, Chen Polang abruptly withdrew his hand, collapsing onto the bed in exhaustion.

If Steward Wang hadn't used his spiritual power to catch him in time, Chen Wen was afraid he would have fallen to his death.

His already ashen face was now shrouded in a deathly aura.

He was breathing heavily, his breath coming in ragged gasps like a broken bellows! Large beads of cold sweat trickled down his forehead.

"alright……"

Chen Polang's voice was as weak as a whisper, but his eyes were unusually bright as he stared intently at Chen Wen.

"That thing... has been sealed into your Niwan Palace's origin. I'm tired. Let Old Wang explain the rest to you."

After saying that, he closed his eyes, lowered his head, and fell silent.

"This... Father..."

Chen Wen's eyes widened. This...it looks like he's dead...

However, Manager Wang then stepped forward, paid the money, settled Chen Polang in, and covered him with a blanket.

Chen Wen lost the opportunity to observe.

My mind was in turmoil; I had thought Chen Polang would attack me.

He talked about things like absorbing life essence to prolong life, but then he gave himself something and... he seems to have died?

He had an urge to grab Chen Polang, beat him up, and give him a good beating, to get some answers from him.

Hey!

Are you going to kill me or not? Just give me a straight answer.

It's so painful to mentally prepare myself every time!

Unfortunately, Chen Wen didn't get a chance before Manager Wang took him out of the room.

We arrived outside the courtyard.

Manager Wang looked at the child in front of him and chuckled, "Hehe, Young Master Wen was frightened just now, wasn't he?"

"Uncle Wang is joking. My father would never harm me."

Chen Wen forced a smile, "It's just that the unknown thing feels dangerous, and I'm a little uneasy."

"Hahaha, don't worry, that's a precious treasure that my master and I risked our lives for back then!"

As Butler Wang spoke, a hint of sadness and reminiscence flickered in his eyes, ultimately culminating in a sigh:

"Ah, Young Master Wen, have you ever heard of the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend Qi?"

"I have heard of it, but I have never seen it and know nothing about it..."

Chen Wen shook his head, then suddenly paused, startled:

"Uncle Wang, you mean...?"

"Young Master Wen is indeed exceptionally intelligent; that is indeed a wisp of earthly evil energy!"

Manager Wang nodded in affirmation:

"This energy was obtained by your father and me when we were young, and because of this, my foundation was damaged and I have been unable to advance any further. Your father's lifespan was also shortened because of this."

"This...this earthly evil energy is so precious, how could Wen'er possibly deserve it!"

Chen Wen lowered his head in shame, his eyes slightly red.

Manager Wang rubbed his head and soothed him gently:

"Don't act like a little girl. Your father and I don't have many years left. You have a mid-grade spiritual root. Cultivate well, and you will have a bright future."

"You should focus on your cultivation. Your father left some inheritance within it, which will manifest as your cultivation progresses. It contains all the insights and wisdom your father gained throughout his life..."

As he spoke, Steward Wang took out a brocade pouch from his bosom and handed it to Chen Wen, saying:

"This is a storage pouch, containing a vast universe. Please accept it. These are cultivation resources left to you by your father. You can open it once you successfully enter the Dao."

"Remember, do not be ostentatious, act with humility, and strive to enter the Dao as soon as possible to lay a solid foundation. In this way, you will not have failed your father's painstaking efforts!"

"Wen'er will remember Father and Uncle Wang's teachings and will strive to cultivate diligently so that he can return home as soon as possible after achieving the Foundation Establishment stage."

Chen Wen respectfully agreed, his mind calming down somewhat.

Old Deng, go in peace, and just don't come back!

After giving his instructions, Steward Wang let Chen Wen leave on his own.

"Go, prepare well. In seven days, I will send you to the Qingming Sect."

"Yes, Wen'er takes her leave!"

Chen Wen then left.

Steward Wang watched Chen Wen leave before turning back to the master's room.

Staring at the "dried corpse" lying on the bed, Steward Wang's eyes were unreadable, and he sighed softly.

"Brother Chen, you will keep your promise, right? If you break your promise, then I will have no choice but to..."

After a long while, Steward Wang slowly raised his hand, lightly tapped his fingertips, and condensed a ghostly green spirit fire, which he then tossed onto Chen Polang.

Chen Polang's physical body turned into ashes at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Manager Wang's body twisted and turned into the appearance of Chen Polang.

...

Upon returning to his courtyard, Chen Wen immediately instructed his maids to prepare hot water for bathing and changing.

God knows how tired he was after going through all this today.

He suddenly realized, are all powerful families in this world this terrifying?!

The reason he asked this question was because he suddenly understood something on his way back.

Chen Polang has always cultivated himself to be obedient and sensible, and never disobey his father.

All for this day, to seal this so-called Earthly Fiend Qi into my body.

Then, Chen Polang paved the way for himself by having himself join the Qingming Sect.

What does it mean for inheritance to gradually manifest as one's cultivation level increases?

Those must be Chen Polang's memories!

One can imagine that when he is about to establish his foundation, the earthly evil energy will be completely unsealed, and at that time he will have received most of Chen Polang's memories.

His memories merged with his soul.

Was I Chen Wen or Chen Polang at that time?

Will I still resist Chen Polang's possession?

At that time, Chen Polang will not only possess the body of a young genius, but will also be a disciple of the Qingming Sect who is about to establish his foundation, with powerful cultivation techniques and secret manuals readily available.

It's so exciting to think about, the future looks so bright!

Chen Wen was drenched in cold sweat and couldn't recover for a long time.

.......