Extraordinary Comprehension: I Establish an Immortal Villain Family

Chapter 57: Revealing the Truth—Take a Look at My Realm

"An order from the Patriarch?"

Chen Zhixing's brow furrowed slightly.

Chen Daoyan was one of the few in the entire family who knew about his "true talent" and surely understood that the explanation he and Chen Tianchen gave wouldn’t be so simple.

"Alright."

Chen Zhixing nodded and followed the servant toward the main peak.

Ziwei Peak had ten subsidiary peaks, with the main peak located at the center, also being the tallest among them.

When Chen Zhixing arrived at the main peak with the servant, he noticed that the usually bustling grand hall was eerily silent today.

The vast hall was dim and shadowy, making it difficult to see deep into its recesses.

"Third Young Master, the Patriarch is waiting for you inside."

The servant spoke before respectfully retreating.

Chen Zhixing nodded calmly and stepped into the grand hall.

"You’ve come."

A raspy voice echoed from the depths of the hall.

Chen Zhixing paused, raising his eyes to look ahead.

He saw an elderly man with graying hair slumped in a cold stone seat, his face etched with weariness.

The once upright and imposing figure now appeared hunched, exuding an air of decrepitude.

"Patriarch."

Chen Zhixing bowed slightly in greeting.

Chen Zhixing harbored a measure of gratitude toward this patriarch. Although the two rarely interacted, over the years, he had never been deprived of any essentials or resources.

"Come, have a seat."

Chen Daoyan gestured to a seat beside him.

"Very well."

Chen Zhixing nodded and sat down next to Chen Daoyan.

However, as he sat down, Chen Daoyan, wanting to engage in some casual conversation, found himself at a loss, realizing how little he actually knew about the youth beside him.

An awkward silence hung in the air, making the atmosphere in the hall rather stiff.

Chen Zhixing, however, remained composed, showing no impatience.

After a moment of silence, Chen Daoyan finally broke the ice.

"Has Tianxiong troubled you over these past few days?"

"No, he hasn’t," Chen Zhixing replied calmly.

"Hmm. That child, Zhaosheng, was Tianxiong’s greatest pride. Now, having lost him in the southern border, it’s understandable that he might act out of grief. But rest assured, I’ve given him strict orders, so he shouldn’t cause you any trouble for the time being," Chen Daoyan said thoughtfully.

"Indeed, I understand the pain of losing a son," Chen Zhixing responded evenly.

With these words, the conversation lapsed back into an uncomfortable silence.

"You..."

Chen Daoyan raised his hand, intending to give Chen Zhixing a familial pat on the head, but hesitated, finding the gesture too awkward. He sighed, letting his hand fall back down.

"All these years, because you’re a bearer of the Nine Ancient Marks, I’ve kept my distance to avoid arousing suspicion. I’ve even had you downplay your talents, leading to all sorts of rumors and slander. Meanwhile, I’ve focused more on Zhaosheng, allowing him to shine in the family. Have you ever harbored any resentment for this?"

Chen Zhixing’s thoughts stirred.

Was this a test to gauge his true feelings?

"Patriarch, you’re overthinking it. The Chen family has not treated me unfairly, and I understand that your distance was meant to protect me. I’m not foolish; I’ve never held any resentment."

Chen Zhixing’s tone was sincere, and he spoke from the heart.

Indeed, he harbored no fondness for Chen Tianxiong’s lineage. However, his feelings toward this patriarch, who seemed solely focused on the family’s prosperity, were not negative.

Chen Daoyan, scrutinizing Chen Zhixing, saw the honesty in his expression and nodded in satisfaction.

"Good, good. You truly are a worthy scion of the Ziwei Chen family, sensible and clear-sighted!"

Chen Daoyan, appearing somewhat invigorated, asked with renewed interest, "Zhixing, I’ve heard from some of the side branch members who participated in the trial that you knocked out two side branch disciples at the Transforming Void Realm. Is this true?"

"Yes, it is."

Chen Zhixing nodded.

"Good. Now tell me..."

Chen Daoyan’s voice deepened, and his eyes sharpened.

"What exactly is your cultivation level?"

At that moment, Chen Daoyan’s previously cloudy eyes became strikingly clear. His gaze was intense, fixed on Chen Zhixing as if he didn’t want to miss any nuance of his expression.

Chen Daoyan was nearing the end of his life, and both his cultivation and physical condition were in decline.

His current cultivation at the Nirvana Realm was likely his peak. Further advancement was beyond reach!

Thus, he needed to quickly establish a successor for the Chen family while he still held authority.

His initial choice had been Chen Zhaosheng, who was gifted, outwardly composed, yet inwardly ambitious and competitive—a perfect candidate to lead the Chen family to greatness.

However, Zhaosheng’s death at the hands of the Spider Web had derailed those plans.

Now, Chen Daoyan had to pin his hopes on Chen Zhixing, a Nine Ancient Marks bearer whom he hadn’t initially favored.

His purpose in summoning Chen Zhixing was singular: to have him reveal his true cultivation level.

In essence, Chen Zhixing’s cultivation level would determine how Chen Daoyan would guide the family’s future.

If Chen Zhixing’s level was too low, Chen Daoyan would have to find an alternative path for the family’s survival—perhaps even considering Chen Tianxiong as the new head.

"My cultivation level, you ask?"

Chen Zhixing pondered briefly before lowering his eyes. He made a quick hand gesture.

With a soft sound, a phantom figure that bore a striking resemblance to Chen Zhixing emerged from his body.

"Take a look—what realm do you think I’m in?"

Chen Zhixing and the phantom both gazed at Chen Daoyan as they spoke in unison, their voices merging into one.

Boom!

In an instant, Chen Daoyan’s mind reeled, and his thoughts were thrown into disarray.

"A Yin Spirit projection? You’ve... you’ve reached the Spiritual Wandering Realm?!"

Chen Daoyan stared at the phantom, his usually composed face now etched with shock and disbelief.

The Spiritual Wandering Realm!

And at only a little over ten years old!

Even within the entire cultivation world, such a feat was almost unheard of, unparalleled in history!

"Yes, a few days ago in the southern border, I had some insights and broke through to the Spiritual Wandering Realm."

Chen Zhixing nodded slightly, exuding an aura that suggested he had only recently entered this stage.

He wasn’t foolish. He had hidden his strength in the past to avoid attracting unnecessary trouble for himself and the Chen family.

Although the Chen family appeared prosperous, it was actually showing signs of decline, and couldn’t afford any major upheavals.

But now, the stronger Chen Zhixing appeared, the more benefits he would gain!

So why should he continue to hide, risking being underestimated?

Of course, even as he revealed his power, Chen Zhixing would never fully expose all his cards. Doing so would leave him with no room to maneuver in the future.

"Hahaha! It’s really the Spiritual Wandering Realm!"

Upon confirming this, Chen Daoyan’s eyes shone brightly as he looked at Chen Zhixing, his face lit up with excitement.

The weariness that had once marked his features disappeared, replaced by a vibrant energy, even his breathing grew more vigorous.

"Good, good, good! Heaven has not forsaken our Chen family!"

Chen Daoyan reached out, grasping Chen Zhixing’s hand firmly, his gaze intense as he asked:

"My child, would you be willing to take charge of the entire Ziwei Chen family?"