Chapter 125: The Approaching Storm

After dinner, it was only 8:00 PM, still early.

Zhang Xin drove Chen Xian back to the townhouse at 101 Jinxiu Residential Community. The two stepped out of the car, shared a lingering embrace and a kiss, and spent quite a while together before finally parting ways.

As Zhang Xin drove off, Chen Xian entered the house, recalling the various rumors about "Spirit Water" he had heard at the Western restaurant that evening. The popularity of Spirit Water in the market far exceeded his expectations; a single bottle could fetch millions at auctions.

Chen Xian decided it was necessary to adjust the factory price of the Spirit Water. Across the entire Blue Star, he was likely the only source for such a product. The benefit of a monopoly was the ability to firmly control the market's initiative, including the freedom to adjust prices at any time.

Chen Xian took out his phone and called Ma Tian, instructing him to raise the factory price to 200,000 yuan per bottle starting with the next batch. Additionally, he asked Ma Tian to set aside 20 extra bottles at the foot of Spirit Mountain. He intended to give some to Zhang Xin and take the rest home for his parents and younger sister. Long-term consumption of Spirit Water was highly beneficial to the human body, known to prolong life, boost immunity, and enhance cognitive function.

Ma Tian had no objections to Master Chen’s orders.

After hanging up, Chen Xian immediately stepped out of the house, hailed a taxi, and rushed back to Spirit Mountain that very night. He did not want to waste any time; he needed to go to the mountain to refine the centuries-old lingzhi mushrooms and ginseng he had obtained from Tong Yin into Spirit Gathering Powder, which he would consume to bolster his cultivation.

...

That night, in a luxurious and grand office at the H-City branch of the Xu family's Jiangnan Division, Xu Kang looked at the dozen powerful men and women before him, a satisfied smile curling on his lips. "You have all worked hard," he said.

Two-thirds of these people were the elite force of the H-City branch, while the remaining third were loyal followers Xu Kang had painstakingly cultivated. Among the thirteen, there were three Spiritual Sense Masters equivalent to the peak of the Dark Realm, and ten martial artists also at the peak of the Dark Realm—each one effectively a half-step Grandmaster. Without a true Grandmaster intervening, this force was enough to sweep through any martial arts family in H-City.

Xu Kang’s purpose in mobilizing these experts was simple: to secure the "Spirit Water." He was desperate to distinguish himself and elevate his status within the family.

"Serving you, Director Xu, is our duty. It is no trouble at all," the thirteen experts replied.

Xu Kang nodded. "Very good!"

Just then, the doorbell rang.

"Come in," Xu Kang commanded.

Zhang Da, dressed in a sharp suit with his hair slicked back, walked in. He glanced at the thirteen experts, feeling an underlying sense of dread that made it difficult to breathe.

"Zhang Da, take them to the Ma family in M-City tomorrow. During the day, negotiate with the Ma family first. If they hand over the Spirit Water formula or agree to make us the exclusive national distributor, that would be ideal. If not, launch an attack tomorrow night. Once you have the formula, wipe out the Ma family's leadership," Xu Kang said, standing up. His deep-set eyes flashed with a frightening, murderous light.

Hearing this, Zhang Da’s face turned solemn. "Rest assured, Director Xu. With these experts at my side, I will complete the mission perfectly."

"Good. You may depart now," Xu Kang ordered.

Shortly after, five black Mercedes-Benz cars formed a convoy and drove out of the H-City branch, speeding toward M-City.

...

Several hours later, Chen Xian arrived at the summit of Spirit Mountain.

Tong Yin and Hong Gu, who were meditating outside the courtyard, stood up immediately and greeted him respectfully: "Greetings, Master (Grandmaster)!"

"There is no need for such formalities. Sit and continue your cultivation in peace," Chen Xian said with a wave of his hand and a smile.

Tong Yin and Hong Gu sat back down, closed their eyes, and resumed absorbing the spiritual energy.

Chen Xian glanced at them, pushed open the creaking gate, and walked straight toward the secret chamber. As he opened the door, a surge of spiritual energy, far richer than that of the outside world, rushed toward him.

He saw Xiao Mei, who looked as if she had just been fished out of an inkwell, sitting there imitating human behavior. She was meditating, but also chewing on a chicken leg, making smacking sounds with her small mouth. She was truly balancing cultivation and gastronomy perfectly.

Seeing this, a smile touched Chen Xian’s lips. He did not disturb Xiao Mei and sat down on a meditation cushion within the room. Three streaks of red light flew from his forehead, instantly transforming into three insects—one large and two small—the Mother Breath-Stealing Insect and its two offspring, 001 and 002. Since returning to the Hualong Federal Republic, Chen Xian had used his mental command to recall the 001 offspring he had previously attached to the police.

*Buzz, buzz, buzz...*

After flying out of Chen Xian’s mind, the mother and offspring sensed the extreme density of the spiritual energy and beat their wings in excitement, emitting buzzing sounds. Chen Xian watched as they opened their mouthparts, forming a vortex that began to rapidly absorb the spiritual energy. He knew that for the insects to evolve and grow stronger, they needed to constantly consume such special external energies. Since he had no immediate tasks for them, he decided to let them cultivate on Spirit Mountain for a while and would deploy them when the need arose.

*Meow...*

At that moment, the cat-like creature, which had been enjoying its meal while meditating, felt a strange disturbance. She opened her eyes and looked at her master. "Master, what were those things? I sensed them vaguely, but why can't I see them?"

"They are my Breath-Stealing Insects, and they are currently cultivating here. You cannot see them because your cultivation is not yet strong enough," Chen Xian replied.

Without further ado, he raised his hand, and with a thought, the storage ring on his pinky flashed with a ghostly light. A vortex formed, spitting out three lingzhi mushrooms and four ginseng roots. These precious herbs were at least 200 years old, with the oldest reaching 500 years.

"Using these as the primary ingredients, the Spirit Gathering Powder I refine will surely be highly effective," Chen Xian muttered to himself.

He then produced an ancient, mottled bronze cauldron, worn by the passage of time—the Danyang Treasure Cauldron he had obtained from the mysterious Mr. Zhao of the Xiong family. He also gathered the necessary supplementary ingredients he had prepared in advance.

Looking at everything laid out before him, Chen Xian realized that all was ready. He formed his hands into sword-finger gestures, channeled several wisps of his internal spiritual energy, and injected them into the Danyang Treasure Cauldron.

*Hum, hum, hum!*

The cauldron floated into the air, trembling violently. The dim, grey inscriptions on its surface seemed to come alive, shimmering with light and writhing...

The sun rose in the east, casting golden rays of light. A convoy of black Mercedes-Benz cars exited the highway and entered M-City, heading straight for the Ma Group headquarters. A storm was about to descend upon the Ma family.