Invincible Starts From Dao Fruit
Chapter 145 - 116 Zhang Fishing Law Enforcement! [Thanks to ’Book Friend 202...797’ for the generous reward!]

Chapter 145: 116 Zhang Fishing Law Enforcement! [Thanks to ’Book Friend 202...797’ for the generous reward!]

After a moment.

As the two elders had walked far away.

Chen Jichuan turned to Pei Ze and sighed, "These years, I’ve caused you to suffer, Senior Brother."

"Before yesterday, I had never resented you, Junior Brother."

Pei Ze smiled at Chen Jichuan.

Looking back on these years, he only now realized how naïve his thoughts and actions were back then.

The vastness of the sea.

The immensity of the human world.

Even if he had not encountered storms, what were the odds of finding Chen Jichuan?

During quiet nights, he occasionally wondered what life would’ve been like if he had not set sail in youthful exuberance.

Thinking about it.

Regret was inevitable, of course.

Especially upon witnessing his father bedridden, his mother blind, seeing peers and juniors within the sect surpass him one by one, hearing tales of his once-fiancée now living a blissful and fulfilled life—how could regret not exist?

This was human nature.

But to say he harbored resentment toward Chen Jichuan—that was absolutely impossible.

At least before yesterday, and even after today, he felt no resentment.

"The blame lies with me."

Chen Jichuan looked at Pei Ze, wanting to explain himself, to give him some closure.

But how could he put it?

Say that he had long planned his departure, intending all along to return only after thirty or forty years?

That would hardly resolve the knot in Pei Ze’s heart—it would only provoke him further.

Yet, fabricating lies wasn’t an option either. Witnessing Pei Ze’s current state, Chen Jichuan couldn’t bear to utter any falsehoods.

So he intentionally chose not to mention it.

Turning to Pei Ze, he said, "I am proficient in medicine. Your mother’s eye condition is no longer a serious issue. I’ll prescribe a few more remedies later, and with proper care, she’ll be fine. Your father’s illness is more severe and can’t be treated with strong medicine. I’ll perform acupuncture daily, combined with dietary therapy, and helping him stand and walk won’t be difficult."

Pei Ze had three concerns weighing heavily on his mind.

First was the matter of Chen Jichuan leaving abruptly years ago.

Second was his parents’ health.

Third was Pei Ze’s own injuries, which left him unable to cultivate and destroyed his prospects.

Chen Jichuan couldn’t provide perfect closure for his thirty-year disappearance to Pei Ze, so he devoted his efforts to the other two matters.

Among them, the health issues of Pei Ze’s parents were simpler.

Pei Ze’s mother’s eye condition had already been cured.

Pei Ze’s father’s paralysis seemed minor in Chen Jichuan’s eyes, requiring no more than time.

During this period.

He could take this opportunity to interact with Pei Ze more often, gradually easing the resentment in his heart.

As for Pei Ze’s injuries.

Chen Jichuan dared not make empty promises for now, lest he fail to deliver and give Pei Ze false hope.

Everything would have to wait until he met Wuk Yuan Immortal Master to discuss further.

"Then I’ll have to trouble you, Junior Brother."

"These years, I’ve worried my parents far too much—it’s truly shameful."

Pei Ze clasped his hands in gratitude toward Chen Jichuan, his expression softening considerably.

Although Pei Ze still exhibited some distance.

Chen Jichuan didn’t mind.

The days ahead were long.

Once he healed Pei Ze’s injuries, repaired his dantian, and compensated for past wrongs, even if things didn’t return to how they were, Pei Ze would have new aspirations. In the future, even if resentment remained, it wouldn’t matter so much.

What he did now wasn’t aimed at repairing their relationship to its original state, but rather to ensure that Pei Ze needn’t live a lifetime filled with frustration, repression, and regret.

For Chen Jichuan.

In the Dao Fruit World, even as a Qi Refining Immortal Master, a lifespan of three hundred years was already brief. Back in reality, it was barely equivalent to one year.

Pei Ze could not escape death eventually.

But wasn’t the beauty of life defined precisely by what lay between birth and death?

Chen Jichuan didn’t want his decisions to cast a shadow over Pei Ze’s fleeting journey in this world.

...

Returning to the Mysterious Nether Sea.

Because of Pei Ze’s situation, Chen Jichuan felt heavy-hearted, forcing many arrangements and plans to be postponed.

He dedicated these days solely to tending the health of Pei Ze’s parents.

The estrangement between him and Pei Ze also gradually diminished to a considerable degree.

Yet Wuk Yuan Immortal Master remained in closed cultivation, slowly wearing away at Chen Jichuan’s patience. Several times, he visited Jade Spring Mountain to inquire, only to be dismissed by Xu Tianfang with the pretext of "The Ancestor Master is still in closed cultivation."

Initially focused entirely on Pei Ze, Chen Jichuan hadn’t taken notice.

But after several attempts, no matter how slow he might be, he finally understood—

"Xu Tianfang is stalling me!"

A surge of anger rose in Chen Jichuan’s heart.

He thought he had shared some camaraderie with Xu Tianfang, and although his current strength was no less than the latter, he still held a degree of respect. But Xu Tianfang’s repeated obstructions to his meeting with Wuk Yuan Immortal Master truly infuriated him.

He could wait.

But Pei Ze was now forty-seven years old, his body burdened by old and new injuries. How much longer could he wait?

Anger boiled over.

Chen Jichuan didn’t act rashly, pondering quietly to himself, "Why would Xu Tianfang stall me?"

Days of thought.

Circling and deliberating.

Finally, he arrived at a conclusion: "Wuk Yuan Immortal Master’s days are numbered. Xu Tianfang, being one of the key figures of Jade Spring Mountain, has the greatest potential to benefit from any legacy Wuk Yuan might leave behind."

At a time like this.

Xu Tianfang naturally wouldn’t want someone like Chen Jichuan, who appeared suddenly at this critical juncture and whose motives were unclear, to have contact with Wuk Yuan Immortal Master.

Better safe than sorry.

Even if there existed the slightest risk of having something intercepted by Chen Jichuan, Xu Tianfang would act with utmost caution.

Chen Jichuan could understand this mindset.

But it didn’t make him any less furious.

He had returned solely out of genuine intent to bid Wuk Yuan Immortal Master a final farewell—to repay the kindness of being taken in as a disciple.

Now with Pei Ze’s injury adding to his burden.

Xu Tianfang’s interference deeply fanned the flames of Chen Jichuan’s anger.

"A mere Innate cultivator dares to toy with me?"

Rage burned in Chen Jichuan’s heart, though he remained stoic outwardly. He made another trip to Jade Spring Mountain.

It was his seventh visit in two months since returning.

...

Jade Spring Island.

Jade Spring Mountain.

"Senior Brother Pei’s injuries cannot be delayed further. I ask Uncle Master to relay the message and allow me to meet with Ancestor Master."

Chen Jichuan clasped his hands respectfully toward Xu Tianfang, lowering his posture as much as possible.

"The Ancestor Master is at a critical moment in his closed cultivation. Nephew, why trouble me unnecessarily?"

Xu Tianfang showed a face of bitter helplessness, smiling wryly at Chen Jichuan as if he were truly suffering an injustice.

"It has been two months now; I am truly anxious."

"Why not let me wait outside the Ancestor Master’s cave mansion? During a gap in his cultivation, I’ll inquire about Senior Brother Pei’s injuries and the ’Immortal Ganoderma Fruit’ and ’Core Formation Pill.’ It won’t take long."

Chen Jichuan’s face also showed great frustration.

"That is simply impossible."

"The Ancestor Master’s closed cultivation is most sensitive to disturbances. If you go rashly, the Ancestor Master blaming me is a small matter, but annoying you would be a far bigger issue. Offending the Ancestor Master could even implicate Senior Brother Pei, wouldn’t that be disastrous?"

Xu Tianfang, worthy of being one of the key figures of Jade Spring Mountain’s current generation.

This rhetoric was truly impressive.

Using Pei Ze’s situation to checkmate Chen Jichuan entirely.

If Chen Jichuan insisted on meeting the Ancestor Master, it would seem like he disregarded Pei Ze and had ulterior motives. Furthermore, with Xu Tianfang blocking him, if Chen Jichuan wished to force a meeting, he’d have to break through forcibly—something that carried real risks of angering Wuk Yuan Immortal Master.

Given such a scenario.

Chen Jichuan’s threats toward Xu Tianfang effectively diminished substantially.

And if he prioritized Pei Ze’s situation, it meant he wouldn’t dare act impulsively. With Xu Tianfang in his way, Chen Jichuan stood little chance of seeing the Ancestor Master.

Advancing wasn’t an option, retreating wasn’t an option either.

This ensured not only that Chen Jichuan couldn’t make a bold decision easily, but also that Xu Tianfang retained full control over the situation.

If it had been a typical person, they would have swallowed bitterness with no complaint.

But as for Chen Jichuan—

"Sigh."

"Please, Uncle Master, arrange for me to wait outside the Ancestor Master’s cave mansion. If the Ancestor Master reprimands, I, Chen Jichuan, will bear all consequences. I assure you that Senior Brother Pei would remain unaffected."

Chen Jichuan sighed and remained resolute.

"Ignoring advice will cost more than just you."

Xu Tianfang shook his head, his face growing severe as he said, "I view Pei Ze as my own child. I cannot bear to stand by and watch you recklessly jeopardize his last hope."

His tone became increasingly stern, as if Chen Jichuan was deliberately harming Pei Ze.

"Rest assured, Uncle Master."

"I have a Secret Treasure to offer, which will benefit the Ancestor Master’s cultivation. He will not hold it against me or redirect his displeasure toward Senior Brother Pei."

Chen Jichuan seemed cornered, reluctantly revealing the "truth."

"Secret Treasure?"

"What Secret Treasure?"

Xu Tianfang stared at Chen Jichuan, noticing his hesitation mixed with wariness, then shifted his tone to one of earnest persuasion, "I understand your urgency for Pei Ze, but there’s no need to fabricate a Secret Treasure to deceive me."

While he claimed disbelief.

In reality, he was skeptical.

Not about the existence of a "Secret Treasure," but regarding Chen Jichuan’s true motives for desperately wanting to meet Wuk Yuan Immortal Master.

"Perhaps he did indeed acquire some treasure outside and came back to present it to the Ancestor Master, hoping to gain favor before the Ancestor Master ascends..."

Though Xu Tianfang maintained an air of moral righteousness outwardly, inwardly, alarm bells rang, intensifying his curiosity about the "Secret Treasure" Chen Jichuan spoke of.

"I would never deceive you, Uncle Master!"

Chen Jichuan stomped his foot in frustration.

"Let’s do this."

"Bring out this so-called ’Secret Treasure’ for me to see. If it’s authentic, then it wouldn’t implicate Pei Ze, and I can allow you to meet the Ancestor Master."

Xu Tianfang smirked slightly, adopting the demeanor of an elder exposing a junior’s scheme.

Feigning disbelief in Chen Jichuan actually possessing such a treasure.

But Chen Jichuan was certain that if he were to reveal the treasure, Xu Tianfang would surely craft another excuse, possibly even confiscating the treasure under the guise of personally delivering it to the Ancestor Master. Labeled as a precaution, this maneuver might claim to shield against rejection or disfavor from the Ancestor Master—protecting Pei Ze again.

In sum.

Chen Jichuan’s past life and present one had exposed him to countless schemes masquerading behind the banners of "official duty" and "for your own good" used to obstruct and deceive.

In reality.

The Old Chen Family was a "Constable Family," where such manipulation and strategies were almost second nature to its members.

Having been shaped by this environment, there was no chance Chen Jichuan could be duped this easily.

Chilling laugh in his heart.

Maintained his exterior calm.

Chen Jichuan offered Xu Tianfang a bitter smile and said, "Uncle Master has perceptive insight. I truly don’t possess any Secret Treasure—I’m simply anxious to meet the Ancestor Master to save Senior Brother Pei, nothing more."

"Alright."

"Your tricks are all old news to me from my younger days."

"I understand your concerns for Pei Ze, but trust me on this—your impetuousness and failure to consider consequences mean I cannot let you act rashly."

Xu Tianfang waved him off, his tone fed up with exasperation toward Chen Jichuan.

Were it anyone else, one might genuinely believe Xu Tianfang was a caring elder and mentor.

"But—"

Chen Jichuan hesitated, wanting to speak further.

Xu Tianfang interrupted with a firm wave of his hand and stated grimly, "This matter isn’t open to discussion—listen to me."

"..."

Chen Jichuan stood silent for a moment. Ultimately, he couldn’t outmaneuver Xu Tianfang.

Looking defeated.

"Thank you for your guidance, Uncle Master."

"I’ll wait a little longer then."

He bowed to Xu Tianfang, offering a few more pleasantries before departing.

But as he turned away, resentment boiled within him.

The interplay of truth and falsehood.

Its complexity was baffling.

Xu Tianfang’s manipulation through righteousness and "for your own good" made Chen Jichuan loathe him to the bone, yet he had no choice but to endure—

"Fishing Law Enforcement—it’ll have to come to that."

...