Invincible Starts From Dao Fruit
Chapter 157 - 126: Chen Shaohu and Dream Fox! [Vote for monthly tickets!]

Chapter 157: Chapter 126: Chen Shaohu and Dream Fox! [Vote for monthly tickets!]

February brought a shift in the heavens, and all of creation began to revive, vegetation growing wildly.

In the blink of an eye, it was already the end of May.

Between mountains and rivers, towering trees stretched skyward, as though the land had reverted to a primordial jungle—a return to the ancient, untamed wilderness. Roads had been overtaken and destroyed, impeding travel and making it hard for counties to connect, leaving ordinary folk struggling even to reach marketplaces.

The Martial Alliance was doing everything possible to clear paths and rebuild networks.

It was clear that as the first wave of revival gradually calmed, restoring county connections was only a matter of time.

Under the night sky.

Chen Jichuan departed Haitang Mountain, picking up Chen Shaohu along the way, and together they headed to Mingtang Mountain.

Chen Shaohu was now a man of many responsibilities.

On one hand, he trained in Haitang Mountain with other youths under Jiangg Wei’s guidance, learning alchemy. On the other hand, he oversaw Hidden Peach Valley, presiding over the Drug Department of the Ministry of Industry.

Shuttling between both.

He only had two days of rest each month, during which he could accompany Chen Jichuan to Mingtang Mountain.

"Fourth Brother."

"Take a look at me."

As they walked, Chen Shaohu suddenly sprang forward, leaping into the air, where he floated three or four zhang above the ground.

But he moved forward in an awkward, slow, and jerky fashion.

His face was tight with tension, clearly nervous beyond words.

After barely managing to "fly" for over a hundred steps, he lost control and fell back to the ground.

He swayed where he stood.

The trace of tension on his face finally faded, and he turned with a wide grin toward his fourth brother.

"Not bad."

"You’ve learned how to fly."

Chen Jichuan followed behind him, observing with a smile and offering praise.

It’s often said that interest is the first motivator for learning, and this proved true.

When Shaohu was little, he always dreamed of flying. Back in the Black Prison, when facing death, his first thought was about marrying and starting a family, but his second was the dream of soaring through the skies.

Because of that.

When Chen Jichuan mastered various magical techniques in Jade Spring World and passed them on to Chen Shaohu, the latter chose "Levitation Skill" and "Wind Control Skill" without a second thought.

In just a few months.

Chen Shaohu had mastered Levitation Skill, and his proficiency in Wind Control Skill was decent enough to handle a person’s weight with ease, though it still needed practice to be flawless.

The combination of both.

Could raise him three or four zhang in the air and move him over a hundred steps—though limited, this achievement thrilled Chen Shaohu to the core.

"Haha."

"I’m still not there yet. I’m not used to it, and my cultivation level is too low to sustain it for long," Shaohu admitted with a bashful grin, clearly proud yet humble in front of his fourth brother.

Name: Chen Shaohu

Age: 18

Level: 5

Spirit Roots: Fire, Wood, Metal, Water

Talent: Fire Control (5)

Skills: "Sword Map" (Fifth Layer), "Primordial Skill" (Second Layer)

Techniques: Splashed Ink and Striped Cloth Sword Technique, Small Cloud Rain Technique, Levitation Skill, Wind Control Skill

...

Though Shaohu was preoccupied with worldly affairs, he became even more focused on cultivation.

Adding to this first wave of revival, the outpouring of spiritual energy had allowed countless people to break through limitations and see their cultivation rapidly increase.

Shaohu was no exception.

Switching from "Divine Pouncing Saber" to learn "Sword Map," he was initially only at the third layer. Coupling this with the integration of Primordial Skill’s inner strength, he barely managed to break through to the Fourth Layer.

Taking advantage of the revival’s momentum, along with Chen Jichuan’s help in providing pills, he swiftly progressed to the Fifth Layer.

His advancement had been steady.

When choosing cultivation techniques for Shaohu, Chen Jichuan gave careful thought.

He considered "Water Classics" as well as "Herb and Tree Formulas."

The former ranked no lower than "Sword Map" and didn’t require mastering swordsmanship, focusing solely on Qi Refinement.

The latter was a wood attribute technique.

Shaohu was passionate about spiritual medicine cultivation and alchemy, and studying this technique could eventually lead him to practice "Changchun Skill," following in Wuk Yuan Immortal Master’s footsteps.

This was timely.

Chen Jichuan had sent Wuk Yuan Immortal Master to his final rest. Looking forward, once Jade Spring World was completed, it would yield affiliated Dao Fruit for Shaohu to study.

But considering the long term, Chen Jichuan ultimately decided on "Sword Map."

"If you cultivate ’Water Classics,’ I won’t be able to guide you as effectively."

"If you study ’Herb and Tree Formulas’ or ’Changchun Skill,’ once my Jade Spring World concludes, Wuk Yuan Immortal Master’s Dao Fruit can help your cultivation progress quickly in the short term. But Wuk Yuan Immortal Master only reached Qi Refinement Fifth Layer. By the time Shaohu reaches Qi Refinement Fifth Layer, transitioning or continuing your cultivation will be a hassle."

"It’s better to follow me toward ’Sword Map.’"

"The path of ’fostering a single Sword Qi’ is arduous and painful—it’s best avoided. The ’Ten Thousand Sword Map’ approach requires mastery of various sword techniques, but I can continuously condense Dao Fruit, transforming Sword Skill Insights into Iron Lotus Seeds to aid you, saving considerable effort."

He pondered deeply.

Ultimately, Chen Jichuan selected "Sword Map" as Shaohu’s path.

And so far, the results looked promising.

Shaohu continuously practiced Levitation Skill and Wind Control Skill, occasionally wielding a few sword stances in midair, enjoying himself immensely.

The family’s great vengeance had been avenged, his ambitions were flourishing, and his future seemed bright.

Shaohu was genuinely happy, living a fulfilling life each day.

Between cultivating medicinal herbs, studying alchemy theory, and sparing time each day to practice swordsmanship.

Shaohu’s cheerful mindset meant that even though his swordsmanship progress was slower than Chen Jichuan’s, he could leisurely master a sword technique within two or three decades.

In cultivation, years lose their importance.

The long journey ahead offers limitless time.

Taking things slowly is fine.

Aside from occasional challenges in cultivation or medicinal herb nurturing, Shaohu faced little trouble.

He brimmed with youthful energy and unstoppable optimism.

Back in the Black Prison, who would’ve imagined that the two brothers could not only survive, but also rise to such heights?

Looking at him, Chen Jichuan found himself infected with the same positivity.

The two brothers walked together, chatting idly as time passed unnoticed until they reached Mingtang Mountain.

"Go to bed early."

"Tomorrow morning, join me to visit father, mother, and our brothers."

Returning to their residence, Chen Jichuan spoke to Shaohu.

Their family’s skeletal remains had long vanished. After escaping, Chen Jichuan recovered clothing left behind at the old family home to construct tombs in place of their bodies. For each festival or memorial day, he brought Shaohu to pay respects.

The end of May.

Marked their father’s death anniversary.

"Okay."

Shaohu replied, nodding, his gaze distant.

When his father and elder brothers passed, he had been too young. Seven or eight years had since dulled his memory, leaving only a faint, indescribable feeling whenever he occasionally remembered them.

There was little sadness.

...

The next day.

After the memorial service, Shaohu hurried back to Hidden Peach Valley.

As head of the Martial Alliance’s Ministry of Industry Drug Department, he had to manage matters even amidst his "training."

He dared not take things lightly.

The most critical concern.

Lay in the medicine field with Spirit Stone Formation Base buried beneath—there, spiritual medicine was nurtured, Shaohu’s most valued asset.

In a rush, he traveled to Hidden Peach Valley.

He planned to stay in Hidden Peach Valley for ten days before returning to Haitang Mountain, but this time he unexpectedly dashed back within just two days, sneaking in during the dead of night.

"What’s the matter?"

Chen Jichuan opened his door to see Shaohu dart inside, wrapping his clothes tightly and clutching his stomach like a wandering street vendor from his previous life.

The sight made Chen Jichuan pause.

"Fourth Brother."

"I found something amazing!"

Shaohu’s face lit with excitement as he held his stomach with both hands and used his foot to shut the door, before whispering furtively to Chen Jichuan.

"What did you find?"

Curiosity piqued, Chen Jichuan asked.

Having been under his tutelage, Shaohu’s exposure and knowledge surpassed even Mu Junxiong, Wang Quan, and other high-ranking members of the Martial Alliance. For Shaohu to be so excited, whatever he’d found must be extraordinary.

"This—"

Shaohu wasted no time revealing his discovery, carefully opening his clothes.

Inside was a piece of leather armor.

He unfolded the armor to finally reveal—

In his embrace.

Lying there was a small blue-furred spirit beast that resembled a fox, curled up and fast asleep. Its small form was irresistibly endearing.

As the clothes and leather armor were removed, the creature seemed to feel cold, burrowing deeper into Shaohu’s chest.

Seeing this, Shaohu quickly covered it back up before freeing one hand to retrieve a cloth pouch from his waist, handing it to Chen Jichuan as he whispered, "A few days ago, I returned to the medicine field where we nurture spiritual medicine. Most of the carefully grown spiritual herbs were gone. I was furious and asked everyone, but they all swore no one had entered. I checked everything myself—even the paper figures you gave me were intact."

"It was baffling."

"The next day, even more herbs were missing. Last night, I kept watch in the medicine field instead of sleeping, hiding to see what was going on. That’s when I discovered this little guy sneaking around. I watched quietly until it was done eating, followed it back to its nest, and stole it away while it slept. This pouch contains what I took from its nest."

Shaohu rattled off everything in a breathless rush, looking at his fourth brother with wide eyes.

When the spiritual herbs vanished initially, Shaohu was livid—he’d lectured his subordinates in the Drug Department severely, demanding they investigate thoroughly and punish the culprit harshly.

Discovering that this little beast was the perpetrator left him quite angry.

But growing up under Chen Jichuan’s influence, he thought about the hundreds of acres of medicine fields in the Drug Department. For this spirit beast to target his spiritual medicine field specifically suggested something out of the ordinary.

So, Shaohu hurried back overnight to show the beast to his fourth brother.

"It feeds on spiritual medicine?"

Chen Jichuan accepted the pouch without opening it immediately, instead lifting a corner of Shaohu’s attire, exposing the blue-furred beast. He used Insight Skill to examine it—

[Spirit Beast: Dream Fox]

[Rank: 0]

[Description: Gentle in temperament, born with a spiritual nose capable of locating places rich in spiritual energy, spiritual medicine, spirit mines, spirit stones, spirit pills, talismans, magic artifacts, and various other spiritual objects. Consumes such materials and refines them, separating their essences from impurities through excretion. This Dream Fox hatched three months ago and is currently in its juvenile stage, able to consume and refine unranked spiritual medicine, pills, and ore. Note: Dream Fox fur changes color with emotion—white when happy, blue when sad. This particular fox’s ears were gnawed by a Double-eyed Mouse, leaving it in pain and fright, hence its blue-colored fur.]

...

"Dream Fox?"

Chen Jichuan’s heart leapt with joy as he gently took the Dream Fox, inspecting its head.

Indeed.

Where two ears should have been, only small stubs remained.

They seemed particularly sensitive.

Even his gaze upon them made the small beast shiver, clutching its head anxiously with little paws, curling up tightly to cover its gnawed ears.

Quaking as though lost in a nightmare.

Holding the fox in one hand, Chen Jichuan opened the pouch Shaohu had handed him with the other. Inside were granular bits—about the size of fingernails, some of them pure essence, others leftover impurities.

"Fourth Brother."

"What do you think?"

Shaohu couldn’t resist asking after watching his brother examine the beast for a while.

His face was filled with concern.

This little creature had devoured nearly half his spiritual medicine field; if it turned out to be useless, his losses would be immense.

"It’s a spirit beast."

Chen Jichuan smiled and shared the information revealed by Insight Skill about the Dream Fox, marveling at his younger brother’s fortunate discovery.

"A Dream Fox?"

"Haha, I knew it!"

Shaohu erupted in joy. "I just had a feeling—it wouldn’t bother ordinary herbs and only went for my spiritual medicine. It had to be special."

His face was flushed with excitement.

He leaned closer to observe the slumbering Dream Fox. The night he discovered it stealing his herbs, he’d been so furious he could’ve shredded the beast to pieces.

Now, the more he looked at it, the more fond of it he became.

...