Chapter 7: Treating Wealth as Dirt

Si Shuo felt that the feng shui of Yunjin City might simply be at odds with him.

The swell of pride he'd been riding just days ago — that "my nephew is the greatest in the world" feeling — hadn't even had time to warm up before it was smashed to pieces at the banquet by those words: "I am ashamed to consider myself his equal."

Rumors swirled outside, with people saying all manner of things. Some praised the young master for his sharp wit and clever tongue; others whispered behind closed doors that he was cutting and arrogant, flaunting his talent with no regard for others.

Third Master Si listened to all the gossip and seethed inwardly, itching to drag every loose-lipped busybody out and "have a word" with them one by one.

"He's just a child — pure of heart, says whatever comes to mind. That's called an innocent spirit! Do you understand?!"

"Besides, what's a young man without a bit of fire in his belly? My nephew is a heaven-sent genius. What's wrong with speaking a little truth?!"

That said, he was a man of dignity, and in the end he could only console himself with such words — with more than a hint of embarrassed indignation.

But then again, he thought, what peerless genius didn't have a few quirks? Saying things that left people speechless was hardly the worst thing — at least the boy wasn't causing real trouble! Thinking of it that way, he felt considerably more at ease. After all, the people out there now looked at Si Chen with no less awe than before — if anything, more.

* * *

The news of Foundation Establishment at age seven spread like the wind, not only through all of Yunjin City, but back to the Si Clan as well.

The clan's reaction was, if anything, far calmer than the outside world's.

The core members had been tempered by one "surprise" after another until their nerves were iron-hard. After all, they had already witnessed him charge through to Qi Refining, Ninth Layer in a single two-hour span.

Now, having taken a full month to achieve Foundation Establishment — in their eyes, that was already quite "by the book," almost like going through the motions. The messages that came back were full of praise, but even more so of instructions urging Si Shuo to keep Si Chen well protected, with safety as the top priority.

Soon, a flying vessel dispatched by the clan arrived at Yunjin City, bearing tangible support: a Storage Ring with an extraordinarily vast interior space.

Third Master Si swept it with his Divine Sense, and even with all his experience, he couldn't help but click his tongue.

The space inside was immense — cultivation resources, Spirit Stones, Artifacts of every description piled up like a small mountain, and even a few sets of protective yet comfortable robes clearly prepared for a young child.

"The family is... terrified of letting you feel the slightest bit of hardship." He handed the ring to Si Chen, his tone complex. The clan had practically emptied out a corner of their treasury, hadn't they? This little one had truly become a walking treasure trove.

Si Chen nodded and said, "Thank you, Third Uncle." He took the ring and slipped it onto his finger; it automatically adjusted to fit his size, cool and smooth against his skin.

During these days, he would occasionally use a Communication Stone to contact his Mother, Ye Fu.

Across the vast distance, Ye Fu's voice remained gentle, murmuring on and on — asking whether he was eating well, sleeping well, whether he was overworking himself, reminding him not to argue with others lightly, and to let Third Uncle make the decisions when things came up.

Si Chen would always answer earnestly: "Mother, I am well. The people here are all very polite and very kind."

On the other end of the Communication Stone, there would often be a brief silence, followed by Ye Fu's smiling reply: "That's good. That's good."

Si Shuo, listening from the side, felt the corner of his mouth twitch.

Once, after a call ended, Si Chen wore a rare expression of quiet contemplation. He asked Si Shuo: "Third Uncle, why does Mother only ever ask whether I am safe and whether I am happy? She never asks about my cultivation progress, never speaks of the Great Dao, never mentions immortality?"

Si Shuo had been lounging with his legs crossed, sipping tea. He set down his cup, looked into his nephew's clear eyes, and sighed inwardly.

"You silly boy, isn't that simple? Because in your Mother's heart, you living happily and safely is more important than anything else. The Great Dao, immortality, roaming the universe — all of that comes later."

He reached out and ruffled Si Chen's hair vigorously, messing up the boy's smooth locks: "Your Mother is just an ordinary mother. All mothers in the world are probably like that."

Si Chen half-understood.

Safety. Joy.

This feeling... didn't seem bad at all.

* * *

In the days that followed, Si Chen continued to uphold and practice his "virtues."

When a female cultivator blushed and praised him for being adorably beautiful, he would respond with solemn "modesty": "You flatter me, Elder Sister. This junior is plain and unsightly — truly not worth looking at."

This left the poor girl rooted to the spot, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

He would also study the other person's face carefully for a moment, then solemnly compliment their appearance: "You, today, are also very cute."

Regardless of whether the recipient was male or female, young or old, the effect was equally stunning — it invariably left people momentarily speechless, the scene both awkward and amusing.

Si Shuo would press his hand to his forehead, always feeling that his nephew was galloping down a wayward path at full speed, with no way to rein him back.

However, the thing that truly made Third Master Si resolve to leave Yunjin City immediately — right this instant — was something else entirely.

It was on a pleasant, sunny afternoon...

Si Chen, accompanied by his Third Uncle, was strolling through the city's largest establishment, Wanbao Pavilion, broadening his horizons.

On the ground floor's side hall, a small charity auction was underway. The proceeds were to be used to aid Mortal refugees whose homes had been destroyed by a tide of low-ranking Demon Beasts.

The presiding cultivator spoke in a sorrowful voice, describing the devastation — "several Mortal towns to the south had been struck by disaster, farmsteads washed away, with many dead and wounded" — and called upon the fellow cultivators present to donate generously and help the disaster victims through their ordeal.

Si Chen listened quietly.

He noticed that whenever someone donated goods — especially in larger amounts — the surrounding gazes would fill with admiration. The elderly cultivator presiding over the event would bow deeply and address the donor as "Benefactor," his words brimming with gratitude.

Little Si Chen caught onto this pattern keenly.

"Third Uncle,"

He tugged at Si Shuo's sleeve and pointed over there. "What are they doing?"

"Oh, that?" Si Shuo glanced over. "Doing good deeds — helping out some Mortals, accumulating a bit of merit, and earning a bit of reputation."

"Doing good deeds... is that a virtue?" Si Chen pressed.

"Of course it is!"

Si Shuo said with conviction: "Giving generously, helping those in danger and need — that is a great virtue!"

He took the opportunity to educate his nephew, hoping the boy would develop a better sense of human warmth.

"Giving generously..." Si Chen repeated softly to himself.

Beyond "propriety" and "modesty," he felt he had just unlocked a new "virtue."

"Generosity," was it? So he thought.

And so, before Si Shuo had even registered what was happening, Si Chen had already walked up to the presiding elderly cultivator.

He tilted his head back and began pulling Spirit Stones out of that Storage Ring with its staggering capacity. He didn't understand grades or quality — he simply found some that looked roughly the same size and shape as what others had brought out.

Not a few pieces. Not dozens. But with a great rushing clatter, a small mountain quickly piled up — enough to make every Rogue Cultivator in the room green with envy. At a rough count, no fewer than five thousand Spirit Stones.

The elderly cultivator's eyes went wide, his voice trembling: "L-little young master... this... this is far too much..."

Si Chen looked at him, and recalled the rule he had learned earlier...

When presenting a valuable gift, one must belittle the gift's worth.

He adopted the tone of the Wang Clan Head, his small face solemn, doing his best to make his words sound sufficiently "modest": "A trifling gift, unworthy of your regard — truly not fit to be presented. Please do not think it too little."

"..."

The elderly cultivator stared at the mountain of Spirit Stones, then heard the words "not fit to be presented," and the expression on his face froze completely.

After a long moment he came back to himself and began bowing repeatedly: "Benefactor! A great benefactor! On behalf of those poor souls, this old one thanks the young master for his heavenly grace!"

The crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted in waves of admiration.

"The young master is most righteous!"

"What a benevolent heart!"

"At such a young age, to have such magnanimity..."

Third Master Si watched from the side, and at first he even felt a warm sense of satisfaction.

Not bad, not bad — the boy's way of speaking was still a bit odd, but it was a good thing overall. Spending a little money to help the child accumulate virtue — worth it.

But he never could have imagined that this was only the beginning.

* * *

After the tale of "generous charity at Wanbao Pavilion" spread, the reputation of "the young master of the Si Clan who treats Spirit Stones as dirt," "compassionate to all living things," and "unrivaled in benevolence" began to travel far and wide on its own.

Because Si Chen had become utterly captivated by the feeling of practicing the virtue of "generosity."

In the days that followed, wherever there was anything in Yunjin City connected to "charity," "aid," or "relief," one could always spot the small figure of the Si Clan's young master, draped in a snow-white cloak.

One day, a bridge in the western part of the city had collapsed and needed repairs — he went over and placed down a pile of Spirit Stones, murmuring, "A small token of goodwill, unworthy of mention."

The next day, hearing that a Rogue Cultivator had been gravely injured and could not afford treatment, he quietly appeared, left behind Spirit Stones, and said the same words as always: "A mere trifle, unworthy of your regard."

He had absolutely no idea that the Spirit Stones he was handing out represented a staggering fortune in the eyes of ordinary people. He only felt that "generosity" yielded far greater returns than "propriety" or "modesty."

Si Chen had become completely addicted to this highly efficient "virtue."

Whenever he encountered a situation that met his criteria for "in need of help," he would execute the "give generously" behavior without a moment's hesitation.

Within just a few days, the beggars of Yunjin City and a number of quick-witted Rogue Cultivators had practically turned Si Chen's daily route into a new pilgrimage site. Wherever Si Chen walked, a string of eager, hopeful "tails" would fall in behind him.

They clamored over one another to recount their "tragic circumstances."

"Young master, my spirit medicines aren't selling — please help me..."

"Benefactor, please save my master — his old wounds have flared up, and he's just one spirit medicine short..."

"This old one's flying Artifact has broken down, I have no money to repair it, and I can't get home..."

When Third Master Si discovered this, he nearly fainted on the spot.

His precious nephew had transformed into a "Wealth-Scattering Boy," calmly pulling Spirit Stones out of his ring with a serene expression — the sight was exactly like someone feeding koi in a pond!

"My little ancestor!"

Si Shuo lunged forward in a single bound and scooped up Si Chen, who was still diligently engaged in "virtue output."

Throwing all dignity to the wind, he bellowed at the crowd that had surged around them: "Scatter! All of you, scatter! Keep gawking and don't blame me for getting rough!"

He had figured it all out now — Yunjin City truly could not be stayed in any longer! If they stayed any longer, never mind the well-stocked Storage Ring — he feared this foolish boy would end up gifting even Third Master Si's underpants as a "trifling token"!

Si Chen was tucked under his Third Uncle's arm, his small face still wearing an expression of perfectly calm bewilderment.

He didn't quite understand why, having strictly adhered to the virtue of "giving generously," Third Uncle's reaction had been so extreme.

That very afternoon, word came from the Si estate's guest manor that Third Master Si and the young master had urgent business and needed to depart Yunjin City immediately.

The Mystic Vessel shot into the sky and swiftly vanished into the clouds.

Yet the legend of the Si Clan's young master — "compassionate to all living things," "delighting in charity and good deeds" — had already taken deep root in Yunjin City. For a long stretch of time to come, it would remain a favorite topic of conversation among the Rogue Cultivators of this place, and a beautiful dream that one could only hope to encounter by chance.

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Edited by Fat Goose