Chapter 85: Dispersed Like Smoke and Clouds (23)

In the market, at the Treasure Pavilion.

As soon as Chen An walked in, he saw Shen Qingyi and Pan Hui sitting in a corner eating breakfast. Their relationship seemed as close as ever, like sisters.

He had no intention of going over to greet them, instead he went to chat with Liu, the shopkeeper.

When Pan Hui saw him, she immediately nudged Shen Qingyi and said, "Master Chen is here. I wonder if he can pass the Treasure Pavilion's test today."

Shen Qingyi just smiled and didn't say anything.

After about an hour or so.

It was close to noon.

Chen An didn't wait for Li, the steward of the Treasure Pavilion, but instead received a confidential letter delivered by a spiritual pigeon.

"Shopkeeper Liu, how do I retrieve this letter?" Chen An asked Liu, pointing to the tube tied to the leg of the spiritual pigeon, covered in runes and engraved with the words "To Chen An".

Liu smiled and said, "Master Chen, these are the enchantments used by the Treasure Pavilion to encrypt letters. Only members of the Treasure Pavilion can decipher them. Let me help you retrieve it."

"Thank you, Shopkeeper Liu," Chen An said as he handed over the spiritual pigeon in his hand.

Liu took the spiritual pigeon and within a moment, he took out the letter from the bamboo tube and handed it to Chen An, saying, "Master Chen, this is a letter sent to you by Steward Li. It should be about the test results. Open it and take a look."

Chen An took the letter, feeling both anticipation and unease, and opened it.

Then, in the next second, his face instantly turned ugly.

He didn't pass the test.

It said that the quality of his Qi Condensation Pills was not up to standard.

At the bottom of the letter, it also said that he would be given another chance to refine 20 Clear Spirit Pills within 20 days, and they would come for inspection when the time came.

Clear Spirit Pills, first-grade pills.

Their main effect was to cleanse the impurities contained in one's spiritual power and improve its purity.

Although Clear Spirit Pills were first-grade pills, they were extremely difficult to refine. Even for a second-grade alchemist, being able to refine one pill a day was considered efficient.

Refining 20 pills in 20 days was much more difficult than refining 2,000 Qi Condensation Pills in 15 days.

"Master Chen, how did the test go?" Liu couldn't help but ask when he saw Chen An's face not looking right. From the moment he opened the letter until now, Chen An hadn't said a word.

Chen An didn't say anything, he just handed the letter in his hand to Liu.

Liu took the letter and quickly frowned, his face full of confusion. "This shouldn't be. I've seen the Qi Condensation Pills you refined, the quality is better than the ones in my shop. How could the quality be a problem?"

As he said that, he suddenly thought of something and quickly said to Chen An, "Master Chen, you know me as a person, I have principles. I didn't touch the 2,000 Qi Condensation Pills I kept for you before, they were all monitored by the Memory Stones."

"I never doubted you, Shopkeeper Liu," Chen An smiled and said, "Starting from tomorrow, I will start refining the Clear Spirit Pills mentioned in the letter. I will trouble you, Shopkeeper Liu, for the next 20 days."

"No problem, it's a small matter. Master Chen will definitely pass the test this time," Liu replied with a smile.

Both of them were not genuinely smiling.

One was forcing a smile.

The other was putting on a professional smile.

After chatting with Liu for a few more words, Chen An quickly left the Treasure Pavilion.

Watching his departing figure, Pan Hui, who was sitting in the corner, couldn't help but show surprise. "In the past half month, every time I saw Master Chen come out after refining pills, he always had a smile on his face. I thought he was very confident, but I didn't expect this result."

Shen Qingyi didn't reply, she just silently drank her porridge.

But if you looked closely, you could still see a hint of surprise on her face.

Obviously, she was also surprised that Chen An didn't pass the test.

...

Green Willow Lane, at home.

As soon as Chen An stepped into the house, his three wives rushed up, eager to know the results of the test.

But when they saw Chen An's unhappy face, they all choked up and couldn't ask.

"Husband, you must be tired. I'll go prepare a bath for you," one of them said, trying to change the subject.

"Husband, I'll go cook for you."

"Daddy, hug!"

"Why hug? Go to the yard and practice qigong!"

Wen Zhiyun said and took Chen Yuejian outside.

Soon after, she returned alone, smiling mysteriously at Chen An and said, "Husband, come to my room, I have a surprise for you."

"Xiaoyue is alone in the yard now, I'm worried, I'll go out and check on her."

"It's fine, I just had Ying'er watch her outside. Come to my room quickly, I really have a surprise for you."

After saying that, Wen Zhiyun went around behind Chen An and pushed him towards the room.

Half an incense stick later.

Inside the room.

Wen Zhiyun looked up slightly, her eyes watery, and asked Chen An, "Husband, do you like the surprise I gave you?"

"Where did you learn it?"

"Ying'er taught me something related before, and I made some improvements myself."

"I didn't expect you to be quite creative."

Chen An touched Wen Zhiyun's head and his fondness for this proud little concubine increased.

Wen Zhiyun enjoyed being touched by him and changed her usual proud style. She became gentle and said, "Husband, Yun'er wants to... give you another surprise."

Half an incense stick later.

The two came out of the room.

From beginning to end, Wen Zhiyun never asked about the test results, but did her best to relieve Chen An's stress and alleviate his frustration.

"Husband, the water is ready. Ying'er learned some new tricks recently. Come and experience it."

As soon as Chen An came out, Song Huaying pulled him into the bathroom.

Half a column of incense later.

Song Huaying sat in the wooden tub, leaning against Chen An's chest, and looked up at him with a sweet smile, saying, "Husband, how do you feel about Yun'er's new tricks?"

"I really like them."

"If husband likes them, Yun'er is very happy."

After saying that, Song Huaying started to show off her new tricks again, trying to distract her husband from the disappointment of not passing the test.

Half a column of incense later.

The whole family of five sat together.

The dishes were plentiful.

Ten dishes and two soups.

"Husband, try this braised spirit shrimp."

"The taste of this boiled spirit chicken is so fresh. Husband, try it!"

"Husband, Yue'er specially added honey marinade to this cucumber salad. It's sour and sweet, very delicious. Here, let me pick a piece for you to taste."

The three wives kept serving Chen An dishes.

Seeing this, their little daughter also imitated them and put a boiled spirit vegetable into Chen An's bowl, with a smile on her face, saying, "Daddy, eat grass!"

"Haha!"

"Goose, goose, goose, goose..."

Chen An was amused by his daughter Chen Yuejian's "eat grass" comment and couldn't help but laugh. His frustration in his heart was instantly reduced by half.

The three wives beside him were also delighted.

They could even call spirit vegetables "grass".

Isn't Xiaoyue so cute?

Chen Yuejian didn't know what her parents were laughing about, but seeing them all laughing, she also laughed out loud, her little face full of bright smiles.

In an instant, the room was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

...

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(End of this chapter)

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