Chapter 1003: Chapter 1003

Chu Shuo was taken aback by their overwhelming enthusiasm.

"No, no!" He quickly pulled his hand away from Shi Miaomiao’s grasp. "Though I discovered the Spirit Mines, whether or not to give them away, or how to arrange it, that’s all up to Sixth Sister."

The others continued to look at Nanli with eager eyes.

Siheng couldn’t help but frown and asked, "How many Spirit Mines are there in total?"

Chu Shuo, unable to answer offhand, pulled out a book and showed it to them.

Nanli and her husband flipped through the book.

Nanli’s lips twitched slightly as she said, "Second Brother, no wonder you mentioned lacking manpower. Looking at this, in addition to the eight Spirit Mines near the capital, there are also Spirit Mines in Yuezhou, Lian State, Jingzhou, Xuzhou, and other places. Altogether there are..."

Before she could finish counting, Siheng interjected, "Thirty-one."

"Thirty-one?!" Bai Hao and the others were completely shocked.

They all stared at Chu Shuo in disbelief. "Second Young Master, how did you manage this?"

How was it possible for someone to find so many Spirit Mines?

Chu Shuo shrugged and replied, "It’s not like I have any special artifact to discover them. I bought up those lands and mountains earlier, and I didn’t even know there were Spirit Mines there."

Of course, the immortals were green with envy.

When others bought land, it was just land; but when Chu Shuo bought it, it had Spirit Mines?

Bai Hao coughed lightly, then said, "Nanli, now that the Bai family has settled in Mu Nation, we should be able to buy land, right?"

Nanli nodded, "According to the law, yes."

Shi Miaomiao, who was also considering moving the Shi family, thought that if they bought land, perhaps they could have their own Spirit Mine.

But Chu Huan quickly dashed their hopes. "Don’t even think about it. The land you buy won’t have any Spirit Mines."

Bai Peng, the head of the Bai family, had always been proud. Hearing this, he felt displeased. "Why do you say that, Third Young Master?"

"Those mountains and fields were bought by Second Brother to help the common people. He bought them at a high price, and then leased them at a low price to the common people to help them survive. It’s all Second Brother’s merit," Chu Huan explained carefully.

Chu Shuo didn’t want to take credit. "We all worked hard, it’s the family’s collective blessing."

Lu Yanyan quickly added, "Yes! Especially Sixth Sister!"

Without her help, Chu Shuo’s business would never have grown so large, nor would so many common people have benefited.

Bai Hao was enlightened. He stroked his beard and muttered, "I see..."

It seemed that the Chu family really had accumulated a lot of good karma.

In the Immortal World, where everyone was selfish and only cared for themselves, few had accumulated any real merit. As a result, resources were becoming scarcer, and no more Spirit Mines were appearing.

Shi Miaomiao said, "Second Young Master, if you need help managing the Spirit Mines, the Shi family can fully assist!"

"The Bai family can also help!" Bai Hao immediately chimed in.

It didn’t matter whether they would actually get any Spirit Mines. With Chu Shuo’s generous nature, they were sure to be treated well.

Chu Shuo didn’t immediately agree.

Nanli smiled and said, "Thank you for your kindness, but let us and my husband take some time to visit the Spirit Mines in various regions and then make a decision."

Bai Hao grinned, "Alright, if you need anything, just call on me!"

Shi Miaomiao shot him a side-eye and said, "Nanli, take me with you. I also want to travel around Mu Nation and see more."

Bai Peng cursed inwardly as the sound of eunuchs greeting echoed at the door:

"The Honorary Emperor has arrived!"

"The Emperor is here!"

Before anyone could stand up to greet him, the Honorary Emperor had already entered the main hall with large strides.

His hair, which used to be mostly white, was now darker, and he moved with surprising speed, not showing any signs of fatigue.

Upon entering the main hall, he immediately spotted Siheng, who stood out the most in appearance.

His Ninth Brother still wore a dark robe, and though his face hadn’t changed much, his eyes had become colder, giving off an unapproachable aura.

The Honorary Emperor, initially excited, froze when he saw Siheng’s cold expression. He hesitated and didn’t dare to step forward.

He tried to smile, but the sadness in his heart was too overwhelming, and he couldn’t force it out.

They stared at each other.

Siheng took a few steps forward.

His face showed no hint of a smile.

The Honorary Emperor was so scared that he took two steps back.

Then, Siheng performed a formal bow, just like before.

It was respectful, with a hint of deference.

The Honorary Emperor could hardly believe his ears. His eyes widened in surprise. "You... You called me... what?"

"Brother," Siheng repeated.

The Honorary Emperor had already prepared for the worst. He had come to the Duke’s Residence simply to see if Siheng would still acknowledge him as his elder brother. He hadn’t dared to hope for much.

Siheng had bowed and addressed him as "Brother" in front of everyone!

Hahahaha! Now he was the Celestial Sovereign’s elder brother!

"Good, good, good!" The Honorary Emperor was overjoyed. His face turned rosy, and he nodded continuously.

He rushed forward and helped Siheng up, not putting on any airs.

His eyes were filled with tears, and he grasped Siheng’s arm, checking to make sure Siheng was still as strong and healthy as before. Only then did he feel completely at ease.

"I worried for nothing," the Honorary Emperor said with a deep sigh.

Siheng’s heart warmed as he lightly smiled. "You were never really worried. You knew I could handle it, right?"

Everyone was deeply moved by this heartwarming scene.

Just then, Siheng spoke again. "Your Majesty, it’s been a long time since we met. I brought some things for you."

"Really?!" The Honorary Emperor laughed and was even more delighted. "Ninth Brother, you truly have a thoughtful heart..."

His words were cut off abruptly.

Siheng had pulled out a stack of health-preserving books from his Qiankun Bag and piled them into a small mountain.

His black eyes gleamed as he said, "These are all carefully selected by me."

The Honorary Emperor’s smile froze on his face.

The other members of the Chu family exchanged awkward glances.

Nanli quickly spoke up, "Your Majesty, this wasn’t my idea. It has nothing to do with me."

"It’s not your idea? Didn’t you remind him?" The Honorary Emperor asked, a bit irritated.

"I did, but he was adamant about it. I couldn’t stop him." Nanli shrugged.

The Honorary Emperor’s face turned dark.

Bai Hao, not understanding the situation, saw the titles on the books and decided to flatter Siheng to ease the tension.

"Oh, these books are excellent. If you diligently practice, they’re sure to extend your life. It’s clear the Celestial Sovereign put a lot of thought into selecting them."

Bai Peng, who had been in Mu Nation for a while, was more aware of the situation and quickly whispered, "Uncle, don’t say that."

"What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong? This book, the Eternal Life and Universe Skill, is clearly straightforward. Once you practice it, it will be easy to master! After practicing for ten or eight years—maybe even less—it could even make you young again!" Bai Hao said proudly.

The Honorary Emperor’s face was now as dark as a pot bottom.

With a cold and sarcastic tone, he said:

"Oh really? Why don’t I feel like the Eternal Life and Universe Skill is that simple to learn?"