Decision (1)

"I see, I understand now," Fanxin replied.

"Yes, we live over there now. It's very secluded, and people are generally not allowed to come out. The reason for this is that the clan chief is worried that we will expose our settlement and end up causing trouble somewhere," Ji Ruxue said.

"Therefore, we have been unable to come out to find you. More than ten years have passed. If our strength hadn't improved to the point where we can protect ourselves in battle, the clan leader wouldn't have allowed us to come out."

"I understand, Mother. It's not your fault," Fanxin said.

His mother cared for him, so naturally he wouldn't blame his parents. After all, they had no other choice.

"Child, it's good that you don't blame us. Your father has been worried that you won't acknowledge him anymore," Ji Ruxue said.

"Don't mention it, I've been looking for you too. But he searched many places without finding any trace of you, and he was very frustrated." Fanxin said, "Now I know, the reason I couldn't find you is because you're not in the outside world, but in a hidden place."

His parents have gone into hiding, so finding them will naturally be extremely difficult for him.

He's not a god, so we can only search for him slowly.

"Yes, that's right, so we can't see you," Ji Ruxue said.

"And then what happened? How did you find out about my existence?" Fanxin asked curiously.

"When your cousin went out to buy food, he heard about a pirate crew called Heavenly Soul, and according to rumors, the captain of the Heavenly Soul Pirates is a member of the Soul Clan," Ji Ruxue said. "At that time, your cousin took it to heart. He searched everywhere for you, trying to find out your whereabouts. In the end, he found out all your information."

"Furthermore, you are capable of using Conqueror's Haki, making you only the second person in the history of the Soul Clan to possess Conqueror's Haki. The first was our ancestor, and the second is you."

"So, that's how your information reached the Soul Clan. The clansmen were quite surprised to hear that you could use Conqueror's Haki. To ensure your safety, the clan leader secretly dispatched a powerful expert who has been following you closely. With his protection, we are relieved, and the clan leader is also at ease letting you venture out into the world."

"What? There's someone following me?" Fanxin was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, somewhat surprised.

He was incredibly strong, yet he was being followed without even realizing it—that was truly unexpected.

"Yes," Ji Ruxue said, "The one who has been protecting you in secret is your uncle. His strength is comparable to that of Admiral. If anything happens to you, he can immediately take action and get you out of trouble."

"Who is it? Tell me?" Fanxin asked curiously.

"Hehe, show yourself now," Ji Ruxue said with a smile.

She knew that if Fanxin didn't find out, Fanxin would definitely try to find out who it was. That would likely lead to a falling out between them. Therefore, she decided to call the other person out as soon as possible. This way, they could avoid a conflict.

"Sigh, he didn't notice me, and in the end, he was exposed by his own people." A voice came from not far away.

Soon after, a figure appeared out of thin air in front of Fanxin.

This was a middle-aged man, dressed in a suit, holding a cup of tea in his hand, walking and drinking tea, looking very relaxed.

He was Fan Cheng, Fanxin's bodyguard. To protect this king of the Soul Clan, he had remained hidden in the shadows, never revealing himself.

As long as Fanxin remain, no matter how much harm he suffers, he will not easily appear, lest he be disturbed.

However, to his relief, Fanxin was very powerful; he had encountered many opponents along the way. Nevertheless, he had never been killed.

Although he found himself in trouble several times, Fanxin always managed to protect himself whenever he was about to make a move.

In this way, his role became negligible. Although he was quite frustrated, he was also very happy to see how helpful Fanxin was.

If Fanxin become stronger, then the Soul Clan will be even better off in the future. Because the Soul Clan's king is incredibly powerful.

"When did you start following me around?" Fanxin asked curiously.

"Hehe, ever since you established your pirate crew and gained some fame, I've been following you around." Fan Cheng said with a smile, "Don't blame me for meddling, it's unavoidable. The Navy has been hunting down the Soul Clan, and you are the king of the Soul Clan, so naturally I can't let you get hurt. Luckily you're alright, if something had happened to you, the clan leader and your parents would definitely have skinned me alive."

The ancestor of the Soul Clan was a king. Since his death, he has never seen another Soul Clan member who could cultivate such a powerful kingly Haki.

Therefore, they valued Fanxin, the king of the Soul Clan, highly and absolutely could not allow him to be lost.

"Oh, I see. I understand now," Fanxin said. "Thank you so much for all these years."

"Hehe, not at all. You definitely won't let me stick by your side anymore, right?" Fan Cheng asked with a smile.

He had been by Fanxin's side for many years and knew Fanxin's personality well; he was a very independent child and rarely asked for help.

If he hadn't shown himself, he might have continued to stay by the other's side and protect him. However, now that he has, given his Fanxin nature, he certainly won't let him pass.

Therefore, he must prepare for a retreat. Otherwise, Fanxin definitely be in a lot of trouble.

"Of course, I don't need anyone to protect me. I'm very capable," Fanxin said confidently.

He had been protected by someone for so long without even realizing it; he felt utterly pathetic.

So he decided to stop letting the other person follow him; having someone following him made him feel very uncomfortable.

"Hehe, I knew it would be like this. Alright, you've done a great job anyway. I'm here with you, you should be fine," Fan Cheng said.

"Well, anyway, thank you for all these years," Fanxin said.

Although he hasn't had any problems yet, if something really did happen, he'd be finished.

Therefore, Fanxin was very grateful for the protection the other party provided.

"That's good. Alright, you guys chat, I'm going to wander around." Fan Cheng nodded, not lingering there any longer, and left immediately.

Fanxin watched until the other person disappeared before he looked away.

"Mother, is he very strong?" Fanxin asked curiously.

"His combat strength isn't particularly strong, but his Soul Power is very strong. If he wanted to follow you, you might not be able to detect it," Ji Ruxue said with a smile.

"Oh, is the other party really that powerful?" Fanxin asked.

"Yes, his soul abilities are among the best in the clan. Apart from the clan leader, there are probably very few others who can surpass him," Ji Ruxue nodded in agreement.

"I see! Then I'll have to ask him for some pointers on how to cultivate Soul Power to its ultimate level," Fanxin said with a smile.

Although his Soul Power has become very strong, it has not yet reached its peak.

If he wants to become stronger, he must learn from experienced predecessors, so that he can gain more inspiration.

"Hehe, that's great!" Ji Ruxue said.

With Fanxin's strength increasing, they could now travel outside with peace of mind.

"Well, but we'll be going in a few days, so let's not discuss it anymore," Fanxin said.

"Alright, come on, child, let's eat and chat," Fantian said with a smile.

"Child, the main reason I've come here with your parents and a few cousins is to ask you whether you'll continue your adventures outside or join our Soul Clan," Fantian inquired.

"I'm not planning to go back yet," Fanxin Xin said, shaking her head.

Although his goal was to find his parents, he now knew for sure that they were still alive, so he wasn't in a hurry to go back.

He also wanted to find the Great One Piece, which was his second objective. He wouldn't return to the Soul Clan until he found it.

"I see. I knew you'd make this decision," Fantian said with a wry smile.

"What happened? Has something happened to the Soul Clan?" Fanxin asked.

"No, that's not it. It's that your patriarch grandfather wants to pass the position to you. If you go back, you can take over immediately," Fantian said.

The clan leader is getting old and is losing his strength. Fanxin is a king with considerable strength, so it would be perfect for him to take over as clan leader.

"Hehe, Father, I won't take over the position of clan leader. Let Grandfather, the clan leader, choose a capable person to succeed me! I'm still too young to be the clan leader now," Fanxin said, waving his hand.

"I can't persuade your clan chief grandfather about this. Ever since he learned you were a king, he's been extremely fond of you and insisted you take over. Moreover, everyone in the clan agreed to your appointment as clan chief; not a single person objected," Fantian said. "If we were to change people at this point, I'm afraid some would be dissatisfied."

"Is that so? But I'm still too young. How about this, let Grandpa Clan Chief choose a steward to manage the clan affairs. I'll just be a hands-off manager." Fanxin that he couldn't refuse, Fan Xin rolled his eyes and said.

He barely manages his own pirate crew, leaving it to Little Black Cat and Ren Fang. He himself is a hands-off manager, rarely doing anything.

Now, the clan is asking him to take over family affairs. Isn't that putting him in a difficult position? He won't do it.

"I'm afraid that won't work," Ji Ruxue said with a wry smile.

"Ask Ren Fang. As the captain, I haven't been in charge of anything. I just eat and drink all day. They've managed everything else," Fanxin Xin immediately said.

He was trying to tell his parents that he wasn't lying and that what he said was true.

Upon hearing this, Ji Ruxue looked at her daughter-in-law, Ren Fang blushed slightly and said, "He rarely gets involved in affairs; he's usually cultivating in his room."

Her words were tantamount to an admission that Fanxin was a hands-off manager; there was nothing he could do about it, that's how Fanxin had always acted. He couldn't even argue against it.

"Sigh, is that really the case? Alright! Let's go back and discuss it with the clan leader to see what we should do." Fantian said with a wry smile.

He was at his wit's end, because Fanxin was unwilling to manage clan affairs. He couldn't force Fanxin to do so, because doing so would be ineffective.

Forced relationships are never sweet, and he didn't want things to turn out unpleasant.

"Then thank you very much, Mom and Dad." Seeing that his parents had agreed, Fanxin immediately breathed a sigh of relief. He hated getting involved in things the most, and since his parents wouldn't let him, he was happy to have some peace and quiet.

"Okay, let's go wander around over there first. You and Ren Fang can have a good chat," Ji Ruxue said.

As she spoke, she pulled her husband and several of Fanxin's cousins, immediately got up, and went elsewhere.

A moment later, only Fanxin and Ren Fang remained.

"You're getting married the day after tomorrow, are you happy?" Fanxin pulled Ren Fang into her arms and asked softly.

"I'm so happy! I've been looking forward to this day," Ren Fang said.

"Yes, after we get married, you'll give me a child. I want to be a father," Fanxin said.

Ren Fang had always wanted to have a child with him. However, he had always refused. There was no way around it; he wasn't strong enough to protect himself back then. If he were to protect a child as well, it would be beyond his capabilities.

However, he is no longer afraid, because his strength has increased, and Wolf Valley has been completed. Ren Fang and the child can now stay in Wolf Valley.

With them inside, they won't be disturbed by the outside world. And he can rest assured.

Now, the time is ripe. He will not refuse Ren Fang's offer to have his child.

"Okay, I agree." Ren Fang was overjoyed to hear this; this time, Fanxin finally didn't refuse her.

They couldn't help but laugh, and finally hugged each other, very happy.

From afar, Fantian and Ji Ruxue watched this with a touch of envy. In their youth, they had been just like that. Now, their children were so happy; it was truly wonderful.

"That's good. Fanxin has someone who loves him so much taking care of him, so we can go back with peace of mind," Ji Ruxue said with a smile.

"Yes, that makes sense. His friends are all quite good; they can be a great help in crucial moments. That makes him much safer when he's out there adventuring," Fantian nodded affirmatively.

He had been worried about Fanxin's safety, but now he wasn't. He had seen Fanxin's condition, and it was infinitely better than he had imagined. Now, he could let Fanxin roam freely on this vast ocean.

"Alright, let's go somewhere else, so we don't disturb their private conversation." Ji Ruxue smiled and pulled her husband away. The others didn't linger either and quickly left.