Hu Family Steward Liu Daoran

"Little Haoran, were you looking for me?" As soon as Hu Haoran stepped out of his room, Steward Liu, a burly man in his forties with a long beard, came forward and asked.

Liu Daoran, the chief steward of the Hu residence, had served three generations of the Hu Family. In his youth, he had followed Hu Haoran's grandfather, Hu Zhongkai, into battle and saved him more than once on the battlefield, earning Hu Zhongkai's deep trust. Hu Xi had to respectfully call Liu Daoran Uncle, while Hu Haoran had to call him Grandpa Liu. Liu Daoran was now a Level 94 Title Douluo, titled Azure Wind, so although he was advanced in years, he still looked quite young. His martial soul was the Azure Feather Wind Dragon. Like the Blue Electric Tyrant Dragon Clan, it was a dragon-type martial soul, and he was now the pillar of the Hu Family. Though he was the Hu Family's steward, no one dared treat him as a servant. Hu Haoran only saw Liu Daoran as a kind "old grandpa" who treated him very well.

"Grandpa Liu, you're here. I have some important matters to tell you. Please help me pass them on to my father." Hu Haoran was extremely respectful toward Liu Daoran.

"Oh? What could be so urgent that you had to seek me out? Never mind that for now. I haven't seen my little Haoran in so long. I heard you recently awakened your martial soul and even went hunting soul rings with your mother. Is that true?" As he spoke, Liu Daoran scooped up the seven-year-old Hu Haoran. He had spent the last three months assisting Hu Xi on the battlefield, so there were still things happening within the Hu estate that he did not know about. Otherwise, the matter of Hu Haoran being injured by Ling Fengyun could never have been brushed aside so easily.

Though Hu Haoran was only seven, he had transmigrated here, and his true age was already over twenty. Being picked up by Liu Daoran left him feeling particularly stifled, and he had no ability to resist—nor was it appropriate for him to do so. He could only smile wryly and say, "That's right, Grandpa Liu. Put me down first, and I'll show you my soul rings. I'm already a Level 28 Great Soul Master! If anyone still calls me trash, I'll punch them."

"What?! You're already a Level 28 Great Soul Master?! I was only gone for three months. How did you become a Level 28 Great Soul Master by the time I came back?" Watching Hu Haoran show off his strength like a child, Liu Daoran was utterly stunned.

"Come forth, Soaring Sword." Hu Haoran summoned his Soaring Sword. A longsword three chi and six cun long, one cun and eight fen wide, marked with purple-gold veins, appeared in his hand. Behind him floated a purple soul ring and a seven-colored soul ring.

Liu Daoran was so shocked by Hu Haoran's soul rings that he could not say a word. After a long while, he finally said, "Am I seeing things? It seems I really am old. Little Haoran, hurry and help me back to my room. I must be sleepwalking."

Hu Haoran's face darkened at Liu Daoran's antics. "Grandpa Liu, you aren't seeing things. My first soul ring really is a thousand-year soul ring, and my second soul ring seems to have mutated."

"This is unbelievable. You really do learn something new every day as long as you live. Use your strongest soul skill to attack me. Let me see just how strong you've become." Liu Daoran clearly still could not believe what was before his eyes, so he wanted to experience Hu Haoran's strength for himself.

"Grandpa Liu, be careful!" Hu Haoran shouted, "Second Soul Skill, Zigzag Thunder Kill!"

A bolt of lightning shot straight at Liu Daoran.

Liu Daoran casually waved and pushed with his right hand, dissolving Hu Haoran's soul skill with ease. He nodded and said, "Not bad! Not bad! You may be a Level 28 Great Soul Master, but the power of that move far exceeds what a Great Soul Master should possess. If caught off guard, even a Soul Elder would suffer a crushing defeat."

"Hahaha... Thank you for the praise, Grandpa Liu." Hu Haoran did not tell Liu Daoran about killing a Soul Ancestor. No one would believe it even if he did, and he had not used his full strength when attacking Liu Daoran just now.

"Little Haoran, now tell me about this urgent matter of yours." After briefly testing Hu Haoran's strength, Liu Daoran did not ask further about his hunt for soul beasts. He knew everyone had their secrets. He simply could not believe that a first soul ring could casually exceed a thousand years, much less that a second soul ring could be seven-colored.

Upon hearing that, Hu Haoran immediately told Liu Daoran that his mother had already advanced to Level 90 Titled Douluo. Of course, he only lied and said that his mother had encountered another fortuitous opportunity and could not return immediately. Afterward, he told him about how the Ling Family was deliberately plotting rebellion in collusion with the Mu Family.

The more Liu Daoran heard, the tighter his brow furrowed. At last, he sighed. "Your mother is a peerless genius. Reaching Level 90 was only a matter of time, and another fortuitous opportunity is naturally a good thing. As for the Ling Family and Mu Family, that matter is much more complicated. What evidence makes you so certain?"

"On my way back, I rescued two young masters from a branch of the Mu Family from three Soul Ancestors. Those two young masters are now in our residence." Hu Haoran spoke calmly. He did not want to be charged with slandering the Minister of Finance. "Because I saved them, both of them swore an oath upon their martial souls to serve me loyally and changed their surname to Hu."

Next, Hu Haoran revealed the absurd matter of the Mu Family's main branch exterminating its own branch family, then detailed the Ling and Mu Families' plan to assassinate the Emperor for Liu Daoran.

"Outrageous! The Ling Family has truly grown too bold! Don't worry, I will explain everything to your father in detail. The crown prince has not yet ascended the throne, so there are still many variables. The current Emperor trusts that old dog Ling Gaofeng far too much, while your father, Hu Xi, has spent years guarding the border just to avoid that old dog. Even if this matter were exposed completely, Shen Yefeng would not believe us. Your father and I will make careful plans." Liu Daoran was furious at Ling Gaofeng's scheme.

"With Grandpa Liu handling things, how could I possibly worry?" Hu Haoran said with a grin. "Now I can relax and be a wastrel. Hahaha..."

"A wastrel?! What bad idea do you have now?" Liu Daoran asked doubtfully.

"I suddenly gained a martial soul and became a Level 20 Great Soul Master in less than two months. Anyone would find something this unimaginable suspicious, and the Ling Family will be the first to do so." Hu Haoran analyzed slowly. "If the Hu Family produces another genius even more outstanding than my brother, those hostile to our family will go mad. Some may even send people to assassinate me. If I act like a wastrel now, it can make them lower their guard somewhat."

"That makes sense! I never expected our little Haoran to think so far ahead. Seeing you, the Blue Electric Tyrant Dragon Clan's return to its former glory is just around the corner." Liu Daoran said with tears in his eyes.

"Grandpa Liu, you praise me too highly. Actually, I would rather leave the Imperial Capital and build my own force elsewhere." Hu Haoran said modestly.

"Leave the Imperial Capital and build your own force?" Liu Daoran pondered briefly. "There seems to be an opportunity."

"What opportunity?" Hu Haoran's eyes lit up, and he immediately asked.

"The National Youth Soul Master Competition. Soul Masters under thirty may participate without conditions. The champion's prize is a city—Haori City. Of course, it is only ownership of the city; no troops will be awarded. It is very suitable for cultivating a force. It is just somewhat chaotic." Liu Daoran spoke slowly.

The more Hu Haoran listened, the more eager he became.