Xiao Residence.
Situated right in the center of the main Dongli City, this place was the most colossal estate in Dongli City.
Two guards dressed in red stood on guard at the massive front gate.
Ahead of them, a middle-aged man paced back and forth on the broad avenue.
The man was around forty-seven or forty-eight, with a square face and an air of natural authority that made people hesitant to approach him. His robust physique bulged beneath his black robes, his knotted muscles twitching with every breath he took.
He walked with his hands clasped behind his back, pacing the avenue, looking toward both sides and sighing from time to time.
For the past month, the man had maintained this exact appearance, waiting for someone here.
Unlike previous days, however, today he was backed by over a dozen high-ranking members of his lineage.
The high-ranking members all frowned as they looked into the distance, their faces bearing a trace of displeasure.
Two gatekeepers conversed in low voices:
"This Young Clan Leader is truly mischievous. In the past, whenever he left home it was only for a month or so, but this time he actually went off on an excursion for a full two months, causing the Clan Leader to wait at the entrance every single day this month."
"Even though the Young Clan Leader went out to look for so-called Hermit Experts in the past, he never strayed too far from the Xiao Family's eyes and ears. Now, once he leaves, it takes over two months."
"Seeing that the time for the Three-Year Pact is fast approaching, I thought he vanished for two months just to dodge the Three-Year Pact, but who would have expected him to actually dare return."
"It doesn't matter if trash like the Young Clan Leader dies, it's just hard on the Clan Leader."
Although the hushed conversation between the two gatekeepers could not reach Xiao Zhan's ears, the dozen or so Xiao Family members standing on the steps heard it clearly.
Upon hearing these words, not a single person among the crowd uttered a reprimand; instead, nearly all of their faces wore mocking expressions.
Amidst the crowd, a youth around seventeen years of age with a rather robust build and refined features heard this, and a light smile could not help but hook the corner of his mouth as he softly muttered to himself:
"If I remember correctly, when that trash Xiao Huohuo left, he was only at the realm of a Third-rate martial artist?"
"Rumor has it that the Heavenly Prodigy's Daughter of the Misty Sect has already reached the realm of First-rate Peak, and has also mastered countless Misty Sect martial arts."
"How is Xiao Huohuo going to fight her? Returning now is simply courting humiliation."
Meanwhile, a seventeen-year-old young girl with fair, tender skin standing to the side of the youth looked toward the end of the road and also thought aloud in a low voice:
"That Young Sect Master is a beauty who shook Dongli City, and the men infatuated with her can line up from the city gate to the city's tail."
"He must be lingering over the Young Sect Master's striking looks, coming back to see if there is any room to negotiate the betrothal."
"However, a talent like this, seen once in a century, is absolutely impossible to stay with Xiao Huohuo."
Just as everyone was conversing in low tones, two figures were seen approaching head-on from the far right end of the avenue.
Catching sight of those two people's appearances, Xiao Zhan was overjoyed, and at the same time, the crowd furrowed their brows.
At the end of their line of sight, one of those two people was precisely the Young Clan Leader of their Xiao Family, Xiao Huohuo!
Xiao Zhan immediately greeted them by moving forward:
"My son, you've finally returned!"
Seeing Xiao Zhan's appearance, the tip of Xiao Huohuo's nose also turned red as he immediately dashed over:
"Dad!!"
Father and son embraced tightly together.
The various high-ranking members of the Xiao Family behind them showed no reaction whatsoever.
Because this scene had already played out several times over the past three years, everyone had long since grown accustomed to it.
Xiao Zhan held Xiao Huohuo tightly for a good while before letting go. Grasping Xiao Huohuo's shoulders, his eyes swept back and forth across his body in a panic as he asked with worry:
"Huohuo, did you suffer any injuries on your trip out?"
"If you got hurt, you must tell Dad."
Chu Feng looked at the middle-aged man before him.
The man had a square face and a sharp gaze. Although he appeared to be only in his forties and was moreover a martial artist whose vital energy was far from weak, his temples had already been tinged with gray.
Clearly, this Xiao Family Clan Leader had worried a great deal over Xiao Huohuo all these years.
Upon confirming that Xiao Huohuo was unhurt, Xiao Zhan let out a breath of relief, then turned his gaze to the young man who had returned along with his son.
A pair of sharp, heroic, and imposing eyes looked over Chu Feng for a long time.
His brow furrowed tightly once more, and Xiao Zhan thought inwardly to himself:
"Could this not be another so-called Hermit Expert that Huohuo found outside?"
"Another god-playing and ghost-bouncing swindler?"
A glance was all it took.
The youth before him had a plain appearance, wore common cloth garments, and possessed a mild aura of unrestrained ease, yet his age seemed to be only around twenty-one or twenty-two.
This was simply a youth only slightly older than Huohuo!
Even for a swindler, this lacked any persuasion whatsoever, didn't it?
Could it be that his, Xiao Zhan's, child was already foolish enough to be hoodwinked by someone his own age?
At this moment, Xiao Huohuo restrained some of his joy and steadied his mind. Seeing the curious gazes of the crowd passing by on both sides of the road, as well as the stares of the group at the main gate sweeping over his master,
he recalled his master's status, and panic flared in his heart:
"How could I have forgotten?"
"A Hermit Expert like Master is an existence akin to an Immortal God."
"Furthermore, Master has long lived in seclusion deep within remote mountains and primeval forests, rarely seeing human habitation."
"With so many people staring at Master, what should I do if Master gets displeased?"
He immediately frowned, pulled on Xiao Zhan's arm, and said:
"Dad, let's go back inside and talk."
Although Xiao Zhan was somewhat curious about Chu Feng's identity, he had always doted on his son, so he simply went along with Xiao Huohuo.
He turned his head to look at the high-ranking members of the Xiao Family:
"Return to the estate!"
The unquestionable voice fell, and the crowd walked together into the Xiao Residence.
Ascending the seven-tiered White Marble steps, Chu Feng followed Xiao Huohuo and the others into the main hall of the Xiao Family.
Two vermilion-lacquered pillar-beams, thick enough for two people to embrace, stood on either side. Hanging on the hall's wall was a nine-foot-long ink-wash painting of a city, while a red-wood Taishi Chair was placed in the center, flanked by eight black-wood chairs exuding a faint fragrance.
Ten treasured swords of varying lengths were hung to the left and right of the main hall's walls.
A Green Crane Incense Burner was slowly exhaling purple smoke that swirled within the hall.
The layout of the hall was simple, yet it lacked no grandeur.
Chu Feng casually found a chair and sat down, while Xiao Huohuo sat right beside Chu Feng.
Seeing this scene, Xiao Zhan's brows furrowed even deeper as he took his seat at the head of the room.
Aside from the three of them, Xiao Zhan had already dismissed the various high-ranking members of the Xiao Family according to Xiao Huohuo's instructions, leaving only the Three Elders of the clan behind.
Seeing that only the few of them remained in the main hall, Xiao Huohuo no longer concealed anything, and proudly introduced to Xiao Zhan:
"Dad, this is the master that your son has taken upon himself to serve."
"Master is a person among immortals, and it took a great deal of effort for your son to invite him to our home as a guest."
Seeing Xiao Huohuo looking so excited, Xiao Zhan and the Three Elders furrowed their brows even deeper.
Xiao Zhan could not help staring at Chu Feng again, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.
With a hint of disgust between his brows, he turned instead to sigh toward Xiao Huohuo:
"Huohuo, enough."
"Your actions are truly growing more and more absurd!"
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