Heading to the Leng Family

"Really? You won't find someone new and forget your old flame, then leave Bingbing behind, will you?"

Yan Shubing raised her tear-damp eyes to look at Zhu Ping'an, like an adorable little puppy.

Yan Shubing was beautiful, and this look of hers could make any number of men ache for her. No wonder the original owner had been willing to die for her in the end.

"Don't worry! The sun and moon can bear witness to my sincerity!" Zhu Ping'an gazed at her tenderly.

After coaxing Yan Shubing with a whole lot of sweet words, Zhu Ping'an finally left for the Leng Family.

Leng Yuanting had made it clear: if Zhu Ping'an didn't come visit soon, he'd bring people to storm his house.

After Zhu Ping'an left, someone with an extremely gloomy expression stepped out from behind a tree. It was Ye Qingxian.

"Shubing, what were you just doing with Zhu Ping'an?" Ye Qingxian clenched his fists.

"Qingxian Ge, you saw?" Yan Shubing's eyes reddened.

Ye Qingxian angrily slammed his fist into a tree, sending leaves fluttering through the air.

"What do you think?"

Being defeated by Zhu Ping'an in the Secret Realm of Star Gazing still rankled. Seeing Yan Shubing throw herself into Zhu Ping'an's arms with his own eyes only made him angrier.

"Qingxian Ge, let me ask you one thing. You got into Great Xia Academy, but can you get me in too?" Yan Shubing said softly.

"I can't!" Ye Qingxian clenched his fist even tighter. Though he'd gotten into Great Xia Academy, the academy clearly wouldn't bend the rules for him.

"So, Qingxian Ge, I had no choice but to go to Zhu Ping'an. With my grades, I could get into a second-tier university at best." Yan Shubing's eyes reddened, and she turned away in hurt.

Ye Qingxian's anger melted away at once.

"Shubing, I'm sorry... I'm just no good." Ye Qingxian gritted his teeth, determination flashing in his eyes. "Don't worry! I'll never let you suffer like this again!"

"It's enough that you understand my situation, Qingxian Ge. Don't worry, I'm only using Zhu Ping'an. There's no chance of anything between us. You know how I feel about you, don't you?" Yan Shubing said plaintively.

Ye Qingxian drew Yan Shubing into his arms, battle intent surging in his eyes.

"Don't worry. I'll use the spear in my hands to carve out a bright, clear future for you! They've discovered a New Secret Realm near Green City. Will you go in with me?"

"A New Secret Realm? Would there even be a place for us? The other experts must have already divided up all the good stuff, right?" Yan Shubing asked, puzzled.

"This secret realm is different. The magnetic field inside is abnormally chaotic. A warrior's aura triggers thunderstorms, and the stronger the warrior, the more terrifying the storm they set off." Ye Qingxian nodded with a smile.

"Really? When do we leave?" Yan Shubing's eyes lit up.

"In a week. The major factions in Green City are still dividing up the entry slots."

Downtown Green City.

Looking at the resplendent entrance before him, Zhu Ping'an finally understood the weight behind the words "Leng Family."

Green City might be a small city, but anyone who could build a courtyard this large in the city center clearly had money and connections to spare.

He had barely walked up when two security guards, one fat and one thin, stopped him.

"Stop! Private property. No entry without an invitation!"

"The head of your family invited me," Zhu Ping'an said.

"Impossible!" The thin guard eyed Zhu Ping'an suspiciously. "Do you know who our family head is? You think he'd know some young kid like you?"

"Exactly! By the way, why do you look familiar?" The fat guard gave Zhu Ping'an a once-over, then his eyes lit up. "Oh! It's you! I saw you trending online. You're Zhu Ping'an, this year's Green City Champion!"

Zhu Ping'an relaxed at that. If the man recognized him, things would be easy. He was rather afraid of hassle.

"That's me. Do you believe now that the head of the Leng Family invited me?"

"I believe you, I believe you. Wait here while I go report it."

The fat guard hurried inside to report. Before long, he came back with an even fatter man.

From a distance, the man looked like a Michelin tire mascot made of layers upon layers of fat. Zhu Ping'an worried the poor guy would wear himself out and drop dead if he took a few more steps.

"Zhu Ping'an?" the fat man asked.

"That's me."

"I'm Leng Tianyan! Tianjiao's sixth brother!" The fat man happily reached out to shake Zhu Ping'an's hand. Zhu Ping'an felt as if his own hand had been swallowed up by a greasy mound of fat.

He'd heard that Leng Yuanting had seven sons but only one daughter, Leng Tianjiao. This fat man must be Leng Yuanting's sixth son.

"Come on in and sit. That old geezer's been waiting for you ages."

"Old geezer?" Zhu Ping'an was taken aback. A son called his father an old geezer?

"Aw, don't sweat the details. Come on in."

Leng Tianyan cheerfully led Zhu Ping'an into the Leng Family estate. Apart from a few maids cleaning and gardeners tending the plants, the vast grounds were practically empty, and seemed quite deserted.

"Isn't your family supposed to be thriving? Where are your other brothers?" Zhu Ping'an asked curiously.

"My older brothers are either managing the family businesses elsewhere or serving as high-ranking officers in the City Guard. They're all busy. My younger brother joined the city defense forces last year. We only get together at New Year. I'm a good-for-nothing. I'm useless at everything, and I'm not even a First-Rank Warrior, so most of the time I'm the only one at home." Leng Tianyan panted as he spoke.

Zhu Ping'an's mouth twitched. Leng Tianyan openly called himself a good-for-nothing. Whatever else one could say about him, the guy certainly had a good attitude.

"Old geezer! Your son-in-law's here!"

The moment Leng Tianyan led Zhu Ping'an into the reception hall, he shouted.

"Brat!"

A roar burst from the depths of the Leng Family estate, followed by a huge foot that kicked Leng Tianyan squarely in his ample backside, sending him rolling away like a ball.

Zhu Ping'an: "..."

The son called his father an old geezer, and the father called his son a brat. Their relationship was certainly complicated.

"Why aren't you getting lost? Just looking at you makes my blood boil!" Leng Yuanting rolled his eyes.

"Hmph!" Leng Tianyan snorted. "Fine, I'm going!"

After Leng Tianyan left, Leng Tianjiao came out as well and quietly sat beside Leng Yuanting. Only then did Leng Yuanting turn his gaze to Zhu Ping'an.

"So you finally decided to show up. I thought I'd have to go fetch you myself."

"You're joking, Uncle Leng. The recruitment teachers have been blocking my door these past couple of days, so I couldn't get out," Zhu Ping'an said with a smile.

"True. You're the Top Scholar, after all. Which school did you apply to? Great Xia Academy?" Leng Yuanting asked, taking a sip of tea.

"No. Cangqiong Academy."

"Pfft!"

Leng Yuanting spat out his tea. He didn't even bother wiping it away before grabbing Zhu Ping'an by the collar and lifting him up.

"Are you crazy? You're the Top Scholar, and you applied to Cangqiong Academy? Wait! You're not planning to go after Cangqiong Ancient Saint's legacy, are you?"

Zhu Ping'an nodded, openly admitting it.

"Do you know how many geniuses have charged headlong into the flames over the past ten thousand years without finding even the slightest trace of that legacy? Cangqiong Academy might not even have a legacy!" Leng Yuanting was furious. In his eyes, Zhu Ping'an was throwing away his future.

Zhu Ping'an didn't rush to argue. Instead, he smiled and asked in return,

"Uncle Leng, when I entered the Secret Realm of Star Gazing, did anyone expect me to obtain Starry Sky Ancient Saint's legacy?"