"You... you are..."
The instant they saw Bu Fan's face, everyone present widened their eyes in disbelief.
That face was so familiar. Back when the Bu Clan stood at the height of its power, they had followed the man before them and, full of ambition, forged the glory of the Immortal Allure Bu Clan.
And the moment he disappeared, the Bu Clan in their hearts had effectively collapsed with him.
They could never put the despair of that moment into words.
The bloody purge that followed had driven everyone even deeper into despair. If Bu Zhi had not later brought back news of Bu Lianshi, they would likely have withdrawn from the world completely and never dared make another move.
"Pa... Patriarch!!! Is it really you?"
A few of the older men were already weeping openly.
"It's me! I'm back!" Bu Fan said solemnly.
With Bu Fan's confirmation, everyone present fell into incomparable excitement and exhilaration.
Watching the scene, Bu Zhi slowly stepped back to his father's side, leaving space for everyone to reminisce with the patriarch. He understood their feelings at this moment very well.
Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.
By the time everyone departed several hours later, every one of them was filled with hope.
The next day.
Today was the first day of the Immortal Allure Bu Clan's gathering for external stewards. By regulation, every external steward had to report to the patriarch on their operations over the past few years—their income, any difficulties they had encountered, and so on. Though they did not need to account for every last detail, extensive preparations were still required beforehand.
After all, it was quite easy for external stewards to skim off some money. The Bu Clan generally knew this and had always turned a blind eye,