The Spirit Hall was enormous.
It was almost as large as half of Spirit City.
It was far more than just one grand hall.
It was divided into many different areas.
Relying on his token, Ying Chengfeng passed through without hindrance and brought Yu Feiyan home.
His home was huge, with several courtyards. He had once lived alone in a courtyard to the south.
"Is this your home?" As soon as Yu Feiyan entered the courtyard, she only dared to look cautiously ahead, not daring to glance around.
Seeing her like this, Ying Chengfeng couldn't help chuckling. "Don't be so nervous. You're going to do great things in the future, so you need to stay composed."
Just then, a refined-looking middle-aged man walked out of the house Ying Chengfeng lived in and spotted the two of them standing in the courtyard.
His name was Ying Chengzhe, Ying Chengfeng's father in name.
Ying Chengzhe looked at Ying Chengfeng's unmistakably familiar face. He looked even... better than he had nine years ago, though he was still small.
"Ahem..." Ying Chengfeng looked at Ying Chengzhe and rubbed his nose. "Long time no see. You look a few years older."
Ying Chengzhe's expression shifted from utter disbelief to bewilderment. For a moment, he even wondered if he was dreaming.
"You're... Chengfeng? How come you haven't grown at all?"
If he hadn't known Ying Chengfeng so well, Ying Chengzhe wouldn't have dared recognize him.
As it happened, Ying Chengfeng's birth was quite bizarre.
That night, Ji Qingyi had been admiring the moon from the rooftop.
Suddenly, a shooting star streaked across the night sky, and a beam of light entered her body.
Not long afterward, she inexplicably became pregnant.
To conceal the child that had inexplicably appeared in her womb, the Azure Luan Elder simply had Ying Chengzhe, who had long admired Ji Qingyi, marry her.
Ying Chengfeng wasn't very used to calling other people "Dad" either, so he had always been rather vague about what to call Ying Chengzhe.
Ying Chengzhe walked up to Ying Chengfeng and examined him closely. "Where have you been for the past nine years? Your mother has been worried about you."
Ying Chengfeng felt a flicker of emotion. "Is Mother doing well?"
"Your grandfather said he sent you somewhere. Your mother thinks of you often, but she has your younger sister with her," Ying Chengzhe said.
"Younger sister?" Ying Chengfeng tilted his head, then smiled at Ying Chengzhe. "Not bad, Old Ying. You finally got what you wanted."
But Ying Chengfeng had already guessed some of what had happened.
First of all, his grandfather had definitely concealed the fact that he, too, had gone missing.
After all, Ying Chengfeng's arrival had been bizarre, and the Azure Luan Elder had regarded him as the "Child of Divine Miracle," placing great hopes on him.
But with both Ying Chengfeng and Qian Renxue having vanished at the same time, it was hard not to connect the two.
So the Azure Luan Elder had concealed part of the truth, whether to protect Ying Chengfeng or himself.
Only then did Ying Chengzhe react. He quickly glanced around, took Ying Chengfeng by the hand, and led him into the house.
Behind them, Yu Feiyan hesitated, unsure whether she should follow.
"Come in," Ying Chengfeng said to her.
Once they were inside, Ying Chengzhe shut the doors and windows, acting as if he were up to something shady.
"The timing of your disappearance was too much of a coincidence, and your appearance now isn't something you should let people see." Ying Chengzhe sounded a little nervous.
Ying Chengfeng understood, and immediately said, "Could you call Grandfather and Mother over for me?"
"I'd go even if you hadn't reminded me," Ying Chengzhe said irritably.
He glanced at Yu Feiyan and asked, "Who is she?"
"My adopted younger sister. I'm planning to have her take the Pope as her master, so Grandfather will have to make an appearance," Ying Chengfeng said.
At that, Ying Chengzhe's expression turned strange. "Have her take the Pope as her master?"
He couldn't make heads or tails of this odd idea.
If Ying Chengfeng had asked the Pope to take him, the Azure Luan Elder's grandson, as a disciple, that might have been possible.
But taking in someone of unknown origins, with no particular status, was basically impossible.
Unless that person had outstanding talent.
"What's her Martial Soul? What's her Soul Power Level?"
At the question, Yu Feiyan didn't dare say a word.
Ying Chengfeng answered for her. "I'll keep that secret for now. It'll definitely be beyond your expectations."
"Oh?" Ying Chengzhe's curiosity was piqued.
"Stay here for now. I'll go call your mother and grandfather," Ying Chengzhe said, then walked out of the house.
That left only Ying Chengfeng and Yu Feiyan inside.
Only then did Yu Feiyan ask, "Why do you want me to take the Pope as my master?"
Her little heart could barely take it.
The Pope of the Spirit Hall!
She didn't know any kings of this or that kingdom, and she didn't even know Xue Ye, the Heaven Dou Empire's emperor.
But the Pope of the Spirit Hall was famous enough to make her ears ring.
Of course, she didn't know the names of the successive Spirit Hall Popes, either.
Hearing Yu Feiyan's question, Ying Chengfeng shook his head. "The Pope won't take you as her disciple. But you need to meet her and make sure she remembers you."
Yu Feiyan couldn't understand why Ying Chengfeng was doing this.
But the thought of meeting the legendary Pope made her unbearably nervous.
In her eyes, Ying Chengfeng seemed capable of anything.
He could even arrange for her to meet the Pope.
Before long, four people entered the house.
Her grandfather, her parents, and a little girl of four or five.
The little girl looked timidly at Ying Chengfeng and Yu Feiyan.
"Chengfeng..." His mother, Ji Qingyi, wore almost the same expression Ying Chengzhe had earlier.
She looked utterly disbelieving.
Then the Azure Luan Elder spoke.
"Everyone else, go out. I want to speak with Chengfeng alone."
At her grandfather's words, and especially seeing the serious expression on his face, his parents hurriedly led his little sister out.
Ying Chengfeng glanced at Yu Feiyan, who stood rooted to the spot, unsure what to do, and said softly, "You should go out for now."
Once everyone else had left the room, the door was immediately shut.
The Azure Luan Elder sat down across from Ying Chengfeng, his gaze full of scrutiny.
"You've obtained your Soul Rings?" his grandfather asked calmly.
"Mm." Ying Chengfeng nodded and released his two purple Soul Rings.
"Purple?!" The Azure Luan Elder was stunned at first, then overcome with excitement.
"Good, good! I knew I was right about you."
After his excitement passed, the Azure Luan Elder grew serious again and asked, "Did you have anything to do with Little Xue'er's disappearance?"
"No," Ying Chengfeng denied at once.
It wasn't that he didn't trust his grandfather. He simply didn't want anyone to know about it.
"Is that really so?" The Azure Luan Elder regarded Ying Chengfeng with a scrutinizing gaze. "You've always been very opinionated. I hope you won't bring an irreversible disaster upon the family."
Ying Chengfeng nodded solemnly. "I understand."
The Azure Luan Elder nodded approvingly. "You're quite impressive. You know not to trust anyone too easily. But you denied it too quickly. Is she doing well?"
At those words, Ying Chengfeng's body trembled slightly. It seemed his grandfather hadn't believed him.
Moreover, his grandfather had clearly guessed something.
But he hadn't pressed him further. He was on Ying Chengfeng's side.
So Ying Chengfeng said, "She's doing well. I want to bring someone to meet the Pope."
"I'll arrange it." The Azure Luan Elder nodded, then said, "Remember, keep her hidden. And spend more time with your mother."
Before you continue