Taking a Disciple on His Master's Behalf

Chapter 13: Taking a Disciple on His Master's Behalf

Wu Tan City's marketplace bustled with noise and activity.

Han Feng stood by the railing on the second floor of a teahouse, his gaze passing through the crowded streets before settling with interest on the black-clad youth.

He did not deliberately conceal his gaze, but it was too calm to draw anyone's attention.

His eyes finally fixed on the ancient black ring on the youth's left hand.

That was it.

His teacher Yao Chen's soul should be sleeping within it right now.

Han Feng lifted his teacup, blew away the floating foam, and curled his lips into an amused smile.

He pondered waking his teacher early, sparing him the pain of slumber, then bringing this uncut jade, Xiao Yan, back to Sacred City. With the resources he had accumulated, he could polish him and let him skip that humiliating period of being a useless good-for-nothing.

A Xiao Yan who had not experienced three years of losing all his Dou Qi might possess less endurance, but he would also retain more of a young man's sharp spirit.

He just wondered whether, if Xiao Yan kept his title as a genius, that girl from the Nalan Clan would still make the engagement-breaking move that shocked the entire empire.

Han Feng found that quite interesting. He enjoyed the feeling of moving the pieces on fate's chessboard.

His gaze moved away from Xiao Yan and fell upon the purple-dressed girl following behind him.

Xiao Xun'er.

The young girl possessed an ethereal temperament and peerless beauty. Her clear eyes were filled with attachment to the black-clad youth ahead of her.

"The Ancient Clan's young lady... a Divine-Grade Bloodline..." Han Feng murmured. "This girl's talent is far more terrifying than that of my cheap junior brother. Should I... just package them both up and take them away?"

The moment that thought arose, Han Feng shook his head.

Forget it. As his senior brother, he should not interfere with his junior brother's love life.

Just as he was thinking, Xiao Xun'er below seemed to sense something. Her bright eyes suddenly narrowed as she warily swept her gaze around.

Han Feng's heart stirred, and he was somewhat surprised. As expected of an Ancient Clan bloodline; her soul perception was truly sharp. His divine sense rippled gently, like a spring breeze brushing over water, and instantly locked onto the person hiding beneath the shade of a nearby tree, concealing his aura to the utmost limit.

"An Eight-Star Dou Emperor... Ling Ying?"

Han Feng's lips twitched as he could not help but start mocking them inwardly.

"An Ancient Clan only sent a Dou Emperor to protect their precious darling? Isn't that too stingy? If I were Hun Tiandi, I'd directly send two Dou Venerables to snatch her away. Within three years, I'd let that old fellow Gu Yuan experience the joy of having two children in three years and see whether he could still sit still!"

Naturally, no one knew of these inward complaints.

At that moment, several hushed conversations from the marketplace drifted into his ears on the wind.

"Look, that's the Xiao Family's genius, Xiao Yan!"

"I heard he's only eleven, yet he's already a Dou Practitioner. His future is limitless!"

"That's right. With such a prodigy in the Xiao Family, they might surpass the Jia Lie and Ao Ba families in the future."

Han Feng merely smiled faintly as he listened to the discussion.

A genius?

Very soon, he would become a genius ten thousand times more dazzling than he was now.

Seeing Xiao Yan wander around the marketplace without finding anything that interested him, Han Feng watched as he turned and headed toward the Xiao Family with his two little followers.

Han Feng set down his teacup, left several gold coins on the table, and vanished from the teahouse in a flash.

It was time.

Above the Xiao Family residence.

Han Feng appeared in midair without warning.

He released no pressure, merely floating there quietly, as though strolling through his own courtyard.

Yet the act of walking through the air was the greatest deterrent possible to cultivators in a place like Wu Tan City.

"Th-That's... what is that?!"

The Xiao Family disciples training in the courtyard below were the first to spot him and cried out in alarm.

More and more people raised their heads. When they clearly saw the man in azure robes, their faces turned pale with horror, and the weapons in their hands clattered to the ground.

Only a Dou Wang could form Dou Qi wings.

Yet this man before them neither relied on external objects nor formed wings. He simply hovered high in the sky by his own power!

That was the mark of a Dou Ancestor, or perhaps an even stronger expert!

"Xiao Family Head, come out and meet me."

Han Feng's voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached every corner of the Xiao Family residence, carrying an unquestionable calmness.

The instant his words fell, a figure rushed out frantically from the depths of the Xiao Family estate.

The newcomer was none other than the Xiao Family's current head, Xiao Zhan.

The moment he burst out of the hall and looked up at Han Feng hovering in midair, his legs went weak, and he nearly fell to his knees.

"Th-This junior, Xiao Zhan, greets Senior!"

Xiao Zhan's voice trembled, and his face was filled with terror.

"May I ask why Senior has honored the Xiao Family with your presence? Has my Xiao Family... offended you in some way?"

He truly could not imagine how his tiny Xiao Family could possibly have attracted such a terrifying existence.

Han Feng slowly drifted down from the sky and landed steadily before Xiao Zhan.

He raised a hand, and a gentle gust of force supported Xiao Zhan's body before he could bow down.

"Family Head Xiao need not be so formal."

His tone was calm, but his composure left Xiao Zhan hardly daring to breathe.

"The Xiao Family has not offended me," Han Feng said lightly. "I was traveling through this area when I heard that the Xiao Family had produced a young genius, so I came to take a look."

"If his aptitude is suitable," he paused before speaking the words he had long prepared, "I may accept him as a disciple on behalf of my master."

Accept a disciple on behalf of his master!

Those four words exploded in Xiao Zhan's mind like thunder!

He was completely stunned.

Happiness... had come too suddenly!

This senior who could walk through the air was at least a Dou Ancestor! And the master of a Dou Ancestor—what kind of terrifying existence would that be? A Dou Venerable? Or even... the legendary Dou Sheng?!

Xiao Zhan's heart pounded violently with ecstasy, and the terror on his face was instantly replaced by incomparable excitement.

"Senior! For my son Xiao Yan to be favored by Senior's sect is a blessing he cultivated over three lifetimes!"

He practically shouted the words, terrified that the other party might change his mind.

"Someone! Quickly! Go bring Yan'er here at once!"

Before long, Xiao Yan, who still had no idea what was happening, was dragged and pulled by servants to the front of the hall.

When he saw the azure-robed young man standing before his father—the same man he had seen at the marketplace teahouse not long ago—he was slightly startled as well.

"Yan'er, what are you standing around for? Hurry and greet Senior!" Xiao Zhan urged anxiously from the side.

Though Xiao Yan did not understand what was going on, he knew that anyone capable of making his father lose composure like this had to be an immensely important guest. He did not dare slight him and respectfully bowed.

"This junior, Xiao Yan, greets Senior."

Han Feng's gaze fell upon this future child of destiny.

The eleven-year-old stood tall and straight. Between his brows lay a steadiness and pride beyond his age, while his black eyes were clear and bright.

He truly was fine material.

"No need for formalities." Han Feng spoke in the same calm tone. "I would like to speak with you alone. Would that be possible?"

"Yes! Of course it would!"

Before Xiao Yan could answer, Xiao Zhan had already rushed to nod and bow, his face blooming with smiles.

"Senior, please! To the study! There will absolutely be no disturbance!"

He personally led the way, his eager manner making it seem as though Han Feng was not here to meet his son, but to give the Xiao Family a mountain of gold.

At the corner of a nearby corridor.

Xiao Xun'er watched everything unfold.

She looked at Han Feng's unhurried back, then at the fawning posture of Xiao Yan's father, and could not help furrowing her brows slightly.

This azure-robed man who had appeared out of nowhere was too powerful and too mysterious.

Who exactly was he? Why had he suddenly appeared in Wu Tan City? And why had he chosen Xiao Yan's brother in particular?

An inexplicable unease lingered in her heart.

After a moment of silence, she spoke softly yet firmly to the air beside her in a voice only she could hear.

"Old Ling."

A black shadow emerged like a ghost from the shadows behind her and dropped to one knee.

"Young Lady."

A trace of gravity beyond her years flashed through Xiao Xun'er's beautiful eyes.

"Go. Use every means at your disposal to investigate this man's origins."

"I want to know everything about him."