Ren Changsheng had gone into seclusion, and Pan Long could hardly leave him to his fate and walk away.
Apart from Ren Changsheng, the entire Ren Family of Peaceful Peach Mountain had no other True Person Grandmaster. If Pan Long left and something unexpected happened, the elders—none stronger than the Innate Peak—would be all the family had to rely on. Disaster could wipe them out in the blink of an eye.
So he had to stay and guard Ren Changsheng.
He also informed the Ren Family that "the ancestor recently had a flash of inspiration. He says he's found an opportunity to attempt another breakthrough to the realm of Immortals and Buddhas, and he's already entered seclusion."
Within days of receiving the news, more than forty Innate Masters arrived to stand guard outside the seclusion chamber. Their leader was someone Pan Long barely knew: Ren Anliang, an elder of the family's senior branch. By age and generation, he was a clan cousin of Pan Long's maternal grandfather, Ren Anmin.
Ren Anliang and the other elders did not stand on seniority with Pan Long. On the contrary, the moment Ren Anliang saw him, he bowed first and said, "This old man is Ren Anliang. Greetings, Hero Pan of Dingfeng."
The address was a little distant, but it made his position clear. Led by him, the rest of the Ren Family came forward to bow, their manner deeply respectful.
Pan Long felt awkward at once. He tried to step aside, but his grandfather pressed him down.
"Sit still. You deserve this bow!"
Fortunately, his grandfather and uncles did not come forward to bow as well. Otherwise, Pan Long had no idea how embarrassed he would have been.
After the greetings, Ren Anliang took the family's experts to arrange the defenses and pass