With both sides deliberately seeking closer ties, Fang Qianyuan chatted with Xiao Teng and Xiao Yu for a while.
Although Xiao Teng and Xiao Yu were intentionally trying to befriend him, they truly deserved their reputation as outstanding young men from an ancient aristocratic clan. Whether in cultivation, strength, bearing, or conversation, they were no worse than the finest talents Fang Qianyuan had met before.
To Fang Qianyuan, however, that was all they amounted to. He had already seen plenty of outstanding Human Rank talents. No matter how broad their minds and generous their spirits, or how exceptional their gifts and bearing, they all faced one crucial problem.
That problem was advancing to Earth Rank.
Unless they reached Earth Rank, they would forever remain mortals, unable to stand as true equals with Earth Rank experts like them who had already successfully advanced.
Although Fang Qianyuan had no intention of playing the venerable senior, in their interactions, both deliberate and otherwise, he already found it difficult to connect with these gifted Human Rank youths.
Xiao Yufan seemed to realize something. He promptly brought the conversation to an end and led the two away.
"Uncle Yufan, doesn't Young Master Fang seem rather lukewarm toward us?"
As they walked along the road from the villa in the outskirts back toward the city, Xiao Teng could not help asking Xiao Yufan, looking thoughtful.
Xiao Yu also looked somewhat dispirited, unsure where things had gone wrong.
Xiao Yufan said, "Don't let your thoughts run wild. The clan asked you to approach him and build a friendship, and you've already done very well. He seemed distant because, after all, you're on different levels."
Xiao Teng opened his mouth, seemingly at a loss for words. "Didn't you say we were close in age and all gifted from