Everyone was stunned by the news, as though struck by lightning. They fell into an eerie silence, seemingly unable to believe their ears.
Ding Bingyuan exclaimed under his breath, "Old Zhu, your father went out with Grandpa Yu and the others and came back a Titled Douluo? Uncle Hong Zhen is almost 120!"
Zhu Yanfeng nodded. "Yes. I never imagined that the Zhu Family's first Titled Douluo would turn out to be my rough, stiff-necked old father."
An indescribable emotion colored his words.
"How is that possible?!"
"Uncle Hong Zhen? Has the iron tree finally bloomed?"
"Unbelievable!"
"What happened to Uncle Hong Zhen?"
"..."
"Yan Feng, how exactly did Uncle Hong Zhen break through?" Ding Bingyuan stepped forward and caught Zhu Yanfeng by the arm. "Can you tell us? Maybe my father would have a chance too."
Zhu Yanfeng shook his head and said quietly, "I don't know either. The old man didn't tell me. He only said that this was all classified as top-level secret, so I only dared tell you few. It's still being kept from everyone else."
Top-level secret was a security classification used by the Chen Clan. Unless authorized, no one below the rank of clan elder could be told or had the right to know. The location of the Chen Clan's old secret realm, for instance, was a top-level secret.
The Chen Clan's elders were all Soul Douluos, with the requirement relaxed to Soul Saint for support-type Soul Masters. Thus, everyone present was a Chen Clan elder.
The Nine Elders of Zhaowu was not merely an honorific, but also a collective title for the elders of their Nine Surnames of Zhaowu.
At that moment, light flickered ceaselessly in the eyes of the Nine Elders of Zhaowu. Clearly, the news had shaken them deeply.
Looking at