"Senior Brother Wang..."
When Elder Xun saw the Golden-Robed Youth step into the hall and fix his gaze firmly on Chen Heng,
his lean, refined face suddenly changed, and his brows involuntarily knitted.
He seemed to have thought of something. Hastily setting down his teacup, he rose from his seat and strode forward, unobtrusively shielding Chen Heng behind him.
Only then
did he smile and offer a Daoist salute, saying warmly,
"Why have you come so late, senior brother? You certainly kept this poor Daoist waiting! Come, come, take a seat in the inner hall!
"Didn't you obtain a Celestial Person Fruit from an enclave in Western Su Province? And I hear it was of superior quality? Congratulations! Such a thing is truly rare. I was just hoping to seize this opportunity to broaden my horizons!"
Off to one side, Hou Wen's expression shifted.
He hastily retreated several steps and lowered his eyelids, concealing the surprise in his eyes.
Elder Xun's solicitous manner seemed exceedingly rare; even he had seldom witnessed it.
And by ordinary reasoning,
an elder serving in the Mystery Teaching Hall, with little lifespan remaining and his Dao Path nearing its end,
hardly warranted such courtesy, even if the two had shared some friendship in their youth...
There seems to be something quite unusual about this fellow? But how great a storm could a mere lowly cultivator from a Southern Territory Dao lineage possibly stir up...
Hou Wen glanced at Chen Heng, sheltered behind Elder Xun, and thought to himself.
Meanwhile,
Elder Wang ignored Elder Xun entirely, his gaze shooting straight over like cold lightning.
Only after several dozen breaths
did he flick his sleeve and suddenly throw back his head in booming laughter. The entire hall shook and rumbled, as though a hundred rivers were spraying