You Dare Lay a Hand on One of Mine?

Seeing that Xiao Chen had already recognized him, the old man stopped putting on an act and said with a wicked grin, "Look who's talking. Aren't you still alive too?"

"Ancestor, you... you know each other?" Xiao Yan looked utterly shocked.

"All right, this isn't the place to talk. Let's go somewhere else."

"Come on. It's been ages since we last met. Let's catch up properly."

Xiao Chen and his companions went straight to a restaurant and booked a private room.

"It's been over a thousand years since we last parted."

"I truly never expected you and Brother Emperor Dragon to be as magnificent as ever, Brother Xiao. There isn't a trace of age on either of you."

"Ah, it truly feels as though a lifetime has passed."

The old man's words left Xiao Yan deeply shocked as well.

He knew his ancestor had lived a long time.

But he had never imagined that this unassuming old man before him had also lived that long.

"Senior, since you know my ancestor, you must be someone important too."

"Then how did you get beaten black and blue just now?" Xiao Yan asked in confusion.

"Xiao Yan, there's something you don't know."

"This is the patriarch of the Tang Clan, the only clan across all universes and worlds to possess the legacy of the Eye of Insight."

"His name is Tang Chengxuan."

"He's very powerful. He just likes getting beaten up."

Likes getting beaten up?

What did that mean?

Was that really true?

And what was the Eye of Insight?

"You're teasing me even in front of a junior."

"But your ancestor isn't wrong. Taking a beating can neutralize the Insight-Breaking Poison inside me. It all comes down to seeing too many things I shouldn't have seen."

Tang Chengxuan gave a helpless, bitter chuckle.

Xiao Yan looked bewildered. What was this Insight-Breaking Poison?

"Speaking of which, why did you come all this way to the Dou Qi Continent?"

"With your discerning eye, could there really be some treasure here that caught your interest?"

Xiao Chen's eyes narrowed slightly.

Tang Chengxuan sighed and said, "About half a year ago, I suddenly sensed something and activated my Eye of Insight to take a look in this direction."

"To my surprise, I discovered faint signs of dazzling, radiant light blooming here, while the workings of fate were in turmoil. I feared something major might happen."

"Later, I discovered that an old friend would actually appear on this Dou Qi Continent, but I couldn't make out that person's face."

"You should know that I rarely venture out and don't have many old friends. You should be the only old friend whom even my Eye of Insight cannot see clearly."

"When I first met you back then, I couldn't see through you. My Eye of Insight was as good as blind before you."

"So I came."

"I never expected it really would be you!"

"And..."

"My Eye of Insight can't see through this descendant beside you either!"

"Could your Xiao Clan... produce nothing but monsters?"

Tang Chengxuan appeared perfectly calm on the surface, but he had secretly been quite startled when he saw Xiao Yan.

That was because this young fellow named Xiao Yan was also shrouded in a layer of mist that his Eye of Insight could not penetrate at all.

All he knew was that this boy possessed tremendous fortune, and his future achievements would be boundless.

Something stirred in Xiao Yan's heart.

Could it be because I transmigrated here?

"Members of my Xiao Clan are naturally no ordinary people."

"You came here just to see me?"

"Old Tang, surely you didn't travel all this way merely to reminisce?" Xiao Chen asked with a smile.

"You're overthinking it. I really did just come to catch up."

"Perhaps I'm getting old and wanted to see an old friend."

Tang Chengxuan spoke with a smile.

"Good. Then today, we'll only reminisce and talk of nothing else."

"Good!"

Once the food and wine were served, Xiao Chen and Tang Chengxuan began trading toasts and talking about the past.

Neither of them truly said another word about what they had discussed earlier.

Xiao Yan sat beside them, occasionally pouring wine for the two.

His heart was filled with excitement.

Following his ancestor really did broaden his horizons!

He had even gotten to meet someone like this from beyond the Dou Qi Continent.

Four hours later, with their hunger and thirst satisfied, Tang Chengxuan patted his belly and said with a smile, "Brother Xiao, that was wonderful! It's been so long since I've enjoyed myself this much."

"It was well worth coming all this way."

"But every banquet under heaven must end. It's time for me to leave."

Xiao Chen looked at Tang Chengxuan and asked with a smile, "Leaving already?"

"Yes, it's time."

"All right. Until we meet again."

Xiao Chen nodded.

Without saying anything more, Tang Chengxuan rose and left.

A long while later, Xiao Chen glanced at Little Gold on his shoulder. Only after seeing him nod did he turn to Xiao Yan and ask, "Xiao Yan, what do you think of Tang Chengxuan?"

At Xiao Chen's question, Xiao Yan pondered for a while, then said earnestly, "Ancestor, I can't figure him out, and I don't know much about him. We only spent a short time together just now, and we didn't speak much..."

"But since he's an old friend of yours, I imagine he must be a decent person."

Xiao Chen glanced at Xiao Yan with a smile.

"Someone who possesses the Eye of Insight is far from simple."

"You don't really think he came just to reminisce, do you?"

"He... may not be a villain, but he is certainly no purely good man either!"

Those three remarks from Xiao Chen stunned Xiao Yan.

The two had chatted so amiably earlier that Xiao Yan had truly thought they were close friends who had known each other for ages.

Yet now, his ancestor had actually given such an assessment of that old man?

Could Tang Chengxuan truly have some other scheme in mind?

Seeing Xiao Yan's brow furrow ever more tightly, Xiao Chen suddenly burst out laughing. "Don't worry. Tang Chengxuan may be somewhat calculating, but he won't do anything to you or me."

"Why are you so certain, Ancestor?" Xiao Yan asked in confusion.

"Because he wouldn't dare!"

By then, Tang Chengxuan had arrived in the Southeast Region of the Dou Qi Continent.

Atop a towering peak.

"We pay our respects, my lord!"

Looking at the man and woman before him, Tang Chengxuan nodded calmly.

With a thought, he returned to his original appearance.

He looked to be only in his thirties.

"From today onward, you are to closely monitor every move of a youth named Xiao Yan in the Jia Ma Empire of the Northwest Region."

"This boy is far from ordinary."

"The more we know about him, the more advantageous it will be for us. Understood?"

"Yes, my lord."

"As for Xiao Chen..."

Tang Chengxuan frowned slightly, unable to make up his mind for the moment.

In truth, he had come to the Dou Qi Continent this time because he wanted another close look at Xiao Chen.

Yet, just as when he had met Xiao Chen all those years ago, his Eye of Insight still could not see through him.

He had never expected that over a thousand years of painstaking cultivation would still prove utterly useless before Xiao Chen.

"Xiao Yan possesses tremendous fortune. In the future, he will surely have a place on the Great Thousand World's Firmament Ledger."

"But what sort of figure is this Xiao Chen?"

"And how should I handle my relationship with him from now on?"

Tang Chengxuan wrestled with this question.

The man and woman exchanged glances, both looking puzzled.

What was their lord thinking about?

Xiao Chen?

Who was Xiao Chen?

Could he be Xiao Yan's father?

"My lord, this Xiao Chen..."

Before the woman could finish, a powerful aura suddenly descended from the sky, enveloping all three of them.

"You dare lay a hand on one of mine?"

That terrifying pressure was like the descent of doomsday!

Tang Chengxuan's expression changed drastically. He mustered all his strength to resist, only to find that he could not withstand it at all!

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Unable to hold out, all three fell straight to their knees.

"The Eye of Insight?"

"You're from the Tang Clan?"

A melodious voice rang out.

Beautiful though the voice was, it carried a bone-piercing chill.

Tang Chengxuan was horrified.

He struggled to raise his head, yet could not see anyone at all.

"Yes, yes, I am the patriarch of the Tang Clan... Tang Chengxuan," Tang Chengxuan said nervously.

"What is Tang Guichen to you?" the woman asked coldly.

"He... he is my grandfather."

"Hmph. For that brat Tang Guichen's sake, I'll spare your life today."

"Remember this. Take your people and get far away."

"I don't care what your purpose is."

"Do not set your sights on Xiao Chen."

"Otherwise, the Tang Clan will cease to exist in this world."

"Do you understand?"

At those words, cold sweat immediately streamed down Tang Chengxuan's body.

In truth, he did not know Xiao Chen's origins either.

All he knew was that this fellow was very mysterious.

He could never have imagined that Xiao Chen actually had such a supreme powerhouse by his side.

Just what was the relationship between those two?

One of mine?

Could this be Xiao Chen's woman?