Not long after Xu Ran left, Zhu Zihao, the head of the Zhu Family, and all three elders hurried to the square. Their eyes were filled with anxiety, but also a measure of excitement.
They had received word that another genius had emerged in the Zhu Family. Moreover, this genius possessed extraordinary talent and had already broken through to Soul Elder.
The person they were looking for was naturally Xu Ran. They had rushed over after hearing their subordinates' report, only to arrive a step too late.
By then, Xu Ran had long since left. Only the Zhu Family disciples remained in the square, still buzzing with discussion.
Listening to the countless disciples talking in the square, Zhu Zihao could not help frowning.
Xu Ran was a genius who had broken through to Soul Elder at a young age. Someone with such talent was undoubtedly a promising seedling for the Zhu Family. With a little nurturing, their family would gain another Soul Douluo in the future.
However, Xu Ran actually harbored improper intentions toward his daughter. This left him somewhat displeased.
No genius, no matter how talented, could be allowed to damage the friendship between the Dai and Zhu Families.
The Dai and Zhu Families had intermarried for generations. Even he, as the head of the Zhu Family, could not change that, much less an ordinary disciple.
If Xu Ran wanted to be with Zhu Zhuqing, he would have to be a genius of almost forbidden caliber. To retain a genius of that level, Zhu Zihao would find a way to maneuver around the situation. Geniuses of any lesser caliber did not qualify.
"Xu Ran is actually involved with Zhu Zhuqing. What will we do if word reaches the Dai Family and they demand an accounting? Xu Ran's talent may be good, but his temperament still needs tempering. At the very least, he must have nothing more to do with the second young Miss from now on," the second elder said, his gaze turning cold as he listened to the voices around him.
The Zhu and Dai Families both benefited when united and both suffered when divided. The two families possessed a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, and only by joining forces could they secure a place on the continent. Although their marriage arrangements were excessively harsh, even leading to brothers and sisters slaughtering one another, there was nothing wrong with that. Only this way could they cultivate the most outstanding descendants. Only then could the Dai and Zhu Families prosper for ten thousand generations.
These were rules the Dai and Zhu Families had followed for a thousand years. No one could violate them, not even elders like themselves.
"Ah, that girl Zhu Zhuqing..." The third elder could not help sighing. He could hardly bear to contemplate Zhu Zhuqing's eventual fate. Yet however reluctant he felt, rules were rules. They could not be changed unless an absolute genius or powerhouse emerged to break them.
But their Zhu Family had not produced such a genius in a very, very long time. The ancestors of the Zhu and Dai Families had both been Titled Douluo, and together they had founded the Star Luo Empire. Since then, however, the Zhu Family had struggled to produce any noteworthy powerhouses.
The Zhu Family was a military and political family, still considerably inferior to the Heaven Dou Empire's families devoted purely to cultivation. Once involved in politics, some neglect of cultivation was inevitable.
Although Xu Ran was a genius who had drawn their attention, he was ultimately only an ordinary genius, a disciple from a collateral branch. Even his Martial Soul might be inadequate, so how could they expect him to be particularly outstanding?
Even the Zhu Family's main lineage had failed to produce a peerless genius. How could a collateral branch possibly do so?
"Zihao, I know you harbor resentment. Watching your own flesh and blood slaughter one another is painful. But this is how the Zhu Family is. Even we cannot stand outside the rules," the second elder said, patting Zhu Zihao's shoulder. Every generation of Zhu Family heads faced these things, but in the end, they all came to understand that the family's interests mattered most.
"Yes, I know." Zhu Zihao gave a bitter laugh. At that moment, his figure seemed to age considerably. No one knew how helpless and pained he felt in this position. There were things he did not want to do, but had no choice but to do.
"By the way, first elder, just how old is Xu Ran?" Zhu Zihao suddenly turned and asked. Only after learning Xu Ran's age could they judge the extent of his talent from his cultivation and strength.
Xu Ran had never returned to the family before, so they did not know much about his circumstances.
At that moment, the first elder was holding the genealogy and looking through Xu Ran's information. Zhu Zihao was somewhat puzzled. The first elder had stood there for a long time, motionless, as though his body had frozen. His expression was stranger still, as if he had encountered something unbelievable.
Hearing Zhu Zihao's question, the other two elders also looked at the first elder in puzzlement.
"Whew." The first elder let out a long breath, a flush of excitement spreading across his aged face.
"Starting today, deploy every member of the Dark Guards to protect Xu Ran. If the slightest harm comes to him, I fear we will have failed all our ancestors," the first elder said in a trembling voice, his heart brimming with excitement.
How many years had it been? How many years had passed since their Zhu Family last produced a peerless genius?
Everyone knew of the Seven Great Sects, yet despite the Zhu Family's prestigious status, its reputation in the Soul Master World fell short even of the Lower Four Sects. But from this day onward, their Zhu Family would surely rise, perhaps even surpassing the Dai Family.
For their Zhu Family had produced a True Dragon-Xu Ran!
"The Dark Guards?" Zhu Zihao and the other two elders exclaimed in unison.
The Zhu Family's Dark Guards numbered more than ten, each possessing the strength of a Soul Emperor or even a Soul Saint. These guards carried out the Zhu Family's various operations and also secretly protected its important figures.
The Dark Guards held a very high position in the Zhu Family. Even the family head, Zhu Zihao, had only two of their experts protecting him.
But what had the first elder just said?
Deploy every member of the Dark Guards? Just to protect Xu Ran?
Was he certain this was not a joke?
"First elder, what do you mean? Could Xu Ran's talent be that great?" Zhu Zihao asked respectfully, looking at the old man beside him. The first elder was the Zhu Family's strongest expert, a rank-eighty-nine Soul Douluo. A powerhouse like him had weathered countless storms throughout his life, so why was he displaying such an unusual expression now?
Could Xu Ran truly be a peerless genius?
"Take a look yourselves, then decide." Smiling, the first elder handed the genealogical register to Zhu Zihao. He could not stop the tears streaming down his aged face. As the second most powerful family in the Star Luo Empire, the Zhu Family did not have even one Titled Douluo. But they would in the future.
A twelve-year-old Soul Elder. A genius like that had been born into their Zhu Family.
Zhu Zihao and the two elders took the register, and soon their expressions mirrored the first elder's.
"Transfer the Dark Guards stationed by my side to him as well. We must ensure Xu Ran's safety." Zhu Zihao took a deep breath, then spoke firmly, without the slightest hesitation. The moment he learned of Xu Ran's talent, all his earlier thoughts vanished. He knew only that they had to spare no effort to win over such a genius.
"We must never offend Xu Ran from now on. He is only a collateral descendant and has always cultivated outside the family, so his attachment to us is not that deep," the two elders also said. They exchanged a glance, both recalling Xu Ran's relationship with Zhu Zhuqing.
"It would not be out of the question for Xu Ran and Zhu Zhuqing to be together. If our Zhu Family can have a genius like him, that would be better than forever depending on others," the first elder reminded them at the opportune moment.
However close the Dai and Zhu Families were, their Martial Soul Fusion Skill was still led by someone bearing the Dai surname. No matter how talented a Zhu Family woman was, once she married into the Dai Family, she belonged to them. The Zhu Family had always suffered a crushing loss.
Only the Zhu Family's daughters married into the other family; no Dai Family prince ever married into theirs. All the Zhu Family's geniuses had sewn wedding robes for the Dai Family, and it had always been a losing bargain. In his youth, the woman he loved had been the Zhu Family's eldest young Miss, and she had loved him too. Yet he could only watch helplessly as the crown prince held the woman he loved in his arms and toyed with her ruthlessly.
His life had already been a tragedy. He did not want that tragedy to repeat itself.
Moreover, given Xu Ran's talent, if he broke through to Titled Douluo in the future, the Zhu Family's standing on the continent would rise like a boat on a swelling tide.
The Zhu Family was different from the Ning Family, Tang Family, and Yu Family of the Heaven Dou Empire. Together with the Dai Family, the Zhu Family controlled the Star Luo Empire. They held powerful armies and political resources that other families lacked.
If the Zhu Family produced a Titled Douluo, then with the formidable armies under their control and their friendships with officials of every stripe, their power would dominate the court and beyond, allowing them to stand truly equal to the Dai Family. This was what concerned them most. Xu Ran could secure greater benefits for the Zhu Family, so naturally, they would do everything possible to win him over, even at the expense of the marriage alliance between the Dai and Zhu Families that they had always valued.
Between families, there were no eternal friends, only eternal interests. When Xu Ran could bring them greater benefits, they would have no scruples even about the relationship between the Dai and Zhu Families.