"Bang!!!"
In the main hall, a large hand slammed heavily onto the table, producing a deafening sound.
A middle-aged man stared gloomily at the person reporting to him and roared in fury, "What exactly are Cheng Xiang and his group doing? They can't even handle a mere Three-Star Dou Huang brat? Tell them to get back here and see me immediately!"
"Patriarch, please calm down," an old man with white hair and beard hurriedly tried to mediate. "According to the latest news, there may have been some unexpected development. The problem might lie with the man accompanying Liu Qing."
This middle-aged man was none other than Cheng Chuan, the current Patriarch of the Cheng Family.
"Unexpected development? Tell me—what kind of unexpected development could there possibly be?" Cheng Chuan looked at the old man with a face like he had swallowed a fly and snorted angrily. "A man even younger than Liu Qing, plus a woman with two little girls—do you really think they could have saved Liu Qing?"
The old man opened his mouth but found nothing to say. Indeed, it did sound far-fetched.
Cheng Chuan had thought the same at first. But the more he considered it, if someone so young could rescue Liu Qing from Cheng Xiang and the other two, then that person must come from a first-rate power.
Yet people from such forces usually looked down on others and never befriended those of vastly different status.
The more Cheng Chuan thought about it, the angrier he became. If Cheng Xiang and the other two were standing in front of him right now, he would want to chop them in half.
Originally, Liu Qing had only gone out with his cousin Liu Fei this time, without any family powerhouses escorting them. In Cheng Chuan's eyes, it had been a golden opportunity.
He and the Dou Zong experts of his family were mutually restraining each other, making it inconvenient for them to act personally. So he had sent a luxurious lineup—one Seven-Star Dou Huang and two Six-Star Dou Huangs—to deal with a mere Three-Star Dou Huang. It should have been effortless.
If they had successfully killed Liu Qing, the young master of the Liu Family, the next generation of the Liu Family would have no capable successor. Over time, the Liu Family's destruction at the hands of the Cheng Family would have been inevitable.
But now, Liu Qing had returned safely, while there was no news at all from Cheng Xiang and the other two—they had simply vanished without a trace.
"Those three useless trash failed and then disappeared completely. Third Elder, weren't these the people you vouched for so confidently back then?"
Cheng Chuan turned his gaze to an old man on his lower right. The old man's face flushed red like a pig's liver as he gripped the armrest tightly. "This is my responsibility. I will do everything in my power to find those three and give the family a proper explanation."
"Hmph!" Cheng Chuan snorted coldly, then swept his eyes across the other elders in the hall. Everyone he looked at immediately lowered their heads, not daring to meet the patriarch's gaze for fear of being caught in the crossfire.
"Meeting adjourned. First Elder, stay behind."
The people in the hall scattered as if their feet had been oiled, fleeing like there was a flood or ferocious beast behind them. In the end, only the old man who had tried to calm Cheng Chuan earlier remained.
"First Elder, send people to investigate the true background of those two. They are our only clue right now. Anyone who dares ruin my Cheng Family's important plans must be thoroughly looked into." Cheng Chuan looked at the old man and said in a deep voice, "However, before the investigation is clear, do not act rashly."
Cheng Chuan was no fool. The Central Plains were extremely complicated. Rashly offending people of unknown origin would only bring disaster upon himself and his family.
"This old man understands. I will make the arrangements right away." The old man nodded gently and turned to leave the hall, leaving Cheng Chuan sitting alone, deep in thought.
After the old man left to make inquiries, he walked while pondering how best to investigate the other party. His gaze suddenly fell on a passing thin figure. His eyes lit up as if he had thought of a method, and he quickly caught up with the young man.
…
In the Liu Family's guest hall, Xiao Jietian and the others were chatting casually while Liu Fei stood gracefully to the side, holding a teapot and occasionally refilling their cups.
At this moment, Liu Fei's demeanor was elegant and poised, truly looking like a well-bred young lady.
It seemed that after experiencing the harsh realities of society and understanding many principles, she had undergone a profound transformation from the inside out.
As for Xuan Yi, she sat beside Xiao Jietian with a faint smile in her eyes, holding pastries and feeding them to the two little girls like a diligent zookeeper.
"Thump! Thump!"
Footsteps sounded outside the guest hall, and a middle-aged man walked in.
The newcomer was quite robust and bore a strong resemblance to Liu Qing.
Xiao Jietian glanced at him and roughly guessed his identity. His strength was decent—Seven-Star Dou Zong.
"Lord Xiao Jietian, I am Liu Shan. Thank you for saving Qing'er and Feifei. On behalf of the entire Liu Family, I thank you for your great kindness."
After speaking, he bowed deeply to Xiao Jietian without the slightest hesitation.
Liu Qing had mentioned Xiao Jietian's talent and strength many times after returning from the academy. Combined with the suffocating pressure Liu Shan felt the instant he sensed Xiao Jietian's aura, it was clear why he was being so respectful.
He had met many influential elder-level figures from Burning Flame Valley before, but none of them had ever given him this kind of feeling. It proved that the other party's strength was terrifyingly high.
Moreover, Xiao Jietian's help today was equivalent to saving the entire Liu Family. If Liu Qing had died, the Liu Family would have faced a succession crisis, and its eventual decline would have been inevitable.
Therefore, in front of Xiao Jietian, Liu Shan displayed no arrogance whatsoever.
"Uncle Liu, you are too polite. Liu Qing and I are friends. How could I stand by and do nothing when I saw him in trouble?"
Xiao Jietian stood up and gently waved his hand, stopping Liu Shan's deep bow. He said casually, "Also, there's no need to call me 'Lord.' Just call me Xiao Jietian."
Liu Shan looked at the gentle, jade-like young man who carried himself like a humble gentleman and couldn't help sighing inwardly. If anyone else possessed Xiao Jietian's strength, they would probably be looking down on the entire world.
His evaluation of Xiao Jietian rose several levels. He thought to himself: With this kind of mindset, he will definitely stand at the very peak of the continent's pyramid in the future.
"This kindness, Liu Shan will engrave in my heart. If there is ever anything you need in the future, please do not hesitate to command. This old man will fulfill it even if it costs me my life."
Liu Shan spoke with sincere emotion.
Although his respectful posture showed his desire to befriend Xiao Jietian, very few people could genuinely act this way. This trait was very similar to Liu Qing, which also indirectly showed that the other party was a person of true character.
As the saying went, a father was the benchmark in every child's heart. The kind of family education determined the kind of person they raised.
Liu Shan straightened up and took out a jade box from his storage ring.