Xiao Yifan was the first to rush into the courtyard. He then pressed Xiao Chen"s shoulders, looked around alertly and said, "Chen"er! What happened? Was it that Miss... That person has come back?"
Xiao Chen was so excited just now, and he did not expect that he would make such a big noise. He knew that he could not explain this. If he claimed that he had made such damage, n.o.body would believe him and his father would be laughed at again. He then pretended to be surprised, saying, "I just came back from the Rainbow Pavilion. I don"t know what happened neither."
Xiao Yifan was still vigilant about the surroundings. He said, "Come live in the Water Immortal Pavilion for some days. You can"t live here anymore."
"There"s no need, father. From now on, you don"t need to worry about me."
At this moment, several elders came in and started to check around the damages in the courtyard. When that red-robed elder, who let Xiao Chen break a piece of sandalwood, noticed the trace of Palm Strength on the ground, his face was instantly filled with shock.
The Palm Strength should have spread around, but it was forcibly led to one place while spreading so that the entire courtyard was saved. In this world, who could wield the Palm Strength at will like this except for the chieftain? He said, "This... The attacker is at least Sevenfold, right?"
The other elder seriously looked at Xiao Chen and asked, "Are you sure that you haven"t seen anyone?"
Xiao Chen shook his head and said, "Seniors, don"t you worry too much. The Xiao Family is the strongest of the four major families. n.o.body dares to invade us."
If these words came from some elder or outstanding young man, they would sound domineering. But it was Xiao Chen that said this. The fun-watching juniors of the Xiao Family snorted, especially Xiao Yuan, who gave a flick of his sleeve and left without another look at Xiao Chen.
Xiao Chen ignored those people, turned to his father and asked, "By the way, father, what day is it today? Have I missed grandpa"s birthday?" He had been asleep for too long and did not know what day it was.
Upon hearing his stupid words, the crowd laughed at him again. Xiao Yifan glared at those juniors, turned his head and said, "It"s March the 17th. You"ve been in a coma for half a month."
Xiao Chen nodded and said, "Father, don"t worry about me. It"s fine here. You can go back."
Everyone had left, except for Xiao Yifan. He stood in the courtyard as if he had something to say but could not say it. Xiao Chen"s brow slightly furrowed, saying, "Father, what"s wrong?"
Xiao Yifan smiled and said after a short while, "Uhh... Chen"er, the Huangfu Family"s people will come here tomorrow. If you are not feeling well, you don"t need to see them tomorrow..."
Xiao Chen smiled and said, "It"s fine. I"ve recovered. I"ll go meet them tomorrow."
Xiao Yifan was stunned. Usually, when Xiao Chen heard this news, he tried to avoid seeing them. But why did he become so confident this time? It seemed that he had completely changed since he woke up.
"Okay."
At dusk, Xiao Chen looked at the sunset, pondering. He had not received any message from Huangfu Xin"er. She used to send him letters every month. "Has she been very busy lately?"
Huangfu Family was far away in Liu Province. About a hundred years ago, the two families" chieftains decided to unite two families by marriage. Back then, the two chieftains were so close and wanted to unite two families forever. However, in the following dozens of years, Huangfu Family had not had a daughter. The two chieftains still wanted to make this marriage happen when they died.
Finally when it came to Xiao Chen"s generation, Huangfu Family had a daughter, Huangfu Xin"er. They were about at the same age, and naturally, their marriage was made certain so as to fulfill the two chieftains" wish.
This was supposed to be a happy event, but G.o.d played a joke on them. When Xiao Chen was 10, he was diagnosed that he was born without meridians and could not practice martial arts. This cast shadows on the two families for a long time.
Since then, seniors of the Huangfu Family were getting cold toward Xiao Family. Every time they came here, they talked coldly to Xiao Chen and gave him the cold shoulder. However, Huangfu Xin"er remained the same to Xiao Chen.
The next morning, Xiao Chen washed his face, cleaned his teeth, and wore clean clothes. When he was about to go out, Lil Ruo walked into his courtyard and saw his hair disheveled, saying, "Master, you can"t go there like this. Let me tie your hair up first."
Xiao Chen smiled gently and nodded. He had never tied his hair himself, and Lil Ruo usually helped him do this.
She neatly took out a comb and his usual hairpin from the drawer and started to tie his hair carefully while saying, "Master... Do you like that miss of Huangfu Family very much?"
Xiao Chen smiled. How should he say?
For him, perhaps it was more of grat.i.tude toward Huangfu Xin"er. After he came to this world, he had been scoffed and looked down by countless people only because he had no Spiritual Meridian and could not practice martial arts. Except for his parents and a few others, there was only one people supported him throughout. That person was Huangfu Xin"er.
Were it some other daughters from big families, they would definitely give up the marriage upon knowing his incapability of martial arts. Instead, against Huangfu Family seniors, Huangfu Xin"er resolutely wrote down these words—Only this man shall I marry, "til the end of my life.
Thinking of this, Xiao Chen smiled. Lil Ruo asked no more upon seeing his smile.
"It"s done. Master looks awesome today..." She smiled and said.
Xiao Chen nodded, stood up, and walked out of the room. At the gate of the courtyard, he said, "I may not come back for lunch. Don"t mind me. You can go to my mum"s place for launch."
"Okay, I will. Don"t worry about me, master..."
This time, on his way to the Fly Cloud Hall, Xiao Chen was not that nervous like before. He was not that Xiao Chen anymore, and he welcomed the challenges from Huangfu Family. He wanted to see what kind of trouble Huangfu Zhe, the second uncle of Huangfu Xin"er, would make and then embarra.s.s that man.
Many Xiao Family juniors had already crowded outside the hall, whispering. Xiao Chen was already used to this and walked straight into the hall with his head up. Just as usual, his grandfather sat in the main seat with Xiao Family elders and his father on the left, and Huangfu Family"s people on the right.
The different thing was the heavy air in the hall. n.o.body talked cheerfully like they used to and people just looked at the ground. There was not even a maid in the hall, so people could just watch the tea turn cold. Huangfu Xin"er still didn"t come, instead, a handsome young man who looked like an Immortal arrived.
There was a slight aura of an Immortal on him, and many girls outside looked at him with enchanted eyes. However, his face looked somewhat domineering as if he looked down upon everyone.
Xiao Chen was shocked slightly upon seeing this man. This was a Cultivator with Spiritual Meridians, and he might have reached Foundation Building Realm. He quickly walked forth and saluted to Xiao Changfeng who sat straight with dignity. He then saluted to a teal-robed middle-aged man and said, "Uncle Huangfu."
This man was exactly Huangfu Zhe. He looked at Xiao Chen and nodded slightly. A maid in green stood beside him with her head down. She held a good-looking case with both hands. What was in that case?
Xiao Chen said no more. He walked to his father and sat down beside. He glanced sideways at his father and found him look terrible.
At this moment, that domineering young man beside Huangfu Zhe finally stood up. He slightly glanced at Xiao Chen and asked Xiao Changfeng, "Is he Xiao Chen?"
Xiao Chen"s brow furrowed. This man was so rude. How could this man ignore him like this? Xiao Chen stood up and said, "Yes, I am. How should I address you?" As his voice fell, Xiao Tianqi immediately glared at him and said, "Sit down!"
The young man looked at him and said casually, "Qin Xiu, Skygale Sect Leader"s Pro-disciple."
As his voice fell, many Xiao Family members looked shocked. No wonder the elders treated him courteously. It turned out that he was a Cultivator.
They knew that there were some Cultivators" sects, and they knew that Skygale Sect was one of those sects. People just took those sects as Daoism sects and those cultivators were just dreaming if they thought they could turn Immortal. People thought that those sects could not match their martial arts families. It was not until that day, when they saw people fighting in the sky, did they realize that Cultivators were a real deal.
They did not know about Qi Refining Realm, Foundation Building Realm, or Core Forming Realm. When they heard "Cultivator", they just took it as an Immortal that could fly in the sky.
"What brings you here, brother Qin?" Xiao Chen said faintly. He did not avoid Qin Xiu"s eyes because although in other"s eyes, he might be an Immortal, while in his, Qin Xiu was just a Cultivator in Foundation Building Realm.
Qin Xiu found Xiao Chen had not fl.u.s.tered like others when their eyes met and could not help frown and said, "Xin"er has been officially admitted into our Skygale Sect three months ago. I heard that you and her have an engagement. Needless to say, you know that Immortals must end their Human World karma. So, I hope you can break off your engagement..."