'This is... I never expected this... I never, ever, *ever* expected this!'
Xu Luo had been thinking that with the Huo Family's deep heritage and the Ancestor's lofty status, any rewards they bestowed would surely be extraordinary. He had been filled with anticipation. Yet, he never imagined that the esteemed Huo Family Master and the Ancestor, the two most respected figures in the family, would be... would be so unbelievably stingy!
He didn't get a damned thing. And to top it all off, they even sent five Sword Saints at or above the Fourth Layer of the Divine Power Realm to follow him... 'Follow me for what? To watch my every move?'
This meant that no matter when or where, he would have five terrifying powerhouses, like five gods of pestilence, stuck to his side. He wouldn't dare to let his guard down for a single moment. Otherwise, if they found even the slightest thing amiss, they would surely kill him without a second thought!
After all, the last time he'd faced Huo Wanzhang's group of five, their strongest was only at the Third Layer of the Divine Power Realm, and they had nearly been the end of Xu Luo. If it weren't for the five Star Soul Instant Transmission Spaces that had whisked him away to the Southern Celestial Divine Continent, he likely would have died to Huo Wanzhang's final attack.
Although his strength had recently increased again, reaching the Second Layer of the Divine Power Realm, he still stood no chance against five powerhouses at or above the Fourth Layer of the Divine Power Realm. If a conflict broke out, it would only take two of them attacking in unison to easily obliterate him.
So... at this moment, Xu Luo's heart was a whirlwind of emotions. He really, truly wanted to sincerely 'thank' the Huo Family Master and the Ancestor, along with eight generations of their entire family line...
"This... I am still too inexperienced, and my strength is lacking..." Xu Luo stammered, a troubled look on his face.
The Patriarch nodded. "Good boy. It's good you know your place. In truth, you have no need to worry. As a direct descendant of the Huo Family, you should know that our family prizes its lineage above all else! Those five Sword Saints, all at or above the Fourth Layer, are the most outstanding members of our branch families. They... may be arrogant, but they will not disobey a direct command."
The Ancestor, Huo Tongtian, then said lightly, "This... just consider it a test for you."
A glint appeared in the Patriarch's eyes. A faint, meaningful smile touched his lips as he looked at Xu Luo.
Xu Luo's heart skipped a beat. 'What does he mean? Are they planning to groom me as the family heir? This joke... is getting a little out of hand!'
Things had already come to this; to refuse now would be ungracious, even though a part of Xu Luo desperately wanted to do just that.
He immediately performed a deep bow toward the Ancestor and the Patriarch. "I... will not let the Ancestor and the Patriarch down!"
The Ancestor gave a faint nod. The Huo Family Master smiled kindly and said, "Go on, now. Do a good job."
Xu Luo wore a look of immense gratitude as he turned and left. In his mind, however... a stampede of ten thousand Master Maos was roaring past. 'AHHHHHHHHH!'
After Xu Luo had gone, the Huo Family Master furrowed his brow slightly and asked in a low voice, "Ancestor... is this appropriate?"
"Uncut jade does not become a masterpiece. When you had yet to be chosen as the successor, it seems... you also did your fair share of outrageous things," the Ancestor said lightly, his eyes half-closed.
"Er..." The Huo Family Master flushed. 'The Ancestor's memory is truly sharp. How long ago was that? A few hundred years, at least... And he still remembers.'
"And... back then, you weren't the most outstanding among all the direct descendants, am I correct? I remember... there were at least seven or eight direct descendants who were stronger and smarter than you." A wise glint flashed in the Ancestor's eyes, and a small smile played on his lips. "But in the end, you defeated them all to become the Patriarch of your generation."
"You praise me too highly, Ancestor. I have not done well enough." The Huo Family Master quickly stood and bowed to the Ancestor. Then he asked, full of curiosity, "Does the Ancestor truly believe that this boy, Huo Feng... has that kind of potential?"
"In truth... haven't you seen it as well?" the Ancestor said, giving the Huo Family Master a knowing look.
The Huo Family Master gave a wry smile. "Nothing can be hidden from the Ancestor. To be honest, I never thought much of the boy. He had talent, but... he wasn't diligent enough. He had a cunning mind... but he wasn't level-headed enough. He always gave off the impression of a wastrel. If it weren't for this recent tempering experience in the Central Plains Star Continent, we might never have discovered his potential."
The Ancestor smiled and nodded, but said nothing more.
"Shadow, what are your thoughts?" the Huo Family Master suddenly asked, speaking to the empty air.
A raspy voice, sounding as if it were scraping against metal, echoed from the air. "Ruthless and cunning."
The Huo Family Master couldn't help but laugh. "An accurate assessment!"
"Indeed. For a little fellow whose strength is only at the Transformation Realm to confront Beidou's Eighth Star and return alive... Heh. If he didn't truly carry the aura of a Huo Family disciple, I would suspect he was an imposter," the raspy, metallic voice said. "Don't forget, when Huo Wanzhang and his men confronted Beidou's Eighth Star after him, they suffered grievous losses. So... I'm quite curious. How exactly did this boy manage it?"
"I'm curious about that as well," said the Huo Family Master.
"No matter one's talent, strength, or intellect... in the end, the one who can survive in the cruelest of environments... is the strongest of all." The Ancestor's voice was filled with deep feeling, as if recalling his own past.
...
After stepping outside, Xu Luo took a deep breath. Regardless, he had cleared the first hurdle within the Huo Family... which was also the most dangerous and terrifying one.
He also now understood the Huo Family's attitude toward him, Beidou's Eighth Star. A cold smile touched Xu Luo's lips, and he strode away.
"Well, well... who do I see here? If it isn't Young Master Feng! What's this? You decided to grace us with your presence and return from the Central Plains Star Continent? Haha... How were the beauties over there? Did you get a taste?" a grating male voice suddenly piped up from the side.
Then, another, more mocking voice added, "You must have groveled and begged Beidou's Eighth Star for mercy, right? Otherwise... how could you have possibly gotten away alive?"
"Don't talk like that. Our dear Young Master Feng... is now someone who has earned the favor of the Ancestor and the Patriarch. Who knows, maybe he's already become one of the family heirs... If you offend him, watch out, or he'll make your life difficult later!" the grating voice spoke up again.
"Make my life difficult? Pah! As if he'd dare!" the mocking voice sneered. "In the entire Huo Family, the only one I'd willingly let put me in my place is Young Master Lin! As for the rest... they aren't worthy of my notice!"
Xu Luo followed the voices and saw a group of seven or eight people fawning over a young man of about eighteen or nineteen. The youth was handsome, with delicate features, and his gaze, as he looked at Xu Luo, was remarkably clear, giving him an air of utter innocence.
Hearing the words of those around him, the youth put on a shy expression and said softly, "Don't say that about Brother Feng. He's actually very outstanding, too. It would be well-deserved if he became one of the family's heirs."
"Young Master Lin, you're just too kind-hearted. In my eyes, there is only one heir to the Huo Family! And that is you, Young Master Lin! I won't accept anyone else!" The man with the grating voice was rather handsome, but his thin lips gave him a mean-spirited look.
"That's right! For the future of the Huo Family, I will only follow Young Master Lin!" The man with the mocking voice looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight. He was tall with imposing features and a very masculine air, yet his voice was strangely effeminate.
Xu Luo's eyes narrowed. Drawing on Huo Feng's memories, he recognized the young man at the center of the crowd: Huo Lin, hailed as the most talented and deeply scheming powerhouse of the Huo Family's younger generation.
Though Huo Lin looked as pure and innocent as a young boy, in reality, his intellect and cunning methods surpassed even many of the Huo Family's elders.
Huo Lin's greatest skill was looking at you with wide, innocent eyes while, in all likelihood, his knife was already piercing you through.
In Huo Feng's memories, Huo Lin was an extremely dangerous individual, filed firmly in the 'do not approach' category.
As the biological grandson of the Huo Family Master, Huo Lin held a natural advantage within the family. He had been surrounded by a large group of followers since he was young. These followers already treated him as the Young Master... the future Patriarch. They would not tolerate anyone else competing with Huo Lin for the position!
These followers all looked young, but they actually wielded significant influence.
Throughout the Huo Family, many elders had already thrown their support behind Huo Lin. Thus, the moment Xu Luo left the Ancestor's presence, this group had received the news. They had come here specifically to intercept "Huo Feng" and send him a message: 'Give up! The Huo Family isn't yours!'
Although they didn't know what the Ancestor and the Patriarch had discussed with Xu Luo, they knew this much: the Huo Family had decided to dispatch five powerhouses at or above the Fourth Layer of the Divine Power Realm to accompany him and be at his beck and call. This was the treatment reserved for an heir!
Not even Huo Lin... had ever received such treatment!
That was why Huo Lin, who always loved to play the part of the innocent, adorable boy, had grown restless this time.
Xu Luo scanned the memories in his mind and smiled cheerfully at Huo Lin. "Ah, Young Master Lin. Long time no see!"
"Pah! Don't act so familiar. Who the hell do you think you are?" the tall, mocking man snapped.
A cold glint flashed in Xu Luo's eyes. He glared at the mocking man and barked, "Huo Dong, and what the hell are you? The direct descendants are speaking. What right do you have to interrupt? You ill-mannered cur! Utterly without breeding!"
"You... you waste... You dare curse me?" Huo Dong flew into a rage, staring at Huo Feng in disbelief.
It was true that he was from a branch family, but his strength had increased with incredible speed since he was a child, surpassing many of his peers.
At only twenty-eight years old, his strength had already reached the First Layer of the Divine Power Realm. Because of this, despite being from a branch family, his reputation and status in the Huo Family were not low. Huo Feng, on the other hand, was a direct descendant, but his strength had barely reached the Fifth Layer of the Transformation Realm. He had always been looked down upon.
Every time he confronted Huo Feng, Huo Dong had felt an immense sense of superiority and confidence.
He never expected that Huo Feng, who had never dared to act so arrogantly in his presence, had actually grown a backbone.