"Oh ho? Huo Fengā¦ look at you! I never thoughtā¦ you'd grow a spine! Heh, if I remember correctlyā¦ before you went to the Central Plains Star Continent, you were like a mouse seeing a cat every time you saw me. When did you not scurry away with your tail between your legs?" Huo Dong sneered at Xu Luo, a savage glint in his eyes, and barked coldly, "It looks like if I don't teach you a good lesson, you'll completely forget your place!"
As he spoke, a powerful aura erupted from Huo Dong. His entire presence shifted abruptly, becoming as sharp as an unsheathed sword. He glared at Xu Luo and laughed savagely, "Huo Feng, don't tell me you don't dare to accept my challenge!"
The harsh-faced young man with the annoying voice chuckled faintly. "How could our Young Master Feng possibly refuse you? He's the one who escaped alive from Beidou's Eighth Star, you know! So impressive!"
Faced with their taunts, Xu Luo found the situation ridiculous. He smiled, his expression unchanged, and looked at Huo Lin, saying calmly, "Huo Lin, is thisā¦ what you want as well?"
Huo Lin blushed before he even spoke, saying bashfully, "We're all brothers here. A casual spar is fine, but let's not get truly angry. That would just hurt our harmony, wouldn't it?"
"Hehā¦ heh."
A cold laugh escaped Xu Luo's lips. He looked at Huo Dong, whose killing intent was barely concealed, then glanced to the side and said indifferently, "The five of you have been here for a while. Are you just going to keep hiding there and watch the show? Or do you think it brings you honor to see your master get humiliated like this?"
"Who do you think you're the master of?" a cold, domineering voice suddenly rang out. But the moment the words were spoken, it was as if someone had clapped a hand over the speaker's mouth, and no one heard what came next.
"Ahemā¦ The young man is ignorant, Young Master Feng. Please don't take offenseā¦" Following an awkward laugh, an old man who looked to be in his fifties walked out from a corner. The man had a goatee, a wiry build, and shifty, triangular eyes. His hair was a mess, as if it hadn't been washed in days. If not for the brocade robes he wore, one might have mistaken him for a beggar.
However, the luxurious brocade robes looked utterly awkward on him, giving him the air of a monkey in a suit. He showed no discernible aura from head to toe and didn't look like a powerful expert at all.
Yet, when Huo Lin and the others saw this old man, they couldn't help but narrow their eyes, their expressions showing a trace of apprehension.
Huo Wanchong, a member of the Huo Family's 'Wan' generation, was considered one of the younger ones of his cohort. His strength had already reached the Peak of the Fourth Level of Divine Power Realm!
Compared to Huo Wanzhang, who had previously entered the Central Plains Star Continent, Huo Wanchong was far more powerful, and his reputation within the Huo Family was quite renowned.
This was because Huo Wanchong was one of the few in the entire Huo Family's several-thousand-year history who could, at the Fourth Layer of Divine Power Realm, kill a mighty expert of the Fifth Layer of Divine Power Realm!
Huo Wanchongā¦ had made his name in that one battle!
Although he was from a branch family, Huo Wanchong held the extremely high status of an Outer Elder in the Huo Family!
'A figure like that was actually sent to be a follower for that waste, Huo Feng?'
At this, even Huo Lin's expression changed slightly, a gloomy light flashing in the depths of his eyes. 'I don't know what Grandfather is thinking. Does he really intend to make this waste, Huo Feng, the Young Master?'
Following Huo Wanchong's appearance, the other four who had been sent to follow Huo Feng also emerged one by one.
One of them, a very young-looking man, had the most indignant expression on his face. He was the one who had just spoken.
Huo Jinshan, one of the outstanding young experts of the Huo Family's 'Jin' generation. He had once roamed the Jianghu as the number one talent of the 'Jin' generation's branch families. He entered the Divine Power Realm before he was twenty, reached the Third Layer of Divine Power Realm at thirty, and now, at just forty, his strength had already reached the Peak of the Fourth Level of Divine Power Realm!
There were even rumors that Huo Jinshan could break through to the Fifth Level of the Divine Power Realm at any time. He had simply chosen not to, wanting to stabilize his cultivation and build a more solid foundation to prepare for his future breakthrough to the Saint Realm.
Even though he was only a disciple from a branch family, a person like him naturally held a high position in the Huo Family. His statusā¦ was also that of an Outer Elder!
As for being made to follow Huo Feng, Huo Jinshan was ten thousand times against it. He had become an Outer Elder of the Huo Family at a young age, a respected position that had countless people actively trying to curry favor with him. He even had hopes of becoming one of the Huo Family's Inner Sect Elders after breaking through to the Fifth Layer of the Divine Power Realm!
At that point, even with his branch family status, he would have entered the Huo Family's core inner circle!
If his future descendants showed promise, it wouldn't be just a dream for them to earn the status of direct descendants of the Huo Family!
But just as he was brimming with ambition, ready to continue pursuing his dreams, an orderā¦ had actually come down from the Patriarch.
'I have toā¦ go be a follower for that waste Huo Fengā¦ who isn't even in the Divine Power Realm? Did the Patriarch issue the wrong order?' Huo Jinshan had expressed his dissatisfaction the moment he received the command, not even caring if his words reached the Patriarch's ears. It showed just how furious he was at the time.
He felt that the Patriarch's order was utterly absurd!
He had to express his displeasure!
But to his surprise, the person who delivered the order simply said, "This is the Old Ancestor's will as well."
That one sentence shattered all of Huo Jinshan's dissatisfactionā¦ all of his emotions!
Although his heart was still filled with intense dissatisfaction and resentment, Huo Jinshan didn't dare say another word.
But when it came to facing Huo Feng, deep downā¦ it was inevitable that he still couldn't get over his own pride.
The other three were Huo Wanhua and Huo Wanyu of the 'Wan' generation, and Huo Jinyin of the 'Jin' generation. All were outstanding Divine Power Realm experts from the Huo Family's branch families. The oldest among them, Huo Wanyu, had already reached the Fifth Layer of the Divine Power Realm!
He had been one of the ten Divine Power Realm experts who went to the Central Plains Star Continent last time!
His injuries had been the lightest of the ten, and he had now more or less recovered. Unlike the others, Huo Wanyu had voluntarily requested to follow Huo Feng. This was because he was simply too curious about Beidou's Eighth Star!
And Huo Feng happened to be the one who had not only seen Beidou's Eighth Star but had also escaped from him unharmed. Therefore, Huo Wanyu wanted to know how Huo Feng had done it!
"What, you don't acknowledge my status as your master?" Xu Luo's eyes fell on Huo Jinshan, his expression indifferent and his tone icy. "If you're unwilling to follow me, you can go talk to the Patriarch. Go talk to the Old Ancestor. It's fine if you don't approve. It's not like I'm desperate to have you!"
Over on the side, Huo Dong and the others stared, their eyes wideā¦ 'Arrogant! Just too damn arrogant!'
Even Huo Lin wouldn't dare to provoke people like Huo Jinshan so brazenly. It was true that the status of a direct descendant was incredibly noble, but one still had to show appropriate respect to formidable disciples from the branch families!
Huo Jinshan's face turned ashen with rage. When had he ever suffered such an insult? He was about to lash out, but an image of the Old Ancestor's half-open eyes suddenly flashed through his mind. It was like having a basin of cold water dumped over his head, and a chill instantly ran down his spine.
With the Old Ancestor's order, never mind that Huo Feng was a waste in the Transformation Realmāeven if he were a complete cripple with no cultivation whatsoeverā¦ they would still have to obey! Recalling the punishment someone had once suffered for defying the Old Ancestor's commandā¦ Huo Jinshan couldn't help but shudder.
"Iā¦ dare not!" An intense resentment flashed in Huo Jinshan's eyes, but in the end, he chose to lower his head. He gave Xu Luo a deep bow and said, "My words and actions were improper. I have offended Young Master Feng. I ask that Young Master Feng be magnanimousā¦"
"Enough, enough. Is it really worth my time to stoop to your level?" Xu Luo waved his hand, putting on an air of noble magnanimity.
Huo Lin's eyes went wide. 'How is this guy even more shameless than I am?' he thought. 'Not stooping to his level? Then who were those words you just said for, a ghost?'
Huo Dong and the others also stared at "Huo Feng" in utter shock, cursing wildly in their hearts: 'This motherfucker is way too shameless. Can going out for training really change a person this much?'
Huo Jinshan also wore an expression as if he'd just eaten shit. The corner of his mouth twitched violently as he fought back the urge to slap Huo Feng to death, lowered his head, and offered his thanks.
Among the five, the oldest, Huo Wanyu, had a flash of appreciation in his eyes as he looked at Xu Luo. He thought to himself: 'This Huo Feng may not have much strength, but his cunning is deep and his methods are formidable! It seems my choice was correct. I might really be able to uncover the secret of Beidou's Eighth Star from him!'
Huo Wanchong, Huo Wanhua, and Huo Jinyin watched as Xu Luo put Huo Jinshan in his place and knocked him for a loop. They all immediately dismissed any thoughts of underestimating him. 'This young master of the Huo Family's junior generation,' they thought, 'seems to be far more difficult to deal withā¦ than we imagined!'
"Are you still going to teach me a lesson or not? If you are, my followers can take care of it!" Xu Luo stood there brazenly, looking at Huo Dong with a provocative expression. "If you don't want to teach me a lesson anymore," he said impatiently, "then hurry up and get lost, so I don't have to get annoyed just looking at you!"
"Huo Fengā¦ you're shameless!" Huo Dong trembled with rage. Teach him a lesson? 'Teach him a lesson, my ass!' While it was true that the younger generation disciples didn't truly respect their elders deep down, believing they would one day surpass them, for now, the gap in strength was still a gap. It was a gap that required time to close.
Forcing them to fight members of the 'Wan' and 'Jin' generations now was simply a form of humiliation!
"How am I shameless? Huo Dong, I'm not even using my status as a direct descendant to pressure you. In fact, who the hell do you think you are? You think you can teach me a lesson? Are you even qualified?" Xu Luo tilted his head back, looking down his nose at Huo Lin, and said coolly, "Huo Lin, as a fellow direct descendant, let me give you a piece of advice. In the futureā¦ keep a better leash on yourā¦ dog!"
"I'll kill you!" Being called a dog was something Huo Dong could no longer tolerate. He lunged at Xu Luo, ready to fight him to the death!
"Stop!" Huo Lin's face paled as he shouted to stop him.
Over here, even though Huo Jinshan and the others wished in their hearts that "Huo Feng" would be slapped to death, they had no choice but to block Xu Luo's path instantly. If this young master were to actually get hurt, they would never be able to answer to the Old Ancestor and the Patriarch and would face severe punishment.
After all, the Huo Family's rules were no joke.
Huo Dong trembled with anger, gritting his teeth. "Fine. Very good! Huo Fengā¦ I'll remember how you acted today! I hope you can keep up this arrogance forever!"
"Heh, you're nothing," Xu Luo said with a smile, pointing a finger at Huo Dong. His gaze then shifted to Huo Lin. "Xiaolinzi, you remember this too. Be more straightforward in the future. Don't be so hypocritical, acting innocent and pure and cute all day long. Isn't it annoying? Aren't you tired of being so two-faced?"