Section 409 Entering the Guan Family
Xixiliqi was bored out of his mind, dozing off at the end of the mountain entry path. Even in his dreams, he couldn't stop cursing the old fogies of the Ridge Council. Those damned old men had actually sent him to welcome some kid entering the ridge. Xixiliqi wasn't the type to slack off, but he couldn't muster even a shred of interest for this utterly pointless task.
It was obvious this guy was walking to his death—how could anyone possibly pass through the entry path? Everyone in the ridge knew it. Tonight, the ridge was eerily quiet; not a soul was out and about.
Lately, the ridge had been in constant turmoil, and his own Pawei family was no exception. There had already been several instances of doors being kicked in, as if overnight, everyone in the ridge had become belligerent.
Today's calm felt like the last lull before a storm, growing more and more oppressive.
So, the moment he arrived, Xixiliqi simply decided to sleep. After all, he just needed to report to the clan council when the time came.
He was sleeping soundly when he suddenly felt someone pat him.
"Who is it?" he grumbled inwardly, annoyed. Who would play a joke on him so late at night? Most importantly, they had disturbed his wonderful dream, which made him furious. Though he muttered under his breath, his heavy drowsiness made his eyelids feel like lead, and he simply couldn't open them.
"Excuse me, are you here to pick me up?" a rather cold but polite voice asked.
"Pick you up..." In his dazed state, Xixiliqi's mind suddenly snapped awake. He opened his bleary eyes to see a tall but somewhat frail-looking unfamiliar youth. The expression on Xixiliqi's face instantly froze.
"Ah!" A sharp scream pierced the night as Xixiliqi jumped like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
"You... you... you're the one... the one... entering the ridge?" Xixiliqi stammered incoherently.
Although the other's words were unclear, Ye Zhong could grasp the general meaning. He nodded and replied truthfully, "Yes."
This day was destined to be an eventful one. The news that the youth from the Guan family had successfully passed through the entry path on his own strength spread like wildfire, reaching everyone in the ridge.
A thunderclap echoed through the night sky over May Night Ridge!
Every ridge dweller knew full well that the situation within the ridge would undergo earth-shattering changes with the return of this master-level Tiaopei artist. This night was注定 to be sleepless for many.
Ye Zhong was immediately taken to the Guan family. In fact, after the Ridge Council learned the result, instead of the expected interrogation, he was directly escorted to the Guan family. To everyone's surprise, the Ridge Council adopted a very strange attitude—ignoring the matter entirely, as if nothing had happened.
As Xixiliqi left the Guan family, he glanced back with immense envy. The return of such a super Tiaopei artist was enough to help the Guan family escape their current predicament.
Every Tiaopei artist knew that the role of a master-level Tiaopei artist was far beyond what ordinary Tiaopei artists could match, no matter how many of them there were.
Now, no one in the ridge doubted the master-level prowess of this mysterious Tiaopei youth from the Guan family. The entry path was the only way into Night Ridge and contained almost all the highest levels of Tiaopei artistry within the ridge. To pass through the entry path unscathed and unharmed—no one in the entire Night Ridge would dare claim they could do it. In fact, even the currently dominant Huayan had openly admitted that he couldn't pass through the entry path relying solely on his own strength. So, who would question such a Tiaopei artist's ability? And who would dare to?
The entire Guan family was brightly lit and buzzing with activity. Since Guan Ling left the family, it hadn't been this lively in years. Every member of the Guan family wore a happy smile. Born into a great family with such a glorious history, their self-esteem was far higher than most. Yet, the harsh realities of recent years had relentlessly oppressed them. They could only stand in the corners, silently watching others enjoy better treatment and honors. More often than not, they had to endure scornful and disdainful looks from others.
The long-suppressed pressure was released in an instant. Every member of the Guan family stood tall and straight, their smiles radiant and brilliant. Most of the family members who had witnessed the rise of the young lady Guan Ling were still alive, and they tirelessly recounted the prestige of the Guan family in its heyday to the younger generation.
Now, they saw a new hope—the hope of the Guan family's resurgence. The fact that he was the young lady's student alone made them feel an immense closeness to him. And having safely passed through the entry path without any assistance pushed the momentum of this mysterious youth's return to its peak.
The only thing that struck everyone as odd was the wooden spear Ye Zhong carried. A Tiaopei artist carrying a wooden spear? The young lady's student was truly no ordinary person! Those who saw this scene couldn't help but marvel.
Meanwhile, Ye Zhong was in Guan Zhengyuan's room.
"Are you A'Ling's student?" Though Guan Zhengyuan's face remained calm, the joy in his eyes was unmistakable.
"A'Ling?" Ye Zhong frowned in thought. Was that Guan Fengzi's real name? Guan Ling? Ye Zhong seemed to vaguely recall it—perhaps Old Man Ge, who had taught him bone crafting techniques, had mentioned it once. It was a distant memory, and if not for Ye Zhong's remarkable recall, he wouldn't have remembered this detail. He had called her 'Guan Fengzi' for so long that he'd nearly forgotten her real name.
Ye Zhong nodded. "Yes." His gaze, however, fell on Guan Zhengyuan's neck, where a Jiu Piao Hong pendant also hung.
"How is A'Ling now?" Guan Zhengyuan asked urgently.
"She passed away," Ye Zhong replied plainly. Guan Fengzi had sent Zhu Ling to find him, but she herself was nowhere to be seen, and Zhu Ling's expression had said it all.
"What?" Guan Zhengyuan jolted, his face twisting, and he asked in a trembling voice.
Ye Zhong looked quietly at Guan Zhengyuan, unsure what to say. In the end, he decided to be truthful. "She died saving Zhu Ling. The probability is over ninety percent."
"Passed away..." Guan Zhengyuan muttered to himself, his expression blank, his eyes rapidly dimming into a deathly gray, as if he had aged decades in an instant.
Ye Zhong didn't know what to say. In such situations, he always lacked effective means of comfort. No, to be precise, he simply didn't know how to comfort others.
Guan Zhengyuan suddenly looked up, his voice hoarse. "Zhu Ling? Who is this Zhu Ling you mentioned? Why did A'Ling save her?"
"Zhu Ling is her younger sister."
"What? Younger sister?" Guan Zhengyuan suddenly reached for Ye Zhong, his previously ashen face now filled with agitation.
Ye Zhong sidestepped, easily avoiding Guan Zhengyuan's hand.
"A'Ling found her younger sister... A'Ling found her younger sister..." Guan Zhengyuan seemed to have gone mad. Ye Zhong considered whether he should knock him out to calm him down.
Fortunately, Guan Zhengyuan was, after all, the family head, with self-control far beyond ordinary people. He quickly regained his composure, his eyes burning as he stared at Ye Zhong. "Where is she? Where is my younger sister?"
Ye Zhong remained as calm as ever. "We got separated."
"Separated?" Guan Zhengyuan's expression changed again, and he asked urgently, "Where did you get separated?" He looked as if he wanted to send someone to search for her immediately.
"The Red Mist Sea."
Guan Zhengyuan was clearly unfamiliar with this name, but he immediately called in a family member and gave quiet instructions. The family member, after listening to the head's orders, glanced at Ye Zhong in surprise before quickly leaving the room.
Guan Zhengyuan asked a few more questions, which Ye Zhong answered truthfully. When he heard that A'Ling had passed all her knowledge on to Ye Zhong, Guan Zhengyuan was visibly pleased.
Guan Zhengyuan called out to a family member waiting outside, "Bring A'Jin here."
He turned back to Ye Zhong and said, "A'Jin is my daughter and currently the most skilled Tiaopei artist in our family." A trace of pride for his daughter showed on his face. But then he added with some regret, "Though she still falls quite short compared to A'Ling back in the day."
Just then, Ye Zhong heard a female voice from outside the door. "Dad, you called me?"
"Yes, come in," Guan Zhengyuan said gently to the person outside.
A young girl pushed the door open. Age: between twelve and fourteen. Estimated height: around 1.45 meters, with a thin and weak build. Her face was slightly pale, suggesting limited sun exposure. Long hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her eyes were bright and alert. Ye Zhong assessed this girl named A'Jin.
While Ye Zhong was observing her, Guan Jin was also curiously examining the much-talked-about Tiaopei master. Her large, innocent eyes blinked repeatedly. She couldn't see any semblance of a master's demeanor in this legendary Tiaopei master—he seemed like a very ordinary person! And he was holding a stick, which was just bizarre.
"A'Jin, this is your brother Zhu Feng. He is your aunt's student. From now on, you will learn from him. Understand?" Guan Zhengyuan's tone suddenly turned stern.
Guan Jin obediently agreed and then sweetly called out, "Brother Zhu Feng." Ye Zhong maintained his usual cold expression but nodded at her.
Guan Zhengyuan was very satisfied with Guan Jin's attitude. Smiling at her, he said, "Alright, take your brother Zhu Feng to rest now. He's had a long day. Oh, and don't forget mealtime."
Guan Jin compliantly agreed.
"This way, Brother Zhu Feng. Be careful on the stairs." Guan Jin's voice was sweet and ethereal. If Shang were here, he'd probably be utterly enchanted just by hearing her voice. However, it was clear that Ye Zhong was completely immune. Even Feng Su's mesmerizing voice hadn't swayed him, let alone Guan Jin's still-developing charm.
Guan Jin quickly realized that her usually effective tactics had no impact on Ye Zhong. Her eyes shifted, and she said, "Brother Zhu Feng, there's still some time before dinner. How about we visit the Tiaopei lab first?"