Chapter 850: Background
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The Wu family was considered a local force in Huixun City.
This was because the Wu family’s patriarch—Wu Xiaohuang—was a top-grade Spiritualist. Although he was almost at the end of his cultivation path and would unlikely advance into a Venerable One, a top-grade Spiritualist was a top-grade Spiritualist, after all, where he could not be compared with ordinary Spiritualists.
When Xue Haiya and the others arrived at the Wu family and reported their names, they were immediately welcomed with warm hospitality.
After asking around, they found out that they were not the first batch of unfortunate disciples from the Xue family that arrived at the Wu family. Before them, several batches of people had arrived one after another. In fact, the Xue family’s pillar that was also a top-grade Spiritualist—Xue Yan—had also arrived.
Upon hearing the news, Xue Yuan was so excited that he almost shouted. Xue Haiya and Xue Xuanle were elated too.
This was because they knew very well the difference that it would make.
If Xue Yan, who was a top-grade Spiritualist, was killed during this disaster, the Xue family would have an extremely slim chance of rising again. Even if Wu Xiaohuang was willing to protect the surviving members out of consideration for past feelings, he would at most provide them a stable environment to multiply and take a breather. After that, he would be indifferent toward them and let them fend for themselves.
Nonetheless, everything would be different if Xue Yan broke free from danger.
This did not only mean that the Xue family could become glorious again but most importantly, the Wu family would also treat them very differently.
Xue Haiya and his juniors exchanged glances and were overjoyed as though the long journey and hardship were worth it.
Ou Yangming naturally could not share their joy, hence he simply watched quietly on the side.
After a brief moment, they were brought to a side courtyard. As soon as they entered the courtyard, Xue Haiya’s eyes lit up, and he uttered loudly, “Elder Boren.”
A white-haired elder turned around. After seeing Xue Haiya and his juniors, the initially serious-looking elder looked surprised yet delighted. “Very well, you’ve arrived safely too.” He beamed when he looked at Xue Yuan and Xue Xuanle.
However, he was slightly stunned when he was Ou Yangming, so a look of confusion could be seen in his eyes.
The Xue family had plenty of members when they flourished, thus Xue Boren could not have recognized everyone. Even so, members that advanced into Spiritualists were core members in the clan, so he could not have been unaware.
When he looked at Ou Yangming, he could not recall when such a young and excellent disciple existed in their clan.
“Elder Boren, this is Yu Tianrui—a young hero that we became acquainted with during our journey here,” Xue Haiya immediately explained. He signaled Xue Boren with his eyes and continued, “Brother Tianrui became a Spiritualist at such a young age, and he’s also adept in formations. The Teng family sent an Intermediate Spiritualist and 3 Rudimentary Spiritualists, who were all scums, to pursue us, but Brother Tianrui settled them with his formation.
Xue Boren looked at Ou Yangming in bewilderment and slowly had a grave look on his face.
A Rudimentary Spiritualist was already enough to be valued by the fallen Xue family. Given that the young fellow was also a formation master that could challenge an enemy in a higher rank, he could not be treated lightly at all.
Xue Yuan furrowed his eyebrows and glanced unhappily at Xue Haiya. It was fine that the middle-aged man praised Ou Yangming during their way here, but he continued to compliment the young fellow even though they were already safe in the city. Since the man was boosting Ou Yangming’s morale, which reduced Xue Yuan’s courage instead, Xue Yuan was very displeased.
Nevertheless, he was smart enough to know that he should not have internal conflict in front of an outsider, so he simply looked away and stopped bothering about it.
On the other hand, Xue Xuanle stated, “Elder Boren, if we hadn’t met Big Brother Yu, I’m afraid that we couldn’t have made it to Huixun City.” Her eyes reddened as she was upset at the thought of the difficult journey and her close members that died.
Xue Boren looked gloomy right away. He cupped his hands at Ou Yangming and expressed, “Young Master Yu, thank you for helping the Xue family preserve more bloodlines.” He was an Advanced Spiritualist, but he humbled himself to salute the young fellow at the moment. His words and actions came from his heart.
Ou Yangming shifted his body a little to the side and responded, “It was an easy job, Your Excellency, so you don’t need to be so polite.”
“Young Master Yu, it might be an easy job for you, but it’s a saving grace for the Xue family,” Xue Boren replied to him sternly. He paused for a while before he continued, “Since you’re here, Young Master Yu, the Xue family will serve you well, so please come inside quickly.”
He welcomed Ou Yangming earnestly and even arranged an isolated room for him to rest.
Ou Yangming could not help but sigh when he scanned the room that belonged to him for the time being. ‘Even after suffering a loss, they’re still better off than ordinary people. The Xue family has fallen, and their clan was destroyed, but they still have powerful connections. It’s not easy for them to have found such a spacious room in Huixun City.’
At the end of the day, the Wu family did not know how many people from the Xue family were coming. The fact that they could make such an arrangement for their guests was quite amazing.
※※※※
One Xue Boren helped Ou Yangming settle down, he left with Xue Haiya and the rest.
His face took on a grave expression as soon as they left the courtyard. “Haiya, what exactly is that person’s background?”
Xue Haiya dared not delay the matter. “I have no idea, but his level of attainment in formations mustn’t be underestimated.” He paused for a moment before he continued, “He boasted about how if he set up his formation map, he wouldn’t be afraid even if an Advanced Spiritualist were to come.”
“Trap an Advanced Spiritualist?” Xue Boren’s face changed as he asked in shock.
It was worth noting that Advanced Spiritualists and Intermediate Spiritualists were on entirely different levels. It was up to the standard of a formation master that was a Rudimentary Spiritualist to trap an Intermediate Spiritualist, but one would have to possess notable combat power and unordinary inheritance to trap an Advanced Spiritualist.
“Elder Boren, he only spoke carelessly; he didn’t show such an ability at all.” Xue Yuan was dissatisfied. “If an Advanced Spiritualist had really come, he would’ve been the first to escape for sure.’
Xue Haiya frowned and said, “Xue Yuan, you…” He could not help but shake his head disappointedly when he thought about how the young man had been acting throughout their journey.
As for Xue Xuanle, she sneered. “Xue Yuan, it’s true that he didn’t show it, but you weren’t the one that attacked the Intermediate Spiritualist.”
Xue Yuan’s face changed, and he questioned furiously, “Xue Xuanle, what do you mean? Why are you helping an outsider? Are you interested in him?”
“Pfft! You’re interested in him.” Xue Xuanle blushed as she expressed, “Elder Boren, I believe that Big Brother Yu wouldn’t lie.”
Xue Boren looked at his juniors then at Xue Haiya.
“Elder Boren, we can try,” Xue Haiya suggested after some thought.
“If he can really set up a formation to trap an Advanced Spiritualist, it means that he definitely has a significant inheritance. Someone like him…” He dragged out his last word before he added, “I’ll report this to Patriarch before we make a decision.”
Xue Yuan felt indignant when he watched Xue Boren leave in a hurry. “Big Uncle, don’t you think that you’re overestimating that fel… That person.”
He wanted to address Ou Yangming as a young fellow, but he felt guilty after being stared at by Xue Haiya, so he quickly changed his choice of word.
Xue Haiya could not help but become soft-hearted when he looked at the young man. He sighed and explained, “Xue Yuan, things are not the same anymore. Our clan was struck by a disaster and is left with very few talents now, but a strong enemy is still keeping an eye on us outside. This is why every power that we can gain at this time is incredibly precious.”
The young man responded to him, but nobody knew if he took it seriously.
Afterward, Xue Haiya waved his hand to ask Xue Yuan and Xue Xuanle to get some rest, but he stayed and waited.
Sure enough, Xue Boren returned after a short while, but Xue Haiya was surprised to see the 2 figures that came as well.
One of them was Xue Yan—the Xue family’s patriarch—while the other person that walked side by side with him was Wu Xiaohuang, whom Xue Haiya was lucky enough to meet once from afar.
Xue Haiya blinked but dared not believe that his news managed to alert 2 top-grade Spiritualists. He tensed up a little and wondered, ‘Is Ou Yangming’s background more than what I expected?’
Before long, Xue Yan and the 2 other powerhouses arrived in front of him. They began to question him in detail.
Xue Haiya dared not hide anything from them, so he told them about him and his juniors’ encounter with Ou Yangming in detail then waited anxiously for their decision.
“Brother Wu, what do you think?” Xue Yan asked in a deep voice.
“Hehe, in my opinion, Yu Tianrui’s probably a young disciple from an influential sect that’s out here for an adventure. As for the mysterious person that appeared at night, he’s probably the powerhouse that’s secretly protecting him.” Wu Xiaohuang smiled faintly.
The middle-aged man looked up in shock. He suspected this before, but he did not think that Wu Xiaohuang would be so sure.
Xue Yan frowned and pondered for a long time before he noted, “Brother Wu, if a Rudimentary Formation Master can trap an Advanced Spiritualist with a formation board that he carries around with him…”
Wu Xiaohuang’s eyes lit up. “That person’s level of attainment in formations must’ve reached an astounding stage.”
“That’s right.” Xue Yan nodded. “There are many formidable forces in Zhangzhou, but Reborn in Paradise holds supremacy in formations. Given that he’s such a young Spirit Grade cultivator and formation master, he was probably brought up by them.”
Wu Xiaohuang chuckled. “Brother Xue, you’re saying…”
“If he has legitimate skills, he’s worthy of being recruited regardless of his background.” Xue Yan nodded hard. He suddenly turned around and instructed, “Boren, go and test him. Make sure that you do it properly and not cause too much of a sensation.”
“Yes, Patriarch,” Xue Boren replied to him softly.
Xue Haiya opened his mouth as he wanted to stop them from doing that, but he dared not express his opinion when he noticed the serious look on the top-grade Spiritualists’ faces.
That said, he was very worried.
‘Elder Boren, you must take it easy. No matter what, don’t end up making a mistake!’