"Master, we are preparing to go down the mountain and travel."
After his brief shock, Xiao Chen quickly recovered. Seeing his junior disciple receive such an extraordinary technique, he didn't feel the least bit jealous—he only wanted to grow stronger himself.
When Chu Feng heard this, he asked, "When do you plan to leave?"
Xiao Chen replied, "In the next few days."
"Hand your Sword Jades over to me first. You can all retrieve them together tomorrow."
Chu Feng didn't have much else to instruct them about. All of these disciples were top-tier talents. With their Sword Jades, nothing much should go wrong under normal circumstances.
"Yes, Master."
Everyone took out their Sword Jades and handed them to Chu Feng.
Chu Feng collected them all, stretched lazily, and said, "I'm tired. I'll go catch up on some sleep."
"Master, we respectfully see you off."
The next day.
Xiao Chen, Cao Youqian, Liu Yu'er, Wang Baole, and Nangong Yu—five in all—left Wendao Academy together. Marquis Yishan quietly followed behind them, secretly guarding Xiao Chen.
Their destination this time was the Cangyun Wang Clan in the lower reaches of the Luo River.
The lower Luo River was far from Wendao Academy, but fortunately, there was a teleportation array in Wendao City that led straight to Luocheng, the main city of the Luo River region.
After entering the teleportation array, everyone felt a moment of darkness before light returned to their eyes.
For this journey, Xiao Chen and the others didn't wear their Wendao Academy uniforms, but instead wore brand new, top-grade magic robes.
The five of them appeared outside the teleportation array, immediately attracting countless stares.
They paid no attention to the gazes.
Xiao Chen turned and asked, "Fourth Brother, is there a teleportation array from Luocheng to the Cangyun Wang Clan?"
Wang Baole shook his head. "No. First, the Wang Clan is only a few thousand li from here. Second, teleportation arrays are extremely costly—beyond even the Wang Clan's finances to maintain."
Xiao Chen responded without hesitation, "Then let's go to the market and buy a few Gale Colts. We'll be there in a few days."
"Alright."
No one objected. A Gale Colt could travel a thousand li in a day; with a few days' ride, they would arrive.
An hour later, the group rode out of Luocheng on Gale Colts.
At the same time, at the Luo River aristocratic clans—
In the family head's study, the steward respectfully reported to a middle-aged man practicing calligraphy, "Patriarch, just now some of our clan members saw several Wendao Academy prodigies in the city."
The middle-aged man paused, lifting his brush. "Did you find out which prodigies they are?"
The steward replied, "Reporting to Patriarch, it's Xiao Chen and Wang Baole, the Wang Clan's son-in-law, among others."
Hiss…
The middle-aged man drew in a breath. Of course he'd heard of Xiao Chen's reputation: during the Taixu Secret Realm trials, Xiao Chen had overshadowed all other geniuses and become the greatest prodigy of his generation.
Moreover, his master Chu Feng had even slain a Half-Saint of the Dayan Holy Land with a single sword, shaking the world.
Because of this, when a disciple of their Sima Clan died at the hands of Cao Youqian, the Sima Clan didn't dare to question Wendao Academy—they could only pretend nothing had happened.
Compared to the Dayan Holy Land, where only one in ten disciples survived, at least half of the Sima Clan's disciples made it out alive, and each had the chance to reach Nirvana and even attain the title of Marquis or King in the future.
"Have you found out where they're headed?"
The steward respectfully answered, "We've been following them. After Xiao Chen's group left Luocheng, they rushed straight toward the Cangyun Wang Clan."
Upon hearing this, the Sima Patriarch's face lit up with sudden realization.
"So they're going to attend the Wang Clan patriarch's eight-hundredth birthday. Prepare a generous gift—I'll go personally to congratulate Old Master Wang."
"Yes, Patriarch."
The steward acknowledged the order, but then asked doubtfully, "Patriarch, I've heard the Wang Clan doesn't treat Wang Baole well. Are you sure he's not going there with his fellow disciples to break off the marriage?"
The Sima Patriarch smiled. "You—after all these years by my side, you've learned nothing. If Wang Baole really wanted to make trouble for the Wang Clan, he'd bring his own master, not just a few fellow disciples."
"Let alone the fact that the Cangyun Wang Clan has produced several Marquises in its history—even my Sima Clan would have to yield when faced with Chief Chu of Wendao Academy."
The steward's face finally showed a look of sudden realization, and he slowly withdrew.
Watching the steward leave, the Sima Patriarch thought to himself: This birthday banquet is going to be quite lively.
…
Cangyun City—a vast metropolis with a population of several million—was also the stronghold of the Cangyun Wang Clan.
All the members of the Cangyun Wang Clan lived together in the inner city.
Of them, those residing on Qianlong Avenue held the most prestigious status.
Inside the residence of the Wang Clan's main branch, a beautiful middle-aged woman wore a worried expression after hearing the maid's report.
She turned her gaze to the middle-aged man beside her—none other than the Wang Clan's future patriarch, Wang Chongyi.
"Husband, Yulin just made a trip to the Taixu Valley, so how did she come back in this state? Was she bullied by those disciples from the great powers?"
Wang Chongyi replied with a stern face, "You're coming to me over such a trivial matter? Don't you know your own daughter's temperament?
She's been spoiled by you at home. It's only natural that she'd suffer a loss among disciples from the great powers. I'm busy with preparations for the patriarch's birthday. As for the household matters, you handle them yourself."
Hearing this, Madam Wang felt a little aggrieved but dared not argue with her husband.
Besides, compared to the patriarch's birthday banquet, her daughter's problems were indeed trivial.
In recent years, talent had declined in the Wang Clan, and the family was being propped up solely by the patriarch, a Nirvana-realm powerhouse. This birthday banquet was not only to celebrate the patriarch's longevity with outsiders, but also to showcase the Wang Clan's strength to all.
"I will take my leave."
Madam Wang turned and left, planning to visit her daughter's courtyard to find out what had really happened.
Just as she reached the entrance to Wang Yulin's courtyard, the old steward hurried over and respectfully reported, "Madam, son-in-law Baole has returned with some friends."
"Wang Baole?"
Hearing this name, Madam Wang's face showed a trace of disdain.
In this recent Taixu Secret Realm event, even though Wendao Academy's reputation soared, those who became famous were Half-Saint Chu Feng and the three prodigies of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute: Xiao Chen, Cao Youqian, and Qin Qin.
As for Wang Baole, who was only at the True Fate realm, no one paid him any attention. Moreover, as soon as Wang Yulin returned home, she locked herself in, so the Wang Clan hadn't heard any news about him.
"He actually has the nerve to come back?"
The steward respectfully replied, "Madam, he probably rushed back because he knows it's the patriarch's birthday. After all, the patriarch thinks highly of that young man."
Hearing the words "the patriarch," Madam Wang's contempt for Wang Baole did not lessen in the slightest.
"I really don't know what the patriarch sees in that boy, insisting on marrying our Yulin to him. Just arrange any place for them to stay, and inform them to attend the banquet when the time comes."
"Yes, Madam."
The steward responded, then turned and left…
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