Xiao Qing arrived at the Clan Chief’s courtyard and happened to encounter the maid An Ran, who was tending to the flowers and plants in the yard.
He stepped forward and asked politely, “Sister An Ran, is my aunt at home today?
I want to see her.” Seeing it was Xiao Qing, the maid An Ran quickly put down her watering can and gave a smiling bow.
“Young Master Xiao Qing, please don’t tease An Ran.
Just calling me An Ran is fine.” She paused and continued, “The Madam was resting in the courtyard just now, but not long ago, a distinguished guest arrived at the manor holding the Old Clan Chief’s token.
The Madam has personally gone to the Council Hall to receive him and is likely speaking with the guest there now.” ‘A distinguished guest?
And holding the Old Clan Chief’s token?’ Xiao Qing’s confusion grew even stronger.
Old Clan Chief Xiao Lin had been dead for many years, and past relationships had long since faded.
For such a guest to suddenly appear now was truly a bit suspicious.
Seeing that Yan Qian was not there, Xiao Qing could not stay long, so he nodded to An Ran.
“I see.
Then I won’t disturb you.
If my aunt returns, please tell her I came by.” “Rest assured, Young Master,” An Ran respectfully complied.
Xiao Qing left the courtyard with his doubts, but his steps unconsciously turned toward the Council Hall.
He wanted to see what kind of “distinguished guest” was visiting at this time.
…
Inside the Xiao Family Council Hall, the atmosphere appeared quite “lively.” The three Elders of the Xiao Family were currently gathered around a middle-aged man of extraordinary temperament, whose face bore the marks of time yet still could not hide his faint majesty.
Their faces were covered in almost fawning smiles, and their words were extremely enthusiastic.
This man was, of course, Gu Yuan, using the alias “Xiao Yuan.” The Clan Chief’s wife, Yan Qian, sat a bit further away with the four-year-old Xiao Yan, quietly listening to their conversation with a polite but slightly awkward smile on her face.
She did not know this Senior “Xiao Yuan” and could not join the conversation, so she occasionally stood up to refill tea for everyone, fulfilling her duty as the lady of the house.
The Grand Elder of the Xiao Family cast a burning gaze at the jade bottles on the table, which looked ordinary but actually contained subtle spatial fluctuations.
They were clearly meeting gifts Gu Yuan had casually taken out.
While insignificant to the Gu Clan, they were considered great treasures to the Xiao Family.
The wrinkles on the Grand Elder’s face deepened with his smile, and his tone was full of exaggerated gratitude: “Senior Xiao, you might not know!
Many years ago, our Old Clan Chief Xiao Lin often mentioned you before us Juniors, saying you were one of the people he respected most in his life!” “If you hadn’t stepped in righteously back then to turn the tide, our Xiao Family would probably have ceased to exist long ago!
You are the great benefactor of our entire Xiao Family!” He spoke with such heartfelt sincerity that it seemed he was eager to rip out his heart to show the other party.
Decades ago, the Xiao Family had indeed been suppressed by a coalition of local forces due to conflicts of interest, and was once in a precarious situation.
At that time, Xiao Lin, who had just taken over the position of Clan Chief from the deceased previous head, was anxious and overwhelmed.
Gu Yuan, far away in the Gu Clan, perhaps due to a subtle resonance with the residual Bloodline of the Xiao Clan, or perhaps just casually placing a piece on the board, had indeed secretly helped and given Xiao Lin a few pointers, helping him Breakthrough to the Dou Wang Realm.
Xiao Lin had always kept this kindness in his heart and had mentioned a mysterious “benefactor” to the clan Elders, but the specific details were vague.
If anyone else were here and knew the truth behind this “kindness” and Gu Yuan’s true identity, they would likely only sneer and laugh coldly at this.
This had a strong sense of “Gu Yuan of the Gu Clan, now following the last wishes of his old friend Xiao Xuan, saves the Xiao Family from peril!
Protecting your Xiao Family Bloodline from extinction!” The Xiao Family had fallen from being the head of the Ancient Eight Clans with endless experts to its current state, where the entire clan was supported by only one Great Dou Master and a few Dou Masters, and their Cultivation Techniques and Dou Techniques were reduced to a few Yellow Ranks, with even Profound Rank ones being scarce…
This so-called kindness, against the backdrop of the survival of a race, seemed so tiny and ironic.
Gu Yuan, under the alias “Xiao Yuan,” swept his seemingly calm gaze across the eager and even somewhat humble faces of the three Elders.
His heart remained untroubled as he said faintly, “It has been a long time since I last visited the Xiao Family…
I didn’t expect things to change so much, that even that boy Xiao Lin…
has been gone for many years.” His tone carried a perfectly measured trace of lamentation as he reached out to gently pat the head of Xun’er, who was sitting quietly beside him, his eyes deep with unknown thoughts.
Yan Qian sat nearby, feeling as if she were sitting on pins and needles.
The three Elders’ bottomless flattery made her cringe so hard her toes could have curled, so she could only use the action of pouring tea to hide her embarrassment.
At this moment, the Third Elder of the Xiao Family seemed to feel that the Grand Elder’s performance wasn’t “sincere” enough.
He cast a slightly “dissatisfied” glance at the Grand Elder, and then his face was instantly covered in a look of misery, his voice even carrying a hint of a sob as he hurriedly interjected: “Senior Xiao, you don’t know!
The Old Clan Chief…
on his deathbed, the one he missed most was you!
He kept muttering that not being able to see you one last time was his greatest regret!
How he wished he could thank you once more in person!” Seeing that the spotlight was about to be stolen by the two of them, the Second Elder also hurriedly forced his way into the conversation, his voice rising a few notches.
“Yes, yes!
What the Old Clan Chief told us most during his life was your high righteousness, Senior!” “The one he was most grateful for and missed most was you!
He said you are the eternal benefactor of our Xiao Family!” Gu Yuan looked at these three Xiao Family Elders, whose cultivation was at most at the Dou Master level yet were performing so hard.
He only found it somewhat comical; their strength was likely inferior even to Yan Qian sitting nearby.
But he maintained his indifferent expression, only shaking his head slightly without saying much.
Yan Qian sat to the side, watching the three Elders who were usually so majestic and arrogant in the clan now competing like common street peddlers in their sycophancy, performing such blatant and even frightening rhetoric.
She only felt her cheeks burning slightly, feeling extremely embarrassed.
She couldn’t get a word in at all and could only keep her head down, silently pouring tea for everyone to hide her discomfort.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan, sitting beside his mother, although in a young child’s body, possessed the Soul of a mature Transmigration traveler.
His clear black-and-white eyes blinked innocently, but in reality, his mind was rapidly analyzing and roasting the scene.
‘The acting of these three Elders is way too exaggerated, isn’t it?’ Xiao Yan looked at the Grand Elder’s grateful expression that seemed to want to squeeze out tears, the Third Elder’s fake miserable sobbing, and the Second Elder’s urgent interjections, feeling a wave of secondhand embarrassment.
‘This fawning energy is about to overflow from the Council Hall.
It seems this so-called Senior “Xiao Yuan” has quite a background; at least the “sincerity” he brought out is enough to make these three money-grubbing old guys drop all their dignity.’ Xiao Yan continued to take it all in, his heart churning even more.
‘Keep pretending, keep it up!
These three really have no shame for a little benefit!
But this Senior surnamed Xiao is quite composed; it looks like he doesn’t take this flattery seriously at all.
Well, what kind of scene hasn’t a true big shot seen?’ ‘And mother…
it’s really hard on her, having to stay here for this awkward chat.’ Xiao Yan glanced at Yan Qian, who was trying hard to maintain a smile, and sighed in his heart.
His gaze then turned to the middle-aged man called “Xiao Yuan.” This person’s aura was restrained and seemed peaceful, but the majesty of someone long in a high position inadvertently leaked out.
‘He’s hiding his depth…
this kind of presence is definitely not that of an ordinary person!
Also, that little girl next to him…’