Feng Xianru

Tap. Tap. Tap. In the narrow, quiet passageway, the unhurried footsteps sounded exceptionally conspicuous. Although Xu Yuan had never seen this peerless prodigy of the Feng family's collateral branch before, he recognized his identity at a glance the moment he saw him. It was because of an inexplicable sense of déjà vu. Although Feng Xianru's face still bore a youth's tender boyishness, his demeanor and temperament were entirely otherworldly and aloof. Xu Yuan had originally planned to make a special trip to the ancestral grounds after retrieving the medallion to find an opportunity to meet this young genius. Now, it seemed there was no need for such unnecessary trouble. After coming to a halt, the white-clad youth swept his gaze over Xu Yuan's trio before finally resting it on Xu Yuan, his eyes indifferent and sharp. "You are bold indeed—abducting a member of my Feng family, trespassing into my Feng family's ancestral grounds..." "Young Master, it's not like that!" Beside them, Feng Fangming, knowing his temperament well, anxiously cut in, her voice echoing in the passage. "This gentleman—" "Shut up." Hearing her voice, a visible flicker of disgust instantly crossed Feng Xianru's calm eyes. "Did I give you permission to speak?" "..." Feng Fangming's frail, slender body shuddered violently, and she ducked her head in timid fear. Feng Xianru let out a cold snort, his tone seemingly trying hard to maintain composure. "Bringing outsiders into this forbidden ground without permission, treating my words as wind past your ears—do you truly think I wouldn't dare kill a useless piece of trash like you?" With that, silence fell over the passageway. The girl hung her head, summoning her courage several times to speak, but each time fear won out, leaving her clutching the hem of her clothes in silence. The faint light flickering from the four illuminated lamps on the cavern ceiling cast long shadows of the five people. In the brief quiet, *Rustle...* Amidst a soft rustling sound, the trembling girl with her head bowed suddenly froze. She felt a hand rest upon her head, gently and softly comforting her. "Good girl." "..." Feng Fangming said nothing. Xu Yuan's hand rested on the girl's soft, smooth hair. "Did you forget? The deal between you and me is already struck." "..." Feng Fangming's trembling slowly ceased. She subconsciously looked up at the older brother standing more than a head taller than her. Her red lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but out of fear, her throat seemed choked up, unable to make a sound. On the surface, Xu Yuan appeared calm and gentle, but a thoughtful realization flickered in his mind. In this Feng Family Ancestral Hall, as someone of direct matrilineal bloodline, even if the Big Ice Block and Bai Muxi did not lift a finger, Xu Yuan could use the array formations to instantly obliterate that kid. The main reason he had given these two juniors of the Feng collateral branch room to speak was to observe their character under such tense circumstances. The result was somewhat unexpected. Because this girl had actually chosen to speak up and explain. Feng Fangming already knew his "fake" identity. If she hadn't spoken up to explain, given Feng Xianru's opening attitude, she would likely have faced dire consequences. Though out of respect for her Feng family bloodline her life wouldn't be in danger, a severe beating would have been utterly unavoidable. A man's name is like a tree's shadow. With Xu Changge's name, Feng Xianru would most likely not dare to trouble her afterward. Considering the girl's age, acting like this was probably out of pure kindness... The thought flashed by. The corners of Xu Yuan's lips curved slightly, and his soft, gentle voice sounded again: "Don't be afraid. According to the terms of our deal, I'll protect you from him." "A deal? Protection?" Feng Xianru's voice suddenly rang out. Staring at the young man stroking Feng Fangming's head, his brows furrowed involuntarily, and the temperature of his voice dropped a fraction: "A foolish creature indeed. To possess Feng family blood yet so readily believe the words of an outsider." Having said that, Feng Xianru's somewhat youthful voice suddenly darkened: "Stupid thing, what are you still standing there for? Get over here right now!" The shout rolled like thunder, reverberating in the ears and echoing deep into the passage. Her body, which had gradually relaxed, stiffened once more. Feng Fangming bit her lip and subconsciously took a step toward Feng Xianru. Seeing Feng Fangming's reaction, Xu Yuan couldn't help muttering internally. This girl... seemed genuinely terrified of Feng Xianru to the absolute extreme. As a profligate playboy, Xu Yuan had left psychological scars on many people in the past, yet he had never seen anyone afraid of him to such an extent—at most, encountering him on the street, they would immediately take a detour. Feng Fangming's expression was not at all the kind of result casual bullying could produce. So... this was likely the product of meticulous conditioning. However, in both his past and present lives, Xu Yuan had seen plenty of this sort of thing. It was an outright craft—an advanced course in psychological manipulation. In later stages, Xu Yuan had seen victims who treated their tormentor's every word as an imperial decree, and if an outsider tried to rescue them, they would treat the savior as if they had killed their father. Yet judging by what Feng Fangming said, only half a year had passed from when she left her village to when she arrived at the Feng Clan Hall and met Feng Xianru. In such a short time, Feng Xianru was likely still in the stage of establishing dominance, otherwise the girl would never have taken the hand Xu Yuan extended to her. Kids these days really knew how to play their games... Still, thinking of it this way, Xu Yuan could roughly confirm one fact: Feng Xianru indeed knew about the girl's special constitution. Otherwise, given his talent, he wouldn't have gone to all the trouble to do something like this. "Sigh..." Sighing softly, Xu Yuan slowly withdrew his hand from the girl's head. Feeling the warmth atop her head vanish, Feng Fangming whipped her head back to look at Xu Yuan. In her clear, delicate eyes was a helpless trace of fear. She probably thought he was abandoning her. Xu Yuan shook his head and said quietly, "Go outside first. Wait for me outside the ancestral hall." "..." Feng Fangming was quiet for a moment, gave a slight nod, and slowly walked toward the cave entrance. Her steps were very slow. When she reached the white-clad youth, her head shrank down like an ostrich, her hands clutching her skirts tightly. She seemed terrified that he would suddenly strike her. Yet under the flickering light of the lamps, the white-clad youth merely cast a cold glance at her. In the quiet, Xu Yuan watched the girl's departing silhouette, but his view was soon blocked. Without drawing attention, the white-clad youth stepped forward and shifted half a step sideways, obstructing Xu Yuan's view of Feng Fangming. And this subtle motion immediately made Xu Yuan's expression turn peculiar. As her footsteps receded and the girl's figure completely vanished into the distance, Xu Yuan turned his gaze back to the white-clad youth. They locked eyes in silence, the tension mounting bit by bit. Just as swords seemed about to be drawn, Xu Yuan suddenly gave a light chuckle: "Impressive glare, but haven't you considered how a mere Body Integration cultivator like you will walk out of this cavern if you anger me?" "..." The white-clad youth's gaze remained aloof. Without answering, he raised his hand slightly, and the cavern's qi dynamic surged in an instant. The majestic, overwhelming pressure within made the entire mountain cliff face tremble faintly. At this turn of events, a deep solemnity surfaced in both Ran Qingmo's and Bai Muxi's eyes. Yet Xu Yuan maintained his faint smile. Because this qi dynamic was not the boy's own power; it came from an array formation—the array formation of the Feng Family Ancestral Hall. Though the passageway here was narrow, that was merely the surface. As an array guarding the Feng Family Ancestral Hall, its formations had spread throughout the neighboring mountain ranges, on par with the grand protective arrays of major sects; pushed to full power, it could even slay Transcendent Realm experts. Divine light flashed in the lines of his palm. The white-clad youth's gaze turned slightly chilly: "Does Your Excellency think this is enough?" "..." Understanding what the boy was relying on, Xu Yuan glanced back along the passage at the nine bright lamps stretching inward. Now, under Feng Xianru's control, all nine lamps were lit. In other words, this kid had already cleared this instance and obtained the initial approval of the Feng Family Ancestral Hall. To pass the ancestral hall's trial at age sixteen—no, perhaps even earlier, since the kid could already manipulate the arrays within with practiced ease. Thinking of this, doubt arose in Xu Yuan's mind. The nine lamps were merely the preliminary trial; after walking through the passage, two more trials remained. The second was the Ancestral Spirit Chamber, containing many soul imprints left by ancestors to create illusions. The third was the soul imprint of the Feng family's Great Ancestor. Only by passing all three trials could one gain provisional inheritance rights to the direct lineage. With Feng Xianru's cultivation, passing the third trial was practically impossible, because the soul imprint left by Xu Yuan's uncle there had yet to dissipate. However, Feng Xianru should have had no problem passing the second trial. Why was it still intact? Staring at Feng Xianru for several breaths, Xu Yuan suddenly asked out of nowhere: "Boy, do you... like Feng Fangming?" "..." The air fell silent for a heartbeat. The white-clad youth's cold, detached expression froze slightly, but he immediately suppressed it, stating calmly: "If Your Excellency has a penchant for men, there is no need to measure others by your own standard." Xu Yuan ignored the boy's sharp tongue. Taking slow steps toward him, he said casually: "Given the uniqueness of the Yin-Yang Profound-Pattern Physique, even Origin Realm experts cannot see through it. How did you discover she was a girl?" "..." Hearing this, the white-clad youth's pupils abruptly constricted. As his measured footsteps drew closer, Xu Yuan's narrow eyes showed a trace of amusement: "Was it a startling glimpse caught by accident, a fateful rescue in a moment of distress, or... both?" Saying so, Xu Yuan glanced toward the outer passage and remarked leisurely: "There are plenty of lakes in old, deep mountains like this. You couldn't have stumbled upon her bathing, could you?" The white-clad youth's expression completely returned to cold detachment. Looking at Xu Yuan as if at a fool, he spat out four words: "Are you brain-damaged?!" Xu Yuan sighed softly, amused: "Passing the Feng Family Ancestral Hall's second trial ought to grant you substantial benefits, perhaps even the realization of dual Dao Charms. Why haven't you cleared it?" The white-clad youth sneered. "I, Feng Xianru, have never needed such external aids to cultivate." "You have some backbone, at least." Offering a soft word of praise, Xu Yuan smiled and continued: "Even if you didn't use them, having them wouldn't hurt, right? "Or is it... "You know that once someone clears the ancestral hall's second trial, these nine lamps outside will be locked by qi dynamics, forbidding anyone else from entering? "Boy, "You forcing that girl to cultivate here all this time... you actually wanted to save her, didn't you? "After all, if the Yin-Yang Profound-Pattern Physique awakens dual Dao Charms without the appropriate means to suppress it, she'll almost certainly die on the spot." The white-clad youth's heart rate quickened slightly. He clenched his fist tight. "Do you want to die that badly?" With those words, the qi dynamic throughout the entire passage condensed to its limit, suddenly bearing down upon Xu Yuan with deadly intent. Sensing the surrounding killing intent, Xu Yuan sighed softly. And then— *Snap.* A snap of his fingers. Without warning, the roaring vibration across the mountain abruptly died down into calm. Xu Yuan walked up to the white-clad youth. Looking down at his bewildered, stunned face, Xu Yuan tapped him over the heart with a smile: "Boy, your composure is shaken. "Aren't you even a little curious how I can be so familiar with the interior of the Feng Family Ancestral Hall?" "..." The white-clad youth said nothing. The youth's eyes flickered with uncertainty. "Who are you?" Xu Yuan glanced at the youth's white robes—whiter than snow—and that familiar sense of déjà vu surged again. This collateral branch prodigy seemed to be a fanboy of his uncle. With that in mind, Xu Yuan spoke slowly: "The Chaofeng Profound-Pattern Robe... I often see someone else wearing that, though what he wears isn't a knockoff like yours." "..." Feng Xianru's mind froze for an instant as he realized who the man was referring to. Xu Changtian? No, that profligate was already dead. At that thought, Feng Xianru instinctively took half a step back as a name that struck chills into hearts surfaced in his mind. Xu... Xu Changge... Just as the name appeared, the gentle voice of the man before him rang out again: "So, do you still want me dead?" "..." At those words, those calm eyes seemed suddenly soul-stirring and terrifying. Feng Xianru's knees nearly buckled, almost sending him flat onto the ground. Yet the pride in his heart still compelled him to look straight at the man before him. Taking a deep breath, neither servile nor overbearing, he said: "Does making a fool of me bring the Eldest Young Master so much pleasure?" "You flatter yourself." "..." Feng Xianru stood speechless. Hearing this, Xu Yuan's expression remained tranquil, his mind slightly settled. He had actually been a bit worried that someone might suspect his identity; after all, he was rather talkative, whereas Xu Changge usually took action rather than talking nonsense. Now, however, it seemed there was no need to worry. Renowned as Xu Changge was, far too few people had ever seen him in person. Taking one last glance over Feng Xianru, Xu Yuan turned around and walked toward the depths of the passage. "I heard the collateral branch produced two geniuses. While my first impression of you wasn't great, it seems your true nature isn't bad—just your methods are flawed." After walking a few paces, Xu Yuan spoke without turning around: "By the way, from now on, you are not permitted to bully that girl again." Upon hearing this, the fists under Feng Xianru's sleeves clenched slightly. "This matter... shouldn't concern you, Eldest Young Master." "I gave that girl my word." "I cannot obey," Feng Xianru said through gritted teeth. "I am not asking for your opinion." "You are not the clan head, Eldest Young Master, nor do I have any reason to follow your comm—" *Thud!* His steps pausing, a muffled crash cut off Feng Xianru's words. A strike infused with the array's formidable qi dynamic slapped the arrogant white-clad youth straight to the ground in an instant, rendering him unable to rise again. As footsteps echoed, the flat voice drifted faintly from the depths of the passage: "Now you do."