The Gongyi mansion.

The current Clan Head Gongyi Yan, the Madame Liu Suyan, and the three children happily welcomed them.

The eldest son was inherently smart, but his luck wasn't so good. Therefore, he liked peace and quiet. It was for this reason they let him leave. It was only because these close relatives rarely reunited that they personally came to greet him every time, allowing the eldest son to experience their affections.

Gongyi Tianheng's gaze warmed. Just like every time previously, he followed his many relatives into the reception hall and proceeded to his grandfather Gongyi Zhuoyue's training room.

After paying his respects to his senior, everyone sat down.

Gongyi Zhuoyue sighed: “Tianheng, why have you come back at this time?”

His beloved grandson clearly understood that he was merely going through the motions. Usually, the Clan War allowed Dragon One to fight on behalf of his beloved grandson only under the compromise of all sides. The Azure Dragon Pool's placements were so precious that it was basically impossible to let Dragon One go and enjoy it.

Were his beloved grandson to go this time around, he'd certainly be ridiculed. Even while he was insulted by those young children, his beloved grandson was very open-minded. It was just that even though they were savage thugs, how couldn't one's heart not care at all?

Gongyi Tianheng faintly smiled: “When has this grandson failed to act appropriately? This time is an excuse for saving face. If it weren't needed, how could this grandson be observed? Grandfather, carefully have a look at me.”

Gongyi Zhuoyue stared blankly.

Tianheng remained calm and extended a hand.

His palm was slender and his skeletal structure was surprisingly pure. It went without saying that it was a palm that couldn't be more beautiful. At this very moment, this hand suddenly clenched into a fist.

Bang!

This indicated great power. The true qi had overflowed externally, giving rise to a qi burst!

Gongyi Yan's pupils suddenly shrank: “This is—”

Zhuoyue's face showed a look of rapture. Under his excitement, his palm slapped the ground. Unexpectedly, this caused the Green Steel Stones used in the floor to explode with several cracks.

“Tianheng. You, you already can practice martial arts?”

Very quickly, Gongyi Yan and Gongyi Zhuoyue both coincidentally sensed Tianheng's qi.

The two were Xiantian realm powerhouses, whose spiritual senses were incomparably strong. Once these senses were opened, the situation of a martial artist who'd yet to enter the Xiantian realm could be immediately perceived.

Afterwards, these two generations of Clan Head couldn't help crying out:

“Meridian Condensing stage three… You're Houtian stage nine perfect-grade!”

“Tianheng, your qi and blood are full of vigor, your physical body's strength is also very powerful!”

Tianheng grinned, his gaze deep and serene: “Correct. I'm already a perfect-grade realm martial artist. Merely a year has pa.s.sed now. How strong are Helian Xingcheng and the other four? They can't be that much stronger than me. Naturally, I can throw my hat into the ring.”

Gongyi Yan was astonished for a long time. Little by little, he managed to say: “Tianheng, you really frightened your father.”

Zhuoyue laughed boisterously: “My wonderful grandson, you really went through a lot to keep this from your grandfather!”

At this point, apart from the toddler Tianteng who didn't have high comprehension, Liu Suyan, Gongyi Tianyang, and Gongyi Mingxia were all pleasantly surprised beyond measure.

“Big brother can practice martial arts?”

“I just knew big brother was an unrivaled genius!”

Liu Suyan's beautiful eyes teared up: “Heng'er, my Heng'er… You, are you all better now? Your lifespan's fixed, right?”

Hearing these words, the rest of the many Gongyi family members simultaneously looked towards Gongyi Tianheng.

Tianheng said straightforwardly: “Precisely. You all don't need to worry about me anymore.”

A soft light flashed through his eyes, “In the future, I'll keep on living.”

And his ambitions would allow him to strive on no matter what.

Gu Zuo stood with Dragon One in a corner, silently watching for a long time.

The care shown between close relatives was just like this. The people of the Gongyi Clan truly were very sincere to Tianheng. However, there were also types of family members that basically weren't true family members, which people loathed.

Just like…

At that moment, he recalled memories of previous events that he hadn't remembered for a long time. Memories that still broke his heart.

However, until the time that he could return to the modern era with the help of his patron, he should have the power to undo that heartbreaking matter.

After everyone in the whole household looked over Tianheng, they started asking about the whole sequence of events.

While Gu Zuo watched his dear patron, he felt helpless wondering how he would use white lies to trick his closest relatives. Ultimately, the reason still fell to that prescription his patron raised up previously — Although that thing merely looked the part, it actually wasn't suited to the correct diagnosis at all.

It was natural for Gu Zuo to once again experience the baptism of the gazes of the Clan Head and his blood relatives.

If one said that the prescription he “offered,” which could supposedly allow Gongyi Tianheng to live a few more years, would already make the Clan Head and the others grateful, then “confirming” that a secretly sought pharmacist improved upon that prescription to fully heal Tianheng, and even allowed him to achieve the martial power he currently had just prior to that decades rare chance of the Azure Dragon Pool's opening, would make it so that when they looked at Gu Zuo, it was like he was their own son. 1

Gu Zuo felt chills on his back.

Liu Suyan was a tender woman. Now that this matter, which had worried her for many years, was settled, her countenance became gentle and soft. She affectionately looked over Gu Zuo's small body for a bit and repeatedly urged Tianheng: “Little Ah Zuo should also be considered your benefactor. Heng'er, from now on you'll have to treat him like your flesh-and-blood little brother.”

Gu Zuo was overwhelmed by her favoritism.

Suddenly changing from a nurtured worker to such a high-cla.s.s ident.i.ty was something he was very unaccustomed to. Even though he knew that this kind of statement definitely wasn't like accepting him as an adoptive brother or making him and his patron sworn bothers, saying this kind of thing out loud was different from not saying it at all. He still understood…

Gongyi Tianheng was laughing: “Mother, I've already been treating Ah Zuo like my little brother for a long time. His temperament is like a cute kid, he's very intelligent, and he has talent as a pharmacist. Previously, he was merely too polite. In the future, he'll call me big brother.”

Saying this, he looked at Liu Suyan's supportive looks and the lack of any opposition in his father and grandfather, and couldn't help raising an eyebrow. Then he looked to Gu Zuo, his tone very gentle, “Ah Zuo, why don't you try calling me?”

Gu Zuo: “…”

Things are changing too fast. Patron, I can't bear it.

Gongyi Tianheng's meaningful look clearly carried an expectation, and hint of persuasion.

After receiving this look for a second, Gu Zuo couldn't bear it any longer.

Once his heart starting scratching at the walls, he opened his mouth like he wasn't afraid of death: “…Big brother Tianheng.”

Tianheng faintly smiled: “Get rid of the last two words?”

Gu Zuo: “…Big brother.”

Tianheng was satisfied, and he reached out a hand to pat Gu Zuo's head, saying: “You must say it like this in the future.”

Tianyang and Mingxia held their big brother Tianheng in the highest esteem. Their gratefulness to Gu Zuo also wasn't less than the others. At this time, there wasn't anything to be unhappy about. Instead, they were all smiling and laughing.

Gongyi Mingxia, the little girl of the family, hugged Gu Zuo's arm with a grin: “This time, older brother Ah Zuo isn't only just in name anymore.”

Gu Zuo felt helpless.

The stubborn youth Tianyang wasn't disagreeable right now and bluntly said: “…Big bro Zuo?”

Gu Zuo felt even more helpless.

Gongyi Tianheng couldn't help smiling: “Switch it around, Yang'er.”

Tianyang earnestly said: “Big bro Ah Zuo.”

Gu Zuo finally gave a sigh.

Following that, Tianteng, the barely couple-years-old who was already steadily walking, toddled over in small, brief steps and hugged Gu Zuo's…lower leg. A serious-looking face said: “Ah Zuo…big bro.”

Gu Zuo, who was a little stiff, forced a smile with great difficulty and said: “Hel-h.e.l.lo, everyone.”

Once these words came out, even the seniors couldn't help laughing.

Gu Zuo's thoughts nearly showed on his face, but to them it couldn't be easier to see through.

This kind of person didn't threaten Tianheng in the least. In addition, for the favor of saving his life, even if they treated Gu Zuo as an adopted son of the Gongyi Clan, it'd be worth it.

The atmosphere now was still very harmonious. And Gu Zuo was held right in the middle of these friendly relations.

Although Gu Zuo wasn't genuinely familiar with the Clan Head or the family, in this kind of environment, his heart slowly relaxed deep down.

Okay, so he was an obedient worker.

The boss wanted Gu Zuo to call him big brother, then he'd later change his views.

In any case, his former patron was now his big brother. This really conformed to his ideal image of an…older brother.

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Early the next morning, the Gongyi Clan Head gathered a relatively large group of high-status elders from the main branches 1, who led their own numerous outstanding descendants, to the main hall to discuss official business.

Gu Zuo found that there were indeed many of these elders in the main branches. More than a hundred who hadn't entered secluded cultivation had come. After congregating, it suddenly made this originally s.p.a.cious main hall seem very narrow.

Those who could sit in chairs were branch elders who each held some authority in the Gongyi Clan. There were some who had wild ambitions, others who followed orders in mediocrity, and some who preferred leisurely quiet and contentment. But it could be said with certainty that there wasn't a single one who was incompetent. Among their other main branches, there were many brilliant youths.

The qi and blood of the martial artists reverberated within the main hall. Without any reason, it fired up the mood.

Gu Zuo found that these people were looking towards the vicinity of the Clan Head Gongyi Yan. They looked at his patron…big brother. Most were feeling pity for him and a few regarded his big brother as a thorn in their sides. Not to say that they harbored evil intentions, but they didn't have any goodwill. And as for the younger generation, most of their gazes were very reverent, and the rest had envious hatred in their eyes.

Truthfully, placing all that jealousy and anger on his big brother was all in vain! Big brother was the kind of person sent by Heaven who specialized in beating down a person's self-confidence. Rather than wasting time giving oneself chest pain, it'd be better to just give up.

At this moment, even though there were many people, no one made any noise.

Gongyi Yan's expression was solemn and his eyes continuously concealed his glee — That's right. He'd yet to fully recover from the joy of his son's sudden increase in strength and transformation into the younger generation's genius expert.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I, Gongyi Yan, have something to say. It concerns a great matter to my Gongyi Clan. You all are my main branch mediators, so after listening to this matter, you mustn't act covertly together with the other Clans. Otherwise, once this Clan finds out, Clan Law will be implemented and you will be stripped of your Clan status!

“All of you are smart people. When someone is enticing you guys, it's because you're part of the Gongyi Clan and you all have the status of the Gongyi Clan. Once this status is lost, then it's certain that no one would dare sell out the Clan. Don't save a little only to lose a lot and suffer another's instigations. You all understand?”

These words were so serious. How couldn't they understand?

There weren't any fools among the people of this large Clan, especially these elders. No matter how much they desired to vie for the position of Clan Head, they also knew that one's honor and disgrace was intimately connected to the Clan. After listening to the cautious warnings of the current Clan Head, they could carefully restrain their current temperaments so that they didn't become like that of an impetuous younger generation.

It was only that the elders didn't understand what the important news was that deserved such prudence. They thought about today's tests of the imperial city, but they also knew that the Gongyi Clan was destined to never have a chance. Could it be that the Clan Head thought up a way of redeeming face?

Gongyi Yan breathed deeply and said with a solemn countenance: “My eldest son, Gongyi Tianheng, had already completely recovered from his illness a year ago. And through a year's worth of hard work and practice, he is now nineteen years of age and is a Houtian stage nine perfect-grade martial artist!”

These words were spoken and a huge clamor filled the room.

“What?”

“The young master actually — That's impossible!”

“But, if it's true…”

“This, what kind of apt.i.tude is this?!”

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1 Can you believe that this whole paragraph is still technically one sentence of an if-then clause? This one sentence slowed me down a lot. (TT^TT)

2 嫡支 - Di zhi, thanks to user Charysa for the clarification.

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T

/N: Welcome to Volume Two: The First Sign of Budding Talent. Sorry I took over a week to get the edits done as well as get the next chapter translated. The updates should return to the normal schedule.

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