Chapter 9 Patriarch

"Oh?" Seeing that Du Fei had managed to withstand his palm strike, a hint of surprise flashed in Du Qing's eyes. He then nodded slightly and said, "Not bad, you truly possess some skill... Let's go again!" Having said this, Du Qing sneered and stomped his foot fiercely on the ground, launching his body forward at a rapid pace. Witnessing this, Du Fei took a subtle breath. Although he was well aware that he wasn't a match for Du Qing at the moment, he was confident that if Du Qing wanted to defeat him, it would come at a significant cost! "Enough!" Just as the two were about to clash once again, a soft but stern voice rang out. Although the voice was faint, it caused both Du Fei and Du Qing to tremble slightly. A strange glint passed through Du Qing's eyes, and with a slight curve of his lips, he obediently withdrew his hand. Du Fei, on the other hand, furrowed his brows. The voice from earlier contained Qi, which made it evident that the person who spoke had already reached the realm of a martial artist. He wondered about the status of this individual within the Du Family. Upon hearing the voice, the younger members of the Du Family gathered around the square slightly shuddered, and then, with a touch of reverence, bowed in the direction of the main hall, saying, "Eldest Cousin!" Eldest Cousin? Hearing this address, Du Fei slightly wrinkled his brow but then recalled who this person was. Du Fei once heard from Du Tian that within the main branch of the Du Family, the most outstanding figure among the younger generation was named Du Han. This individual was not only the eldest direct descendant of the Du Family but also possessed an extraordinary talent for martial arts. It was said that he began his cultivation at the age of eight. By the age of twelve, he had already reached the seventh level of body forging. By the time he was twenty, he had already attempted the peak of the ninth level of body-forging and ultimately succeeded in advancing to the martial artist stage. Such accomplishments were not just unprecedented in the Du Family but also made him a prodigious talent even in the entire Da'an Dynasty. Following the gazes around him, Du Fei slowly turned his head and saw, emerging from the main hall, a young man dressed in white robes, walking out with a furrowed brow. The young man looked to be in his twenties. His facial features didn't seem extraordinary, but as he leisurely walked out, it was impossible to discern his exact movements, as if he was enveloped in a faint halo. Du Fei understood that this was due to the disparity in their abilities. However, despite knowing the reason, he was still profoundly shocked. Even his father, Du Tian, had reportedly reached this realm only when he was nearing thirty! This Du Han was truly a prodigious talent! Seemingly very accustomed to being the center of attention, Du Han's gaze briefly swept around before he began to walk towards where Du Fei and Du Qing stood. As he moved, the people around quickly dispersed, their eyes filled with a mix of awe and fear as they looked at him. Seeing Du Han approaching them, Du Qing nonchalantly curled his lip, then slightly bowed, saying, "It was just a minor spar between the younger generation. I didn't expect to have disturbed Eldest Cousin. I truly feel ashamed!" "Du Qing, with your seventh level body-forging strength, bullying a cousin at the fourth level, don't you find it disgraceful?" Du Han glanced at Du Qing, speaking with an apparent lack of respect. "Heh... It was just a friendly match. What's there to be ashamed of? But since Eldest Cousin has reprimanded me, I'll be more mindful in the future," Du Qing responded with a hint of disdain. "That's good to hear... The clan meeting is about to begin. Du Qing, this time you're likely to become a core member of the Du Family, so you should be more cautious!" After addressing him, Du Han turned his gaze to Du Fei, a strange look flashing in his eyes, and then said, "Cousin Du Fei, right? Lord Patriarch wishes to see you. Come with me." Having said that, he didn't wait for Du Fei's reaction but simply turned around and walked back towards the main hall. Hearing this, Du Fei was momentarily stunned. However, after exchanging a glance with Little Ai, the two quickly followed. As they walked past Du Qing, the moment they brushed shoulders, the latter suddenly let out a cold laugh. Then, in a voice only the two of them could hear, he whispered, "Du Fei, you were lucky this time... I'm looking forward to it, waiting for you to get stronger. When that time comes, I can rightfully cripple you! And everything of yours will then be mine!" "I'm also looking forward to that day!" Du Fei's pupils constricted, replying coolly. Since he possesed the system, he was greatly anticipating that day's arrival. Given the capabilities demonstrated by the system, Du Fei believed that with enough time, he could surely crush Du Qing beneath his foot! Both of them turned around simultaneously. Their gazes collided mid-air, followed by simultaneous cold chuckles. They quickly looked away. In the void, it felt as if lightning had flashed, dazzlingly brilliant. "You're Fourth-in-command's son, Du Fei?" Inside the considerably grand and lavish hall, around ten individuals took their seats on both sides. Many of their strangely probing gazes were fixated on Du Fei. At the foremost central position in the hall, there sat a thin old man with a head full of white hair. At the moment, he was gently tapping the armrest of his chair, his gaze slowly surveying Du Fei, emanating an aura of authority. "Yes!" Although Du Fei felt uneasy under the old man's scrutinizing gaze, he dared not show it. After all, he knew that this man was none other than the current patriarch of the main Du Family branch, Du Zhentian. "Oh? I heard that Fourth-in-command's son was a natural-born failure. But judging by your performance just now, you don't seem to fit that description. Although your strength is only at the fourth forging level, which is indeed lacking, you dared to confront Du Qing head-on, which is commendable!" These old foxes were indeed aware of what had transpired earlier. This thought briefly crossed Du Fei's mind before he responded in a deep voice, "It's all thanks to my father's excellent guidance. It's really nothing special." "Excellent guidance?" Du Zhentian tapped on the armrest and then said indifferently, "Regardless, even if Fourth-in-command left us, he is still a member of the Du Family... Let bygones be bygones. Now that you have returned to the Du Family, I'll recognize you as my grandson. Starting from today, you'll be treated on par with the direct descendants of the Du Family. As for your future, I won't interfere. Whether you turn out to be a snake or a dragon will be up to your own destiny." "Furthermore... no matter what, Fourth-in-command was still one of us. He was murdered, and I cannot turn a blind eye... Tell me about what happened that day in detail. If there's a deep-seated grudge against your family, the Du Family will naturally seek revenge for you." As the last word fell, Du Zhentian was already enveloped in a murderous aura. The Du Family's upper echelons around him looked on with a hint of surprise in their eyes; it had been a long time since they had seen the old man so angry. Facing the enraged Du Zhentian, Du Fei's pupils couldn't help but contract slightly. He exchanged a glance with Little Ai, who stood in the center of the hall with him, both of them showing a hint of hesitation. Logically speaking, Du Fei understood that with the Du Family's strength, if he revealed the events of that day, he should have a good chance of finding out who his enemy really was. However, a terrifying thought lingered in Du Fei's heart: If the Du Family's upper echelons found out that the mysterious black-robed figure who attacked Du Tian that day had the strength of a fifth-grade Martial Master, they might not be avenging Du Tian. Instead, they might just slap him to death and act as if nothing had happened. After pondering for a moment, Du Fei subtly shook his head at Little Ai without showing any emotion. He then pretended to think deeply and, after a while, said in a solemn voice, "Lord Patriarch, as for the events of that day, neither of us were actually present. We happened to be out on an errand, and by the time we returned, everything had already transpired... However, it seems that the attacker was immensely powerful. Even the eight elders nurtured by my family, each possessing the strength of an Eighth-grade Martial Artist, did not survive..." "Eight Eighth-grade Martial Artists..." Within the hall, a collective gasp echoed. Upon hearing these words, the Du Family's upper echelons exchanged glances, their eyes revealing a mix of surprise and fear. "Eight Eighth-grade Martial Artists... and Fourth-in-command seemed to have been trying to break through to become a Seventh-grade Martial Artist these years..." Du Zhentian massaged his temples, "Such strength is not weak at all. Not to mention, even if our main family wanted to eliminate such a powerful group, the cost would undoubtedly be significant... What do you all think? Within a hundred miles radius, which power could possibly accomplish this?" The upper echelons of the Du Family below exchanged glances. After a moment, a slightly plump elder tapped his forehead and hesitated before saying, "To deal with nine Eighth-grade Martial Artists with such a grand move, there should at least be a Seventh-grade Martial Artist making a move, or perhaps a dozen or so high-level Eighth-grade Martial Artists joining forces... And as you all should know, Seventh-grade Martial Artists are incredibly rare. There might not even be half of one within a hundred-mile radius. The three families within Buyue City, although they possess this strength... the other two have been at odds with our Du Family over the years. We have always kept an eye on their movements, and recently, their seated powerhouses haven't left their posts. Therefore, I believe the matter should have nothing to do with the forces in Buyue City..." "Senior Elder is right..." Du Zhentian nodded slightly, "However, if it's not these two families, then which other power would target Fourth-in-command? Over the years, he has been very low-profile... He shouldn't have made any enemies, right?" "Who knows?" A mocking, sarcastic laughter echoed from an old man with a sallow face. "Elder brother, you mustn't forget... Back then, for that woman, Fourth-in-command not only betrayed our family but also stole the Ice Heart Technique of the Du Family. Who knows what trouble he has stirred up over these years?" "Third Elder..." Du Zhentian's expression shifted slightly, "What happened back then is in the past, now is not the time to bring up old stories, is it?" "Talk about the present, then?" The Third Elder continued to mock, "Let's talk... Our Buyue City's Du Family is one of Yunshui's Five Families. Although we are only a branch of the Yunshui Du Family, in the Da'an Dynasty, the number of powers daring to lay a hand on our family members can be counted easily... the other four of Yunshui's Five Families, the Da'an royal family, and the Junwu Sect!" As the last word from Third Elder fell, the atmosphere in the hall grew even colder. Du Zhentian's expression changed for a moment before he let out a sigh, shaking his head slightly: "Why would these supreme powers within the Da'an Dynasty target Fourth-in-command... We shouldn't make baseless claims... Enough! Du Fei, you may withdraw. As for this matter, I will have someone investigate it in detail. If there are any results, you will surely be informed." "Yes!" Du Fei gave a slight nod, immediately pulling Little Ai along as they swiftly performed a gesture of respect. Under the various curious gazes in the hall, they quickly left.