Rebirth of Jinxuan

As soon as Lu Yuhang said this, the children around him were stunned for a moment, and then burst into even louder cheers.

"Boss! Boss!" the children cheered, crowding around Lu Yuhang as if he really were their leader. Momo jumped up excitedly, clapping her hands, her big eyes filled with admiration.

At the back of the crowd, a boy dressed in a purple brocade robe with a jade pendant hanging from his waist snorted coldly, his face full of disdain. His name was Luo Wenxu, the youngest son of the Luo family patriarch. He usually held considerable prestige among the children in the area, and seeing Lu Yuhang stealing the limelight naturally displeased him.

"Brother Wenxu, don't be impulsive." A tall, thin boy standing next to Luo Wenxu tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "This kid seems to have some skills. Let's observe him first." This boy was Luo Li, the son of the second elder of the Luo family, who was always inseparable from Wenxu.

Luo Wenxu snorted coldly and didn't say anything, but his eyes were fixed on Lu Yuhang, full of hostility.

"Boss, that guy in the purple clothes is Luo Wenxu. His father is the head of the Luo family, and he's very rich!" A chubby little boy approached Lu Yuhang and pointed at Luo Wenxu.

Lu Yuhang followed his gaze and met Luo Wenxu's eyes. Their eyes locked, sparks flying. Lu Yuhang smiled slightly, turned his head away unconcerned, and continued chatting and laughing with the children around him.

Just then, a commotion arose outside the crowd, and several servants carried a sedan chair slowly in. Sitting in the sedan chair was a boy dressed in a golden brocade robe and wearing a golden crown; he was none other than Wang Han, the youngest son of the Wang family patriarch. Although Wang Han was young, he was fat and had large ears, looking every bit the spoiled brat.

"It's Wang Han! What brings him here?"

"I heard his father is the head of the Wang family, he's really powerful!"

"What's so great about him? I heard he's just a good-for-nothing who only knows how to bully people!"

The crowd buzzed with discussion, but Wang Han seemed oblivious, remaining seated in his sedan chair with an arrogant expression.

"Boss, that Wang Han is no good!" The chubby little boy from before sidled up to Lu Yuhang again and whispered, "I heard he often bullies other kids, steals their things, and even hits them!"

Lu Yuhang frowned slightly, a hint of disgust creeping into his gaze as he looked at Wang Han. He couldn't stand guys like him who bullied others by relying on their power.

The servants carried Wang Han to the center of the crowd. Wang Han stepped down from the sedan chair, glanced around, and finally fixed his gaze on Lu Yuhang.

"You're Lu Yuhang?" Wang Han looked Lu Yuhang up and down, his tone laced with provocation.

Lu Yuhang crossed his arms and met his gaze without fear. "Indeed, what can I do for you?"

Wang Han sneered, about to speak, when a servant behind him tugged at his sleeve. The servant whispered a few words in his ear, and Wang Han's expression immediately turned ugly.

"Let's go!" Wang Han flicked his sleeves and turned to leave.

The servants quickly carried the sedan chair and followed, leaving everyone looking at each other in bewilderment.

"What happened? Why did Wang Han leave?"

"I don't know, could it be that they're afraid of Lu Yuhang?"

"That's impossible! Wang Han is the young master of the Wang family, how could he be afraid of someone..."

The crowd murmured amongst themselves, but Lu Yuhang simply smiled faintly, not taking it to heart. He turned to the children beside him and said, "Let's continue playing!"

The children cheered and surrounded Lu Yuhang as they continued playing, as if nothing had happened.

In the distance, Lu Jinxuan and Zhang Yuxi squeezed into the martial arts hall, only to find that the front yard was already surrounded by a crowd, making it impossible to get close.

"What can we do? We can't just keep waiting here, can we?" Zhang Yuxi said helplessly, looking at the dense crowd.

Lu Jinxuan looked around and her gaze fell on a towering pavilion in the distance. "Let's go up there and take a look."

The pavilion was called Jiefeng Pavilion, a place specifically used by the Martial Arts Hall for enjoying the scenery. At this moment, Jiefeng Pavilion was empty, and Lu Jinxuan and Zhang Yuxi easily reached the top.

Looking down from Jiefeng Tower, the entire front courtyard of the Martial Arts Hall was laid out before her. Lu Jinxuan immediately spotted Lu Yuhang in the center of the crowd. He was chatting and laughing, acting with ease and confidence, looking every bit like a leader of the children. Lu Jinxuan couldn't help but feel a surge of pride.

"It seems your son is quite popular," Zhang Yuxi said with a smile.

Lu Jinxuan smiled faintly, "This child has been clever and witty since he was little, and he gets along well wherever he goes."

The two stood on the top of Jiefeng Tower, enjoying the tea and snacks they had brought while observing the situation below.

Meanwhile, inside the Martial Hall's council chamber, Wang Hao, the head of the Wang family, sat upright, listening to his subordinates' reports with a gloomy expression.

"What did you say? That kid named Lu Yuhang dared to disrespect Han'er?" Wang Hao slammed his hand on the table and said angrily.

“Yes, patriarch.” A middle-aged man standing before him bowed his head and said tremblingly, “That child was not only disrespectful, but also…”

"Give me back what?" Wang Hao roared.

"He also...he also said..." The middle-aged man hesitated for a moment, but finally forced himself to say, "He also said that the Wang family is nothing, he doesn't even care about them!"

"Outrageous!" Wang Hao roared in fury. "How dare a mere punk like him be so arrogant! Investigate! I need to know who this kid is!"

"Yes!" the middle-aged man replied hastily, then turned and left in a hurry.

Wang Hao sat in the chair, his face gloomy, his eyes flashing with a dangerous light.

“Lu Yuhang… Lu…” Wang Hao murmured to himself, a thought suddenly flashing through his mind, “Could it be… could it be that he is…”

Upstairs in Jiefeng Tower, a gentle breeze brought a touch of coolness. Lu Jinxuan and Zhang Yuxi leaned against the railing, with exquisite tea and snacks laid out before them. Their view was unobstructed, offering a panoramic view of the front courtyard of the Martial Hall.

"This glutinous rice cake is really well made. It melts in your mouth and is sweet but not greasy." Zhang Yuxi picked up a piece of cake, tasted it carefully, and exclaimed. "You should try it. This is the signature snack of Xinghualou Restaurant in the south of the city."

Lu Jinxuan took a small bite, the soft, chewy glutinous rice and the sweet red bean paste intertwining in her mouth, truly a rare delicacy. "It's really good." She nodded slightly, but her gaze remained fixed on Lu Yuhang.

Surrounded by a group of children, Lu Yuhang, like a little adult, was passionately recounting his "heroic deeds" of battling tigers and wolves, making the children around him laugh heartily. Although somewhat exaggerated, the confidence and energy emanating from this child filled her with immense joy.

"It seems Yu Hang has a lot of leadership qualities." Zhang Yuxi followed her gaze and said with a smile, "He might achieve great things in the future."

Lu Jinxuan smiled, her eyes filled with pride. "I hope so. I just hope he grows up safe and happy."

Meanwhile, the atmosphere inside the Martial Arts Hall's council chamber was completely different. Wang Hao paced back and forth, his brow furrowed, his heart filled with doubt and unease.

"Master, we've investigated. The child named Lu Yuhang's mother is named Lu Jinxuan. She brought the child to Qingfeng Town a few years ago and has been living a secluded life, rarely interacting with others." The middle-aged man who had reported earlier returned to the main hall and respectfully reported.

“Lu Jinxuan…” Wang Hao repeated the name softly, fragments of memories flashing through his mind, a blurry figure gradually becoming clear. “A few years ago… a reclusive… alchemist…” he murmured to himself, a bold guess suddenly rising in his mind.

"Send people to investigate immediately! I need to know if this Lu Jinxuan is the alchemist who disappeared in Qingyun Mountain five years ago!" Wang Hao suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing with a sharp light.

Five years ago, a highly skilled alchemist disappeared in Qingyun Mountain, causing a sensation throughout the entire alchemy world. If this Lu Jinxuan is indeed that missing alchemist, then things become much more complicated. The value of a high-level alchemist is enough to drive any power mad.

"Yes!" The middle-aged man accepted the order and left.

Wang Hao walked to the window, gazing at the bustling front courtyard of the martial arts hall in the distance, his eyes deep and complex. "Lu Jinxuan... if it really is you..." He clenched his fists, his heart churning with turmoil.

Upstairs in Jiefeng Tower, Lu Jinxuan suddenly felt a chill, as if she were being watched by something. She subconsciously looked around, but found nothing.

"What's wrong?" Zhang Yuxi noticed her unusual behavior and asked with concern.

Lu Jinxuan shook her head. "It's nothing, maybe I'm overthinking it." She turned her gaze to Lu Yuhang again, only to find that the crowd was beginning to disperse, and the servants of the martial arts hall were organizing the children to line up.

The sun rose high in the sky, its rays bathing the earth. The martial arts academy's admissions officially began. A middle-aged man in a blue robe led a group of servants out of the academy. They carried something covered with a red cloth, slowly making their way to the front courtyard.

"All children, line up!" the middle-aged man shouted, his voice booming and echoing throughout the martial arts hall.

The children lined up as instructed, chattering excitedly about what was under the red cloth. Lu Yuhang, who was originally standing in the middle of the line, was pushed to the front by several older children.

"Go for it, Yuhang!" Lu Jinxuan whispered from the top of Jiefeng Tower, her eyes filled with anticipation.

The middle-aged man walked to the front of the line and slowly lifted the red cloth...