Danwu Refining Spirit

Chapter Fifty-Four: Each with Their Own Circumstances

In the Xiao family mansion, Xiao Kaixin, the patriarch of the Xiao family, was reclining in a chair in his study, resting with his eyes closed.

The idea of ​​closing one's eyes to rest is just a figurative way of putting it. While one may indeed close their eyes, whether they are actually resting their mind is another matter entirely, depending on the individual's mental state.

Just like Xiao Kaixin right now, his eyes are slightly closed, and his face shows a profound expression of indifference, but inside he's overjoyed. Even if he sits in this state for half a year, it won't do him any good for calming his mind; it might even make him more mentally exhausted.

But Xiao Kaixin didn't care. If someone is happy, why can't they be happy too? What's the point of living then?

After the hunting competition, the Xiao family emerged victorious with an undisputed advantage, leaving the Situ and Tie families far behind. How could anyone not be overjoyed by such a triumphant achievement?

The Situ family disciples performed reasonably well. Although they lost some disciples and resources, they were not seriously injured.

The Tie family fared much worse. Not only did they lose many mineral veins and cultivation resources, but most importantly, they also lost a true genius.

Tie Changqing, a genius of the Tie family, appears only once every three hundred years, and reached the peak of martial arts apprentice at the age of sixteen.

His existence has put immense pressure on both the Xiao and Situ families in recent years. This pressure is like a heavy stone weighing on Xiao Kai's heart, preventing him from ever feeling at ease.

Given Zhao Tie Changqing's cultivation speed, in another ten or eight years, he would likely become the most outstanding among the younger generation in Feiyue City. And as he grows older, if his martial arts cultivation far surpasses his peers, it could very well alter the current power structure of Feiyue City. This is something Xiao Kaixin doesn't want to see.

Now that the huge obstacle has finally been removed, Xiao Kaixin feels much relieved. He even started thinking about some more distant plans.

The genius from the Tie family was killed by the genius from the Xiao family. Does that mean the genius from the Xiao family is even more talented than the genius from the Tie family? Although the two geniuses are the same age, what realm is the genius from the Xiao family? What realm is the genius from the Tie family? How much room for improvement does the genius from the Xiao family have?

Yes, we should take this opportunity to promote Xiao Chong and mold him into a rising star in Feiyue City. This would be very important for enhancing the Xiao family's image.

Alternatively, turning Xiao Chong's remarkable achievements into a folk song or similar story and sending people to sing it far and wide would also be a good approach.

Before dawn, Xiao Kaixin was reclining in the study, his mind racing. The fact that he hadn't slept for two nights was nothing compared to the surprise Xiao Chong had brought him.

When dawn finally broke, Xiao Kaixin suddenly opened her eyes and called out softly.

"Master, what can I do for you?" The old butler appeared before Xiao Kaixin just in time, like an omnipresent ghost.

Xiao Kaixin frowned and said, "I've thought about it. Meeting him in the study would seem more intimate, but it's not formal enough. How about this, have someone clean the council hall. When Xiao Chong arrives, just take him there."

"Isn't this setting a bit too high, sir?" the old butler asked hesitantly.

Xiao Kaixin was still very polite to the old steward who had followed him for many years: "Not high, not high at all. Xiao Chong is different from other disciples. He lost his mother at a young age and his father at a young age. He also suffered a lot of suppression within the clan, so he doesn't have a strong sense of identity with the clan."

This can be seen from his attitude towards Xiao Banqiu and his brother-in-law, as well as Xiao Tianhu. Therefore, I want to use this method to bridge the gap between him and the family.

"The master is indeed very thoughtful," the old butler said calmly.

“You’re an old man in this household, so there’s no need to flatter me like everyone else.” The old steward’s flattery was masterful and subtle, but it still didn’t escape Xiao Kaixin’s keen eyes.

Seeing the old steward's face turn slightly red, Xiao Kai smiled and continued his analysis: "There is another important reason, which is that Xiao Chong is not only outstanding in martial arts, but also has many different ideas about the development of the family, which is the most valuable thing."

"Hmm." This time, the old butler remained silent, only nodding in agreement.

"Then go and have someone make preparations," Xiao Kaixin waved his hand and said, "Remember to find a few important figures from the family to accompany us."

"Yes, sir." The old butler turned and left the room.

Seeing the old steward off to his work, Xiao Kaixin enjoyed his moment alone for a while before turning his head to the north of the city and drifting off into a daze.

In the northern part of the city, Xiao Chong had already left home long ago. This was the third formal audience with the clan leader, so he couldn't afford to take it lightly.

However, when he passed through Wuyi Lane, a drunkard blocked his way, which delayed his journey for a while.

The drunkard was carrying a wine jug, his hair and face were so unkempt that Xiao Chong couldn't make out his features. Perhaps because he was too drunk to move properly, the drunkard didn't attack him, but he circled around him like a dog, making "hoarse" noises, which Xiao Chong found quite annoying.

"Why does that figure look so familiar? I must have seen it somewhere before." After shaking off the drunkard's entanglement, Xiao Chong walked away while trying to recall the other man's every move.

Upon entering the Xiao residence, Xiao Chong suddenly remembered the other person's identity.

To confirm his guess, he asked the old butler who happened to be waiting at the door, "Uncle Sun, do you know where Xiao Banqiu, the martial arts instructor, is?"

The old steward's surname was Sun, and the young disciples of the Xiao family always called him Uncle Sun.

When Xiao Chong asked, the old steward shook his head and sighed, "Don't even mention it. He lost ten thousand taels of gold gambling at the Silver Hook Casino, and now he's penniless. I heard that he just moved to Black Robe Lane a couple of days ago to avoid his debts, and he's been drowning his sorrows in alcohol every day."

Then there's no doubt that the drunkard we just encountered was Xiao Banqiu. Xiao Chong opened his mouth wide, feigning surprise, but secretly he was overjoyed.

Although I gambled too, I'm a con artist, an insider, and can predict the outcome to the greatest extent possible. Who do you think you are, daring to play in illegal lotteries? You're lucky you didn't lose your wife's underwear!

Thinking of this, Xiao Chong couldn't help but chuckle. What he didn't know was that Xiao Banqiu had indeed tried to take advantage of his wife's underwear, but had simply failed.

The old steward was startled by Xiao Chong's music. He was suspicious for a while but did not ask any further questions. He simply led Xiao Kaixin to the council hall as instructed.