Xiao Residence.
The four of them arrived at the main gate. When the guards saw it was Miss Xun'er, they immediately made way without asking about the identities of Han Feng and the others.
As the top figure among the younger generation, Xiao Xun'er held a high position in the Xiao family. Not to mention that the elders in the upper echelons knew that Xun'er's identity was extraordinary, and gave her preferential treatment beyond the rules.
"Xun'er, you take them to your place first. I'll go pay a visit to Clan Leader Xiao Zhan."
Gu Xun'er nodded and smiled friendly at Lin Xian'er and Qing Lin. "Follow me."
Watching the three girls leave along the path, Han Feng breathed a sigh of relief.
Just now, he inexplicably felt that the atmosphere was a bit oppressive.
Mainly because his little disciple's mood was a bit low, as if someone owed her money.
Logically speaking, they were all peers, so they should have common topics.
Han Feng shook his head, then strode towards the clan leader's residence.
He vaguely remembered the route from back then. Fortunately, the Xiao Residence hadn't changed much.
Outside the clan leader's office, there were guards.
Han Feng announced his name, and the guard went in to report. After a short while, a slightly bulky figure walked out of the room.
Not having seen him for many years, Xiao Zhan's face was a bit rugged, and he had a thick beard.
"Mr. Han?"
Seeing Han Feng for the first time, Xiao Zhan asked tentatively.
"It's me."
Han Feng smiled.
Xiao Zhan walked quickly to Han Feng and looked him up and down.
"Haha, haven't seen you for years, Mr. Han is getting younger and younger."
Han Feng looked at Xiao Zhan and sensed the cultivation in his body: five-star Dou Grandmaster.
Compared to the Xiao family in the Nanli Empire, the gap was indeed a bit large.
Life for the main branch isn't easy.
"Clan Leader Xiao Zhan's aura is also becoming more majestic."
Having been the clan leader for many years, the accumulated dignity gave him some confidence.
However, in front of Han Feng, a Dou Emperor expert, Xiao Zhan naturally didn't dare to be arrogant.
In his conventional thinking, the strongest cultivator in the Jia Ma Empire was a Dou Emperor, so he really hadn't considered Dou Ancestors or anything like that.
"Come, come, please come inside."
Xiao Zhan personally welcomed him. After the two entered the room, a servant served tea.
"Has anything major happened to the Xiao family in these years?"
Han Feng asked.
"No, everything is stable. The Hall of Souls that Mr. Han mentioned hasn't come knocking yet."
"That's good."
Han Feng took a sip of tea.
"Next, I will focus on the Northwest Continent. If anything happens, I will notice it immediately. Clan Leader Xiao, don't relax your vigilance either. Things are far from over."
Xiao Zhan nodded.
"To be honest, I've worried a lot these years to protect the Ancient Jade."
"I can tell. Your beard is so messy. Didn't you find someone to take care of it for you?"
Han Feng laughed.
"Sigh, managing clan affairs, cultivating, and various other chores, how can I have time to consider that?"
Xiao Zhan sighed.
"That makes sense."
Han Feng had been very busy these years too, with no time to find a partner, so he nodded in agreement.
It wasn't that he had failed his master's wish from his previous life, but he really didn't have time!
"By the way, how is Xiao Yan?"
Han Feng suddenly asked.
At his age, he should be going to Jia Nan Academy too.
Speaking of Xiao Yan, Xiao Zhan looked proud. "That kid, he's had ups and downs over the years, but fortunately, he finally stood up. Now he's gone out to train. Sigh, he really makes me worry!"
"Oh?"
Han Feng was curious.
"Can you elaborate?"
Xiao Zhan nodded.
When it came to praising his son, although a father might be modest in words, calling him "my unworthy son," he was very proud and excited in his heart.
Han Feng listened as Xiao Zhan recounted the story.
"Before the age of twelve, Yan'er had smooth sailing and set a record for the youngest Dou Practitioner. I was very proud of him at that time, and the people in the clan also regarded him as the hope of the Xiao family. But who would have thought that in the following three years, Yan'er's Dou Qi inexplicably disappeared, and his cultivation gradually retreated to the third stage of Dou Disciple. I found many famous doctors, and even many alchemists, but I could never find the cause."
Speaking of this, a look of self-blame appeared on Xiao Zhan's face.
"Originally, I thought there was no hope. According to my Xiao family's rules, if one cannot reach the seventh stage of Dou Disciple before the coming-of-age ceremony at sixteen, they will be sent to manage local industries."
"But who would have thought!"
Xiao Zhan's face turned from sorrow to joy.
"Yan'er's talent suddenly returned, even stronger than before. within a year, he broke through to the seventh stage of Dou Disciple. One year, from the third stage to the seventh stage, a full four stages!"
Xiao Zhan's tone was passionate.
Han Feng was thoughtful.
"I didn't expect such a bumpy road for Xiao Yan."
What exactly happened...
Han Feng was puzzled. According to the trajectory of his previous life, Xiao Yan didn't have this episode.
"Although it was bumpy, the result is good. Yan'er has passed the assessment of Jia Nan Academy, but he said he wanted to go out for training, so he took a year off from school."
"Going out for training? With Xiao Yan's current cultivation, Clan Leader Xiao Zhan is comfortable letting him go out for training?"
Han Feng was surprised.
"He is now a four-star Dou Practitioner, and it is said that he has also taken a mysterious alchemist as his teacher, so I agreed."
Han Feng nodded.
"Why didn't you inform me of such a major event earlier, Clan Leader Xiao? Xiao Yan wasted three years of time."
If Xiao Zhan had activated the token to find Han Feng when Xiao Yan discovered his Dou Qi was declining, Han Feng would have chosen to come.
"The token Mr. Han gave me was for use when the Xiao family was in crisis. Even if I wanted to, considering my responsibility as clan leader, I couldn't use it for personal matters."
Speaking of this, Xiao Zhan was also a bit ashamed.
He had actually struggled with this matter for a long time, restless day and night.
But in the end, he shouldered the responsibility of the clan leader.
Han Feng sighed in his heart after hearing this.
Although Clan Leader Xiao Zhan's cultivation was a bit weak and his talent was a bit poor, he was still very principled in terms of responsibility.
"In any case, it's a good thing that Xiao Yan can recover now."
Han Feng didn't talk about this topic anymore.
Xiao Zhan also chose to skip it.
Actually, he had one more important thing he didn't say. The young miss of the Nalan family had come to break off the engagement in person, fiercely slapping the Xiao family in the face.
Thinking back to when Mr. Han came to visit many years ago, the Nalan family happened to send an invitation, and the father and son of the Xiao family went to visit the imperial capital very happily.
Unexpectedly, many years later, such a scandal occurred.
But now that Yan'er's talent had returned and he had also taken a remarkable master, the three-year agreement was not without hope of winning.
Xiao Zhan thought to himself.
As a father, he was full of confidence in his son. Even the resource gap with a behemoth like the Misty Cloud Sect was ignored.
At worst, so what if he failed?
Yan'er's future was destined to be extraordinary, and a small failure would not determine his life.
"Does Mr. Han have important business here this time?"
Xiao Zhan asked.
"No, just passing by to take a look. I still have some important things to do next."
Han Feng said.
"Mr. Han should also take care of your health and not work too hard."
Xiao Zhan looked at Han Feng's white hair and said.
"Hehe, same to you, Clan Leader Xiao. Now that Xiao Yan has finally become a talent, you can relax a bit in the future."
"That kid still has a long way to go!"
The two toasted each other and ended the conversation.
"Clan Leader Xiao, please accept this small gift."
Before parting, Han Feng took out a treasure box and placed it in Xiao Zhan's hand.
"How can I accept this?"
Xiao Zhan quickly refused.
The two had no conflict of interest, and Xiao Zhan even owed Han Feng a big favor.
How could he accept Han Feng's gift?
"Consider it a token of our reunion after a long time."
Han Feng said.
"I respect you, Clan Leader Xiao, and treat you as a friend. Don't refuse."
Xiao Zhan couldn't beat Han Feng, so he had to accept it.
Indeed, there was no conflict of interest between the two. This gift was purely out of friendship between friends.
"Alright. But I also have a gift for Mr. Han. Please wait a moment."
Xiao Zhan walked quickly back into the room.
Han Feng waited where he was.
After a while, Xiao Zhan walked out of the room.
He solemnly handed a treasure box to Han Feng.
"Mr. Han, since you said it's a gift between friends, then please don't refuse what I give you."
Han Feng held the treasure box in his hand. Just as he was about to respond, his expression suddenly changed.
He looked at the treasure box in his hand and slowly opened it.
Inside lay a fragment of jade.
The Tou She Ancient God's Jade!
"Clan Leader Xiao, this?"
Han Feng was shocked.
We agreed on gifts between friends, but you gave away the Ancient Jade directly?
Xiao Zhan stroked his beard.
"After so many years, I've also seen through it. The current responsibility of the Xiao family is to maintain the next generation well, not to guard a legacy token that will bring fatal danger to the clansmen."
"Mr. Han, I, Xiao Zhan, am incompetent and probably cannot protect this Ancient Jade. Since that's the case, it's better to give it to a powerful cultivator like you. Maybe it can still be useful."
Han Feng looked at Xiao Zhan and sighed deeply.
"Clan Leader Xiao has great courage."
He had explained the importance of the Tou She Ancient God's Jade long ago, but Xiao Zhan still chose to give it to him now.
Xiao Zhan smiled. "Actually, Mr. Han should have had this idea too, but you are upright and it was inconvenient to ask."
"When you told me about this back then, it happened suddenly, and I didn't understand it very well. I've thought about it for many years, and the more I think about it, the more I feel that it's better not to have this thing!"
Han Feng nodded.
"Although from my perspective, this thing does more harm than good to the Xiao family, perhaps there is something important about the legacy item, so it is inconvenient for me to say more."
"However, since Clan Leader Xiao has given it to me, I will keep it safe."
Seeing Han Feng accept the Ancient Jade, Xiao Zhan breathed a sigh of relief.
In fact, he had had this intention for a long time.
It was just that Han Feng hadn't come back for so many years, so he didn't have the chance to give it.
"Clan Leader Xiao, open the treasure box too."
Han Feng said.
Hearing this, Xiao Zhan opened the treasure box given by Han Feng and saw a pill full of fragrance placed inside.
Hiss... this pill is definitely not ordinary!
Xiao Zhan exclaimed in his heart.
Such a rich pill fragrance, it must be at least a fourth-grade pill.
For the Xiao family, huddled in the small Wu Tan City, a fourth-grade pill was already a luxury.
Even as the clan leader of the Xiao family, he dared not say that he had the financial resources to buy it.
"This is the Three-Patterned Green Spirit Pill, which can help a Dou Grandmaster advance."
Han Feng informed him of the usage of the pill.
Xiao Zhan memorized everything.
"Thank you for the pill, Mr. Han. This pill is truly timely rain for me."
Not long ago, their Xiao family had a conflict with two other major families in the city. Although the Xiao family achieved a temporary victory, the other side was still not very peaceful.
If he could improve his cultivation at this time, Xiao Zhan would definitely be able to completely deter those petty people.
"You are too polite, Clan Leader Xiao. Compared to the Tou She Ancient God's Jade you gave, a mere fourth-grade pill is really not worth mentioning."
"We each take what we need. To be honest, if this Ancient Jade were sold at the Miteer Auction House, it probably wouldn't even sell for a hundred gold coins."
A broken piece of jade naturally didn't have high value.
It was only valuable in that it could store soul light spots to judge the life and death of the owner.
Hearing this, Han Feng felt helpless and amused.
In the eyes of Hun Tiandi, this thing was probably more important than his lifeblood.
But in the hands of others, it was not an exaggeration to say it was useless.
Even good things have to meet suitable people to be useful.
"Clan Leader Xiao, I have to remind you not to think that the Hall of Souls won't come knocking just because you handed over the Ancient Jade. You still need to be vigilant."
Han Feng said.
Hearing this, Xiao Zhan nodded heavily.
"I understand."
"Don't be too pressured. I will keep an eye on things at all times."
Han Feng specially placed a spatial anchor point in the Xiao Residence and set up a formation to detect at all times. Once there was danger, he would rush over immediately.
The two chatted for a while longer. Han Feng remembered that Xun'er was still waiting for him, so he took his leave.
He walked in the Xiao Residence, his thoughts interrupted by the sudden acquisition of the Ancient Jade.
With this Ancient Jade, he had more room to maneuver later.
At least he had a suitable reason to talk to the Gu Clan.
Visiting other major clans, he also had a stepping stone.
The most important thing was the Hun Clan. With the Ancient Jade, it was equivalent to having a trump card, which could make the opponent wary.
Of course, all of this was based on Han Feng having strong power.
Otherwise, not only would he not be able to protect the Ancient Jade, but he might also bring danger to himself and the people around him.
The Dou Emperor back then was definitely not qualified, and the current Dou Venerate realm barely qualified him to roam.
But only by breaking through to Dou Saint would Han Feng truly possess the qualifications to lobby the various clans and launch the anti-Hun plan.
Thinking about it, Han Feng arrived at Gu Xun'er's residence.
He heard a burst of laughter coming from inside.
After a preliminary conversation, Lin Xian'er and Gu Xun'er found that the conflict between them was not that deep.
It turned out that Gu Xun'er had only been treated by Han Feng once when she was young.
Her feelings for Han Feng should only be treating him as an elder she could rely on.
Unlike herself, who had already developed some thoughts she shouldn't have...
Gu Xun'er also had a different view of Lin Xian'er.
It turned out that this girl was Mr. Han's disciple.
That's good, that's good...
Since she was a disciple, there was naturally no need to worry about anything else happening.
Gu Xun'er's thinking was a bit unique. Her emotions were very stable, and ordinary things would not attract her attention.
Only during the time when she first came to the Xiao family as a child was she rather apprehensive. Coupled with the side effects of the Golden Emperor Heaven Burning Flame on her body, her state of mind fluctuated greatly.
Therefore, Han Feng's intrusion at that time had touched Gu Xun'er deeply.
Even though she had grown up, it was hard to forget.
Although Han Feng had only accompanied her for a few days, those few days were also the time when she was most easily influenced.