"Brother… brother, we've arrived at Water City," Adre said.
"So, we're finally here?" Brian replied.
Water City—the capital of the Rain Empire. A place where many powerful families and clans resided, including the Scoot family. It was also the empire's economic heart.
The route to Sky Blue Academy passed right through this capital.
"We'll be staying at Grandpa's house for about two days before heading to Sky Blue Academy," Brian said, recalling his parents' instructions to visit his grandparents first.
"Alright, Brother. I've been curious to see Father's old home," Adre said with a smile.
"Make way! Young Master Lax is passing through!" a coachman shouted from behind them.
The common folk quickly stepped aside, afraid of Young Master Lax's notorious reputation.
Seeing the crowd part, the arrogant coachman smirked smugly, as if he were the one being feared. But when his eyes landed on two carriages that didn't move aside, his face darkened instantly.
"Hey, you bastards! Move it! Don't you know Young Master Lax is in a hurry?!" he barked.
The drivers in Brian's convoy ignored him, continuing forward at a calm, leisurely pace as though they hadn't heard a thing.
"How dare they ignore me!" the Lax coachman fumed. Feeling insulted, he jumped down from his carriage, intending to teach the "insolent" driver a lesson.
He stormed toward the second carriage in Brian's group, unaware that its driver was Leo—whose cultivation was at Grandmaster Level 1—while the coachman himself was only at Spirit Stage 5.
"You've got guts, ignoring me like that!" the man snarled, then lunged forward, throwing a full-force punch meant to kill.
Leo simply lifted his right hand and slapped him. The coachman flew several meters, crashing into Young Master Lax's carriage.
Inside, Lax had been indulging himself with two women. The sudden collision shattered the front panel of the carriage, revealing the scene inside to the public—instantly turning several faces red with embarrassment.
"F*ck! You filthy commoners dare interrupt my fun?!" Lax roared. "Kill them all! And bring the women to me!"
His men rushed forward, blocking Brian's convoy.
"Hey, old man," one guard sneered at Leo. "Get down and kneel. Maybe we'll give you a quick death."
Leo looked at them, about to speak—but before he could, Brian, who had been resting with his eyes closed, lazily reached out, picked up a pebble, and flicked it toward Lax's group.
In an instant, several men screamed as their legs bled profusely, collapsing to the ground, unable to stand. Only one person remained unharmed—a woman with a notably higher cultivation.
"You'd better step back," Leo warned coldly. "If Young Master Brian gets truly angry, you'll vanish from this world."
After traveling with Brian, Leo knew very well—Brian despised people who talked too much and wasted time instead of acting.
The woman's eyes widened. She instinctively stepped back, a chilling fear creeping up her spine at the thought of Brian's power.
Brian's group continued on, leaving behind a dumbstruck crowd.
Meanwhile, in a restaurant nearby, a pair of sharp eyes watched Brian's passing figure.
"Heh… interesting. A young man at the Grandmaster Stage… kikiki…"
Eventually, Brian's group arrived in front of the Scoot family residence, where several people were already waiting to greet them.
...
The man leading the group looked to be in his forties, but Brian knew this was his grandfather, Henry Scoot. For a cultivator who had reached the Grandmaster Realm, maintaining a youthful appearance was nothing unusual.
"Grandfather?!" Brian and Adre exclaimed in unison.
"Hahaha! Come here, my grandsons!" Henry's face lit up with joy. His second son's children had finally come. Henry only had two children, and Brian's father—his second son—had been away from home for many years. This was the first time Henry had met these grandchildren, and he couldn't hide his excitement.
The three embraced for a long moment before finally letting go.
"Grandfather, where's Grandmother?" Brian asked.
"Oh, she's in the kitchen, preparing a meal for you," Henry replied.
"Grandfather, let's go inside. We can talk there," suggested a young woman, about Brian's age, her sweet smile catching his attention. Brian was curious—he knew his uncle only had two sons.
"Yes, let's go in," Henry agreed.
The Scoot family estate was enormous, guarded by many soldiers and staffed with numerous servants.
"How are your father and mother?" Henry asked.
"They're doing well, Grandfather. There's just been… a small conflict with the royal family," Brian replied.
"What kind of conflict?" Henry's eyes glinted with interest.
Before Brian could answer, a warm voice called from behind them.
"My grandsons, you're here at last!"
It was Evi, Henry's wife and Brian's grandmother. She immediately pulled both Brian and Adre into her arms. Brian felt slightly embarrassed—he considered himself a grown man now.
"Grandmother," Brian and Adre greeted her with smiles.
"My grandsons! My precious grandsons!!"
A loud, familiar voice echoed from outside the Scoot residence.
"Oh, so that old bastard came too," Henry muttered with a smirk.
Moments later, an elderly man with white hair entered, accompanied by a refined woman who bore a striking resemblance to Brian's mother.
The man was Philips Cester, Brian's grandfather on his mother's side. The woman was Cecily Cester, Brian's aunt. Both immediately embraced Brian and Adre warmly.
"You've both grown into such handsome young men," Cecily said with a gentle smile.
"Come, let's eat first. We can talk afterward," Evi suggested.
They all agreed.
During the meal, Brian learned the identity of the young woman who had welcomed them earlier—Mina, the adopted daughter of his uncle.
"Brian, stay here a little longer," Evi said with a hint of sadness in her tone. "We've never met before, and I want to spend more time with you both. Besides, the academy's enrollment is still a week away, and with the teleportation gate, it won't take long to get there."
"She's right," Cecily added. "Your aunt and maternal grandfather haven't had enough time with you either. Stay for a few more days."
Brian thought about it and decided there was no harm in staying two or three days.
"Alright, Aunt, Grandmother," he agreed.
After dinner, Brian, Adre, and Mina strolled through the city. Along the way, Mina mentioned an upcoming auction at the city center—an event organized by the Cester family, Brian's maternal family, through their trading company.
After a short walk, they arrived at a grand building—the auction house.
Brian, Adre, and Mina entered and headed straight for a VIP room on the upper floor.
"Who's that guy? He's with the Scoot family's young lady."
"Yeah… who is he? Doesn't he know Gunt's been pursuing her? That guy's going to get himself beaten up."