Bang
In the hall, a large hand slammed heavily on the table, making a huge sound.
A middle-aged man stared gloomily at the person reporting to him, and angrily said, "What are Cheng Xiang and his group doing? They cannot even handle a Three-Star Dou Huang kid? Hurry up and tell them to get back here and see me!"
"Patriarch, please calm down. According to the recent news, there might have been some unexpected turn of events, and the problem might lie with the man accompanying Liu Qing."
An old man with white hair and beard hurriedly spoke to mediate.
This middle-aged man was none other than the current Patriarch of the Cheng Family, Cheng Chuan.
"Unexpected turn of events? Tell me, what kind of unexpected turn of events could there be?"
Cheng Chuan looked at the old man before him with a constipated expression, and angrily snorted. "A man even younger than Liu Qing, a woman with two little girls—do you really think they could save Liu Qing?"
When the old man heard his patriarch's words, he opened his mouth but made no sound. This indeed seemed a bit far-fetched.
Cheng Chuan initially thought the same, but then considering it, if someone so young could rescue Liu Qing from Cheng Xiang and the other two, then he would definitely be from a first-rate power.
However, people from such powers always look down on others and never befriend those with a significant status difference.
The more Cheng Chuan thought about it, the angrier he became. If Cheng Xiang and the other two were to appear before him now, he would want to cleave them in half.
Originally, Liu Qing's outing this time was only with his cousin Liu Fei, without any family powerhouses escorting them. In Cheng Chuan's eyes, this was a golden opportunity.
He and the Dou Zong of his family were mutually restrained and inconvenient to act, so he ultimately chose to dispatch a luxurious lineup of one Seven-Star Dou Huang and two Six-Star Dou Huangs, making it an easy task to deal with a mere Three-Star Dou Huang.
If they successfully killed Liu Qing, the young master of the Liu Family, then the next generation of the Liu Family would have no one capable of taking charge. In the long run, the Liu Family being destroyed by his Cheng Family would only be a matter of time.
But now, Liu Qing had returned safely, while there was no news from Cheng Xiang and the other two; they had even disappeared without a trace.
"Those three good-for-nothings failed, and now they have directly gone missing. Third Elder, are these the people you vouched for with such confidence back then?"
Cheng Chuan looked at an old man to his lower right. The old man's face was flushed like a pig's liver, and he gripped the armrest of his seat. "This is my responsibility. I will do my utmost to find the three of them and give the family an explanation."
"Hmph!" Cheng Chuan snorted coldly upon hearing this, then scanned the other family elders in the hall. Everyone he looked at immediately lowered their heads, completely daring not to meet the patriarch's gaze, to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
"Meeting adjourned. First Elder, stay."
The people in the hall quickly left as if their feet were greased, as if there were some great flood or beast behind them. Finally, only the old man who had initially tried to calm Cheng Chuan remained.
"First Elder, arrange for someone to investigate the true background of those two. They are the only clue we have. Anyone who dares to ruin my Cheng Family's important affairs must be thoroughly investigated." Cheng Chuan looked at the old man and said in a deep voice, "However, before the investigation is clear, do not go too far."
Cheng Chuan was not a fool. The Central Plains was very complex, and rashly offending people of unknown origin would only bring disaster to himself and his family.
"This old man understands. I will go make the arrangements then." The old man nodded gently, then turned and left the hall, leaving Cheng Chuan alone, sitting in the hall, lost in thought.
After the old man went out to inquire, he walked and pondered how to investigate the other party. Then, his gaze fell upon a passing thin figure, as if he had thought of some method, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he quickly caught up with the young man.
---
In the Liu Family's guest hall, Xiao Che and the others were chatting with each other, while Liu Fei stood by, holding a teapot, occasionally pouring tea for the two of them.
At this moment, Liu Fei's demeanor was graceful and poised, truly embodying the image of a well-bred young lady.
It seemed she had experienced many of society's harsh realities, understood many principles, and as a result, underwent a significant transformation from the inside out.
As for Xuan Yi, she sat beside Xiao Che, a slight smile in her eyes, holding pastries and feeding them to the two little ones, looking very much like a zookeeper.
**"Thump! Thump!"**
Outside the guest hall, footsteps sounded, and then a middle-aged man walked in.
The person who entered was quite robust, and his appearance bore many similarities to Liu Qing.
Xiao Che glanced at him and probably guessed who he was. His strength was not bad, a Seven-Star Dou Zong cultivation.
"Your Excellency Xiao Che, I am Liu Shan. Thank you for saving Qing'er and Feifei, and thank you for your great kindness to my Liu Family."
After speaking, he unreservedly bowed deeply to Xiao Che.
Xiao Che's name had been mentioned many times by his son, Liu Qing, regarding his talent and strength, ever since he returned from the academy. Coupled with the powerful suffocating sensation he felt from Xiao Che in an instant, it was clear why Liu Shan was so respectful.
He knew that he had met many influential elder-level figures from the Burning Flame Valley before, but none of them had given him such a feeling. This showed that the other party's strength must be extremely terrifying.
Moreover, Xiao Che's help today was equivalent to saving their entire Liu Family. If Liu Qing were to die, the Liu Family would face a succession crisis, and ultimately, it would inevitably lead to the family's decline.
Therefore, in front of Xiao Che, Liu Shan did not display any arrogance.
"Uncle Liu, you are too kind. Liu Qing and I are friends. How could I stand by and do nothing when I saw him in trouble?"
Xiao Che stood up, gently waved his hand, stopping Liu Shan's ongoing bow, and said casually:
"Also, there is no need to call me 'Your Excellency'; just call me Xiao Che."
Liu Shan looked at Xiao Che, who was as gentle as jade and a humble gentleman, and could not help but sigh. If anyone else had Xiao Che's strength, they would probably be looking down on everyone.
His evaluation of Xiao Che immediately rose several levels, and he thought to himself, with this kind of mindset, he will definitely be one of those standing at the top of the continent's pyramid in the future.
"This kindness, Liu Shan will engrave in my heart. If there is ever a need in the future, please do not hesitate to command. This old man will complete it even if it costs me my old life."
Liu Shan said with a sincere expression.
Although Liu Shan's posture showed his intention to befriend him, not many people could genuinely act that way. This point was very similar to Liu Qing, which also indirectly showed that the other party was a person of true character.
As the saying goes, a father is the benchmark in every child's heart; the kind of family education determines the kind of person they raise.
Liu Shan straightened up and took out a jade box from his Storage Ring.