Chapter 57

It was still early in the morning, so Zong Zi Heng went to the back kitchen and personally made some of Zong Zi Xiao’s favorite snacks and sent them to Bailu Pavilion.

Zong Zi Xiao was practicing with his sword. All those who aspired to show off their skills at the Jiaolong Assembly in a few days' time were nervous and excited, seizing the last minute to improve themselves.

Zong Zi Heng set aside his snacks and leaned against the wall, quietly watching his younger brother, whom he had raised by himself.

Children at this age grow up too fast. In half a year, Zong Zi Xiao's stature had clearly been stretched, and he was taller than anyone else his age. His facial features have also lost their tenderness and have taken on a more angular appearance, totally taking on the full form of a tall man.

Dressed in black and as agile as a demon, he performed the Zongxuan Sword Technique with such a dashing and fierce style that one could not miss a single move.

Only when he had finished the whole sword dance did Zong Zi Xiao pant slightly and withdraw his momentum. He turned his head and smiled at Zong Zi Heng, asking confidently, "Big brother, how was it?"

"Good, very good." Zong Zi Heng gave a high five, "Come and rest for a while."

Zong Zi Xiao walked over, took the water handed over by his big brother and gulped down the large glass. When his big brother took a towel and was about to wipe his sweat, he snatched it away, "I'll do it myself."

"Hmm." Zong Zi Heng opened the bamboo basket, "I made some snacks, they’re all your favorites."

"Thank you, big brother." Zong Zi Xiao smiled brightly, picked up a piece of glutinous rice cake and stuffed the whole thing into his mouth.

"Is someone snatching it away from you?" Zong Zi Heng scolded, "Be careful not to choke." Looking at Zong Zi Xiao's cheeks puffed out like a little squirrel hiding grain, he couldn't help but laugh again, "You've got it all over your chin." As he said that, he was about to reach out to wipe it.

Zong Zi Xiao took a step back to avoid him, rubbing it off himself, "Don't keep treating me like a child."

Zong Zi Heng raised an eyebrow and snorted, "Aiyo, so eager to be an adult?" During this period of time, he did clearly feel the changes in his younger brother, especially after he returned from Yan City. He no longer came to pester him to sleep with him, nor did he ask him to carry and hug him anytime and anywhere like he did when he was a child. He never pouted in front of outsiders, and often pretended to be mature and steady. All these changes signified one thing - growing up.

"I'll be an adult soon. I'll be an adult in two years."

Hearing these words, Zong Zi Heng was really stunned for a moment, and he let out a soft sigh, "Yes, two more years and you’ll be an adult. How did it happen so fast ah?" It was as if in the blink of an eye, the youngest brother, who was still only learning to speak, had already grown into a gallant young man.

"Anyways, big brother has to slowly start treating me like an adult."

"Oh, tell me, how am I going to treat you like an adult?"

"Well ... you have to discuss everything with me, no lecturing or punishing me at every turn, especially in front of others, take me with you everywhere you go, and not don’t give me ‘you’re still young’ as an excuse so that you can abandon me and go out to play alone."

Zong Zi Heng knocked him on the head, "Wait until you are reborn as a big brother in your next life."

"There is no such thing!"

Zong Zi Heng smiled as he watched him protest while happily eating his snack, so he asked, "Xiao Jiu, are you nervous?"

"I’m not nervous." Zong Zi Xiao looked like he had a well thought out plan, "Those people are nothing to fear."

"The young leader of the Huaying Sect, the Empress' nephew, the young apprentice of the Giant Spirit Villa’s Master, and the female cultivator of the Cangyu Sect, who is participating in the Jiaolong Assembly for the first time and whose skills are unpredictable, are not to be underestimated. Taking the enemy lightly is a big taboo, you know?"

"I know, I am not taking the enemy lightly. Even if they are powerful, they are not more powerful than you. I am not even afraid of you, why should I be afraid of them?"

"It's not like big brother will really fight you."

Zong Zi Xiao curled his lips and looked askance at Zong Zi Heng, "You didn't show any mercy when you hit me."

Zong Zi Heng smiled lightly, "That was for your own good."

"Anyway, I just thought I would win." Zong Zi Heng puffed up his chest, "Because I was taught by my big brother."

When Zong Zi Heng had become an adult, their Uncle had gone into seclusion, and since then he had had to ask other uncles for advice on any doubts in cultivation. Although Zong Zi Xiao could have had direct guidance from Zong Ming He, Zong Ming He had a lot of business to deal with, and was still largely brought up by him. He acknowledges that he was not as well taught as his father, but he should not be much worse than other people's masters. However, he has always been modest, "The descendants of other families also have been practicing since they first remembered, and may not be inferior to you. I have said all this because I am afraid that you will be arrogant by nature. Underestimate your enemy and suffer a setback when you arrive at the tournament."

"You can rest assured." Zong Zi Xiao said seriously, "I really want to win, so I won't treat any of my opponents perfunctorily." Wearisome surfaced on his face as he thought of something, "Especially that Li Bu Yu. If I happen to draw him, I will beat him to death."

"Don't talk nonsense, Bu Yu has quite a future, don't underestimate him. Moreover, you have to take into consideration the Empress’ face and not overdo it."

Li Bu Yu was the nephew of Li Xiang Tong, the first grandson of the current head of the Wuliang Sect. Li Bu Yu's birth mother had passed on early, so his father had often sent him to the Wuji Palace to be with his aunt. Although Li Bu Yu was the closest to Zong Zi Mo, Zong Zi Mo had always liked to play with girls since he was a child, and Li Bu Yu, on the contrary, had to find Zong Zi Heng every time he came here, which made Zong Zi Xiao very unhappy.

His blood brothers and sisters are stealing his big brother from him, so be it, but an outsider also wants to play with his big brother? How outrageous.

Zong Zi Xiao snorted coldly: "I know. By the way, did you go see Xu Zhi Nan today?" He licked the fruit puree from his lips and pretended to ask in a casual manner.

"Well, I'm going to find him tonight and have a drink."

Although Zong Zi Xiao was not as clingy as he had been with Zong Zi Heng when he was a child, he still followed him everywhere he went, but this time he did not offer to go along, because the matter of him stealing Gong Shu Ju in the first place was still a knot in the brothers' hearts, and he asked, "And Yan Shu, does he have any ideas?"

"When Qi Meng Sheng arrives, we will discuss it together. Daming is our territory, it's better than being in Wuling, no matter how powerful Yan Shu is now, in order to stop him from brutalizing more cultivators, we must make his true colors known to the world."

Zong Zi Xiao frowned. Even a temperament like him, who is not afraid of the sky and the earth, was well aware of the meaning behind being an enemy of the Wuyun Sect: "Yes, let him be judged and crusaded against by the entire immortal cultivation world, and on that day, I would like to ask what it is that he is trying to harm us for."

Zong Zi Heng did not answer. In this Yan City trip, there were two things he did not tell Zong Zi Xiao, one is about Cheng Yan Zhi. Zong Zi Xiao does not need to know this matter. He should keep the secret for Xu Zhi Nan. Second is the attack on Gutuo Town. Yan Shu's target is actually only himself, and also specifically instructed not to hurt Zong Zi Xiao. Chen Xing Yong's men saying they would take Zong Zi Xiao's core was likely just a threat to mess with him, but this matter he also could not tell Zong Zi Xiao. Not knowing the truth will only cause people to think wildly, which brings no benefits.

"Well, don't eat too much either, we still have to eat dinner." Zong Zi Heng looked at the sky, "Big brother is leaving. Don't get too tired from practicing your sword these days, keep your best form."

"Got it ... Wait, big brother, I heard that Hua Yu Xin has also arrived at Daming, you ... haven't seen her yet, have you?"

"No."

"Then, do you have any plans?" Zong Zi Xiao’s face was full of annoyance.

Zong Zi Heng did not want to say more because even he himself did not know what “plans” he has, and can only say: "I’ll listen to my father and mother."

"Then what exactly is it ah!?"

"Big brother doesn't know either." Zong Zi Heng turned and hurried away.

Zong Zi Xiao bit his lip, his eyes sprinkled with cold intent.

---

Zong Zi Heng invited Xu Zhi Nan to a banquet at the best restaurant in Daming. Three years ago, Xu Zhi Nan had taken care of him when he was injured, and the two of them had thus bonded. It was a drink he had wanted to treat for a long time.

During the meal, they tacitly refrained from mentioning those headache matters, but only talked about the recent situation, the local customs of Daming, the strength of the descendants of the Jiaolong assembly, and so on and so forth.

Just when they were drinking passionately, they heard a waiter downstairs shouting in a very flattering tone, "Second Highness, you are here. Greetings to Second Highness."

Zong Zi Heng's hand paused.

Xu Zhi Nan looked at him with a questioning gaze.

Zong Zi Heng shook his head, "My second brother often comes here. Just pretend you don't know. Let's eat what we have."

"Okay."

But immediately afterwards, he heard the waiter call out again, "Ninth Highness is also here, along with all the Immortal Sovereigns. Your presence brings light to my humble dwelling ah."

Only then did Zong Zi Heng put down his wine cup with a frown.

How could Xiao Jiu have come here to eat with Zong Zi Mo? The two hardly ever hung out together.

Although this Wangxiang House was famous in the city, Zong Zi Heng never brought Zong Zi Xiao here because one street away was the red light district, where many prostitutes come and go, and he was afraid that Zong Zi Xiao, who was at the age of puberty, would pick up Zong Zi Mo's bad habits and become addicted to sensual pleasures, thus destroying his immortal path.

Thinking of this, Zong Zi Heng couldn't sit still. He was afraid that Zong Zi Mo would badly influence his Xiao Jiu. He stood up, "Brother Xu, let's go down and take a look."

"Let’s go."

The two of them headed downstairs while Zong Zi Mo was leading a group of people upstairs.

"Second brother." Zong Zi Heng said, "What a coincidence." His gaze drifted to Zong Zi Xiao.

Zong Zi Xiao looked sheepishly at him.

"Hey, it's big brother, what a coincidence. This is ..."

Xu Zhi Nan arched his body and said, "Xu Zhi Nan from Chunyang Sect, greeting to Second Highness, greetings to Ninth Highness."

"So it's the Sect leader’s senior brother of Chunyang Sect, I've heard a lot about you." Zong Zi Mo smiled, "I am here today to give a banquet to the distinguished guests of the Huaying Sect. This is the Young Master of the Huaying Sect."

A tall, handsome, fluttering young man stepped forward, and without being condescending, he arched his hand, "Hua Jun Cheng of the Huaying Sect, greetings to Your Highness and Xu Zhen Ren."

Zong Zi Heng was stunned. This group of people were from the Huaying Sect, which meant ... He quickly swept through the crowd and behind Hua Jun Cheng, he spotted a stunning young girl dressed in a blue and purple cultivator's uniform sneaking glances at him.

That young girl was extremely delicate and nimble looking, like a budding flower. Each dewdrop shining with the moving light mapped out by the early morning sunrise.

They glanced at each other in silence and then misplaced their gazes at the same time, but their hearts were left stirring.

There was no doubt that she must be Hua Yu Xin.

Everyone in the room was exchanging pleasantries, except for Zong Zi Xiao who kept his eyes on Zong Zi Heng and was so angry that he almost gritted his teeth when he saw Zong Zi Heng's reaction.

Only Hua Yu Xin stepped out from behind her own brother and gave a valiant arch of her hand, "Hua Yu Xin of the Huaying Sect, greetings to Your Highness and Xu Zhen Ren."

 

----

Edited on 27 Mar. 21 (Emzie)

 

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