Ultimately, Chen Fei and Chen Zhenjun had no appetite to finish their meal and hastily set off on the expressway toward Northern Mountain. Fortunately, the private plane at the Flying Leopard Main Base was undergoing maintenance and hadn't returned yet, so they could catch it for the flight to Capital City.

…

Several hours later, a small, private military aircraft appeared in the skies near the Ancient Capital of Six Dynasties, now known as Capital City.

Capital City, the Ancient Capital of Six Dynasties, was the current capital of the Huaxia Country. As a citizen of Huaxia, this was Chen Fei's first time here, and his heart swelled with an indescribable excitement and awe.

As expected of the illustrious capital of a nation. Even Tongzhou City in Jiangnan couldn't hold a candle to it, whether in terms of prosperity, modernization, influence, or population. It was a region that shone like the sun, subconsciously commanding everyone's utmost attention.

Sitting in first class, Chen Fei gazed down through the plane window at the international metropolis below—a fusion of rich tradition and modern sensibilities. His jet-black eyes, as clear as glass, narrowed slightly in profound shock.

In his field of vision, beneath the blue sky and white clouds, the majestic and solemn ancient city sprawled like a giant dragon across the great earth, arched over by mountain ranges. The soaring aura and the astonishing pulsation of the earth's veins seemed to pound against his heart, leaving him slightly breathless.

"What a terrifying… place," he couldn't help but whisper a moment later.

From the perspective of an ordinary person, one might only see the grandeur, solemnity, and dignity—things anyone could appreciate.

But from the perspective of a cultivator, he could feel that this place, Capital City, was truly terrifying.

After all, for a place to serve as the capital of a nation, its location and earth veins were no laughing matter. One would be hard-pressed to find many places on Earth that could compare, because it was a symbol of destiny intertwined with fortune. Though this sounded mysterious, in the Cultivation World, and even in the eyes of certain masters of the Mystic Sect on Earth, these esoteric things truly existed.

And no one dared to disregard them in the slightest, feeling only deep reverence.

"Doctor Chen, we will be arriving at Capital City's Tangshan Airport shortly. Once we land, I'll take you to see my son immediately," Chen Zhenjun suddenly said, his voice close to Chen Fei's ear.

Taken aback for a second, Chen Fei smiled reassuringly. "Uncle Chen, don't worry. Since I agreed to come with you, I'm obviously confident. Otherwise, I wouldn't risk tarnishing my own reputation, would I?"

"...I'm just too anxious, I apologize," Chen Zhenjun replied after a slight pause, his tone apologetic.

He couldn't help it. The video call at Chen Fei's home had made it clear his son's condition had worsened, and it was impossible for him to remain calm. This was his own son, after all. Otherwise, given his sensitive status and the immense pressure from both outside and within his family, why would he have undertaken such a difficult journey himself?

"Uncle Chen, you're just worried sick about your son. It's understandable. Get some more rest; we'll be there soon," Chen Fei added with a faint smile.

It wasn't that he didn't want to talk, but Chen Zhenjun's current state of mind was not suited for conversation. A moment of quiet would be better for him; otherwise, it would only lead to more stress and complications.

About half an hour later, Chen Fei and his companion discreetly exited through a special corridor.

However, a group of men in black suits with cold, stern expressions appeared seemingly out of nowhere to greet them. The man who appeared to be their leader looked at Chen Zhenjun without emotion, saluted, and said, "You've returned."

"Captain Qing… why are you here?" Upon seeing the man, Chen Zhenjun's face fell. Damn it, how did they get here?

"The Old Master sent us in case of any accidents. This must be Doctor Chen Fei, correct? Hello, my surname is Qing. You can call me Captain Qing. It is a pleasure to meet you," the leader explained, extending a hand toward Chen Fei. His attitude and tone were at least ten times more polite than before.

"Oh, Captain Qing? Hello," Chen Fei replied faintly, looking on with some surprise at the peculiar scene. He could clearly see this situation was outside of Uncle Chen's expectations.

However, such matters had little to do with him, so he simply played dumb.

As for why this Captain Qing is showing me so much respect, he must know something. After all, reaching Half-Step Innate Peak while only in his thirties is no joke… His background doesn't seem ordinary at all.

"The Old Master sent you?"

Chen Zhenjun hadn't expected things to escalate to this point, that the Old Master would be informed and even dispatch men. He shook his head helplessly and said with a flat expression, "In that case, Captain Qing, please lead the way. We cannot delay any further with Little Liin."

"Please."

Hearing this, Captain Qing wasted no more words and made a guiding gesture. A convoy of black cars then pulled out of Tangshan Airport and headed toward a certain courtyard house.

Meanwhile, in a heavily guarded and sparsely populated military zone in Capital City, a somewhat conspicuous bamboo house stood out. It was surrounded by a forest of densely packed, high-tech military buildings that exuded an aura of cold steel. Inside the bamboo house, two ancient-looking elders sat opposite each other. Several men with ramrod-straight spines stood by them in silence, creating a suffocating atmosphere.

"Has that young man already arrived in Capital City?"

At that moment, a faintly hoarse, unsettling voice spoke. It came from one of the two elders. He was clothed in a loose black robe. His nearly bald head had only a few dozen sparse strands of hair, like wild grass, and his face was a mass of wrinkles like old tree bark. His eyes were dark and terrifying.

"Yes, Second Elder. Qing Leng has already picked them up. They're on their way to the eldest young master's grandson now," one of his equally decrepit companions said, his voice as still as water in an old well.

"Is that so? Then you should make a trip over there personally later. According to the Old Master's wishes, once he's finished treating the boy from the main branch, bring him to the old residence," the hunched, black-robed elder said hoarsely, his cloudy eyes flickering.

"But, Second Elder…"

Another voice chimed in but trailed off, hesitant to continue.

The speaker was none other than the elder seated across from the black-robed man. And he was none other than the junior brother of Elder Ming Daocuan—Ruan Jing.

"What is it, Old Four? Don't tell me you intend to defy the Old Master's wishes?" the bald, black-robed elder asked, his brow furrowing with impatience.

"It's not that I want to defy the Old Master's intentions, but…" Ruan Jing replied, his murky eyes shifting evasively.

"Enough. I know what you're worried about."

The black-robed elder cut him off, his stooped frame trembling as he spoke in a cold tone. "That old fool Ming Daocuan stepped aside over twenty years ago and relinquished everything. His name carries no weight anymore. Besides, the Old Master personally gave this order. Even if he hadn't left back then, he wouldn't dare act so presumptuously."

"I… sigh, fine. Do as you wish. I don't want to be involved anymore." Caught between his senior brother and the Old Master, Ruan Jing felt a headache coming on. A trace of exhaustion appeared in his murky eyes as he shook his head, no longer wanting to interfere in this troublesome affair.

He had initially gotten involved with good intentions, hoping to mend the strained relationship between his senior brother, Ming Daocuan, and the patriarch. Now, he sadly realized he had been far too naive.

"Go. You must bring him back…"

The black-robed elder shook his head with a cool expression. Just as he was about to shakily issue the order, the bamboo door to the room was pushed open from the outside.

An old man dressed in the style of the Republic era, carrying a wooden medicine box on his back, walked in slowly. He lifted his head, scanned the room, and smiled with a very kindly expression. "I hope I haven't disturbed you?" This person was none other than Xunn Lun, Elder Xunn, whom Chen Fei had met before.

"Elder Xunn!"

The row of men with straight backs all cried out. Even the black-robed elder and Ruan Jing looked startled. The former immediately trembled to his feet and addressed Elder Xunn in surprise. "Mr. Xunn, what brings you to our humble abode?"

He was well aware that this kindly smiling, seemingly harmless old man before him was, in fact, a terrifying and formidable figure. Moreover, the power he represented was extraordinary, an entity on par with their own Chen Family—the Xuu Family.

The Xuu Family, with Old Master Xuu still alive and well! No one could afford to overlook them!

But their two families rarely interacted, so why would he suddenly pay a personal visit?

"Naturally, I've come to discuss something with you. A young man named Chen Fei has arrived in Capital City. You're aware of this, aren't you?" Elder Xunn said with a smile.

"Chen Fei?"

Hearing Elder Xunn's words, both the black-robed elder and Ruan Jing were stunned. They never expected to hear that boy's name from his lips. Wait, could it be… In an instant, both their expressions changed, one turning grim, the other perplexed.

"Yes, the very one you are thinking of. The purpose of my visit is to tell you to call your people off," Elder Xunn said, once again smiling kindly, but his tone held an unmistakable, unyielding authority.

However, being a man of comparable status, the black-robed elder remained hunched over and silent for a long moment before finally lifting his cloudy eyes and saying coldly, "But this is the Old Master's command."

"COUGH, COUGH… Just do… as he says… COUGH…" A sudden, rough voice echoed, punctuated by violent coughing, as if the speaker might draw his last breath at any moment. But the familiar sound of that voice made everyone's expression change dramatically.

"Yes, Great Elder." This time, the black-robed elder offered no rebuttal, merely nodding in obedient assent.

After all, the Great Elder himself had spoken. Come to think of it, it had been years since any of them had heard his voice. That old codger is still alive?

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