Confronted by the formidable presence of an Innate Level Expert, Chen Fei certainly wasn't foolish enough to persist in a doomed fight. However, he promised himself that if the day ever came when he reached that level, he would absolutely settle today's score! HE! DEFINITELY! WOULD!

SWOOSH!

The next moment, just as Mr. Fu nodded slightly at Chen Fei's words and was momentarily distracted, the latter erupted with all his strength. Darting off like a cheetah, he plunged into the thorny jungle outside the ancient castle without a moment's hesitation. The speed he unleashed in that instant was unbelievable, leaving a small pool of fresh blood on the very spot where he had stood.

Unexpectedly, Chen Fei had fled—right from under the nose of an Innate Level Expert!

In fact, no one had anticipated that Chen Fei would make such a choice. The glaring bloodstain on the ground was proof that he must have used some self-injuring method to achieve that terrifying burst of speed, allowing him to escape from an Innate Level Expert's watch.

But why did he flee? It was quite baffling. Mr. Fu clearly bore him no ill will, yet Chen Fei's reaction was so extreme that he was willing to harm himself just to get away. It made no sense.

If a dramatic youth had been there to ponder the situation, a light bulb might have gone off in his head as he exclaimed, "It's all just a misunderstanding…"

Yes, it was a misunderstanding.

As a hot-blooded young man in his twenties, Chen Fei naturally didn't stop to consider whether the other party truly had malicious intent. He only trusted what he saw with his own eyes and believed in his own heart.

Earlier, when Ma Shihao was acting high and mighty, throwing his weight around and bullying others, that so-called Mr. Fu didn't step in to uphold justice. He just sat back and watched as if it were a play. But when it was my turn, when I was provoked past my limits and my anger became unbearable, this old hypocrite suddenly steps up to play the peacemaker. What's that supposed to mean? To put it bluntly, he just thinks I'm young and easy to bully, right? In that case, what's there to talk about? More words would just be more hypocrisy.

So he chose to flee. A gentleman can wait ten years to take his revenge.

In reality, however, Chen Fei was being too obstinate and pig-headed, which led to this misunderstanding. Yet, it was precisely this trait that made him a true young man. After all, if he handled everything with the slick, placid demeanor of an old man who always prioritized harmony, what would be the point?

"Ah, I never expected this kid to be so stubborn," Mr. Fu murmured, stunned for a long moment before shaking his head with a wry smile. It was their first meeting, so he truly hadn't anticipated Chen Fei's stubbornness and tendency to get hung up on things.

"Vice President, should we notify the people outside to intercept him?" a resonant voice called from behind. A bald man in a suit appeared from within the castle, followed by a large entourage, and respectfully awaited Mr. Fu's instructions.

Each of them radiated an intense aura, as if currents of air swirled around their bodies. Their eyes were as sharp as a hawk's. The intimidating presence of nearly every single one of them was no weaker than Chen Yaoyang's two-meter-tall bodyguard, causing the onlookers to gasp in renewed shock.

As expected of the Hong Kong Black Market. Could it be that individuals with such Extraordinary Martial Power were merely servants?

"Intercept him? No need. With that kid's strength, the few of you wouldn't be able to stop him," Mr. Fu said, still smiling wryly. He shook his head, then turned and began walking slowly back into the castle, leaning on his cane.

Based on his observation of Chen Fei's abilities and their brief exchange, he was certain the young man possessed the strength of a First-Class Ancient Martial Artist at the very least, and wasn't far from reaching the peak. Therefore, although the bald man and his group seemed like a terrifying elite force to Chen Yaoyang and Ma Shihao, they were nothing special in the eyes of a First-Class Master like Chen Fei. The thought of them stopping him was pure fantasy. That was to say nothing of the fact that Chen Fei had just used a dangerous secret technique to boost his speed at the cost of self-injury.

Ah, this kid… he's got the same stinking temper as that old fellow. If I'd known, I wouldn't have stepped in. Not only did I stir up a hornet's nest for nothing, but who knows what curses he's thinking up for me right now. The more Mr. Fu thought about it, the more vexed he became, his face etched with a bitter smile.

He truly had good intentions. He didn't want a petty verbal dispute to cause Chen Fei to be targeted by the other old powerhouse in the Hong Kong Black Market. An ancestor of the Ma Family had once done a favor for an Ancient Martial Artist from the mainland. That man later came to Hong Kong, joined the Hong Kong Black Market, and through a stroke of fortune, became an Innate Level Expert who was still alive and well.

However, his good intentions seemed to have backfired spectacularly. Not only did he cause Chen Fei to use a dangerous secret technique to escape, but he had also left a terrible impression. But this was all a misunderstanding! A complete misunderstanding!

「In an unassuming farmhouse courtyard in Lin'an County, Northern Mountain City, Jiangnan Province.」

Two men sat silently sipping coarse tea from a pair of cups on a small, round table, each seated in a wicker chair.

One of them, a man in his forties or fifties, was dressed in a traditional Tang suit. His temples were graying, but his eyes were exceptionally sharp, like an eagle's. The veins on both of his hands stood out, making them look particularly formidable.

The other man seemed much more ordinary. Dressed in coarse yellow cloth, his face was a roadmap of wrinkles, and he looked ancient, like someone with one foot in the grave. And yet, his eyes were remarkably bright and full of life, like those of a young man.

"Senior Brother, it's been nearly twenty years. Are you still unwilling to move on from what happened back then? You of all people should know it wasn't Zhenguo's fault. It was a matter of circumstance," the eagle-eyed man said, his cup of tea untouched. He couldn't help but speak as he gazed at the serene man before him.

If any elders from the Circle of Ancient Martial Arts were present to hear the eagle-eyed man address the other as "Senior Brother," they would have been utterly shocked. The eagle-eyed elder was not only a renowned Innate Level Expert in the Capital City but also a founder of one of Huaxia's top three special departments and a legend within it. Yet here he was, calling another man "Senior Brother." Could it be that this ordinary-looking old man was even more powerful than him? That… that seemed impossible.

"It was a matter of timing and fate, and ultimately, our own choices. If you've come to persuade me, you should just go back. You know very well that I watched Little Ling grow up. To me, she is my daughter, my family. So wherever she is, I will be," the ordinary elder addressed as Senior Brother replied with a faint smile before taking a sip of his tea.

"But the old master is willing to let the miss return now, isn't he? Even Zhenguo has pushed aside all his current matters to personally make a trip to Northern Mountain. Why did you make a call to stop it?" the eagle-eyed elder demanded, setting his teacup down with a sharp rap and puffing out his cheeks.

The situation back then was forced by circumstance; no one was truly right or wrong. At most, the old master's ideas were a bit too antiquated, creating some resistance. But now that the old man himself has relented, given his status, isn't that enough?

"Why? Don't you think it's cruel to drag someone who has lived a peaceful life for twenty years back into that complicated vortex? Besides, don't think I don't know that Zhenguo has an older brother. How is his son doing now?" the ordinary elder asked, glancing at his companion as he spoke slowly.

"I… well… he was ambushed by those people from the Southern Borderlands. Although we found the culprits, they chose death over removing the Gu Insect they implanted in the boy. Right now, the few of us can only temporarily suppress it. If it flares up again, we probably won't be able to stop it," the eagle-eyed elder admitted dejectedly after a brief pause.

No wonder, though we're the same age, I'll always be his junior brother. He's been away from the Capital City for twenty years, yet he still knows the deepest secrets of the Old Chen Family. Who wouldn't be humbled by such means?

"The Old Chen Family has had trouble with its succession in recent years. In Zhenguo's generation, there were only two males in the Direct Lineage. In the next generation, strictly speaking, there's only one: the son of Zhenguo's older brother. As for Xiaofei, in your eyes, he's just an illegitimate son, unacknowledged. Am I right?" the ordinary elder remarked with a faint smile, taking an allusive sip of his tea.

"But the old master has acknowledged him now, hasn't he?" the eagle-eyed elder retorted, unwilling to concede the point.

It was true. Back then, the relationship between Zhenguo and Little Ling was not accepted by the Chen Family. The old master, in particular, had been furious, adamantly refusing to recognize their union. The child's birth was even more intolerable to many, who schemed and hoped for the death of mother and son. The endless, dirty, underhanded tactics finally forced the couple to part ways. A fragile woman and her two-year-old child had to leave the Capital City in sorrow, forgotten by all.

But that was all ancient history, wasn't it? The old master had now relented, willing to acknowledge Miss Ling and her son and welcome them back to the Old Chen Family. What a tremendous honor! Why dwell on the foolishness of the past?

Clearly, from his perspective, whatever grievances Miss Ling and her son had suffered over the past twenty years were outweighed by the old master's change of heart. After all, for a man of his stature to personally retract his words from so long ago was a significant concession. Wasn't that enough?

But he failed to consider the other side. Because of one man's weakness and a few words from that old master, the fates of a gentle woman and an innocent child were turned upside down, leaving them destitute and adrift. Was that fair?

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