“I'm sorry!” Ye Fan said politely while saluting the eighteen elders.
Although he held a grudge against the Chu Sect, he didn't hate everyone in it.
At the very least, he didn't hate the elders standing before him.
Ye Fan had once entered the Treasure Pavilion by accident many years ago.
The Chu family had nearly beaten him to death when they had caught him doing so.
As the eighteen elders had taken pity on him, they had helped reduce his suffering by defending him
verbally.
The elders wiped the blood off the corners of their mouths as they returned to their seats.
However, they no longer maintained that icy-cold attitude toward Ye Fan. Instead, their faces were filled
with shame and respect.
“Hey, kid! If I'm not mistaken, you're not from the Chu Sect, are you? Judging by your age, I don't think
you're even thirty! Am I right?” asked the eldest and most powerful of the eighteen elders.
Ye Fan simply nodded without saying anything.
The elders felt even more ashamed when they saw that.
“We have not stepped out of Chu Sect's forbidden grounds for dozens of years. Who would've thought
a young and talented man as you existed in the martial arts world? If this is the level of skill you
possess at such a young age, one can only imagine how terrifyingly powerful you could become in the
future. Would you be so kind as to tell us your name? You are the first person to have faced our
Inescapable Chain Formation head-on and broken through it.”
Those in the martial arts world had lots of respect for powerful martial artists.
Ye Fan's strength and skill had impressed them to the core.
“I'll be honest with you all. We actually met a little over ten years ago, and it happened right here as
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtwell,” he said with a chuckle.
“Oh? We have?” The elders all had surprised looks on their faces.
“That's impossible!”
“We would definitely remember meeting someone as young and talented as you!”
“Exactly!”
The elders shook their heads as they disagreed with his statement.
It wasn't until Ye Fan brought up the story of the Chu family nearly beating him to death that the elders
recalled who he was.
“You're that kid from the Chu family? As in Zhenghong's son?”
The elders' faces were filled with surprise as they looked at Ye Fan, who nodded in response.
“How impressive... How very impressive... Who would've thought that kid from the Chu family would
turn out to be so powerful? The Chu family sure is filled with talents! Chu Zhenghong was really
amazing back in the day. Now, they've got a new one to take his place. As expected of the
descendants of the Great Emperor. They all have the Great Emperor's blood running through their
veins! By the way, have you returned to your family? Has your grandfather accepted you?”
Although the elders couldn't care less about the current affairs in the world, they knew a thing or two
about Ye Fan because Chu Zhenghong had told them about it before.
“Accept?” Ye Fan shook his head and let out a wry chuckle. “He probably hates me so much that he
wants to kill me right now!”
The elders were all very surprised to hear that. “How come? Did things get that bad between you and
them? Your father often comes by to chat with us. He always said he'd try to get you and your mother
back into the family. Speaking of which, we haven't seen Zhenghong in many years. We thought he
stopped visiting us to spar because he'd reunited with his family and was enjoying a happy life
together.”
Ye Fan trembled slightly when he heard that. “H-He comes here often?”
“Yeah. Your father was the most gifted martial artist I've ever seen. Well, before I met you, of course. It
seems you're just as good as your father, if not better.”
“Your father has been learning martial arts from us ever since you and your mother were kicked out of
the mountain. He achieved the title of Grandmaster in three years and the title of Supreme in five. The
speed at which he cultivates is terrifying!”
“Unfortunately, your father's heart wasn't pure enough when cultivating. His mind was filled with lots of
distracting and conflicting thoughts. Had that not been the case, your father would've attained the god
realm long ago. I'm guessing you and your mother are the source of those distracting thoughts.”
“Poor Zhenghong... He never received the love of his parents when he was young, nor did he have the
companionship of his wife and son when he was old. He got so lonely that he'd come to talk to us every
day. Now that you're all grown up and ready to start your own family, you should try to be more
empathetic toward your father's situation.”
“There are many things that one has no control over in life. Zhenghong may not have been the best
father, but we can tell that his love for you and your mother is genuine. You probably aren't aware of
this, but he'd go see you two in secret during New Year's Eve every year.”
Ye Fan felt a wave of conflicting feelings surging through his heart when he heard what the elders said.
I've always hated my father the most in life. I thought he was weak and heartless for abandoning me
and my mother. However, it seems I might have misunderstood him all along. All those years, he has
actually been looking out for us without us knowing. I planted Han deep within the Chu family to help
spy on them. Given how smart my father is, it's possible that he already knew Han works for me and
the Dragon God Hall. Maybe he was just pretending not to know it...
“All right, that's enough. We shall refrain from commenting on your family's affairs any further. Go on in.
If you do see your father in the future, please give him a good scolding on our behalf. He hasn't brought
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmus any wine in many years!”
“Hahaha!”
The eighteen elders burst out laughing as they stepped out of Ye Fan's way and returned to their seats.
The Chu Sect's Treasure Pavilion could only be accessed by those with a handwritten permit from the
head of the sect and those who defeated the eighteen elders in combat.
“Yeah, I will!” Ye Fan saluted them once again before entering the Treasure Pavilion.
“Wait up, Dragon Master!”
Gaius, Owen, and the others tried to follow him, but the elders stopped them.
“What are you guys doing? I thought you said we could go in?” Gaius asked while glaring at them.
“We only allowed this young man to enter. You guys will have to either obtain a handwritten permit from
the head of the Chu Sect or defeat us in combat to gain access,” replied the elder standing in front.
Gaius and the others backed off in fear instantly.
They knew they weren't as capable as Ye Fan in defeating the eighteen elders even if they were in their
prime, let alone when wounded.
“You guys can just wait for me outside. I'll bring you all some herbs to treat your wounds on my way
out!” Ye Fan said with a smile.
“All right, then.”
Gaius and the others had no choice but to sit outside and wait for Ye Fan to return.
Just like that, Ye Fan stepped into the Treasure Pavilion, which was thousands of years old.
The first floor of the Treasure Pavilion was filled with valuable artifacts like ancient calligraphy, historical
paintings, and precious antiques.
Even the missing beast heads from Yuanming Gardens could be found there.
Any of the artifacts stored there could easily shock the entire world.
However, Ye Fan had no interest in such things. He went up to the second floor.