Chapter 146 - 115: Discussing the Situation, Old Man Hua Recruits a Son-in-law

Chapter 146: Chapter 115: Discussing the Situation, Old Man Hua Recruits a Son-in-law

Hua Yiran chimed in, "Brother Changfeng is right. During the few days I was hiding in Rong City, I personally witnessed the people of Rong City transform from fearing the Saint Demon Sect to praising it, even taking pride in living under its rule."

"This Saint Master of the Saint Demon Sect is truly extraordinary! I heard he has a red Qilin by his side, powerful enough to swallow the heavens!"

At this, Hua Yiran glanced at the white pet beside Lu Changfeng. "By the way, Brother Changfeng, what is this thing? It looks like a cross between a dog and a cat."

"Oh, I just bought it here in your Qin City. It’s called an Exotic Beast White Dog. Cost me a hundred gold coins," Lu Changfeng replied.

"A hundred gold coins for some unknown mutt? Brother Changfeng, you were definitely scammed! Should I have my Seventh Brother go with you to return it?" Hua Yiran fumed.

Bai Touweng, standing to one side, almost burst out laughing.

The Fire Qilin tilted its head, gave a little shake, and pretended it hadn’t heard anything.

Lu Changfeng scooped up the Fire Qilin and cradled it in his arms. "That won’t be necessary. Little Bai and I have a connection. I couldn’t bear to give him to anyone else now."

"Brother Changfeng, you’re so kind-hearted," Hua Yiran complimented.

Hua Youran cut off their idle chatter, pulling the conversation back on topic. "Brother Lu, you seem to think so highly of the Saint Demon Sect. Why don’t you join them? They must be recruiting talent right now."

"The time is not yet right," Lu Changfeng said with a smile. "And what about you, Brother Hua? What are your thoughts on the matter?"

"What thoughts can I have? I can only act according to the decisions of the family elders."

"Sigh. There’s war in the south, and Yunyang Prefecture to the north is also in chaos."

"Aside from the Capital Region, there’s no safe place left in the world."

"Our Hua Family has lived in Qin City for generations. We don’t really want to leave it."

"In a few days, I’d like to travel with you to Jiangzhou, Brother Lu, to see the situation in Jiangnan Prefecture for myself. Would you be willing to take me with you?"

Lu Changfeng smiled. "It’s always better to have a friend for company on the road."

"I want to go too!" Hua Yiran exclaimed.

"Absolutely not!" Hua Youran immediately shot back. "You stay home. If you cause trouble again, Father and Mother will have your hide."

The mention of their parents reminded Hua Youran of his purpose.

"Brother Lu, my father invites you to the Hua Mansion for a banquet this evening. He wants to meet one of the famed Nine Heroes of Jiangnan in person. You must come."

Lu Changfeng cupped his hands. "Since it is an invitation from Uncle Hua, I would be honored to accept."

After lunch, the Hua siblings left the invitation and returned to the Hua Mansion ahead of him.

Lu Changfeng washed up to freshen himself from the fatigue of his journey, then had Bai Touweng go out and buy a few gifts.

And so, as night fell, Lu Changfeng arrived outside the Hua Mansion with Bai Touweng in tow.

According to his intelligence, although the Hua Family had a long history, it was now in decline. There were no Rebirth Realm experts within the clan.

They did, however, have three experts at the Bone Refining Fifth Layer.

One of them was the current Hua Family Patriarch and the father of the Hua siblings—Hua Yuelou.

Upon presenting the invitation, a Hua Family servant led Lu Changfeng, master and servant, into the residence.

In his role as a personal attendant, Bai Touweng remained close by Lu Changfeng’s side.

The Fire Qilin, meanwhile, was perched on Lu Changfeng’s shoulder.

Thus, Lu Changfeng was led by the servant into the Hua Mansion’s banquet hall.

At a glance, he saw the Hua Family Patriarch, Hua Yuelou, accompanied by Hua Youran and the family’s eldest son, Hua Mingyue.

Hua Yuelou sported a thick, black beard, giving him a rugged, middle-aged appearance, though he was, in fact, over seventy years old.

Name: Hua Mingyue

Root Bone: Upper A

Talent: Middle Grade Talent [Fast Sword]

--

Name: Hua Yuelou

Root Bone: Upper A

Talent: High-Grade Talent [Saber Madman]

Rumor had it that among the many Hua Family heirs, the one with the most outstanding Root Bone was the eldest son, Hua Mingyue, who was said to take after his father.

’But from what Lu Changfeng could see, it was clearly the boy, Hua Youran, who had perfectly inherited Hua Yuelou’s Root Bone and talents. He even possessed an additional High-Grade Light Body Talent, [Flying Swan], as well as a hidden Demon Fiend Bloodline.’

’Hua Youran was the one most like Hua Yuelou, and the one with the most outstanding Root Bone and talent in the entire Hua Family.’

"Haha, Nephew Lu, you’ve finally arrived! Quickly, have a seat!" Hua Yuelou showed no airs, greeting Lu Changfeng with great enthusiasm.

"No need to be formal. Just treat this as a simple family dinner."

"Then I will graciously accept." Lu Changfeng cupped his hands and took his seat, with Bai Touweng standing behind him.

Bai Touweng kept his aura completely retracted. Hua Yuelou, despite being at the Bone Refining Fifth Layer, could only vaguely sense that Bai Touweng was an expert; he couldn’t determine his specific cultivation level. He simply chalked it up to a special Hidden Technique and gave it no further thought.

"I have seven sons. Two have gone to Yunyang Prefecture, and three to the front lines in Jiangnan Prefecture. Now, only the three of us—father and sons—remain to sit at this table," Hua Yuelou began.

Lu Changfeng said admiringly, "The Hua Family is full of loyal heroes. The existence of the Hua Family is a great fortune for the Jiangnan Martial Arts World."

Hua Yuelou burst out laughing. "Haha, it’s merely an act of self-preservation as the whole house of cards is about to tumble! Nephew Lu, you certainly have a way with words. By the way, from which school do you hail?"

Lu Changfeng replied, "My master is an obscure figure, not part of any renowned school."

"I understand, I understand." Hua Yuelou simply assumed Lu Changfeng’s master was a recluse who preferred to remain unknown.

"I observe that you, Nephew Lu, are only in your early twenties. I wonder, are you betrothed?" Hua Yuelou asked.

Hearing this, Lu Changfeng felt the atmosphere shift strangely, but he still answered, "I am twenty-three and not yet betrothed. However, there is a young woman back home with whom I am on very good terms."

"Oh? And who might this young woman be?" Hua Yuelou pressed.

"She was originally a servant girl in my household. When my family fell on hard times, she remained by my side, never leaving. She has been with me ever since."

Hua Yuelou nodded with an expression of understanding. "Nephew Lu, you are clearly a man of deep feeling."

"Since you are not yet betrothed, Nephew Lu, I have a proposal."

"My eighth daughter, Hua Yiran, is quite beautiful. As a martial arts practitioner, her Root Bone and Talent are also commendable. She is fifteen years old and at the Blood Forging Realm Fourth Level. The man is unwed, the woman is unspoken for... how about this old man plays matchmaker and makes you two a pair?" Hua Yuelou said with a smile.

Lu Changfeng was taken aback and instinctively refused. "I must decline. I have no intention of marrying at this time."

’As someone who was against the institution of marriage, Lu Changfeng’s natural instinct was to refuse.’

The moment the words left his mouth, Lu Changfeng cursed himself inwardly. ’This is bad. He explicitly offered his daughter to me, and I just rejected him so bluntly. This is going to cause trouble.’

Sure enough, after Lu Changfeng’s blunt refusal, the atmosphere at the table instantly froze.

A moment later, Lu Changfeng heard a soft, indignant huff from behind a curtain at the side of the banquet hall, followed by the sight of a girlish figure rapidly departing.

It was Hua Yiran!

’That girl was hiding and eavesdropping!’

That cold huff was clearly a sign of her dissatisfaction with his answer.

During the few days they had spent together in the wilderness, the young woman had already secretly given her heart to Lu Changfeng.

Hua Yuelou had, of course, discussed the matter with Hua Yiran beforehand. Her half-pouting, half-compliant reaction had made her girlish feelings perfectly clear to him.

And that was what led to his proactive marriage proposal at the banquet.

Now, having been so decisively rejected in her own home, the thin-skinned Hua Yiran was overcome with shame and indignation, storming off in a huff.

"Youran, go after her. Make sure she doesn’t do anything rash," Hua Yuelou instructed.

Hua Youran nodded and strode out after her.

"Nephew Lu, is it that you find my Hua Family too weak, or do you find my daughter Yiran too ugly?" Hua Yuelou asked. Fortunately, his tone remained steady—he was an old patriarch who had seen it all.

He wasn’t the type to take his anger out on a junior just for being refused.

"Not at all. Miss Yiran is a peerless beauty, and the Hua Family is a Martial Arts Family with a long and noble history. I am the one who is unworthy of the match."

"It is just that I feel in these chaotic times, I can barely protect myself. How could I possibly get married and drag another person into my troubles?" Lu Changfeng explained.

Hearing this, Hua Yuelou’s expression relaxed considerably. "You need not worry about that. After you are married, you can live here in the Hua Mansion. No one would dare to say a word against it."

"I, Hua, will personally shelter you both."

"With your Root Bone and Talent, it is only a matter of time before you reach your full potential. Only if Yiran marries someone like you—a man of top-tier character and talent—can I, Hua, finally be at ease!"

In such chaotic times, a good man was hard to find. Hua Yuelou had set his sights on Lu Changfeng as the ideal son-in-law. For the sake of finding his daughter a good match, he was not about to take no for an answer.