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"Has she arrived?"

The Heavenly Master Mansion wasn’t actually very large, just conveniently situated near the Imperial Palace, a modest courtyard with three sets of gates; among the commoners, this standard was attainable by a Chosen Man or a slightly prosperous cloth merchant, making it hard to believe that this was the renowned Heavenly Master Mansion.

In the main courtyard at the entrance, an elderly Daoist dressed in Taoist robes squinted, lying on a rattan chair as two young acolytes gently fanned him with feather fans.

Upon hearing the gatekeeping acolyte’s announcement, the elderly Daoist opened his eyes and slowly sat up.

"She’s here, and look how excited you are," said a young man, sipping tea nearby, "Even more so than when your direct grandson was born."

The young man had an elegant appearance, looking exceedingly handsome.

Many in the Heavenly Master Mansion recognized him as the once direct eldest son of the family, Zhang Hongsheng, who had once carried high hopes.

However, for some unknown reason, he later became a wastrel, lingering in places of pleasure and no longer dealing with affairs of the Heavenly Master Mansion.

Over time, outsiders regarded him as a prodigal eldest son, and with the rise of his direct grandson, Zhang Zhiyun, many had nearly forgotten about this once hopeful successor of the Heavenly Master Mansion.

"Grandsons, well, there’s always time for them..." the excited elderly Daoist rubbed his hands together, "but that one is the only one in the whole world."

The young man’s face darkened, and he didn’t say anything more.

A familiar voice soon came from the entrance: "Old man, look who I’ve brought?"

The one barging through the gates, despite the acolytes’ attempts to stop him, was none other than Zhang Xiaoyun, dressed in white.

He jiggled as he ran, chubby like a ball, yet unexpectedly agile, eluding several acolytes who chased after him, gritting their teeth.

The old Daoist’s face lit up with joy as he pulled the little chubby boy towards him: "My grandson understands me best, hahahaha, where is she, where is she? "

The joyous interaction between grandfather and grandson contrasted starkly with the cold stance of the Zhang family’s rightful son, Zhang Xiaoyun’s father, who stood aloof as if unrelated to the pair.

Zhang Xiaoyun seemed not to notice his own father, not even bothering to glance up at him.

At the entrance, the one tasked with greeting Zi Yue and Chen Qing was a young man who resembled Zhang Hongsheng by about seventy to eighty percent, very handsome and polite.

"I have seen Lady Ziyue."

Zi Yue looked at him and nodded slightly; she was a contemporary of his grandfather and was certainly entitled to such a salute.

Chen Qing observed him with some curiosity.

This must be the much-touted candidate for the Heavenly Master, Zhang Zhiyun. He was certainly impressive, and unlike Zhang Xiaoyun, this young man exuded an enormous energy. It was clear at a glance that he wasn’t just Transcendent; he had been so for quite some time.

His energy was remarkably stable, and to Chen Qing, he seemed like an old Magician who had been Transcendent for many years, despite his youth. It was rumored he was not yet twenty, which by Human Race standards during the era of the Earth Spirit’s revival, would make him a top-notch prodigy!

"I have seen His Majesty, King of Qin," Zhang Zhiyun said, respectfully bowing to Chen Qing.

Chen Qing responded with a cupped-hand salute and a smile, "That little chubby one who saw us and ran inside, who is he?"

"Oh, you mean my good-for-nothing half-brother?" The young man laughed, "Seeing that Lady Ziyue had arrived, he rushed to inform our grandfather right away. Lady Ziyue, you haven’t been back for a long time; the Old Celestial Master misses you dearly."

"Back?" Chen Qing narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Zi Yue.

A glimmer of realization flashed in Zi Yue’s eyes. This small courtyard felt very familiar to her, but she couldn’t quite grasp the specifics. It was as if the memory was within reach, yet hidden behind a faint mist, impossible to see through.

"Are the Old Celestial Master and Lady Zi Yue well acquainted?"

"Very much so," Zhang Zhiyun said with a smile, "According to my grandfather, they were the best of friends back in the day."

"Oh?" Chen Qing chuckled.

Zi Yue had escaped the Sorcerer Dynasty thousands of years ago, pursued for millennia; how well could she have known him? Was he one of those who pursued her until they grew familiar, or had the acquaintance been formed before the pursual?

If it was before the pursuit, it wasn’t entirely unthinkable, since Magicians had lifespans of three hundred years tailored to non-Transcendents. Transcendent beings living ten thousand years or more was the norm.

"Then, I entrust the young master to lead us to meet the Old Master."

"Certainly, Your Majesty, King of Qin, Lady Ziyue, this way please,"

Zhang Zhiyun led them toward the back courtyard, which was surprisingly small, so much so that one could see its entirety at a glance. Truth be told, it wasn’t even as big as the yard his mother had rented back when she ground tofu.

The Sect Leader of the Heavenly Master Mansion, head of a Magician’s family, living so modestly?

Chen Qing took a look around, then fixed his gaze upon the old man who had been waiting at the doorway for quite a while.

The old man seemed excited to see Zi Yue, rubbing his hands together for quite some time without daring to approach, very much like an old man seeing his first love. The awkwardness in his demeanor caught Chen Qing’s attention, who gave Zi Yue a peculiar glance.

He began to have suspicions about the relationship between the two.

Zi Yue stared straight at the man. She recognized him, but she couldn’t remember exactly how she knew him.

"You... have arrived?" The old man awkwardly stammered out these words after a long hesitation, which left Chen Qing speechless. Such a sentimental old man, what kind of situation was this?

Zhang Zhiyun performed a polite bow and said, "Grandfather, Father."

Zhang Hongsheng nodded slightly from afar, and his expression softened significantly when looking at Zhang Zhiyun compared to the indifferent attitude he showed when looking at his younger son Zhang Xiaoyun.

"You’ve finally arrived," Zhang Xiaoyun said with a smile. "Grandpa has been looking forward to this since last night."

"Xiaoyun, do not be disrespectful!" Zhang Zhiyun frowned and chided.

Zhang Xiaoyun stuck out his tongue and even pulled a face. Seeing this, Zhang Zhiyun wore a look of resignation, suggesting that... the relationship between the two brothers didn’t seem too bad.

However, for some reason, Chen Qing felt that there was something off about this family; they just didn’t seem like a family at all.

Based on appearance alone, the legitimate eldest son and grandson looked more like the old man, but his attitude towards these two was obviously cold, while the least similar Zhang Xiaoyun seemed to have a good relationship with the old Taoist. But there was just something. .. discordant about the two of them.

Where could it be?

Chen Qing couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but before he could ponder any further, the old man came over, his face dripping with sycophancy: "These years... have you been well?"

Zi Yue frowned and looked at him. She couldn’t understand why his seemingly undue closeness didn’t feel abrupt to her, it even carried a hint of familiarity.

It made her feel even more uneasy, and she instinctively took a step back, "Well, having not been chased for twenty years, life has been quite peaceful."

"Ha ha ha ha..." The old Taoist laughed, "The current Heavenly Master Mansion can hardly command anyone now, let alone chase after you. Moreover... in this world, who could really chase you down? It’s just about wanting to know your whereabouts, that’s all."

"What do you want to do with knowledge of my whereabouts?" Zi Yue stared at him. "I’ve never hidden. For twenty years, I’ve been at the Imperial Palace, and these past few years, I’ve been in Jiangnan. Yet, I haven’t seen you come looking for me."

"Are you resenting me?"

Zi Yue: "...."

Who the hell... are you really?

This puppy-like, melancholic gaze gave Zi Yue goosebumps.

"Ahem..." Chen Qing gave a light cough to interrupt, "I heard that the Great Heavenly Master has invited our Zi Yue to be a candidate. May I ask for the reasons for this?"

"Our Zi Yue?" The Old Celestial Master looked at Chen Qing with a shift in his eyes, filled with opposition, causing Chen Qing to feel speechless.

What is this old man... up to?

A true old flame?

"Grandfather..." Zhang Zhiyun beside him exhaled, "This one is His Highness, the King of Qin."

"Your Highness, the King of Qin..." The man nodded, "That title, in this world, is not auspicious. As far as I know, those who inherit it usually do not meet with good ends."

Chen Qing’s mouth twitched: "There’s no need for the Great Heavenly Master to worry about that. I think it would be better for the Great Heavenly Master to answer my question."

"I’m also curious," Zi Yue pressed the issue, staring at him. "Why exactly did you choose me personally as the successor?"

"Well..." As soon as Zi Yue spoke, the Old Heavenly Master’s expression softened and he spoke in a coy manner, "Well, it’s just... It’s my first time holding this Heavenly Master Conference, after all.

I lack experience, you see, unlike you. You are the old hand, having participated in three Heavenly Master Conferences.

This is the first time in ten thousand years that the Heavenly Master Mansion is holding an inheritance ceremony.

The reputation of the Heavenly Master title has been mostly forgotten by the outside world.

This event is crucial for making it known again.

Naturally, we need veterans like you to bolster the scene. .."

Chen Qing: "......"