Chapter Thirty-Five: Consultation

After sending away the baby-faced He Tao, Lie and Ao once again turned their biting sarcasm on Sun Bo. Seeing this, Sun Bo instantly understood their intentions. In the end, he could only utter a few harsh words at the three of them before leaving in frustration.

Once Sun Bo had gone, Lie Kuang and Ao Yun practically dragged Ye Feng with them, insisting that he experience the hot springs here. Left with no other choice, Ye Feng instructed his family members to return home first, and then followed the two into a vast, enclosed pavilion.

Upon entering, he was greeted by drifting steam and the sweet scent of flowers. At the center of the room, a hot spring pool several meters wide came into view.

Around the hot spring, rare flowers and exotic plants had been meticulously arranged, and a tangled mass of vines and elegant trees intertwined to create a setting that seemed almost a natural paradise.

Soon, the four of them were submerged in the soothing waters.

Cloaked in mist, Ye Feng leaned back against the warm stone edge, letting the floral fragrance seep into his senses, his entire body relaxing.

“This place is quiet and secluded—ideal for our discussion. Brother Ye, do you know why we invited you here?” Ao Yun, whose close-cropped hair gave him a brash air, now set aside his earlier boisterousness, addressing Ye Feng earnestly.

It had to be said, the hot spring’s layout was pleasing to the eye: built beside a lake, surrounded by lush blooms, it felt like a sanctuary in the bustling, noisy “Moonlit Pavilion.”

In this moment, Ye Feng was utterly at ease, his thoughts drifting. Recalling their earlier conversation, he quickly surmised, “Could this be related to the Sacred Land?”

At his words, the other three exchanged glances, a trace of dejection crossing their faces. Lie Kuang sighed helplessly. “Brother Ye, you are indeed perceptive. One word and you’ve guessed our concern.”

“I’d like to hear the details.” Ye Feng basked in the spring, frowning slightly as he feigned impatience.

“It’s all because of your Ye family,” He Tao, the baby-faced one, snorted sarcastically. “Relying on your strength, you do whatever you like without consulting us smaller families. Now you’ve returned, and even the Sacred Land has sent out Bill Woton!”

The other two seemed content to let He Tao speak their mind for them.

“Of course, not all the blame lies with your Ye family,” Ao Yun smoothed things over. “After all, the younger generation in the capital is hardly united. There are plenty of constraints on us coming here. However, if someone could just keep the Sacred Land’s people occupied in Shroud City for a day or two, I believe some of the truly outstanding talents from the capital would soon arrive.”

“Gentlemen, please speak freely. If there’s anything you need of me, just say it,” Ye Feng said plainly, seeing how the three seemed to circle around their true request.

Since Ye Feng had laid it out so directly, He Tao shrugged. “Since he put it that way… Honestly, I’m not clear on the details. You two explain.”

With that, Ao Yun finally opened up. “We only just learned the Sacred Land’s younger generation had come to challenge us. According to our scouts, none of their true experts appeared in the first few matches.”

“But after news of the Ye family’s return broke, the Sacred Land suddenly sent their second-ranked young master, Bill Woton. The man is incredibly strong. Of all the experts now in Shroud City, I doubt any could face him,” Lie Kuang added.

At this, He Tao curled his lip in disdain. “It’s not that we’re afraid. The Sacred Land’s first batch sent were nothing special—none of the capital’s true elites even cared to show up. We don’t expect you to do much; just keep them occupied for a few days.”

After listening to their disjointed explanations, Ye Feng finally understood. “I think you overestimate me. With my meager postnatal strength…”

Before he could finish, Lie Kuang burst out laughing. “It’s not that we expect you to fight. But with the Ye family’s sudden appearance, a few allied super-families will surely send their own people to visit you. Some of them are extremely powerful. They should arrive within a few days.”

As the four conversed, the door suddenly burst open with a loud bang.

A young dandy strode in, his arm around a pretty young woman. “So, who’s taken over this place? Ah, the sons of the He, Ao, and Lie families!”

“You arrogant bastard! Are you tired of living?” Ao Yun shot up straight from the spring, his chest covered in black hair bristling like a great ape, and jabbed a finger at the newcomer.

Ye Feng glanced at the intruder, then, to his surprise, spotted another familiar face among the crowd behind him: Xiao Chong.

Ignoring the young man who’d come in, Ye Feng looked at Xiao Chong. “Care for another round?”

“Nothing to do with me!” For some reason, Xiao Chong did not reveal Ye Feng’s identity. He simply waved his hand with an awkward look, distancing himself from the matter.

“Which family does this fool belong to?” Ye Feng asked coldly, pointing at the newcomer.

“Who the hell are you? Got a death wish, talking like that?” the young man snarled, face twisted with rage. “I’m Li Fan, third son of the Li family of the capital. You’d better get lost and give us this place.”

With that, he stepped forward, putting his foot in the hot spring.

A crisp “smack” echoed through the room.

The moment Li Fan entered the water, Ye Feng’s palm struck, sending him flying sideways to crash against the door.

“You… you dare hit me?” Li Fan clutched his waist, struggling to his feet as he snarled, “You’re dead, kid. You’re finished!”

Ye Feng ignored him, turning to Xiao Chong. “He’s your leader?”

“Sort of. This idiot insisted I come to the hot spring, so I just tagged along out of boredom.” Xiao Chong barely glanced at the now-swollen-faced Li Fan, shrugging indifferently—as if the man were nothing but a passerby.

“He came to Shroud City because of me, too?” Ye Feng’s expression grew odd.

Ignoring the strange looks from Ao Yun and the others, Xiao Chong grinned, quickly stripped off his clothes, and stepped into the spring. “He’s just a bystander, nothing more.”

“I’m Zhu Kun, from the Zhu family of the capital,” said a chubby boy who looked like a landmine, entering the hot spring with practiced ease.

Ye Feng nearly laughed—no matter the world, fat kids seemed naturally outgoing.

Finally, a quiet youth who’d been standing at the edge of the group stepped into the spring as well, settling into a corner with his eyes closed, savoring the moment.

“Excuse me, which family are you from?” Li Fan finally came to his senses, pressing a hand to his swollen cheek and speaking timidly, still assuming Ye Feng was from the capital as well.

“This isn’t your concern. Get out,” Xiao Chong waved him away as one would shoo a fly.