Chapter 8: How Awkward

The Su Clan had inadvertently done a very good job of ensuring confidentiality as almost everyone who was aware of the operation had perished as part of the search party.

The only surviving member that was in the loop was a senior member of the clan who wasn't in the decision-making circle, and he only roughly knew that a search party had been deployed to search for some treasure, with no knowledge of any specific details.

However, it had been six days since the deployment of the search party, and it was becoming very clear that something had gone wrong.

In a tiny city like Green Wave City, there was nothing that would take six days to do.

Furthermore, all of the important members of the clan had been deployed, and not only had not a single one of them returned, not even a messenger had been sent back.

The Su Clan was in a state of panic and was frantically searching for leads in secret.

Eventually the news was inevitably leaked, and soon, a harrowing rumor began to spread that all of the Su Clan's members had died.

Even those who had fabricated the rumor couldn't have anticipated just how correct they had been.

At the moment, all of the other ninth-tier clans of Green Wave City were itching to make a move, and they had even summoned back all of their powerful clansmen on an urgent basis from their missions.

Fang Qianyi had also returned, and she submitted some missions at the Hall of Protectionists for merit points, then sold off the spoils that she had reaped.

With her pockets loaded, she purchased some presents for her son before returning home, and as soon as she walked into the Fang Clan's estate, she was called over by her brother, Fang Zhenghang.

***

"What's up?"

Fang Qianyi hadn't been home for half a month, and she was very eager to see her son.

"Come with me," Fang Zhenghang said in a mysterious manner as he dragged his sister into his study.

After closing the door, he said, "Little Che has changed somewhat of late."

"How so?" Fang Qianyi asked.

"Personality-wise. He hasn't been rude to anyone over the past few days, and his demeanor seems to have really softened. Even the maidservants that he chased away were summoned back by him," Fang Zhenghang explained. "I feel like he's finally beginning to mature.

“At the very least, it doesn't seem like he's so resentful anymore. He still looks really angry and cold all the time, but I can sense that he's changed a lot."

Fang Zhenghang had visited Fang Che twice over the past few days, and in keeping with his past persona, Fang Che had remained as cold and stoic as ever, but as the leader of a ninth-tier clan, Fang Zhenghang was not so easy to fool.

He had been ecstatic about this perceived change in Fang Che, and that was why he was so eager to deliver the good news to his sister.

"Really?"

Fang Qianyi was also ecstatic to hear this.

"I certainly think so," Fang Zhenghang replied. "Don't go out of your way to praise him or anything. I can tell that he still seems a little embarrassed to make too drastic a change, and if you start showering him with praise, that'll only make him more embarrassed."

An amused smile appeared on Fang Qianyi's face as she asked, "Why is it that you're sneaking around like a thief even though you're delivering good news? What happened to your poise and composure as clan leader?"

"It's all because it's your son!" Fang Zhenghang sighed. "Also, Little Che has taken on a master, but for some reason, he's keeping it a secret. His master is a very powerful man."

"How powerful?" Fang Qianyi asked.

"More powerful than our entire clan," Fang Zhenghang replied in a serious manner.

"You mean like a General?" Fang Qianyi asked.

"I think not," Fang Zhenghang replied. "I suspect he may be a King."

"A King?!" Fang Qianyi immediately understood why her brother was being so mysterious about all of this.

"There aren't many Kings that aren't aligned with either the Church of the Self-Righteous or the Guardians. Which side is he on?"

"How am I supposed to know? This is why I wanted to discuss this matter with you," Fang Zhenghang said with tightly furrowed brows. "Little Che was way too reckless for taking on a master without telling us, but what's done is done."

Fang Qianyi's brows also furrowed slightly upon hearing this.

The problem was that the reality of Fang Che accepting a master had already been set in stone, regardless of whether the Fang Clan accepted the decision or not.

If this master of his were aligned with the Guardians, then everything would be fine, but what if he wasn't?

"The main question now is whether we should report this matter, and if so, how?" Fang Zhenghang said. "My concern is that we could hurt Little Che by reporting this matter."

𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Indeed, this was his true concern.

Fang Che was finally on the right track, and if they were to report this matter, then this would make this decision of his a personal one, one that had nothing to do with the clan.

Fang Che was already feeling ostracized, and Fang Zhenghang was concerned that this could further deepen those feelings of alienation.

If this were his own son, then things would be very simple: he would simply beat all of the answers out of them. However, this was his nephew, so he had to discuss this matter with his sister.

"This matter must be reported," Fang Qianyi harrumphed. "He may still only be a child, but he's old enough to be aware of the implications of his actions. He must be keeping this a secret precisely because he's afraid we'll report the matter. Otherwise, why would he try to keep us in the dark?"

"I think it's best if you discuss this matter with Little Che first," Fang Zhenghang said. "He's finally beginning to change, I don't want him to be hurt again. If a wedge is driven between him and our Fang Clan, then things won't be so easy to remedy." Fang Qianyi decided that her brother was right, so she immediately made her way to the courtyard where Fang Che was staying.

Fang Che was practicing his sword techniques when he was grabbed from behind by the color.

"I heard you took on a master. Where is he?"

Fang Che turned around in a startled manner, laying eyes upon his mother for the first time in this life.

She was a tall and proportionate beauty with fair skin and a pair of bright and exuberant eyes.

There was a gallant and heroic aura about her, and she didn't seem to be one to overthink things, exuding an air of casualness that bordered on carelessness.

It had to be said that Fang Che was a fan of women with this type of personality, and given that this was his mother, a sense of closeness toward her instantly welled up in his heart.

"My master has gone out. Why didn't you tell me you were coming back, Mother?"

The word "mother" slipped out of his mouth in a very natural manner, and it seemed that the deep-seated affection of his former self toward his mother was still having an influence on him.

Fang Che could sense this influence, and he didn't reject it.

Receiving a second chance at life was a miraculous blessing, and in return, he had an obligation to take care of his former self's mother in his stead.

Furthermore, he couldn't even recall who he was in his past life, so he may as well fully commit to the identity of Fang Che, in which case this woman was truly his mother.

"Do I need to report to you before I come back home?" Fang Qianyi scoffed as she grabbed onto her son's ear before giving it a twist. "Where's your master? You're getting a little cocky, taking on a master without consulting anyone else!"

Despite how it seemed, she wasn't using much force at all, only really giving Fang Che's ear a light pinch more than anything else.

"Is there a problem? My master is a King, should I not be glad to be able to train under him?"

Even though Fang Zhenghang had already speculated at the cultivation base of Fang Che's master, Fang Qianyi was still rather taken aback to hear confirmation that he was indeed a King.

"But our clan has to report this matter to the Hall of Protectionists! What if your master is a bad person? Do you know his background?"

"Why do I need to know my master's background?" Fang Che asked in a perplexed manner. "I'm just receiving training from him, so what does it matter to us whether he's a good person or a bad person?

“Even if it has something to do with me, it has nothing to do with our clan, so just report the matter as normal. This is why I kept this a secret from everyone else, so that I could train under my master without putting our clan at risk."

Fang Qianyi was rendered momentarily speechless upon hearing this, following which she gave Fang Che a light smack on the head as she exclaimed, "When did you get so cunning?"

She then hurriedly caressed his head in an affectionate manner as she said, "I brought back quite a few presents for you from this trip."

As soon as the two of them turned around, their expressions instantly stiffened.

Standing behind them was none other than Sun Yuan, who was observing Fang Che with a peculiar look in his eyes.

Fang Qianyi immediately realized who this was, and the situation instantly took a very awkward turn.

Fang Qianyi was genuinely feeling awkward, whereas Fang Che was merely putting on an act, fully aware in advance that their conversation would be overheard by Sun Yuan.

"When did you get back, Master?" Fang Che asked in a sheepish manner.

"Just in the nick of time to overhear what my disciple thinks of me," Sun Yuan replied in a displeased manner.

Fang Che smiled as he said, "I wasn't trying to badmouth you behind your back or anything like that, Master. Even if you had been present, I would've said the same thing. In any case, you're accepting me as my disciple, not my clan, isn't that right?"

"Yes, but..."

This was all logically correct, but Sun Yuan couldn't shake this feeling of distaste.

"If you feel this is too severe a transgression to bear, then I would understand it if you renounced me as your disciple," Fang Che sighed, knowing full well that there was no way Sun Yuan would do such a thing.

Sure enough, Sun Yuan hurriedly shook his head as he said, "No, no, it's not that big a deal."

How could he pass up such a legendary prodigy over an insignificant little clan?

"You did the right thing. In fact, that was a very mature and well thought-out decision."

"Thank you for your understanding, Master."

"There's no need to be so polite with me. I'm your master, not a stranger."

"You're the best, Master!"

All the while, Fang Qianyi was looking on in a flabbergasted manner.

Since when had her son become such a smooth talker?

She could sense that there seemed to have been something different about her son, but she was unable to put her finger on exactly what had changed, aside from the feeling that he had become a bit more handsome.

As expected of my son!

She turned to Sun Yuan in an apologetic manner as she said, "Please forgive him, Senior. He's still just a child who can be a little disobedient."

"Not at all, he's a great child as far as I'm concerned," Sun Yuan replied.

Fang Qianyi suppressed the joy in her heart as she asked, "May I ask your name, Senior?"

"As the mother of my disciple, it's not appropriate for you to refer to me as senior. My name is Sun Yuan, and I am known as the Soaring Saber King. You can call me Brother Sun from now on."

He really is a King!

For a ninth-tier clan, a King was virtually a deity!

Only by reaching the very pinnacle of a certain field in both cultivation base and combat prowess could one receive the title of King!

Fang Qianyi was ecstatic as she greeted, "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Brother Sun."

She recalled hearing the title of the Soaring Saber King in the past. He seemed to have been a vagrant cultivator that was one of the few Kings not aligned with either of the two major superpowers, and that came as quite a relief to her.

"I'm ecstatic that Che'er was able to find such an outstanding master for himself, but he's never been the brightest or most talented child, so please bear with him, Brother Sun."

Never been the brightest or most talented?!

Sun Yuan was barely able to suppress the urge to roll his eyes.

Is this woman blind?!

The truth of the matter was that he had run out of things to teach Fang Che after just three days, and as a result, he was forced to go out and hide under the pretense of communicating with his higher-ups.