’I’m starting to panic. What do I do?’
Lu Xuan stared at the middle-aged man before him, shifting restlessly in his seat.
’This is Xiaoyan’s dad?’
’This is Xiaoyan’s dad!’
Yan Jiangxue complained softly,
"Dad, you’re late again. You’re always like this..."
"Sothing unexpected ca up just now," Yan Huang said to his daughter. "I nearly got into trouble. Soone almost cut down with a sword—a completely random disaster."
"Ah!" Yan Jiangxue let out a small gasp.
Lu Xuan, however, shrank back into the corner, feeling a pang of guilt.
’He was a little shocked. Xiaoyan’s dad is actually a True Immortal... Phew, good thing my sword strike didn’t connect. Otherwise... otherwise...’
’No way. I absolutely cannot let him discover that I’m Daoist Monarch Profound Clarity!’
At that mont, Yan Huang turned his scrutinizing gaze on the young man, examining him closely.
’Hm?’
’Why does he look a little familiar?’
’It feels like I’ve seen him sowhere before.’
He furrowed his brow. But unlike Wu Datong, who spent every day with Lu Xuan, he wasn’t that familiar with him and didn’t recognize him. He just had a nagging feeling of familiarity.
Yan Huang’s Innate Spiritual Sense trembled. A sudden impulse urged him to put so distance between himself and Lu Xuan...
He was a bit puzzled. Suppressing the inexplicable, complicated feelings, he said calmly,
"You must be Lu Xuan."
"Hello, Uncle Yan!" Lu Xuan jumped, reflexively shooting to his feet. His sudden movent caused many other diners in the restaurant to glance over.
"What an idiot," a voice from the next table muttered. The group of four who had just settled into their new seats all looked over. The youngest of them curled his lip and grumbled, clearly still resentful about the previous incident.
"Quiet down. Don’t talk about others behind their backs," the older young man shot him a glare.
anwhile, Yan Jiangxue felt the many stares directed their way. She shrank back like a little quail, waving her small, soft hands frantically at Lu Xuan.
"Sit down, quickly!"
Lu Xuan awkwardly sat back down, his back ramrod straight. He didn’t dare to move a muscle.
He was genuinely nervous. This was a True Immortal right in front of him!
’Although... although I almost cut him down with a sword, that wasn’t my own power. It was just a temporary gift from the Keeper of the Records’ token...’
’A True Immortal!’
Yan Huang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He sized up the young man before him again and said lightly,
"Lu, there’s no need for all this. We’re just having a normal al. I also wanted to et my precious little girl’s first friend."
Lu Xuan nodded stiffly.
Just then, the dishes they had ordered in advance were brought out one by one. The dazzling array of food left the young man wide-eyed.
"Let’s eat first. We can talk as we eat," Yan Huang said, and the three of them picked up their chopsticks.
"Xiaolu, this is delicious! I order it every ti I co here!"
"Xiaolu, this one is good too! They prepared the Wind Chasing Goose at so well. It’s not gay at all, and it’s cooked perfectly. It’s their specialty!"
"Xiaolu, Xiaolu, try this! This is my favorite dish. It’s a vegetable dish, but it’s so refreshing!"
Before Lu Xuan could even properly use his chopsticks, his bowl was already piled high. Yan Jiangxue’s desire to share was overflowing. She placed everything she thought was delicious into Lu Xuan’s bowl, introducing each dish one by one, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled.
Yan Huang’s lips twitched. The vat of old vinegar in his heart sloshed, spilling more than half of its contents.
"That’s enough," he said righteously. "Xiaolu can get his own food. Besides, just because you like sothing, does that an Xiaolu will definitely like it too?"
"Oh!" Yan Jiangxue retracted her chopsticks, looking aggrieved.
"I like it! I like it!" Lu Xuan couldn’t bear to see the girl look wronged and quickly said, "If Xiaoyan likes it, I’m sure I’ll like it too. It’s okay, Uncle Yan."
Only then did Yan Jiangxue cheer up. She shot her father a triumphant look before imdiately going back to piling food onto Lu Xuan’s plate, one piece after another.
Yan Huang’s face darkened. He could feel his blood pressure rising as he roared internally, ’Even I, her own father, don’t get this kind of treatnt!’
’It’s over, it’s over! My precious cabbage is really being rooted up by a pig!!’
The middle-aged man’s breathing grew ragged, his heart spasming. Seeing his daughter about to pass an entire platter of food to that damn brat, he really couldn’t sit still any longer.
"AHEM."
Yan Huang coughed, interrupting the two of them, and said slowly,
"Xiaolu, speaking of which, do you have any plans for the future? What do you want to do? It doesn’t have to be too far off, just for the near future."
Lu Xuan paused, then put down his chopsticks without much thought and said seriously,
"In the short term, my plan is to see if I can enter the Federation and attain a relatively high position."
"Oh? Why is that?"
"Well, I have so questions in my heart. An elder told that the Federation’s confidential archives might hold the answers, so I was thinking of taking a look."
The middle-aged man nodded slightly. Just as he was about to say sothing, his adorable daughter spoke up with wide-eyed innocence,
"What do you want to look up? I think my access level is pretty high. I can help you!"
Yan Huang nearly choked, his vision going dark.
’Fine, just fine!’
’This is how you want to play it, huh!’
He gritted his teeth. Just as he was about to speak, he saw the young man shake his head gently.
"Thank you, Xiaoyan, but it probably won’t be enough. The matter I want to investigate involves things that..."
’According to Uncle Wu, the Qianlong City incident most likely has sothing to do with the Life Tower Master. And that’s an Immortal—a being above True Immortals, above the Heaven-Facing Palace!’
He planned to investigate on his own, unwilling to involve Yan Jiangxue.
Hearing this, Yan Huang’s anger subsided a little. He said in a low voice,
"Xiaolu is at least sensible. Entering the Federation... let think. That’s probably still a long way off for you. Normally, the fastest way is to graduate from a Cultivation University."
"Can you skip grades?" Lu Xuan asked curiously. "If your cultivation is high enough, for example."
"You can!" Xiaoyan stuffed a large mouthful of Wind Chasing Goose at into her mouth and said indistinctly, "I think I’m going to skip grades. I’m preparing to take the college entrance exams this year. Xiaolu, how about we do it together?"
A look of pleasant surprise appeared on Lu Xuan’s face, and he nodded slightly.
Yan Huang felt stifled and fell silent.
’He really wanted to use his authority to intimidate the kid and tell him to get lost and stay away from his precious daughter. But...’
’After all, he’s her first friend. Her only friend.’
’Forget it, forget it. No matter what’s going on behind the scenes with this kid, what powers are involved, or how strange it all is... I won’t interfere. I’ll just let nature take its course.’
’Even if he ends up clashing with Sakata Heavy Industries, or even with... just as the think tank predicted...’
’At the very least, it would be a simple matter for to get my precious daughter out of it.’
Yan Huang had read Lu Xuan’s detailed file. He knew he was a survivor of Qianlong City, so naturally, he could guess why Lu Xuan wanted to look through the Federation’s archives.
With that thought, he put down his chopsticks and said calmly,
"Xiaolu, if you’re willing, I can actually make so arrangents for you. You could take the June college entrance exams with Jiang Xue. If your cultivation ets the standard, you could even skip the cultivation entrance exam entirely. However..."
As Yan Huang was speaking, the four people at the next table exchanged glances, having overheard the conversation. The youngest boy couldn’t help but let out a sneer.
"What a load of bull," he muttered. The cultivation entrance exam was different from the standard academic one; it was a top priority for the Federation. And this guy was talking about skipping it...
’Who does this guy think he is?’
’A Federation Councillor?’
Even the most composed young man in their group frowned, though he said nothing, only shaking his head slightly.
「anwhile, in an alley outside the restaurant.」
"The target has been identified. Once the operation begins, take control of the restaurant imdiately. We must succeed in one strike!"
Seven or eight hooded figures silently closed in on the Dragon and Phoenix Tower. Their qi and blood roiled as they gathered their power!
"Rember, the target must be taken alive. All other casualties are acceptable!"
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