C9 He Was Asking for Trouble

Luo Feng exited the building as though nothing out of the ordinary had occurred and made his way back to the third floor of the shopping mall.

In the span of those ten minutes, Gu Xuenian had wrapped up her shopping spree. Returning to the counter, she was flanked by several shopping assistants, each laden with bags of all sizes. None complained of weariness; instead, they buzzed with excitement.

After all, their cut of the profits was likely equivalent to several months' wages—who would turn their back on such earnings?

The clothes Luo Feng had purchased were being delivered directly by the store, so once all was settled, he and Gu Xuenian drove home together.

Meanwhile, at the Gu's villa, the Gu family's father and son duo were engrossed in a game of chess. Their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets at the sight of the shopping assistants bustling in and out.

Gu Qingyun inhaled deeply, setting a white chess piece down with a thud, his spirits deflated. "Why has this girl never been so generous with me? In all these years, she got me a tie just last year. Father, is this girl really my own flesh and blood?"

Old Mr. Gu chuckled, stealing a sidelong glance at his son, who was clearly green with envy. He huffed, "You're not alone; even I haven't been treated this well."

"There's a saying that once a daughter grows up, she no longer listens to her parents, and as her father, I feel like I've become irrelevant. I don't know why, but I feel like Luo Feng has somehow taken my heart and soul away from me." Gu Qingyun sighed repeatedly.

"Grandpa, Dad," chimed in Gu Xuenian at that moment, walking over hand in hand with Luo Feng, her face beaming.

"Xuenian, in these sensitive times, is it proper for you to be so publicly affectionate with Luo Feng? Aren't the tongues in Kluginia wagging enough for you?" Gu Qingyun chided, clearly displeased.

Gu Xuenian glanced back at Luo Feng, undeterred, and retorted with a hint of defiance, "Dad, what century are we in? I'm not living my life for other people. Let them talk."

"You stubborn child, are you trying to give me a heart attack? Father, won't you speak to your granddaughter? I think you've indulged her far too much," Gu Qingyun appealed to Old Mr. Gu, the family's most authoritative figure, with a look of desperation.

Old Mr. Gu licked his lips thoughtfully before choosing his words carefully. "My dear, your father isn't wrong. I understand you and your junior brother share a strong bond, but you're both adults now. There are certain behaviors you should avoid."

Luo Feng quickly withdrew his hand from Gu Xuenian's grasp, sharing the sentiment. At eighteen and standing a solid six feet tall, he couldn't help but feel like a leashed dog when led around by Xuenian. It was a helpless situation for him.

Yet, Xuenian was adamant about holding hands, claiming it was a tradition since their childhood. She insisted it had to continue; otherwise, it would mean their affection had waned.

"Grandfather, why do you pay attention to idle chatter? I don't like you anymore," Xuenian retorted, visibly upset as Luo Feng awkwardly released her hand. She reached for Old Mr. Gu's beard in a playful fit of pique.

Old Mr. Gu wasn't upset; he chuckled heartily and gently patted Xuenian's hand. "My girl, don't make a scene. You're making me look bad," he said with a wry smile.

Turning his attention to Luo Feng, Old Mr. Gu continued, "Luo Feng, I haven't had the chance for a heart-to-heart with you. How are you finding life down from the mountains?"

Luo Feng nodded. "Though the air isn't as fresh as in the mountains, having meat every day and a soft bed to sleep in is quite nice. I've settled in well, thanks to your hospitality, Old Master Gu."

"That's good to hear," Old Mr. Gu said, gesturing for Luo Feng to sit and chat. "Tell me, do you play Go? How about joining me for a game?"

Luo Feng, unreserved, had frequently played chess with his master up in the mountains. His skill was first-rate; even his master rarely came out ahead.

Whenever Luo Feng was about to capture a piece, his master would concoct some excuse—complaining of a stomachache, blurred vision, or simply claiming a mistake. If all else failed, he'd deftly change the subject, sending Luo Feng off to practice martial arts.

Every time Luo Feng played a game, he never managed to beat his master. But this time, facing Old Mr. Gu, Luo Feng played with such gusto that he quickly cornered the old man, leaving Old Mr. Gu scratching his head and stamping his feet in frustration.

"Luo Feng, you've got some serious chess skills. I bet your master has had his fair share of losses to you, huh?" Old Mr. Gu sighed, conceding defeat as he put his chess piece away.

"I guess I'm decent at chess," Luo Feng thought to himself, fighting back the urge to cry.

"Speaking of which, your master's abilities are legendary, and his seven superior martial arts are unmatched, save for that one from Dragon Tiger Mountain. After all these years with him, which of the seven did you master?" Old Mr. Gu inquired.

Luo Feng felt awkward. "Actually, I've learned them all."

"All of them?" Old Mr. Gu's face showed a flicker of surprise.

"Yeah, but Old Master Gu, don't laugh—I learned them all because I couldn't match up to my seven senior sisters. My master saw that I was a hopeless case and that I was also causing trouble, so he sent me packing down the mountain."

"That doesn't sound like the Old Madman at all," Old Mr. Gu said, confused.

You see, Luo Feng's seven Senior Sisters were only allowed to leave the mountain after achieving Small Completion in the seven superior martial arts. His Eldest Senior Sister had even become the top figure in the Ecraria Military Department, and the Second Senior Sister was a divine healer sought after by many prestigious families in Pheapolis. The other sisters were just as accomplished.

So why did things turn out differently for Luo Feng?

"Old Master Gu, I apologize for any embarrassment," Luo Feng said, breaking the silence. "I think I'm a bit tired today, so I'll be taking my leave."

With that, Luo Feng rose and departed, his spirit once again bruised.

"Grandpa, why bring up the one thing that bothers Feng the most?" Gu Xuenian chided, clearly upset.

"Sweetheart, your grandfather's judgment is never off, and the Old Madman's is even more reliable. He wouldn't just take on a disciple on a whim. Is Luo Feng truly that inadequate?"

Gu Xuenian reflected, "When Feng was younger, his progress was indeed slower than ours. I'm not sure what his current level is, but there's one area where Feng actually surpasses all of us. Yet, due to some unpleasantness back then, our Master stopped him from pursuing the field he excelled in."

"The field he excels in is…"

...

Luo Feng didn't head back to his room. After slipping out of Old Mr. Gu's view, he made his way to the back mountain near the Gu family's villa.

There, he saw a man in a black robe who had been waiting for some time. Upon Luo Feng's arrival, the man bowed with a smile, "Young Master."

"I'm seeing you in person for the first time. What's with the cloak get-up?" Luo Feng couldn't resist commenting.

"Some reasons require me to keep my face hidden," the man in the black robe replied truthfully.

"Suit yourself. Anyway, where's the young master of the Lee family?" Luo Feng scanned the surroundings.

The man in the black robe stepped aside, revealing Lee Haoran bound tightly behind him, emitting a foul smell from his crotch area. Clearly, the harrowing ordeal he'd been through had left him trembling at the sight of Luo Feng as if he were the harbinger of doom.

Luo Feng flashed his signature grin, yanking the dirty rag from Lee Haoran's mouth, "How's it going, Young Master Lee? You sent assassins after me, didn't you? Bet you didn't see this twist coming, huh?"

"Luo... Luo Feng, you wouldn't dare mess with me. If anything happens, my grandfather won't spare you."

"Always the same lines with you, always about your grandfather. I tell you to read more books and you don't listen. I actually feel bad for you, being so uneducated," Luo Feng said as he straightened Lee Haoran's hair.

"What... what do you want to do? Just let me go, okay? I admit I was wrong, I won't dare do it again."

"Take a guess?" Luo Feng propped his chin in his hand, flashing his pearly white teeth.