BXBX NOVEL Chapter 89 The Hidden Ancient Family
At the core area of the previously mentioned Sun Alchemy City, the man, clad in majestic and luxurious yellow cultivation robe, hovered in the space as he stared at the group below with an expressionless face. He was over six feet tall and had the facial features of someone in his forties; he was fair in complexion (White skin) and had short black hair with red crystal-like eyes. Although he didn't exude any spiritual energy, the man's demeanor alone signified his overwhelming power.
Standing below was Patrick, Raleigh, the girl, her ten yellow-armored escorts, and of course, the restrained guards struggling on the ground; the ten yellow-armored escorts knelt on the ground with frightening countenances as they bowed towards the hovering being, sweats dripping from their foreheads as it indicated their fears and respect towards this floating individual. The girl stood before Patrick's group as she stared at the hovering man with a calm and unbothered attitude; she wasn't the least affected by the tension of the current scene. Raleigh stood behind his master respectfully with hands behind him as he stared at the floating man uninterestedly, but before he could act, Patrick slightly raised two of his left fingers, signaling he tolerates the man to remain in the air.
"Daughter, do you care to explain your actions?"
The man's voice, filled with both dominance and dissatisfaction, reverberated as it caused the Qi in the surroundings to swirl distortedly. The man's yellow attire began fluttering due to the distorted swirling Qi; he stared at the girl, his daughter, as he awaited her response. The girl stared at her father and saw his disgruntled expression, but despite that, she remained calm and collected; instead, she stepped forward as she spoke.
"Father, I'm sorry if my actions made you worry, but I wanted to roam the Infinite treasures mountain since it only appears once every fifty thousand years."
Hearing his daughter's words, the man slowly lost his dissatisfied expression as he sighed with a helpless face; the next instant, the man disappeared from his hovering spot and was standing before the girl while maintaining his calm and helpless demeanor. He slowly opened his arms and uttered, a smile plastered on his face. "Come here, you little trouble maker," the father and daughter duo embraced with the man gently stroking the girl's long red hair. The next moment, the man locked eyes with Raleigh as he stopped their embracing, he asked.
"Daughter, are these two your friends?"
"..., Yes, father, but the silver-haired one is more like my savior. Since father knows about the array formation traps in the towers of the infinite treasures mountain, you must also know that even I wouldn't have escaped without suffering some serious injuries; but because of him, I, and many other cultivators, were able to survive."
The girl explained while looking at Patrick. Listening to his daughter explain the situation, the man reacted with a slightly raised eyebrow as he scrutinizingly stared at Patrick and Raleigh, his red crystal-like eyes squinting as he tried to perceive the cultivation bases of the two. But surprisingly, it only brought him more astonished reactions; he raised both eyebrows as he couldn't hide his facial expression anymore, but as if remembering something, he asked.
"But isn't the formation traps in the infinite treasures mountain at least level ten arrays? How was your friend here able to deactivate them? Or let me guess, he is an array master at level ten?"
"Yes, father, you guessed it right, he-"
"Daughter, why don't you introduce your friends first? We can discuss the rest later."
The man noticed the awkward situation of him and his daughter talking about a person next to them without any introductions; he interrupted his daughter as he requested an introduction. Patrick had watched and listened to the father and daughter duo communicate without including him and Raleigh, but when the man interrupted the awkward situation, he thought.
'So now they realized we are here, what a strange family. Grace, how powerful is this ancient family compared to the others?'
"Master, this is the ancient Jun family. Their known wealth and power place them ninth among the nine ancient families, but if they were ambitious, they would have been the fifth ancient family powerhouse."
'Since they reside at such a rural area of the central domain, I presume they rarely interfere in worldly affairs.'
"Yes, master, but it is primarily because of their un-ambitiousness."
'Hmm. An ancient family who gave up power and wealth; hid in a backcountry location of the central domain and is un-ambitious. How interesting; I want to see what exactly is the reason for their lack of greed.'
Patrick telepathically chatted with Grace as he became intrigued with this ancient Jun family.
"Well, father, I don't know their names, but everyone calls him the silver-haired array master."
The girl spoke awkwardly; she couldn't admit to her father that she fancied Patrick and that it was the primary reason she helped them, therefore not knowing their real names. The man noticed the scene getting more awkward and the strange actions of his daughter; he smiled as he spoke.
"Standing here eliminates the feeling of being welcomed; come in, let's have a drink first."
The man spoke with a welcoming smile; he then slightly stamped his right foot as the next instant, a portal, larger than the one the girl previously made, appeared before the group. Seeing the portal, the girl walked in first while trying to hide her awkwardness; Patrick steadily walked into the portal with hands still tucked in his coat pockets. But instead of directly following Patrick, Raleigh stopped by the portal entrance as he stood beside the man; he looked at the restrained guards on the ground as he spoke.
"Release soul restraint."
[Skill: Soul Restraint; Can restrain or seal the existence of anything that has a soul]
The next instant, the unknown and unbearable pressure that restrained the guards instantly vanished; Raleigh then walked into the portal as his silhouette vanished after. Seeing this scene, the girl's father expressed a raised eyebrow; he looked at the previously restrained guards as he commanded.
"Return to your duties. Jun Hui, I understand today's events have brought you great humiliation; I would advise you not to exaggerate this matter. It's already tiresome to know that the other ancient families might have got news about my daughter's participation in the infinite treasures mountain. And lastly, you won't win if you persist in gaining back your dignity."
The man spoke his final words as his silhouette faded into the large blue portal, the portal disappearing after.
The person being spoken to was the six-foot-tall man with short blonde hair. The blonde-haired man stood with a serious and dissatisfied expression as he glared at the spot the portal was; he had his fists and jaws clenched as it indicated his displeasure towards the two arrived guests. He switched his attention to one of the ten escorts who previously accompanied the girl; he stretched his left arm as the escort guard was lifted from the ground and drawn closer to the blonde-haired man.
"Who are those two?!"
"....., I..., I don't know, young master, ark (Struggling), we only know one as the silver-haired array master, as for the red-haired one, we know nothing. Young master, plea-ark, please, young master, that's all I know."
The guard struggled to speak due to him being suspended in the air on the throat.
Hearing the guard's words, the blonde-haired man grinned even more as he threw the guard on the ground; he corner-eyed the other nearby guards as he uttered with a disgruntled expression, vanishing after.
"If rumors of today's events get out, I know who to blame."
Swish!
Within the sun alchemy city, Patrick, the girl, and the girl's father sat in a small hut (Chinese Hut) in a courtyard surrounded by numerous yellowy grass, plants, and different color flowers. Within the courtyard was a large tree with the leaves falling off, indicating it was autumn; the swirling wind caused the falling autumn leaves to swindle around the courtyard. A woman's voice echoed in the surroundings as if explaining something.
"..., After they came out, I helped them escape from the crumbling infinite treasures mountain, so now we are here."
"Hmm! That's strange; I have encountered the infinite treasures mountain many times, and never have I witnessed anyone reaching the hundredth floor. The highest anyone has ever been at was the twentieth floor, which was at a great cost; if your friend here truly reached the hundredth floor, I can connect that with the mountain crumbling.
I am Jun Moxie; what may I call you, fellow friend?"
"Patrick."
The girl explained the previous events from the mountain to her father as he evaluated everything. Both parties were drinking as they chatted. Patrick held the tiny wine cup as he answered the man's question, drinking after. He could see the doubtful expression on Jun Moxie's face, which indicated his confusion.
'Well, I am not surprised by his reaction. When I had my omniscience activated, I acquired the knowledge of everything in existence, fiction or not. And I know that the existence of the cultivation multiverse was based on the historical legacy from a country in earth 101; since that country is the root concept of the cultivation multiverse, then all its traditions, names, and ancientness are also based on that country. And since they introduce their last names before their first, Jun Moxie probably thinks Patrick is a family last name; huh, how comical.' (This is funny. LOL)
Patrick thought as he stared at Jun Moxie; he had a slight smile on his face.
'Patrick?! I don't know any powerhouse with such names. Is he perhaps from a different continent? That wouldn't be wrong either; he was able to reach the one-hundredth floor of the infinite treasures mountain; it would require someone with extreme luck and with vast knowledge of array formations to accomplish such a feat. With such abilities, it isn't an overestimation making him on par with the Dao children, wait-'
"Patrick,..., what a unique name. Is young friend perhaps from a different continent?"
"You can say that."
"..., Very well. Daughter, why don't you head back first? I would like to chat with our young guest here."
The girl's father, Jun Moxie, stared at his daughter as he spoke with a smiley expression. Noticing her father's change in mood, the girl nodded; she got up from her seat as she turned to Patrick; she slightly bowed her head as if introducing herself.
"I am Jun Mulan; I didn't get to thank you earlier but thank you for the warning. Well then, we shall talk more later."
The next second, a blue rotating portal appeared from behind the girl as it enveloped her body, disappearing after. Patrick nodded upon the girl's exit while expressing a warm smile.
TAP! VOOM!
The instant the girl left the courtyard, the girl's father, Jun Moxie, tapped a finger on the table; the next second, a loud vibrating sound echoed as the entire scenery of the current scene changed; the previously lively and magnificent courtyard was no more. The hut, which was in the courtyard, was now situated in the middle of nowhere.
Patrick watched the scenery change as they appeared in the middle of nowhere; he sensed the surroundings and noticed a widespread barren land, no trees, mountains, or anything, just pure barren land. He calmly sipped the wine from the tiny wine cup as he stared at Jun Moxie.
"Before you say anything, I want to ask you first. ARE YOU A SPY FROM THE OTHER ANCIENT FAMILIES?!"
Jun Moxie spoke with a serious countenance as he stared at Patrick; he looked completely different from the previous welcoming and passionate father. He rested one arm on the table as he glared at Patrick murderously as if he would kill Patrick if his assumption were correct.
But despite Jun Moxie murderously staring at him, Patrick didn't bother with it; he remained unreactive and calm as he stared directly into Jun Moxie's eyes; he slowly leaned as he rested his arm on the table. he domineeringly uttered.
"If I were, you wouldn't be alive."