The car drove straight back towards Chuan City along the winding mountain path, Xiao Yunlong sitting in the back seat without a word.
Lu Zhenghan's heart was still pounding, likely still shaken by the scene they had just witnessed, his emotions far from settled.
Jun Bufan, driving, glanced at him and smiled faintly. He suddenly recalled his own deep shock the first time he saw his elder brother's capabilities in Su City, but he had grown accustomed to it after following his brother for so long.
Xiao Yunlong suddenly spoke, asking, "By the way, Uncle Lu, is the estate of my Xiao family still there?"
Lu Zhenghan snapped back to attention and replied with a bitter smile, "It's long gone. After that incident, it was burned down by a great fire. To further insult us, the Zhao family specifically built a crematorium on that spot."
Xiao Yunlong's eyes narrowed again, a fierce killing intent flashing within them.
The Zhao family was truly wicked!
Originally, Xiao Yunlong had thought that even if most of his Xiao family members were gone, and even if the Xiao family estate had been burned down, the ruins should still be there. Even if only broken walls remained, he could still visit to pay his respects.
But now…
As the car turned onto the main road, Jun Bufan asked, "Big Brother, where are we going next? Should we go to Uncle Lu's place first, or to a hotel?"
"No… directly to the Zhao family!" Xiao Yunlong said coldly.
"Alright!" Jun Bufan turned the steering wheel without hesitation, heading directly east.
After entering Chuan City, Tang Bowen had informed them of the locations of the Zhao and Ouyang families, as they knew their master would eventually deal with these two major clans.
However, Jun Bufan hadn't expected his elder brother to act so soon, intending to do so tonight.
Lu Zhenghan couldn't help but be startled and asked, "Yunlong, going to the Zhao family now, isn't that a bit too impulsive and risky?"
Xiao Yunlong didn't respond, not in the mood to explain.
Seeing this, Jun Bufan chuckled, "Uncle Lu, it's just a prominent family. For Big Brother, it's as easy as destroying one. The Zhao family has gone too far; they truly deserve to die!"
Lu Zhenghan was speechless. He glanced at Xiao Yunlong in the back seat, his heart filled with a complex mix of emotions, but mostly shock.
In fact, he was very curious about what kind of experiences his nephew had gone through in these short seven or eight years to undergo such a profound transformation.
Lu Zhenghan moved his lips, intending to ask, but swallowed his words. He suddenly realized that the imposing aura emanating from Xiao Yunlong made him feel an inexplicable sense of pressure.
Xiao Yunlong suddenly spoke, "Uncle Lu, register a company tomorrow."
"Register a company? Why?" Lu Zhenghan frowned and asked.
"As I said, I am going to bestow upon you immense wealth!" Xiao Yunlong said faintly, then closed his eyes, seemingly unwilling to discuss it further.
Lu Zhenghan remained stunned. If he hadn't taken Xiao Yunlong's words seriously at home earlier, simply thinking he was trying to comfort him, then now, Lu Zhenghan completely believed that the other party was not boasting!
"It seems the Xiao family has indeed produced a Qilin Son!" Lu Zhenghan sighed inwardly.
He suddenly recalled a scruffy, wandering Taoist priest who had passed by the Xiao family twenty years ago, and Old Master Xiao, being kind-hearted, had hosted him.
At that time, many children were playing in the courtyard. The scruffy old Taoist, while eating, pointed at Xiao Yunlong and exclaimed, "This child is extraordinary, a Qilin Son of the world. He will be remarkable in the future, either a human king or a human demon, but..."
But the old Taoist remained silent about the rest.
Lu Zhenghan later learned from Old Master Xiao that the old Taoist had said that Xiao Yunlong's fate was too good, but also too harsh. In the future, his family members, and even those close to him, would be adversely affected by him, unless they were the most gentle people in the world, they would be unaffected.
At the time, everyone thought it was the ramblings of a drunk old Taoist and didn't take it to heart. But now it seemed…
That scruffy-looking old Taoist was truly an extraordinary master!
In fact, even Xiao Yunlong didn't know that the scruffy old Taoist from back then was actually the old man who had saved him during his later peril.
However, when the old Taoist visited, Xiao Yunlong was only a few years old and couldn't possibly remember.
In this regard, it was likely that this scruffy old Taoist had already taken a liking to Xiao Yunlong and intended to pass on his legacy. After all, many things in this world were not mere coincidences; they were often premeditated.
"Big Brother, should we call Wushuang and Brother Tu Fu over?" Jun Bufan asked.
"Yes!" Xiao Yunlong nodded.
Then, under Jun Bufan's arrangements, Lu Zhenghan got into another car and was sent back by Tang Bowen, while Jun Bufan and Pan Chaofeng followed Xiao Yunlong to the Zhao family first.
The heavy rain continued to pour, with occasional lightning and thunder, making this night far from peaceful.
At this moment, the Zhao family had already learned of the events that had transpired at the foot of Qingcheng Mountain, as the two vice-alliance leaders who had been severely injured and survived had called back to the Chuan City Martial Alliance.
"What did you say? My second brother is dead?" Patriarch Zhao Dongming's eyes widened in disbelief as he heard the butler's report, roaring, "Did you mishear?"
"Yes, Patriarch. The news came from the Martial Alliance. This old servant did not mishear!" The butler stood in the hall.
Several direct descendants of the Zhao family, including Old Master Zhao, a total of seven or eight people, were all in the hall.
After all, Zhao Dongwei had led the operation, and it was not a small matter. They were all waiting, confident that they would be able to eliminate that Xiao family brat.
However, they never expected to receive such news…
"Where are the two vice-alliance leaders of the Martial Alliance? What's their situation?" Old Master Zhao, having weathered many storms, remained relatively calm despite his inner fear.
The old butler felt immense pressure and said, "The two vice-alliance leaders were severely injured. Second Master and everyone he brought with him were all killed. Only those two vice-alliance leaders are still alive. It is said…"
The old butler hesitated to speak further.
"It is said what? Hurry up and say it!" Zhao Dongming roared.
"It is said… Second Master's head was directly severed and placed before the graves of the Xiao family members!"
"Outrageous!" Zhao Dongming was completely enraged, slamming the table and shattering it.
"Xiao Yunlong, you scoundrel, how dare you, how dare you!"
Zhao Dongming roared repeatedly, and the other direct descendants of the Zhao family were also filled with burning rage.
Old Master Zhao demanded, "What is the situation with the Martial Alliance now?"
The old butler stammered, "This old servant does not know the specific situation. I only heard that the Alliance Leader and the two enshrined masters have also been alerted, and they are preparing to hold a meeting overnight!"
"Alright, you may withdraw," Old Master Zhao waved his hand weakly, looking as if he had aged considerably overnight due to his second son's death.
The old butler dared not linger and quickly turned to leave.
"Big Brother, that Xiao bastard is simply too arrogant. He actually cut off Dongwei's head as a sacrifice. This is a provocation to our Zhao family. We cannot tolerate this; we must kill this scoundrel!" shouted a burly old man with graying beard and hair. This person was Zhao Zhengyi, the Second Grandfather of the Zhao family!
Old Master Zhao did not respond immediately. He scanned the people in the hall before sighing, "It's all my carelessness. Earlier, when Sicheng was crippled by that Xiao family brat, I still didn't take it seriously, thinking this Xiao family whelp couldn't stir up much trouble. It wasn't until Dongwei's death that I realized he wasn't that simple!"
"To dare to return for revenge so openly, he must indeed have some skills. Everyone, I fear our Zhao family is in big trouble now."
Zhao Zhengyi retorted stubbornly, "Big Brother, what do you mean by that? Are we just going to back down? Are we afraid of that scoundrel?"
Old Master Zhao still did not respond. He tapped his dragon-headed cane heavily and said, "Immediately issue a family summons, order all guards and experts to return. Also, Dongming, you must go to the Martial Alliance immediately. This time, no matter the cost, you must invite the Alliance Leader and those two enshrined masters to act!"
"Yes!" Zhao Dongming, perhaps realizing the seriousness of the matter, immediately stood up and left for the night.
"Zhengyi, you personally lead a team to retrieve Dongwei's body!" Old Master Zhao said weakly.
"Big Brother, you don't need to worry too much. We have the Martial Alliance supporting us. The Alliance Leader is a great master, not to mention the two enshrined masters. Will we still fear that abandoned dog of the Xiao family?" Zhao Zhengyi gritted his teeth and snorted.
"Alright, hurry up and go!" Old Master Zhao waved his hand.
Zhao Zhengyi then stood up and walked out.
However, as Zhao Zhengyi reached the courtyard, a thunderous roar suddenly came from outside, and the main gate of the Zhao family was kicked down in an instant.
"Second Grandfather Zhao, it's so late, where are you planning to go?"
Along with a faint, playful voice, Xiao Yunlong strode in.
Zhuge Wushuang, Tu Fu, and Jun Bufan, his capable subordinates, followed closely behind.