These subtle movements of the two Blood Warriors were naturally noticed by Yang Kai.
Slowing his pace slightly, it wasn’t long before the two caught up. Yang Kai turned to them and asked indifferently, “Are you confused?”
Both Tu Feng and Tang Yu Xian nodded dully.
“What’s so weird about it?” Yang Kai smiled plainly, no traces of regret apparent in his expression.
“Little Lord, why did you just leave Young Lady Qiu hanging like that? The Qiu Family’s forces are not weak, if you could ally with them, they would certainly provide a big boost in manpower and materials for this Inheritance War!” Tu Feng didn’t beat around the bush, asking directly.
Both he and Tang Yu Xian had decided that as long as the family allowed Blood Warriors to participate in this time’s Inheritance War, they would follow Yang Kai, so naturally they wouldn’t act indifferently towards Yang Kai’s actions like they had before.
However, Yang Kai simply shook his head slowly and faintly said, “Qiu Yi Meng has scruples in her heart so she won’t dare take a stand right now. Thus, even if I were to try to win her over, the result will be the same.”
“Really?” Tu Feng was shocked and blankly stared, “From what I have seen over her interactions with the Little Lord, she seems very interested in you. I would even say she favours you quite heavily. Whenever we spoke, she would be full of praise towards the Little Lord’s abilities.”
“That’s right.” Tang Yu Xian also nodded slightly.
“Her, like me?” Yang Kai stared at Tu Feng in shock before laughing loudly, “Tu Feng, ah Tu Feng, if you really think so, then you’re too naive!”
Tu Feng wasn’t a young man, so hearing Yang Kai say this to him, his face couldn’t help dying a slight shade of red.
“Perhaps my performance is impressive in her eyes, even much stronger than others of our generation,” Yang Kai raised his brow, showing a self-confident style, “Because of this, she will feel that I am different from the other Young Lords she’s interacted with, but that doesn’t mean she likes me.”
Tu Feng and Tang Yu Xian both frowned, still somewhat unconvinced by Yang Kai’s argument.
Yang Kai smiled slightly, “Who is Qiu Yi Meng? The First Young Lady of the Qiu Family, the most dazzling star of the Qiu Family’s younger generation! Let me ask you a question: for such a woman, can she really decide her own future?”
Hearing these words, Tu Feng and Tang Yu Xian couldn’t help but frown.
Qiu Yi Meng, her pursuers were countless, the most desired young woman of the Central Capital.
But even with so many young talents seeking her favour, Qiu Yi Meng was still single; there weren’t even rumors of her having a liking for any of the Central Capital’s Young Lords.
The reason for this was because the Qiu Family’s Patriarch Qiu Shou Cheng had declared that anyone who wanted to marry Qiu Yi Meng had to enter the Qiu Family!
This simple sentence might sound pleasant to the ear, almost as if Qiu Shou Cheng dearly loved his daughter and didn’t want her to leave the Qiu Family.
But in reality, it was actually that Qiu Shou Cheng didn’t want to let go of such a good opportunity to enhance the Qiu Family!
In a nutshell, Qiu Yi Meng’s destiny wasn’t something she had any control over. In the future, she would become nothing more than a game piece which would draw in benefits for the Qiu Family via a political marriage.
Such ideological education which held the family’s interested above all else had been impressed on her since childhood.
Who would become her partner, when she would be married, all of these decisions were to be made by the Qiu Family’s leadership, and she simply didn’t have any say in the matter.
How could a woman who had received such indoctrination easily decide to stand by Yang Kai’s side for this Inheritance War? If she were to make a rash decision now, the Qiu Family would definitely not recognize it!
“You don’t believe it?” Yang Kai looked at the two Blood Warriors carefreely.
Tu Feng and Tang Yu Xian didn’t answer.
“Her not entering the Central Capital’s gates with us is the best evidence!” Yang Kai smiled lightly, “If she had really decided to side with me, she wouldn’t care what other people would think.”
“So don’t bother saying she favours me, because to her I am at most a Yang Family direct descendant who may become her ally! However…” Yang Kai’s expression suddenly became serious, “If someone better than me were to appear, the Qiu Family will definitely become my enemy in the future!”
Both Blood Warriors look stunned. Although they felt that Yang Kai’s views and thoughts were a bit too extreme, they had no choice but to admit that the various great families didn’t place too much importance on the desires of their Young Lords and Young Ladies.
Accepting the influence of their family from an early age, they would always consider the interests of the family above their own interests. As for things like love, that was a secondary concern!
“Subordinate will remember the Little Lord’s words.” Tu Feng nodded slightly.
Because of Tu Feng’s position, he didn’t need more than a general understanding of politics. Although the Blood Warriors were powerful elites, they didn’t understand the thoughts of these Young Lords and Young Ladies.
Yang Kai nodded casually before turning around, no longer discussing this topic.
After an hour, the three finally arrived at the Central Capital.
Because of the sheer size of the Central Capital, there were countless gates one could enter from.
The three of them had arrived at one of the city’s south gates!
There was no bustling of ordinary people, nor cultivators streaming back and forth. Instead, the south gate was just like the open mouth of a giant beast, only a few powerful cultivators stood by this gate, their vision casually glancing around.
This South Gate couldn’t be entered by average people.
This gate was the dedicated entrance to the Central Capital’s Yang Family home.
Each of the Eight Great Families had their own dedicated gate.
Once one entered this gate, they would follow a dedicated path all the way to Yang Family’s compound.
Except for members of the Eight Great Families, no one could pass through these gates and passages. Any trespassers would be killed without questions!
There were a few patrols in front of the south gate, but no cultivators unrelated to the Eight Great Families ever showed up here, so naturally the atmosphere was quite leisurely.
When the trio came to the city gate, the cultivators on guard all directed awe-inspired gazes towards them.
After seeing the jade talisman on the two Blood Warriors’ waists, they immediately collected themselves and cupped their fists respectfully.
Tu Feng and Tang Yu Xian remained indifferent to this performance, not even blinking, instead just following behind Yang Kai as he strode into the Central Capital!
After the three had entered the gate, the guards finally let out a sigh of relief, all of them still slightly overawed.
“Which Young Lord is back? He looks pretty young, probably only seventeen or eighteen years old.”
“A Young Lord who is only seventeen or eighteen years old… Could it be the youngest one?”
“Wasn’t the Youngest Lord rumored to be unable to cultivate? If so then isn’t he basically no stronger than an ordinary person? How come he seems so aloof and confident? Strange…”
“Normal or not, it’s none of our concern, all we need to do is guard this gate.”
“Right, don’t say such things carelessly; it won’t end well for you if one of the family’s powerful masters overhears you. However, isn’t he the first of the Young Lords to return to the family?”
“En, no one else has returned yet.”
Less than an incense stick worth of time after Yang Kai and the two Blood Warriors had entered the city gate, a large group of people appeared before them, seemingly having been waiting for their arrival.
The number of people in this group was quite big, at least a dozen or so, and the one leading them seemed to be a stout fat man. He was less than six feet tall and his big belly would jiggle slightly every time he walked back and forth in front of the crowd. It seemed like after having paced here for a long time, some sweat had started flowing down his face as he was wiping his forehead and neck from time to time with a handkerchief.
Suddenly noticing Yang Kai’s group of three, the fat man was temporarily stunned before suddenly showing an overjoyed expression, quickly stowing his handkerchief in his sleeve and signalling to the crowd behind him, all of them swiftly assuming a welcoming posture.
Yang Kai and the two Blood Warriors stopped five steps in front of this crowd and glanced towards the fat man. Staring at this person though, Yang Kai couldn’t help but frown.
This fat man was clearly not a Yang Family member but instead came from one of the Yang Family’s attached forces. His cultivation wasn’t high, but since he was here, it must be because of the family’s arrangements; what Yang Kai didn’t understand was why.
“The two respected warriors have worked hard this time!” The fat man first respectfully bowed to Tu Feng and Tang Yu Xian before his pair of small eyes tightened, almost narrowing to the point of closing as he smiled and looked at Yang Kai, “Two warriors, may this one ask, which Young Lord might be under your charge?”
Tu Feng’s expression remained calm as he replied, “Fourth Master’s son, the Little Lord!”
The Yang Family’s Young Lords rarely showed themselves in the around the family home, so it wasn’t surprising that this fat man didn’t recognize Yang Kai, so Tu Feng naturally didn’t care about this question.
The fat man’s face showed a slight look of surprises, apparently not having through that the first Young Lord to return to the family would be the Little Lord, but he immediately collected himself and, together with the people behind him, quickly cupped his fists and bowed politely, “The third-class steward Yin Tian You, in accordance with the command of the family, welcomes the Little Lord back to the capital. Many thanks to the Little Lord for his hard work these past few years!”
A third-class steward’s status in the Yang Family was neither high nor low, but given that this Yin Tian You’s strength wasn’t great, he was probably didn’t have any cultivation talent.
The Yang Family was a colossus that required many people who were proficient in various fields to help with management. For these individuals, their strength wasn’t all that important, what was important was their abilities in the areas they were charged with.
Just as Yang Kai was wondering what Yin Tian You was here for, it turns out the family had actually arranged for him to welcome the various Young Lords who were returning home.
Yang Kai’s brow loosened as he smiled lightly towards Yin Tian You and nodded, “Steward Yin has worked hard, have you been waiting here many days?”
Yang Kai’s amiable response was slightly unexpected for Yin Tian You, his small pair of eyes flashing a radiant light as he smiled even more humbly, “It is this Yin’s privilege to serve as the welcome party for the Young Lords’ return, waiting a few trivial days’ worths of time is no issue at all.”
Yang Kai nodded slightly and asked, “What arrangements does the family have for us?”
The Yang Family was different from an average family. The tempering they gave to their juniors was quite cold so it was unusual for the Elders within the family to display any goodwill or politeness to them.
In the past, when the Yang Family direct descendants returned from their outside life experiences, they would all simply returned to their respective residences, no one would be sent to receive them.
But this time there was a third-class steward waiting here; obviously the family had made some other arrangements for them.
Yin Tian You listened to Yang Kai, and he couldn’t help but nod appreciatively, “The Little Lord’s wit is sharp, this servant admires.”
Tu Feng interjected here coldly, “There’s no need for flattery, just answer the Little Lord’s question.”
“Yes.” Yin Tian You still maintained his welcoming smile, no trace of distress or dissatisfaction apparent on his face, “The situation is this, and the family has commanded that upon their return, the Young Lords should not first return to their respective residences but instead report to the Dragon Transformation Pond.”
“The Dragon Transformation Pond!” Tu Feng exclaimed.
Yang Kai also showed a look of shock while Tang Yu Xian’s beautiful eyes flashed a brilliant light.
None of them had expected the family to prepare such an extravagant gift for the returning Young Lords.
Silavin: For those wondering about OM, the translation is continuing but at a very slow pace. I’m doing a lot and do not really have time to translate. MP will not be affected but OM certainly will (expecially after September – December since I am going on course). If you are interested to translate, do pick OM up.
If you are just interested but do not understand Chinese, I can check the chapters for you and give you feedback afterwards.