Chapter Sixty-Nine: Xu Xiaozhan

Gazing at the two figures standing at the very end of the testing point, Xu Yangfeng reached up to touch the finely crafted human-skin mask pressed against his face. His eyes flickered, and he withdrew all traces of his presence, strolling over with an air of indifference.

Because he had cultivated a special technique for concealing his strength, Xu Yangfeng was confident that even those whose cultivation surpassed his by a major realm would find it difficult to discern that he was at the sixth tier of Martial Master. Thus, he felt certain he could "invite away" the two people at the end of the line without arousing anyone’s suspicion.

As for why he would do such a thing, naturally there was a reason. Otherwise, he would never be so foolish as to abduct people in the plaza where Cloudstream Sect was recruiting disciples. If the sect discovered his actions, it wouldn’t simply be a matter of facing consequences—he’d likely have no chance at all to explain or flee, and would be dealt with swiftly and mercilessly.

Truth be told, Xu Yangfeng felt rather helpless about it all. His precious son, Xu Xiaozhan, possessed an unparalleled talent, unmatched in the family’s history. At seventeen, he was already a Martial Apprentice at the peak of perfection—a level that far surpassed Xu Yangfeng himself at that age. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that Xu Xiaozhan’s future achievements in martial cultivation would certainly eclipse his father’s.

Yet Xu Xiaozhan had no interest in cultivation. He spent his days idling with a band of disreputable friends, his eyes fixed on wealth, his mind set solely on business ventures. If Xu Yangfeng didn’t step in from time to time to urge him along, Xu Xiaozhan would likely never have cultivated at all.

To have such a uniquely gifted child in the family who refused to cultivate—what a tremendous loss! Especially since that child was his own son. The more exceptional a person, the more they favored their own whims. Xu Yangfeng found himself powerless against Xu Xiaozhan’s temperament.

At the slightest disagreement, Xu Xiaozhan would abandon his cultivation. Though it infuriated Xu Yangfeng, he dared not take any harsh measures against his son. Even his usual encouragements were delivered in gentle tones.

After all, Xu Xiaozhan had made it clear early on: he disliked cultivation, preferring commerce. If pressed too hard, he might grow to resent it, which would do more harm than good.

If force wouldn’t work, then accommodation was the only way forward. In Cloudstream City, the Xu family’s influence was not top-tier, but still considerable.

Whatever Xu Xiaozhan wanted, Xu Yangfeng would procure it. Whatever he wished to eat, Xu Yangfeng would supply it. Whatever he wanted to play with, Xu Yangfeng would make it happen.

In Xu Yangfeng’s mind, by providing every comfort and amusement, he was making it impossible for Xu Xiaozhan to refuse cultivation out of embarrassment.

In truth, this accommodating approach worked rather well. Xu Xiaozhan continued to study business, but his cultivation advanced rapidly. Over the past year, his progress had been particularly swift. Although he hadn’t broken through to Martial Master before his sixteenth birthday, reaching Martial Apprentice at perfection at seventeen set a new family record for that age.

Yet as his cultivation grew, so did his stubbornness. At first, Xu Yangfeng could still urge him to train, but soon Xu Xiaozhan acted entirely on his own whims, listening to no one. He cultivated only when he felt like it—and most of the time, he was off with his friends, scheming about how to make more money.

This time, as Cloudstream Sect recruited new disciples, Xu Xiaozhan fully demonstrated his lack of interest in martial arts. While others discussed how to gain entrance to the sect, Xu Xiaozhan and his friends plotted ways to profit from the influx of outsiders during the recruitment period.

If Xu Yangfeng hadn’t finally lost patience and dragged his exhausted, sleeping son up for a fierce scolding, Xu Xiaozhan would never have attended the disciple selection test.

Initially, Xu Xiaozhan agreed to participate. Seeing him queue up at the testing point, Xu Yangfeng thought all would be well.

Once Xu Xiaozhan joined Cloudstream Sect, surrounded by nothing but cultivators striving to improve themselves, surely he would be influenced, and devote more attention to cultivation. With his talent, a decade or two would see him reach the Martial King realm, and then the Xu family would truly rise in Cloudstream City.

But Xu Yangfeng never imagined that Xu Xiaozhan would return less than half a tea’s time after lining up at the testing point. His reason? Someone had cut in line, souring his mood, and so he refused to participate in the test. What an absurd excuse!

After an intense round of “negotiation,” Xu Xiaozhan tossed out a final ultimatum: unless the two queue-jumpers vanished, he would not return to the selection test.

Such words were pure nonsense. This was the Cloudstream Sect’s recruitment plaza; to act against those taking the disciple test was to undermine the sect’s very foundation. Were the sect to notice, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Yet, while Xu Xiaozhan’s demand was unreasonable, Xu Yangfeng gave it serious thought—and ultimately, he yielded. Now, he was here to make the two queue-jumpers disappear.

Ultimately, Xu Yangfeng understood why his son spoke so irrationally. He had even observed that it wasn’t others cutting in line, but Xu Xiaozhan deliberately allowing them to do so.

As for how things had come to this, the reason was clear: Xu Xiaozhan’s heart was simply not in martial cultivation. He invented excuse after excuse to force his father to give up.

Yet, give up? Xu Yangfeng did not. For abducting people in this plaza was not impossible.

Cloudstream Sect’s authority meant their members did not monitor the plaza constantly. As long as he wasn’t discovered, who could know what had happened?

Xu Yangfeng was confident in his ability to act without detection; otherwise, he wouldn’t have compromised with Xu Xiaozhan.

He strode casually forward, drawing closer to the “queue-jumper duo,” his spiritual sense and the energy in his dantian stirring restlessly.

His scan had already revealed the duo’s strengths: one was a Martial Apprentice at perfection, the other at eighth tier—not ordinary talents, but nothing to worry about. All he wanted to say to them was “sorry.”

A Martial Master ambushing Martial Apprentices would be condemned if found out, but Xu Yangfeng cared little for that now. In the recruitment plaza, there was simply no better way than a sneak attack.

His plan was simple: walk up, place a hand on each of their shoulders, pour his energy and spiritual sense into them, forcibly suppressing and controlling their bodies.

Most crucially, he would seize their vocal cords, preventing any chance of speech.

Finally, he would lead them away, arm in arm, as if they were three close friends, swaggering out of the plaza.

Perhaps, with others, Xu Yangfeng could have whisked them away unnoticed. But these “queue-jumper duo” were no ordinary cultivators.

Thus, his “abduction” was destined to proceed with difficulty.