Outside of Tianfu Academy, there is also a marketplace called Tianfu Bazaar. It was initially a place where cultivators gathered spontaneously for communication. Gradually, it attracted more and more wandering cultivators seeking refuge because it fell under the jurisdiction of Tianfu Academy, providing invisible protection to the cultivators there.
Tian Feirong received a message and hastily left the academy for Tianfu Bazaar. Since he frequently visited such places, many people recognized him and greeted him.
Clearly, he was not in the mood to socialize today and took the first opportunity to leave. It was unexpected for him to receive news from his hometown. He wondered what important matter required someone to come find him personally.
Arriving at the designated restaurant, Tian Feirong went to the private room on the second floor without needing assistance from the staff. He pushed open the door to the private room and saw a stranger inside. Tian Feirong stood at the doorway, looking hesitantly at the visitor. Who was this person?
The visitor appeared to be around forty to fifty years old, and he looked worn out. He took out a token, which immediately made Tian Feirong understand that this person was sent by his grandfather and only answered to his grandfather's orders. With relief, he closed the door and activated the formations in the private room to prevent eavesdropping.
"My young master, please calm down. Everything is fine in Yuanyang Town and the Tian family. I have come solely for you. Please read the letter from the family head first. The family head instructed that if you have any questions, I should answer them honestly and satisfy you as much as possible," the visitor respectfully said, handing over a letter with both hands.
Tian Feirong grew even more perplexed but decided to search for answers in the letter. He took the letter and opened it, and his eyebrows gradually furrowed.
The letter began with a recounting of the history of the Tian family, which actually originated from the Yan family. The surname Tian was adopted by this branch of the family when they settled in Yuanyang Town, hiding their true identities. In the Yan family, every few generations, a descendent with their ancestors' Qingyan physique would appear, inheriting the power of their ancestors. Therefore, the Yan family was not unknown in the Tianlin Continent.
However, the Yan family had been frequently targeted by invisible hands at some unknown point in time. The family head eventually discovered that the hidden hands aimed to plunder the Qingyan physique of the Yan family. Moreover, the strength of the people behind these attacks only grew stronger each time. As a result, the family head dispersed the clan members, instructing them to flee individually and never reveal themselves as members of the Yan family again. The hope was to preserve some trace of their bloodline.
This branch of the Tian family was originally an inconspicuous branch of the Yan family. No members of this branch had experienced the phenomenon of bloodline reversion, which may have been why they were overlooked by the hidden hands and successfully escaped. They then settled in Yuanyang Town, establishing their roots there. Except for the family head and the heir who would succeed him, no one else knew about the glorious ancestry.
The family head believed that this branch of the family would not experience the troubles of their ancestors. Perhaps, after several more generations, even the glory of their ancestors would be forgotten. However, before the family head inherited his position and went on his journey, he coincidentally encountered another branch member of the Yan family being pursued. The family head himself did not appear or reveal his identity as his strength was insufficient to confront the enemy.
By the time he arrived, the clan members had sacrificed their lives to prevent both themselves and the enemy from surviving. They had left behind an infant who had just been born, protected by the adults and unaffected by the conflict. The family head couldn't bear to leave the child behind and secretly took the baby with him, fleeing back to Yuanyang Town. This child was eventually the Second Young Master of the Tian family.
Tian Feirong showed a look of confusion. It turned out that he was not a member of the Tian family. He was quietly brought back and raised by his grandfather out of pity. His special physique was not without cause; it was the result of bloodline reversion, inheriting the Qingyan physique of his ancestors.
"This matter, don't tell your older brother for the time being, and don't blame... mother." Tian Feirong's eyes were a bit distracted. Now, thinking carefully back, there were a few times when his mother's gaze towards him was complicated. But undeniable was the fact that she took care of his life meticulously.
"Yes, Second Young Master. I will relay the message back. The family head ordered me to stay by Second Young Master's side and await further instructions. And this jade slip, the family head said to keep it by your side and study it carefully. Only Second Young Master can open it and see its contents." The person handed over a green jade slip, and Tian Feirong took it without any hesitation. He could feel the allure of this jade slip, a voice urging him to take it quickly.
He remembered that Gu Yao had said that the most beneficial way to develop his Verdant Flame Body was to cultivate suitable techniques. However, techniques related to the Verdant Flame couldn't be found in the academy. So in the end, he spent spirit stones in the academy to copy a set of fire-based techniques. They were superior to the techniques he had practiced in the Tian family, but still somewhat lacking in terms of the growth of the Verdant Flame Body.
So without a doubt, the contents of this jade slip should be cultivation techniques related to the Verdant Flame Body. Tian Feirong tightly held it in his hand and asked again, "Who was the mastermind behind all that? Could this physique be taken away and transferred to another person?"
The person replied, "The family head said that the mastermind is probably not a power on the Tianlin Continent, as their strength surpasses that of cultivators on the continent. Otherwise, our ancestors wouldn't have been exterminated so quickly. As for the latter question, the family head doesn't know the specifics. He just advises Second Young Master to be cautious and not to expose his own physique."
Tian Feirong licked his dry lips. The amount of information he received all at once was overwhelming. His mind felt heavy, and he needed to go back and digest it properly. He also wanted to know what was recorded in the jade slip.
He said, "How should I address you? You can stay, but you can't enter the academy. You can only stay in this town."
"You can call me Old Qi, Young Master." Old Qi respectfully said and bowed to Tian Feirong. The Second Young Master accepted him, so his new master was the Second Young Master, which caused a change in how they addressed each other.
"Alright, Old Qi, let's leave it at that for now. I'll come visit you in a few days. Find a place to stay for now." Tian Feirong thought for a moment and left behind some spiritual stones, so that Old Qi would have enough even for renting a house. Old Qi didn't refuse and accepted them.
Tian Feirong left in a hurry and returned in a hurry.
As soon as Tian Feirong returned, he went to find Gu Yao. In fact, before his grandfather and Old Qi warned him not to reveal his physique, he had already learned about it from Gu Yao. So, he didn't hide anything from Gu Yao, including Xiao Pangzi and Chi Changye. He believed in them.
Moreover, the experience of the Yan family made him very cautious. When he saw the contents of the letter, a series of tragedies, including the Shi family, came to his mind. The Yan family's experience was no better than the Shi family's. The Tian family, which survived as a sideline, was just a small branch, and there had never been a situation of bloodline reverting to ancestors.
Tian Feirong called Gu Yao and the others together to save them from explaining individually. Then he took out his grandfather's letter. Gu Yao pointed to the three of them and asked, "Are we supposed to read it? Is that okay?"
"I want you to read it. Otherwise, I can't explain." Tian Feirong nodded firmly.
The three of them looked at each other, and then their gazes focused on the letter at the same time. They all finished reading the letter at the same time. Gu Yao and Xiao Pangzi took in a sharp breath, while Chi Changye's face turned serious. Knowing the secret also meant a dangerous signal. They didn't know who the person behind the scenes causing trouble on the Tianlin Continent was.
"So, your original surname should have been Yan?"
"If your Qingyan physique is exposed, will you be targeted by someone?"
"Could it be related to the Extinction Sect?"
Their methods are too similar. They easily wipe out entire families.