A good son-in-law?
Grandson-in-law?
Horn was momentarily stunned. The Jiang family was clearly trying to take advantage of him!
To Jiang Zhan and Mr. Jiang, it was obvious: Horn had helped Jiang Wan break through her cultivation level and gifted her a powerful storage ring. They assumed Horn must have feelings for Jiang Wan. Upon learning that Horn was a Seven-Star Alchemist and a Seven-Star Array Master, they were beyond satisfied with him.
Jiang Wan, however, realized that her father and grandfather had misunderstood her relationship with Horn, but she didn't bother to explain.
"Brother Horn, the Su family's birthday banquet hasn't started yet. Why don't you come to my house and relax for a while?" Jiang Wan suggested, stepping forward and naturally taking Horn's arm.
The Su family was buzzing with excitement today. Horn intended to bring them down at the peak of their festivities, so he didn't mind waiting an extra hour or two.
"Senior Su, Old Man Qiao, and I have an appointment with some old friends. We'll meet outside the Su residence later," Mr. Wei said respectfully.
Horn knew Mr. Wei and Mr. Qiao had arranged for reinforcements on his behalf. Though unnecessary, he appreciated their gesture and gave a slight nod.
Mr. Wei and Mr. Qiao left first. Jiang Wan and Horn got into the back seat of a luxurious black car. Jiang Zhan and Mr. Jiang didn't intrude but immediately summoned nearby Jiang family members to drive them over.
"Xiaowan, take good care of my grandson-in-law!" Mr. Jiang called out. "If anyone in our family dares to make him unhappy, you have my permission to deal with them harshly."
Jiang Wan smiled, "Grandpa, I understand."
With that, the driver took them to the Jiang residence.
After the car drove off, Mr. Jiang slapped Jiang Zhan on the back of the head. "You traitor! Trying to deceive me, huh?"
But then he laughed. A Seven-Star Array Master and a Seven-Star Alchemist! Horn, with these two identities, was undoubtedly the most terrifying prodigy in the Xia Dynasty. Either of these titles alone could cause a global sensation, and yet both were embodied in one person.
Jiang Zhan, still reeling from the slap, couldn't contain his excitement. "Dad, the president of the Alchemist Association used to ignore me because he was a Seven-Star Alchemist. Now my good son-in-law is also a Seven-Star Alchemist, and much younger! They say he could even rise to an Eight-Star or Nine-Star Alchemist in the future."
Mr. Jiang nodded in agreement. "From now on, Horn is the only grandson-in-law I recognize. The Su family was blind to target him like this. I'm ready to risk it all today—I'll stand by my good grandson-in-law and make a scene at the Su family."
He then turned serious. "Guizi, listen up. Your mission today is to protect my grandson-in-law. If anything happens to him at the Su family's, don't bother coming back. Understood?"
Jiang Zhan nodded firmly. "Dad, don't worry. I won't let anything happen to my son-in-law."
The father and son still had no idea just how powerful Horn really was.
Soon after, a Jiang family member arrived by car, respectfully opened the back door, and invited Jiang Zhan and Mr. Jiang inside.
More than half an hour later, Horn and Jiang Wan arrived at the Jiang Manor. The entire Jiang family estate was majestic. The driver took them to a villa within the manor before leaving discreetly. The villa was Jiang Wan's private residence.
"Brother Horn, I'm going to change my clothes. Feel free to walk around or relax in the hall," Jiang Wan said with a slight smile.
She generally disliked being disturbed, so the maids only came by to clean when she was away. This made her living space very quiet.
Horn sat down on a stone chair outside the villa. As he set foot on the land of Tianhai once more, a mix of unease and determination surged within him. After so many years, the day he had been waiting for had finally arrived. He exhaled, looking at a small fountain not far away.
Just then, two figures approached.
"That's my sister's place up ahead. After she gets engaged to Su Wu today, we'll finally be family," said a young man in his twenties, dressed in luxurious clothing and with a handsome face. This was Jiang Feng, Jiang Wan's cousin. Having lost his parents in an accident when he was very young, Jiang Feng was particularly cherished by the Jiang family, and Jiang Wan always looked out for him.
Walking alongside Jiang Feng was Su Ming, Su Wu's cousin. His father, Su Yan, headed the Tianhai branch of the Hidden Division. Su Yan had never shown interest in competing for the Su family's leadership, and as a result, Su Wu and Su Ming had always gotten along well. Su Ming was here today to finalize Su Wu and Jiang Wan's engagement.
Just as Su Ming was about to speak, he suddenly noticed Horn sitting on a stone chair in the distance.
After Horn had helped Song Ruoyan remove the birthmark on her face, she had become known as a fairy-like beauty, and Su Ming had been infatuated with her for a time. He once used her name to lure Horn to a deserted place, where he and a group of others had brutally beaten Horn, burying him alive with only his head exposed for air. Su Ming had been the one to mockingly kick Horn's head, leaving him to die.
If not for a scavenger passing by and digging him out, Horn would have perished that day.
When Su Ming saw Horn, Horn saw him too.
Noticing Su Ming's silence, Jiang Feng remarked, "My sister will be back in Tianhai this morning. There won't be any surprises with her engagement to Su Wu."
When Su Ming still didn't respond, Jiang Feng followed his gaze and saw Horn sitting on the stone chair. Jiang Zhan and Mr. Jiang had previously investigated Horn, and Jiang Feng had seen his photo. He recognized Horn immediately.
"What's the abandoned son of the Su family doing outside my sister's villa?" Jiang Feng sneered, then quickly assumed, "I get it. The Linzhou incident was because of this Su family reject. My sister must have brought him from Linzhou to hand him over to your Su family. Consider this her gift to you."
Su Ming, agreeing with Jiang Feng's assumption, scoffed at Horn. "You're still alive, huh? Kneel down and greet me when you see me! Remember, I told you before that if you ever showed up in front of me again, you'd better be on your knees, kowtowing!"