Finding himself back again inside the hall where the awakening ceremony was hosted, Xu ai could only sigh.
This time, everyone was watching him, and nearly none of them had good intentions.
This was probably a beneficial time to get rid of a nuisance like him.
As he walked into the hall, facing the three Elders, their heirs, and some grandchildren, such as Shui Mei Er, Shui Long Yan, Cheng Yi, and Cheng Yu, a loud voice rang.
"It was him!" Cheng Yi, who had bandages all around his body, pointed at Xu Kai. His body trembled in fury.
The sharp glare of his mother, Cheng Xiao, traveled through the air. "Father, are you going to let the bastard who hurt my son walk in like that?"
Right after she said that, Cheng Wei grunted. The iron ring-like bracelet around his forearm became a fiery whip, which coiled around Xu Kai and pulled him to the platform above the pond in the middle of the hall.
"Brother Kai!" Mo Qingxian was about to rush after him, but the guards held her back. Seeing Xu Kai's red face, her eyes moistened.
Shui Ling glanced at Feng Shaofang. She expected a reaction but the man remained dormant. His eyes were even closed!
"Is Elder Feng not going to speak for Xu Kai?" Shui Long Yan whispered to his sister.
"Tch! Elder Feng must have grown worn out from supporting a beggar with no future. It's pathetic that he doesn't see all his efforts as futile," Shui Mei Er sneered.
"Xu Kai, you are so bold as to strike my grandson when he visited your residence?" Elder Cheng Wei asked tersely.
Xu Kai's eyes widened a bit. "Came to see where I live? When did that happen?" He responded with an innocent expression.
Cheng Wei frowned.
"What a shrewd brat! You were the one who hit my son. Admit it! I knew right from the start that we shouldn't allow commoners to mix with us. His heart is full of evil intentions." Cheng Xiao bellowed with so much fury that many thought she would have jumped on Xu Kai.
"That's enough, Cheng Xiao. Both of you, explain what happened." Elder Feng asked softly, yet his voice echoed in their ears.
Cheng Yi's two friends faced the Elders.
"When we went there, Xu Kai wasn't around so we were asking the little girl about him. I intended to purchase some sweets for her, but Xu Kai unexpectedly appeared and violently attacked us. He wanted to kill us; I saw it in his eyes." Cheng Kang said it firmly.
"Is it true that a sleeper beat all three of you?" Elder Feng opened his left eye and gazed at Cheng Kang.
When he saw Elder Feng's silver eyes, goosebumps covered Cheng Kang's body, and he staggered backward.
"Pfft!" Shui Long Yan burst into laughter, causing Cheng Yi's face to turn red.
"What he said was the truth. The opponent we faced was about Xu Kai's height and has achieved mastery in our technique's first form." Cheng Long spoke.
Cheng Yi closed his eyes in shame.
"Are you talking about the same man that instructor Lan has beaten with a cane several times to perfect just the stance of the first form?" Shui Long Yan cocked his head, causing Cheng Long's face to turn red.
Cheng Yu, Cheng Yi's elder brother, faced his grandfather. "Elder, surely we can't let him go and let everyone know that your direct descendant was beaten and nothing was done about it. I think that as long as it was in his home, the beggar should take the blame."
Elder Cheng Wei clenched his fist and tightened the whip. Xu Kai grimaced but refused to scream.
Although he was filled with fury, he looked downward so as not to provoke the Elders into judging him for his furious countenance.
"The opponent you faced was about Xu Kai's height. That description alone proves the person you fought wasn't Xu Kai, or you would have spoken that way. You were attacked by a different person and should be training instead of whining."
Elder Feng spoke softly, but his eyes remained closed.
"Are you suggesting that I should allow my family to suffer humiliation, Feng Shaofang?" Elder Cheng Wei tersely questioned.
"The boy is innocent." Elder Feng responded.
Bam—! "The boy is a liar!" Elder Cheng slammed his fist against the armrest. His glare traveled with unwavering thoroughness.
Everyone could feel the tension between both elders slowly rising.
Finally, Elder Feng opened his eyes. An invisible Qi rippled through the air, causing everyone to feel a cold brush against their skin.
"The boy is innocent." He repeated it with a much deeper and stronger tone.
Cheng Wei's hot Qi spread out as he glared at Elder Feng, but despite his anger, there was restraint in his eyes.
He was apprehensive of this reclusive, hundred-year-old man.
The Spirit Qi lingering around Feng Shaofang had a higher potency than his. Although he used fire and Elder Feng used wind, Cheng Wei didn't plan on crossing the line until he was sure Elder Feng would be too weak to stand against him.
"Control yourselves." Elder Shui Ling said. She held onto her staff and looked at both men.
"Humph!" As the whip loosened, Cheng Wei flung Xu Kai off the platform. He landed on the paved ground, and Mo Qingxian ran toward him.
Tears spilled from her eyes as she cleaned the dust away from his body. "Qing Xian, stop crying. I'm fine." He stroked her hair gently.
Seeing this, Cheng Yi clenched his fist in rage. This was his opportunity to take the jade tag away from Xu Kai. He had risked losing his prestige in front of Shui Mei Er, but Elder Feng had to intervene.
His bloodshot eyes locked on Mo Qingxian, and the image of her tail blocking his palm flashed through his eyes.
"That girl isn't human. She is a fey!"
The moment Xu Kai heard that, blood drained from his face. He couldn't believe that Cheng Yi found out Mo Qingxian's true identity.