Tianfeng City, the Zuo family compound.
An elder with a vigorous spirit sat in the hall. Beside him, a man cloaked in a hooded robe stood with a slight bow, his posture respectful. The deep brim of his hood concealed half of his face.
Though the elder appeared to be of considerable age, his vitality and robust blood circulation were truly rare. His eyes, like those of a falcon, were sharp and profound, shining with spirit. This man was none other than the patriarch of the Zuo family in Tianfeng City, the president of the Formation Master Guild of Tianfeng Kingdom, the sole four-star formation master in Tianfeng Kingdom, Zuo Qiuming.
The cloaked man was Tai Long, a family retainer most appreciated and heavily relied upon by Zuo Qiuming.
Tai Long was originally an orphan, adopted and personally nurtured by Zuo Qiuming, who had truly invested considerable effort in his upbringing.
Tai Long had not disappointed, his cultivation exceptional among those of his age. He was particularly skilled in stealth and assassination, currently managing the Zuo family's intelligence department.
"Has Youren woken up?" Zuo Qiuming asked, his expressionless face betraying a grandfather's concern for his grandson.
"Young Master has regained consciousness and is now resting," Tai Long replied.
"It's good for him to suffer a bit of a setback. Otherwise, he'll never know the immensity of heaven and earth, and will eventually fall into great trouble. But what about that Chen Xiao, how do you plan to handle him?" Zuo Qiuming's tone remained placid, but a hint of ferocity flickered in his eyes.
His only grandson had been beaten and humiliated. It was natural for a grandfather to be angry. Zuo Qiuming was merely asking for Tai Long's opinion on how to proceed, but this was merely a formality. If Tai Long could not provide a satisfactory answer, Zuo Qiuming would certainly not let the matter rest, a tactic he employed in managing his subordinates.
Tai Long had followed Zuo Qiuming since childhood and understood his thoughts perfectly. He replied, "Chen Xiao's wicked deeds warrant his skin being flayed and his bones being stripped. However, this matter is of great importance. I have already conveyed the Zuo family's goodwill to him on behalf of the Patriarch."
"What did you say? What do you mean 'of great importance'? And conveying goodwill? When did I ever make such a decision?" Zuo Qiuming slammed the table, clearly surprised by Tai Long's response and angered by his unilateral action.
Tai Long, with a confident and unhurried demeanor, explained, "Patriarch, please allow me to finish. This Chen Xiao hails from the Chen family of Qingyuan City, and his skills are highly suspicious."
"You mean to say?" Hearing Tai Long's words, Zuo Qiuming's emotions immediately calmed, and his gaze grew solemn.
"Yes, I suspect Chen Xiao has obtained the treasures within the Dragon Burial Tomb, a forbidden area of the Chen family," Tai Long replied.
"On what grounds?" Zuo Qiuming's pupils contracted sharply.
"This Chen Xiao was the adopted son of Chen Feng, the current Patriarch of the Chen family. He was an absolute nobody from childhood, possessing only a first-grade spirit root and having never been exposed to formation arts. Yet, just a few days ago, not only did his strength surge, crippling Chen Feng's biological son's arm, but he then came to the capital and, with a single move, drew a fourth-level formation talisman. If he hadn't obtained the treasures from the Dragon Burial Tomb, how could he have achieved such feats?"
The matter of Chen Xiao drawing a fourth-level enchantment talisman in the ghost market had reached Zuo Qiuming's ears immediately, even before Zuo Youren could report it.
Zuo Qiuming's current status was built upon his formation mastery, which was his foundation. The sudden emergence of such a rising star, whose attainments in formations were potentially on par with his own, made him feel threatened. Thus, he had immediately dispatched Tai Long to investigate.
Although Zuo Qiuming had cautioned Zuo Youren against seeking trouble with Chen Xiao, he had not obstructed Zuo Youren's subsequent private actions. He felt it would be beneficial for Zuo Youren to probe Chen Xiao's depths, but he never expected Zuo Youren to suffer such a heavy loss.
After investigating Chen Xiao's background, Tai Long heard about Zuo Youren's attempt to ambush Chen Xiao. He had rushed over, rescued Zuo Youren from Chen Xiao's hands, and now finally had the opportunity to report his findings to Zuo Qiuming.
"Hmm." Zuo Qiuming pondered, remaining silent for a long moment before speaking, "Your analysis holds considerable weight. However, regarding the secret of the Dragon Burial Tomb, the previous Patriarch of the Chen family died under mysterious circumstances and never had the chance to inform the current Patriarch, Chen Feng. Thus, even Chen Feng is unaware of it. How could his mere adopted son have obtained the treasures within?"
"Your subordinate is incompetent. I have infiltrated the Chen family countless times without finding the entrance to the Dragon Burial Tomb, only for this brat to get there first. I beg for your punishment, Patriarch." Tai Long bowed his head in apology.
"This is not your fault. Fate is a mysterious thing. Since we know the treasures are with this brat, we will devise a plan to retrieve them slowly. You did well to try and win him over first, to make him lower his guard and reveal the location of the treasures. Once the treasures are in our possession, we can deal with this brat."
"This matter is entrusted to you entirely. Everyone else, including myself, will cooperate with you fully," Zuo Qiuming said, patting Tai Long's shoulder.
"Yes." Tai Long responded.
Zuo Qiuming then cautioned, "A'long, this matter is of utmost importance. The future of the Zuo family rests on your shoulders. You must be careful and prudent. Once this is accomplished, I will certainly not mistreat you. You know, I have always treated you like my own grandson. The future of the Zuo family depends on you and Youren!"
Zuo Qiuming's mention of the Zuo family's future twice made Tai Long feel somewhat overwhelmed. He straightened his body and stated resolutely, "Tai Long will not fail this mission. My life was given by the Patriarch. I will pledge my life to assisting Young Master Zuo in the future. Please rest assured, Patriarch."
Only then did Zuo Qiuming's face reveal a hint of a satisfied smile. "I knew my old Zuo hadn't misjudged you. You may withdraw. I am old, and I get drowsy as soon as night falls."
As he spoke, Zuo Qiuming yawned. Tai Long, understanding the hint, promptly withdrew. The moment Tai Long left, Zuo Qiuming's expression turned grim, all traces of drowsiness vanishing. He said with a hint of displeasure, "They're all gone, why aren't you coming out?"
As soon as Zuo Qiuming finished speaking, a person suddenly emerged from a side door and walked directly to Zuo Qiuming's side. The newcomer's face was bruised and battered, a truly gruesome sight. It was none other than the young master of the Zuo family, Zuo Youren.
He said to Zuo Qiuming with a hint of embarrassment, "Grandfather, you knew I was here?"
"Hmph, with your meager abilities, you try to eavesdrop? To tell you the truth, not only did I know you were here, but Tai Long also detected you." Zuo Qiuming grunted. The matters he discussed with Tai Long were highly confidential. If it were anyone else eavesdropping, that person would likely have lost their life by now.
"I told you to cultivate properly, but you wouldn't listen. Are you enjoying being beaten this time?" Zuo Qiuming teased, expressing his disappointment.
"Grandfather, I..." Zuo Youren was both ashamed and annoyed. In reality, his injuries were not severe; it was his spirit that had been greatly tormented.
Although Zuo Youren was usually arrogant and overbearing in his actions, he dared not act presumptuously before his grandfather. His eyes darted, and he changed the subject, asking, "Grandfather, what is this Dragon Burial Tomb you were talking about?"