Before the Yang Family Young Lords returned home, there were three members of the younger generation whose names resounded the loudest in the Central Capital.
The first and most famous was Liu Qing Yao, the second was Qiu Yi Meng, and the third is Huo Xing Chen.
The first two were famous throughout the Central Capital whereas the last one was notorious. Everyone in Central Capital knew that the Huo Family’s only Young Lord was arrogant and unrestrained. Any beautiful girl, young or old, when she saw him from far away, would immediately rush to avoid his eyes lest she be taken away.
Every family in the Central Capital that had a pretty young daughter had shown her a portrait of Huo Xing Chen’s face so that she would remember his appearance.
In a way, Huo Xing Chen’s name was even better known than Liu Qing Yao and Qiu Yi Meng. He had even earned the nickname ‘Central Capital Wolf’!
Wherever Huo Xing Chen, the Central Capital Wolf, appeared, the winds whirled and the ground shook. Even the Central Capital’s crying children would become silent at the mention of the Central Capital Wolf’s name!
At this moment, the Central Capital Wolf sat on the back of his Cloud Treading Colt as he pompously stared around, hands clasped before his chest, not showing any intention of dismounting to greet any of the many Elders gathered around him, causing many of the other families’ Patriarchs to glance at each other and shake their heads.
“Where did you go last night?” Huo Zheng let out a sigh of frustration as he asked.
“Secluded retreat,” Huo Xing Chen casually replied.
To this response, Huo Zheng was so angry that smoke nearly burst from his ears, “Little bastard! What the hell is that lipstick on your face about then!?”
Outside the South Gate, there was a sudden burst of laughter.
Huo Xing Chen however didn’t mind these chuckles, instead just sneering as he swept his eyes over the crowd, immediately causing the laughter to stop.
Even though the Central Capital Wolf’s reputation couldn’t be worse, he was still the Young Lord of one of the Eight Great Families! He wasn’t someone these people could laugh at.
Not to mention, he was the only successor to the Huo Family, making it even more unwise to provoke him. If one were to laugh at him again now, they would have to worry that this Young Lord Huo would remember their appearance.
Huo Zheng shook his head helplessly, his face filled with barely controlled rage, coldly snorting as he asked, “Since you’re not fooling around in the Red Light district, what are you doing here?”
Huo Xing Chen smiled and said, “Hahaha, didn’t you say that the Yang Family Inheritance War was a rare opportunity to gain experience? Your son has thought about it and came to the conclusion that the Huo Family can’t just sit on the sidelines of such a major event, or else others might start saying my Huo Family has no real men!”
Hearing these words, Huo Zheng couldn’t help smiling, his previous displeasure and anger already thrown to the wind, hurriedly asking, “You mean… you want to participate in the Inheritance War?”
“Your son was indeed thinking so, after all, I should try to live up to your expectations!” Huo Xing Chen replied in a dignified manner.
Huo Zheng was overjoyed, slapping his thigh happily, “Good good good! You finally understand, finally! It’s not too late! Good, come down, come down!”
As he spoke, Huo Zheng rushed forward, diligently helping his son down from the back of his Cloud Treading Colt.
He didn’t feel the slightest embarrassment at his overly doting approach, instead just smiling brightly as he acted.
Of course Huo Zheng would be deliriously happy. No matter how he tried to persuade Huo Xing Chen, his son was never willing to participate in the Inheritance War. Compared with the Inheritance War, he was more willing to go out drinking.
This attitude had caused Huo Zheng to think that the Huo Family would have nothing to do with this times Inheritance War, leaving him quite depressed.
But now, to his great surprise, on the day the Inheritance War truly commenced, his delinquent son had actually taken the initiative to participate all by himself, how could Huo Zheng not be happy?
“Take a look!” Huo Zheng smiled, waving his hand and pointing towards several nearby youths, “These are the eight Yang Family Young Lords! Son, choose one you want to support, after you do, Father promises you he’ll let the Star Hall accompany you!”
“Do you mean it?” Huo Xing Chen’s brow rose, his face suddenly becoming wretched.
“Naturally I mean what I say, in the presence of so many of your Elders, will this old master make jokes with you?” Huo Zheng said seriously.
“Hahaha, good! I like it!” Huo Xing Chen laughed as he licked his lips ominously.
The voices of the father and son were heard by everyone present, even the breathing of many of the Yang Family Young Lords also became slightly rough.
Star Hall! Within the Huo Family, it was their special forces.
It was completely made up of women, and the women inside were not only beautiful, but also quite strong. More importantly, because they were women, the Secret Arts and Martial Skills they practiced were more focused on precision and swiftness, so over the years they had mainly been responsible for assassination.
If such a force were to land in their hands, it would become a big boost. If it became an enemy’s support, it would definitely give them a severe headache.
So when these Yang Family children heard Huo Zheng mention the Star Hall, both they and Huo Xing Chen were full of interest.
Huo Xing Chen’s expression was casual as he glanced around at all the Yang Family’s children. With the exception of Yang Wei who maintained his stoic expression, everyone else smiled and cupped their fists.
Obviously they all wanted to win his favor so he would choose to stand with them.
Huo Zheng however just maintained his smile, not giving anyone any clue as to who he would ultimately choose.
After a moment of silence, Huo Xing Chen’s gaze landed on Yang Kai, his expression immediately becoming wicked as a taunting grin appeared on his face, nodding firmly, “You!”
Yang Kai’s brow twitched as he looked at Huo Xing Chen, his face filling with confusion.
He had never expected Huo Xing Chen would choose him. This was completely unreasonable, after all, the two of them had some not small grievances between them. As long as he was a normal person, he would choose others and then make every effort to suppress him to achieve the purpose of revenge, but now he had actually chosen to support Yang Kai; simply incomprehensible.
“Who?” Huo Zheng also looked awkward.
“Young Lord Kai!” Huo Xing Chen replied with a smile.
The seven Patriarchs all frowned slightly while Qiu Shou Cheng became even more puzzled.
“Hey, give me control of the Star Hall now,” Huo Xing Chen said excitedly, “The Star Hall and my name match; they should be taken care of by me. You’re already quite old; you shouldn’t hold them back now lest those beauties end up alone when you croak!”
(PewPew: Huo Xing Chan’s name has the character for ‘star’ in it… doesn’t translate to English well)
(Silavin: Well, the names aren’t supposed to be directly translated.)
Huo Zheng’s old face cramped as he opened his mouth a few times, seemingly wanting to curse viciously but doing his best to hold back since he was currently in public, after a long time, angrily muttering, “Little bastard! I won’t allow you to do this!”
Huo Xing Chen suddenly wore an amazed expression, “Are your words just farts? You just said that after I make a choice you’d give me the Star Hall yet now you’re refusing to follow through, do you not want face anymore?”
All of the other Patriarchs gathered nearby felt their self-restraint being test as all of them couldn’t help feeling the impulse to laugh at this good show playing out before them, each of them either staring up or down, pretending to be deaf as they wore big grins on their faces.
Huo Zheng roared furiously, “I told you to make a choice and then I’d give you the Star Hall, but you… you… if you had chosen someone good then so be it but you actually choose this…”
Yang Kai expression immediately sank as he stared towards Huo Zheng, smiling ominously.
Huo Zheng quickly collected himself, releasing a dry cough, not pursuing this topic any further, instead just shaking his head and saying, “No, it’s not good. Choose someone else!”
“As a man, how can I not uphold my word? This is a decision about a future ally not a concubine, how can I change my mind now?” Huo Xing Chen spoke righteously, waving his hand in a big motion, “Say no more, I’ve decided!”
“You… you unfilial son!” Huo Zheng shouted indignantly, the veins in his neck throbbing as his face became beet red, even his True Qi fluctuating somewhat unsteadily.
“Hey, dad, you seem angry. Do you want to hit me?” Huo Xing Chen said with an entirely fake naive expression, seemingly doing his best to provoke his father even more, almost as if he wanted him to die from anger.
The other Patriarchs had seen enough by this point, some of them trying to mediate the situation.
Gao Mo Dao spoke first, “Old Huo, forget it, your son has his own thoughts, why try to block him so desperately?”
Meng Xi Ping also added, “That’s right, just let it go, it’s nothing important.”
Huo Zheng coldly snorted in response, “Nothing important? That’s the strength my Huo Family carefully cultivated! Do you all not take the forces your families’ have raised seriously?”
All the other Patriarchs laughed awkwardly at this rebuttal, saying no more.
“Huo Zheng!” Yang Ying Hao, who had arrived at the South Gate at some point and had witnessed at least some of the farce which had taken place just now, finally couldn’t contain himself anymore and shouted, “The Inheritance War is the grand event by which my Yang Family chooses its next Patriarch. It is also the stage for the younger generation to prove themselves, Xing Chen has made his choice, you shouldn’t involve yourself more than necessary.”
At Yang Ying Hao’s words, Huo Zheng couldn’t help but frown.
Huo Xing Chen smiled and said, “It seems the Yang Family’s Patriarch is wise, unlike my confused old man!”
“If you dare act presumptuously again, this Old Man swears he’ll kill you today!” Huo Zheng furiously roared.
“Fine, fine, you’re not as young as you used to be, you should just go home, retire from your position, and leave the Huo Family to me.” Huo Xing Chen waved his hand impatiently.
“Disobedient brat!” Huo Zheng ground his teeth in frustration, “Whatever you choose to do is your freedom, I won’t stop you, but if you think this old man will give you command of the Star Hall, you’re dreaming!”
After making this declaration, Huo Zheng turned around and stormed off.
Huo Xing Chen didn’t pay him any attention, instead turning to Yang Kai and grinning meaningfully, “Young Lord Kai, it seems that we’ll be fighting together as brothers in arms!”
Yang Kai just stared back at him indifferently.
Outside the South Gate, things finally subsided.
The Eight Young Lords rode their Cloud Treading Colts and headed to War City!
Tu Feng and Tang Yu Xian looked at Yang Kai awkwardly for a moment before nodding slightly, turning around and following behind Yang Kang as he gradually rode off into the distance.
Yang Kai saw this scene and couldn’t help grinning maliciously, signaling to Qu Gao Yi and Ying Jiu casually, “Let’s go.”
“Yes!” The two loudly shouted.
Huo Xing Chen rode up to Yang Kai’s side and looked at him curiously, glancing back at Qu Gao Yi and Ying Jiu a few times before letting out a laugh, “Interesting, interesting! Not a single force willing to support you, two half-dead Blood Warriors, don’t you think you situation isn’t that optimistic?”
“If you speak any more nonsense, I’ll kick you out!” Yang Kai glanced at him coldly.
Huo Xing Chen was startled, apparently not expecting Yang Kai’s attitude towards him to be so bad, but rather than being angry, he instead became even more interested, “Your other brothers were all kind and amiable, yet you dare act this way towards me. You really are interesting! This Young Master wants to see how you make it through the night!”
“You think I’m going to lose?” Yang Kai suddenly looked at him with a smile.
Huo Xing Chen choosing to ally with himself had greatly exceeded Yang Kai’s expectations and Yang Kai didn’t intend to count on him for any help but it wasn’t until now that he understood his true thoughts.
He simply wanted a front row seat!
“Why do you think this Young Master chose you?” Huo Xing Chen smirked, “This Young Master wants to see how a toothless, clawless tiger is defeated in this Inheritance War!”
“If so then I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed,” Yang Kai grinned back at him fiercely, his eyes filled with confidence.
Huo Xing Chen snorted disdainfully, “I don’t deny that your personal strength is outstanding, but what can accomplish all alone?”
Turning back, Huo Xing Chen pointed at Gao Gao Yi and Ying Jiu and said, “You think those two can play any role? Maybe you’ve become senile just like my old man.”
Qu Gao Yi and Ying Jiu’s expression sank, both of them firmly declaring, “Even if we subordinates lose our lives, we swear we will not let anyone close to the Little Lord!”