“Shaofu, Aunt made a mistake before. You have to forgive me...”
“Shaofu, come, quickly sit. I have some healing dans here, it can heal injuries faster; quickly take it…..”
In the main hall of the Du compound, the group of aunts who once made things difficult for Du Shaofu came beside him. Their faces were red with embarrassment, and were smiling awkwardly.
“All of you are my elders, I have long forgotten what happened before.”
As the saying goes: 'A raised hand does not hit on a smiling face.' Shaofu knew that these aunts weren’t bad. They're just a little overprotective towards their children. It's not much different to the way his eldest and second uncle protected him. Therefore, he did naturally not place the incident in his heart. After all, he was not the one who suffered.
“A group of little bastards, roll over here!”
A loud bark vibrated in the huge hall as an elderly old man pulled Du Hao before Du Shaofu. Following behind Du Hao were Du Yan and the usual gang. Without a doubt, all of them were ‘taken care’ of by Du Shaofu.
“Big elder!”
Seeing the elderly old man appear, everyone rose quickly to salute. Du Guangyao, Du Clan’s big elder held a high position in the Du Clan, not lower than the Patriarch.
“Big elder.”
Du Shaofu recognized him, the impression he had of him was that he didn’t speak much. Nonetheless, today in the city square, he was present too.
“Shaofu, I brought this group of little bastards over so that they can apologize to you properly.”
The big elder's old wrinkled face was gentle as he looked at Shaofu before he turned around and glared angrily at Du Hao and his gang. His temper lit up, barking, ,he said, “A group of little bastards. If not for Shaofu being tolerant to you guys, I don’t know how many of your bones have been broken. This time if not for Shaofu, how could our Du Clan win the championship. Should we have relied on all of you who didn’t even strive to improve yourselves! Who among the other families participant who are not stronger than you?
Du Hao, Du Yan, and the other little guys were scolded till their heads bowed down, not daring to utter a single sound.
“Big elder, they are still small children. Forgive them this time.”
Du Zhenwu, Du Zhixiong, and some of the elders spoke. In fact, Du Hao is big elder’s grandson. It brought a whole different meaning when big elder was the one doing the scolding.
“If we do not teach this group of little bastards a lesson, then their future will be ruined. How can they strengthen and bring glory to our clan?”
Big elder did not give Du Zhenwu and Du Zhixiong any face. Twisting Du Hao’s ears angrily, he pulled Du Hao by the ear till they come before Du Shaofu. Ordering, he said, “Quickly apologize to Shaofu! In the future, ask your cousin for guidance about cultivation. Useless thing, maybe in the future you would have some strength to help grow our Du Clan.”
“Cousin Shaofu, we were wrong….”
“Hope Cousin Shaofu doesn’t mind it….”
Du Hao, Du Gui, and Du Yan dared not to resist. They bowed their heads and apologized.
“I have already forgotten those things. Everyone is siblings of Du Clan, there's no need to do this.”
Du Shaofu wasn’t someone vengeful. He nodded towards Du Hao and the others. After all, all of them were part of the Du Clan.
“This is the right behavior. Mind your manners in the future.”
Big elder let go of Du Hao’s ear, a trace of smile appeared on the old wrinkled face as he said to Shaofu, “Shaofu, these cousin of yours were not as good as you, so don’t mind them. In the future, find some free time and guide them a little. Otherwise, they will go out and lose our Du Clan’s face.”
'Big elder is not old and confused, his mind is way clearer than any of us.'
Du Zhenwu and Du Zhixiong praised him in their hearts, feeling admiration and respect towards big edler. Big elder seemed to favor Du Shaofu, wanting to please the little guy. However, he did it for Du Hao, and of course, for the Du Clan.
“Big elder is too serious.”
Du Shaofu nodded. He, of course, knew Big Elder’s little abacus. Even he couldn't deny having some admiration for him.
“Good boy, Tingxuan really have given birth to a good son. This is the Du Clan’s fortune.”
Big elder nodded happily, but then a sharp light flashed across his eyes. Afterwards, he left the Main Hall as everyone saluted.
The evening sun slowly set, painting the sky in a fire red glow. Then, setting lower and lower till the sky was covered in an ever stronger gray to darkness.
Shaofu returned to his courtyard, and saw that his drunkard dad was at home. It's such one of the rare occasions. Tingxuan was in his favorite position, hugging his wine jug in the same old wicker chair, watching the sunset.
“Why not use the new wine jug I bought for you,” Shaofu came beside his drunkard dad, and then took a seat on the wicker chair next to him—accompanying his father to watch the sunset.
“There is some sentiment after using it for so long. I'm reluctant to throw it away.”
Tingxuan’s words weren't much. After unplugging the cork from the wine jug, he then gulped down a mouthful of wine.
Shaofu continued to look at the sunset. A short while later, he lightly said, “Today in the Five Families Juniors Competition, I won.”
Du Tingxuan did not say anything. The father and son sat in silence, but there was a feeling of warmth in that silence.
“Have a drink.”
After a brief moment of silence, Tingxuan passed the wine jug in his hand over to his son.
Du Shaofu took the jug and drank a sip out of it. A burning sensation rushed down his throat, and a burst of alcohol escaped his mouth, making him burp. Afterwards, he returned the wine jug to his father.
“Stone City is too small.” Tingxuan took the wine jug and continued to lean back in the wicker chair.
“If there is a chance, I will go out and have a look.” Shaofu said.
“Outside is too big.” Tingxuan continued to say.
Du Shaofu no longer spoke, the same goes for Du Tingxuan. The two people—father and son—sat like that for a very long time while watching the sun set.
The darkness covered the sky now. Du Shaofu then stood up and returned to his own room.
Night time. However, the streets of Stone City were still bursting with liveliness.
“I won’t accept this, I can’t accept this!”
In the An Family’s residence, An Long was gloomy and confused. He couldn't accept today’s result.
"That Du Shaofu and Cao Qitai were both very strong, their talents were really terrifying. Especially that Du Shaofu, was too much of a freak.”
An Qingsong was seated, his gloomy expression was comparable to An Long. However, a cold sneer then rose at the corner of Qingsong's mouth and said to An Long, “Long’er, continue to heal your injuries. A short moment of victory doesn’t mean one is a hero. We still have a chance, a big opportunity. The Lightning Pool is nothing great; the most important thing is getting its arcane bone and blood essence. As long as we could put our hands on those two things, that Du Shaofu and Cao Qitai are but our stepping stone. Not only them, at that time, even in the entire empire it is enough for you to stand at the top and rule!”
“That’s right, I still have a chance. Compared to that predecessor’s arcane bone and blood essence, what value does a Lightning Pool have. Let Du Shaofu test the waters, as long as I can get the blood essence and arcane bone I can rise once more. Which of them can be compared to me then!” A cold smile crept up on An Long’s face.
Night time, in a garden pavilion.
“I did not imagine that Du Shaofu was so strong, truly inconceivable.” Qin Zongqiong stood tall with his hands behind his back, his complexion showed his terrible mood.
“Dad, what do we do now?” Qin Xiaolu was a little pale as if she was an anemic.
Qin Zongqiong paced in the pavilion for some time, and then said, “Wait. An Family, and the Bai Family are also waiting. We will also wait, wait for them to make their move, wait for the Ye Family to move, and also wait for Liuyun County to act. The Cao Family will not let this matter rest so easily…."