Chapter 2777: Chapter 2777: The Return

After they arrived at the stone gate to the city, the leader of the Xu Clan, along with his followers, stood to welcome them, and all of them respectfully bowed to Marco.

“Welcome, Young Master. We are greatly humbled and honored by your presence!” the head of the Xu Clan in Clear Lake said with the utmost respect.

In fact, the entire clan had confused expressions plastered across their faces.

The main line of the Xu Clan had been in charge of Vastness Mountain for a long time. The Xu Clan in Clear Lake was their ancestral land, but in fact, it was slowly declining as the collateral branch.

They were confused as to why an exalted personality like Marco would degrade himself to attend the Ripple Pavilion competition.

“Hmm,” Marco responded indifferently without giving them a second glance. He walked past them. Then he led his three guards inside the city without waiting for them to escort him.

The people of the Xu Clan who stood with their heads bowed felt their cheeks burn in embarrassment. They thought they had displeased Marco by not giving him the reception he deserved. The head of their clan gestured his men with his eyes to go after Marco, and they quickly followed up under his orders.

As he stomped his way inside the city, Marco turned to the three guards and ordered them blatantly, “Grayson, Drystan, I'm holding you two in charge of locating that brat! I heard he met someone from the Su Clan at Dragon City. I'd advise you two to start from the Su City.”

Taking caution to his surroundings, Grayson whispered in a low tone, “If we find this person, should we kill him on the spot?”

“No.” Marco's eyes reflected lust for Zen's blood on his hands. “I will do it myself.” He tightened his jaw.

Concerned for his master, one of the guards named Lazlo spoke up, to reason with him. “Young Master, please, I beg you to reconsider. Maybe it's wiser to let Grayson and Drystan kill him. Zen Luo is an elite member of the Flow Sword Sect. It is said that he has a close relationship with Athemar. If others find out you kill him, it will ruin your father's plan.”

The three trusted guards that accompanied Marco were all members of Vastness Mountain's intelligence agency. They were powerful and were exceedingly loyal to the Xu Clan. Even if they were discovered after the killing, it would be difficult to find evidence solid enough to locate them. On the other hand, Marco was a man with a strong background. He could be easily traced. The situation would be different if he did it.

“Who would know?” Marco glared at all three of his accomplices and sneered at them with bloodshot eyes, “Do you honestly think I would travel all the way to Clear Lake personally for nothing? I did not ask for your opinions. I will be the one who kills him with my own hands.”

Hearing Marco's persistent wish, Lazlo went silent. He knew there was no point in reasoning with him since he had the reputation of a bad temper.

Receiving their orders, Grayson and Drystan nodded to Marco and left to carry out their mission and disappeared in the shadows.

Meanwhile, in the Clear Lake, many children of great clans were being welcomed after returning from the Oneness Sky Palace.

Joining the palace as a disciple would earn them the respect of their peers and fellow clansmen. They would become the symbol of hope for their respective clans and their status would be promoted to a great extent.

Just like that, Nevyn Su, Irving Su, and Osrid Su were the three hopes of the Su Clan.

They were different compared to Gant.

The Su Clan had been trying to increase their influence inside the Oneness Sky Palace for many years and maintained a good relationship with it. They would naturally try to send their children into the palace to join as disciples and grow in strength.

Gant did have the qualification to become a disciple of the Oneness Sky Palace, but Cailen hoped that he would take over the weapon-refining business of the Su Clan instead. Due to the difference in opinion, the father and son became incompatible, and Cailen even cut off all the resources of Gant. As a result, Gant became penniless and had to work tirelessly in Dragon City to earn a living.

In the hall of the Su Clan, the servants served their masters and performed their duties like usual. It was a regular day until Nevyn Su, Irving Su and Osrid Su entered the house. The atmosphere suddenly became joyous as everyone applauded and welcomed them wholeheartedly. ṝαΝ𝔬BÈŚ

Naturally, these three young men became the main highlight of the Su Clan. Now that they had returned, they would share their experiences and achievements from the Oneness Sky Palace.

Everyone sat around the three young men waiting for them to initiate their brave tales from the palace. “This year is really tough. The tasks of the Golden Silkworm Sword Sect have multiplied, which barely gives me time to breathe,” Irving Su said. He had been working tirelessly this year, and his strength had increased considerably.

After he finished, Nevyn Su leaned forward to invite all the attention to him before he boasted with a smile, “I managed to rank 53rd in the Ivory Mountain competition this year. Unfortunately, I lost in the last round. Otherwise, I would have surely made it to the Upper Yard. It's fine, I'll try again next year. I know I'll make progress.”

In the Ivory Mountain, the Upper Yard was the place where the elite disciples resided. Getting to that place was a prestigious honor.

When Nevyn Su finished speaking, the Su Clan erupted in cheers and patted him on the back for his achievements. They were filled with pride, especially Ruben, his father. He walked up towards him and laid his hand on his shoulder to squeeze it gently as he exclaimed, “I'm proud of you, Son! Well done!”

Among the three young men, Osrid Su was the last to share. He positioned himself as all eyes now followed his every move. Then he cleared his throat and began to speak in a clear voice. “I participated in the Seven Mountains Meeting. Although our Azure Mountain got eliminated in the end, I got to learn a lot from the event. This year's competition was the most exciting thing I've ever witnessed, and—”

Before he could finish what he had to say, Osrid Su's father Reid Su, interrupted him excitedly and exclaimed with a cheerful voice, “Son, you got into the Elite Unit?”

In response, Osrid Su replied in a casual tone, “Well, yes, I got in, but—”

“Haha, our clan has an elite disciple now, and it's my son!” Reid Su laughed heartily as he shouted the words from his mouth with pride.

At this remark, everyone in the clan began to view Osrid Su as a prodigy among them. They all started to see him in a different light as an exalted member.

Osrid Su had already proved his potential. Anyone who was able to be an elite in the Oneness Sky Palace would have a steady grasp of the essence of the martial arts.

“Dad, it's only my first step to join the Elite Unit. My goal is to lead the Azure Mountain to win the championship at Seven Mountains Meeting after three years!” Osrid Su's eyes gleamed with bright hopes for the future.

However, he was not among the top 20 in his sect and thus wasn't qualified to participate in it. He had only been a spectator instead.

Even so, witnessing the aerial battle between Zen and Elvinia still deeply shocked him!

After the three of them reported to the elders of the Su Clan, the atmosphere became livelier with lots of happy faces and chatter.

Satisfied by the reaction he received, Osrid Su suddenly turned towards Gant and asked, “Gant, anything interesting in the Dragon City during the past year?”

The people of the Su Clan didn't think much of Dragon City. But Gant entered Dragon City against Cailen's will anyway, which gave them an excuse to make a mockery out of him.

Gant and Eira were sitting together discussing something in a low voice as if trying not to be noticed, when he was suddenly asked.

After a few months of rest, Eira fully recovered. Her delicate features were now highlighted by her natural blush skin, which made her look adorable.

“Gant, you should work hard in the Dragon City. If you work hard for twenty years, you will be able to get the position of Alliance Chief. Then maybe you'll earn a shot at becoming a Oneness Guard,” Osrid Su added while rubbing his chin and closing the distance between them.

“But it's not easy to join the Oneness Guards. The test is quite tough. Besides, a Oneness Guard has to fight on the front lines. It's too dangerous for you. Gant, you'd better stay in the Su Clan if you know what's good for you,” Irving Su suggested with a ridiculing smile.

Although their words sounded considerate, the tone they took to emphasize them was of scolding and taunting him in an obvious way.

Gant frowned slightly. If it were in the past, he might have had a fallout with his cousins, but after he had been to the Mountain Viewing Province with Zen and encountered a life-and-death experience, he suddenly felt that these cousins of his were so naive and had such limited vision.

At that moment, a loud and clear voice resounded in the hall from the back. “Becoming a Oneness Guard is not the only choice in Dragon City. Gant is only one step away from being admitted by Oneness Mountain this year. The Oneness Mountain is much stricter than the other mountains. If it were Ivory Mountain or Azure Mountain, he would have made it by now.”

Hearing what the voice had to say, the three young men frowned in unison.

After all, that person was right. Oneness Mountain's test was stricter compared to the others, but those words of wisdom still cut through them like daggers because it made them look inferior in front of Gant.

“And I guarantee that it will only take Gant one year to be ranked among the elite disciples,” the voice continued to boost Gant's esteem.

Not able to take it anymore, Osrid Su retaliated, “One year? Give me a break! Such a person doesn't exist in the entire Oneness Sky Palace!”

“I wouldn't be so sure. It only took my Flag Master two months. It doesn't seem all that difficult,” Gant said with a smirk recalling Zen's heroics in his mind.

“Your Flag Master?”

“A guy from Dragon City became an elite disciple in just two months?”

“Gant, stop uttering such nonsense! That is not possible!”

The three young men refused to believe a single word Gant said. They had never come across such a person.

As the endless quarreling refused to end, Cailen stepped with Zen into the hall.