Chapter 2365: Hidden

"Oh, where did Ying'er go?" Song Huizu asked, remembering something.

"She's hosting a gathering to meet elite disciples from other forces," Xia Zhiwei explained with a smile.

A hundred-acre estate featured pavilions, towers, waterside corridors, and unique rock formations.

In a stone pavilion built on a large lake, over twenty Nascent Soul cultivators sat, sipping tea, chatting, and exchanging insights on dealing with foreign races.

Wang Qingfeng, Dong Xueli, and Luo Tianbao were all present. Wang Qingfeng and Dong Xueli had gained considerable renown for their joint efforts in slaying multiple Nascent Soul foreign invaders, achieving significant results.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, I heard your esteemed father single-handedly defeated four powerful Void Refinement realm enemies. If he's free someday, he's welcome to visit our Song family. Our patriarch would surely be delighted," a slender young woman in a blue dress said enthusiastically. She had captivating peach blossom eyes, willow-leaf eyebrows, skin as white as snow, and a golden hairpin adorning her head.

This was Song Yunying, a descendant of Song Huizu. Her cultivation aura was slightly weaker than Wang Qingfeng's.

"I will convey your invitation to my father. If he has the time, he will certainly visit," Wang Qingfeng agreed.

"Four Void Refinement cultivators defeated by one person? How impressive! Even True Monarch Five Spirits isn't that formidable," a corpulent young man in a golden robe remarked sarcastically, a mocking expression on his face.

"Fellow Daoist Deng, what exactly do you mean by that?" Wang Qingfeng's expression turned cold, showing his displeasure.

The young man in the golden robe was none other than Deng Tianqi from the Deng family of Xuanyun Mountain.

Over a thousand years ago, Wang Qingfeng attended True Monarch Taiyang's Integration Ceremony with Wang Changsheng. During a gathering there, he met Deng Tianqi, who insisted on sparring with Wang Qingfeng and ended up being injured by him.

After many years, Deng Tianqi had also advanced to the Nascent Soul stage and was currently at the mid-Nascent Soul realm.

"No particular meaning, I was just speaking casually. Your father is even more formidable than True Monarch Five Spirits. True Monarch Five Spirits was heavily wounded while besieged by multiple Void Refinement foreign races, but your father, when besieged by multiple Void Refinement foreign races, completely annihilated the enemy. Truly impressive," Deng Tianqi sneered, his face full of doubt.

"Perhaps Senior Wang's cultivation is profound. Slaying four Void Refinement foreign races is a good thing for our human race," Luo Tianbao quickly interjected, attempting to smooth things over. Ever since Wang Qingfeng spotted Deng Tianqi, Deng Tianqi had been making sarcastic remarks directed at him.

"Eliminating Void Refinement foreign races is certainly a good thing. I just fear someone might be exaggerating their accomplishments, not worried about 'biting off more than they can chew'," Deng Tianqi mocked. Years ago, he had sparred with Wang Qingfeng and was defeated by Wang Qingfeng under the watchful eyes of many cultivators. He was then confined by his family for a century, and family members he didn't get along with often used this incident to ridicule him, intensifying Deng Tianqi's dislike for Wang Qingfeng.

"No need for Fellow Daoist Deng to worry about that; you should worry about yourself! I heard four Nascent Soul cultivators from your Deng family perished. With such limited strength, going to the front lines to fight foreign races is simply seeking death. If you lack the power, go back home and stop embarrassing yourself here," Wang Qingfeng retorted sarcastically. Since Deng Tianqi had repeatedly targeted him, Wang Qingfeng naturally wasn't going to be polite.

The Deng family had Void Refinement cultivators, making the two families somewhat similar in strength. However, the Wang family, backed by Zhenhai Palace, was far more powerful than the Deng family.

Upon hearing this, Deng Tianqi grew even angrier. Four Nascent Soul cultivators from the Deng family had died in battle, two of whom had been particularly kind to him. Wang Qingfeng was essentially rubbing salt in Deng Tianqi's wounds.

"They say a tiger begets no weak cubs. Since your esteemed father possesses extraordinary abilities, Fellow Daoist Wang, you must be quite formidable yourself. With so many fellow daoists present, how about we have a spar?" Deng Tianqi suggested, forcefully suppressing his anger.

"No interest," Wang Qingfeng flatly refused. He had no desire to spar with Deng Tianqi.

"Is that all Fellow Daoist Wang is capable of?" Deng Tianqi sneered contemptuously.

"Fellow Daoists, please calm down. The foreign races haven't retreated yet. If you want to compete, see who slays the most Nascent Soul foreign invaders when we face them," Song Yunying quickly intervened, trying to mediate and stop their argument.

Other cultivators also spoke up, preventing them from continuing their quarrel.

Wang Qingfeng and Deng Tianqi did not continue arguing, but their mutual dislike only intensified.

An hour later, the cultivators gradually departed. Wang Qingfeng and Dong Xueli also left, returning to their residence.

As they returned, Wang Qingshan happened to be seeing Song Huizu and Xia Zhiwei off.

"Qingfeng, Xueli, come with me. I have something to ask you," Wang Qingshan greeted them, then led Wang Qingfeng and Dong Xueli into a three-story blue pavilion.

"Do you two know that Void Refinement realm saber cultivator? The one who rescued you that day and then joined me, Fellow Daoist Wang, and Fellow Daoist Lan to fight the foreign races," Wang Qingshan asked, his tone heavy.

Song Huizu and Xia Zhiwei had visited him to inquire about that Void Refinement realm saber cultivator.

Wang Qingshan didn't know the person at all, only that his surname was Lin, and nothing else.

Dong Xueli frowned slightly, hesitated, and then cautiously asked, "Seventh Brother, why are Senior Song and Senior Xia inquiring about him? Does it concern our Wang family?"

"They said they wanted to befriend him, but I have a feeling it's not that simple. Xueli, do you know him?" Wang Qingshan asked, puzzled.

Dong Xueli didn't answer directly, instead asking, "Has he caused trouble? Will it implicate our Wang family?"

"I don't know that," Wang Qingshan shook his head. Then, remembering something, he added, "I heard that Fairy Xia is a descendant of the Xia family from Lihuo Valley. I also heard the Xia family was a cultivation family that was destroyed by the Mad Saber Elder."

Wang Qingfeng raised an eyebrow. The Xia family had come looking for trouble; this could be problematic.

Dong Xueli flicked her sleeve, conjuring a glittering green orb. She then cast a spell into it, causing the orb to spin and emit a radiant green light that enveloped the three of them.

"He might be my father, also known as the Mad Saber Elder. He often sought challenges, sparring with people everywhere. During his Nascent Soul stage, he sparred with a Xia family disciple and injured them. At the time, it wasn't a big deal, and the Xia family didn't pursue it. However, centuries later, the Xia family suddenly came to our doorstep, claiming that their clansman died from the injuries my father inflicted and demanding that we be taken back. My mother and elder brother died at the hands of Xia family cultivators while covering my escape. Later, my father returned, having already advanced to the Void Refinement stage, and he annihilated the Xia family."

"After I escaped, I changed my name and identity, journeyed far from home, and wandered the world. Later, I met my husband, and you, Seventh Brother, know the rest of that story. Years ago, while seeking spirit elixirs to heal my mother, we encountered him in a market and asked for his help."

"Has he contacted you proactively? How many in the clan know about this?" Wang Qingshan pressed, his expression grave.

This matter was no small trouble. The Song family was a cultivation family supported by Zhenhai Palace's local faction, and they boasted numerous powerful cultivators.

"My parents know of his existence but are unaware of what he did. As for why the Xia family only pursued this matter centuries later, I'm not sure," Dong Xueli replied truthfully.