Chapter 536: Huai Commandery Prince
The Yun Clan had brought exactly one hundred people to this Demon Queen Ceremony, with young disciples making up nearly half. Among the thirty-six core elders, as many as twenty-nine had accompanied them, and all three supreme elders were present as well.
"Not a single one of the three supreme elders stayed behind to guard the clan—they all came. It seems Father is prepared to go all out this time." Xiao Yun leaned close to Yun Che and whispered.
Yun Che nodded. "The other Guardian Clans should be bringing their core experts too. By the way, is each clan only allowed to bring a hundred people?"
"Yes! This Demon Queen Ceremony gathers all the major powers from every region of the Huan Yao Realm... That worthless son of mine, Hui Ye, actually showed disrespect to Brother Yun the other day. Ah, he has utterly disgraced my Huai Wang Manor. Hui Ye, hurry up and apologize to your Uncle Yun!"
Hui Ye Commandery Prince gritted his teeth, lowered his head, and said, "Uncle Yun, I was ignorant the other day. I hope you can forgive me."
Yun Qinghong accepted it calmly, then said indifferently, "Since you already know you were wrong, I won't hold a grudge against a younger generation member. Huai Commandery Prince, that day I gave your son a thorough scolding and made him lose all face in front of everyone. You won't hold it against me, will you?"
"Brother Yun, how could you say that!" Huai Commandery Prince waved his hand magnanimously. "This worthless son of mine runs wild all day, disregarding his elders, causing trouble everywhere. As his senior, Brother Yun was perfectly right to teach him a lesson. I'm grateful for it, not resentful. If this brat dares to show you disrespect again next time, don't waste words scolding him—just beat him half to death and toss him out."
Yun Che: (Heh, heh heh.)
"Big brother, look at the person behind Hui Ye Commandery Prince," Xiao Yun leaned in and lowered his voice.
Yun Che glanced sideways at the man standing behind Hui Ye Commandery Prince. He was a tall, robust young man. Hui Ye was at least fair and refined in appearance, but this man had a face full of rough features, eyes like an eagle's hook, and muscles bulging prominently from his body. Just by looking, one could feel the terrifying power hidden within each of those muscles.
As if sensing Yun Che and Xiao Yun's stares, the young man's gaze suddenly shot over. He glanced at Yun Che and Xiao Yun, then withdrew it, letting out a disdainful snort loud enough for anyone to hear. His look was one of extreme contempt, as if Yun Che and Xiao Yun weren't even worthy of a second glance.
"That person is Huai Commandery Prince's eldest son—Hui Ran! He is the head of this generation's Seven Sons of Huan Yao! Among the Twelve Guardian Clans and the Huan Yao Royal Clan, no one under the age of thirty-five is his match! And his temperament is extremely brutal. Anyone who fights him ends up either severely injured or dead on the spot." Xiao Yun said in a low voice, and Yun Che could hear deep wariness in his tone.
Yun Che gave a slight nod and didn't look at him anymore. But then, he noticed that Huai Commandery Prince's gaze had suddenly fallen upon him.
"This must be the legendary adopted son Brother Yun took in? If I remember correctly, his name should be... Yun Che?" Huai Commandery Prince said with a chuckle, his eyes scanning from Yun Che's head to his toes, his smile carrying a faint, subtle meaning that was hard to read.
"Precisely." Yun Qinghong nodded. "This child is indeed my adopted son."
"During the Battle of the Slay Moon Demon Cave, Brother Yun heavily injured the Moon Devourer and shattered the Jiehun Realm in one fell swoop. But when he came out, he brought a young man with him. I heard that this young man killed over a dozen Emperor Lords from the Jiehun Realm with a single sword strike. If I'm not mistaken, it was this Yun Che?" Huai Commandery Prince looked at Yun Che with a half-smile.
Yun Qinghong smiled faintly and answered unhurriedly, "A dozen Emperor Lords? That's an exaggeration. The rumors have been blown out of proportion."
"Ha, hahaha." Huai Commandery Prince laughed heartily, then said, "Brother Yun, our two clans have been close for generations. Now that you're back, there are many things we can discuss. When the time is right, I'll definitely come visit Brother Yun properly."
"I'll be waiting for you," Yun Qinghong said with a faint smile.
"Very well. I still have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave." Huai Commandery Prince clasped his hands in farewell, then led the Huai Wang Manor group away.
After walking about a hundred paces, Huai Commandery Prince's smile instantly faded, replaced by a heavy gloom. "Sixteen years, and Yun Qinghong finally showed up. He's been bearing that grudge all this time, and I'm afraid he'll never let it go. Now that my plans are nearly complete and I'm full of confidence, when I saw him just now... that steady, calm demeanor of his gave me an inexplicable unease."
"Father's worries are unfounded," Hui Ye said, shaking his head. "Although the Yun Clan is huge, over the years we've already co-opted nearly all of Yun Qinghong's trusted subordinates. The ones who truly follow Yun Qinghong are nothing but a bunch of old weaklings and scattered remnants. Even if he wants to make a move, he doesn't have the strength. What's there to fear?"
"Father, you're overthinking it," Hui Ran snorted disdainfully. "Even if he's powerful, given his age, he's at most a mid-stage Emperor Lord. What threat can the Yun Clan add with just one more mid-stage Emperor Lord? Does Father really need to use 'standing as equals' to win him over?"
Huai Commandery Prince was silent for a moment, then said, "Perhaps the impression he left in my heart is too deep. I had everything prepared, and I was utterly confident. But just thinking that he has recovered gives me an inexplicable unease... That feeling is extremely unpleasant!"
"..."