While on Mount Hua, my mind is at peace!

Chapter 103 Head of the Xie Family

As Yue Feng walked, he asked, "What happened to the Second Young Master?"

Seeing that he was walking at a leisurely pace, Elder Wei didn't dare to urge him. He simply said honestly, "I don't know the specifics either. This morning, the eldest young master came to see the second young master, and the two chatted for a while. After that, the second young master was in a bad mood and asked me to come find you as soon as possible."

Yue Feng hummed in agreement and didn't ask any more questions. Elder Wei led Yue Feng and Wu Shuangxue to Xie Shengjie's residence, only to find him absent. After inquiring with the servants, they learned that he had been summoned by the old patriarch, Xie Hongde. Xie Shengjie had left a message instructing Yue Feng to go find him at Xie Hongde's place as soon as he arrived.

Elder Wei had no choice but to take Yue Feng to Xie Hongde's place again. Xie Hongde's residence was located in the deepest part of the Xie mansion, quiet and secluded, giving those who set foot there a sense of tranquility. Yue Feng and Wu Shuangxue had just killed someone not long ago, and walking there, even the restlessness in their hearts subsided somewhat.

Elder Wei informed the gatekeeper. The gatekeeper went in and soon came out, leading them to the outside of a study. The study door was open, and an elderly man with white hair and a youthful face sat behind a desk, while Xie Shengjie and a middle-aged man who looked similar to him stood in front of the desk.

A dozen or so martial arts figures stood on either side of the study, each with a composed demeanor. Elder Wei introduced them to Yue Feng: those on the left were the eldest son Xie Shengling's men, and those on the right were Xie Shengjie's men.

The three of them stood at the end of the line on the right. Some people greeted Elder Wei in hushed tones, but many more people turned their curious gazes toward Yue Feng and Wu Shuangxue.

In the study, Xie Hongde was flipping through a thin booklet. He'd look at a page, then say, "No." After finishing, he tossed the booklet onto the table and asked his eldest son, Xie Shenglin, "Is this guest list for the Heavenly Sword Sect's birthday banquet up-to-date?"

Xie Shenglin said, "Yes. My son just sent someone to retrieve it from the Heavenly Sword Sect."

Xie Hongde said, "Am I getting old and my eyesight is failing me? How come I don't see a single Xie family member's name on this list?"

Xie Shenglin bowed deeply, his eyes fixed straight ahead: "Your son is incompetent; please punish me, Father."

Xie Hongde snorted and turned his gaze to Xie Shengjie: "Second brother, you're in charge of the list, right? Tell me, what's going on?"

Xie Shengjie sneered, "Father, you didn't see yesterday's list. Our names are on it, of course, under pseudonyms."

"However, earlier today, several elders of the Heavenly Sword Sect somehow obtained intelligence and removed all the spies that their son had planted in the Heavenly Sword Sect. They then released a new list, which is the one you are seeing now."

"My undercover agents have been with the Heavenly Sword Sect for several years, and they've never made a single mistake. I'm really puzzled as to who leaked their identities?"

As soon as Xie Shengjie uttered these words, his sword was aimed directly at Xie Shengling beside him. Xie Shengling remained bowed, motionless, and didn't even glance in Xie Shengjie's direction. The people outside the door, who had previously dared to speak in hushed tones, were now all silenced by the heavy atmosphere.

Xie Hongde tapped the table slowly and rhythmically a few times with his fingertips, causing Xie Shengjie to tremble slightly. Xie Hongde said:

"What do you mean by that? Are you trying to make excuses for your failure? I don't care why you failed; failure is failure. All I want to know is, with seven days until Yun Ruoyu's birthday banquet, are you going to add a few more names to the list?"

Xie Shengjie took a deep breath and was about to speak when a clear young voice rang out from outside the door: "Second Young Master, I have something to say."

Xie Shengjie turned his head and saw it was Yue Feng, hesitating for a moment. Xie Shenglin spoke first: "Who do you think you are? Get out of here and wait!"

Yue Feng ignored Xie Shengling. Xie Shengjie glanced at Xie Shengling, gave a slight cold smile, and said to Xie Hongde with a composed expression, "Father, I would like to hear what I have to say. Please grant me permission."

Xie Hongde looked at the suddenly appearing little fellow with interest and nodded. Xie Shengjie said, "Thank you, Father." He then turned to Yue Feng and said, "Go ahead and speak."

Yue Feng stepped forward and said, "May I have a look at the guest list for the Heavenly Sword Sect's birthday banquet?"

Despite his many doubts, Xie Shengjie still looked at Xie Hongde. Xie Hongde picked up the directory from the table and tossed it aside. The directory slowly flew towards Yue Feng.

"Just take a look, what's the big deal?"

Yue Feng's heart skipped a beat, knowing that Xie Hongde was using this opportunity to test his martial arts skills. He extended both hands, but instead of directly taking the list, he spread it out in front of his chest.

All the retainers frowned, wondering what he meant by this. Clearly, the list carried Xie Hongde's incredibly pure internal energy; even if Yue Feng knew he couldn't withstand it, he should have dodged it. What other outcome could there be but having the list smash his chest to pieces?

Wu Shuangxue swiftly grasped the hilt of the single-edged sword, about to draw it, when Elder Wei pressed down on the hilt, preventing her from pulling it out. Just then, the register, about to collide with Yue Feng's chest, suddenly tilted downwards and fell into Yue Feng's palm.

Yue Feng held the list respectfully with both hands and bowed to Xie Hongde, saying, "Thank you for your kind gift, Elder Clan Master."

Xie Hongde smiled at Yue Feng and said to Xie Shengjie, "Second brother, your subordinate is quite good. Where did he come from?"

"My father was personally recruited by Head Coach Wei."

"Yes, reward them all."

"Yes, Father."

Yue Feng opened the directory and flipped through it page by page. One of Xie Shenglin's men opposite him said, "Kid, what are you looking for? You don't actually think your name will be on this, do you? Haha, haha." The others around him also laughed along with him.

Yue Feng flipped to the last page, closed the list, and presented it to Xie Shengjie with both hands. Xie Shengjie gave him a strange look, wondering what he was up to. Xie Hongde asked curiously, "Have you figured out what's going on?"

Yue Feng nodded slightly: "The last name on the list, 'Feng Man Lou,' is indeed me."

The crowd outside immediately erupted in commotion. If the list hadn't been in Xie Shengjie's hands, they would have all wanted to snatch it and take a look. Xie Shengjie immediately went to look at the list, but Xie Hongde beckoned to him, so he had no choice but to hand it over.

Xie Hongde flipped to the end of the list and indeed saw it written there:

"The storm is brewing" - the wind is howling.

He had just seen those words too, but he didn't know that Feng Manlou was Xie Shengjie's subordinate, and that he was the exceptionally handsome young man in front of him.

"So you're Feng Manlou? Nicknamed 'The Storm Is Coming'?"

Yue Feng found it rather amusing. He had only casually mentioned "a storm is brewing" to Yun Ruoyu, but she had misunderstood it as his nickname. He decided to play along and readily admitted, "That's right."

Xie Hongde asked with great interest, "Is there any story behind your nickname, or is it simply because your name is Feng Manlou?"