The vast underground chamber was now empty, leaving only Xiao Yufan and Wang Wei. Wang Wei was terrible at lying; his expression had already betrayed him, how could that possibly escape Xiao Yufan’s sharp eyes?
“Now that it’s just the two of us, don’t you have something you want to say?”
Xiao Yufan’s lips curled into a smile as he stood with his hands clasped behind his back, feeling the energy gathering inside his body, his muscles gradually relaxing.
“Everything always escapes the Young Master’s sharp eyes. Some things aren’t intentionally hidden by me, and I certainly have no ill intentions…”
Wang Wei was a clever man and naturally understood the implication behind the Young Master’s words. A faint bitter smile appeared on his face, clearly indicating that there were some things he was reluctant to recall.
“Do you really think you’d still be standing here if you had any ill intentions?”
Xiao Yufan knew that Wang Wei might have had no choice but to keep certain things hidden. He certainly didn’t doubt the man’s loyalty—everyone could see the contributions Shadow Hall had made to the Dark Gate.
Wang Wei was momentarily stunned, slightly taken aback. He saw no blame in Xiao Yufan’s eyes, and a warm feeling stirred in his heart.
“Have you ever heard of the Wang Clan from Changbai Mountain, Young Master?”
Since Xiao Yufan had already suspected his identity, Wang Wei saw no point in hiding anymore. After all, he had already grown accustomed to his current life and no longer harbored any longing for that cold place.
“The Wang Clan of Changbai Mountain?” Xiao Yufan furrowed his brow, searching his memory for any mention of this so-called Wang Clan, but unsurprisingly came up empty.
“In China, there are many hidden families. They control, to varying degrees, the economic lifelines and many major powers. The Wang Clan is an extraordinary presence in the north. Families like the Gaos and the Bais, which everyone knows well, are far inferior to the Wang Clan in terms of power!”
When mentioning the Wang Clan, Wang Wei’s emotions couldn’t help but fluctuate. Back then, he had been cast out merely for a small mistake. Thinking back now, it was simply because his strength had been too weak!
“Hidden families? Do you mean those secret forces my grandfather often spoke of? How much more is there that I still don’t know?”
In just two days, Xiao Yufan felt as if his entire world had been turned upside down. He realized he still knew far too little about many things…
“Internal energy experts might be rare in the outside world, but within these hidden families and factions, they are actually quite common. I, being from the Wang Clan of Changbai Mountain, naturally know of their existence!”
As if sensing Xiao Yufan’s confusion, Wang Wei continued explaining, still considering himself a member of the Wang Clan deep down.
“Then why did you join the Special Forces and choose the Dark Gate? Wouldn’t the Wang Clan have been a better place? A hidden family like that must be something anyone would long for.”
No matter how he looked at it, Xiao Yufan could only draw one conclusion from Wang Wei’s words: the Wang Clan of Changbai Mountain was extremely powerful—far beyond his imagination. If internal energy experts were everywhere, it couldn’t possibly be that simple.
“I was merely a discarded son of the Wang Clan. Once I was cast aside, I lost any right to return!”
Wang Wei’s lips twitched bitterly as he spoke. His parents were still in the Wang Clan—how could he not want to return? But there were still people who wouldn’t allow him to.
“If even an internal energy expert can be discarded so easily, the Wang Clan must truly be formidable!”
Unconsciously, Xiao Yufan felt no fondness at all for this so-called Changbai Mountain Wang Clan. From Wang Wei’s conflicted expression, he could clearly see the man’s inner resentment.
“Yeah, I was just about to cross that threshold. If I could return to the Wang Clan in glory, it wouldn’t be impossible…”
Upon hearing Xiao Yufan’s words, Wang Wei’s eyes lit up with excitement. Even within the concealed families, experts in internal energy weren’t exactly common. As long as he could reach the Condensation Stage, even if some individuals still opposed him, he would possess enough strength to return to the Wang Clan. Strength was the sole and genuine foundation of power.
“Don’t worry. Even if one day you stand in direct opposition to the Wang Clan, the entire Dark Gate will stand behind you!”
Xiao Yufan increasingly felt that the Dark Gate’s strength was insufficient. It might still be able to handle ordinary people, but if they truly encountered internal energy experts, no matter how many people they had, it wouldn’t be enough.
Nodding heavily, all of Wang Wei’s pent-up emotions seemed to be released in that moment, and the heavy burden in his heart slowly lifted.
When Wang Wei had originally chosen to join the Dark Gate, he had indeed had some personal motives—he had hoped to establish a faction that would support him. As it turned out, he had bet correctly, earning the trust of this man.
In Wang Wei’s eyes, Xiao Yufan surpassed every single member of the Wang Clan in excellence. This man possessed not only formidable strength, but also the prestigious identity of a member of the Situ family, a status alone sufficient to command awe across the land.
Perhaps others might not understand the terrifying might of the Situ family, but as someone from the Wang Clan, Wang Wei knew very well the depth of their power. Even hidden families were reluctant to provoke the Situ Clan.
“Now, do you feel like you need a chance to completely step into the realm of internal energy experts?”
After a brief silence, the atmosphere became slightly awkward. At this moment, Xiao Yufan cast a lecherous glance at Wang Wei, his voice carrying a strange tone.
Upon hearing this, Wang Wei, who had just been about to nod, immediately shook his head instead. Damn it, he could vaguely guess what was about to happen next.
“I still have a sparring match with Xiao Dao. Young Master, please excuse me!”
A chill ran down his back, and Wang Wei shivered involuntarily, turning to leave. He would rather face Xiao Dao and the others—those hungry wolves—than this man.
“Don’t go. I’ll be very gentle…”
Before Wang Wei could escape, Xiao Yufan had already taken action. He didn’t mind playing the role of the helpful ally, assisting Wang Wei in quickly entering the realm of internal energy cultivation. After all, he himself still needed to stabilize his internal energy to reach the Condensation Stage.
In an instant, cries of agony filled the air. If four people could barely last a few minutes under Xiao Yufan’s hands, how much less could Wang Wei alone hope to endure? It was naturally a one-sided massacre…
“Poor guy, tsk tsk tsk!”
In a certain corner, three wolves watched Wang Wei with schadenfreude. Having been mercilessly beaten by Xiao Yufan themselves, they were only too happy to see someone else suffer the same fate.
“Perhaps this is actually a fortunate turn of events for Brother Wei. If he has already reached the realm of internal energy cultivation at the Xiu Shen Zhi Jing (cultivation stage), we must also strive to advance to that level quickly; otherwise, we will fall further and further behind!”
A smile appeared on Qinglong’s usually stiff face, along with a look of determination. He needed to become stronger, to increase his value, and he still had many things left to accomplish…
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