Ch. 453 - Stealing Candy From A Little Girl

Wenren Tianming felt a slight sting on his neck.

He gently touched it and found a bit of blood, there was a small wound.

“Was that a warning?” he asked with a serious expression, looking at Xu Zimo.

The memory of that strike just now still lingered in his mind.

Xu Zimo wasn’t wrong. If he hadn’t held back, this wound would have been far worse.

“Who exactly are you?” Wenren Tianming asked.

“You already know, don’t you?” Xu Zimo replied with a faint smile.

“Maybe if I said I’m the current Holy Son of the True Martial Sacred Ground, that would be easier for you to accept.”

Wenren Tianming fell silent. He had always been very confident in his own talent.

Even those so-called peerless geniuses from the Middle Continent were just at the Imperial Meridian Realm.

He believed that compared to those geniuses, he had the qualifications to compete for Heaven's Will in this generation.

But just now, that single, seemingly ordinary strike shattered all his pride.

He realized he didn’t even have the power to resist.

It was like there was an uncrossable chasm between them.

“I’ll keep my promise,” Wenren Tianming said after taking a deep breath.

Xu Zimo nodded and said nothing more, then turned and slowly strolled away from the lake, continuing his walk through the Wenren estate.

...

At dusk, the sunset painted half the sky red.

Clouds glowed in the horizon, drifting lazily in midair.

From the branches in the distance, a few lonely birds rustled leaves as they took flight.

Xu Zimo had planned to return to his courtyard.

Halfway there, a little girl with two chubby braids walked toward him.

She held a stick of candied hawthorn and wore a light blue dress.

She looked very cute, with a bit of baby fat on her cheeks.

Her eyes were bright and lively.

As they passed each other, Xu Zimo glanced at her out of curiosity.

Unexpectedly, the little girl turned her head and snapped, “What are you looking at? Want me to gouge your eyes out?”

“Wow. Such a fierce temper for someone so young,” Xu Zimo chuckled.

“Do you know who I am?” the girl sized him up and said, “You’re one of the new servants, right?”

“What’s it to you?” Xu Zimo replied with a laugh.

“You dare talk to me like that?” she huffed, then proudly said, “I’m Wenren Yao. My dad is Wenren Yao. Are you scared now?” [TL Note: Yes, same names but in Chinese these two words (Yao) are pronounced and written differently.]

Xu Zimo paused. Wenren Yao was his eldest uncle, which meant this unfamiliar little girl was his cousin.

He looked at her arrogant expression and shook his head slightly.

Then he quickly snatched the candied hawthorn from her hand and ate the whole thing in one bite.

He handed back the empty stick and walked away without looking back.

The little girl was stunned for a moment. She looked at the stick in her hand, then at Xu Zimo’s departing figure.

And then...

“Waaah!” she burst into tears.

By the time Xu Zimo returned to the courtyard, it was already getting dark.

Cousin Wenren Suo was slouched in the pavilion, looking listless.

“What’s wrong?” Xu Zimo asked curiously as he walked over.

“Can’t find Dragon Tail Grass,” Wenren Suo said. “I’m afraid I’ll break my promise to Lady Xian’er.”

“Dragon Tail Grass might only be a Universe-grade herb, but it’s extremely rare,” Xu Zimo shook his head.

“The conditions for it to grow are too strict. That’s why it’s so scarce.”

It must be nourished by true dragon blood to grow.

And ever since the early days of the Imperial Era, when the Sky Shroud War God wiped out the Dragon Race, they had nearly gone extinct.

Where could you even find true dragon blood now?

Of course, the Dragon Gods in Xu Zimo’s God World didn’t count.

“Don’t bother with it anymore,” Xu Zimo laughed. “By the way, I wanted to ask, do you know Wenren Yao?”

“That girl?” Wenren Suo nodded. “She’s Uncle Yao’s daughter. Spoiled since birth, completely a little princess. No one dares scold or punish her.”

“With that bitter expression on your face, looks like you’re annoyed by everyone,” Xu Zimo teased.

“Sigh, in this family, I have no status,” Wenren Suo shook his head. “I used to push around the branch members a bit. Now even some of them have started stepping all over me.”

Xu Zimo chuckled. He knew Wenren Tianming was who he meant.

Still, he reminded him, “Try not to provoke him. You’re no match.”

...

Xu Zimo stayed in the Wenren estate with Wenren Suo for seven days.

During that time, Xu Zimo mostly focused on cultivating.

Wenren Suo, on the other hand, spent all day thinking about his Lady Xian’er.

Today was their grandfather’s birthday celebration.

Xu Zimo and Wenren Suo got up early and headed to the main courtyard.

At dawn, the white light at the horizon gradually shifted into a purple sun rising in the east.

The Wenren estate was decorated from end to end. All the family members had gathered to celebrate.

The younger generation, including Xu Zimo, had been called to stand in the main hall.

A man in a red robe stood at the front, explaining the day’s rules.

Xu Zimo recognized him, it was his eldest uncle, Wenren Yao.

“Today, all the prestigious figures and nobles of the Phoenix Perch Empire will attend,” Wenren Yao said sternly. Whatever you do, behave yourselves. This is your grandfather’s birthday. Nothing can go wrong. Anyone who messes up will not be forgiven. Do you all understand?”

“Understood!” the youths responded with energy.

Xu Zimo glanced around. The current generation of Wenren Clan’s direct descendants numbered a dozen or so.

They were sons and daughters of his eldest, second, and youngest uncles, as well as his aunt.

His own mother was the youngest in this generation.

And he was her only child.

After Wenren Yao finished giving instructions and the group dispersed, Wenren Yao suddenly saw Xu Zimo.

She ran up to her father, pouting and complaining, “Daddy, it was him! He stole my candied hawthorn yesterday. You have to make it right for me!”

Xu Zimo immediately noticed the situation from nearby.

Wenren Yao smiled and shook his head, then called out, “Little Zimo.”

Xu Zimo felt a little awkward but still walked over quickly.

As he reached them, he greeted, “Uncle.”

Before Wenren Yao could say anything, Xu Zimo affectionately patted Wenren Yao’s head and smiled.

“Little Cousin Yao, wasn’t the market in the western city fun yesterday? Wasn’t that candied hawthorn I bought for you delicious?”

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