"Why can't my surname be Chu?" Chu Feng countered.
"That's not your real surname, is it?" Chu Xuanlang asked.
"So what if it is, and so what if it isn't?" Chu Feng replied.
"If it isn't, I'd like to know which clan you truly belong to."
"If it is, I'd like to know who your parents are," Chu Xuanlang said.
At that moment, Chu Feng's heart tightened. This Chu Xuanlang had indeed come to him with a purpose — and it concerned his origins.
Chu Feng wasn't sure whether the other party meant well or harbored ill intentions. But the fact that he was a member of the Chu Heavenly Clan was something he wasn't ready to reveal just yet.
Because even though Chu Xuanlang had saved Wang Qiang and Zhao Hong, making him Chu Feng's benefactor, Chu Feng still didn't trust him.
"Senior, if I don't give you an honest answer about this, will you torture it out of me?" Chu Feng asked in a joking tone.
"Of course not. I'm simply curious. If you don't wish to say, I won't force you. Truthfully, I only wanted to become friends with you," Chu Xuanlang said.
"Be friends with me? Would someone of your seniority really deign to befriend someone like me?" Chu Feng said with a smile.
"What my status is doesn't matter. What matters is who you are," Chu Xuanlang said.
"What do you mean by that, Senior?" Chu Feng asked.
"I've heard about what you've done, and I greatly admire your way of doing things. A young man should have courage and resolve. Most importantly, he should know the difference between gratitude and grudges — someone with loyalty and righteousness. In this day and age, there aren't many people like you, and even fewer young people like you," Chu Xuanlang said.
"But regardless of what you say, I killed members of your Chu Heavenly Clan," Chu Feng said.
"You mean Chu Luyang? A man like that living only brought shame to our Chu Heavenly Clan. I'd have been glad if someone killed him," Chu Xuanlang said.
"If that's the case, then you shouldn't have saved Chu Luxuan," Chu Feng said.
"Luxuan?" Chu Xuanlang chuckled. He understood what Chu Feng was getting at. "Luxuan does resemble his brother in many ways. But there's one difference — his talent is far superior."
"Although Luxuan's talent isn't the most outstanding among the younger generation of our clan, it's at least in the upper tier."
"So… even if his character leaves much to be desired, the clan still needs to nurture him. After all… he's going to be part of our future fighting force," Chu Xuanlang said.
"I see. Well then — it would be my honor to call you a friend, Senior. I'd be glad to address you as a brother," Chu Feng said.
"You've agreed? Why the sudden change of heart?" Chu Xuanlang asked.
"Chu Luxuan calls you uncle. If I become your sworn brother, doesn't that mean he'd have to call me uncle too? I very much look forward to seeing his expression then," Chu Feng said with a wicked grin.
"Haha, you really are an amusing young fellow. But… you suit my fancy," Chu Xuanlang laughed heartily. He truly seemed to have taken a liking to Chu Feng.
"Then should I call you Brother Xuanlang?" Chu Feng asked.
"That would be only natural," Chu Xuanlang said.
"Then, Brother Xuanlang, can you really not heal Wang Qiang's injuries?" Chu Feng asked.
"I cannot. Within the Hundred Refinements Ordinary Realm, there is only one person capable of healing Wang Qiang's injuries — the Golden Crane True Immortal," Chu Xuanlang said.
"Who exactly is the Golden Crane True Immortal?" Chu Feng asked.
"All I can tell you is that the Golden Crane True Immortal is someone even I cannot afford to provoke," Chu Xuanlang said.
"Even you can't afford to provoke them?" Chu Feng was quite surprised. He had long known the Golden Crane True Immortal was no ordinary figure, but he hadn't expected them to be this formidable.
Setting aside the powerful background, Chu Xuanlang's own strength was clearly extraordinary. If even he didn't dare provoke the Golden Crane True Immortal, that meant the Golden Crane True Immortal's power surpassed even his.
"Someone like that — why would they leave the Upper Realm and come to the Ordinary Realm instead?" Chu Feng asked.
"They must have their reasons. As for what those reasons are, who can say?" Chu Xuanlang said with a faint smile — one that carried a deeper meaning.