Before the Yang family's young members returned to Zhongdu, three young people were the talk of the city.
One was Liu Qingyao, two was Qiu Yimeng, and three was Huo Xingchen.
It's just that the first two were famous for their good names in Zhongdu, while the last was notorious for his bad one. Everyone in Zhongdu knew that this sole heir of the Huo family was a arrogant, extravagant, and unrestrained dandy. Whenever pretty young ladies or girls caught sight of him from afar, they would hurriedly avoid him for fear of being snatched away.
In Zhongdu, any family with a young daughter would have a portrait of Huo Xingchen's head, specifically to remember what this man looked like.
In a sense, Huo Xingchen's fame was even more resounding than Liu Qingyao's and Qiu Yimeng's. People had given him the nickname: the Zhongdu Wolf!
Wherever the Zhongdu Wolf Huo Xingchen went, the wind and clouds changed color, and the earth trembled. At the mere mention of the Zhongdu Wolf's wicked name, children in Zhongdu would stop crying at night!
At this moment, this Zhongdu Wolf, Young Master Huo, sat casually and relaxed atop his Cloud-Treading Horse, arms crossed over his chest. Upon seeing so many elders, he showed no intention of dismounting to pay his respects, causing the heads of the other families to secretly shake their heads.
"Where were you last night?" Huo Zheng glared and shouted sternly.
"In closed-door cultivation," Huo Xingchen replied glibly.
Old Master Huo Zheng was so furious smoke practically billowed from his seven orifices. He stamped his foot and yelled, "You scoundrel! Then what's that lipstick mark on your face?!"
Just outside the main southern gate, a burst of laughter erupted.
Huo Xingchen showed not a hint of embarrassment. He merely swept his gaze around with a cold, cynical laugh, and the laughter died abruptly.
This unrestrained Zhongdu Wolf might have a terrible reputation, but he was still a young master from one of the Eight Great Families! He wasn't someone those people could mock.
Furthermore, he was the sole heir of the Huo family, even less someone to provoke. If they kept laughing, he might just remember their faces, and they wouldn't even know how they died.
Huo Zheng shook his head repeatedly, his face full of frustration that iron wouldn't become steel. He gave a soft shout, "If you're not fooling around at the Spring Delight Pavilion, what are you doing here?"
Huo Xingchen heard this and smiled. "Father, didn't you say the Yang family's Battle for the Succession is a rare opportunity? After thinking it over, I figured for such a big event, our Huo family naturally has to participate too. Otherwise, won't others look down on us for having no one?"
Hearing him say this, Huo Zheng couldn't help but beam with delight. The earlier displeasure and anger had already been cast to the nine heavens. He asked eagerly, "You mean... you want to participate in the Battle for the Succession?"
"Your son has exactly that intention. Only then will I live up to your expectations, Father!" Huo Xingchen replied with a straight face.
Huo Zheng was overjoyed. He slapped his thigh and said, "Good, good, good! You've finally come to your senses. It's not too late even now! Get down, get down!"
As he spoke, Huo Zheng rushed forward, and with the eagerness of a servant, helped his son dismount from the Cloud-Treading Horse.
Not only did he not feel there was anything wrong with such doting behavior, but he was also all smiles.
Of course Huo Zheng was happy. Previously, no matter how he told Huo Xingchen, the son had been unwilling to participate in any Battle for the Succession. Compared to the battle, he'd rather go drinking and having fun.
This had led Huo Zheng to believe that his Huo family would likely have no part in this Battle for the Succession, and he'd been feeling down about it.
Who would have thought that on the very day the battle began, his son would come running over on his own initiative, asking to participate? Naturally, this made him overjoyed.
"Look!" Huo Zheng said with a smile, waving his hand and pointing not far away. "Those are the eight young masters of the Yang family! Son, you pick one carefully. Once you've chosen, Father will hand the Star Gate over to you to manage!"
"Really?" Huo Xingchen raised an eyebrow, his expression greasy.
"Of course it's real. In front of your other elders, would this old man joke with you?" Huo Zheng said seriously.
"Alright then, I like it!" Huo Xingchen chuckled with a lewd grin.
The conversation between father and son reached the ears of many Yang family disciples, causing their breathing to quicken slightly.
The Star Gate! A special force under the Huo family.
It was composed entirely of women, and every woman in it was not only beautiful but also quite capable. More importantly, because they were women, they trained in light and nimble cultivation techniques and martial arts. Therefore, they had always been responsible for assassinations and covert killings.
If such a force fell into one's own hands, it would become a powerful aid. If it belonged to an enemy, it would surely cause endless headaches.
So upon hearing Huo Zheng mention the Star Gate, both Huo Xingchen and the Yang family disciples were full of interest.
Huo Xingchen's expression was casual as his gaze swept over the Yang family disciples one by one. Except for Yang Wei, who still had a cold face, the others were all smiling and cupping their fists in greeting.
They were obviously trying to win his favor, hoping he would join their side.
Huo Zheng also waited with a smile, wanting to see who his son would ultimately choose.
After a good while, Huo Xingchen's gaze finally fell on Yang Kai, his expression playful, a hint of a sinister smile playing on his lips. He nodded and said, "I choose you!"
Yang Kai furrowed his brow and glanced at Huo Xingchen, his expression odd.
He hadn't expected Huo Xingchen to choose him. It was fundamentally illogical. They had a grudge; any normal person would choose someone else to suppress him, to achieve the goal of revenge. But now his choice left Yang Kai somewhat confused.
"Who?" Huo Zheng was also momentarily stunned.
"Young Master Kai!" Huo Xingchen answered with a smile.