Opening the main gates to welcome a guest is typically a courtesy reserved for highly esteemed individuals, signifying immense solemnity. Not only are the large gates opened, but the host also personally greets the guest outside. Regardless of whether Lu Xingzhou merits such an honor, considering “Huo Shang’s” identity as commonly perceived, having the father personally greet someone at the door would be completely out of line. Unless, of course, you are a noble concubine returning home, representing the “Emperor.” Shen Tang has not yet ascended the throne. And even if she had, would you be a noble concubine?

As those with keen interest watched in shock, the main gates of the Huo family mansion swung open. Huo Xingyuan, leading the Huo brothers, personally came out to greet them, even performing the formal cupped-hand salute: “Young Master Lu is truly a rare guest, please come in.” At least he didn’t say, “Your grand presence is a delight, forgive our not having met you earlier,” saving a little face. Lu Xingzhou didn’t overdo his arrogance either, returning a slight cupped-hand smile: “Marquis is too kind.”

With various thoughts swirling in the minds of the onlookers, the group entered the Huo mansion, and the main gates closed once more. Huo Xingyuan led Lu Xingzhou directly to the main hall, saying, “You should have visited here earlier this year when you came to Jingdu.”

“Earlier this year?” Lu Xingzhou smiled faintly, “Shouldn’t it have been ten years ago, when the entire Huo family came to Jingdu?” Huo Xingyuan choked, unsure how to respond. He was suggesting Huo Shang should have come home when he arrived in Jingdu, but Lu Xingzhou directly retorted, asking if he shouldn’t have brought the child along then. There was no good answer to that.

Outside the main hall, Lu Xingzhou stopped. “Why are we coming here?” Huo Xingyuan was puzzled. “Where else?” Lu Xingzhou smiled. “Shouldn’t we go pay respects to Fourth Brother?” Huo Xingyuan truly couldn’t fathom his intentions. He believed Lu Xingzhou wasn’t responsible for Fourth Brother’s death, but wasn’t it Lu Xingzhou who beat him to a pulp, leaving him paralyzed in bed? What was with this act of wanting to pay respects to a brother?

Originally, Huo Xingyuan should have sought revenge on Lu Xingzhou for this matter. However, during the trial, with the accusation of colluding with demonic cultivators, Huo Lu’s actions were deemed self-inflicted, and his reputation even in death was tainted. Few court colleagues came to pay respects; who would want to mourn a criminal who colluded with demonic cultivators?

But then again, Lu Xingzhou at least didn’t kill him, and the investigation into Huo Yu’s death still concluded he died at the hands of demons. This meant, on the surface, Lu Xingzhou had not directly killed anyone from the Huo family; even beating Huo Heng only resulted in losing a few teeth. This reinforced the Huo family’s assessment that Lu Xingzhou was merely “fighting for respect.”

Huo Xingyuan didn’t dwell on it for long and quickly nodded. “Then we’ll go pay respects to Fourth Brother first.” The group turned towards the mourning hall. Lu Xingzhou stood before the coffin for a while, smiled faintly, and indeed lit three incense sticks. As he placed them in the censer, he spoke softly, “Fourth Brother, though we had enmity, I never wished for your death.” It’s more satisfying to lie there like a living corpse, wishing for death. “After all, we’re brothers… no one would think a brother would want you dead, right? You never thought so either, did you?”

Huo Xingyuan flinched behind him. What did those words mean? Huo Qi and Huo Zhang wore various expressions. “Speaking of which, you were willing to fight me in the street, which was unusually straightforward of you, unlike some who are always scheming, and clumsily at that. You’re better than them.” Huo Qi: “…” “So, I actually quite liked you. It’s a pity you died. I was waiting for you to recover so we could fight again.” And then he could lie down for another ten years.

Each of these sentences sounded a little friendly, like a tribute between rivals and friends. The servants and onlookers couldn’t tell, feeling it was all rather sarcastic and the atmosphere very strange. Yet, if one were to point out a major problem with his words, or forbid him from speaking, it seemed there wasn’t one.

Lu Xingzhou finally left with a remark: “Next time you reincarnate, choose an ordinary family. If you want to experience the taste of power and nobility, just live next door to them; don’t personally join the fray.” Then you can also experience the taste of being ruined by the powerful. To others, it sounded like he was emphasizing infighting among noble families, which still felt off.

Just as Huo Xingyuan was about to interrupt, Lu Xingzhou turned around, smiling brightly. “Why haven’t I seen the Old Grand Tutor?” Huo Xingyuan swallowed what he was about to say. “He is in seclusion.” “Planning to break through to Super-Grade? That’s not easy, at his age.” “For a First-Grade cultivator, my father isn’t that old.” “I mean, he was quite old when he broke through to Third-Grade, reaching it late in life. Is it a bit difficult to push for Super-Grade with that talent?”

“…” Huo Xingyuan slowly said, “In his youth, life was hard, resources were scarce; this isn’t a matter of talent. Moreover, in the world of cultivation, there are many who achieve greatness late in life. Although Xingzhou has broken through to Third-Grade at a young age, he should always remain humble.”

“An old warhorse still has ambition.” Lu Xingzhou paid no mind to his impatient lecture. “Since I cannot see the Old Grand Tutor, should I see someone else?” Huo Xingyuan was stumped by his question. “Who else do you want to see?”

His wife had passed away a few years prior, so his sons’ misfortunes this year meant no wailing mother. However, his wife was also a perpetrator of the harsh treatment towards Huo Shang, as the mistress of the house often dictated the atmosphere of the inner quarters. In truth, there was a story behind Madam Huo’s death… Huo Xingyuan married his wife over thirty years ago, when the Huo family had not yet risen to prominence. Their marriage was with an ordinary official family, without much cultivation background, but she was fiercely jealous and domineering, so much so that Huo Xingyuan never took concubines. He only managed to drunkenly assault a maid, leading to the mess with Huo Shang.

As the Huo family’s power grew over the years, his wife’s family became insignificant. Huo Xingyuan truly detested his wife. At his age, divorcing and remarrying would have been inappropriate and created scandal. But it just so happened that Madam Huo fell ill… whether she could have been cured with effort is unknown, but Madam Huo simply died. In a way, it was a small revenge for Huo Shang and his mother. At that time, Huo Xingyuan had just been ennobled as a Marquis. Although he was old, he could have remarried into a suitable family. However, not long after, he also broke through to First-Grade, and his worldly desires indeed faded, so the matter was put aside until now.

It would be understandable for “Huo Shang” to want to see the former mistress who treated him and his mother harshly, but would you go see her in the underworld? Yet, Lu Xingzhou said, “The Huo family ancestral shrine is no longer in the old family estate in Xiazhou. I have nowhere to visit it. Since I’m here, I’d like to see it.” Huo Xingyuan was unexpectedly delighted by these words. “You want to pay respects at the ancestral shrine?”

In the world of cultivation, ancestral shrines and spirit tablets indeed possess a certain spiritual quality. Whether you are of the Huo family bloodline, the feedback from the ancestral shrine might differ. Whatever Lu Xingzhou’s motive, his daring to go to the ancestral shrine could truly dispel the last shred of doubt about his identity.

“Pay respects?” Lu Xingzhou thought for a moment. “Marquis can think whatever you wish. I just want to see it, may I?” “Of course,” Huo Xingyuan didn’t believe he would cause a ruckus at the ancestral shrine; that would be beneath him. Instead, he was quite pleased. “This way then.”

Upon arriving at the ancestral shrine, Lu Xingzhou truly felt a subtle sense of observation within it. Of course, the Huo family ancestors were far from the level of the residual spirits in the Myriad Swords Tomb of the Tianyao Sacred Land, which could engage in dialogue. Nevertheless, the ancestral shrine’s feedback was very welcoming. Lu Xingzhou felt as if he belonged there, experiencing the same sensation as Huo Qi, Huo Zhang, and the others. The Huo family bloodline was unmistakable. The top-tier guards hidden around the ancestral shrine, some even possessing First-Grade auras, who had initially been subtly wary, now relaxed.

Lu Xingzhou sighed inwardly. There truly was a First-Grade powerhouse pledging allegiance to the Huo family… He came to the ancestral shrine for two reasons: firstly, to deliberately demonstrate his affinity with the Huo family bloodline, and secondly, to ascertain the Huo family’s true strength. The guards of the ancestral shrine would undoubtedly be among the family’s strongest. Now it seemed there really was a First-Grade expert, so the entire Huo family’s strength needed to be re-evaluated; it was certainly not as simple as just the Grand Tutor and his sons.

Huo Xingyuan suppressed the joy in his heart, his voice softening by three degrees. “Come in with me.” The Huo brothers were not permitted to enter without authorization, remaining outside, staring blankly as Lu Xingzhou followed Huo Xingyuan into the ancestral hall. After exchanging glances for a while, Huo Zhang sighed. “He truly is a brother.” Huo Qi remained silent, and Huo Heng let out a cold laugh. He was merely a servant who had been bullied since childhood.

Lu Xingzhou stood inside the ancestral hall, looking up at the row of spirit tablets. There weren’t many, only four tiers in total, indicating that the most illustrious ancestors the Huo family could trace back were only four generations above Grand Tutor Huo. Compared to the dense array of spirit tablets he glimpsed in the Pei family, the Huo family’s was much more modest; in the eyes of the Pei family, they were truly nouveau riche.

Considering the Mahā Secret Realm was established a century ago, Grand Tutor Huo wouldn’t have been born then, his father would have been a teenager, and his grandfather a robust adult. Therefore, his father’s notes on the Mahā Secret Realm, mentioning “the sun rises within it,” were most likely passed down from Grand Tutor Huo’s grandfather or even great-grandfather. The family division might have occurred during Grand Tutor Huo’s father’s or grandfather’s generation, meaning their common ancestor would be Grand Tutor Huo’s great-grandfather, which is three generations back. So, setting aside the bottom two tiers, the top two tiers, representing the third and fourth generations, indeed held the ancestors of his current body.

What happened to their descendants was irrelevant to them, but the ancestors’ bloodline should be respected. Moreover, the deciphering of the Mahā Secret Realm was largely due to the insights left by his ancestors, which marked the beginning of Lu Xingzhou’s rise. After so many years in this world, it was ironic that he was only now seeing his ancestral spirits for the first time.

This time, Lu Xingzhou sincerely lit three incense sticks and bowed respectfully. However, he did not kneel; this was not an acknowledgment of ancestral lineage. In his heart, he thought, “Huo family bloodline, I will help you continue it; that’s enough, right?” This was the true message he wished to convey with this ancestor worship. A gentle breeze passed, its meaning unknown.

Huo Xingyuan couldn’t help but say from the side, “Since you’ve seen your ancestors, why don’t you kneel?” Lu Xingzhou turned to look at him, and after a long moment, said coldly, “My surname is Lu now.” Huo Xingyuan fell silent, thinking Lu Xingzhou meant their grudges had not yet been resolved. Finally, he sighed, not pressing the issue, his voice softening somewhat. “What do you want?” Lu Xingzhou smiled faintly, pointing to Madam Huo’s spirit tablet on a lower tier. “My first request: remove this tablet and strike her name from the family register.”

He would slowly collect his own debts, and since he was using Huo Shang’s name, he might as well help Huo Shang claim some redress as well.

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