Chapter 351: Sun Family Submits, Heng Xun'er

What do you mean, "naturally"?

His voice was neither rushed nor slow, but as it landed in the ears of the dozens of Sun family members in the hall, it was like a thunderclap.

Especially SunBuKong, his hairs stood on end.

The crowd slowly turned around and saw a person sitting on an empty chair nearby, leisurely sipping tea.

No one knew how he had arrived; it seemed he had suddenly appeared there.

Who else could it be but Heng Xian?

"Originally, originally it's Heng, Heng little brother!" Sun family patriarch SunHeShan strained to squeeze out a smile.

Hello, Brother Heng!

A group of Sun family elders smiled more grimly than if they were crying.

"Hmm, good, what were we just talking about? Continue!" Heng Xian set down his teacup and looked at the crowd.

"Ah, just chatting, just chatting!" SunHeShan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and hastily gestured, "Quick, someone, bring fruit and pastries!"

"No thanks, I dare not eat anything from the Sun family." Heng Xian said with a half-smile.

SunHeShan's hand froze in midair, unable to lower it for a long while, his face alternating between gloom and brightness.

The Sun family elders lowered their heads, silent and speechless.

SunBuKong breathed heavily, then gritted his teeth and said: "We were just talking about the Heng family; we feel the conditions you set before are too harsh… ah!"

Before he could finish, he let out a miserable scream and flew out, landing with a "crack" on the white jade stone road.

"Hum—"

A sharp sword-qi phantom, accompanied by a howling sword sound, wrapped around and reached his brow, pressing tightly against him, as if any movement would pierce his skull.

SunBuKong's face turned deathly pale, his head buzzing, he lay on the ground, not daring to move.

It was too terrifying; the two sides were completely on different levels, and they hadn't even noticed how that person had struck!

"Hold on, Brother Heng!" SunHeShan jumped in fright and quickly said, "Let's talk it out!"

"How should we say it?" Heng Xian asked.

"How to say, how to say… wait a bit longer!" SunHeShan's eyes darted, looking outward.

He was waiting for a letter from Sun Bufan, the Sun family's sole hope; if Sun Bufan had a way, he could still negotiate with Heng Xian, after all it concerns the Sun family's future.

"Patriarch, Young Master Bu Fan has sent a letter, uh…"

Just then, an elder hurried in from outside, clutching a letter, but upon seeing Heng Xian seated in the hall, he froze.

SunHeShan and the others paid no heed, immediately rushing out, snatching the letter and opening it to read.

Upon seeing it, everyone froze on the spot.

The letter contained only a few lines:

"Grandfather, father, and all uncles, please remember: Heng Xian is ranked first on the Tianyuan Sect's earthly list, a Golden Core expert, the youngest Sword Venerable in the Dongyu cultivation world in five thousand years, his swordsmanship can be called the work of heaven and earth; with a flick of his finger he could destroy the Sun family, he will surely rise to become a regional hero, you cannot provoke him, submit to him and follow the Heng family; the future may not be bad!"

"Respectfully submitted by the monastic Yuan Tong!"

"This..." the Sun family elders' bodies trembled violently.

SunHeShan's face shifted unpredictably; he had initially judged Heng Xian to be no ordinary pond-dweller, but he never imagined Heng Xian could reach such a level; he finally put on a smile, turned to Heng Xian and said: "Heng little brother…"

Heng Xian set down his teacup, rose and walked toward the door: "The Heng family's current status was bought with tens of thousands of lives; when Heng family members died miserably and were desperate, the Sun family was still strolling in the garden looking at flowers; by the rules, it is not excessive for the Heng clan to have wiped out the Sun family!"

However, out of sentiment for Sun Bufan, I give the Sun family two choices: one, leave Donglan City; two, from now on the Sun family will become a servant clan of the Heng lineage, the two clans may intermarry and become friendly!

Having said that, he brushed past, hooked his fingers, withdrew the sword-qi from SunBuKong's brow, and walked toward the gate.

SunHeShan fell silent for three breaths, gazed at his back, and bowed deeply: "From now on, the Sun family is willing to serve the Heng family as dogs and horses; if there is any second thought, may heaven and earth destroy us!"

The Sun family elders exchanged a glance, then followed with the salute: "We are willing to serve the Heng family as dogs and horses, with absolutely no second thoughts!"

……

Having settled the Sun family affair, Heng Xian was in good spirits; as he strolled down the street, everyone he knew stopped their carriages, reined in their horses, stood still and paid respects, showing utmost reverence.

Walking along, he happened upon the "Huiyuan Hall" that used to sell the four great divine pills, and instinctively stepped inside.

Inside, business was booming: people queued to buy pills, others applied for cards, and even super VIPs were consulting the pill masters about custom-made medicines.

However, Heng Xian noticed in the corner a frail girl's figure pleading pitifully with a steward about something.

The steward wore a look of impatience: "I tell you, Xun'er, you can barely take care of yourself, why bother with that trash? His father back then disgraced the Heng family's name; not kicking them out of the Heng household was already a heavenly blessing—go on, we won't give you any pills!"

"Please!" the girl begged desperately: "Bu Que still has only three days left; if he fails to reach the Innate realm, he will be expelled from the Heng family, and Auntie's health is poor…"

The steward snapped harshly: "What's it to me? If I said there's none, there's none; with Master Xian returning these days, if you cause trouble, do you still want to live? Absolutely ridiculous—get out!"

Having said that, he looked up and saw Heng Xian; his face changed dramatically, and he hurriedly stepped out from behind the counter, bowing: "Greetings, Master Xian!"

The surrounding customers, steward, errand boys, assistants, and pill masters all turned to look, then all performed the salute together.

The entire pill hall fell silent.

Only that girl was softly sobbing.

Heng Xian walked over, glanced at the girl—she looked about fourteen or fifteen, with an oval face, big eyes, a budding beauty, though at the moment she was tear-streaked and pitiful.

Seeing Heng Xian look at her, she also raised her head to look at him.

The steward lowered his head, whispering fearfully: "Xun'er, be rude no more; greet Master Xian, quickly!"

The girl then realized, hastily performing a salute: "Xun'er greets Master Xian!"

Having said that, she wiped her tears and ran out.

Watching the girl's retreating back, Heng Xian frowned slightly—not out of pity for her, but because he could see that this girl possessed extraordinary talent; he couldn't help asking: "What's going on?"

The steward hastily replied: "In response, Master, this girl is called Heng Xun'er; she claims to be a daughter of a Heng family branch, but in fact she has no relation to the Heng family at all."

Her mother was a foundling taken in by the Second Elder; later, while out, she somehow became pregnant by some man, returned and gave birth to her, and the two of them have remained in the Heng family, depending on each other.

And this Xun'er girl has been childhood sweethearts with HengDaQi's son, HengWuQue.

HengDaQi, during the Nine Families' extermination of the Heng clan, fled in fear, abandoning his wife and children; later he was said to have died abroad, and until his death he never dared return to the Heng family.

HengWuQue's father has a terrible reputation, and since childhood his body's meridians have been blocked, he also lacks any talent for cultivation; the elder gave him a deadline: before he turns sixteen, if he fails to reach the Innate Realm, he must take his mother and leave the Heng family—and there are only three days left until HengWuQue turns sixteen.

Heng Xian thought for a moment, his figure flickered, and he vanished from the spot.

"Young master……" the steward was taken aback.

The surrounding attendants and customers also looked around in bewilderment, not knowing how Heng Xian had disappeared.

……

When Heng Xian reappeared, he was already atop a towering tree beside the most secluded training ground of the Heng estate, standing with his hands behind his back.

Below in the training ground, there was a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy, at the ninth level of the Acquired Realm, wearing coarse hemp clothes, his skin somewhat rough, though he was tall and lanky, currently sweating profusely as he desperately struck a wooden post, all the while muttering something.

Heng Xian listened closely, only to hear the boy murmuring: "I will definitely become an Innate cultivator, I will definitely become an Innate cultivator…"

(End of chapter)