Han Feng poured the still-steaming soy milk into four porcelain bowls. The aroma of fried dough sticks mixed with the rich flavor of freshly ground soy milk filled the entire space with a warm, homey atmosphere.
"Mom and Dad, eat it while it's hot." Han Feng pushed the first bowl in front of his father.
Mr. Han took the bowl, his gaze subtly sweeping between his son and the two girls. After last night's "accident," the family tacitly chose to temporarily set aside the topic, but the awkwardness in the air had not completely dissipated.
"Uncle and Auntie, try this!" Su Wanwan cheerfully picked up a fried dough stick, cut it into small pieces, and put it into her parents' bowls. "I often go to this shop; the owner frys the dough sticks especially crispy!"
Liu Mengran quietly placed small dishes of pickled vegetables in front of each person, her movements elegant and graceful. Looking at the two girls, so different in style yet equally considerate, Han's mother's eyes flashed with complex emotions.
"Oh, by the way, Auntie," Liu Mengran suddenly looked up, "shall we take you to the nearby shopping center later? See if there's anything else you need to buy."
Han's mother quickly waved her hand: "No need, no need, we have everything here. You young people can go and have fun."
"That won't do!" Su Wanwan put down her chopsticks, her face serious. "You and Uncle have just arrived in Kyoto, we must show you the proper hospitality!" She blinked. "Besides, a really nice silk shop just opened there, Auntie, you'd look beautiful in a cheongsam!"
Han Feng couldn't help but chuckle as he watched his mother being flanked by the two girls. Sure enough, in less than three minutes, Han's mother gave in and reluctantly nodded in agreement.
"Xiaofeng, are you coming along?" Han's father asked.
Han Feng shook his head: "I have some things to take care of, so I probably won't be back for lunch." He finished his soy milk in a few gulps, stood up, patted his father's shoulder, and said, "Have fun with Mom."
Before leaving, Han Feng stopped Liu Mengran in the entryway and whispered, "Be careful. Contact me immediately if anything seems amiss."
Liu Mengran gently squeezed his palm: "Don't worry, Wanwan is here." She paused.
As soon as he stepped outside, Han Feng's expression turned serious. He took out his phone and dialed Liu Xiaoran's number. The moment the call connected, he asked directly, "Where are you?"
There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone: "...At the base, what's wrong?"
"Wait for me." Han Feng hung up decisively.
Liu Xiaoran stood there dumbfounded, holding the phone. When did Han Feng learn to hang up so quickly?
An hour later, Han Feng was already standing at the main gate of the Longyuan Base. As soon as he entered the base, Chen Feng walked towards him.
Chen Feng looked at Han Feng in surprise and said, "What brings you here?"
"Find Liu Xiaoran." Han Feng didn't stop walking; before he finished speaking, he had already passed by Chen Feng.
Chen Feng only saw a blur before Han Feng disappeared at the end of the corridor. He stared blankly for a few seconds, then shook his head and smiled wryly: "This guy seems to have improved again..."
The alloy door to the training room was flung open by a gust of wind. Liu Xiaoran didn't even have time to see who it was before his body instinctively assumed a defensive stance. Only when he recognized Han Feng did his tense muscles relax slightly.
"Have you taken the wrong medicine?" Liu Xiaoran rarely showed a hint of surprise, withdrawing his blocking arm. "What's the rush?"
Han Feng's breathing was unusually steady. Despite his previous sudden attack being so fast it left afterimages, his breathing rate remained unchanged. He went straight to the point: "I want to see the Liu family's martial arts techniques."
Liu Xiaoran frowned, a troubled look appearing on his face.
Seeing this, Han Feng felt a pang of disappointment: "If it's inconvenient, then forget it. I understand that family secrets shouldn't be passed on to outsiders..."
"That's not the reason." Liu Xiaoran interrupted him, letting out a rare sigh. "It's because I can't demonstrate." He walked to the water dispenser in the corner of the training room and filled a glass with water. "I'm only at the fourth level of the early Acquired Realm, and I only know the most basic move from my family. Other moves require the fifth level or higher to learn."
A thin layer of ice formed on the water glass in his hand—this was the most rudimentary application of the Liu family's "Azure Nether Technique".
Han Feng blinked, then suddenly burst out laughing: "So you weren't holding back, you were saving food?"
"Do you think everyone is as freakish as you? A mid-stage Acquired Realm cultivator at such a young age?" Liu Xiaoran glanced at him coldly, and the water glass in his hand instantly froze into an ice cube.
"Uh, to be precise, it's the fourth stage of the mid-stage of the Acquired Realm," Han Feng said, shrugging.
Liu Xiaoran was speechless. He hadn't expected that Han Feng's strength had improved so much in just a few days, now surpassing him by a whole realm.
Seeing Liu Xiaoran's almost fiery gaze, Han Feng raised his hands in surrender, but his eyes gleamed with excitement: "Then could you please have Grandpa Liu demonstrate for me?"
Liu Xiaoran's expression turned strange: "You want to steal my family's secret techniques?"
"I have my reasons." Han Feng's smile faded. "If it's inconvenient—"
"Alright." Liu Xiaoran interrupted him, taking out his phone. "I'll ask Grandpa." He paused before dialing, "But don't get your hopes up too high. Ever since you saw Grandpa last time, he's been in seclusion, trying to break through to the Innate Realm. I haven't even seen him for three months."
Han Feng nodded in understanding. The secluded cultivation of ancient martial arts families is no small matter; it often lasts for several years.
The phone rang more than a dozen times before being answered. A frail but powerful voice came from the other end: "You little brat, don't you know I'm in seclusion?"
Even without speakerphone, his voice was so loud it made the phone buzz. Liu Xiaoran expressionlessly held the phone away a little: "Grandpa, Han Feng wants to observe a demonstration of our family's martial arts techniques."
There was a sudden silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds.
"Han Feng?" The old man's voice suddenly rose eight octaves, "What attribute? What realm has he reached?"
Liu Xiaoran looked at Han Feng, who shook his head slightly.
"He can't say," Liu Xiaoran said directly. "I'm just asking if you could demonstrate a few moves."
"Bullshit!" the old man roared. "Is the Liu family's unique skill something to be performed in the vegetable market? Tell him to come see me tomorrow!" He then hung up the phone.
The training room was silent. Liu Xiaoran put away his phone and calmly said, "As you've heard."
Han Feng rubbed his ears, which were itchy from the vibration: "The old man is in good spirits."
"So?" Liu Xiaoran crossed his arms. "Now can you tell me why you've suddenly become so interested in ancient martial arts techniques?"
Han Feng walked to the center of the training room, palm facing upwards. A point of starlight condensed at his fingertips, gradually stretching into the shape of a lightsaber. But compared to the previous simple and crude energy shaping, this time the lightsaber's interior faintly revealed fine patterns flowing within, which was the "star trail" trajectory he had initially grasped.
"I've recently discovered that the power generated by simply materializing energy is no longer sufficient to address the current problems." Han Feng swung his lightsaber, leaving faint star trails in the air. "It's like you using the Frost Technique to freeze a water glass; it's ten times less effort than me directly using the power of stars to cool it down."
A hint of surprise flashed in Liu Xiaoran's eyes. As one of the few people who knew Han Feng's abilities, he could clearly sense that this demonstration was different from the previous ones—the energy fluctuations emitted by that lightsaber were more restrained, yet more dangerous.
"Where did you learn all this?" Liu Xiaoran asked sharply. "You knew nothing about ancient martial arts before."
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