Everyone thought that Zhong Shengwan was delayed by something at home. But several more days passed, and there was still no sign of him.
Outside the Wenshi Hall, Dongfang Xiao could no longer contain his impatience. He paced back and forth restlessly.
"What on earth is wrong with that Zhong Shengwan? He's been gone for so long. Even if a baby were born, it would have died of old age by now!"
Cui Rui's group had just received a Tier-D mission and was happily preparing to pack their bags. Hearing this, the corner of her mouth twitched. "Well... it's not that fast. It's no use just waiting here. Why don't you go and ask Mr. Yan?"
At the mention of Mr. Yan, the surrounding noisy voices instinctively lowered a few notches.
Everyone's eyes involuntarily turned to the figure sitting on a wooden mechanical wheelchair inside the Wenshi Hall - Mr. Yan Zheng.
His graying hair was neatly combed. A thin blanket covered his knees. He had a gaunt face, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's. He was looking down and reviewing the files.
It was rumored that in his early years, Mr. Yan was a heroic figure. He had once vowed to exorcise all the evil spirits in the world. But in the end, he was seriously injured and returned with a broken leg.
This story had been passed down among the disciples. So when facing this stern Mr. Yan, they all felt deep respect.
Mr. Yan didn't even lift his head. His voice was calm but carried an air of authority, clearly reaching everyone's ears. "Zhong Shengwan didn't ask for leave from me."
He raised his eyes and scanned the three of Shen Cuiyu. "If he doesn't return for a long time, the other three of your group can go ahead and receive the missions. There's no need to wait here."
Dongfang Xiao was stunned for a moment and instinctively looked at Shen Cuiyu.
Shen Cuiyu pondered for a while and then replied respectfully but firmly. "Thank you for your reminder, sir. But since the four of us are in the same group, we should advance and retreat together. We'll wait for Zhong Shengwan to come back and then receive the missions together."
Hearing this, Mr. Yan's gaze stayed on Shen Cuiyu's face for a moment. A hint of admiration flashed in his eyes. He nodded slightly.
"It's good that young people value friendship. But you should make a decision quickly. All the Tier-D missions in the Wenshi Hall have been taken, and there are only a few Tier-C missions left. If you end up having to take on more difficult ones, you may not be able to complete them and it will delay your studies."
The three thanked him. In the following days, Shen Cuiyu sent several letters to the Zhong family in Xunyang, but all of them were like stones sinking into the sea, with no reply.
Something was definitely amiss. After some discussion, the three finally decided to go to the Zhong family in Xunyang in person to find out what was going on.
It was just after the Mid-Autumn Festival. The osmanthus flowers were in full bloom in Xunyang City. The ground was covered with golden petals. The scenery was like a painting, but the three of them had no heart to enjoy it.
As a famous family in the world of magic, the Zhong family was well-known in Xunyang City. With just a little inquiry, they found out the location. They had no trouble finding the magnificent and solemn mansion.
But they never expected that in broad daylight, the Zhong Mansion would have its gates tightly shut and look deserted.
Dongfang Xiao stepped forward and knocked on the door for a long time. The heavy door slowly opened a crack. A strong smell of incense wafted out, as if several religious ceremonies had just been held.
Shen Cuiyu couldn't help but frown slightly.
Behind the door, the butler of the Zhong Mansion eyed the three of them warily. "Who's knocking on the door?"
Pei Yu said calmly. "Excuse me. We are disciples of the Wuxiang Academy. We've been sent by Dean Ren to inquire. Zhong Shengwan hasn't returned for many days and there's no news of him. Has something happened?"
Seeing that all three of them were wearing the uniforms of the Wuxiang Academy disciples and had an imposing manner, the butler nodded slightly and sighed. "Thank you for your concern, but the Zhong Mansion is not convenient for receiving guests recently. You'd better go back. I'll report this to the master. He will write a letter to Dean Ren to explain the reason."
With that, he was about to close the door. Dongfang Xiao's eyebrows twitched. He quickly reached out and blocked the door.
The butler was startled. He didn't expect Dongfang Xiao to be so strong. No matter how hard he tried, his face turning red, he couldn't move the door an inch!
The butler was both shocked and angry. "You... Are you trying to break in?"
Shen Cuiyu spoke up in time. His voice was gentle and concerned. "Uncle Zhong can certainly explain the situation in a letter. But as friends, we really want to know if Zhong Shengwan is okay. If he's fine, we'll leave right away."
Hearing this, the butler's hand pushing the door paused.
He knew his young master's stubborn temper. There weren't many people in the world who could tolerate his sharp tongue. It was really rare to have friends like these.
The butler's expression gradually softened. After hesitating for a while, he sighed again and said. "Alright... Come with me."
The Zhong Mansion was very deep. Every few steps, Dongfang Xiao would sigh in admiration. No wonder it was a wealthy family.
But strangely enough, along the way, they didn't see a single servant cleaning. It was extremely desolate.
The butler seemed to notice their doubts and explained. "The young master made the master angry some time ago... So the master transferred all the servants in his courtyard." He paused, as if hesitating whether to say more. After a while, he still spoke up to defend his young master. "Actually... The young master was very well-behaved when he was a child."
Hearing this, Dongfang Xiao's eyes widened. He couldn't connect Zhong Shengwan with the word "well-behaved" no matter how hard he tried.
The butler said. "As the legitimate son, the master naturally had high expectations for the young master, so his requirements were a bit strict. While other children were still playing, the young master had already started holding a brush and trying to draw talismans... Once he sneaked out to play. When the master found out, he didn't punish the young master, but severely punished his page boy. Since then, the young master has never dared to be playful again, and his personality has become even more..."
The butler gave a bitter smile and looked at the three of them. His voice was full of earnestness.
"Since you three are the young master's friends, please persuade him well. There's no overnight feud between father and son. If he just bows his head and admits his mistake, this matter will be over..."
As they were talking, they had already arrived at Zhong Shengwan's courtyard.
But Shen Cuiyu noticed that the closer they got to the room, the stronger an inexplicable cold air became. It was completely different from the coolness of autumn. It was a bone-chilling, ominous cold.
Dongfang Xiao was so cold that he shrank his neck and whispered. "Oh my god. This delicate guy's room is like an ice cellar..."
The butler stepped forward and knocked on the door. He said softly. "Young master, your friends from the academy are here to visit you."
There was a moment of silence in the room. Then came Zhong Shengwan's hoarse but familiar sneering laugh. "Nonsense. Who else in Xunyang City would be my friend?"
The butler looked back at the three of them awkwardly.
Shen Cuiyu stepped forward and said gently. "Zhong Shengwan, it's us."
There was another moment of silence in the room. Then the door creaked open from the inside.
Zhong Shengwan stood inside the door. His face was so pale that it was almost transparent. His lips were also bloodless. The loose robe made his figure look even thinner.
When he saw who it was, a look of disbelief flashed in his eyes. ".....Why are you here?"