Kapitel 22: Sheng Clan's Future Patrairch

Sheng Feilong had returned to the clan! Sheng Lijing was shocked! She stood rooted in place and din't know what to do. She hadn't seen Sheng Feilong in years and now her cousin is standing right in front of her, smiling brightly!

'No wait, he isn't smiling... Why does he look so disgusted? Don't tell me I stink from all the training..?'

Sheng Lijing couldn't help but blush.

Sheng Feilong was originally thrilled to see Sheng Lijing again. That girl really hadn't changed at all other than growing taller! A slim figure wearing common clothing, amber coloured eyes, a pointy nose and small mouth. Her hair which had the Sheng Clan member's usual yellowish brown colour, but was pretty long and, unlike other clan members', very curly and bound into a ponytail. Even that silly nickname she gave him hadn't changed at all...

"Lijing, I've told you a thousand times not to call me Feifei! If you have to give me a nickname, then call me Brother Long or something!"

Sheng Lijing was confused.

"But you are Feifei, so I'm calling you that! Why would I call you something else?"

Sheng Feilong wanted to refuse, but didn't know what to say. Just as he was about to open his mouth, he heard a rude, loud voice coming from the training grounds.

"Sheng Feilong, you still dare to come back to our Sheng Clan?"

Sheng Feilong furrowed his brows again, wondering who would say something like that. Looking past Sheng Lijing, he saw a rather big boy around the same age as himself. The boy wore a red martial attire adorned with silver lining, black boots and black bracer's on his wrists. He had the Sheng Clan's signature yellowish brown hair, cut to about middle length, and amber eyes. His gaze and demeanour were incredibly arrogant, but no one dared to stand in his way.

The boy's loud words had instantly attracted the attention of most children in the vicinity and all of them were staring at him and Sheng Feilong. Seeing that boy, Sheng Feilong instantly lost interest. He was Sheng Henjian, the son of Patriarch Sheng Hentian and the latter's demeanour reminded Sheng Feilong of Xiao Yuewu when they first met. He was not someone Sheng Feilong wanted to have anything to do with.

"Lijing, let's leave. Father, uncle Fengtian and aunty Mei are waiting for us."

With that, Sheng Feilong grabbed Sheng Lijing hand, urging her to come, while he left in the direction of Sheng Fengtian's courtyard. Sheng Lijing didn't really know how to respond to that and was somewhat pulled away by Sheng Feilong.

Sheng Henjian's face turned into a mocking sneer.

"First you embarrass you father like that, pushing him as far as to forsake the Clan and now you run away without saying anything? What a good son you are, ha, ha!"

Sheng Feilong had only walked a few meters before he halted in his steps. He let go of Sheng Lijing and turned around to face Sheng Henjian, with a cold expression.

"What did you just say?!"

The sneer on Sheng Henjian's face grew even wider.

"What, isn't it true? The son of an former Elder who didn't awaken the Clan's hereditary Spirit Soul, bringing shame to his family and the Clan, Sheng Feilong. My father, the Patriarch, even offered to still let the clan take care of you, but your father was so ashamed, that he turned down the offer and left the clan for good, abandoning his own ancestors!"

Sheng Feilong clenched his fists in anger. Sheng Henjian actually dared to talk about his father like that? He took a few steps forward and spoke in a cold and low voice.

"Offered to take care of me? And my father abandoned the Clan? Did Sheng Hentian depict it like that or is that just you trying to insult my father?!"

Sheng Henjian mocking expression turned into a frown.

"What, you think I'm wrong? And who do you think you are to address my father, the patriarch, by his name. A weakling like you has no right to speak like that. Know your place and show some respect!"

Inwardly, Sheng Henjian was rejoicing in his heart. His position as the future patriarch had always been questioned by members of the clan. When the Sixth Elder left the clan with his son, who awakened with Innate Full Soul Power left the clan without notice, many people had doubts. Rumours about Patriarch Sheng Hentian forcing them out of the clan to promote his own son's standing quickly spread throughout the Clan. Although Sheng Hentian did his best to silence them and released an official statement saying he did all he could and that it was Sheng Lingtian's own decision, however, that didn't stop all the rumours. Even more so because they weren't able to confirm the patriarch claim since no one heard about Sheng Lingtian and Sheng Feilong in all those years.

Sheng Hentian never told his son the truth and made him believe that Sheng Lingtian and Sheng Feilong had truly abandoned the Clan. Still, Sheng Henjian had to take all the criticism and, although he was the strongest in his own age group, many of the older clan member's still didn't accept him. He had the strongest of the hereditary Spirit Soul the clan had seen in dozens of years, the Flame Maned Mountain Lion which even had the bloodline of the Sun Swallowing Mountain Lion and his Innate Soul Power of rank 7 was also rarely seen. He had the highest affinity with the Clan's cultivation techniques, yet just because Sheng Feilong had awakened with Innate Full Soul Power, his achievements were simply dismissed by most people. Because of all that, Sheng Henjian hated Sheng Feilong with a passion.

Sheng Feilong stared at Sheng Henjian and his clenched fists slowly relaxed. The anger in his eyes also subsided. He calmed down, took a deep breath and looked at Sheng Henjian with not only cold indifference but a certain arrogance as well, causing Sheng Henjian to grow nervous and he screamed in his heart.

'No, why are you calming down?! Challenge me! I'll show the whole Clan who's worthy of being the next Patriarch! Challenge me, Sheng Feilong!'

Sheng Henjian couldn't completely suppress his nervousness and he slowly began rigid behind his arrogant expression. Just as he was about to provoke Sheng Feilong again, he heard the latter speaking in a low, but resolute voice.

"I am Sheng Feilong, the son of the Clan's former Sixth Elder, Sheng Lingtian. As a man who twisted the clan's rules in his own advantage, Sheng Hentian doesn't deserve my respect. So what if I call him by his name? And you, Sheng Henjian, have no qualifications to call me a weakling."

Sheng Henjian nearly screamed out loud from excitement when he heard Sheng Feilong. He looked at the latter and loudly questioned, with a solemn expression.

"Qualifications? Sheng Feilong... Are you challenging me?"

Sheng Feilong didn't answer him but instead walked onto the training grounds. He went towards one of the arena's that were enclosed by white paint ground. He stopped in the middle of the arena and looked towards Sheng Henjian, who still stood in the same spot as before with the same expression. Looking at Sheng Feilong in the arena, Sheng Henjian walked up to him and spoke in a low voice.

"Very well. Since you dare to challenge me, you better be prepared for the worst. I won't show you mercy.

Sheng Feilong still looked at him with cold indifference while an arrogant gleam flickered in his eyes.

"Stop talking already and make your move."

Sheng Henjian's Soul Power instantly surged and a yellow Soul Ring appeared behind his back. He charged forward and as the ring lit up, Sheng Henjian's right arm bulked up and became covered with brown fur, littered with gold streaks that looked like flames and his hand turned into a lion's claw. He had activated his first Soul Skill: Mountain Lion Claw!

Sheng Feilong remained his indifferent expression and calmly waiting for Sheng Henjian's strike. While his charge might seem ferocious and mighty to other, Sheng Feilong was used to Song Weihan's techniques, faints and powerful assaults. In his eyes, Sheng Henjian's charge was nothing but child's play. He didn't even bother to release his own Soul Power or Soul Skills.

Just as Sheng Henjian was about to hit Sheng Feilong, the latter dodged out of the way by turning his head to the side. Sheng Feilong then turned his whole body and brutally punched Sheng Henjian, who was still in full charge, into the gut, instantly bringing him to a halt.

Sheng Henjian stumbled a few steps backwards; the prior punch nearly caused his knees to give in. Just as he caught his footing again, Sheng Feilong kicked his chin and Sheng Henjian fell backwards onto his butt. His head was spinning and his vision blurry.

The crowd was stunned. 2 hits! That's all it took Sheng Feilong to take out the strongest Soul Master of his age group and render him unable to fight any longer! No one dared to believe it and they could not do anything but stare at Sheng Feilong and Sheng Henjian on the arena.

Sheng Henjian failed to stand up after he took that kick even when he tried. Sheng Feilong looked down at him, still with a indifferent expression and sneered.

"Is that all the future patriarch has to offer? And you dare to call me a weakling? What a joke."

He turned around and went toward the training ground's exit with Sheng Lijing in tow, leaving behind the stunned crowd and the defeated Sheng Henjian. They walked through the streets, and soon arrived at Sheng Fengtian's courtyard where everyone was already waiting for them. None of them had yet heard of what happened at the training grounds.