As soon as Fang Xi saw Meng Hao, he hurried to his feet and looked over at Meng Hao with an expression of both madness and veneration.
“Coz, you’re incredible,” he called out. “Having these two following you day in and day out, and living to tell the tale, it must be so hard. Coz, don’t worry. I’ll definitely learn the ways of a sharp tongue!” Fang Xi gritted his teeth with resolve.
A strange expression could be seen on Meng Hao’s face, and he cleared his throat, unsure of exactly what to say. Then he saw the determination in Fang Xi’s eyes, and he patted his shoulder and left the courtyard.
“Speech is endowed by Heaven, but requires tempering,” he thought. “If he can endure the training provided by the meat jelly and the parrot, then he will eventually gain the long-windedness of the meat jelly, and the acidic speech of the parrot.” Clearing his throat again, he hurried toward the main temple.
The ancestral mansion was huge, and flight was prohibited there. It took Meng Hao two full hours to stroll all the way to the temple. When he got there, he could see tens of thousands of clan members, as well as the Grand Elder, filling the area, seated cross-legged.
As soon as he saw Meng Hao, the Grand Elder’s face broke out in a kind smile, and he nodded his head.
“Hao’er, your Immortal’s cave is some distance away. How about this, I’ll give you a command medallion that gives you special privileges in the ancestral mansion. Other than some specially restricted areas, you will now be able to fly wherever you wish.” With a smile, he handed Meng Hao a violet jade slip. When the onlookers saw this happening, they gaped in shock and jealousy.
Normally speaking, only Elders were permitted to fly inside the ancestral mansion. Of the members of the Junior generation, only Fang Wei had the honor of being able to do so. Now, Meng Hao did too.
Meng Hao accepted the jade slip. If he didn’t trust his own judgement, then it would seem for all intents and purposes that the Grand Elder really did like him a lot. Considering his position as Grand Elder, it appeared as if what he was doing was not only a true kindness, but at the same time, just and even-handed. He was doing his best to follow the clan’s rules.
“Today, many clan members have gathered to bear witness to an important event!” the Grand Elder proclaimed.
“Years ago, Hao’er became weak with illness. His Seventh Year Tribulation caused many clan members to worry greatly about him. As for me, when I saw a young lad like him enduring such incredible suffering, it also pained my heart.
“Thankfully, the Immortals are blessing the Fang Clan, and an Outsider came, providing us with a way to deal with the problem. Fang Xiufeng and his wife took the child away, leaving the Nirvana Fruits behind with the clan.”
Meng Hao stood in front of the Grand Elder, staring in shock. From the way the old man was speaking, and the expression on his face, it didn’t seem at all like he was going to delay the matter; rather, it looked like he was really going to hand the Nirvana Fruits over.
“Don’t tell me I was overthinking things…?” thought Meng Hao.
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