9. Ancestor was in seclusion?

Two days had passed since that stroll, and Lan was unaware that the card he had given had caused such a significant change in the shopkeeper's life.

However, Lan did notice the increased activity over the past two days. Many people had been returning to the family compound, and after observing a few of them through the front gate camera, he confirmed that these were clansmen who had been staying away but had now returned for the gathering he had announced.

With so many people now in the family compound, all eager for a glimpse of the great ancestor, Lan felt a surge of pride.

He also noticed some of the visitors conversing with the patrolling guards, trying to uncover secrets to please the Ancestor. These guards were those who frequently patrolled around his Gray Courtyard. Occasionally, some guests even passed by his residence just to catch a glimpse of him.

After witnessing the commotion, Lan decided to remain hidden for a few more days, believing that things achieved through difficulty were more valued. Consequently, he had spent these two days in a self-imposed house arrest. The air around the Great Ancestor had become thick with mystery.

Even Caretaker Rin had not forgotten to seclude herself in her room for the past two days, acting even more mysteriously than Lan. But Lan was certain she must have been preoccupied with her phone.

As Lan pondered the best entrance scenario for the family gathering, he heard loud noises from the front gate camera. He saw a few elderly men shouting his name. Family Head Situ Xi and his sidekick Situ Pao were arguing with the visitors about something.

This was the moment Lan had been waiting for to make his entrance. Cautious as ever, he extended his spiritual sense and determined that the individuals at the front gate were weaker than him by one or two ranks. Although he couldn't confirm their exact cultivation levels, he could estimate whether they were stronger or weaker.

From what he knew, this world had nine cultivation realms: Martial Apprentice, Warrior, Commander, General, King, Emperor, Supreme, Demigod, and God, each with nine levels. According to his spiritual sensing, the people at the front gate were around the General level. Since the system store lacked a skill for sensing an opponent's cultivation level and accurate sensing required much practice—something Lan found distasteful—this was the situation.

Now that he confirmed the individuals at the front gate were below his level, which was half-step Demigod (i.e., between Martial Supreme Level 9 and Martial Demigod 1), he decided to seize the opportunity to present himself to these lesser opponents.

Lan emerged from his Bamboo House and walked towards the front gate unhurriedly, his hands behind his back. Just then, Caretaker Rin ran out of her room and joined him, looking proud.

When the ancestor had started his quarantine, Rin had not panicked. Instead, she had observed the situation and studied her phone without neglecting her main job. She had kept her window slightly open and always watched the Ancestor's door. As a result, she did not miss his exit and was now quite proud of her vigilance.

The newly arrived family members were awed by the majestic figure of the Ancestor. They felt the aura emitted by his lean figure was so awe-inspiring that they had no choice but to kneel.

The gray robe fluttering without wind, accompanied by his white ponytail waving in rhythm, added an extra layer of mystery to him. The contrast between the petite, butterfly-like spirited young lady and the calm, ocean-like old man made the scene grandiose.

Alternatively, these new arrivals were finally happy to see the rumoured major backing after suffering for a long time, realizing that they had perhaps exaggerated their concerns. They began to follow their Ancestor slowly.

When Lan reached the front entrance, he saw Situ Xi, the family head, shouting at the elderly men:

"Old Yaozu, don't spout nonsense. The Great Ancestor is not someone like you can meet whenever you want. You need great fortune for that to happen. Now get lost before you lose your life."

Situ Xi was fuming. He knew that these old men were so shameless that they believed the return of the Great Ancestor was just a trick to intimidate them. They spied for two days but didn't see the Great Ancestor, so now they want to make me lose face. If this were before, I might have taken a step back, but now that the Ancestor is here, I fear nothing. With that, he thought of a few more harsh words to add for those who had barged in:

"Yaozu, I tolerated your nonsense before, but don't go overboard or I will make your family's women slaves to us for eternity after beating the hell out of you."

Clearly lost in his reverie, he didn't notice the Ancestor approaching. Lan heard this remark as he arrived. This old man has a very dirty mind, he thought. But he didn't speak; he simply stood there and began observing the old men one by one with droopy eyes.