Chapter 52: Ma Zhibin’s Visit to the Chen Family (Part 1)

At the Chen family's main estate, people were beginning to scatter...

"Brother Xun, Brother Zhang…"

"Uncle Xun, Uncle Zhang…"

"Elder Xun, Elder Zhang…"

"Young Clan Leader…"

"First Elder, Second Elder…"

"What's the occasion? So many people gathered here?" A loud voice rang out at the gate. Chen Xun had returned, with Chen Zhang behind him—and another person tagging along: Ma Zhibin.

When the Chen brothers were returning home, they ran into Ma Zhibin wandering around the village. The guy was leaning against a wall, striking cool poses with his overly confident face. He always loafed around no matter where he was. The moment he saw Chen Xun, he shamelessly latched on.

Chen Xun looked at him speechlessly. "Why didn't you go eat over at the ancestral hall? My father's holding a banquet. The village chef's cooking is genuinely great—and they've got your favorite braised chicken feet."

Soul masters generally avoided eating foods related to their martial soul. The Ma family had phoenix-type martial souls, which didn't have a direct link to chickens, but still, they usually steered clear of poultry.

Ma Zhibin, however, was the exception. He ate everything, and he especially loved braised chicken feet.

Ma Zhibin waved it off casually, "Sure, the food's good, but I can't eat with that shoehorn face of Old Xue's sitting across from me. Besides, I know myself. They probably can't eat looking at me either. And I already know how great Xiuxin's cooking is—top-notch."

At that moment, Ye Xiuxin and Chen Jianjun came up to greet them. Chen Xiaojun followed, holding hands with a small girl.

The little girl, Xiao Yi, clung tightly to the boy's side, gripping his hand like it was her lifeline as if that was the only way she could feel secure.

"Father, Second Uncle," the Chen brothers greeted politely. Well-mannered, as expected from a good upbringing.

Chen Zhang had always been close to his two nephews. The brothers shared a great relationship.

"Jianjun, Xiaojun, haven't seen you in a year and you've both grown! And looking more handsome too. Xiaojun, I heard you awakened your martial soul?" Chen Zhang said warmly.

"Second Uncle, you only come back once a year. Even Chen Feng barely recognizes you anymore," Chen Jianjun couldn't help but tease. He was a blunt kid and didn't yet understand adult responsibilities.

Chen Feng, son of Chen Zhang, had lived in the village with his mother, Ximen Shaoping, ever since age six. According to clan rules, children could be raised by their parents until six, but from six to twelve, they were required to attend the clan's martial hall for basic soul master education.

Douhun City was a chaotic, dangerous place—one of the central whirlpools of the world—so Chen Feng had grown up in a side courtyard of the village. The three boys saw each other often and were close. Chen Feng especially loved roasting his father.

Seeing where this was going, Chen Xiaojun quickly interjected, "Second Uncle, your taste must be off! My brother picked something between handsome and ugly—he chose 'ugly-handsome'!"

"Hahaha! Jianjun, my bad," Chen Zhang laughed. "Hey, Xiaojun, who's the little girl behind you? Which family is she from?"

Before anyone could answer, Ma Zhibin draped an arm over Chen Xun's shoulder and said in mock seriousness, "Whoa, what a cute little girl. Chen Xun, what's the deal? You had a daughter and didn't tell anyone? Did you keep it from us all this time? Wait, she's around the same age as your second kid… don't tell me you had twins?!"

"Get lost. When did I ever have a daughter?" Chen Xun glared at him. The two were nearly the same age, and their fathers were sworn brothers. They'd practically grown up together.

This meant Chen Xun knew this guy far too well—there was zero formality between them.

"Xiuxin, what's going on?" Chen Xun asked, genuinely confused.

Ye Xiuxin, as always, responded gently.

"Xiao'er met her while out hunting soul beasts. This child may have lost her memory—she can't recall her parents. But the moment she saw Xiao'er, they bonded instantly. So I adopted her."

"You filed the paperwork?" Chen Xun gave her a meaningful look. The paperwork made things safer.

"Yes," she nodded, understanding his concern.

"Oh, then we've got another daughter in the family. Wonderful! What's her name?"

Chen Xun was fond of the round, adorable little girl. He'd always wanted a daughter—ideally, one boy and one girl. But in the end, he got only sons.

"Her name is Xiao Yi—like the character for clothing. Xiao Yi, say hi to your uncle."

"U-Uncle…" she stammered a bit but didn't seem so shy anymore.

"Why not call him 'Father'? What's with that voice?" Ma Zhibin interjected shamelessly—only he would say something like that right in front of the kid.

"She may still have some subconscious memory of her real parents," Ye Xiuxin explained calmly. "She's insisted on calling me 'Auntie.' As for her voice, her body had some previous issues—we've treated them. She's still recovering."

She continued the introductions. "Jianjun, you've met him before. Xiaojun, Xiao Yi, this is your Uncle Ma Zhibin."

Ma Zhibin's last visit to the Chen family had been during Chen Xiaojun's 100-day celebration—back when Jianjun was only six.

"Hello, Uncle Ma."

"Hello, Uncle Ma."

"Hel… Hello, Uncle Ma…"

"Why call me uncle? Call me godfather!" Ma Zhibin said with a grin, totally messing around.

"Get outta here…" Chen Xun looked like he was about to explode. Did this guy have no sense of shame?

The Chen brothers had genuinely never seen anyone so flamboyant, cocky, and thick-skinned all in one package.

Today, Ma Zhibin wore a red high-collar leather jacket, open at the chest with a cropped outer layer. His bright flame-colored hair was styled in a perfect 2:8 part. He had two circular earrings in his left ear, chiseled features with soft undertones, and a flame-shaped mark on his brow.

It was a textbook pretty-boy look—but with a rogue's edge, the kind that made you want to get close, and yet wary of getting burned.

"Old Xun, I'm serious," Ma Zhibin said, all smiles.

Chen Xun ignored him. "Wait, did your mom just say Xiaojun already killed a soul beast and got his first ring?"

Chen Xun had left two days after Xiaojun awakened his martial soul.

"Yes," replied Chen Xiaojun. "Four or five days ago. Grandpa took me to Babel Mountain in Hargadas, on the Mustang Plains, to hunt."

Chen Xun nodded. "The Mustang Plains… so Father picked a horse-type soul beast for you. Which kind?"

"Celestial Horse!"

"Wow! That's a superior beast—you got something that good for your first ring?" Ma Zhibin exclaimed. "You must have insane talent. Tell Uncle, how many years was your first soul ring?"

Normally, the first and second rings were just for foundational strength. Quality and age were typically modest.

Tall buildings needed solid foundations—most soul masters progressed steadily at first. It was only after becoming a Soul Elder that they went all out seeking top-tier soul beasts.

Chen Xiaojun glanced at his father, who nodded. Then he answered, "1,500 years."

"Pfft—how many years?" Chen Xun hadn't even reacted yet, but Ma Zhibin already thought he'd misheard.

"1,500 years!" Xiaojun activated his martial soul as he spoke. A purple soul ring slowly rose and rippled around him, and a delicate sword with celestial horse patterns shimmered into view.

"You—you—you…" Ma Zhibin's eyes widened as he rubbed them, looking again. In all his years, he'd never seen anyone start with a millennium-level soul ring.

As a direct descendant of a top-tier family, Ma Zhibin knew of a few rare cases where soul rings evolved during divine inheritance. But to directly hunt and absorb a thousand-year beast for a first ring?

Unheard of.

(End of Chapter)