“You’re planning to skip work again?” Billy glanced at him, speechless.
“There’s really nothing special, and it isn’t far from the capital. If there’s an emergency, I can come back in an hour or two.” Bob responded.
“Billy, why not let Bob go with them? It’ll be a good companion for Violet!” Harleen smiled and suggested.
She looked at Bob’s expression and naturally knew what he was thinking. He wanted to accompany his beloved on the trip.
“Then let’s go together!” Billy could also guess this guy’s thoughts.
“Thanks boss, thanks, Ms Knight!” Bob grinned.
Violet Frazier, who was standing beside them, glanced at Bob, her face blushing again.
Fifteen minutes later, Billy, Harleen, and the couple Bob headed towards the SHADOW base. They were going to take a helicopter from there. Around three o’clock in the afternoon, the helicopter landed on a lawn on the outskirts of a town in the northern region.
The town was called Maplewood City, a third or fourth-tier city in the northern region. It wasn’t very big, built against the mountains with three sides surrounded by hills. A road connected it to the outside world. People in the secular world might not have heard of this place, but those familiar with the ancient martial arts world knew about it because Maplewood City was home to a famous ancient martial art family, the Stuart family.
Although the Stuart family was not as influential as before and was soon to be surpassed by other top ancient martial families, people still dared not provoke them easily. For Maplewood City, the Stuart family was the ruler of the city. Nearly half of the industries in the city belonged to the Stuart family. Of course, as a former top family, the Stuart family had more than just these industries. They also had corresponding industries in several major cities surrounding this city.
After the four of them disembarked from the helicopter, Billy looked towards Maplewood City and took a deep breath. Nostalgia set in when he was close to home. His heart was filled with mixed feelings, and a complex expression appeared on his face. Time flies, and it had been more than ten years since he left home. Coming back now, everything had changed.
“Billy…”
Harleen understood Billy’s mood. She walked to his side, reached out and held his hand, without saying a word, just standing there with him, gazing at Maplewood City. Bob and Violet Frazier stood on the side, not saying a word either.
“Let’s go!” After about fifteen minutes, Billy held Harleen’s hand and walked towards the city, with Bob and the others following closely behind.
The Stuarts’ house, located in the eastern part of Maplewood City, covered an area the size of more than ten football fields. The scale of their mansion alone showcased the Stuart family’s position in Maplewood City.
Just as Billy and his group entered this city, inside the Stuart family mansion, in one of the main halls of a building. A middle-aged man sat in the seat of honor. In his fifties, he had a slender figure, sharp eyes, and no visible aura emanating from him. Standing behind him were four men and women dressed in Daoist robes, their expressions solemn, with swirling energy surrounding them. Among the four, even the weakest had the strength of a War God-Emperor at the peak. The strongest among them was already a Sovereign Realm expert.
On the left and right sides of the middle-aged man sat two other men, one old and one middle-aged. The middle-aged man in a blue robe was the current head of the Stuart family, Chad Stuart. The old man in a gray robe was Cecil Stuart, the second elder of the Stuart family. Apart from them, several other people from the Stuart family were also present, with a few honorary elders standing on the side.
“Elder Long, your presence brings glory to the Stuart family!” Cecil Stuart respectfully said as he picked up a teacup from the side and looked at the middle-aged man sitting in the seat of honor.
“I offer tea instead of wine to you and thank you for gracing us with your presence!” Although Cecil Stuart was someone important in the Stuart family, he knew his place in front of Elder Kit Long. If he didn’t serve him well and offended him, it would be as easy as squashing an ant for Kit Long to kill him. Besides, the Stuart family hoped to gain Kit Long’s support and restore their former glory.
“No need to be so formal!” Kit Long picked up the teacup and took a symbolic sip. After putting down the teacup, he glanced at the people from the Stuart family, seemingly casual, and asked, “Is Sacha not at home?”
“Elder Long, please wait a moment. She will be here soon!” Cecil Stuart quickly responded.
“She didn’t know that you would come today, so she went out early with her parents. I’ve already sent my son to fetch her.” He explained.
“Hmm!” Kit Long nodded slightly.
“Elder Long, I wonder if the matter I entrusted to you last time has been resolved?” Chad Stuart respectfully asked.
“I have already spoken to the head of the inner courtyard. In a few days, you can send your son directly to the sect to find him!” Kit Long replied calmly.
“For the sake of your Stuart family’s face, he won’t need to go through the entrance assessment. He will be directly accepted as an inner disciple!” he added.
“That’s great! Thank you, Elder Long!” Chad Stuart’s face lit up with joy. As he spoke, he gestured to a guest martial artist of the Stuart family standing by the side. The guest understood and walked over, holding a medium-sized iron box from the nearby table.
Inside the iron box were some spiritual fruits and medicinal pills, clearly not ordinary items.
“It’s a small token of appreciation for Elder Long’s efforts on my son’s behalf. Please accept it!” Chad Stuart continued. For him, sending his son to the sect was not just about having him cultivate martial arts. With his son’s talent, even if he went somewhere else, he wouldn’t make much progress. His goal was simple: to have his son become an inner disciple of the sect, which would allow the Stuart family to establish a connection with them and make many things easier.
“Mr Stuart, you’re too kind!” Elder Long smiled faintly, waved his hand, and a man behind him took the iron box.
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed at the door, followed by a group of people entering. Leading the group was a young man in his mid-twenties, dressed in a white robe, with a handsome face and a decent demeanor. Behind him were a middle-aged couple and a young woman. They were Simon Stuart, Billy’s third uncle, and his family.
“Father, Uncle Simon and the others have returned,” the young man, Reynard Stuart, said to Chad Stuart. Then, he walked quickly to Elder Long and bowed not far in front of him, saying, “Greetings, Elder Long!”
Kit Long nodded slightly. His gaze went directly beyond Reynard Stuart and landed on Sacha Stuart standing behind him, a glimmer of light flashing in the depths of his eyes.