Max Level Return—I'll Protect That Fragile One

Hundred Joyful Pictures.

Demon-breaking Egg.

These are actually customs of wedding banquets from the Xia Country Era. Perhaps in the Divine Martial Realm, these customs are still passed down, but in the Mortal World, these customs with beautiful meanings have been forgotten.

Huo Wen’an never expected that in this remote small town of Cangshan Town, the customs from the Xia Country Era would still be preserved.

He suddenly looked at Aunt Cang, whose mind was somewhat damaged.

The original residents of Cangshan Town all had the surname Cang; with the passing of time, the Cang Clan dwindled, and now, only Aunt Cang remains. Uncle Xie and the other local residents living in Cangshan Town were those who fled here during the famine and war periods and were accepted by the Cang Clan as outsiders.

The fact that Cangshan Town still retains customs from the Xia Country Era indicates that the ancestors of the Cang Clan, like the Huo Family, were people from the Xia Country Era.

Only those who have lived in the Xia Country know what the Hundred Joyful Pictures represent.

Hundred Joyful Pictures represent the blessings of all the living and the dead at its location.

It’s a blessing from Cangshan Town.

Huo Wen’an exchanged a look with Xu Xingguang, and both knelt down simultaneously, raised their hands, and reverently accepted the Hundred Joyful Pictures.

*

With the Hundred Joyful Pictures, the two returned to the Pilot Mansion. In the car, Xu Xingguang suddenly said, ”I remember during the Divine Xia Country Era, among the Ancient Martial Families, there were two flourishing families. One was the Fifth Family, and the other was the Cang Clan.”

She stared thoughtfully at the Hundred Joyful Pictures placed on Huo Wen’an’s lap and said, ”Are the ancestors in Cangshan Town descendants of the Cang Clan?”

Nodding slightly, Huo Wen’an’s eyes reddened, and he said, ”Yes, the descendants of Cang Yu.”

Cang Yu.

He was a Death Servant of Divine Hidden Crane, grew up alongside Divine Hidden Crane, and his mission was to protect Divine Hidden Crane.

Huo Wen’an told Xu Xingguang, ”During the great migration, apart from Divine Hidden Crane, only Cang Yu, a superpower user, stayed in the Mortal World. He accompanied Divine Hidden Crane in transferring the meteorite to the bottom of Divine Concealment Island, after which Divine Hidden Crane sealed the Nocturnal Palace and went into eternal sleep underground. Cang Yu then remained outside, continuing to protect the Mortal World.”

”As for his eventual fate, I don’t know.”

Gently touching the Hundred Joyful Pictures, Huo Wen’an lamented, ”Kunze Mountain Range has been sparsely populated until now, and Cangshan Town is the oldest town near the Kunze Mountain Range. It seems Cang Yu spent the latter part of his life living in Cangshan Town, raising children, and passing on civilization.”

”It’s just a pity that the culture of the Xia Country is still severed. Even now, only Cangshan Town retains some ancient civilization from the Xia Country Era.”

”Hundred Joyful Pictures.” Xu Xingguang smiled and said, ”In the Divine Xia Country Era, newlywed couples took pride in receiving the Hundred Joyful Pictures, but in that era, only people with high moral standing, respected and admired by people, could receive the Hundred Joyful Pictures.”

”A Zui, it seems they really like you.”

Huo Wen’an smiled faintly, ”I’m the pride of Cangshan Town.”

”Pfft.”

After watching Huo Wen’an and the others leave, Huo Lan returned to the Welcome Building’s hall and saw Uncle Xie and others surrounding Huo Xin, chattering nonstop.

Uncle Xie, with a cigarette, looked at the charming yet righteous Huo Xin and remarked, ”Earlier, when you came down from the boat, I thought you looked like the silly girl from the Huo Family.”

”Unexpectedly, Huo Xin, you really are alive.”

Aunt Du and the town mayor were also surprised. ”Huo Xin, you’re alive, where have you been all these years?”

Looking at those familiar faces with caring eyes in front of her, Huo Xin felt an indescribable heartache.

”I got separated back then and couldn’t find my way home. Later, fortunately, I met an amazing doctor who cured my cerebral palsy, and then I met Doctor Ying from our town who had moved to the Capital City. After studying medicine with Doctor Ying for a few years, I am now a doctor too.”

Upon hearing this, the town mayor asked her, ”If you’re cured, why didn’t you return to Cangshan Town?”

”I secretly returned to inquire before. When I learned that Little Sin killed someone to save me and went to prison, I didn’t know how to face everything, so I withdrew.” Huo Xin’s eyes subtly reddened, and she laughed at herself, saying, ”He’s so clever, yet he was implicated by me and had his entire life delayed.”

Upon hearing this, Uncle Xie and the others fell silent.

Everyone knew the kid from the Huo Family was exceptionally smart; if he had studied diligently, he might have gone into politics, perhaps even worked at the City Lord Mansion and become the City Lord of Yujiang City.

In the eyes of the residents of Cangshan Town, a child like Huo Wen’an should pursue a political career, enter the City Lord Mansion, join the Xia Country Alliance, and serve the Xia Country Alliance.

Huo Wen’an’s current life is good, but that’s because he has an unusual background.

If he were just the son of Huo the Madman, without background or a bizarre life story, what fate would await him?

A smart kid who spent years in prison, came out unable to find a decent job or earn money, naturally unable to marry.

”Ah, destiny makes fools of us.”

Aunt Cang chuckled, saying foolishly, ”A Zui is doing well, don’t be sad; his wife is very pretty, you know.”

Upon hearing his silly wife’s words, Uncle Xie also started laughing. He held his wife’s chubby hand, squeezed it, and said with a smile, ”You’re right. A Zui is doing well now, so let’s not bring up the past anymore.”

”Mm-hmm.”

”Hey, Huo Xin girl, is this your boyfriend?” Aunt Su stared at You Jiaoyang next to Huo Xin, sizing him up carefully, and then she said, ”Young man looks quite energetic. What do you do for work, and how old are you this year?”

Huo Xin looked at You Jiaoyang’s embarrassed expression with a half-smile and generously admitted his identity. ”Yes, he is my boyfriend, his name is You Jiaoyang, and he is 24 years old this year.”

”Ah.” Everyone was stunned, ”Isn’t he several years younger than you?”

”So young, is he mature? Will he take good care of his wife?”

You Jiaoyang was afraid that they’d gossip further and quickly introduced himself, ”Hello, uncles and aunts, you can just call me Jiaoyang. I am indeed a few years younger than Huo Xin, and I can’t match her experience, but my love for her is genuine.”

”After returning this time, we plan to get engaged, and at the latest, we’ll get married next year. By then, we’ll have the ceremony in Cangshan Town, and we’ll settle down there.”

”Uncles and aunts, you can all help supervise me. If Huo Xin ever has a bad life or feels wronged, you are free to scold or hit me!”

The young man’s sincere attitude made everyone unable to say anything further.

Huo Xin smiled and told them, ”Don’t look down on him for being young. He is quite clever and works at the City Lord Mansion as the City Lord’s secretary.”

Upon hearing this, the townspeople of Cangshan Town viewed You Jiaoyang not as a ’tricky pretty boy’ but as a ’young man with good roots’.

”Ah, ah, ah, Jiaoyang is so impressive.”

”You can’t tell at first glance, young man...”

You Jiaoyang, like a national treasure, became the mascot of the townspeople of Cangshan Town, surrounded and questioned by them.

Huo Lan leaned against a column in the hall, watching this scene from afar, and smiled while shaking his head. No wonder the Pilot sometimes exudes a bit of eccentric ”approachability,” it turns out he is influenced by the townspeople of Cangshan Town.

Xiahou Huai Gui and Chu Ziling both arrived at Divine Concealment Island early that evening.

When Xu Xingguang and Huo Wen’an returned to the Pilot Mansion, Chu Ziling was also brought to the Pilot Mansion by Cheng Yue.

Chu Ziling wore a black tailored dress with a long golden snake bone chain draped across her chest. Her paper-thin figure gave her a distinctive style, no matter what she wore.

She had very fair skin, a rare cold white shade, with veins clearly visible under her skin.

Mrs. Chu had a very good complexion, and both Chu Zimu and Chu Ziling inherited their mother’s beautiful features. Her nose was graceful and prominent, her eyes narrow and willow-like, and her slightly smoky makeup perfectly highlighted her cool androgynous aura.

When Huo Wen’an saw Chu Ziling’s face clearly, he immediately felt at ease.

She was attractive, but not to the point where Xu Xingguang would be captivated by her.

”Hello, Pilot Huo,” Chu Ziling was a bit reserved when facing Huo Wen’an.

”Hello, Miss Chu.” He turned to Xu Xingguang and said, ”Your friend is here, take good care of her. I’ll be in the study, call me if you need anything.”

”Okay.”

As soon as Huo Wen’an left, Chu Ziling’s stiff back suddenly relaxed.

For Chu Ziling, her last farewell with Xu Xingguang was in the year after their college entrance exams, which was four years ago. But for Xu Xingguang, they’ve been apart for ten lifetimes.

”Xingguang.” They hadn’t seen each other for a long time, and Chu Ziling’s gaze at Xu Xingguang held a calm and tentative restraint.

When Xu Xingguang saw Chu Ziling in person, all those memories of them being friends during their teenage years flooded into her mind.

In their school days, they were truly the best of friends.

Every top student has a friend who is totally indifferent to their studies. Xu Xingguang’s college entrance exam scores were excellent, making her the second top scorer of that year’s Yujiang Prefecture cohort.

The prefecture included five cities, and Xu Xingguang was second among all liberal arts students from Yujiang City and the surrounding four bustling capital cities, as well as all counties and towns under its jurisdiction, while Chu Ziling ranked 16,782.

They had an intake of only 30,000 liberal arts students that year.

Chu Ziling was the ’study slacker’ around Xu Xingguang, but she never allowed herself to affect or delay Xu Xingguang’s learning.

Every day after school, Chu Ziling would take Xu Xingguang to have bubble tea, surf the internet, sing, and go clubbing. Xu Xingguang would also lead Chu Ziling to go clubbing, except they’d go to the book club instead.

She read history books and classic literature, while Chu Ziling would hide in the corner, cracking up laughing at comic books.

They had completely different interests and hobbies, different dressing styles, and entirely different aesthetics. It could be said they were poles apart, yet they became the best of friends.

”Lingling.” Xu Xingguang proactively stepped up and directly picked up Chu Ziling with one arm, twirling her around, which made Chu Ziling hold onto Xu Xingguang’s neck and burst out laughing.

That embrace immediately dispelled the feeling of estrangement between them.

Huo Wen’an listened to Xu Xingguang’s uninhibited laughter, which was as carefree and joyous as any ordinary girl’s, and he couldn’t help but turn back to glance behind him.