Patrol Captain

As Yun Tiansheng asked his questions, his gaze fell on the father and daughter. His sharp eyes, honed by years of military service, were filled with scrutiny.

The middle-aged man was dressed in a brocade robe with a swastika pattern, the collar and cuffs trimmed with glossy mink fur, clearly a valuable and high-quality item. He wore a blue satin hat, with a pearl the size of a pigeon egg embedded in the brim. His face was slightly drooping, with a pair of triangular eyes that narrowed, revealing a shrewd and calculating nature. He had a goatee on his chin, which was neatly groomed and shiny. Every gesture he made exuded the calculation of a merchant.

The girl beside him was beautiful and graceful, with slightly furrowed brows and soft, almond-shaped eyes that looked delicate and timid. She wore a moon-white silk jacket and a lotus-colored brocade cloak. When the wind blew, her clothes fluttered, making her look slender and delicate, almost like a willow swaying in the breeze. She gently twisted the cloak's ties with her fingertips. Facing Yun Tiansheng's gaze, she was shy and timid, not daring to look him in the eye. She looked every bit like a young lady waiting to be raised in her chambers.

The father and daughter stood side by side. One was covered in jewels, as if she wanted to display all her wealth on the outside. Her eyes and brows revealed a worldly wisdom and shrewdness, which contrasted sharply with the dusty servants around her. The other was a gentle and delicate young lady from a prominent family.

"Reporting to Third Young Master, this father and daughter say they are from the Yun family of Yong'an. They say they couldn't make a living outside and have come to seek refuge with the master family." The steward quickly replied, moving closer to the father and daughter with his back to them, and whispered to Yun Tiansheng, his face full of speechlessness.

"I inquired about their lineage, and they're almost beyond the fifth degree of kinship. They're probably like the others, here to freeload off my Yun family's growing power. Third Young Master, just give the word, and I'll give them some silver to send them away."

The steward's words weren't because the Yun family had become arrogant and looked down on others in recent years. Rather, it was because since the Yun family rose to prominence, "relatives" who had little contact with them in previous years had been eagerly trying to establish connections with them. This situation had become so common that it had created a somewhat chaotic and annoying atmosphere within the Yun family.

Upon hearing this, Yun Tiansheng withdrew his gaze from the father and daughter, lowered his eyes, and just as he was about to speak, a cry of pain rang out.

"Oh my, covered in red armor."

"I suppose this must be the famous Third Brother of my Yun family. Seeing is believing, and he is indeed awe-inspiring and imposing."

As these words fell, the middle-aged man, with an exaggerated smile and a shrewd, ingratiating look in his three corners of his eyes, strode forward and cupped his fist with his jade thumb ring.

As he spoke, he beckoned behind him with a big smile and called to his daughter behind him, "Anu, come and greet your cousin. Although we are far apart, blood is thicker than water. You must treat your cousin with respect. He is a general of the cavalry at the Ninth Mountain."

The steward standing nearby, upon hearing this, became very displeased. He raised his chin and said irritably, "What are you saying?"

As he spoke, he cupped his hands toward the sky and said, “My third young master was favored by the Martial Saint General a few days ago and has now been promoted to the First Mountain General. What do you know about him?”

As he said this, the person in charge couldn't wait to straighten his back a bit and show off his power.

Yun Tiansheng, who was standing nearby, frowned upon hearing this. He was displeased with these words. The matter had not yet been publicized, and not only had he not yet been granted the seal of office, but he also disliked his servants being ostentatious.

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man exclaimed "Oh my!" with a look of astonishment on his face. He bowed his head involuntarily, displaying a fawning expression to the fullest extent, "You're already a general! Amazing, amazing!"

"Quickly, Nu'er, hurry up and pay your respects to your cousin." Saying this, he pulled his daughter behind him forward.

The girl named "Nu'er" was pulled forward by her father. Her head was bowed, she was gentle and frail, shy and timid, and she gave a low bow, her voice as soft as a cat's meow.
"Nu'er greets her cousin."

As she spoke, her face flushed like a blush, her head lowered, her hands fiddling with her dress, yet her demeanor was graceful and flawless, displaying the air of a refined young lady admiring her own reflection.

The voice, the appearance—even the steward who had been impatient with them earlier seemed more pleasing to the eye. It seemed that having such a cousin in the Yun family wasn't so bad, unlike his father. Yun Tiansheng's cold, sharp eyes fell on the girl, flickering slightly, as if he were somewhat puzzled. But at that moment, the girl's father, standing beside her, subtly pulled his daughter back, grinning obsequiously at Yun Tiansheng, and reached into his sleeve.

"By seniority, I am your uncle, Sanlang. Since this is our first meeting, I have prepared a small gift. Please accept it, Sanlang. It is nothing but a token of my respect."

As he spoke, he took out a black sandalwood box about a foot long with red lacquer, which was decorated with talismans and looked quite extraordinary. He carefully presented it to her with both hands, bowing his head and wearing a mercenary smile.

Upon seeing this, Yun Tiansheng frowned even more deeply, his eyes sharpening once more. Without even looking at what it was, he turned his gaze to the steward.
"Go and take them to consult the head of the family."

"Whether people stay or leave is none of my business."

After saying that, he led a few of his personal guards into the mansion and ignored the others.

Having received the third young master's instructions, the steward, seeing the man leave, tucked his hands into his sleeves, crossed them in front of his abdomen, leaned back slightly, glanced down at the father and daughter, then at the gift box in the middle-aged man's hands, and scoffed.
"Forget about trying to get involved with our Third Young Master."

"Since the Third Young Master has spoken, let's go. Only the two of you will enter the manor. The rest of you, stay put."

After speaking, the person in charge turned around and stepped into the mansion.

Upon seeing this, the father put the box in his sleeve, straightened up, and maintained his flattering smile. The daughter looked up and exchanged a glance with her father, who nodded slightly. The two followed the steward and stepped over the high threshold of the Yun Mansion.

The two communicated telepathically.

“Holy King, why did you stop me from using my powers and bewitching that Yun family brat? I wanted to peel off his ugly face. What's with his arrogance? Besides, he is a key figure. You just instructed me to control a direct descendant of the Yun family, and this person is the perfect candidate.”

"Foolish! You can't touch Yun Tiansheng. He's a close follower of that human martial saint, right under his nose. If you leave any trace, he'll definitely notice and come looking for you, ruining everything. Hmph, remember this: don't be arrogant and think your magic can fool this kind of person. Think before you act." The man sneered.

"I know I was wrong." The woman readily admitted her mistake, then quickly changed the subject, "It's just that I was angry to see you, Holy King, bowing and scraping to these human ants. Why did you have to go to such lengths, Holy King?" She truly didn't understand.

The Holy King possesses boundless supernatural powers, capable of devouring the world; she was quite uncomfortable with the "performance" just now.

"What you see as humiliation is, in my eyes, a source of amusement. Once my Holy Clan takes control of everything and manipulates these people at will, then we'll see their panicked and bewildered faces. Don't you find that amusing?" The demon king's sinister laughter was filled with a chilling dread, concealing an unknown conspiracy.

"I see, hehe, I've learned something." The girl's voice turned wicked.

Thus, the "father and daughter," led by the steward, entered the Yun family mansion, intending to stir up trouble in secret. (End of Chapter)