The old man suddenly chuckled softly, then his face fell.
"One night that year, I was practicing Qi cultivation in my room when, in the blink of an eye, I saw something extra on the bedside table. I was shocked and went closer to take a look, only to find that it was a swaddled baby! Inside was a young baby girl!"
The shock I felt at that moment was indescribable. With my martial arts skills back then, I certainly couldn't have reached that legendary level where even falling flowers and leaves could injure people, but it was absolutely impossible for someone to suddenly drop a baby into the room without me noticing! But just as I looked down at the baby, a voice came from behind me.
The voice said, "These are Xiao Mingyue's descendants."
I turned around and saw a middle-aged man with a thick beard standing there, calmly looking at me. He then told me that his surname was Tian.
Chapter 266 [Past Events]
"I will never forget that night. It was like a dream, or like I saw a ghost. There was such a big, living person, as if he just popped out of the floor. He was only a few steps away from me, but I had no idea when he came in, when he put a baby on the bed, or when he stood behind me!"
My first reaction was to break out in a cold sweat! Then a strong sense of defeat welled up inside me! I couldn't believe that anyone in this world could do that! I was confident that my martial arts skills had reached their peak! Even if I were to encounter those legendary figures, even if I couldn't defeat them, at least I wouldn't let them sneak up behind me so silently without me even noticing.
No one in the world today can do that!
If this person is my enemy, he could take my life silently, and I would have no power to resist!
This is something I cannot accept—at least not rationally! I cannot believe that there are such people in this world.
To put it bluntly: I thought I was standing at the peak, but at that moment, I saw the real peak and suddenly realized that I was just an ant...
This feeling sent chills down my spine. I stared at him, speechless for a full minute!
Old Master Xiao's words seemed to carry endless emotions, including a touch of frustration.
Given Old Master Xiao's current status and power, the Xiao family is deeply rooted in Lingnan, with a large and prosperous family and a dominant position in the domestic martial arts world. His word is law, but at this moment, his tone is full of frustration.
"I've practiced martial arts since I was a child, and my talent far surpasses that of those around me. I've never slacked off, training relentlessly through the coldest and hottest days of winter. Yes, my talent is exceptional, but at the same time, the hard work, sweat, and even blood I've shed are far greater than those around me!!"
But then, I saw someone suddenly appear, someone who seemed to leap out of thin air, and who seemed to possess a height that I could never reach…
The old man sighed, then smiled wryly: "When you get old, you still can't let go of some things on your mind."
Chen Xiao nodded; he understood the old man's feelings.
"I was stunned for a full minute, just staring at this person in disbelief, and then I did something I can't even understand myself—I attacked him!"
When Old Master Xiao got to this point, a glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes. But that glint of shrewdness quickly turned into dejection.
He stood up and took a few slow, deliberate steps in front of Chen Xiao. He walked very slowly, but each step was heavy, and every movement was meticulous. After he had taken seven or eight steps, Chen Xiao looked at the ground...
There were seven or eight complete footprints on the bluestone ground! Each footprint looked as if it were carved into the stone, one centimeter deep, and the stone around the outline of each footprint was intact, without even a crack!
While it is extremely difficult to simply crush a stone with one foot, the difficulty may not be very high. However, when Old Master Xiao casually revealed his skill, he effortlessly left seven or eight footprints on the stone slab, and the force he used was clearly at a level of consummate skill!
What captivated Chen Xiao even more was that these seven or eight footprints, though seemingly chaotic on the ground, actually appeared to contain a profound pattern upon closer inspection!
He couldn't help but stand up and step into one of the footprints. Suddenly, he felt a stirring in his heart and continued walking, following the footprints. After taking seven or eight steps, Chen Xiao's expression changed: "Huh?"
"You noticed?" The old man smiled faintly, then his expression turned serious: "This footwork is exactly the same footwork you unconsciously used when we made our move that day! Although there are some differences, the unbelievable feeling is the same!"
If Chen Xiao's memory were to return, he would immediately recognize that this was the "short-sleeved" outfit!
"This footwork is what that person left me that day." The old man squinted and sighed deeply. "In a moment of excitement, I attacked him. It was just a martial artist's instinctive reaction. I suddenly launched an attack, using the two most powerful moves in the Xiao Family Fist, both of which are sudden attacks aimed at winning with a single blow. But I lost as soon as I made my move!"
The old man squinted at the footprints on the ground, his tone filled with deep helplessness: "That person was right in front of me, and he took eight steps as if it were nothing. In those eight steps, both of my fierce killing moves missed their mark, and I couldn't even touch a hem of his clothes! And when he finished those eight steps, his hand was already on my throat. With just a slight squeeze, he could kill me on the spot. I've encountered many strong enemies and many powerful opponents in my life, but I've never lost so badly! I immediately realized one thing: this person is someone I absolutely cannot defeat! In his hands, my martial arts, which I'm so proud of, are as insignificant as ants."
The old man glanced at Chen Xiao and said, "I was quite surprised when I saw you use a similar footwork that day. I thought that since you know this kind of footwork, you must have some connection with that extraordinary person surnamed Tian."
Chen Xiao remained silent. He frowned, touched his nose, and lowered his head in deep thought.
"Fortunately, he wasn't there to kill me, nor was he an enemy of the Xiao family. On the contrary, he was our benefactor." The old man gave a bitter smile. "He subdued me completely with a single move, then grinned at me and said, 'It seems the descendants of the Xiao family are quite capable; those two moves you made were rather impressive.' Just as I was filled with shame, he continued, 'Don't be angry. I'll tell you, my surname is Tian. This surname shouldn't be too unfamiliar to your Xiao family.'"
Old Master Xiao shook his head vigorously as he spoke: "I immediately recalled the story my father told me about the origin of the Xiao family in Lingnan, but at the time I didn't connect it to the extraordinary person who helped my ancestor with the land. After all... so many years have passed, and the person in front of me doesn't seem very old, he even looks much younger than me, but then he said something that dispelled my doubts and immediately shocked me."
He said, "Your Xiao family should still have the knife I left behind, right?" Heh heh! Hearing that, I really don't know how to describe how I felt! My first reaction was, could he really be a god? He was his age, yet he looked even younger than my son, but…”
Chen Xiao remained silent.
He wasn't too shocked—he himself didn't understand why he wasn't surprised at all.
Xiao Qing had already returned by this time. She stood at the door, holding two cups of tea in her hands.
The old man beckoned to her: "Come in, girl, it won't hurt for you to hear about these things."
Xiao Qing hesitated for a moment, then went inside, put down the tea, and stood next to Chen Xiao.
The old man smiled slightly: "The baby girl on the bed back then, that was you. Girl, hehe! That strange man surnamed Tian told me, 'This girl is a descendant of Xiao Mingyue. Her mother entrusted her to me to send her home to be raised. She hopes you will take good care of her. It's best not to reveal her identity, otherwise there will be trouble.' After saying this, he didn't even explain much to me. Just like when I arrived, he disappeared in the blink of an eye."
The old man gently picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip.
Xiao Qing's face was filled with shock. She stared at the old man and said, "Grandpa, you mean... I... I'm not my parents..."
The old man blew on the tea leaves floating in his teacup, then sighed: "You were suddenly brought back, and that extraordinary man surnamed Tian instructed me not to reveal your identity. I pondered this all night… That extraordinary man surnamed Tian has done immense favors for our Xiao family in Lingnan. The entire clan has survived in Lingnan thanks to his help back then, so I have absolutely no doubt about what he says! Since he says you are a descendant of Mingyue, then you must be! Moreover… even if you are not a member of the Xiao family, this extraordinary man surnamed Tian has done such a great favor for our Xiao family that even if he entrusted me with the care of an ordinary baby girl, I would definitely do my best to repay him!"
So, I pondered all night and finally made a decision. I came up with a plan: at dawn, I would quietly summon your father back to the inner courtyard to speak with him.
The old man glanced at Chen Xiao and explained, "He was one of the best among the younger generation of my Xiao family at the time. He was kind, upright, and extremely loyal to the family. He was a junior I greatly admired, and he was also considered a direct descendant of the Xiao family. More importantly, he had been married for three years but had no children. So I came up with a plan and sent him to manage a property in a remote area. He was gone for a year before returning. When he came back, he brought this baby girl with him. He only told the clan that he had been away for over a year and that his wife had given birth to a daughter. Only the two of us in the clan knew about this. I sternly instructed them that this matter must never be leaked! Hehe!"
The old man gave a bitter smile: "And so, Xiao Qing rightfully became a member of our Xiao family. When I sent her father to manage that remote property, everyone thought he had violated some family rule and was severely punished, effectively exiled. Several people in the clan even spoke out in his defense. However, I later made amends to him. When he returned a year later with Xiao Qing, I publicly announced that I was transferring him back to manage an important Xiao family property. I gave him many important positions afterward, and he eventually became one of the most important figures in the Xiao family. Everyone thought it was because he had a good daughter, and that I doted on Xiao Qing, thus extending my affection to her father. Little did they know that I was simply making amends to him. I was making amends for him leaving the Xiao family and being exiled for a year to give Xiao Qing a proper place in the family."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Qing's expression changed drastically. He swayed, his voice trembling, "Grandpa, you...you mean my parents...they're not...not my biological children..."
“No.” The old man looked at Xiao Qing with some pity and sighed, “I’m sorry to tell you this now… Actually, if it weren’t for this… I wouldn’t have told you. After all, your parents love you very much. Although you’re not their biological child, they treat you like their own.”
Xiao Qing stared in disbelief, then her face suddenly turned extremely pale. She instinctively grabbed Chen Xiao's shoulder and burst into tears.