After the vehicle came to a stop, Zhao Mu and the others stepped out.
Waiting nearby was a sleek electric sightseeing cart.
Meng Qiuqiu noticed their curious expressions and explained with a grin, "The residential area of the inner estate is farther inside. My grandfather dislikes the smell of gasoline, so once we enter this section of the manor, everyone switches to electric vehicles."
As guests, Zhao Mu, Xu Fei, and Lin Xiaoyue naturally had no objections.
They quickly transferred to the sightseeing cart and continued deeper into the Meng Family estate.
As they traveled, Meng Qiuqiu turned to the elderly butler driving the vehicle.
"Uncle Chen, has Third Brother returned yet?"
The old butler smiled warmly.
"The Third Young Master arrived shortly before you did."
"He also brought two friends with him."
A strange glint flashed through Meng Qiuqiu's eyes.
"Oh?"
However, he didn't say anything else. Instead, he subtly increased his pace as soon as they got off the cart.
Along the way, Zhao Mu carefully observed the Meng Family compound.
The estate was enormous.
Servants could be seen sweeping courtyards and maintaining pathways.
Professional gardeners tended to carefully arranged flowerbeds and ornamental trees, shaping them into beautiful artistic forms.
Everywhere one looked, there was evidence of immense wealth.
Naturally, security was equally impressive.
Armed guards stood at important intersections throughout the estate.
Although they wore tailored suits on the outside, Zhao Mu could clearly see traces of concealed armor beneath their clothing.
More importantly, each guard carried an unmistakable aura.
It was the aura of people who had truly experienced life-and-death battles.
Even without seeing them fight, Zhao Mu could tell they were elite combatants.
As Spirit Power users, Zhao Mu and his companions instinctively became more alert when passing them.
Their breathing unconsciously quickened.
It wasn't fear.
Rather, it was their bodies naturally responding to potential threats.
The deeper they traveled into the estate, the more Zhao Mu felt overwhelmed by its size.
Courtyard after courtyard appeared before them.
Pavilions.
Artificial streams.
Rock gardens.
Private training grounds.
If he had been alone, he would have become hopelessly lost long ago.
Fortunately, Meng Qiuqiu led the way with practiced ease.
Eventually, they arrived at an elegant courtyard hidden deep within the inner residence.
The courtyard had been built around a large pond.
It was midsummer.
Lotus flowers bloomed beautifully across the water's surface.
Large golden fish swam lazily beneath the leaves, occasionally surfacing to create ripples that spread across the pond.
Many of the fish were rare breeds Zhao Mu had never seen before.
The entire scene resembled a painting.
Near the far side of the pond stood an elderly man feeding the fish.
Dozens of colorful goldfish crowded around him, competing for the food he tossed into the water.
The old man had silver-white hair and wore a simple white training outfit.
At first glance, he appeared to be an ordinary elderly gentleman in his seventies.
Yet Zhao Mu knew that appearances could be deceiving.
This was the current patriarch of the Meng Family.
Meng Hecai.
According to Meng Qiuqiu, the old man was already one hundred and eighteen years old.
Several attendants stood respectfully nearby, waiting for instructions.
Beside Meng Hecai stood a young man roughly Zhao Mu's age.
The youth was serving the old man attentively and appeared quite close to him.
The moment Meng Qiuqiu entered the courtyard, his face lit up.
"Grandfather! I'm back!"
Hearing the familiar voice, Old Master Meng turned around.
A joyful smile immediately appeared on his face.
"Qiuqiu!"
"Come here and let Grandfather take a look at you."
Meng Qiuqiu hurried over obediently.
The old man grabbed his grandson's cheeks and examined him carefully.
After several moments, his brows furrowed.
"Oh dear!"
"You've only been away for a month, yet you've become darker and thinner!"
"Are they not feeding you properly?"
Before Meng Qiuqiu could answer, the old man turned toward the butler.
"Uncle Chen!"
"Contact Qingfeng Camp later."
"Donate a batch of military supplies."
"No, forget that."
"Build them two new facilities."
"And set up a cafeteria specifically for my grandson."
His expression became serious.
"How can a descendant of the Meng Family not eat properly?"
Zhao Mu couldn't help smiling.
The reaction was almost identical to that of Meng Qiuqiu's mother.
Clearly, concern for food ran in the family.
Meng Qiuqiu scratched his head awkwardly.
"Hehe."
"Don't worry, Grandfather."
"These hardships are necessary."
"A real man needs experience."
The old man snorted.
"A real man also needs proper meals."
The surrounding attendants struggled not to laugh.
After a brief reunion, Meng Qiuqiu finally remembered his friends.
Turning around, he enthusiastically pointed toward Zhao Mu and the others.
"Grandfather, let me introduce them."
"These are my best friends from Qingfeng Camp."
One by one, he introduced Zhao Mu, Xu Fei, and Lin Xiaoyue.
The three stepped forward respectfully.
"Greetings, Old Master Meng."
As they approached, however, Zhao Mu suddenly sensed several hostile gazes directed toward them.
His expression remained calm.
Without making it obvious, he glanced toward the source.
The hostility came from the young man standing beside Old Master Meng and the two youths behind him.
The two behind him weren't even trying to hide their contempt.
Their sneers were obvious.
Zhao Mu felt puzzled.
He didn't know any of them.
So why were they looking at him as though he had offended them?
Since he couldn't figure it out, he simply ignored them.
There was no point wasting energy on strangers.
Meanwhile, Old Master Meng studied the three youths carefully.
His eyes lingered on Zhao Mu for a moment before he nodded approvingly.
"Good."
"They all seem like fine young people."
The moment he finished speaking, the old butler stepped forward with practiced efficiency.
Without needing instructions, he reached into his suit pocket and produced several universal Empire Bank cards.
He handed one to each guest.
"This is a small meeting gift from the Old Master."
"Please accept it."
Having already witnessed the Meng Family's habits, Zhao Mu and the others no longer felt shocked.
After expressing their thanks, they accepted the cards.
Just then, the young man standing beside Old Master Meng suddenly spoke.
His tone sounded casual.
Yet there was something sharp hidden beneath it.
"Second Brother."
"I believe I've heard of this friend of yours before."
Meng Qiuqiu's eyes narrowed.
"Oh?"
The young man smiled.
His name was Meng Kuohai.
He was Meng Qiuqiu's cousin.
Unlike Meng Qiuqiu's sturdy build, Meng Kuohai possessed a slender figure and fair skin.
His appearance seemed refined and elegant.
However, the calculating look in his eyes revealed a very different personality.
"I've spent a lot of time gathering information on talented students throughout Jiangnan Province."
He looked directly at Zhao Mu.
"If I remember correctly, there was once a student from Lujiang City named Zhao Mu."
"He dominated the joint examinations and attracted considerable attention."
His smile widened slightly.
"But during the Spirit Awakening Ceremony, he awakened only an E-rank talent."
He tilted his head.
"That person wouldn't happen to be your friend, would it?"
The atmosphere immediately became strange.
Old Master Meng quietly observed the situation.
He said nothing.
His expression remained calm.
However, his eyes shifted toward Meng Qiuqiu.
Within the Meng Family, competition among descendants was common.
As long as it remained healthy, Old Master Meng encouraged it.
Only through competition could capable successors emerge.
Meng Qiuqiu and Meng Kuohai had entered the Military Martial Specialization School during the same year.
Naturally, comparisons between them were unavoidable.
Meng Qiuqiu let out a cold snort.
"Brother Xiao Mu is a true genius."
"It is my honor to call him a friend."
"I won't allow anyone to insult him."
Meng Kuohai laughed.
The two youths behind him also chuckled mockingly.
"Second Brother."
"I'm only stating facts."
His expression carried obvious disdain.
"An E-rank talent."
"Do you know what that means?"
"Even the guards employed by our Meng Family must meet higher standards."
He glanced at Zhao Mu from head to toe.
His eyes were filled with contempt.
"I originally thought your trip to Lujiang City would produce some valuable connections."
"But in the end..."
He shook his head dramatically.
"You befriended someone like this?"
The two young men behind him burst into laughter.
Meng Qiuqiu's face immediately darkened.
However, Meng Kuohai continued speaking.
"If word spreads, people won't laugh at Zhao Mu."
"They'll laugh at the Meng Family."
"They'll say a descendant of the Meng Family couldn't even distinguish a true genius from ordinary trash."
The moment those words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the courtyard froze.
Even the attendants exchanged uneasy glances.
Everyone knew Meng Kuohai was targeting Zhao Mu.
The question now was simple.
Would Zhao Mu remain silent?
Or would he finally respond?
As countless eyes turned toward him, Zhao Mu's expression remained completely calm.
There was no anger.
No embarrassment.
No panic.
Only a faint smile appeared on his face.
And somehow, that smile made Meng Kuohai feel unexpectedly uneasy.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)