"Dad, Hongzhang was just worried sick. After all, Yi Ying's situation this time truly gave him a scare."
"Scared?" Xiao Bin raised an eyebrow.
"As the head of a family, one can never afford to lose composure."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Pingxing's left eyelid twitched.
"Yes, this child's ability to control his emotions still needs more tempering."
Xiao Bin said nothing. He stood up and walked over to Xiao Yi Ying, who lay on the stone platform.
"How is the investigation into Yi Ying's matter progressing?"
"Dad." Xiao Pingxing also walked over, standing opposite Xiao Bin. He gently took Xiao Yi Ying's left wrist.
"According to Hongzhang's report, before Yi Ying fainted, he mentioned two things. Jin Yuan. However, we haven't found any clues yet."
"Jin Yuan?"
Xiao Bin's brow furrowed, a flicker of fear crossing his eyes.
"If it truly is Jin Yuan, then stop the investigation. This time, our Xiao family will concede."
This statement made both Xiao Pingxing and Xiao Shi Yan, who was standing nearby, widen their eyes.
"Dad, you know what Jin Yuan is, don't you?"
Xiao Pingxing was unwilling. Xiao Yi Ying was his own grandson; how could they just let it go?
"Jin Yuan, I have heard of one. It's best if you don't inquire further about that place. Matters deep within the Kunlun Mountains are not for us to pry into."
"Deep within Kunlun?" Xiao Pingxing was also greatly alarmed, not expecting that such a terrifying entity was involved this time.
"Father, are you referring to Kunlun Void?"
"No." Xiao Bin shook his head and looked up at the light filtering through the skylight.
"However, it is close. It is the closest place to Kunlun Void."
"Dad, is that legend true?"
A hint of eagerness surfaced in Xiao Pingxing's eyes.
"What if it's true, what if it's false? 'A bird builds its nest in a strange tree, and strangers bring news; where there is smoke, there is fire.' Such mystique must have a reason. After all, there is always someone better, and there is always a world beyond the world."
Xiao Bin's gaze was fixed on the light in the skylight, staring motionlessly.
"Dad, you, were you...?"
"Forget it."
Xiao Pingxing wanted to ask more but was cut off by Xiao Bin.
However, Xiao Pingxing knew that his father, Xiao Bin, must have experienced something, otherwise, he wouldn't try to dissuade him.
Xiao Yi Ying was his grandson, and even more so, Xiao Bin's most doted-upon great-grandson.
If it came to favoritism towards Xiao Yi Ying, Xiao Bin, as the great-grandfather, surely cared more than Xiao Pingxing, the family head.
Xiao Pingxing felt Xiao Yi Ying's pulse, his brow furrowed, and he turned to look at Xiao Bin.
"Dad, Yi Ying's condition?"
"The internal force is like a maggot clinging to the bone, and this peculiar inner energy is exceptionally fierce and potent. However, most of it has been extracted. His life is not in danger. As for the rest, we'll leave it to time."
After speaking, Xiao Bin wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Xiao Pingxing was shocked. If even his own father was helpless, who had his grandson offended?
Could it truly be Jin Yuan from the depths of the Kunlun Mountains?
"Pingxing, I see you've made further progress recently. You've gained quite a lot."
Xiao Bin turned and walked towards the meditation cushion he used daily, adjusted his posture, and sat cross-legged.
"Dad, just a minor breakthrough." Xiao Pingxing's brow remained furrowed as he looked at Xiao Yi Ying.
"I only feel that the Grandmaster realm is truly unfathomable."
Xiao Bin shook his head upon hearing this and chuckled leisurely,
"It's impossible for me anymore. Pingxing, you still have a chance. I see that Hongzhang is developing very rapidly; he's probably close to achieving Huajin. He might become the hope for the Xiao family for the next hundred years."
"Dad, do you truly believe so?"
"Let's hope so. After all, neither you nor I has glimpsed the marvels of the Grandmaster realm, so how can we know the power of a Grandmaster?"
Xiao Pingxing nodded. If the Xiao family had a Grandmaster, they would be considered a second-tier family in the capital. It was something he had never dared to imagine before.
"Dad, Yi Ying, he...?"
"Leave him with me for now. When he wakes up, he can keep this old man company. In the past two years, this child has become restless and hasn't settled down. He's not young anymore; it's time for him to stabilize. You can go. Chun Qiu will arrange for him when she returns."
Xiao Bin looked at the still sleeping Xiao Yi Ying with a face full of affection, a hint of reminiscence and heartache flashing in his eyes.
"Dad, I'll take my leave then."
Xiao Pingxing had no objections to Xiao Bin's decision.
After all, his grandfather's place was the safest in the entire Xiao family.