Take Refuge

After demonstrating the great bond between grandfather and grandson, the Zhang Family Head proposed, "Since this is your first visit to the Zhang family, how about we take a walk and chat?"

A walk was equivalent to a tour, and a tour was equivalent to showcasing their strength to Qi Yuan.

The Zhang Family Head smiled kindly. Last night, he had learned from Qi Ao that Qi Yuan tended to be compliant with his subordinates. Although he hadn't discussed it with the elders yet, showing sincerity didn't mean Qi Yuan would be interested in them.

Many people sought to join the ranks of top fighters, not just for protection, but also for the invaluable treasure of combat knowledge, experience, and opportunities.

Qi Yuan had no objections and nodded in agreement.

The two walked side by side, with a group of people following behind. The younger brother kept his head down, intending to blend in, but the Zhang Family Head held his hand.

"...From here you can see the training grounds. Occasionally watching the young people during breaks from work can help us recapture some of the ambition from our youth."

The Zhang Family Head pointed in a direction, "That one with the scar on his face is a promising youngster. I remember he's only in his early twenties, but he's already been at C-level for a while and is about to break through to B-level..."

He introduced a few promising talents, like an elder boasting about the younger generation in his family.

The group walked and stopped at various places. The Zhang Family Head subtly introduced the industries the Zhang family was involved in, their talent reserves, and so on. From time to time, he would sigh and say that he wasn't a brilliant family head, asking Qi Yuan for advice and such.

At first, Qi Yuan didn't think much of it, but later he realized what was happening.

The Zhang Family Head was hinting at the possibility of joining forces.

Normally, in small towns, mid-level superhumans would have many merchants offering protection fees, while in big cities, high-level superhumans would have numerous businesses under their names. These were all gradually accumulated through merchants seeking protection.

However, he had hardly ever enjoyed such treatment. He had been poor until Su Ke approached him, which was when he finally achieved financial freedom.

The timing wasn't right. If it had been a few months earlier, he would have been happy to accept.

Qi Yuan thought wistfully.

The Zhang Family Head hadn't received any feedback and realized the deal wouldn't happen. He couldn't help but look at the short Qi Ao, thankful that there was still a backup plan.

However, he still needed to discuss with the elders about Qi Ao's relationship with other superhumans and potential cooperation methods.

With this in mind, the Zhang Family Head said, "I had intended to take little Ao for a tour of the restricted area, but I forgot that at his age, he needs a lot of sleep for growth, which caused a misunderstanding. Today is a good opportunity to make up for it."

That incident had caused quite a stir, and Qi Yuan must have received the news. Even if the cooperation didn't work out, they couldn't become enemies because of it. They needed to maintain the proper attitude.

The items in the restricted area that needed to be put away had already been taken care of.

The group arrived at the restricted area. The Zhang Family Head gestured for the guards behind them to retreat, and led the elders along with Qi Yuan's group of three inside.

Although called a restricted area, it was actually more like an ancestral hall.

The Zhang Family Head explained to the three of them while carefully avoiding dangerous areas.

"This place was originally a special Fusion Zone. After our family dealt with the monsters, we established an ancestral hall here. Because it's quite dangerous, other people are forbidden from entering."

Qi Yuan saw the Zhang Family Head take out an object and spray something. The plant vines moved aside.

"Moreover, to ensure our ancestors aren't disturbed, we deliberately placed mutant plants as guardians."

The group finally arrived at the central ancestral hall, where numerous tablets were enshrined, along with several ancient-looking objects.

The Zhang Family Head solemnly lit three incense sticks before continuing, "These items are all Superpower-Enhancing Items, but they're either not very effective or relatively dangerous. However, because they've been passed down from our ancestors, we enshrine them at the front of the altar."

Hearing this, Qi Yuan asked in surprise, "All of them?"

Finally finding a direction to show goodwill, the Zhang Family Head smiled slightly and stroked his beard, saying, "Yes, this is why we believe that our ancestors might have been as powerful as described in the books."

Mentioning this, the Zhang Family Head was filled with pride.

He firmly believed that the awakening of superpowers was just the first step, and that the gods and ancestors would gradually awaken. When that time came, with the Zhang family holding ancient texts, they would be able to establish their own sect and restore their ancestors' glory.

Unfortunately, until now, it was still the era of superhumans, and they had to consider survival issues.

Compromise wasn't giving up, but rather for better inheritance. He believed the ancestors would understand.

Qi Yuan wasn't aware of the Zhang Family Head's convoluted psychological journey, as he wouldn't activate mind-reading unless necessary.

He just found it quite interesting.

In many stories from Dragon Country, many immortals weren't omnipotent. Perhaps there were superhumans in the past as well?

Standing in the ancestral hall, imagining the glory of the ancestors, the Zhang Family Head regained his confidence. "To be honest, if the Ma Family hadn't shared information with us, we would have known nothing about our ancestors' glory."

The Ma Family?

Qi Yuan had some impression. They were one of the Hermit Clans he had encountered in the realm codenamed "Moon."

He asked with interest, "What do you mean?"

Since the Zhang Family Head had mentioned it, he didn't intend to hide anything. Besides, this information wasn't really a secret.

"Previously, we thought these were just a pile of junk, but a few years ago, the Ma Family told us that as long as the items are consecrated, they can regain their former glory."

As time passed, the Hermit Clans weren't a monolithic block. Although they didn't need to be summoned and had less personnel loss, they couldn't prevent the younger generation from getting carried away with enthusiasm after going to school.

Some wanted to experience the wider world, and the national policies favoring superhumans allowed them to boldly leave.

Once they left their towns, cities, or even provinces, the Hermit Clans couldn't reach them due to their seclusion (of course, the government not allowing it was another matter), so the younger generation naturally spread their wings.

Gradually, the Hermit Clans could only pass on their legacy by recruiting elders and subordinates.

It wasn't until recent years that the news released by the Ma Family reignited hope for the Hermit Clans. The Ma Family proposed a union of Hermit Clans and the election of a leader, with the result being self-evident.

"Consecration?"

The drowsy Qi Ao caught the key word and immediately perked up his ears. When it came to this topic, he was no longer sleepy.

Qi Yuan's eyelid twitched. This guy was beyond help.

Gao Changze was also very interested, but his status as the young master of the Gao family, while not low, was rather awkward. Moreover, the Gao family had no connection with the Zhang family, so he remained quiet throughout.

"That's right. Before a Fusion Zone descends, if these ancestral items are placed in advance, they can borrow the power of the Fusion Zone to regain their former glory."

Gao Changze wanted to say something but held back. Even newly produced items placed in a Fusion Zone could potentially become Superpower-Enhancing Items...

However, if the probability of generation was higher than other items, it could indeed be considered a new discovery.

Qi Yuan was more concerned about another point, "How can you predict it in advance?"

If they could predict in advance, the Patrol Team could clear the area first.