Chapter 479: Meeting Old Acquaintances

"Just missing us? It can't be that simple, can it?" Hu Gan wore a skeptical expression.

"Of course, it's not that simple. I also want to see if there are any promising talents to take as disciples. After all, since Old Man Huo has an exceptional disciple, I can't fall behind. I don't expect them to be as gifted as Xiao Ming. If they're one-tenth as talented, I'd be satisfied," Su Qian replied with a chuckle, stroking his graying beard.

"One-tenth of Xiao Ming's talent? You'd be lucky to find that. It's not like you have the luck of Old Man Huo." Hu Gan initially looked amused but then his tone turned somewhat envious.

In truth, the Elders of Jia Nan Academy rarely selected disciples from among the students. The regular students rarely caught their attention, and the true geniuses usually departed the Academy after a few years.

In the conservative society of the Dou Qi Continent, the bond between a master and a disciple was akin to a parent-child relationship. Taking on a disciple who would leave in a few years, especially if they were far away, often resulted in minimal interaction. So, what was the point of taking on a disciple in the first place?

Elders seeking disciples typically embarked on journeys to find suitable talents. They might choose talents from their own nation or even adopt orphans, ensuring they knew the background of their disciples.

When Elder Huo took Xiao Ming as his disciple, it was purely due to Xiao Ming's extraordinary talent, which astonished all the Jia Nan Academy Elders. Many Elders coveted Xiao Ming, but Elder Huo had the upper hand because Xiao Ming displayed an aptitude for alchemy and chose to join the Alchemy Department. Thus, he snatched Xiao Ming before others could act.

Since Elder Huo had taken Xiao Ming as his disciple, he had become the object of envy and jealousy among the other elders.

They all wanted to have a disciple like Xiao Ming!

He met all their requirements for an ideal disciple: exceptional talent, intelligence, diligence, respect for teachers and elders, and a mild personality that didn't contain arrogance or conceit. Where could they find such a disciple?

Especially recently, when a Dou Venerate came looking for Elder Huo, claiming that Xiao Ming had become something like the Alliance Leader of the Heavenly Court, it made them even more jealous.

But no matter how much they envied him, talents like Xiao Ming couldn't be acquired through jealousy, so they could only watch helplessly.

When Elder Huo heard Hu Qian and the others mention his precious disciple, a proud smile appeared on his usually solemn and old-fashioned face. Although he didn't say anything, everyone present understood what he meant.

I have an exceptional disciple, and you don't!

'This old fellow is beginning to feel proud again.' Seeing Elder Huo's reaction, Su Qian shook his head, somewhat speechless. 

Alchemists were naturally proud, and Elder Huo seemed even more pleased with himself since he had Xiao Ming as his disciple. Fortunately, Elder Huo had a relatively serious personality, seldom spoke much, and didn't go around boasting.

"Grandpa, Elder Su Qian, Elder Huo..."

As Su Qian was momentarily speechless, a voice suddenly came from behind. They turned around and couldn't help but smile.

Two female figures appeared behind them. One of them was wearing a teacher's robe. Even though the clothes looked somewhat formal and oversized on her, they couldn't hide her graceful figure, especially those rarely seen, long and sensual jade legs that attracted many glances.

The other woman wore a red dress with a whip wrapped around her slender waist. Despite her charming appearance, the students dared not look at her for too long.

In this Academy, who wasn't aware of the notorious reputation of this demoness who had recently become an Elder? If she were to target you, your days would be tough.

Both of these women were prominent figures in the current Jia Nan Academy. If Xiao Ming were present, he would easily recognize these two familiar faces.

Xiao Yu and Hu Jia.

Judging by their auras, Xiao Yu was at the peak of Dou Spirit, while Hu Jia had reached the Dou King realm.

"You old guys are talking about that guy again? Hmph, it's been so many years, and that guy has achieved so much outside, yet he still doesn't come back to visit me... to visit us. What's there to talk about..." Hu Jia snorted as she looked at the statue of Xiao Ming, her heart filled with bitterness.

"This... He's been very busy outside. It's understandable," Su Qian and the others exchanged glances and replied.

Hu Gan, on the other hand, wore a bitter smile. He had long realized that his granddaughter couldn't let go of her feelings for Xiao Ming. It was understandable, considering how extraordinary Xiao Ming was. But the problem was that a few years ago, she had learned that Xiao Ming had quietly taken a wife outside, which had left her heartbroken for a long time.

Xiao Yu gently patted Hu Jia on the shoulder. Through her connection with Xiao Ming, the two of them had become good friends.

"Cousin has indeed been quite busy."

As a member of the Xiao family, Xiao Yu kept in touch with her family, even though she stayed on as a teacher at the Jia Nan Academy. She was well aware of Xiao Ming's situation.

Speaking of which, Hu Jia had found out about Xiao Ming's wife through a casual conversation with Xiao Yu.

When Xiao Yu learned that Medusa was now in charge of the Xiao family, she felt so surreal that she couldn't help but confide in her friend. Little did she know that her good friend had such deep feelings for her cousin that the news affected her so deeply.

"You can speak for him, he can't hear you anyway," Hu Jia rolled her eyes at their comments.

"Who says I can't hear? I heard everything."

"..."

Silence fell over the once bustling square as these words echoed. All eyes turned to the grandstand, where the space ripped open and two striking figures, a man and a woman, stepped out.

Hu Jia stood frozen for a full two seconds, her expression changing to one of sheer astonishment as she fixed her gaze on the man who had just spoken. Her beautiful eyes widened in disbelief.

"Xiao Ming! How... how can you be back?!"

"Can't I come back? If I didn't, how would I ever discover that someone was gossiping about me behind my back?" Xiao Ming replied with a straight face.

"No, it's not like that! I just..." Hu Jia began, trying to explain herself. But when she met Xiao Ming's subtly amused gaze, realization dawned upon her.

"All right, you dare to tease me! Hmph! I didn't say anything wrong, you really haven't come back these past years."

With that, she ran over to him and punched him in the chest a couple of times. Though it seemed forceful, the blows lacked any real power.

"You rascal! You have no idea how much... sob... how much I've missed you all these years. I... I... I was so worried..." Her words trailed off and her face contorted with tears as all the pent-up grievances of years past surged forth, leaving her sobbing into his chest.

"... I worried you so much." After Hu Jia had calmed down, Xiao Ming replied with a hint of helplessness, "I'm sorry, I haven't had much time these years".

His hand moved gently to her face, caressing her cheek as he wiped away the traces of tears. Looking at his childhood friend's face, now so vulnerable in front of him, Xiao Ming could see how much she had grown over the years. The trace of childishness on her face was gone, replaced by a mature and alluring charm that had fully blossomed.

Hu Jia's teary eyes sparkled with delight at this tender gesture, and all previous bitterness seemed to vanish in an instant. The release of these pent-up emotions helped to erase the awkwardness that had built up between them over the years.

'It's really him...' Watching the heartwarming reunion, Xiao Yu instinctively covered her lips with her hand. Even though she and Xiao Ming hadn't seen each other for several years, his familiar face remained etched in her memory. However, compared to the boy genius of the past, his face had lost its youthful innocence.

And seeing her friend become so blissful, Xiao Yu couldn't help but shake her head. This girl had been miserable for a long time because her cousin had found a wife outside. She even seemed to hold a small grudge against him. But now, with a single, simple gesture, it seemed as if all those grievances had melted away.

'Well... if I were in her place, perhaps I would react the same... Wait, what am I thinking?' Xiao Yu's cheeks flushed and she quickly turned around to hide her embarrassment.

Fortunately for her, everyone else's attention remained focused on Xiao Ming. Su Qian, Elder Huo, Hu Gan, and the rest of the group rose from their seats and gathered around him.

"Master, First Elder, Deputy Headmaster, and all the elders! I'm back," Xiao Ming looked at his Master, Elder Huo, and the others and greeted them quickly.

"It's good to have you back," Elder Huo replied warmly, his eyes brimming with pride as he looked at the now mature face of his beloved disciple. He stroked his beard gently, a contented smile playing on his lips.

"Hahaha! You brat, you've finally returned! Ever since you ventured to the Central Plains, I thought it would be at least a decade before we'd see you again!"

"We've heard about your achievements in the Central Plains. You've brought a lot of prestige to our Jia Nan Academy!"

Hu Gan and Su Qian both had friendly smiles on their faces as they spoke.

"Hmph, old man."

Zi Yan snorted softly behind Xiao Ming as she directed her gaze at Su Qian, who seemed to have completely ignored her presence. Su Qian held a special place in her heart as the first human she had encountered. Apart from Xiao Ming, he was the only person she had grown fond of during her time in the Academy.