He could almost be certain who the owner of this ring was, but would he be friends with a child who was barely fifteen?
Lu Fei went straight to the point. "You must be familiar with his identity. Chu Huainan, Elder Chu, who is also one of the Ten Elders with you."
Upon hearing this.
Bai Yushu and Han Xiu, as if by unspoken agreement, put down their cups.
They looked at Lu Fei with astonishment.
Chu Huainan?
This young man knew Chu Huainan? And Chu Huainan had gifted him a personal token?
Their relationship seemed to be quite close.
Furthermore, the Qingming Ring seemed to be a symbol of status within the Chu family. Every elder had their own exclusive Qingming Ring; seeing the Qingming Ring was like seeing an elder.
If Bai Yuheng's statement was accurate, then the Qingming Ring on this young man's finger was something Chu Huainan carried with him personally?
This...
The more they thought about it, the more they were struck by this revelation. Their initial gratitude towards Lu Fei now turned into a greater sense of awe.
"Indeed, it's just as I thought. No wonder he looked so familiar," Bai Yuheng chuckled. "Look at this slight nick on the ring. I left it when I fought Bing Huo back then."
Bing Huo was Chu Huainan's title.
Bai Yuheng's title was Kui Shui, but he had been missing for over twenty years, and the title of Kui Shui had long since been taken by someone else.
Lu Fei was stunned.
He hadn't expected the flaw on the ring to be left by Bai Yuheng.
"Lu Xiaodi, what is your relationship with Bing Huo? If you weren't very close, he wouldn't have gifted you this ring, would he?" Bai Yuheng picked up his wine glass and swirled it. "Master and disciple?"
This was the most likely relationship he could think of at that moment.
But the young man in front of him shook his head.
"A family connection from generations past?"
Lu Fei shook his head again.
"Could it be, like Xingyu, an illegitimate son or grandson?"
Bai Xingyu's expression changed... he looked rather embarrassed. Bai Yushu's face was flushed red. This was not something that was particularly sensitive; for people of their status, having three wives and four concubines was commonplace.
However, to have it brought up so directly felt a bit like being reprimanded. Especially coming from his elder brother.
Yet, Lu Fei shook his head once more.
Then, he stammered, "Erm... you might not believe me when I say this, Elder Chu, Elder Chu is my sworn elder brother."
"Ah?"
"Ah?"
The solemn and serious dinner table was suddenly filled with exclamations of surprise.
Everyone couldn't help but gasp.
Chu Huainan is your sworn elder brother?
How many years do you two have between you?
You'd be lucky to be his grandson, and you're sworn brothers???
Bai Yuheng's wine glass was already lowered naturally, and he tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Little Brother Lu Fei, please don't jest..."
Lu Fei responded with a slightly awkward smile.
He recounted how he met Chu Huainan to everyone. After listening, they understood the story, but it still felt incredibly bizarre.
However, they couldn't verify the truth of the matter. But Chu Huainan's Qingming Ring was undeniably on his finger, which meant he wasn't lying.
Lu Fei clearly didn't want to continue this topic, so he changed the subject. "Senior Bai, actually, I have a question I'd like to ask you."
Bai Yuheng smiled and nodded in assent.
Lu Fei then asked, "I've searched for a lot of information about you online. It said you went missing over twenty years ago. How did you end up wandering to Fenghe Town?"
Upon hearing Lu Fei's question, the smile on Bai Yuheng's face slowly vanished.
Bai Yushu and Han Xiu also became serious. This was, in fact, something they both wanted to know.
Then, Bai Yuheng slowly said, "That's a long story."
"Back then, I became one of the Ten Elders at a young age. My ambition was sky-high, and I looked down on the old fellows who were my peers. So, I desperately strove to improve my strength, aiming to completely push them behind me and pursue the position of one of the seven council members of the World Government."
"Therefore, I frequently ventured into various ruins and secret realms to search for ancient contract beasts and treasures. In those years, I gained countless rewards, and my strength advanced by leaps and bounds."
"However, in doing so, I neglected my family, and even more so, my wife."
At this point, a hint of sadness appeared on Bai Yuheng's face.
Bai Yushu also felt a pang of discomfort, lowering his head in silence. Back then, Bai Yuheng's eyes were almost solely focused on cultivation; he paid little attention to anything around him. As his younger brother, he often tried to advise him, but seeing his brother's intense dedication also made him feel heartache.
"Later, the ancient ruin, the Necromancer Tower, appeared. I had read in ancient texts that it might contain a contract beast of legendary SS-rank rarity, the [Night Shadow Heavenly Demon]. So, I forcefully tore open the spatial restrictions and ventured in."
"But this adventure became my lifelong regret."
"When I entered the Necromancer Tower and reached the eighth level, I finally encountered the legendary [Night Shadow Ghost], which was the growth stage of the [Night Shadow Heavenly Demon]."
"I battled it for several days and finally subdued it."
"But at that very moment, it appeared."
Lu Fei's eyes widened in surprise. "The [Eternal Nightmare]?"
Bai Yuheng nodded silently.
"That's right, the [Eternal Nightmare]."
Bai Yuheng gave a wry smile.
"I believed my strength had reached the pinnacle of the Beast Taming Continent, but when I encountered this super-ancient contract beast, I realized I was utterly outmatched."
"In that battle, four of my contract beasts died. In the end, I only managed to wound the [Eternal Nightmare]."
Lu Fei was curious.
"Then shouldn't you have been able to retreat safely? Did a second [Eternal Nightmare] also appear?"
Bai Yuheng shook his head.
"No, if I had encountered a second [Eternal Nightmare] then, it would have been a dead end."
Bai Yuheng let out a bitter laugh.
"If I had died back then, it would have been better. At least I wouldn't be suffering like this."
"Later, my mental power was almost depleted, and my soul was eroded by the [Eternal Nightmare], causing me to completely lose my sanity."
"Who would have known that my foolish wife would enter the Necromancer Tower to find me? By the time she arrived, she was already covered in wounds, all for the sake of finding me."
"But in the end, I killed her with my own hands..."