"So? How you doin?"
Xiao Long tried addressing the two boys with his catch phrase , as he tried to mask his nervousness.
"Do we know_"
Nei Li began to question, only to be interrupted by a shivering Lu Piao.
"Eh? Hong!.. is that really you?"
Nei Li's head whipped back only to notice Hong's smile.
"Long time no see brother Lu Piao! "
"How?...How? how? how? how? how?" Lu Piao stammered after some time, "I have so many questions!"
"Ha ha" Xiao Long chuckled ignoring he skeptical face of Nei Li. "Then ask away, don't be shy"
"How are you even alive? We thought you ended in a demon beast's stomach!"
"Ah that!" Xiao Long replied as he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "That was actually a mistake.. "
Xiao Long briefly described the misunderstandings, what he was doing without hiding much while covering his insane growth with a mixed lie and truth about a medicinal recipie and side effects of practicing physical energy.
"....And then I killed a weasly guy called Ye Han, who was plotting to attack glory city with this guy called Zhu Long. He was beyond legend level, and practiced something called law. And after killing him, i destroyed his essence and went back to town then came here and signed up this morning. And guess what? I got 3 grade heaven spirit roots. I'm a genius! "
"Well, I got a 5 grade heaven spirit root" Lu Piao bragged back with pride, only for Xiao Long to dismiss him. "Yeah, but you still couldn't make a spiritual flame"
"Why you...!"
While Xiao Long and Lu piao engaged in friendly banter, Nei Li couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat.
'That , Ye Han!' Nei Li in his wildest dreams could never have imagined that the adopted son of the city lord would go to such extents to get back at glory city.
'If Hong had not gone there....'
He could only imagine the disastrous results as the ruins of destroyed glory city flashed in his mind.. Though he doubted some minor parts about the story Hong had given, what he had done was more than enough for Nei Li to put his trust on him. He did not doubt the words because sister goddess herself had confirmed the death of the ice spiritual god. And she had told him about the aura emanating from Hong to verify that he had reached the levels to be able to kill a spiritual god, making him the strongest of their group. Even more than sister Yu Yan.
"Thank you, brother Long" Nei Li finally spoke, but Xiao Long brushed it away with a smile.
"It's nothing" he waved his hand, dismissing the gratitude." It's what I should do... By the way, call me Xiao Long from now on. "
However before either Nei Li or Lu Piao could question him, someone else interrupted their reunion.
"You.... are from the tiny world?"
""That's right""
The three of them chorus together as they turned back only to greet the figure of Long Yu Yin.
"Could it be that you, like Jin Yan are here to recruit us as well?" Lu Piao questioned only for Long Yu Yin to speak out them dismissively. "Don't flatter yourself. Even though you are all talents, you aren't up to the dragon seal family standards."
"Talent can only affect cultivation to a certain level. As long as our family is willing, even a useless piece of trash can be nurtured by us into a genius "
This time her gaze remained on Xiao Long, as if she was looking at trash.
"Well, they should know all about cultivating trash" Xiao Long simply couldn't hold back. The woman was simply too talented in making enemies. "I mean, they cultivated you, right? "