A Dish Best Served Cold (The Man In Rage) novel Chapter 1657

“What is that supposed to mean, Bill?”

“Are you implying a former patriarch of the Chu family, Demon King Chu, has a descendent?”

“That is impossible!”

“Zhenghong and I were close friends before his disappearance. How could I not know?”

The elders of the Chu Sect were bewildered and started questioning Bill, the head of the Jones family.

Bill fell into a pensive mood, and his mind raced back to the distant past.

“It happened a long, long time ago, when Patriarch Chu was still calling the shots in the family.”

His wistful voice echoed through the hall as he continued with his recollection. “At that time, Zhengliangwasthe pride of the family and everyone had high hopes for him. On the contrary, no one paid any attention to Zhenghong because he was a wastrel whose only interest was seeking the worldly pleasures in life.”

The elders hung on to Bill's every word, knowing he was about to reveal a big secret.

The Chu family was the most prominent family. After their ancestors founded the Chu Sect, the family's influence on society grew substantially and their every move attracted keen public interest.

“Spill it! Stop keeping us in suspense!”

“And how is this boy related to the Chu family?”

The elders impatiently probed him, eager to find out the big secret.

“I remember it was more than a decade ago when, out of the blue, Zhenghong came home with a woman and a child in toll. She was a real beauty. All the women in the extended family paled in comparison in terms of looks.”

Bill paused briefly before continuing. “The main purpose of Zhenghong's trip home was to ask for his father's approval and blessing to marry her. However, the Chu family was conservative and very particular about the background of their prospective in-laws. Patriarch Chu was displeased with the match when he found out the woman was a commoner from a poor rural family. He ordered Zhenghong to leave her, but agreed to keep the child in the family since he was the biological father.

“Patriarch Chu's words were final, and no one dared to disobey him. I heard Zhenghong went down on his knees to plead with his father. He even threatened to kill himself, but unfortunately, Patriarch Chu was unmoved. When the stubborn child witnessed his mother being forcefully taken away, he kicked up a big fuss and hurled abuses at the elders. During the commotion, the child infuriated the patriarch further by yanking part of the man's beard off. Patriarch Chu decided against acknowledging him as a Chu descendent. So, he threw the helpless mother and child out with the harsh order that they could not step into the family home ever again in their life.” There was a thoughtful look in Bill's eyes as he was transported back to that fateful day.

Since he was a disciple of Chu Yuan, the patriarch of the Chu family, Bill frequently had to attend lessons with his master. He was a regular visitor to the residence and was privy to their family matters.

The elders gasped at his revelation. “You mean this young man is... is... that child?”

With his gaze firmly on Ye Fan, who bore a strong resemblance to Zhenghong, Bill nodded affirmatively and replied, “Yes. If I am not mistaken, he is the child who was banished from the Chu family.”

Looking at his depressed and contorted face, the latter was both shocked and embarrassed by his question.

Mochizuki Kawa let out a few dry coughs and said solemnly, “Ahem... Why do you have to be so descriptive in your question? Are you out to embarrass our Japanese martial artists?”

“Please, just tell him! Is Chu Tianfan that man?” Tang Hao unwittingly added salt to the wound in his desperate bid for an answer.

With a pained expression, Mochizuki Kawa begrudgingly nodded his head. “Yes, that is him. He is Chu Tianfan.”

“But I am surprised the War God Castle is in the dark! Just a while ago, I thought you were trying to hide from us the fact that Chu Tianfan is still alive.”

Mochizuki Kawa was puzzled that China's martial arts leaders were not aware The Nation's Pride was still alive.

However, Mochizuki Kawa's words were lost on the Sword Saint. After he confirmed Ye Fan's real identity, Xiao Chen went into a daze, and he nearly fell tripped himself.

Mochizuki Kawa was quick to support him, but all Xiao Chen did was mumble hysterically, “Ye Fan? Chu Tianfan? Hahaha... Ye Fan is Chu Tianfan? Hahaha...”

His reddened eyes were brimming with tears as he exclaimed, “Well done! Well done, indeed. Chu Tianfan, Ye Fan or whoever the h*ll you are, you surely fooled us!”