""I know your relationship with him, and I also know your name," Xiang Beifei said.
"You've investigated me?"
"A God Refining martial artist condescending to work as a waiter in a shop and hovering around my grandfather, I had to be cautious," Xiang Beifei said.
Xiao Sheng watched Xiang Beifei, not at all surprised that his own background had been discovered. Given the talent and strength Xiang Beifei had demonstrated at this point, it would have been more surprising if he'd remained in the dark.
"You are indeed very special; I am glad you awakened the System."
Unlike Xi Wenxuan and Ye Changfeng, from the moment Xiang Beifei awakened the System, Xiao Sheng stopped treating him as a child.
He had witnessed the transformation of Xiang Beifei from a solitary, repressed little boy to a diligent and hardworking youth before and after awakening the System. He was well informed about everything, including studying Rapid Flame with Lu Hong and teaching Yu Lei a lesson.
One could say that aside from Xiang Beifei himself, he was the person who understood the boy's changes the most.
In Xiao Sheng's view, all of this was due to the Awakening System.
A moment later, Xiao Sheng spoke softly, "Qin Hongyi was my master."
"Just like your relationship with Professor Luo."
His gaze was quite strange, as if he was trying his best to hide the decline in his eyes, struggling to control his emotions.
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"When I first became a pioneer, I made many mistakes, all of which he corrected for me. When my cultivation wasn't high, he taught me much knowledge and saved me many times. I've been an orphan since I was a child, so to me, he was both a teacher and a father."
"Since you have investigated this matter, you should also be aware of what happened back then," he said.
"Yes, Qin Hongyi was killed by Liusheng Dong," Xiang Beifei said.
Xiao Sheng nodded calmly, "I am very grateful to Professor Luo; he stood for justice and gave my master a fair judgment."
"But he is still alive."
"This is what I find very astonishing! He shouldn't be alive, because at that time..."
Xiao Sheng frowned, speaking softly, "Liusheng Dong forcibly sent us out, and I was in the team as well. The beast tide was unstoppable, I was supposed to cover the rear, but he told me to survive, pushed me away with a palm, and then my master... had an accident right before my eyes."
When Xiao Sheng recounted these events, he sounded like an outsider, as if he was not part of the incident but narrating a fact as a bystander.
He was very calm, or rather, very rational, speaking without a trace of emotion.
But Xiang Beifei noticed his fists lightly clenched, the knuckles turning white.
Qin Hongyi's heart was brutally torn out by a God Refining desolate beast, half his head crushed, his body torn into pieces, dying a gruesome death.
Even the most rational person has some scars in their heart.
That's something one can never forget for a lifetime.
"He sacrificed himself on the front lines, and Professor Luo avenged him, making it seem as though the matter was settled. Yet unexpectedly, I found out five years ago that he was actually still alive," he said.
"Is that why you retired to work at Wufu Desolate Beast Research Company?" Xiang Beifei asked.
Xiao Sheng looked deeply at Xiang Beifei and said, "You have investigated the whole affair very thoroughly."
Even the Alliance didn't have the capability to delve into these details.
"I will thoroughly investigate anyone who threatens my grandfather," Xiang Beifei declared.
"I underestimated you."
Xiao Sheng nodded, not offering any defense.
"The afternoon when the One-Armed Crab attacked, I suddenly sensed his presence, so I left the shop to look for him, chasing him for dozens of miles. However, I didn't find him, and by the time I returned, the street had been destroyed. Fortunately, you were there."
He hadn't intended to reveal his personal matters, but since Xiang Beifei had investigated so thoroughly, there was no point in further concealment.
"What did you find out at Wufu Desolate Beast Research Company?" Xiang Beifei asked.
Xiao Sheng shook his head, "I didn't find out anything. I entered as a researcher, but I wasn't allowed to participate in their deeper research. It seemed they didn't trust me very much and even began to suspect me, so I had to leave."
The ins and outs of the whole affair could be roughly clarified.
But that only led to more questions.
For a moment, both of them fell into silent thought, and neither spoke again.
The nearby mountain continued to gather, taking shape quickly, and it now stood out as the most noticeable peak in the region.
Xiang Beifei watched the mountain reassemble, and not only was he searching for answers, he needed one as well.
This mountain was currently the only clue that might explain the issues with his grandfather's System interface.
An hour later, Xiang Qingde still hadn't woken up, but the mountain finally took shape. This mountain looked normal compared to other peaks and had no special features, but its ability to form on its own meant the situation was not so simple.
Xiang Beifei stood on his flying sword and reached the summit. Three hundred sixty-one meters, not a meter more, not a meter less, Xiao Sheng measured it accurately, there was no need for doubt.
The summit was very flat, with several protruding boulders partially buried in the ground. They didn't look like they had recently endured a powerful destructive force, but they had many grooves, seemingly the result of long-term weathering.
At this moment, green sprouts were emerging on the summit. Fuzzy new grass covered a thin layer, and some small trees were sprouting new branches. The wind swept through these plants, and with each sway, they grew a bit larger, so much so, that their growth could be observed if one looked closely.