It was in the provincial city of Hume Province.
Twilight had begun to settle over the courtyard of the Xu family's villa in the quiet, protected area of the city.
It was almost seven o'clock in the evening.
The yard was ablaze with light, however. Lamps, spotlights, and fires were lit to illuminate a large group of people from the Xu family that were gathered there. Except, unlike before, there was no party. The atmosphere was depressed and tense.
Along the outside of the courtyard, bodyguards in black suits stood with their arms crossed over their chests. They were standing so close to each other that no one would be able to slip through.
In the north side of the courtyard sat three old men who wore solemn expressions on their faces. Through their half-closed eyes, they observed the people around them with gazes that were as sharp as that of wolves.
The courtyard was brimmed with people all sitting facing these three elders. They were all silent, as if afraid to even cough and show an ounce of disrespect.
Behind the three old men, more than one hundred people were sitting and waiting. They all looked proud and arrogant, emitting an aura of aloofness. The glances they occasionally spent on the other people in the courtyard were always filled with disgust.
All the people present belonged to the Xu Clan from the southwest region of the country. Only moments before, they had dismounted a plane and arrived at the courtyard and they were clearly exhausted from their trip.
The rest of the people in the courtyard were from one of the Xu Clan's branches in the capital city of Hume Province. It was difficult for them to believe that such high figures were present and they couldn't stop gaping at them with admiration and awe.
tin.
Without another word, he entered the courtyard with a measured stride, putting his hands behind his back in a nonchalant manner.
"It's him! It's him! He's arrived!"
a bunch of the Xu Clan's members from the provincial capital shouted, pointing at Austin as if he were a demonic beast.
Fear rippled through the Xu Clan's members that were closest to the gate. They clearly recalled the scene they had experienced the day before yesterday which was extremely terrifying.
Just as before, silence draped over the area. The sound of Austin walking towards the three elders echoed through the air and all the while, no one's eyes left his body.
They were confused because this man looked exceptionally ordinary.
There was not a trace of aura that an aggressive and fierce martial arts master should have and some of them felt slightly disappointed.
"That's him? This is the young man who was able to catch and ward a bullet back with his hands? You're sure about that?"
All the Xu Clan's members from the headquarters in the southwest were wearing expressions of suspicion on their faces. They couldn't believe that Austin was special or a threat at all.