Son, Put Your Father To The Test (FF)

"What?!?"

Qin Chuan's hand trembled as he held the letter, feeling as though he'd just been struck by a bolt of lightning. He stood frozen in place.

The Southern King's father didn't die?

If the real Southern King has shown up, then all the years of him pretending to be the old Southern King's "long-lost friend" would be ruthlessly exposed.

"No, I absolutely cannot let this be revealed!"

His face grew resolute as he clenched his fist, and the letter disintegrated into ashes.

That's right—he couldn't afford to be found out.

He had been acting so convincingly, putting on an air of righteous camaraderie, that if this were exposed, all his carefully crafted personas would crumble. Even his son might start to suspect that everything was an act!

Even if there was no solid evidence, the mere seed of doubt would be like a crack in porcelain—eventually, no matter how carefully handled, it would shatter.

He couldn't let that happen!

"Southern King Yang Tu said his father's mind is unclear... but I can't fully trust that. Perhaps the old Southern King remembers everything."

"But since Yang Tu still addresses me as 'Uncle,' without revealing anything, it means he doesn't want to break the illusion either."

"Regardless, I have to go to the Southern King's estate and see what's truly happening."

After thinking things through, he decided to head out.

If the Southern King's estate really did know the truth, then this invitation was probably to discuss how to maintain the façade.

After all, the Southern King's estate also had reasons to keep up the charade—Qin Chuan was, after all, a powerful Saint!

As for any potential danger?

There was no need to worry about that. If the royal family had wanted him dead, they would've acted long ago. Even if he hid in the Seven Martial Sect, they could still send forces to kill him—there was no need to invite him over for a chat.

For now, it seemed he hadn't harmed the royal family's interests, and since they didn't fully understand his capabilities, they were more inclined to maintain a good relationship.

Qin Chuan's speed was swift.

In less than half an hour, he arrived at the Southern King's estate, where a large number of people were already waiting to greet him.

The Southern King's top officials were divided into two lines, forming a grand reception. Even the elders of the estate had come out to show respect.

Given Qin Chuan's current power, he deserved such a display. At least on the surface, he was considered the most powerful figure in the Jiuyang Dynasty!

"Welcome, Lord Qin Chuan!"

"Welcome, Lord Qin Chuan!"

The dignitaries all bowed in unison, their eyes filled with reverence, and even a hint of worship.

"Uncle!"

Southern King Yang Tu stood at the forefront, rushing over to greet Qin Chuan. He grabbed Qin Chuan by the arm and eagerly led him inside, saying, "Come quickly, my father is waiting for you!"

Qin Chuan didn't say much, allowing Yang Tu to pull him along.

Soon, they arrived at a secluded courtyard. In the grand Southern King's estate, this little courtyard seemed somewhat out of place.

But some people enjoyed this kind of simplicity. After all the riches and luxuries, they often craved something rustic and down-to-earth—especially those of high status.

"Uncle, my father is over there."

Yang Tu pointed to a large banyan tree in the center of the courtyard. Beneath the tree sat a wicker lounge chair, on which lay a tall, white-haired old man dressed in burial robes. His eyes were half-closed as he gently rocked back and forth in the chair.

At the sound of their approach, the old man suddenly sprang up from the chair, his face lighting up with enthusiasm and excitement. He rushed over and enveloped Qin Chuan in a bear hug, exclaiming, "Brother, it's been more than ten years! We finally meet again!"

The way he acted, it was as though he had truly reunited with a long-lost friend.

Qin Chuan froze.

This…

His first instinct was that this old man was playing him!

In fact, drawing from his own acting skills, Qin Chuan could sense that this old man was putting on quite the performance. But when he glanced at Yang Tu standing beside them, he realized Yang Tu wasn't acting at all. He genuinely seemed happy about his father and uncle's heartfelt reunion.

"This old man is even fooling his own son?"

Qin Chuan couldn't help but feel suspicious.

"Wait, something's off!"

Suddenly, he noticed that the old man's hug was a bit too tight, and his body was trembling slightly. It was clear that the old man was nervous—perhaps afraid of being exposed.

"Could it be…"

In an instant, Qin Chuan formed a hypothesis. He smiled and asked, "Old brother, do you still remember the agreement we made eighteen years ago?"

Whoosh!

He could feel the old man's grip tighten further, his hand trembling even more.

Sighing helplessly, the old man responded, "Ah, brother, my memory isn't what it used to be. I've lost a lot of it, especially after waking up. You can ask Yang Tu to confirm."

Qin Chuan turned to Yang Tu.

Yang Tu smiled bitterly and nodded, saying, "It's true. Ever since my father woke up, he's forgotten many things. But he does remember some of my childhood."

Hearing this, Qin Chuan suddenly understood.

This old man wasn't the real Southern King. He must have been possessed by a powerful cultivator, or perhaps he had been resurrected by some mystical force.

The reason for the nervousness was clear—the old man had only inherited part of the Southern King's memories, and was terrified of being discovered.

The royal family harbored great secrets.

This old man had probably learned these secrets from the Southern King's memories and knew how dangerous the royal family could be. If his possession was exposed, the royal family would utterly destroy him!

He had to maintain his disguise at all costs.

That explained why he was putting on such an act in front of both Yang Tu and Qin Chuan, terrified that Qin Chuan might see through him.

Little did he know…

Qin Chuan was the real imposter here!

At least the old man had the Southern King's actual body and partial memories. Qin Chuan, on the other hand, had nothing but his words—he had built this entire relationship from scratch!

"Well, well, well… fate is on my side!"

Qin Chuan thought with a smirk.

Because this old man thought Qin Chuan was the real deal, he would play along with whatever Qin Chuan said, further cementing Qin Chuan's status as the Southern King's "sworn brother" in Yang Tu's eyes.

With this in mind, Qin Chuan smiled and said, "Old brother, let me remind you of some of our past. Perhaps it will jog your memory."

"Alright, go ahead."

The old Southern King nodded with a smile.

Qin Chuan, with a nostalgic gleam in his eyes, began, "Do you remember how we first met?"

"Uhh…"

The old Southern King hesitated.

Qin Chuan continued, "It was a snowy day. I was sitting in a pavilion on a frozen lake, watching the snow fall, when you, dressed in a fox-fur cloak, came gliding toward me in a small boat. Do you remember now?"

"Oh… I think I'm starting to recall…"

The old Southern King mumbled vaguely.

Qin Chuan pressed on, "At the time, I was brewing plum wine, and you, drawn by the aroma, came over to ask for a cup."

"Oh! Yes, yes, it's coming back!"

The old Southern King's eyes brightened as he slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "We sat together, drank until we were both drunk, and hit it off right away. That's how we became good friends."

"Yes, it seems you're remembering more."

Qin Chuan smiled and added, "You even had a dog with you in the boat. I didn't notice it at first, but later it climbed into the pavilion, looking for some wine too. Do you remember what color the dog was?"