Cao Weining heard Mo Huaikong gasp in surprise, quickly taking the opportunity to question him. “Who is this, shishu?”

Mo Huaikong’s brows furrowed. “That’s the head of the Shuzhong’s Shen family, Shen Shen. He’s normally a big young madam-type and never steps foot out of his residence, getting a white face from being shut up in his house for fear that he’d get tan. Why would he be willing to part with all that soft skin to run a good distance over and see the sun in Dongting? Very strange.”

Cao Weining had never heard of him, so he just made a dumb-sounding “ah”. Mo Huaikong hated seeing that stupid look of his the most, so he sent him a glare and gave an explanation. “Most people your age don’t know this. Back in the day, the five most famed major families of jianghu were Jiangnan’s Zhang, Taihu’s Zhao, Dongting’s Gao, Shuzhong’s Shen, and Taixing’s Lu. Nowadays, though, apart from Gao Chong and Zhao Jing, the Zhang family has one member left, the Shen family has long since washed their hands of jianghu’s affairs and ignored them, and the Lu family is gone. The ‘Five Great Clans’ have been more name than fact for a while now, and lots of young folk already don’t remember them.”

Cao Weining counted them on his fingers. “Something’s wrong, shishu. Counting the Zhang’s descendant, that’s only four surnames here. Where’s the fifth family?”

“That’s because the head of the Lu family has been dead of illness for a decade now,” Mo Huaikong replied impatiently. “He didn’t accumulate enough merit in his last life, so in this one, his family line was cut off, and he left behind no sons or daughters. Because he’d had something of a friendship with Tai Shan Sect Leader Hua Fangling, who’s since turned into a stiff, he entrusted his family property and few young disciples to the Tai Shan Sect. Hua Qingsong and the rest are here now, so don’t they count as the Lu family? Why don’t you understand shit? Where are so many questions coming from? Don’t go telling others I’m your shishu! You’re a disgrace!”

Shen Shen was witnessed saying something in a low voice to Grandmaster Ci Mu, who then sighed, spoke the Buddha’s name, and nodded. Soon after, Shen Shen stood up, turned to take a box held by a junior of the Shen family, and opened it. Within was a small bundle wrapped in silk, which Shen Shen peeled open; someone sucked in a breath, automatically crying out, “It’s the Lapis Armor!”