He saw two genuine old men walking inside. Genuine is the key word. The long white robe fluttering without wind, which along with same color hairs and strong gait can surely certify them as ' old men who did something great in their life.'

Such men were followed by crowd of young people and few ladies. By hubbub in teenage crowd anyone can guess they were expecting some show now.

When one of the old man, one with bushy eyebrows stopped his strong gait and observed Lan sitting in Main seat with mess of empty plates around everywhere, saw still the unconcerned expression on Lan's face. He snapped,

"Whoever you are? Kneel and beg for mercy now for this atrocity and you will be forgiven or else even god cannot save you from me."

By the look on other old man, he was also eager to add something. Lan observed the angry old man with droopy eyes and picked up a bone and start slowly chewing it. The expression on his face was clearly asking for beating. Situ Rin the new gang member was muttering something incomprehensible. She was totally neglected. The young crowd started cheering for Bushy brow old man by adding few lines about how to beg and all.

Bushy brow was sure that his threat will work as he did not sense any cultivation from opposite party. And when he spoke, he made sure to add spiritual pressure, before his 5th level Martial General cultivation mortal human would surely be compelled to beg. But the skinny old man was still leisurely chewing on bones with arrogant expression, he quickly guessed something amiss.

He was family head after all. He changed his approached and calmed the young crowd with silent glare,

"Why are you here? No matter how weak our family is now, we will not be pushed around by anyone."

He made sure to include everyone.

Young crowd now understood they were before someone of very high cultivation and quickly quiet down. Some who spoke earlier were trying to hide behind others.

Lan was little happy. He already knew that even silence of powerful people can terrorize weak ones. Still he commended the quick wits of old guy.

From Situ Rin's mutters he managed to decipher that the Bushy brow one is current family head named Situ Xi and other one is Situ Pao his brother.

He observed people among young crowd by slightly tilting his head, one in particular caught his attention who was standing in front of everyone, 'must be pushed to front by one trying to hide' he thought.

'But the gloomy face surely reflects some hardship.'

He also noticed one wobbling in crowd.

He came back to Bushy brow – Situ Xi,

"If it was any other time I would have slapped you till you become silly, call that Lady Stealer Fang in 10 seconds, can't recognize your own ancestor, Kid's nowadays."

He sighed. Last line was clearly said in mutter but was enough to reach everyone's ear. It was purely added by Lan to satisfy his desire to flaunt his age around.

Suddenly crowd was quite as … as fuck. They were too quite.

Everybody was looking at Lan like he is some mysterious creature.

Situ Xi suddenly recalled old painting of Great Ancestor Lan.

'This old man looked similar to Ancestor Lan. Yes that crooked nose…he is the Ancestor Lan.'

It was as if he was shot with 1 Liter chicken blood. He started crying his eyes out,

'Now my days of worry will be over, I don't have to carry shame of being the one to lead his family to extinction.'

He came forward and bowed so deeply that his head was touching ground. He shouted while crying,

" Great Ancestor Lan, forgive this junior, Junior is old and senile doesn't have good memory. Forgive me..Forgive me..*sobs*"

He cannot say that he has never seen Ancestor Lan personally, as Ancestor was always cultivating even since he remembers. When he became Family Head, he was shown painting of Ancestors of family. That was all he saw of the ancestor.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

All the crowd now got confirmation and turned boisterous, they also joined with Family head.

"Forgive US Great Ancestor! Forgive Us!"

Lan was satisfied with them.

'This is it, This is how elders should be respected.'

He swept glance across masses, he noticed somebody was bowing too deeply…He carefully observed..

'Fuck.. That one was sleeping. Never mind, as a great ancestor, I will forgive you.'

Caretaker Rin was also basking in worship as she was standing near ancestor and did not catch the bowing train. And to bow now, will be very awkward. And as she was under ancestor's wing she doesn't need to bow.

'Yes, that's it. I should not; it will be bad for ancestor's image if his teammates start bowing.'

She convinced herself. She noticed ancestor's signaling her towards somewhere. Then she saw the sleeping Situ Kulu.

She was furious' Sleeping here in front of Ancestor? What a gall?' and marched to wake him up.

Lan nodded satisfactorily seeing that guy wake up and scrambling to bow. He then continued with dignified voice,

"No need to do all this. I know you guys must have never got chance to see me. I forgive you. Now hurry up and call that Fang."

Situ Xi stood up and signaled other old man- Situ Pao. Situ Pao forgot his strong gait and ran like small kid towards the entrance. Situ Xi smiled,

"Great Ancestor, Ancestor Fang is in secluded cultivation, other juniors will not be able to invite him, Pao Pao will bring him here as soon as possible."

Lan smiled showing he has no problem with it, He asked to pass time,

"So, tell me why you looked to be in dire state? Other than both of you kids, no one has high strength. I noticed this place looks like thoroughly cleaned out of any valuables. What is happening here?"

Lan has noticed nothing, it was all based on gossip by Rin. 'If they are financially tight, they must sell something from here, right?"

Situ Xi was awed that Great Ancestor figured out his condition with just a look, nobody will be able to find out these things so easily. He respectfully explained,

"Great Ancestor, after false rumor of your demise was spread by our enemy, Hai clan, and as you would not bother to clarify those lowly rumors, as it would have hindered your cultivation. Rumor was accepted as truth. Other clans especially Song's followed Hai clan's lead to pressure us to leave the tributaries of river. Our income drastically dropped as we are totally depended on the naval trade. Then Hai Clan's Ancestor Hai Delu broke through to Martial King Rank, it was like mountain crashed on us, our other business and shops in Blackcloud city were forced to close, we would have been kicked out of city if not for Ancestor Fang and me to threaten them with fight to death. Now that you have come out of seclusion, everything will be good as old days. Everything will be good as long as you are here."

Lan was happy with wits of Situ Xi, he did not even mentioned about Lan's death. Lan was sleeping in coffin,

' Don't tell me people here do cultivation in coffin? This guy is good with words. No wonder he managed to hold out for three years without any support.'

"No worries, Your Ancestor is here now. Just stand by and enjoy the show."

But he was thinking something else,

'These guys where ganged up by everyone, they did not have a single friendly clan. They must have been bullies when they were in power, no wonder nobody tried to help them when they were down. And this Situ Xi wants to go back to old days, days of bullying others. Like hell!' Still he confirmed his guess with Caretaker Rin, who explained in whispers,

"Our clan was so respected that people used to come every month just to pay us money and nobody used to charge us anything when we buy things. It was so good."

That was good way to explain extortion. Lan sighed, thing he hates most is forcing other because they are weak. Weak is keyword. He is familiar with the feeling of being bullied and extorted from his last life. From the looks the people gave him when he forced them to do his work or took their money, he knows all their pain. But he only forced who thought they were strong and liked to flaunt. Now he is in team with people who are bullies, he doesn't know what to do. He need time to think.

Situ Xi saw Great ancestor lost in thoughts he worriedly explained,

"Great Ancestor, Ancestor Fang will be here shortly, his place of seclusion is at some distance away from Family grounds. That's why it is taking some time."

Lan shook his head, as Great Ancestor, 'Now I think about it, waiting for other is big NO for me, plus I needs to think something to rehabilitate the bullies',

"No need, gather everyone from family after a week, by everyone I mean every single person in family. If I found anyone not attending they don't need to call themselves Situ anymore."

With that Lan flicked his sleeves and started going out of the building. Caretaker Rin hurriedly followed him.

Situ Xi was worried about facing Ancestor Lan's wrath. He furiously shouted,

"Send message to all members of family, Report here in 3 days. Use Gray hawks to send message to the ones in Tian Academy and Reku Academy, and Long Roar Academy. All should gather here in 3 days. Butler Yan use reserve funds to make arrangement, I WANT THIS DONE!"

He also flicked his robe and started going out. Then he stopped, 'Ancestor must be still outside, better to go out after some time, I don't want to face him now.'

As Situ Xi thought, Lan was standing outside, in flow of act he came out of the Main Hall but he don't know where to go.

'I cannot go back to coffin, they must have some place for me right? I was here since 3rd Generation; I must have an area under me, right?'

He glanced hopefully back at his new gang member who quickly got clue,

"Ancestor Lan, let me take to your Gray Courtyard. It has been untouched since you left. I always clean it even though nobody told me, I kept it clean to show you proper respect."

By now Lan understood all about this gossipy girl, who loves to promote herself at every opportunity. Still she is all he got for now,

"Good. Lead the way kid. Tomorrow, I give you something awesome as reward."

Caretaker Rin joyfully guided him, on the way she also explained about lot of famous clothes, jewelries and other female products currently in trend in detail, in a worry that Ancestor must not give wrong gift due to generation gap.