"Who says it isn't? This damn kid is so big now, yet he still can't give us parents a moment's peace. What kind of mess is this... Oh, wait, Little Chen, take a look at this. It's what our little rascal left behind before he left..." As she spoke, Aunt Wang Ying took out something wrapped in a brocade cloth from her handbag.

Chen Fei took the item, unfolded it, and saw that the cloth concealed an ancient-looking, mottled piece of Yellow Paper. At the very center of the page were two or three lines of crooked handwriting.

The gist of the letter was that Slickhead had, by a stroke of luck, gained the favor of a reclusive master and had been taken far from the Jiangnan area to pursue cultivation in seclusion. He told his parents not to worry, that he would call home to check in every month, and that he would come back to see them whenever he had the chance. He urged them not to miss or worry about him.

This guy... Wait, what is this!?

Seeing this, even Chen Fei, Young Master Chen, couldn't help but shake his head and smile wryly. I hadn't expected my brother's ambition to be so strong. Fortuitously gained the favor of a reclusive master? I wonder what kind of background this so-called reclusive master has. I had originally planned to give Slickhead the S-rank psychic gem I obtained in Italy, but it seems there's no longer an opportunity or a need for that.

But just as he was thinking this, his eyes caught a glimpse of something in the bottom-left corner of the ancient Yellow Paper, and his pupils shrank in surprise. In that corner was an inconspicuous gray smudge. It was tinged with green and gray, and its shape resembled the tip of a claw mark.

An ordinary person would likely have overlooked such a mark, but not Chen Fei...

Surprise flashed in his eyes, which were as dark and clear as black lacquer. He lightly touched the gray smudge with his left forefinger, then recoiled as if he had received an electric shock.

The ancient, mottled Yellow Paper then floated gracefully onto the table. Instantly, Chen Fei's gaze was glued to the paper.

"Little Chen, what's wrong?" Aunt Wang Ying asked, looking at him with confusion.

"Ah, it's nothing, nothing. Just some static electricity, it gave me a little shock." Chen Fei snapped back to reality, his eyes flickering as he shook his head and offered a casual excuse. "By the way, Aunt Wang, how long has Slickhead been gone?"

"It's been about two or three months, I think? But that kid really has called us every month," Aunt Wang said, counting on her fingers before breathing a sigh of relief.

"Then it should be fine. Aunt Wang, you two shouldn't worry. Slickhead is a grown man and he's not stupid. He won't be easily deceived," Chen Fei said, also feeling a sense of relief as a smile returned to his face.

"That's true..." Aunt Wang Ying sighed and shook her head, pushing the vexing matter aside. "Come on, Little Chen, let's not talk about that rotten kid; it just upsets me. Here, have some more food. We're so thankful for your help today." She warmly encouraged Chen Fei to eat, and a cheerful atmosphere once again filled the private room.

While the room was filled with joy, a different scene was unfolding on the other side of the ocean, inside an ancient castle in Italy.

* * *

「In Rome, Italy, within the Brad Family Castle.」

As symbols of the entire Italian, and even European, underground world, the Eleven Great Mafia Families were the undisputed reigning kings. This was especially true for a family like the Brads, one of the oldest and most pure-blooded of the great Blood Clans, placing them among the three most formidable families. This status undoubtedly solidified the Brad Family's unique and unparalleled authority.

Even the Italian government was reluctant to confront an entity like them. Naturally, the family's castle was immense, spanning at least tens of thousands of square feet.

There, at the end of a grassland and a stretch of rolling hills, a towering castle rose from the ground, gradually coming into view. Surrounded by numerous roses and thorns, its moss-covered stone walls were enveloped in an ancient and elegant aura. With its courtyards, stone ramparts, and long corridors, the castle seemed to reawaken from its slumber under the sunlight, its flickering reflections of light and shadow casting a beautiful scene.

Deep within the charming and intoxicatingly historical castle, an elegant, pale-skinned, long-haired man moved slowly through an arched gateway and a corridor filled with works of art. The light ahead gradually began to dim. Eventually, he arrived before a dimly lit wooden door at the very top of the castle.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

He extended his hand and knocked three times rhythmically on the worn wooden door, causing it to groan with a series of grating creaks.

A faint light from a kerosene lamp seeped out from the slowly opening door. With it came the strong, pungent scent of blood. Finally, a pair of ancient, murky, blood-red eyes appeared in the gap—they were exceptionally arresting.

The owner of those ancient, murky, blood-red eyes was none other than the current Clan Leader of the Brad Family in Italy—Old Brad!

"Syria, what brings you here?" Old Brad asked expressionlessly as he slowly emerged from the creaking, ancient room, looking at the long-haired, pale-skinned middle-aged man.

"Great Lord Duke, this is an invitation from the Ashford Family," Syria said with a slow bow, presenting a dark gold invitation.

The Ashford Family!?

Upon hearing the name, Old Brad's eyes narrowed slightly. He took the dark gold invitation and casually flipped through it.

Abel has ascended to become a Grand Duke!?

Old Brad's heart jolted as he absorbed the contents of the invitation.

It turned out that the Ashford Family had an elder at the peak of the Duke Realm who had recently successfully broken through to the Realm of the Grand Duke. To celebrate, they were preparing a grand banquet and had sent out invitations to all Eleven Great Mafia Families.

The significance of a Grand Duke needed no explanation. Even the weaker Mafia Families might only have one... It was completely worth it for the Ashford Family to make such a big fuss.

Of course, their other purpose was likely to show off for the other Mafia Families. The addition of another Grand Duke-level powerhouse to the Ashford Family was no trivial matter; in fact, for the other Mafia organizations, even a Mafia Great Family, it was rather bad news.

At this thought, Old Brad's aged, blood-red eyes flickered. After a good while, his expression suddenly brightened as if he had remembered something.

He quickly turned, stepped back behind the ancient wooden door, and took out his cell phone.

Meanwhile, Chen Fei was in the middle of his meal with Slickhead's parents and Secretary Dong Wencheng when his phone suddenly rang.

Could it be him?

Chen Fei picked up the phone and saw that the caller was Old Brad. A look of confusion flashed across his face. Seeing this, an already slightly tipsy Secretary Dong Wencheng asked casually, "Mr. Chen, is something the matter?"

"No, I just need to take a call." Chen Fei smiled and waved his hand, then cast an apologetic glance at Slickhead's parents before getting up to take the call outside.

"Old Brad, what's the matter?" Chen Fei and Old Brad had a rather longstanding relationship. Besides, Chen Fei had recently experienced a surge in strength that far exceeded the peak Duke level. As a result, he felt more at ease and saw no need for formalities, getting straight to the point after answering the phone.

"Ah, my dear Chen! Listen, you were asking about the Ashford Family before, weren't you? I happen to have an invitation from them. Next Monday, they're holding a three-day celebration for a new Grand Duke in their family. There will likely be an auction and other events. I was wondering if you might be interested in going with me?" Old Brad asked.

The Ashford Family!? To be honest, if he hadn't reminded me, I would have almost forgotten about it. Chen Fei was slightly stunned. He hadn't expected Old Brad to call him about this. The Ashford Family's famous elder, 'Black Dragon' Nemosyne, holds one of the three Jade Artifacts I covet—one suspected to have been left behind by a Foundation Establishment True Person from the Ancient Huaxia Era.

"Yes. It's customary for a family to hold a grand celebration whenever a new Grand Duke emerges, unless they wish to hide it," Old Brad explained. "There will also be many treasures and Holy Artifacts from our Western Dark World up for trade. At that time, my dear Chen, it's possible that Black Dragon Nemosyne might even auction the item you're looking for."

"Oh? If that's the case, then I must go and take a look," Chen Fei said, his interest clearly piqued.

"Well then, since you're interested, why don't you come directly to Italy and go with me?" Old Brad's tone lifted when he heard Chen Fei's enthusiasm.

Celebrations for a new Grand Duke often carried an undercurrent of showing off and veiled threats. Although it was just one newly minted Grand Duke—and with its resources, the Brad Family wouldn't be overly concerned—the fact that this one belonged to the Ashford Family changed things.

So, when he heard Chen Fei was interested and willing to accompany him, he naturally couldn't suppress his excitement.

This arrangement would greatly reduce the pressure of his trip. He would be accompanied by a monstrous Easterner who had forced even the legendary assassin Jack the Blade to submit. Not even the Ashford Family would dare to take such a person lightly or provoke him.

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