“Who is that fellow?”
“I have no idea!”
“I don’t recall seeing such a face before. He’s probably from the side family, right?”
“I know most of the more notable individuals from the side family, but his face doesn’t seem familiar… Why is he running up at this moment?”
“I don’t know that, but he doesn’t seem too weak. Perhaps, he might just be able to pull something off!”
…
Seeing that a middle-aged man had barged out of nowhere, a huge commotion broke out beneath the stage. Everyone glanced at one another in confusion, unsure of what was going on.
Most of the notable figures in the side family tended to know one another, but the middle-aged man’s appearance did not seem to jog anyone’s memory. Shockingly, it appeared that no one recognized him at all!
“You are…?” Luo Ganzhen asked with a frown.
“I am Luo Tianya, a distant relative of the Luo Clan. I am not often in the clan, so it’s normal that you don’t recognize me, deputy clan head!” Zhang Xuan clasped his fist and reported.
Since he was there to compensate the Luo Clan, this was a good opportunity to recoup the reputation of the Luo Clan.
Thus, after hearing Nangong Yuanfeng’s words, he had not hesitated much before leaping right up.
“Luo Tianya?” Luo Ganzhen shot a glance toward the First Elder Luo Qingchen, only to see that the latter was equally confused.
It seemed like not even the First Elder was aware of whom the other party was.
Luo Qingchen stared at the middle-aged man before him for a long while, but he found that he was unable to identify the other party, so he could only respond with an awkward chuckle. “The Luo Clan’s heritage has been passed down for tens of thousands of years, and its offspring have spread far and wide across the Master Teacher Continent. There isn’t a genealogy book for the side family, so there’s no way to confirm his identity for certain. Nevertheless, we can’t deny the possibility that there might be a member of the side family who has worked hard and climbed up with his own ability…”
This was a problem that arose when a clan got too big. Each year, there would be a lot of disciples who headed out to venture into the world, and no one could guarantee that they would not have affairs outside. If they bore offspring, it would be hard to tell if that person was truly a member of the Luo Clan without checking their bloodline.
“Un!” Understanding this logic, Luo Ganzhen shook his head helplessly before turning back to the man before him. “Tianya, I understand your wish to stand up for the clan, but they are the experts from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, and the topic of the duel is comprehension of spatial laws. This isn’t a problem that can be resolved with just sheer strength…”
Honestly, he did not think that it was likely that a member of the side family would be able to defeat the Hundred Schools of Philosophers.
Even Luo Xuanqing, who boasted one of the purest Luo Clan bloodline, had ended up suffering a tragic loss, so he dared not wish that a member of the side family would really be able to achieve victory.
“Why don’t you allow me to give it a try? I am a member of the side family, so even if I lose, it won’t bring shame to the Luo Clan!” Zhang Xuan said.
Luo Ganzhen fell into deep contemplation.
The other party was right. They had already embarrassed themselves enough as it was, so even if another member of the side family lost in the duel, it would not really worsen the plight that they were in anyway.
It also happened that they needed to buy some time for his daughter to get there.
“Very well then!” Luo Ganzhen nodded. Turning to Nangong Yuanfeng, he said, “Elder Nangong, Luo Tianya over here wishes to challenge your student…”
But before Nangong Yuanfeng could say a word, Mo-er had already exclaimed with the utmost contempt, “Challenge? You want us to fight a mere side family offspring of the Luo Clan?”
It seemed like the Luo Clan had really gotten so desperate that they would clutch at every straw they had!
Nangong Yuanfeng’s eyebrows shot up in displeasure as well. “The blood of Ancient Sage Zi Rong flows in through veins of the offspring of our Nangong Clan. The rules of propriety from Kong shi state that one should regard a guest with courtesy and respect. Do you think that it’s appropriate for a member of the Luo Clan’s side family to challenge us, or is the Luo Clan trying to humiliate us through this?”
Even the core members were not a match for them, so to find a nobody from the side family to challenge them… the Luo Clan really was not taking them seriously!
“Humiliate?” Before Luo Ganzhen could respond to those words, Zhang Xuan had already shaken his head and uttered disdainfully, “You sure have a grand view of yourselves! Worry not, a bunch of weaklings like you aren’t worthy of me going out of my way to humiliate!”
“You…” Not expecting to be despised by a mere offspring of the side family, Nangong Yuanfeng narrowed his eyes threateningly.
“If you dare not battle against me, just say so. There’s no need to find so many excuses!” Zhang Xuan placed his hands behind his back and spoke nonchalantly.
“Arrogance of the ignorant!” Mo-er harrumphed coldly.
It was one thing for offspring of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers like them to come down to a place as remote as this, but to think that these countryside bumpkins would still dare to say such words to them! Did that fellow really not know how insignificant he was before them?
Mo-er was not the only one who had such thoughts. By the side, Luo Ganzhen also clutched his forehead in distress.
Did this member of the side family really not know the significance of the term ‘Hundred Schools of Philosophers’ on the Master Teacher Continent?
Otherwise, how could he bring himself to utter such ridiculous words?
He’s really as shameless as that Zhang Xuan! Luo Xuanqing harrumphed coldly on the inside.
As an ex-friend of Zhang Xuan’s, I have seen just how shameless that man was… However, as shameless as that man was, he did have the capabilities to back it up. As for you… is it really good for you to be saying such words?
Even though Mo-er was so furious that he could kill, he still had to the reputation of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers to maintain, so he pointed to the Spatial Top by the side and said, “Fine, I’ll have a duel with you if you like. However, you should at least show that you have the qualifications to challenge me first. If you can at least get this Spatial Top to stand, I’ll give you a chance!”
“You want me to make it stand?” Zhang Xuan asked as he shot a glance at the Spatial Top. All of a sudden, the lazing top suddenly sprung up and began spinning non-stop, as if fearing that it would be struck to death if it showed the slightest hint of indolence. “Do you mean like this?”
Mo-er rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
With his current proficiency, the most he could do was get the top to stand up. He still was not capable of making it spin. In fact, the only person who was capable of doing so was his teacher, Nangong Yuanfeng. Even so, his teacher would still have to put in a great deal of effort. Yet, for the Spatial Top to start spinning from a mere glance…
Did that fellow shoot lasers out of his eyes or something?
Nangong Yuanfeng was equally stunned by the abrupt happenings.
He had thought that this was a play staged by Luo Ganzhen in order to reduce this duel to a farce, but after witnessing this sight, it had become apparent to him that the inconspicuous-looking middle-aged man was actually a true expert.
At the same time, Luo Ganzhen, Luo Xuanqing, and the members of the Luo Clan stared at the sight with mouths agape, almost as if they had seen a ghost.
“Could it be…” Luo Ganzhen suddenly thought of something, and he quickly turned his gaze toward the First Elder Luo Qingchen.
“That’s likely the case. Other than the person who has comprehended the Spatial Quintessence of Sealing, I really can’t think of another man who has the ability to make the Spatial Top spin like that!” Luo Qingchen nodded.
“We have been looking for him among the inner clan members… but who would have thought that he was from the distant side family!” Luo Ganzhen’s face reddened in agitation.
He had already resolved himself to face a tragic loss, and he had thought that the Luo Clan would be utterly humiliated. Not even in his wildest dreams could he have imagined that the anonymous expert whom they had been searching for all this time would appear at this crucial moment to save them from the crisis!
On top of that, the other party was a member of a distant side family that even the First Elder did not recognize!
“I have really underestimated the Luo Clan. It seems like they still have many formidable experts hidden among them…”
Taking a deep breath, Nangong Yuanfeng suppressed his astonishment and instructed, “Mo-er, you have to tread carefully. His comprehension of spatial laws is surely nowhere beneath yours!”
“Yes, Teacher!” Knowing that the middle-aged man standing before him would not be an easy target to deal with either, Mo-er quickly swallowed his complacency as he walked back to the center of the elevated platform. He clasped his fist and bowed, “Feel free to choose the format of your duel!”
“The format of the duel?” With his hands still behind his back, taking on a seemingly unguarded position, Zhang Xuan shot an impassive glance at Mo-er and said, “Do you think that you are worthy of dueling me?”
“You…” Mo-er’s face reddened in fury.
“Let that old fellow face me by himself, or if you still find that unreasonable, I’ll allow the five of you to come at me together,” Zhang Xuan said calmly.
Bonus chapter
