Mu Junhao's words had caused all the progress and image that Wuzhi had built with difficulty to come undone. Most seniors and elders could not look past the issue of the young scholar's common upbringing anymore, causing their initial impression and evaluation to drop.

Wuzhi stood silent, not defending himself from these accusations; the reason being that he simply could not.

Nothing that the Second Young Master had spoken was false. It was true that he was brought up outside of the Mu Household and in a poor household. It was true that he had nothing to prove himself as his father's son. It was also true that he looked nothing like the Golden Sovereign, or shared any similar features with his other siblings.

Wuzhi shared a seven-part likeness with his mother; his argent eye colour was a feature that was possessed by neither his father nor mother; that said, there was a reason why he was born with such a special pair of eyes but that was not something that he could divulge here and now.

Check whether he was a man simply because he looked too exquisite. Wuzhi did not even know where to begin laughing. What was he supposed to do? Drop his pants?

The young scholar knew that he was a little strange in the head when compared to others… But he was no exhibitionist. He was no sick pervert who felt aroused after publically exposing himself.

Wuzhi found himself in a tricky situation. Not only did he have to respond to his jealous half-sibling's accusations, but he also had to do it in a way that benefitted him the most whilst exposing the least of his secrets.

Just as he was about to open his mouth to speak a reply, another voice cut in first.

"A person's worth is measured by their achievements and not by their birth, Second Brother. I thought that you of all people would know that," said Third Brother Jianju. His round face stared at Second Young Master Junhao with disdain and said, "You've made me look down upon you with your words."

Hearing these words, Second Young Master Junhao did not fall into anger. Instead, he wore a brilliant smile on his face and clapped his hands. "Exactly! Exactly!! Well said, Third Brother."

Just as Third Brother Jianju and the others were wondering what this madman meant, Junhao raised his voice once again. "A man's worth is measured by his achievements. Alright, I'll put aside the matter of your birth and ask you this; Wuzhi, was it? Tell me, what have you done that is worthy of your position as the Second Son of the Mu Household?"

Wuzhi did not speak. He stood still and stared expressionlessly at Junhao.

Seeing him silent, the disgusting smile on Second Young Master Junhao's face grew even bigger; he took his silence as an admission of defeat. The other elders and seniors also noted his silence and couldn't stop their evaluations from dropping lower.

Wuzhi inwardly sighed. He reminded himself that this was the problem with being unprepared.

What were his achievements? Let's see… how about orchestrating the end of the War of Unification that had previously raged for many years in the South Aislan Continent? Or about how he defeated both Mu Yuelong and Feng Tianfei, the successors of Sovereigns and heirs of their respective organizations, in a proxy war for domination?

Or about how that one time when he beat a Rank 8 cultivator into a coma? (It was the heavens and not him who did that but who cared about the semantics)

Or about how he wiped an entire Hielander Tribe, consisting of three Rank 7s, dozens of Rank 6s, and hundreds of lesser cultivators, from existence?

Any one of these deeds would thrust Wuzhi into legendary heights, even causing him to overtake the fame of the 'Son of the Heavens' Mu Yuelong; however, here came the problem: Proof.

The problem with being the 'Hand Behind the Shadows' was that there was usually no proof left of their dealings and involvement. While this greatly helped with the clandestine nature of the role, it did prove to be quite a pain when one had to actually prove that they were behind these events.

Of course, had he been given time, he would have been able to prepare sufficient evidence that would be real and inscrutable. However, since he had been sort of whisked away over to his ancestral home, he had been unable to fight back even when faced with a ridiculous murder framing.

Facing Mu Junhao's taunts and the other seniors' and elders' expectant gazes, Wuzhi could not say anything. If he spoke the truth, he would be called a liar and if he spoke a lie, he would still be called a liar anyway.

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Besides, he had not been aiming to enter the Mu Household in a high-profile manner as doing so would instantly paint a target on his back; one that was much bigger than his current one. He planned to enter the family as an 'underdog' and slowly rise through the ranks by building up achievements within. This plan would also allow him to sift through friends and foes, and also allow him to build and consolidate his power.

Wuzhi was no god. He couldn't instantly look at a person and determine their thoughts, motives, and weaknesses. He doubted that even his teacher could do something like that.

In any case, it would not do for him to simply remain quiet. He needed to counter his jealous little brother's argument and do so in a way to prevent such occasions from cropping up in the future.

Right then, the sound of a bugle resounded within the Cloud Crane Pavilion as an announcer announced. "Their Excellencies, parents of the Golden Sovereign, have arrived!"

The eyes of everyone within turned towards the entrance and there they saw the two elderly figures of Grandfather and Grandmother Mu arrive.

Grandfather Mu held a stoic expression on his face. He looked solemn, severe, and indifferent. His eyes belied a trace of worry as he stared straight. His back was straight and his steps were firm.

Grandmother Mu still looked every bit the beauty that she was in the past. Her silvery hair draped her head in the shape of a crown while her violet-gold robes imparted upon her a noble dignity. She radiated the image of the 'Empress Dowager' with every step and gesture.

At their entrance, all within the Cloud Crane Pavilion performed a bow. While the two elderly grandparents did not hold any official position within the Mu Household, their connection to the Golden Sovereign saw them equal to most Grand Elders of the Household.

Grandfather and Grandmother Mu held their heads high as they walked over to the seats assigned to them on the highest platform. They were accompanied by a retinue of male and female servants. Upon reaching their seats, Grandfather Mu turned to face the still-bowing crowd and said, "Raise your heads."

Everyone complied with his instructions and offered a greeting. "We greet Excellencies. May you be blessed with long and healthy lives."

Nodding his head at these empty blessings, Grandfather Mu turned his gaze toward Wuzhi. He gave the youth a top-to-bottom glance and slowly said, "So… you are my grandson who has been roaming the world outside, are you?"

Still a little dazed since the arrival of his grandparents, Wuzhi absentmindedly nodded. "Yes, grandfather."

"I heard Xiao Hao's accusations on my way here. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Xiao Hao referred to Second Young Master Mu Junhao.

Hearing this question, Wuzhi wore a difficult smile on his face and replied, "Wuzhi must confess that apart from the blood in my veins, I have nothing to prove my claim as the Golden Sovereign Mu Wudi's son."

Junhao directly sneered at his answer. He felt that his victory was all but assured.

Grandfather Mu aimed a sharp gaze at the scholar and said, "So you may be lying about your claim?"

"Definitely not. Wuzhi is Lord Father, the Golden Sovereign's son."

"And yet you have no proof?"

"Yes. However, Wuzhi believes that should Lord Father see me, he would be able to confirm my claim."

At this, Second Young Master Junhao was no longer able to hold back his mockery. "Are you listening to his bastard? You want the Esteemed Patriarch to come out of his important closed-door cultivation merely to point out your lies?" He turned toward Grandfather Mu and said, "Grandfather! You must not fall for the venomous tongue of this snake and throw him out in the streets, back to where he belongs."

Grandfather Mu said nothing and shook his head. To be honest, he was also doubtful of Wuzhi's claim. For one, the boy looked nothing like him or his son at all! How could he be his grandson?

That said, Grandfather Mu was a person with a tough exterior and soft interior. His experiences in life had shaped him in a way that he could not ignore the pitiful situation of this abandoned and orphaned boy. An inkling of doubt gnawed at him - what if the boy was speaking the truth?

In reality, it would be extremely simple to confirm Wuzhi's identity. It only required the Golden Sovereign to come forward and speak his mind. Unfortunately, the Patriarch was currently in important closed-door cultivation and could not be disturbed at any costs – or at least, that was the official news.

Only Grandfather Mu and a few other important and high-level Mu Family members knew the truth behind the Golden Sovereign's injury and seclusion.

Moreover, other than the First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Sixth Sister, nobody else knew of the exact circumstances behind Wuzhi's birth and identity.

As fate would have it, Third Sister was dealt a near-fatal wound; Second Sister was busy taking care of her; Eldest Sister (Bai Xiulan) was on the verge of losing her mind as both her beloved husband and son were suffering from serious injuries; Fourth Sister was busy in seclusion, studying for a way to cure her husband; and Sixth Sister was outside the Household on an important task.

It could be said that Wuzhi had the misfortune of returning to the Mu Household just when none of his backers were available. This resulted in this pitiful situation where, even though most people were semi-convinced that he was speaking the truth, he was met with these situations where he was continuously denied and doubted.

As stated before, for most people of the Mu Family, it would be better for Wuzhi to not be recognized and admitted into the family as it would mean one less competitor to deal with. This matter wouldn't have been such a big issue had Wuzhi been incompetent but alas, he had proved more than once that he was very competent and also desirous of the gilded throne at the top.

It was at this moment, when hope seemed bleakest for the young scholar that a soft voice gently spoke.

"Child, if I am not being too rude, could you perhaps tell me who your mother is?" Grandmother Mu asked, giving Wuzhi the rope of opportunity to climb out of this ridiculous pit.