Author’s note: This glamourous episode was sponsored by our generous Gary R and Paul W!
Host’s note: I’m not the author, I’m rehosting this work on RRL.
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“Greetings, everyone! I am honored by all of your presence today at our Jin Clan’s annual family competition!”, Bao Lei’s voice boomed out as he stood up to address the crowd.
“Haha! No need for the flowery words, Old Lei! As long as you request it, we’ll be there for you!”
A rough voice suddenly rang out from the crowd. Everyone turned around and saw that it was Gao clan’s head leader, Gao Dai, who had spoken.
“Indeed, Bao Lei, brother! How could we not attend an event that you personally invited us to?” This time Ting Teng spoke as he smiled.
Only Fei Sheung did not speak, but everyone noticed that the Fei clan master had given an understanding nod towards Bao Lei’s direction.
Hearing these affirmations from the three other clans, Bao Lei’s smile widened as he nodded his head in satisfaction. “I am truly honored to have such support from powerful clans such as you three! Even if I was to die, I can die without regret!”
The audience were mesmerized by the camaraderie that the four major powers displayed towards each other. These were truly powerful clans indeed! Even their friendship runs deep. Of course, none of them knew that this “friendship” was constructed quite recently…
Jin Bao Lei cleared his throat, as he glanced at Liu Dan’s side before speaking,
“Today as you all know is a big event in our Jin Clan. But this time around, I, as the patriarch of the Jin Clan, have made a major decision. With the approval of five elders, I want to publicly announce to everyone that from today onwards, the five branch families of the Jin family will become the main family. As for the former main family, they will now be assigned as the branch family.”
Just as Bao Lei finished speaking, loud cries of anger and confusion exploded from Liu Dan’s side. Everyone in the main family was utterly disordered. No one had expected that the patriarch would actually officially reverse their status as a main family. Something as major as this has never happened before.
“This…how could this be! With the branch families gaining influence recently, their side already has five elder figures while our main family only has two. No matter how I see it, this is clearly an act of injustice!”, Liu Dan cursed in his heart as he gritted his teeth in anger.
Although he was clear that he was suffering injustice, there was nothing he could do. The other party had the support of a biased patriarch-figure, and in front of such a large crowd, Liu Dan knew that if he were to voice his opinion he would definitely fall into a trap and set himself up for humiliation.
“All of you, quiet!”, Bao Lei angrily shouted at the main family’s side. “This is something that has already been decided. As the patriarch, I am in control. Seeing that our branch families power have already outstrip the main family’s, it would be inappropriate for you all to continue hogging the “main” title. You need a strong family to keep the clan together! If anyone disagrees, you may simply leave our clan! I am in no mood to entertain rebels!”
The main family of the Jin Clan slowly drifted into silence at the clan master’s word. Even though everyone’s face was paled with anger, no one said a word. The decision had already been made; it was impossible to stop it anymore. They could only blame their weak strength.
In this world, only with high status or great strength, could one establish their own rule on others.
Seeing that the main family had given up, Bao Lei’s lips curled up in a nasty sneer. The expression lasted briefly before he turned to face the audience once again with a straight face.
“Alright, now that this matter is settled, I announce the start of the family competition! Any one may choose to challenge another person of any status as they wish! As long as you are confident, you may seek pointers from one another! But remember, this is only a family competition, there is no need to go...too overboard!”
There was a strange stressing of word near the end of Bao Lei’s words, before he finished his sentence.
As patriarch Bao Lei declared the start of the competition, he promptly sat back down as he stared smugly at the stage. Everything was going according to his plan.
“Hehe, with Jin Hao Lin’s son, Feng Hao, battling against those useless younger generations of the main family, watch me wipe all of you out! Hmph! Today, I will make sure all of the main family perishes here on this battle stage! Ahahaha!”
Bao Lei laughed sinisterly in his heart as his eyes glowered with a dangerous light.
From the branch family’s side, a green clothed youth suddenly leaped up and landed on the fighting stage. An arrogant expression was plastered all over his face as he looked down at the main family’s side.
“Branch family’s junior, Jin Feng Hao, wishes to seek guidance from my fellow peers. I wonder, if anyone could give this little brother some pointers on the path of martial arts?”
Although Feng Hao seemed courteous on the surface, his words were suffused with a tone of insufferable arrogance.
Upon hearing his words, many of the younger generations from the main family slightly lowered their heads. Give pointers to the genius of the Jin clan? Do they even have the qualification to that?
The younger clansmen cursed Feng Hao in their heart for acting weak when he was so powerful. At least, among the main family, there was no one who could match Feng Hao.
Seeing that his peers were avoiding his eyes, Feng Hao’s confidence and arrogance rose another notch. With a sneer, Feng Dao directed at the main family,
“Why is no one willing to come out? Don’t tell me that the once powerful main family of the Jin clan was actually a coward in disguise? Haha, what a joke!”
The main family practitioners all glowered with shame and anger when they heard Feng Hao’s ridicule. Yet, no one said a word as they endured. The main family’s juniors really could not match with Feng Hao, so his arrogance was justified.
After seeing that there was still no one willing to come up, Feng Hao snorted as he pointed to a main family cultivator near him.
“You, the one with the yellow garment. Since you’re dressed so flashy, you must have some ability. Come, I challenge you!”, Feng Hao laughed as he motioned for the youth to come up on stage.
“Wh-what, b-but, I…” The yellow robed youth was terrified. He never would have dreamed that Feng Hao would pick him as an opponent.
Although his cultivation was at the Wudan 2nd stage and was pretty decent, compared to Feng Hao’s Wudan 4th stage, it was like self-serving himself up for slaughter.
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But the yellow garment youth knew he could not reject the challenge. Once a challenge has been issued, the other receiving end must accept. Unless there was a large difference in realm, age, or social status, it was practically impossible to deny a challenge during the competition.
To give up before even facing a challenge would label that person a coward and trash for decades to come in the Jin clan. Especially in front of such a large and influential crowd. If the yellow robed youth were to deny, he might as well cut off his social life as well.
Reluctantly, the youth walked dejectedly up on the stage. He could only hope that Feng Hao would be light-handed and not humiliate him too much. Cupping his hand towards Feng Hao, the yellow garmented male gave his greeting.
“Main family’s junior, Jin Bei Zhi, hopes to receive some pointers from Big Brother Feng Hao. I hope you can be light with your hands…”
Feng Hao dismissed the latter’s introduction with a wave of his hand as he stared at Bei Zhi. There was a strange light in his eyes.
Jin Bei Zhi hesitated for a while, before he plucked up his couraged and charged towards Feng Hao with his fist while shouting.
Whoosh!
Feng Hao lightly dodged Bei Zhi’s fist before he suddenly unleashed a powerful punch towards the latter’s chest. With his strength at the Wudan 4th stage, Feng Hao’s attack was too fast for someone who was only at the 2nd stage of Wudan.
In moments, Feng Hao’s attack viciously smashed into Bei Zhi’s chest, causing a dent to appear, before the latter’s body flew off the stage like a broken kite.
When Bei Zhi landed on the floor outside the stage, there was no longer any movements from him.
“Zhi’Er!”
An elderly man in black robes abruptly leaped from the main family’s side as he quickly arrived in front of Bei Zhi’s family. After placing his finger on the Bei Zhi’s neck, the elder’s face changed from a horrified face to one which was filled with fury.
Furiously turning towards Feng Hao, the elder shouted at him in a furious tone.
“Junior, you dare commit murder in broad daylight and kill my son?! Did the patriarch not warn us moments ago to not go overboard with our hits?! Just what is the meaning of this!”
Feng Hao’s face quickly adopted a fake innocent smile as he looked down at elder.
“Ahh, it really is not my fault, Elder Zhikong. I didn’t know your son was so weak that he couldn’t even take a single hit from me. If you want to blame, go blame your son for being trash.”, Feng Hao sneered as he looked at the elder.
“Y-you!” The one called Elder Zhikong almost spurt out a mouth full of blood hearing Feng Hao’s response.
But before he could action against Feng Hao, Bao Lei’s stern voice boomed out.
“Elder Zhikong, this is the family competition. A hot-blooded battle between the younger generation is to be expected. As such, casualties would naturally occur. Do not embarrass the Jin Clan any longer, or you will be stripped of your position as an elder!”
With Bao Lei’s swift words, Elder Zhikong was rendered speechless. He could only keep his mouth shut as he dejectedly picked up his son’s dead body and walked away towards the clan door. The yard was now deathly silent.
Seeing that Elder Zhikong was leaving, Bao Lei narrowed his eyes. He could not allow any one from the main family to leave this place today. He could not tolerate leaving remnants of those who he viewed as enemy.
After the juniors were taken care of, Bao Lei was planning to directly move against the main family, which should then have already become enraged by the loss of their entire younger generation. Using the excuse of “removing the rebels”, Bao Lei would eliminate the main family!
And according to plan, the three other major clans would also join in to fight against the main Jin family with the excuse of being “sworn brothers” of Jin Bao Lei. This way, the main family is bound to be completely extinct!
It is with this decisive type of mindset, was Bao Lei able to attain his status today.
Just as Bao Lei was about to call Elder Zhikong back, clear sounds of clapping broke the stillness of the moment. Someone was slowing clapping.
Hearing this, everyone turned towards the source of the sound as it began to fade. As they looked, they were shocked by what they saw.
An extremely suave youth clad in a simple, white robe was slowly walking towards the stage. No one knew where and when the youth had entered the yard.
Only the four clan masters who were superior in their senses had noticed this oddity. They knew that the youth clearly wasn’t in the crowd prior to the start of the competition.
With this realization, all of four of them furrowed their eyes in uneasiness.
The youth had short, black hair coupled with a strikingly mesmerizing pair of dark eyes that seems as if they hold the answer to the world’s mysteries. As the young man walked through yard, many females who saw him were instantly infatuated. Their cheeks burned pink as some of them lowered their head in embarrassment.
The majestic aura, the refined appearance, and the tranquil demeanor made the youth seem otherworldly to the crowd.
As the people stared at the white robed youth, everyone had a perplexed expression on their face. Many of the same questions flashed through their mind.
Just who was this person? With such grace, he is definitely not anyone ordinary, right? But if so, how come no one has heard of him before?
While everyone was immersed in trying to solve the mystery of this enigmatic youth before them, the youth had already arrived on the stage.
With a faint smile, the youth in white clothes looked directly past Feng Hao, who was glaring at him, towards Bao Lei. The look instantly gave Bao Lei chills when he saw the youth’s eyes, which were like the endless abyss, staring straight at him.
“W-what is this feeling? I’m actually feeling fearful in front of a little junior? Impossible!”, Bao Lei thought as he suppressed his anxious feeling as he struggled to confront the youth.
After a while, the youth suddenly spoke in a mocking tone as he continued to stare at Bao Lei.
“Good, good! You have done well, trashy Bao Lei. Since you have personally started this mess first, I am now free of any qualms about eradicating you all. Let I, Jin Xia, of the main family’s junior challenge you, the patriarch of the Jin Clan, Bao Lei! I wonder, if the scum dares or not?”
Hearing this, all the expressions in the audience drastically changed.