BXBX NOVEL Chapter 222 - 222: Two Hundred and Eighteen:
Chapter 222 - 222: Two Hundred and Eighteen:
Decimated, controlled by others.
Du Ziteng couldn’t believe that the Red Cloud Skill, the jewel in the crown of the Du family, was such a flawed technique. Even as his pupils dilated in shock, he forcefully maintained his composure and asked, “What basis do you have for saying that?”
How could they expect someone to overturn a lifetime of belief based on Tang
Luo’s words alone? That was too cruel.
Tang Luo shook his head, chuckling lightly. “Just making conversation, you
don’t have to believe it.”
With that, he patted Du Ziteng’s shoulder and walked over to the pavilion. Elder Xu and Mi Bai were already seated, with Mi Bai setting out food and drinks from his food box.
Seeing Tang Luo approach, Elder Xu energetically hit his chest with his fist, praising him. “Younger brother, you’ve done well!”
Tang Luo, already accustomed to the Xu family’s excessive physical affection, glanced down at his chest and replied, “What’s ‘done well’?”
“Eh~Ah! I heard everything, you even know the Bridal Clothes Technique, you’ve done quite a deep study of martial arts!” Elder Xu said, grinning at Tang Luo with a face that read ‘I’ve also studied martial arts’.
In the eyes of the Xu family, the Tang family of Xiling had always been just a rural hegemon. Growing up, his uncle, Xu Changge, always told him that his aunt had been ensnared by some country bumpkin, and such rumors were common within the Xu family.
But Elder Xu’s travels, spanning thirty thousand miles, had allowed him to grasp the level of martial arts in Longzhou and had made him audacious enough to threaten to level the Tang Clan of Xiling with a single sword when he first arrived.
But after seeing Tang Sen casually slaughter four warriors of the Fierce Realm and witnessing Tang Luo’s understanding of martial arts, Elder Xu had started to view the Tang family of Xiling differently. They weren’t as bad as he’d thought, at least they were a powerful and influential family.
However, when Tang Luo heard Elder Xu’s praises, he just raised an eyebrow and said dismissively, “Being able to analyze isn’t that big of a deal. The real ability lies in being able to solve problems.”
The houses in Xiling that knew about the situation in Red Cloud Village were not few. They didn’t expose it simply because the Du family from Red Cloud Village posed no threat to Xiling.
Secrets, of course, cause the most damage when I know something, but you don’t know that I know. If the day ever comes to confront the Du Clan, this would be a surefire trump card.
Du Sha had once used a dragon soul token to remind him to pay attention to his personal safety. Now, he wanted to return the favor, to reveal to Red Cloud Village that no matter how well they hid the secrets of their technique, several households in Xiling already knew.
This was the message he wanted to relay to Du Sha through Du Ziteng. “Accepting someone’s kindness with nothing in return is not how I live my life.
It’s why I’m returning the favor”, he thought, and that’s why he gave back this piece of information, repaying the favor.
While the two were talking, Mi Bai had already set out the food on the stone tables in the pavilion, inviting them, “Brother Xu, Brother Tang, please, take
your seats.”
Tang Luo and Elder Xu exchanged a look, put aside their discussion about martial arts, and sat down.
The stone table was neatly covered with eight small dishes, both meat and vegetarian, which could be considered sumptuous. For Mi Bai, putting together this spread could be considered a feast considering his current income.
Seeing the food that Mi Bai had prepared, Tang Luo also exclaimed in delight. “This is fantastic!”
As someone with a slight case of neat-freak tendencies, his biggest requirement for things was for them to be clean and attractive. To a certain extent, he even thought that appearance was more important than taste.
Mi Bai had prepared these small dishes with ordinary ingredients but each one was extremely neat and tidy, which pleased him greatly.
Hearing Tang Luo’s praise, Mi Bai bashfully said, “They’re simple ingredients, nothing special. I hope you won’t mind, brother Tang.”
■■Let’s start eating and stop being so formal.” Elder Xu didn’t want to continue with the pleasantries, reaching for the wine jug and starting to pour into the cups in front of them.
Elder Xu, having poured the wine, put down the jug and lifted up his own glass, saying to them, “Come on, cheers!
Tang Luo lifted his own wine cup with an unchanged expression. Although it was his first time drinking, he didn’t believe it would be a problem, given the impressive alcohol dissolving capabilities of a Mortal Realm martial artist.
“Clink!”
Their glasses came together, and they all tilted their heads back, downing their drinks in one go.
He smacked his lips, looked at his wine cup, and arched an eyebrow.
The wine was sweet, didn’t have any alcoholic kick, and was smooth going down the throat. There was some warmth when it hit the stomach, and it was pleasant to drink.
“What kind of wine is this?”
‘■This is the bamboo leaf green of the Weiya Cottage. How do you like it, brother Tang?” Mi Bai asked, savoring the sweet wine. He loved this kind of smooth, fruity wine.
But before Tang Luo could answer, Elder Xu interjected, “It’s too mild for my taste, it’s not a good wine, old Bai.”
He preferred strong, robust wines that felt like a ball of fire in his belly. The strong aftertaste was his idea of good wine.
Tang Luo cast a sidelong glance at Elder Xu, picked up the wine jug to pour himself another glass, and casually said, “I think this wine is good. What’s wrong with it?”
Seeing Tang Luo pour himself another glass, Elder Xu laughed mischievously. ■■This wine isn’t strong, it seems like something a woman would drink.”
Mi Bai gave a wry smile, shaking his head. He had grown used to Elder Xu’s sudden bursts of humor, and didn’t take it seriously.
But Tang Luo wasn’t amused by the joke and retorted, “Well, you can stop drinking then. Come on, Brother Mi, let me fill you up.”
“Eh-Ah!” As soon as Elder Xu heard it, he immediately pushed his wine glass forward in supplication, “Just a joke, why are you so easily teased? Come on, let’s drink together, fill up for big cousin.”
In the midst of all the laughter, the three men clinked their glasses and drank. They were blissfully unaware that things were heating up at the Asura Martial
Arts Hall.
Elder Xu hadn’t been seen for two days. Already, over fifty martial artists from Xiling who were signed up for the Arrow Agreement were operative. They were scattered around the martial-arts field, staring coldly at Yuan on the stage.
From time to time, shouts of mockery and ridicule could be heard coming from the audience. Most of it was taunting Elder Xu for not showing up due to cowardice.
If it wasn’t for Elder Xu’s instructions, just hearing these insults would make Yuan want to unleash himself. But remembering his duty, he steeled himself against the impulses to retaliate.
He walked on to the stage and took out the standardized challenge document from his chest. Using his spiritual power to amplify his voice, he began to read it out aloud…
As Yuan’s voice echoed throughout the martial arts field, many of the observing clan heads visibly changed their expressions, with some even displaying a hint of greed and desire.
Out of the hundreds of words in the challenge, they only heard one line: “He now vows to accept the challenges of all martial artists of the same realm in West City If anyone can defeat him, the Xu clan of Yuanzhou will treat him as an honored guest, respect him as their benefactor, and acknowledge him as the ‘Holy Family’. Elder Xu will even treat him as his master, obeying him faithfully for three years!”
As long as someone could defeat Elder Xu, they would be regarded as the ‘Holy Family’ by the Xu clan. The audacious Elder Xu would even become their disciple.
If one day, he becomes the head of the Xu Clan, wouldn’t that mean that the entire Xu Clan of Yuanzhou would have to pay respectful greetings to his family?
This simple challenge had caused an uproar, and whispers buzzed through the crowd.
Looking at the suddenly bustling martial arts field, Yuan emotionlessly repeated the contents of the challenge.
But before he could finish reading, dozens of powerful martial artists at the peak of the Mortal Realm, who had united their spirit and intent, leaped onto the stage one after the other. Judging from their ages, they all seemed to be over forty..