Chapter 52 Ungrateful

Zhao Renheng making a move was completely unexpected by Wu Shu. Having greatly increased in strength, although he had not yet had the time to learn any martial techniques, Wu Shu was still confident of defeating Zhao Bufan. The stele and the flame tower could both be considered his ultimate trump cards.

In front of his father Zhao Renheng, Zhao Bufan did not dare to act presumptuously. After sheathing the precious sword in his hand, he spoke respectfully, "Father, Fan'er merely wished to spar with Wu Shu."

Zhao Renheng said coldly, "Enough, I understand the whole situation."

Turning his head to look at Wu Shu, Zhao Renheng asked calmly, "Are you alright?"

Regarding Zhao Renheng's intervention to rescue him, Wu Shu held no hostility toward the man. He cupped his fists and said, "Senior, Wu Shu is fine."

Senior?

Being addressed as a senior by Wu Shu left Zhao Renheng momentarily speechless.

At this moment, Uncle Kang, the veteran steward who had followed Zhao Xuanling for many years, appeared before Zhao Renheng. He said respectfully, "This old servant pays respects to Lord Renheng!"

Uncle Kang was the servant of Fifth Aunt Zhao Xuanling, and his loyalty had long since been acknowledged by the imperial Zhao family of Dikun. Looking at him, Zhao Renheng said calmly, "Uncle Kang, the children were acting on impulse for a moment. With such formal obeisance, surely you won't take what happened earlier to heart!"

Others might not know Uncle Kang's true identity, but Zhao Renheng, as an elder of the Zhao family, was well aware of it. Uncle Kang was originally a member of the Zhao family himself, albeit from a humble background belonging to a collateral branch. However, speaking of seniority, Uncle Kang belonged to the generation of the "Shen" character, making it entirely proper for Zhao Renheng to address him as Uncle.

Zhao ShenKang bowed and said, "This old servant wouldn't dare."

"Bufan, why don't you step forward and pay respects to your Granduncle Kang?" The deep respect displayed by Zhao ShenKang made Zhao Renheng attach great importance to the matter. It was precisely because the clan possessed such members as Uncle Kang that the Dikun Zhao family could remain so formidable.

Glancing over at the crowd of the Wu family and failing to see Fifth Aunt Zhao Xuanling among them, Zhao Renheng asked, "Uncle Kang, is the Fifth Aunt not here?"

Speaking of Zhao Xuanling's whereabouts, Zhao ShenKang desperately wanted to announce publicly that the former master had been favored by the Martial Ancestor—the patriarch of the Wu family—and had been taken away by him to the Giant Elephant Mountain Range. However, the fact that the Martial Ancestor was still alive seemed unknown even to Wu Xiang, the patriarch of the Wu family. If not for this, when Zhao Bufan publicly humiliated the Wu family today, the members of the Wu family would never have responded with such subservience.

"Replying to Lord Renheng, the former master encountered a great opportunity and is temporarily not at the Wu family residence."

A great opportunity?

Just how old was Zhao Xuanling now? What kind of opportunity could possibly present itself to her that would qualify as a great opportunity?

***

He had intended to continue questioning, but considering that Uncle Kang was prudent in his actions and his words surely carried deep meaning, Zhao Renheng pressed no further. Instead, he expressed concern for Uncle Kang, saying, "Uncle Kang, I brought quite a few medicinal pills with me this time to the East Lodge City. If there are any needs, please do not stand on ceremony with me."

In Uncle Kang's view, Zhao Renheng's appearance at the Wu family estate today was most likely because the Zhao family wished to reclaim the Jade Marrow Bed. After all, now that Wu Shu had awakened, as one of the ultimate treasures of the Zhao family, it was only logical that the bed be returned.

Yet, remembering that the Jade Marrow Bed had mysteriously vanished, Uncle Kang's heart felt heavy. If the Zhao family were to vent their anger on the Wu family over this matter, the current Wu family would likely run with blood. Conversely, when the Martial Ancestor and the others returned, the Zhao family would probably find it difficult to withstand the Martial Ancestor's fury.

Weighing things in his mind, Zhao ShenKang respectfully replied, "Lord Renheng, although you must have important business attending you on this trip to East Lodge City, since we haven't seen each other for many years, this old servant deeply misses the days in Dikun City. If Lord Renheng has the time, why not come to the former master's Eastern Courtyard and sit for a while? As for... the grand competition between the human and demon races, I believe Lord Renheng will certainly be able to make it in time."

"Uncle Kang, your words are very true." Upon hearing the suggestion, Zhao Renheng agreed without the slightest hesitation. Turning his gaze to Wu Xiang, he cupped his fists and said, "Brother Wu Xiang, long time no see."

Wu Xiang very tactfully took a large step forward and welcomed him, saying, "You are too polite, Lord Renheng. Please, enter."

Regarding Wu Xiang's respectful demeanor, Zhao Renheng felt nothing amiss and directly strode toward the inner courtyards of the Wu family.

Naturally, knowing that a talented youth had recently emerged within the Wu family—one whose backing sect seemed even more formidable and terrifying—Zhao Renheng had not taken many steps before turning his head back to look at Wu Shu. "Wu Shu, I have high hopes for you in this grand competition." At the same time, Zhao Renheng nodded in acknowledgment to Zhao Fenxing as well, considering it a greeting to her.

Clearly, even Zhao Renheng harbored deep wariness toward Zhao Fenxing's family.

After Zhao Renheng and the others departed, Wu Shu and Zhao Fenxing boarded a carriage and headed toward the Beast-Trapping Palace. As for Zhao Bufan and his companions, Wu Shu had no desire to pay them any mind; upon their very first meeting, they had assumed an arrogant and bullying posture. Wu Shu utterly detested such people as Zhao Bufan.

As they traveled toward the Beast-Trapping Palace, when they were still a hundred meters away from their destination, the carriage could no longer move forward a single inch. Once the news of the grand competition between the human and demon races spread, numerous human experts had rushed over the past two days. Early this morning, the area surrounding the Beast-Trapping Palace was already packed with people.

Consequently, Wu Shu and Zhao Fenxing had no choice but to proceed toward the Beast-Trapping Palace on foot.

They had not walked more than a few steps in the direction of the Beast-Trapping Palace when a menacing youth, leading several others, charged toward where Wu Shu was. Recognizing the youth's appearance, Wu Shu couldn't help but shake his head and say, "People of the Sun family truly refuse to shed tears until they see their own coffins."

Although Wu Shu spoke in a quiet voice, it was still heard by the aggressively approaching youth. Sun Chengjing shouted coldly, "Wu Shu, pay with your life for my younger brother!"

Before his words finished falling, Sun Chengjing raised his palm and struck toward Wu Shu. Wu Shu merely sidestepped and lightly tapped Sun Chengjing on the back with his palm, sending the latter stumbling forward out of control while blood spilled from the corners of his mouth.

After this brief exchange, Sun Chengjing knew deeply that he was no match for Wu Shu. Gritting his teeth in fury, he could only glare and say, "Wu Shu, I know your cultivation is remarkable and I am no match for you. But the vengeance for my younger brother, Sun Chengwu, is something I will remember forever. Earlier, my brother Sun Chengwu only heavily injured your younger brother Wu Zhen without damaging his foundations or taking his life. Yet upon learning of this, you showed no mercy and killed my brother viciously. This blood feud is one the Sun family will never forget!"

If someone ignorant of the truth were to hear Sun Chengjing's words, they might actually believe him. When he had awakened, although his younger brother Wu Zhen's cultivation had not been crippled, his life had been hanging by a thread.

Wu Shu said calmly, "Sun Chengjing, if I, Wu Shu, were someone who slaughters the innocent indiscriminately, you would have already died once today."

Spotting a few familiar faces in the crowd—all of whom were subordinates of Zhao Zhenlu—Wu Shu continued, "Sun Chengjing, go back and tell your father that I, Wu Shu, am a man who clearly distinguishes between gratitude and resentment. If you remain stubbornly unrepentant, then in the future we will simply have to face each other with drawn weapons."

Having issued his warning to Sun Chengjing, Wu Shu continued walking toward the Beast-Trapping Palace alongside Zhao Fenxing.

***

Before long, Liu Yan arrived before the door of a secret chamber in the Beast-Trapping Palace and spoke respectfully, "Master, the people we sent out have returned."

The door of the secret chamber swung wide open suddenly, and Zhao Zhenlu asked, "How did it go?"

Liu Yan reported respectfully, "Master, according to Lian Yun, facing Wu Shu, Sun Chengjing had no ability to fight back whatsoever. With just a single encounter, Sun Chengjing was sent vomiting blood by a mere light palm strike from Wu Shu."

Zhao Zhenlu furrowed his brow in disbelief and muttered, "Sun Chengjing is at the ninth layer of Body Tempering, yet he spat blood after merely enduring a light palm from Wu Shu. If I remember correctly, when we met in the Giant Elephant Mountain Range, Wu Shu was only at the third layer of Body Tempering. How could he possess such formidable strength in the span of just a few short days? Could it be that the people of the East Lodge City Wu family have been concealing their true strength all along?"

Liu Yan echoed, "Master, this subordinate thinks so as well."

Thinking of another matter, Zhao Zhenlu asked, "Regarding the fact that Sun Chengwu only heavily injured Wu Zhen without taking his life, how did Wu Shu respond?"

Zhao Zhenlu's true purpose in deliberately dispatching Sun Chengjing to cause trouble for Wu Shu was to let Wu Shu know that although his younger brother Wu Zhen had been heavily injured by Sun Chengwu, his life had been spared. Even though Sun Chengwu's actions back then had been instigated by Zhao Zhenlu himself, the matter ought to be considered settled and put to rest.

Liu Yan answered truthfully, "Wu Shu said he is not someone who slaughters the innocent, but rather a man who clearly distinguishes between gratitude and resentment. If the Sun family remains stubbornly unrepentant in the future, then they will simply have to face each other with drawn weapons."

"Ignorant of what is good for them!" Even though Wu Shu knew that Sun Chengwu had been acting under Zhao Zhenlu's orders at the time, he still issued such a warning to the Sun family. Even if Wu Shu's words carried no hostility, in Zhao Zhenlu's ears, it still sounded exceedingly arrogant.

Suppressing the anger rising in his heart, Zhao Zhenlu said calmly, "Very well, I am aware of the matter. Pass down the order: during the grand competition, people from the State of Kun are not permitted to engage in infighting."

Liu Yan acknowledged the command, "Master, this subordinate will immediately convey your meaning."