I Pick up a Lost Godhood-Chapter 96 - 94: A Fierce Contention

Hu Jing and the others looked toward Zhou Luodan, who simply smiled. "You may all go now."

The group hastily departed. Zhou Luodan then gestured for the attendant disciples to withdraw as well.

"Zhou Feng, who taught this child how to refine Pills? How does he know a lost Pill Formula?"

"It’s a long story. Master, do you remember when I was trying to refine the Spirit Void Pill...?"

Zhou Feng explained the situation.

Zhou Luodan marveled at the story. "The world is vast and filled with countless talents. It seems I’ve been a frog in a well. This child is truly a straightforward person."

"He is. His goal since childhood has been to join the Holy Hall, and he remains steadfast even in the face of temptation. Who else could do that? But he can be too stubborn sometimes, insisting on being a Sword Cultivator. Have you ever seen someone master a Fourth Grade Flame in just three months? Yes, his technique is a bit crude, I admit, but I only taught him the absolute basics; he figured out the rest on his own. As for the Five Elements Pill, I just gave him a few Magic Talismans. I haven’t even started teaching him the method yet!"

Zhou Feng said, and Luu Yun, who stood beside him, was left speechless.

"Yes, you’ve handled this well. Don’t try to force him. It is precisely that determination and focus that allows one to succeed. We should guide him properly."

Zhou Luodan nodded repeatedly. Zhou Feng had done the right thing; he hadn’t used his status as an Elder to pressure the boy. That would only have been counterproductive.

At this, Zhou Luodan couldn’t help but remark with feeling, "Our Holy Hall has achieved its current standing by widely recruiting talent. Over time, people have started to forget that. It’s rare to find a child with such dedication."

Everyone loves loyalty. He had aspired to join the Holy Hall since he was a child. For the first time, Zhou Luodan was genuinely considering taking him on as a personal disciple.

Liangyuan, standing nearby, was consumed by a feeling beyond mere envy or jealousy. ’The plumes of smoke rising from that boy’s ancestral tombs must be thick enough to blot out the sun,’ he thought bitterly.

"Old Lei! So this is the standard of your Thunderlight Hall! Really... HAHAHA!" Wu Fatian roared with unrestrained laughter.

Tang Wei, standing nearby, also had a smug look on his face. ’To show off something of this quality... they truly have no sense of shame,’ he thought.

Hu Jing and the others stood cautiously by the two Ancestral Masters. Wu Fatian was notoriously unpredictable, while Thunderbolt was known for his explosive temper. They were far more difficult to attend to than Ancestor Master Zhou. And to top it off, Tang Wei was there, fanning the flames.

"These weapons... I suppose they’re passable. Barely," Wu Fatian said, gesturing toward the weapons Suo Ming had forged.

Tang Wei smiled faintly. "Reporting to Ancestor Master, Suo Ming was previously a disciple of Hengshan Hall. He transferred to Thunderlight Hall under the principle of helping a brother Sub-Hall."

Wu Fatian roared with laughter. "I knew it! Old Lei, tsk tsk. You’re a rather incompetent Ancestral Master, aren’t you? I keep telling you, you can’t just focus on your own cultivation day in and day out. As an Ancestral Master of the Holy Hall, you have to show some concern for your disciples! Just look at my Lingyin Hall—one talent after another!"

In terms of seniority, Thunderbolt was Wu Fatian’s senior martial brother. Being lectured on how to conduct himself by his junior brother... with Thunderbolt’s temper, he should have exploded with rage. But strangely, today, Ancestor Master Lei was acting the part of a refined gentleman.

"Junior Brother Wu, let’s not generalize. The skill level in any Sub-Hall is bound to be uneven. Is everyone in your Lingyin Hall at Li Tianyi’s level? Oh, that’s right... Li Tianyi doesn’t seem to have much to do with you, does he?"

Thunderbolt said with a wide grin, "Suo Ming, bring everything out. Let your Ancestor Master Wu offer some pointers. An opportunity like this is rare."

Suo Ming and his martial brothers quickly brought everything out, displaying the items one by one. By now, a crowd from Thunderlight Hall had gathered. ’Ancestor Master Zhou went in and still hasn’t come out, and now two more Ancestral Masters have shown up? What’s going on? All this fuss for Thunderlight Hall’s junk? You can’t polish a turd!’

"Then I won’t hold back," Wu Fatian thought. ’He’s just asking for a tongue-lashing. If I don’t go all out, I wouldn’t be living up to my name!’

Wu Fatian then launched into a tempestuous critique of the weapons, with Tang Wei at his side, adding his own embellishments. Of course, there were times Tang Wei didn’t want to speak up, but when Wu Fatian questioned him directly, he had no choice but to answer. He was currently both elated and tormented, and only he knew which emotion held the upper hand.

Whatever Wu Fatian said, Thunderbolt simply nodded in agreement. Wu Fatian was completely correct; there was no hiding these flaws.

Wu Fatian spotted a sword, his hand already raised high—his signature opening for a verbal assault. Tang Wei, at his side, thought, ’I’ve already burned my bridges, so what’s a little more? If I can use this to latch onto a big backer like him, it’ll be worth it. You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.’

Tang Wei was a master of seizing opportunities. Once he chose a side, he was all in. Before Wu Fatian could even open his mouth, Tang Wei jumped in. "Ancestor Master, this sword is utter trash! Just its appearance alone is substandard. The design is crude—the smith was clearly a novice. And look at its luster! There’s no Elemental Power reaction at all. A weapon for a Sword Cultivator must have some reaction to Elemental Power! A piece of junk like this isn’t even fit for a Body Cultivator!"

Tang Wei was an expert at seeing which way the wind blew. Right now, Ancestor Master Wu clearly had the upper hand. Besides, among the six great Ancestral Masters, Thunderbolt’s faction was the weakest. This was a rare chance to prove his own worth.

SLAP—

A slap from Wu Fatian sent Tang Wei flying. He spun several times on the ground before coming to a stop, utterly stunned and confused as to what had just happened.

"One more word and I’ll cripple you!"

Wu Fatian carefully cradled the sword in his hands. The great Ancestral Master was visibly moved in front of everyone.

"This is impossible... How can this be...?"

Wu Fatian murmured to himself.

"’Wu the Kid, what’s so impossible? Heh heh, anything is possible. It’s just not in the cards for you!"

Thunderbolt gloated. Seeing the look on Wu Fatian’s face was more satisfying than a feast.

"Aha! You old fossil! I was wondering how you suddenly broke through your bottleneck! The senior expert... where is he? Where is he?!"

Wu Fatian bellowed.

"Kid, stop shouting! Aren’t you ashamed of yourself, making a scene in front of all these disciples?"

"Cut the crap! You know something, so spit it out! Say one word less than the whole story, and I’ll burn this damn kennel of yours to the ground!"

Wu Fatian was frantic. He couldn’t help it.

And what of Thunderbolt’s infamous temper?

At that moment, Ancestor Master Lei was as mild as a lamb. "Junior Brother Wu, is that any way to speak to your senior martial brother? You want to know, do you? Simple. First, address me properly as ’Senior Brother.’ Otherwise, the deal’s off!"

Wu Fatian and Thunderbolt were cut from the same cloth. Ever since they first made their names, they had been at each other’s throats, neither giving an inch. After so many years of rivalry, when had Wu Fatian ever backed down? The auras of the two men began to swell.

The disciples had never witnessed a clash between Ancestral Masters before.

But just then, Wu Fatian managed to restrain himself, gritting his teeth so hard they audibly ground together. "Se... nior... Bro... ther... Lei," he ground out, each syllable a struggle. "You’d better actually know something, or else..."

"Haha! Junior Brother, no need to be so formal! How could your Senior Brother be so petty? Rest assured. Suo Ming, where is the one who forged this sword?"

Thunderbolt asked.

Suo Ming quickly bowed. "Senior Brother Wang Meng appears to be out. Should I go and find him right away?"

"So the kid’s name is Wang Meng! Good, good, good! Even his name sounds powerful!" Thunderbolt’s old face was wreathed in smiles, blooming like a flower. He hadn’t felt this gratified in years.

"Suo Ming," Wu Fatian said, his expression now incredibly serious. "You’re saying this sword was forged by someone named Wang Meng? Did you see him do it with your own two eyes?"

*(A special thanks to our four Alliance Leaders—Fuweng de Chengzhang, Buji Shaonian, Xiao Chengzi Pi, and Guduguai07—for their generous donations! ^_^)*