Chapter 1620: I Will Prove It

Keep in mind that just moments before, Wang Wuxie had introduced incredibly renowned figures: Yan Xuehen, the master of White Jade Palace; Li Changsheng, its grand elder; Guan Chouhai, the sect master of Li Hentian; Wan Tongtian, the master of Azure Palace; Grand Elder Huoling Shitai; and others from Kunlun Xu. Every single one of them was a prominent figure. Among them, only Elder Peng of Kongming Island was relatively less known, but to be an elder of a sect, he was clearly no ordinary person. Moreover, Master Jianhuang of Wuyou Temple was a legendary figure. Strictly speaking, many current sect masters in the Daoist lineage were his juniors.

So for Zu An, a mere youngster, to be mentioned in the same breath as these individuals? What's more, it had just been revealed a few days prior that he and Fairy Chu were once husband and wife, making him the target of widespread resentment. Now, his appointment as a guest judge was like a drop of water in a hot oil pan—the entire venue erupted.

Zu An watched the rapidly escalating "rage points" in the background, wondering if revealing his relationship with Yan Xuehen at that moment would double the amount of rage he received. However, he then recalled that many sect masters from various factions had been Yan Xuehen's suitors in the past. If he were to do that, he might not leave Purple Mountain alive, so he quickly discarded the idea.

Among the Kongming Island delegation, Qiu Honglei subtly tugged at Yun Jianyue's sleeve. "Master," she whispered, "our promotion from a few days ago has worked. Ah Zu is now the common enemy. With such strong emotions running high, will he be in danger?"

"Don't worry," Yun Jianyue replied. "He is now an imperial envoy. Neither Wang Wuxie nor the other sect masters would dare allow anything to happen to him." She paused, then added, "Besides, even if they didn't care, those young people on the field, even if they attacked him all at once, wouldn't be a match for that boy."

Qiu Honglei breathed a sigh of relief, though she still found it a bit strange. Why did her master seem to have more confidence in Ah Zu than she did?

At the Azure Palace's section, Pei Mianman's eyes widened with a mix of surprise and delight. She had never imagined she would encounter Ah Zu here! Oh, how truly blessed! Was this what they called fate?

"What's wrong?" Grand Elder Huoling Shitai asked, puzzled, sensing her disciple's excitement.

"Nothing, I'm just a little excited thinking about the upcoming grand competition," Pei Mianman replied, not daring to tell the truth. She knew her master had been heartbroken by love in the past and now harbored an intense dislike for men. If she were to reveal her relationship with Ah Zu, she couldn't guarantee how much trouble it would stir up.

Just then, a tall, slender figure from the Li Hentian contingent suddenly stood up and declared, "I object!" Many female disciples from various sects' eyes lit up. "This senior brother is so handsome," they thought. They quickly whispered among themselves, soon learning that he was the renowned Zhiyin, and that he was particularly despondent due to the situation with Chu Chuyan. One by one, their hearts went out to him. "Brother Zhiyin, come quickly into my arms!" they longed.

At the same time, they couldn't help but feel indignant. "That Chu Chuyan is surely too manipulative," they thought. "She's clearly a married woman, yet she pretends to be a pure maiden to entice talented young men from the major sects." It was common knowledge that Chu Chuyan was the "public darling" of the Nine Daoist Sects, and many disciples around them harbored affections for her. Normally, her breathtaking beauty and ethereal demeanor made everyone feel somewhat inferior in her presence. However, now that they knew she had been married, each of them suddenly gained a surge of confidence. "Leaving everything else aside, at least I'm still an untouched maiden," they thought. "At least I'm better than her in that regard." Once they perceived themselves to be on equal footing, they began to harbor resentment towards Chu Chuyan.

"What are you objecting to?" Wang Wuxie's expression darkened. He had been contradicted repeatedly by these juniors today. "Am I to have no dignity?" he thought.

Zhiyin took a deep breath, pointed at Zu An, and declared, "The other individuals are all highly respected seniors in the martial world; we naturally accept them as judges for this Daoist Grand Competition. But this Zu An is younger than us, and his cultivation is unremarkable. What virtue or ability does he possess to be ranked alongside these esteemed seniors as a judge for this event?"

"I second that!" At this, Lou Wucheng from White Jade Palace also abruptly stood up. "I, too, believe Zu An is not qualified to be a judge for this event." Previously, he had found that 'pretty boy' Zhiyin especially irritating, but today, he felt a degree of admiration for his courage. Zhiyin likewise shot him a glance, thinking, "Why does this fellow seem particularly agreeable today?" A sense of mutual understanding even began to form between them.

Li Changsheng of White Jade Palace secretly frowned. He naturally knew his disciple harbored feelings for his junior sister's pupil, but he had not anticipated him bickering with a love rival at such a critical juncture. He couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. Of course, he understood that maintaining a sharp edge was crucial for cultivating the Evergreen Sword. It was not appropriate to scold him now and crush his spirit, so he could only patiently observe how events would unfold.

At this, Zhiyin declared loudly, "As long as Lord Zu can step down and defeat either me or Brother Lou, I will be utterly convinced and willing to acknowledge his qualifications as a judge, and I will apologize to him."

Lou Wucheng nodded. "Precisely," he said, "I can even give him three moves!" For days, the thought that the goddess of their hearts might have already taken on 'another's form' had ignited a simmering rage within them. They saw this as an opportunity to thoroughly humble that useless 'pretty boy' and demonstrate to Chu Chuyan just how worthless that man truly was.

Wang Wuxie found himself in an awkward position. To be frank, he too felt Zu An was undeserving, but the man was a guest he had personally invited. When did it become appropriate for a few juniors to question his choices?

Just as he was about to issue a reprimand, he saw Zu An casually leaning back in his chair, a look of disdain on his face as he drawled, "Are you two even worthy of crossing swords with me?"

At these words, the entire venue erupted in an uproar, and many people discreetly cursed him for his shamelessness. Pei Mianman's face was etched with anxiety and worry. "What's wrong with Ah Zu?" she wondered. "Why can't I sense any vital energy fluctuations from him?" Given his former strength, dealing with Zhiyin and Lou Wucheng would have been trivial, but now, perhaps... Her expression suddenly hardened with determination. If those two became overly aggressive, she would risk her master's punishment to protect Ah Zu.

At this moment, Wan Guiyi, who was nearby, smiled and remarked to Wan Tongtian, "Father, I quite like this young man's temperament." Wan Tongtian's expression was also peculiar. "This boy certainly has some nerve," he mused, "but grandstanding also requires genuine power." Wan Guiyi stated gravely, "Although he appears unremarkable, he remains perfectly composed in such a situation. If he were truly ordinary, he couldn't possibly achieve this level of composure. I believe he certainly has a hidden ace." Wan Tongtian nodded approvingly. "Your observational skills are excellent, far better than those two fools, Zhiyin and Lou Wucheng."

Hearing their conversation, Pei Mianman breathed a slight sigh of relief, realizing she was 'worrying unnecessarily.' "When has Ah Zu ever been at a disadvantage?" she thought.

Meanwhile, at Wuyou Temple, the chubby young novice monk Jieshe couldn't help but remark to the elder monk beside him, "No wonder Master told me to embark on worldly cultivation; this world truly holds many fascinating things." Master Jianhuang, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings, continued to murmur, "A sin, a sin..."

Hearing the widespread criticism from those around her, Qiu Honglei was so incensed she wanted to stand up and defend Zu An, but Yun Jianyue held her back. "What are you doing?" she asked. "Do you want your identity to be exposed?"

Qiu Honglei fumed, "That Zhiyin and Lou Wucheng are going too far! I can't just stand by and watch."

"Don't worry," Yun Jianyue said with a relaxed expression. "That boy isn't so easily bullied. Just sit back and enjoy the show." She thought of the many storms the two of them had weathered in the past; this current situation was utterly insignificant.

Hearing the arena filled with mockery, Zhang Zijiang realized it was his moment to act. He stood up and reprimanded them, "What do you two youngsters know? Our Lord Zu's cultivation is unfathomable. He once annihilated a powerful army with a single sword. You two genuinely lack the qualifications to make him lift a finger."

At these words, the venue first fell silent, then erupted in a burst of laughter. Even the various sect masters wore peculiar expressions. While they themselves were capable of single-handedly wiping out an army, it came with many preconditions: for instance, the army could not be too elite, could not possess highly advanced combined attack formations, and could not be too massive in scale. How could a young man like Zu An possibly possess such an ability?

"An entire army? Are you joking?" Zhiyin scoffed mercilessly. "Then, pray tell, which army did this esteemed Lord Zu annihilate? Speak its name so we may worship him."

"It's..." Zhang Zijiang's breath suddenly hitched, as he recalled Zu An's military order not to disclose anything about Scarred Yang Shen of Erlong Mountain. Military orders were absolute. If he leaked the secret, not only would his attempt at flattery fail, but he would also risk losing his head.

Seeing him hesitate and stammer, Zhiyin sneered, "Your bluff has been called, hasn't it? If a person lacks genuine ability and resorts to bluster and lies, they'll only need more lies to cover them up."

Zhang Zijiang's face flushed crimson. He had never felt so utterly humiliated in all his years.

Just as he was at a loss, a clear, cool voice suddenly echoed through the arena: "I can vouch for Lord Zu. He is absolutely qualified to serve as a judge."

At these words, the entire venue instantly fell silent, for the speaker was Yan Xuehen, who possessed the icy grace of a snow goddess. Even the older generation of masters, such as Wang Wuxie and Guan Chouhai, who had previously been observing, turned to her in surprise. They knew Yan Xuehen's disposition best; why would she so enthusiastically vouch for another man?