"How dare you speak to me, your elder, in such a way?"
The clan elder was furious. After those older than him had passed away, he became the clan elder. No one had ever spoken to him so disrespectfully. What is this Dao Feng trying to do now?
"I have long ceased to be a member of the Zhang family," Dao Feng said indifferently. "Therefore, you are not my elder."
"Are you still resentful that we drove you out of the family?" the clan elder sighed, though he still managed a smile. "If that’s the case, then let us welcome you back home. From now on, you can bear the Zhang surname again."
Dao Feng snorted. He no longer cared. He was called Dao Feng now, and he was quite satisfied with the name.
"Come back. What happened in the past was my fault." The Second Mother’s gaze also fell on Dao Feng, and she spoke with a remorseful expression, "It was wrong of me to drive you from our home. Please, can you forgive me, your Second Mother?"
Dao Feng snorted again, indicating his refusal.
Seeing his attitude, Dao Feng’s cousins from the same generation all looked at him with displeasure.
"Hey, what kind of attitude is that?"
"It was our fault for driving you out, and now we’re letting you come back!"
"That’s right!"
"Dao Feng, is that what you call yourself now? Then I’ll call you Cousin Dao Feng. When we were kids, your studies were worse than mine, which just goes to show I’m more outstanding. Remember, don’t be jealous of my talent—just introduce me to Mr. Wu Tian."
Those around him began to clamor, their eyes filled with a light called greed.
"You want me to come home? Heh. What is it you really want from me?" Dao Feng got straight to the point, unwilling to waste his breath on the clan elder and the others.
"It’s simple. As a member of the Zhang family, you must consider the family’s interests," the clan elder and the Second Mother exchanged a glance and chuckled. "These are a few conditions we’ve drafted. Just press your handprint on it."
The clan elder handed a sheet of paper to Dao Feng.
Listed on the paper were all the things the Zhang family needed Dao Feng to do. For example, as Si’er’s junior martial brother, he was to secure official positions for the Zhang family in the Imperial Court of Xiuyuan Country. For another, among the younger generation of the Zhang family, there were many whose aptitude was no worse than Dao Feng’s; he was responsible for introducing them to Wu Tian. Third... there were nine conditions in total, and reading them made Dao Feng’s face turn grim.
In sharp contrast to Dao Feng’s expression, the faces of the Zhang family members were far more pleasant. The uncles, imagining themselves taking up official posts in Xiuyuan Country, flushed with excitement. In their view, since Dao Feng was Si’er’s junior martial brother, Si’er would have to give him some face and wouldn’t grant the Zhang family low-ranking official posts. At the very least, they should be made lords of a city or something similar.
The Zhang family members of Dao Feng’s generation were similarly overjoyed. When he was part of the Zhang family, Dao Feng had had nothing. After he became Wu Tian’s disciple, the family had investigated and discovered his reputation had grown significantly; he had even learned a miraculous Martial Arts Technique, the Arhat Overturning Heaven Seal. The younger Zhangs figured they were no worse than Dao Feng. Therefore, Wu Tian would surely have to teach them powerful martial arts techniques as well—at the very least, something on par with the Arhat Overturning Heaven Seal.
Looking at the paper in his hands and then at the greedy expressions on the faces of his relatives, Dao Feng erupted with rage. "You are not welcome here! Get the hell out and go back where you came from!"
The Zhang family members were furious. The clan elder pointed a finger at Dao Feng and bellowed, "How can you speak to your elders and brothers like that? If our Zhang family hadn’t raised you, would that Wu Tian have even noticed you? What, now that you’ve made it big, you’ve become arrogant? ’When you drink water, don’t forget the one who dug the well.’ Do you even understand that saying?"
"Yes, that’s right! If our Zhang family hadn’t nurtured you from a young age, how could you have caught Mr. Wu Tian’s eye and achieved what you have today?"
"And if I hadn’t sparred with you with my palms when we were young, would your hands be so tough? How else would Wu Tian have taught you the Arhat Overturning Heaven Seal?"
"Dao Feng, you should know to be grateful and not so greedy! We won’t compete with you for Mr. Wu Tian’s favor."
Dao Feng’s various cousins all spoke up, and within a few sentences, they had twisted his opportunities into something they were responsible for.
The Second Mother was gleeful. With the whole family united, Dao Feng would have to submit. She stepped forward, her eyes like those of a starving wolf despite her matronly appearance. "You’re a Zhang, after all. You should know what to do, right? Give us what we deserve, or else..."
"Or else what?" Dao Feng laughed with fury. How can the Zhang family be so utterly shameless?
With a burst of force, he tore the paper in his hands to shreds. "I am now formally telling you that I am not a member of the Zhang family. You are all strangers to me, and you will get nothing from me."
"What do you mean by that?" The Second Mother’s face turned sour at his defiance.
If they returned empty-handed, the Zhang family would become a laughingstock among their neighbors. Before they came here, the younger members of the Zhang family had boasted to everyone about how the family would flourish once they found Dao Feng. They had even borrowed a great deal of silver, promising that this trip would ensure their prosperity and that they would repay their debts twofold. If they returned empty-handed now, how could they possibly face anyone?
"I’ve made my meaning perfectly clear," Dao Feng said coldly.
"You..." The Second Mother was livid.
The other Zhang family members also cursed Dao Feng for being ungrateful. It never occurred to them that they were at fault; they simply believed that this was all Dao Feng’s doing. Wouldn’t it be better for the family’s peace if he just agreed? Why did he always have to refuse them?
The clan elder narrowed his eyes threateningly. "Do you know that one can hire assassins to kill people? If you keep this up, do you believe that I’ll..."
"Believe you’ll do what?"
At that moment, a ruthless, icy voice descended. The clan elder and the other Zhang family members felt a sudden chill, as if they had been plunged into a frozen wasteland.
Then, Wu Tian, cradling a little one, finally stepped out.
"You must be Mr. Wu Tian, right?" The Second Mother and the clan elder recognized him instantly and spoke in unison, "Mr. Wu Tian, is this how you educate your disciple? How can he speak to us, his elders, in such a manner? You must discipline him, shouldn’t you?"
Wu Tian’s indifferent gaze swept over the Second Mother and the clan elder. He smiled coldly. "You’re his elders? I don’t think so."
His words filled the Zhang family with disgust. How rude! No wonder Dao Feng is so disrespectful to his elders. Like master, like disciple.
One of Dao Feng’s cousins then stepped forward, pointing at him while shouting at Wu Tian, "Mr. Wu Tian, I’m much stronger than this guy! Why don’t you take me as your disciple instead?"
"In your dreams," Wu Tian said dismissively.
The little one in his arms, however, directly slapped the cousin. Though just a child, the slap was incredibly powerful, sending the boy flying backward.