"Who is this child? How dare she speak to adults like that?"
"The child is clearly in the wrong."
"Yes, indeed."
Of course, the others in the hall knew who was right and who was wrong. But when it came to their own interests, they had to side with the accusers. Weighing their interests before making a decision was their code of conduct—a principle they also taught their own children.
The little one furrowed her brows. This group of adults is completely unreasonable. She decided to take action.
But just at that moment, a series of footsteps echoed through the room. Luo Tian, dressed in festive garb, entered the great hall with the servants of Luo Mansion in tow.
"What happened here? Why is it so noisy?" he demanded, his angry gaze sweeping across the hall. Today is my birthday banquet. It should be a joyous occasion, yet it’s turned into this chaos. Is this going to shorten my lifespan?
"Master Luo Tian."
"Good heavens, we’ve disturbed the birthday man himself."
The adults all frowned. Luo Tian had resigned as Guild Master of the Artifact Domain’s Array Master Guild, but even so, he still held influence over its various sub-guilds. Who would dare to offend him?
The seven-year-old girl recognized Luo Tian, as her father, Zheng Zheng, had some dealings with him. She stepped forward, pointed at Wu Tian, and tattled, "Grandfather Luo Tian, this girl started all the trouble!"
"She hit people for no reason and said bad things about adults. She’s completely out of line!" the seven-year-old said, feeling no remorse and believing everyone else was to blame.
She was secretly delighted. I’ll get to see that little brat thrown out any moment now!
Luo Tian glanced at the little one, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. His expression then darkened as he stared at the seven-year-old and asked, "Are you sure it was all her fault?"
"Yes, Grandfather Luo Tian," the seven-year-old replied with a smile. She was one hundred percent certain that Grandfather Luo Tian would take her side.
As she expected, Luo Tian suddenly burst out in anger. "Insolence!"
A smile lingered on the seven-year-old’s lips. However, the anger wasn’t directed where she thought.
"This child is my guest of honor! Who dares to speak ill of her?" Luo Tian bellowed. "Guards! Throw every single person who offended her out of the Luo Mansion! I don’t care if they’re men, women, young, or old!"
"What?" Luo Tian’s proclamation stunned the crowd into an uproar. How could this be?
The seven-year-old girl hadn’t anticipated such a turn of events. "Grandfather Luo Tian, are you joking with us?" she cried out in disbelief. "This child is your guest of honor?" He must be joking.
The other adults and children stared at Wu Tian, their minds completely blank. How could this child possibly be the guest of honor?
"What? Do you think I’m deceiving you?" Luo Tian demanded, a chilling glint in his eyes.
Hearing this, the adults quickly shook their heads. "We wouldn’t dare, we wouldn’t dare! It’s just... it’s just..."
The seven-year-old girl shouted, "Grandfather Luo Tian, you must have been deceived! Although this child is dressed in white and looks passably cute, she is definitely not *that* noble child. My father also told me to find that special child, and it isn’t her! Grandfather Luo Tian, you must have the wrong person!" She figured Luo Tian was simply old and his eyesight was poor. He probably couldn’t tell that the little girl’s clothes were cheap and had mistaken her for someone else.
"Nonsense! Do you think I’m senile?" Luo Tian sneered, gritting his teeth.
"That’s not it, Grandfather Luo Tian..." The seven-year-old girl grew nervous, trembling with fear as she stumbled over her words. "It’s just... it’s just that you might have... mistaken... mistaken her for someone else."
The little one thought the seven-year-old girl was a complete joke and couldn’t help but say with pity, "I get no pleasure from bullying another child, but why do you insist on being humiliated?"
The seven-year-old girl froze. For some reason, she felt deeply wronged and immediately burst into tears, wailing.
The little one simply shook her head.
She was only four, yet Luo Tian could see she was far more mature and composed than other children. What kind of family could possibly raise a child like this?
Luo Tian couldn’t help but step forward and bow apologetically. "Little Miss, I am terribly sorry. I arrived too late."
Seeing this, the crowd was shocked once again. Master Luo Tian was an incredibly prominent figure in the Artifact Domain. For such a man to be apologizing to a child? Heavens! If they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, they would never have believed it. How could something like this possibly happen?
The little one snorted. "You know what to do, right?"
"Yes, yes." Luo Tian nodded immediately and barked at his servants, "What are you waiting for? Throw these blind fools out!"
He then turned back to the crowd. "My disciple is now the guild master of the Artifact Domain’s Array Master Sub-Guild. I will give the order that the Sub-Guild will no longer cooperate with any of you. If you think you can get us to create formations for you... Hmph. You can forget it."
"What?" Upon hearing this, the faces of the adults in the hall turned pale. This punishment was severe.
Formations were used in many aspects of daily life. Cooking with special Flavor Formations could make food more fragrant and delicious. Washing clothes with Laundry Formations not only cleaned them but left them with a pleasant scent. Formations had become completely intertwined with their lives.
And if they were blacklisted by the Artifact Domain’s Array Master Sub-Guild, their only option would be to travel to another domain. That was too far! Not to mention, who knew if they might be killed by the Beast Clan or something else along the way.
"This is all your fault, you little brat!"
"How many times have I told you not to bully others? How could you pick on this little miss?"
"I finally understand what it means to be ruined by your own child! As of today, I disown you!"
The adults immediately turned on their own children who had wanted to bully the little one, screaming at them. Some even started hitting them.
"What a disgrace," Luo Tian said impatiently. "If you want to scold and beat your children, do it in your own homes. Throw them out!"
"No!"
"My child was wrong! I’ll make him apologize!"
But no matter how much they wailed, they were carried out by a group of servants and unceremoniously thrown out of the Luo Mansion. These servants were no simpletons. They served as bodyguards for Luo Tian’s family, and in return, Luo Tian had promised to inscribe formations for them. The guests were ruthlessly dumped on the ground, a disheveled and utterly embarrassed mess.
"As for you," Luo Tian said coldly to the seven-year-old, "I’m somewhat acquainted with your father, Zheng Zheng, so I won’t have you thrown out. You can get out on your own."
The seven-year-old girl stood there in a daze, still unable to believe how things had turned out.
"Grandfather Luo Tian," she swallowed, her voice filled with fear. "You’re friends with my father. Please... please don’t be angry with me, alright?"
"Scram!" Luo Tian barked.
"My father is a renowned and virtuous minister, he..."
"Scram," Luo Tian repeated.
"My father even wanted me to become your disciple," the girl continued, desperate. She didn’t want to be thrown out like this. It would be a total humiliation! Who would ever want to follow her after this?