225 Chapter 225 (1/2)

”Patriarch, aren't you being too rash? Wasn't there another way to handle that situation…”

Feng Maling asked with visible concern showed on her face. She had watched the whole thing unfold but it was not her place to speak out in that situation. She was also worried that she might have been too rough when shouting at the youths.

”To rash? Don't think so, think that played out very well actually.”

Zhang Dong looked at the inside of the room he was in. It was very large and exquisite. There was a giant red king-sized bed, its legs were golden and four golden dragon heads were peeking out. There was a large window with a nice view of the city and he had this room all for himself. The other elders would get rooms on a lower level as this one was reserved for him as a sect leader.

”Played out well? I don't understand…”

The granny wrinkled her nose and touched the base of her neck while asking her sect leader for clarification. Most people would evade combat in a situation like that. Was this young leader still too inexperienced and let his emotions guide his path?

”Grandmother, how do you think a young beast goes about earning respect from its pack?”

He answered her with a question, to which the old woman replied without thinking.

”Defeat an older beast to prove itself?”

Zhang Dong nodded at the question and Feng Maling didn't really know what to say. This young leader wanted to prove himself to the other old monsters in a trial of combat. This would probably be the easiest and most direct way to gain respect. It was also the best way to lose face if he lost.

”Are you confident?”

She asked while moving closer to her nephew in law.

”Very. You should stop worrying, I know what you are thinking. This move might offend that Silver Spear Sect and its leader but it will also deter others. Also, you should know that our sect isn't that weak anymore, we don't need to hide as much as we did before.”

Zhang Dong wasn't planning on doing things this way at first but an opportunity arose. After showing his might the other sects would probably see him in a new light. With this, he could probably evade any further problems that this banquet would bring.

The old nascent soul cultivators would see him as strong but brash. Thus they would fear to offend him. Offending him could mean being challenged just like Chang Yongzheng was. They would only lose face if they got defeated by a young upstart. Even if Zhang Dong lost or tied he would still be seen as someone strong. Getting beaten by an established master wasn't that bad to someone that lacked renown. On the flipside, the reverse was devastating to your reputation.

Granny Maling nodded to herself while Matt flinched. If news of this reached his wife she would probably worry or maybe fly into an unrivaled rage and try to beat up that Spear sect Patriarch.

”That would be best, no use making her worry in the state she is.”

Zhang Dong got a bit sad at the mention of his wife. He didn't want to be here so far away from them but he needed to get this done. While the city owners were getting the arena fight ready others were getting curious about it.

The word about Zhang dongs and Chang Yongzheng fight even reached the city lord's ear. This was a very powerful cultivator and he also had backing of a lot of other families. After hearing that the two fighters were from the lesser middle sized sects he wasn't that interested. He just gave out an order to record the fight as it could be used later.

Not everyone reacted in a bored way as the city lord though. All of the sects that had already arrived were sure to make their way towards the arena. They were mostly there to see the Silver Spear Sect leader's spearmanship. There was also the idiot who was trying to fight that legendary spear master. They needed to know who was so brazen and brave to do this.

Within a couple of hours, everything was ready for the big event. The arena was really large, a lot bigger than the one that the Zhang Clan juniors attended in Jade Grass City. It had three levels going upwards and in one spot there was a large platform with exclusive seats for the nascent soul masters and their sect members.

There was not much to do for the middle sized sects as the banquet would only start in two days. The price of attendance was only a couple of middle grade spirit stones. This was something that most people in the upper section of the empire could afford.

”Zhang Dong? Never heard of someone like that…”

”United Element Sect, aren't they just a branch sect from somewhere?”

”Didn't think we would see master Chang Yongzheng's spearmanship, this trip was worthwhile. Hope that poor country bumpkin he is fighting doesn't lose too fast.”

Cultivators chatted with each other before the battle started. Some people were still pouring into the large stadium-like arena and the fighters weren't there. The two were busy with something else for now.

Zhang Dong moved a quill on some parchment that after finishing glowed with a blue light. He hadn't used something like this before but he knew what it was. It was a binding contract that would be sealed by their Qi signature.

Contracts like this didn't see much value in this world. Most of the time they were invalidated by someone with more power. They were used by weaker cultivators though and with someone of a higher standing as a witness.

The Yinglong Pavilion was a strong faction that could act as someone like that. They had a storage area where they stored all of the contracts. In this city what they said was law so with proof of it the other sects could not complain.