"I’ve never met the man. Does he think he can see me just by asking? I refuse," Yi Xiaoyao said flatly.
The steward looked troubled. "But Fortress Master, the Young Master of the Jin Family says he’s here to propose to Miss Ruoxue and present betrothal gifts. He’s waiting in the guest hall now."
Yi Xiaoyao’s brow furrowed. "That’s even more ridiculous. What does his proposal to Tang Ruoxue have to do with me?"
The elders exchanged a glance. "Fortress Master, the Jin Family is the most powerful family in Hunting City. If you don’t go, I’m afraid you’ll offend them."
"So what if they’re the most powerful family in Hunting City? Are you suggesting I should go grovel and flatter him?"
As he spoke, Yi Xiaoyao ordered the steward, "You’ll ignore Jin Lingfeng as well. If he wants to wait, let him wait!"
Now that Yi Xiaoyao was the Fortress Master, the steward didn’t dare to disobey his orders.
Just then, Tang Feng’s voice drifted over from a distance.
"Haha! Xiaoyao, as soon as you inherited the title of Fortress Master, I sent someone to the Jinhan Sect to notify Tang Zhong. I didn’t expect that kid to rush back from the sect in just half a day."
Tang Feng was overjoyed today, a genuine, heartfelt happiness.
Yi Xiaoyao was taken aback. Tang Zhong was Tang Feng’s son, which also made him Yi Xiaoyao’s cousin.
In the past, whenever Yi Xiaoyao was ostracized and bullied by his peers, Tang Zhong had stepped in to help him on multiple occasions. He was a very kind person and one of the few friends Yi Xiaoyao had in the Tang Family Castle.
Three years ago, Tang Zhong had received a Fifth Grade Immortal Soul inheritance and entered the Jinhan Sect to pursue his Cultivation.
Tang Feng had called Tang Zhong back today partly with the intention that Yi Xiaoyao would look out for him in the future.
At this thought, Yi Xiaoyao turned to Tang Feng. "Uncle, where is Cousin Tang Zhong now?"
Tang Feng chuckled. "I saw you were busy, so I didn’t have him come find you directly. Right now, that kid is over at the dueling platform, sparring with the younger generation for fun."
Yi Xiaoyao nodded. "I’ll go see my cousin, then."
"I won’t get involved in you young folks’ affairs. I’ll stay here and talk with the elders," Tang Feng said.
Yi Xiaoyao smiled and headed toward the dueling platform.
The dueling platform was a favorite spot for the young members of the Tang Family. Sparring and competing there not only boosted their prestige among their peers but also enhanced their practical combat experience.
At this moment, Tang Zhong was standing on the dueling platform, surrounded by a crowd of youths about seventeen or eighteen years old.
Tang Zhong was honest and good-natured. Before he joined the Jinhan Sect, he had gotten along well with all the youths of the Tang Family Castle, which was why so many of them were gathered around him now that he was back.
"Brother Tang Zhong, I can’t believe that after just three years of Cultivation in the Jinhan Sect, you’ve already reached the Foundation Establishment Realm!"
"Yeah, Brother Tang Zhong, can I join the Jinhan Sect with you? I was so jealous when I heard Yi Xiaoyao joined the Cloud Transformation Sect!"
Hearing this, Tang Zhong laughed. "Cousin Xiaoyao is the Fortress Master now. You all had better start addressing him as such. Otherwise, be careful—if he gets angry, he might dock your Cultivation Resources!"
Yi Xiaoyao arrived just in time to hear this and couldn’t help but give a wry smile.
He and Tang Zhong had a great relationship, and he had received a lot of help from his cousin in the past, so of course, Yi Xiaoyao didn’t take the joke seriously.
"Cousin Tang Zhong, am I really that petty?" Yi Xiaoyao asked with a laugh as he walked toward the crowd.
The youths surrounding the dueling platform were startled to see Yi Xiaoyao. Then, one by one, they silently turned their heads away. No one addressed him as Fortress Master.
Even though Yi Xiaoyao had been brilliant during the succession ceremony, these youths had looked down on him since they were children.
Now that he was the Fortress Master, the youths his age were, to some extent, resentful.
Yi Xiaoyao noticed this and said to the crowd with a faint smile, "What’s wrong? You don’t accept me?"
"We respect your talent for Cultivation, but that alone isn’t enough to make us truly accept you!"
"That’s right! The worst you can do is dock our Cultivation Resources, but I still won’t accept you as Fortress Master!"
The youths boldly stepped forward and declared this to Yi Xiaoyao.
Tang Zhong’s expression changed instantly, and he hurried in front of Yi Xiaoyao to plead on their behalf.
Yi Xiaoyao raised a hand, cutting Tang Zhong off.
Then, he addressed the youths calmly. "Rest assured, I won’t dock your Cultivation Resources. Because I believe earning your respect will be quite simple."
Just then, a scornful laugh echoed from behind them.
"Haha! How laughable! You people of the Tang Family Castle are actually impressed by the Cultivation talent of a worthless Fortress Master. I see you’re all just a bunch of trash."
All the youths were stunned. Although they had said they didn’t accept Yi Xiaoyao, they would never say something like that.
Besides, that insult was directed at all of them, since they had just admitted to respecting Yi Xiaoyao’s Cultivation talent.
They turned to see a dandyish youth with his hair tied back by a golden coronet walking toward them, a mocking sneer on his face. Tang Ruoxue was at his side.
Yi Xiaoyao’s gaze turned cold. He had a good idea who this person was.
Tang Zhong immediately bellowed at the youth in the golden coronet, "Who are you?! How dare you spout such arrogant nonsense!"
The youth with the golden coronet sneered at Tang Zhong, ignoring him completely, and looked directly at Yi Xiaoyao.
"Master Yi, you certainly put on some airs! I, the esteemed Young Master of the Jin Family, can’t even get an audience with you! If it weren’t for Ruoxue, who knows how long I would have been left waiting! Hmph!"
Hearing this, Yi Xiaoyao’s voice turned cold and severe. "Jin Lingfeng, this is the Tang Family Castle. It’s not a place for you to act so presumptuously!"
Jin Lingfeng burst out laughing. "Am I being presumptuous? I’m merely stating a fact. Are all of you not trash?"
Then, Jin Lingfeng turned to Tang Ruoxue beside him. "Ruoxue, why don’t you be the judge?"
Tang Ruoxue responded to Jin Lingfeng with a sweet smile.
"Lingfeng, what you said is the truth. After all, you possess a Ninth Grade Immortal Soul inheritance and raised your Cultivation to the First Realm of Foundation Establishment in just ten days. Compared to you, these people are nothing but trash."
After speaking, Tang Ruoxue shot Yi Xiaoyao a triumphant, cold snort.
Everyone was shaken to their core by this revelation. This Jin Lingfeng was actually the inheritor of a Ninth Grade Immortal Soul and had already reached the Foundation Establishment Realm. To think that a top-tier genius like that could emerge from a small place like Hunting City!
Yi Xiaoyao narrowed his eyes. ’So that’s why Tang Ruoxue said Jin Lingfeng was far stronger than me. She’s latched onto someone like this.’
’Still, what’s a Ninth Grade Immortal Soul inheritance to me?’
The Sword God once said: ’In the face of the Sword God’s inheritance, a Ninth Grade Immortal Soul inheritance isn’t even worth a fart!’
"Jin Lingfeng! Tang Ruoxue! Don’t think that just because you have the Jin Family’s backing, my Tang Family Castle can’t touch you!"
Yi Xiaoyao roared, "Get out of the Tang Family Castle! Now!"
Jin Lingfeng maintained his disdainful smirk, completely unmoved by Yi Xiaoyao’s command.
"I came today for two reasons. Once I’ve handled them, I’ll leave on my own. The first is to propose marriage to Miss Ruoxue of the Tang Family Castle and present the betrothal gifts. As for the second..."
As he spoke, Jin Lingfeng glanced at Tang Ruoxue. "Ruoxue told me you bullied her. She asked me to get justice on her behalf."
"Tang Ruoxue brought that humiliation upon herself! Besides, this is a private matter of my Tang Family. You have no right to interfere!" Yi Xiaoyao’s presence was overwhelming.
Jin Lingfeng’s face turned cold as well. "Ruoxue is my fiancée. Her business is my business, and I’m making it my business to handle this!"
After speaking, the corner of his mouth curled up into a smirk. "Master Yi, since you defeated Ruoxue, I’ll challenge you in the same fashion. The only question is, do you dare to accept?"