Chapter 288: Chapter 288: Official Selection Quota
Translator: 549690339
Li Zhendong and the rest of the Li family were all dissatisfied. They had arrived early at the capital, only for the Purple Mist Sect to arrive so late. They had been waiting around for so long, and now the sect was leisurely chit-chatting. Naturally, this made the Li family members irate.
“Han Luoyun, you really fancy yourself, don’t you? Are we all supposed to wait just for you?” Li Zhendong approached, speaking in a harsh tone.
With a smile on his face, Han Luoyun responded, “The Purple Mist Sect’s location is quite remote, so we arrived a bit later. Brother Li, there’s no need to lose your temper.”
Li Zhendong scoffed heavily, his attention turning to Fang Lin.
“Are you Fang Lin?” Li Zhendong asked while squinting his eyes.
With composure and respect, Fang Lin clasped his hands in a traditional salute, “I am Fang Lin, it’s an honor to meet the Head of the Li Family.”
Li Zhendong didn’t respond; his expression was indifferent. Behind him, a young man jumped forward, disdainfully saying, “You don’t have the right to pay respects to our Head.”
At these words, Fang Lin’s expression also became somewhat displeased. They were obviously trying to embarrass him, albeit in a crude way, but it was indeed irksome.
Yang Jianye glanced at Han Luoyun and found that he seemed completely unconcerned, as calm as if the wind and clouds were light.
The three Princes were all observing Fang Lin; Prince Yang Jianfeng was especially worried, whereas the other two were indifferent.
Fang Lin continued to maintain his respectful salute, a smile on his face, “Head Li is my senior, whether or not I have the right, I should pay my respects. It’s the polite thing to do. If others don’t understand decorum, as a true disciple of the Purple Mist, I cannot neglect it.”
Upon hearing this, everyone’s expressions changed somewhat. The young man from the Li family who had just spoken was downright furious. Fang Lin’s words were practically mocking the Li family for having no manners.
The royal family members all laughed. Yang Jianye did not hold back and let out a hearty laugh, his admiration for Fang Lin deepening.
Han Luoyun gave a slight nod, seemingly very satisfied with Fang Lin’s reply.
Li Zhendong’s eyes turned cold. He was staring at Fang Lin with frosty eyes, but he did not say anything more. After all, he was the head of the Li Family. His status was there, and it would be undignified to squabble with a junior like Fang Lin.
“Fang Lin, who are you saying has no manners?” The youth from the Li family was outraged and once again rebuked Fang Lin.
After glancing at him, Fang Lin asked Li Zhendong with a look of confusion, “Head Li, is this person from your family? He doesn’t seem like it, does the Li family actually have someone so unbecoming? Perhaps someone is masquerading as a member of your family, purposely trying to tarnish the Li family’s reputation.”
After saying this, he even looked at the young man from the Li family with suspicion.
The young man from the Li family looked like he was about to explode with anger. Fang Lin’s words were damaging. While not directly insulting, his roundabout manner of insult was even worse. It wasn’t just him; the entire Li family had been insulted by Fang Lin.
And yet, Fang Lin had the nerve to act as if he was genuinely concerned for the Li family. It made the Li family members boil with the desire to step forward and give Fang Lin a beating.
“Smart mouth!” Li Zhendong said with a cold chuckle, looking deeply at Fang Lin. His eyes held a lethal glint.
Fang Lin seemed to take no notice of it, looking utterly innocent.
“Li Zhendong, we didn’t come here to chatter. You’ve brought so many people from your family this time, could it be that all of them want to compete for the substitute position?” Han Luoyun asked.
The Li family had brought many people this time, more than twenty in total. Apart from two old men and five middle-aged men, the others were all young men and women of the Li family.
Compared to the Li family, the number of people from the Purple Mist Sect was pitifully small: just the Sect Master and Fang Lin who was competing.
In terms of numbers and momentum, the Li family seemed to have the upper hand.
Li Zhendong glared at Han Luoyun with hostility, “My Li family has many talents, all of whom wish to compete for the substitute position. Is there a problem? I don’t recall there being any rules about how many family members can compete?”
Han Luoyun laughed, “Indeed, there are no limits, but I seem to recall that Li Tongtian should be the most hopeful candidate from the Li family for the substitute position. Has he not arrived yet? Should we wait for him a while?”
Fang Lin was shocked as he looked at his Sect Master and Mentor. He thought he was already quite sarcastic, but he didn’t expect Han Luoyun to be equally sharp-tongued, and was successfully infuriating Li Zhendong and the Li family.
Everyone knew Li Tongtian had died in the Endless Dungeon, and there was no way Han Luoyun didn’t know.
However, the fact that he purposely said this was clearly a mockery of the Li family, deliberately uncovering their painful secret.
Li Zhendong’s face was extremely ugly, he glared at Han Luoyun, “Han, you better watch what you say, don’t push your luck!”
Han Luoyun chuckled, not even sparing Li Zhendong a glance.
Yang Jianye stepped forward and said, “Now that everyone has arrived, let us not waste time and proceed to the martial arts arena.”
Under the lead of the royal family, the group moved towards the martial arts arena.
Once they had reached the arena, Yang Jianye took his place in the main seat. The three Princes; Yang Jianfeng, Yang Fengchi, and Yang Wanshan, all stood behind him.
Han Luoyun sat to his left, Li Zhendong to his right, and Fang Lin stood behind Han Luoyun. The members of the Li family were stood behind Li Zhendong.
The Li family members, both men and women, stared maliciously at Fang Lin, especially the young man who had been tacitly insulted by Fang Lin earlier, his face full of murderous intent.
Fang Lin rolled his eyes at them, not afraid of them in the slightest, if you glare at me, I’ll glare right back at you.
Fang Lin alone stood against a group of Li family members and he didn’t back down, his momentum was indeed strong.
“For this grand contest between the Middle Three Kingdoms, the royal family has already chosen Yang Xuanfeng for the regular selection,” said Yang Jianye.
Neither Han Luoyun nor Li Zhendong were surprised. Yang Xuanfeng was the eldest son of the Emperor, and also the strongest among the royal family’s young generation. His strength outshone his brothers, so his selection as one of the three main competitors was natural.
Li Zhendong also spoke up: “The Li Family has chosen Li Guanxin to compete.”
“Oh! Seems like Brother Li has quite the confidence in his son,” laughed Han Luoyun.
“Focus on your own affairs,” responded Li Zhendong blandly.
Fang Lin had heard of this Li Guanxin. He seemed to be Li Zhendong’s only son. Apparently, he was very talented and had once traveled through the Middle Three Kingdoms, gaining a great deal of experience. Although he rarely appeared publicly now, he had always been the strongest among the younger generation of the Li family.
Even Li Tongtian, now dead, had been somewhat inferior to Li Guanxin.
“The Purple Mist Sect chooses my daughter, Han Xiaoxing, to compete,” said Han Luoyun.
“A blind girl? Is Sect Master Han playing some sort of joke?” As soon as Han Luoyun finished speaking, an elder from behind Li Zhendong sneered.