The Cui Family Disciples scanned the entire hall, but they couldn’t find anyone who matched their image of a revered expert.

Cui Chong smiled. “I want to make his acquaintance for the sake of the Cui Family, and also for you. I hope that one of you can catch his eye and learn a few moves from him. If so, achieving the Innate realm will be well within reach.”

The eyes of the Cui Family Disciples lit up with excitement.

“Grandfather, you’re so good to us.”

“Thank you, Grandfather.”

“Grandfather, I’ll be sure to perform well in front of the expert later.”

Each of the Cui Family Disciples voiced their eager promises.

Standing to the side, Cui Shanhe let out a faint chuckle and glanced disdainfully at his brothers. These fools can’t even recognize a True Dragon. I am the only one worthy of becoming his disciple. At this thought, Cui Shanhe gazed proudly at Wu Tian’s back.

Cui Chong laughed heartily; the old man was in high spirits today. For the past few nights, he had been calling Xiao Liang to ask just how formidable Wu Tian was. Xiao Liang had described Wu Tian as someone whose abilities were unmatched in heaven or on earth. Cui Chong knew his old friend wasn’t one to exaggerate. He began to feel that it might not be impossible for the Cui Family of Qinghe to replace the Wang Family of Taiyuan. Perhaps they could even become the most preeminent of the great families. He was determined to have his descendants perform at their best.

“Grandfather, someone has committed murder here. This must be dealt with,” Cui Shanshui declared. He suspected the expert might be observing the Cui Family Disciples from the shadows, so he had to make an impression now. Many large corporations used this method when hiring; the test had, in fact, already begun.

“What do you mean?” When he realized Cui Shanshui was talking about Wu Tian, Cui Chong’s smile vanished, replaced by a grave expression.

Seeing his grandfather’s reaction, Cui Shanshui felt his guess was correct—the test had indeed started. He glanced at his brothers, who still hadn’t grasped the situation, and felt a flicker of disdain. He nonetheless said earnestly, “Grandfather, I think we must severely punish the murderer. This will show the expert that the Cui Family is a great house that upholds its laws, not some minor family where anyone can act recklessly. I suggest…”

“Enough. Say no more.” Cui Chong immediately waved his hand, signaling Cui Shanshui to stop. He was actually asking him, Cui Chong, to punish Wu Tian? Cui Chong wondered if his grandson had gotten his head stuck in a door that morning.

But Cui Shanshui, still oblivious to Cui Chong’s meaning, grew nervous. Did I pass? Or did I fail? No! Compared to my brothers who still have no idea what’s going on, I’ve already done very well. That expert must have noticed me by now, right? A person who earnestly upholds family law will surely respect his master and honor his teachings in the future.

“Father, I think we should just invite him out,” Cui Ming suggested, not wanting his sons to continue embarrassing themselves.

“Right.” Cui Chong nodded and then clapped his hands, drawing everyone’s attention.

Cui Chong then spoke. “Esteemed guests, I welcome you all to the home of the Cui Family of Qinghe. I’m sure you already know this, but I organized this banquet to make the acquaintance of a great expert. And that expert is already here among us.”

The people in the courtyard exchanged puzzled glances.

“Where is this expert?”

“An expert of that caliber must have an otherworldly demeanor.”

“Who could it be?”

The guests looked around the courtyard but failed to spot such a person. They didn’t give up, however, still searching curiously for the expert that even the proud Cui Family of Qinghe was so eager to befriend.

The Cui Family Disciples knew the expert was about to appear. Wu Tian was indeed formidable, and they were no match for him. Even now, he just stood there, completely unperturbed. However, the disciples were certain that once the real expert revealed himself, the young man who had killed so wantonly would be scared out of his wits.

Finally, Cui Chong pointed in Wu Tian’s direction and said, “Sir, please come over here.”

The people standing near Wu Tian were stunned. The expert is among us? How did we not know?

A slight smile touched Wu Tian’s lips as he walked forward. The crowd stood dumbfounded. As the saying goes, those involved are lost in the fog, while the onlookers see everything clearly.

The Cui Family Disciples frowned, and several of them shouted, “Hey, what do you think you’re doing?”

“Don’t tell me you realized the expert is here, so now you want to apologize to our Cui Family?”

“If so, you’d better show some genuine sincerity!”

Cui Ming couldn’t listen to any more. How could his sons be so foolish? He raised his hand in a fit of anger and slapped them repeatedly across their faces. SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! Cui Shanshui and the others felt a sharp, stinging pain on their cheeks.

“How can this be?” Gona finally understood what was happening, his face a mask of disbelief.

Watt, who had also witnessed the scene, said in a daze, “Wu Tian… Wu Tian is actually the person the Cui Family of Qinghe wants to befriend? No, there’s another possibility. Maybe he really is just going over to apologize.”

Gona shot Watt a scornful look, thinking his earlier comparison to Zhuge Liang and Liu Bowen was an absolute joke. He snorted, “Didn’t you see Cui Ming hit his own sons? That means even if Wu Tian isn’t the expert the Cui Family wants to befriend, he must have some connection to him.”

And indeed, after Wu Tian walked over, Cui Chong smiled and said, “Mr. Wu Tian, your presence brings great honor to our Cui Family.”

“Indeed,” Cui Ming hurriedly added. “Please, no matter what, you must stay at the Cui residence tonight so we may properly host you.”

The Cui Family Disciples were utterly dumbfounded, at a complete loss for what to do. The various patriarchs and matriarchs in the courtyard, along with the younger generations they had brought, stared at the scene in stunned silence.

Although Gona had his suspicions, the confirmation left him rooted to the spot. How could this be? How did things turn out this way? He had originally felt that Wu Tian was unworthy of being his rival in love. At best, he was an easy, first-level boss in a video game, someone he could dispose of in an instant. But now, no matter how foolish Gona was, he knew that wasn’t the case at all. I… perhaps I… am not even worthy of being his opponent. At that moment, Gona felt like a colossal joke.

Watching the dejected Gona, Watt grew even more anxious. He saw himself as a grand strategist, a Zhuge Liang or a Liu Bowen. How could he stand by and watch his chosen leader—his Liu Bei, his Zhu Yuanzhang—lose heart?

“He’s the expert the Cui Family wants to befriend?”

“Isn’t he too young?”

“But you have to admit, he’s incredibly formidable,” many people said, recalling the bizarre scene from earlier.

The younger guests, brought by their parents, also looked at Wu Tian’s figure with a strange new light in their eyes.

“Dad, you said people like Mr. Wu Tian would never amount to anything. You said only those who know how to endure can achieve greatness. But it looks like that’s not the case at all.”

“Yeah, Dad, you said the same thing. You said we always have to endure.”

“Mom, you were wrong. It seems like you have to be brazen when you can get away with it to become a truly important person.”

Their parents and elders were rendered speechless. They had never imagined this young man would be the expert. He looked to be no older than twenty. How could he be so powerful as to make the high and mighty Cui Family of Qinghe lower their proud heads?

The disciples of the Huashan Sect were also stunned, unsure what to do. Then, a thought suddenly struck them. The Cui Family of Qinghe had their expert, but their very own Arrow King knew an expert, too! Who was afraid of whom?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep