"Keep dreaming," said another female disciple. "He's only around a hundred and twenty years old, very much still a child. You're an old cow pared to him."
"I'm only around four hundred, okay? You know what they say. A woman three hundred years older than the husband carries gold bricks." [1]
"Oh? Why don't you make that three thousand then?"
Discussions occurred nonstop around Tianming. "That guy is impressive indeed."
One didn't have to think too much to know that Suishen Zhao was truly one of those with the highest talent and status in Myriadpath Valley. While Huang Daosheng had the potential to bee an eminent, he didn't even have the right to pete against Suishen Zhao.
Tianming did agree that he had such an aura. "The aura of beauty he gives off is something that both men and women can indeed appreciate."
"Should we go borrow some ointment for your sore backside from Li Fan?" Ying Huo asked.
"Why you!" Tianming wanted to pinch it, but that would only hurt him so he gave up on the notion. He wanted to leave the crowd for the Grand Myriadpath Ruins or the Ascension Colosseum, so he decided to weave through the people to leave. Just then—
"Li Tianming," said a smooth, gentle voice from afar. The voice was soft and the surroundings were noisy, but the subtle timbre of the voice was such that everyone could clearly hear it.
"Who called me?" Tianming looked around him, stunned. All of a sudden, everyone turned to look at him with disbelief.
"What's going on?" Why would he bee the focus of attention out of nowhere? More and more people widened their eyes to look at him and held their breaths.
"I... didn't mishear that, right? The minor pathkeeper seemed to have called his name...."
"I think you’re right...."
People spoke in hushed voices, cluing Tianming in on the situation. He did hear that voice as well and looked through the crowd in the direction of the gigantic boulder. A red-haired youth with his hands behind him had his crimson eyes affixed on Tianming, meeting his gaze.
Tianming didn't understand how a relatively minor character like him had actually been noticed by a being of that status. When their gazes met, he felt a little shocked.
Suishen Zhao stared at him and said in a calm and steady voice, "e to the Ascension Colosseum to challenge me before you bee a hundred years old."
It sounded like a challenge or an invitation. It was almost like an order, but it didn't feel like there was any pulsion behind it. Right as Tianming was trying to figure out the reason, the crowd around him exploded into agitation.
"Suishen Zhao... asked a tainted beastmaster like Li Tianming to challenge him?"
"Heavens.... This kid really hit the jackpot. His red name on the Fortuna Ranking actually drew the attention of someone like him!"
"His name will no doubt shake Myriadpath Valley in the future!"
"Suishen Zhao was the one who made the challenge, not the other way around! It shows that he thinks that Tianming is worth challenging!"
"I'm so envious! It’s such a big deal!"
Everyone looked at Tianming so enviously that their eyes were turning green. He himself was just left confused and speechless. "I was challenged. Why’re these guys acting like it's the best thing to ever happen to me? Did I win the lottery or something?"
Even though it was something that once more rocketed him to the public eye, did that prove anything about his capabilities at all? Even those that only referred to him as 'that taint' started calling him by his proper name.
Suishen Zhao didn't say anything else and left, disappearing into the white fog of Myriadpath Valley. When he was gone, the crowd no longer had to watch their words and immediately went wild.
"Brother! You’re so fortunate! The youngest minor pathkeeper in Myriadpath Valley's history issued you a challenge. I've never seen someone receive so much honor in all my three hundred years here!"
"Friend! You have jumped straight to the top overnight!"
"That's a great honor. The minor pathkeeper wouldn't make any mistakes, right? You should be worth challenging if he's the one who initiated it."
"Brother, let's be friends!"
Seeing their friendliness, Tianming felt like his reputation had been pletely whitewashed. Merely hearing Suishen Zhao's name was enough to let others know what kind of background and bloodline he had, and someone like that hadn’t immediately dismissed Tianming. He simply couldn't get used to the sudden attention and popularity.
"It almost feels like Suishen Zhao proposed to you instead of issuing you a challenge," Ying Huo said.
"Fuck you!" Tianming had no idea how to deal with this. Fortunately, Lan Yun reached out to him by his transmission stone.
Shocked, she roared, "Did Suishen Zhao invite you to challenge him?!"
"Yes, Master," Tianming said.
"Hurry! Quickly! e back to Grandblue Palace right this instant! If you're any bit slow I'll cripple your seventh astral organ!"
Tianming felt a chill down his lower body. "Okay!"
The others around him heard Lan Yun's words and immediately backed off with a start, whether they were male or female.
"Reverend Lan Yun sounds savage!"
"It can't be helped. It's an honor to her that her disciple was favorably looked upon by the minor pathkeeper."
Tianming found the right moment to leave. "Everyone, I'm in a rush to see my master! Adieu!"
Then he disappeared using Fiveway Blitzrun, heading for Grandblue Palace as quickly as he could in order to protect his family jewels.
Gongsun Yan, Tianming's fifth senior brother, was at the entrance. When he saw Tianming, he looked at him wide-eyed with shock. "Are the rumors real? Did Suishen Zhao really ask you to challenge him?"
"Yes!" Tianming said.
"You really hit the jackpot!" Gongsun Yan proclaimed.
"See? It might as well be a marriage proposal with a ring attached," Ying Huo said.
Tianming rolled his eyes and zipped past Gongsun Yan, who, despite hating Tianming, moved aside as if he were afraid to touch him. It made Tianming even more speechless.
Before he could even make his way into the hall, Lan Yun came out, grabbed him, and pressed him against the wall with brute strength. He smashed into the crystal wall that was covered in formations and almost had his entire body shaken loose. He didn't wait for her to speak and groaned, "Master, don't say anything else! I know you're really honored! I'll head to the Ascension Colosseum later to deal with that young upstart and make you even prouder!"
1. The original Chinese saying states that women who are three years older than their husbands ensure they have rich lives. ☜
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