The Observatory Masters from all the Daoist Temples below were watching the commotion with glee, each offering their opinions, continuously pressuring Liu Feng and mocking Zhang Xiaohua.
Hearing the crowd’s jeering and seeing Liu Feng’s flushed face, Zhang Xiaohua finally couldn’t hold it anymore: "Senior Brother, please stop! Martial arts competition is a fair contest, Wang is certainly not a sore loser. This bout was won by Nephew Zhang Chen, so please say no more, lest we all lose face."
Zhang Xiaohua’s voice was firm and decisive as he addressed Liu Feng, then he turned to Zhang Chen: "Nephew, you indeed have great skills. I truly underestimated you before. This time you have won, you’re the first in the competition, I admit my loss."
After speaking, Zhang Xiaohua strode off the platform without hesitation, leaving Liu Feng and Zhang Chen standing on the stage.
Liu Feng, with a dark expression, glanced at Zhang Chen, then addressed the crowd below: "Zhang Chen has won this competition, you all may disperse now."
Having said that, he didn’t mention any rewards but hurriedly descended the platform.
Zhang Chen stood on the platform, looking at the receding Liu Feng, somewhat speechless at how ungracious he was.
"Junior Brother Zhang, you’re first! You’re first! You have a place among the future Star Gods, don’t ever forget me, I want to be your subordinate Divine Spirit." At this moment, Chengyu came running to the front of the platform, shouting and hollering.
Zhang Chen’s eyes swept over the crowd below the platform, who were all watching with a look of amusement, without any sign of congratulating him for winning first place.
Zhang Chen’s heart sank, he looked at the hollering Chengyu, jumped off the platform and embraced Chengyu, then left with the crowd.
The big competition ended with a whimper.
"Zhang Chen, congratulations, you can be a Star God in the future." Chengyu’s big eyes sparkled with delight.
"It’s too early for congratulations; I fear the Observatory Master will not let it end so easily." Zhang Chen said, as he patted Chengyu’s head and rose to head to his private residence.
"What do you mean?" Chengyu asked, puzzled: "Aren’t you already first place? What other changes could happen?"
Chengyu’s young mind couldn’t grasp the complexity within.
Zhang Chen patted Xiaodouding’s head but didn’t explain.
When Zhang Chen returned to his private residence, he paused at the gate, seeing Liu Feng standing inside with a gloomy expression.
Zhang Chen put down Xiaodouding, stepped forward, and saluted: "Greetings, Observatory Master."
"Zhang Chen, your wings have hardened, so even my words no longer hold sway, is that so?" Liu Feng’s voice was icy, his face so dark it seemed ready to drip water.
Zhang Chen sighed softly at the words: "Master, I don’t understand your meaning."
He could only feign ignorance.
"I told you to lose to the Crown Prince in the ring, why did you defy my order?" Liu Feng’s voice was filled with barely suppressed fury, feeling that if Zhang Chen had obeyed, the situation wouldn’t have spiraled so out of control.
Zhang Chen sighed softly at those words: "Master, you wrong me, I merely wanted to appear stubborn verbally, but planned to lose to the Crown Prince in action, to showcase his prowess and assure others of the competition’s fairness. But who knew the Crown Prince was so ineffective, that my very first strike pierced through his Protective Superpower?"
Zhang Chen was a sly little fox, how could he openly oppose Liu Feng?
Now feigning grievance, he said: "Had the Crown Prince blocked just one of my strikes, I would have had the chance to concede with dignity. But alas, he was all show, a silver spear with a wax handle."
Zhang Chen’s voice was full of grievance.
"And afterward? I told you to concede, why did you refuse?" Liu Feng interrogated Zhang Chen: "You dared not only to disobey me in the ring but openly confront me, you’re truly capable, not the same as when you first arrived."
Zhang Chen sighed helplessly at those words: "Master, you know that I bear deep animosity towards Zhang Xiaohua, is it possible for me to bow to him? You might as well kill me with a single stroke!"
Liu Feng was momentarily speechless with rage, finally managing to say after a long pause: "Do you truly believe that because Xie Lingyun favors you, you can defy my will, openly confront me?"
Zhang Chen responded with a calm and unhurried smile: "I wouldn’t dare, Master. I simply want to say that what the Prince Pingbian’s Mansion can accomplish, the Inspection and Supervision Department can achieve too."
"Are you threatening me? Using the Inspection and Supervision Department against me?" Liu Feng’s eyes glinted with a dangerous light, realizing Zhang Chen was hinting that if the Prince Pingbian’s Mansion could suppress the Yellow Heaven Dao, so could the Inspection and Supervision Department.
"You’ve misunderstood me, I’m saying that if the Prince Pingbian’s Mansion can support the propagation of Yellow Heaven Dao, so can the Inspection and Supervision Department, right?" Zhang Chen hurriedly denied any implication of threat in his words.
Liu Feng cast a glance at Zhang Chen upon hearing this, unclear if he believed him, his tone softened: "You know what? The Inspection and Supervision Department only has the authority to monitor, not to interfere with the Prince Pingbian’s Mansion’s decrees. It doesn’t have the power to enable us to propagate in the Northern Land."
Sighing deeply, Liu Feng continued,
"Do you even understand the power of the Prince Pingbian’s Mansion? We rely entirely on their support to propagate, and if we anger them, the Yellow Heaven Dao will face devastating retribution in the Northern Land, and even the Inspection and Supervision Department has no authority to intervene. Decades of effort and accumulation in the Northern Land, innumerable disciples’ relentless endeavors, could be reduced to ashes with just one decree from the Prince Pingbian’s Mansion." Liu Feng’s body trembled with fury as he spoke: "Moreover, the top spot in this competition was my Huangli Temple’s obligation to the Prince Pingbian’s Mansion. By ignoring my hints and forcefully claiming the first position, how am I supposed to explain to the Prince Pingbian’s Mansion?"