Chapter 2105 — Giving Face
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
Everyone except Wei Zhao had already unleashed their martial techniques and stepped down from the field, waiting for the Zhao family disciples to tally the results. Yet Wei Zhao still stood there, motionless, without striking a blow!
This bizarre spectacle left even Han Tianba and Han Xiaohu somewhat puzzled. What on earth was Wei Zhao doing?
As a matter of fact, both Han Tianba and Han Xiaohu had witnessed Wei Zhao unleash the Myriad Transformations of the Forest technique back when he was staying with the hidden Han family, and both had been certain that Wei Zhao would win this martial contest hands down. But after seeing Pi Zhitao make his move, that conviction had begun to waver.
Wei Zhao's Myriad Transformations of the Forest was formidable to be sure, but Pi Zhitao's martial technique was no weakling either, so Han Tianba and Han Xiaohu grew anxious. Wei Zhao's prospects in this contest did not look good! In truth, in their earlier estimation, it would have been impressive enough for Wei Zhao simply to win the racing event, for the hidden Han family's original purpose in recruiting Wei Zhao had been precisely that race.
But after Wei Zhao won the hidden-weapons evasion contest the day before, Han Tianba and Han Xiaohu's hopes had swelled. They wanted Wei Zhao to keep on winning, one victory after another! In that way, the standing of the hidden Han family would rise along with him.
Although the hidden Han family had brought in outside help, this help was no outsider at all—it was the hidden Han family's leader, Wei Zhao!
"Xiaopo, with Mr. Lin's martial technique, he may not achieve an overwhelming victory, but second place is all but guaranteed!" Han Tianba was taking it philosophically. He might not be able to take first, but second place was honor enough. Though they would not win the wager, neither would they lose it—a respectable outcome, all things considered.
"Mm!" Han Xiaohu nodded, looking somewhat despondent and at a loss.
"Wei Zhao, are you going to unleash your martial technique or not?" Pi Zhifeng was on very close terms with Pi Zhitao, so naturally he had come to lend his support when Pi Zhitao entered the contest. Since Pi Zhitao had recognized Wei Zhao, Pi Zhifeng had of course recognized him as well. Now, nursing the grudge they had formed during the Ice Palace trials, his dislike for Wei Zhao burned all the hotter, and he questioned him with a sneer.
"The contest rules say there's a time limit, do they? And who do you think you are—you fancy yourself Elder Zhao?" Wei Zhao shot Pi Zhifeng a cold glance, then turned to Elder Zhao and said, "Elder Zhao, someone's impersonating you!"
"Impersonating me?" Elder Zhao was stunned, and it was a good while before he understood what Wei Zhao meant by "impersonating." Wei Zhao was accusing Pi Zhifeng of posing as him—and Elder Zhao's fury flared at once! That had not been Pi Zhifeng's meaning at all, but his words had indeed overstepped his place, and Elder Zhao had nowhere to direct his anger. He could only say coldly, "Pi Zhifeng, this contest truly has no such rule, so do not speak out of turn! But Wei Zhao, everyone is waiting on you—could you perhaps hurry it up?"
"Heh, very well—then I shall condescend to give you some face!" Wei Zhao said mildly. "I originally thought, since all of you haven't won a single contest, that you were rather pitiful, so I meant to forfeit this round. But Elder Zhao, from the look of you, you still want me to win! Very well, as you wish!"
No sooner had Wei Zhao's words faded than he began to make a show of circulating his mental cultivation method to draw upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Suddenly he brought his palms together and thrust them straight forward, shouting, "Vacuum Wave Punch!"