Chapter 4174 — Shangguan Tianxia Watches the Duel
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
Rumors of every stripe filled the air, each more vivid and convincing than the last, and they only made this already closely watched clash of titans draw even more eyes, until it had swelled into the packed, seething spectacle it was today.
But whichever version people believed, public opinion remained lopsided: against Su Zhaohe, a mere Wei Zhao stood no chance at all.
Accompanied by his long-suffering senior brothers, Wei Zhao slowly mounted the North Island arena, casting a calm glance around the crowd, and when his eyes found the figure at the central viewing stand, his gaze abruptly froze.
Wei Zhao had never imagined that a petty challenge of his could draw a top-tier figure like Shangguan Tianxia to watch in person!
And he was not alone—everyone present wore a look of shock at Shangguan Tianxia's arrival, assuming one and all that this top-tier giant had come for Su Zhaohe, to use this duel as a chance to see whether Su Zhaohe truly had the makings of a prized disciple.
That was what the vast majority believed, and Su Zhaohe, one of the two principals in this duel, was more convinced of it than anyone—and beside himself with delight!
A personage on Shangguan Tianxia's level could hardly have come specially to watch a nobody newcomer like Wei Zhao; the only reasonable explanation was that he was indeed watching Su Zhaohe, wanting to see whether he could catch his eye—and this was a golden opportunity of a lifetime!
Over these past days, the rumor that Su Zhaohe was about to take Shangguan Tianxia as his master had grown ever more feverish, until everyone took it for truth. Yet the one with the least certainty in his heart was, in fact, Su Zhaohe himself.
The reason was simple: Shangguan Tianxia had never explicitly said he would take him as a disciple. He had merely, at some elders' council, let slip a word or two of praise in passing—that the boy was worth cultivating—and from that the rumor had spread and spread until all the world knew it. Since Shangguan Tianxia himself had never denied it, the tale grew ever more vivid with each retelling.
Su Zhaohe had been somewhat uneasy, but now, seeing Shangguan Tianxia attend "expressly" for his sake, a great stone dropped from his heart and he was utterly at ease. He thought only this: if today he trod Wei Zhao firmly into the ground and laid bare the strength he had been hiding, the matter of taking a master would be settled beyond doubt!
Little did he know that Shangguan Tianxia had shown his face entirely thanks to Shangguan Lan'er—there had simply been no refusing her; the old man's beard had nearly been pulled out by his own granddaughter!
The reason she had dragged him here by force came down to a single thought: to have him stand by for Wei Zhao. Not to stop the duel outright, but at the very least, should Wei Zhao face mortal danger, a man of Shangguan Tianxia's power could always intervene with ease, so that Wei Zhao would not lose his life on the spot.
Yet when Wei Zhao caught sight of those standing beside Shangguan Tianxia and Shangguan Lan'er, he was startled again. There, plain as day, was Huang Xiaotao!
Since she had gone back last time, Huang Xiaotao had not removed her veil, and word of her restored face had not spread; everything remained as before. That did not much surprise Wei Zhao—what truly astonished him was this: since when had Huang Xiaotao gotten together with Shangguan Lan'er?
From the way Shangguan Lan'er laughed and chatted with her, the two seemed close. Could they have been friends long ago? Why had he never heard Shangguan Lan'er mention it?
On second thought, though, Huang Xiaotao had originally been a disciple of the Soaring Heavens Pavilion, and its women disciples were few and far between; it seemed perfectly normal that Shangguan Lan'er should know her and become her friend.