Chapter 1612: Chapter 67: Borrowing another’s sword

Zhen Ding hesitated, but under the good cop/bad cop pressure from the two clan uncles, ultimately didn’t utter a word and dejectedly followed behind them, exiting through the side gate.

The Zhen Clan’s side gate was only a few yards from the Beast Head Gate, merely twenty steps away, but those few short steps were extremely difficult to walk.

The crowd’s jeering laughter and those schadenfreude-filled eyes made this short distance seem as steep as a cliff.

But living long enough, one learns that the opinions of outsiders are insignificant. The Great Elder and Second Elder of the Zhen Clan were composed, completely undisturbed by the laughter echoing through the streets.

Only Zhen Ding was overcome with shame, his head bowed, not daring to look up.

But what use was it? After all, it was only twenty steps, which were covered in the blink of an eye.

“We dare not keep our in-laws waiting.”

With a smile, the Great Elder apologized to Zhan Qi, then ordered the guards lined up on both sides, “Well, what are you waiting for? Open the main gate!”

“Great Elder!?”

Guard Captain Zhen Zhuo couldn’t believe his ears as he looked incredulously at his own Great Elder.

“What, did you not hear my command!”

Frowning, the Great Elder ordered: “Immediately, open, the gate!”

Another round of laughter erupted from the crowd on the street; Zhen Zhuo’s face flushed red as he clenched his spear, veins bulging on the back of his hands and neck.

“How amusing, truly amusing.”

Zhan Qi looked on as the Zhen Clan’s Great Elder really did come to open the gate, snapped his folding fan shut, and laughed loudly, “So the men of the Zhen Clan really are impotent, no wonder a woman runs the household! Are you even fit to be relatives of a clan leader?”

The Zhen Clan’s two elderly thought their concession would earn them respect, but Zhan Jingquan’s words swept away any dignity they had imagined into the dust.

As the two elders of the Zhen Clan stood at a loss, Zhen Zhuo’s spear was already thrusting uncontrollably forward, tearing through the wind, aiming straight for Zhan Jingquan’s face.

Facing the ferocious thrust, Zhan Jingquan maintained his arrogant demeanor, but there was a hint of appreciation in his eyes.

Moon staff, annual blade, a lifetime’s spear. To master a weapon like a spear without putting in the effort is out of the question. Zhen Zhuo’s spearmanship was dazzling, a pity that he faced him.

“Clang!”

The folding fan, like a snake’s tongue, flicked out and lightly tapped the tuft of the spear, two layers of hidden force repelling the fierce spearhead, as Zhan Qi’s arms traced through the air like a white snake, sliding along the spear shaft to within three feet of Zhen Zhuo, and with a “swish,” opened his folding fan.

Blinding golden light burst forth, blinding Zhen Zhuo, who then felt his chest as if struck by a dragon, the strong impact knocking him back against the Beast Head Gate.

The broken door bolts and flung open gate, along with the Zhen Mansion’s guard captain vomiting blood continuously in the garden, made it clear to anyone that the visitors from the Zhan Clan had ill intentions.

The Zhen Clan guards arranged on both sides of the gate saw their guard captain knocked back with a single palm, quickly formed the Deer Repelling Formation in front of the open gate, spear tips directly pointing to all the vital points around Zhan Qi’s body, their eyes filled with furious shame.

This was the blood-courage of martial artists pushed to the edge, not caring about strength or weakness.

“Hmm?”

Faced with the Deer Repelling Formation, Zhan Qi couldn’t help but frown, originally thinking that defeating Zhen Zhuo would deter these guards, but instead it seemed to have stoked their courage.

After all, his ability to defeat Zhen Zhuo in one blow wasn’t because his cultivation was truly that superior; it was merely taking advantage of a weakness in the technique.

But against an array of spears like this, singular Spirit Art techniques were somewhat less effective.

“What are you doing?”

Just as Zhan Qi found himself at an impasse, the Great Elder of the Zhen Clan spoke up again, his voice stern as he admonished the guards forming the Deer Repelling Formation: “Step aside quickly, take the guard captain to the healing hall for treatment. Are you trying to rebel?”

Without the guard captain Zhen Zhuo, these Zhen Clan guards didn’t dare defy the Great Elder’s orders. Like antlers, the spears were lowered one by one, heads bowed, making way through the central gate.

“Hahaha, hahahahaha.”

Zhan Jingquan once again snapped the folding fan shut, glanced at the two Zhen Clan elders, then gestured to the palanquin bearers with his fan, “Go, let’s go retrieve the beauty!”

Watching as Zhan Qi defeated Zhen Zhuo with a single palm and pushed open the gates of the Zhen Mansion, the two Zhen Clan elders were seething with anger yet didn’t dare to speak out, and another round of cheers erupted from the street.

This unbridled attitude, wasn’t that the essence of why they followed Zhan Jingquan? Looking at Zhan Qi’s departing figure, didn’t they too wish to one day become someone like him?

Although it was just a trivial star-receiving ceremony, the entire Danmu Town felt it–the unstoppable Zhan Clan, like this procession stubbornly insisting on entering through the main gate.

“Retreat!”

Just as everyone believed the palanquin to be unstoppable, a fierce shout erupted from within the mansion, startling the palanquin bearer about to step over the threshold, nearly causing him to tumble.

The palanquin wobbled and staggered back several steps, and it was only with Zhan Qi’s help that the bearers didn’t fall down the steps.

“Who!”

Stabilizing the palanquin, Zhan Qi’s eyes filled with viciousness as he shouted towards the Zhen Mansion courtyard.

“West Wing Guard of the Zhen Mansion, Kaba!”

The dark-skinned youth with one arm holding a sword walked out slowly from inside, locking gaze with the fierce, vertical pupils of the White Snake.

“Hehehe.”

Zhan Qi scoffed, “It seems the Zhen Clan really is revolting. A mere side wing guard dares to block my way?”

“This is the Zhen Mansion, and thus you are a guest, not a master.”

Kaba seriously said, “Since this is the Zhen Mansion, please follow the Zhen Mansion’s rules. Sir, please retreat down the steps and use the side gate!”

“Oh?”