Under One Person: Please Call Me Golden Flash

Chapter 26 An unexpected surprise
"Brother Zhao, are you alright?"

Just as her father, Lu Xuan, was discussing matters with the guests, Lu Jin walked up to Zhao Zhen with an apologetic expression.

"It's nothing," Zhao Zhen shook her head.

"I'm sorry, all of this happened today because of me. I really didn't expect things to turn out this way."

Seeing Lu Jin's ashamed expression, Zhao Zhen smiled slightly.

Putting everything else aside, having a friend like Lu Jin, who will stand by you in the first place no matter your background, makes this birthday banquet worthwhile.

"It's alright. Actually, it's not your fault. After all, I expected things to turn out like this after the news about Yinghelou spread."

Now that I think about it, the reason why my father forced me to climb mountains every day to strengthen my legs when I was a child was probably because he had already foreseen that things would turn out this way.
This old man, just how many hateful things did he do when he was young...?

Zhao Zhen was pondering to himself when Lu Jin suddenly spoke up: "Don't worry, after today, this kind of thing shouldn't happen again."

"why?"

Zhao Zhen was slightly taken aback and looked at Lu Jin with some confusion.

“Just now, when you had a conflict with Lü Ci, my master and the Celestial Master stepped in to vouch for you.”

As she spoke, Lu Jin roughly recounted to Zhao Zhen what Zuo Ruotong and Zhang Jingqing had said at the main table earlier.

After listening to Lu Jin's words, Zhao Zhen's feelings became very complicated.

When he decided to attend the Lu family's birthday banquet, he was actually somewhat testing the waters to gauge the attitudes of these righteous sects towards him.

After all, the old man had never told him about the grudges and grievances from his youth.

Instead of painstakingly collecting the old man's "dark history," it would be better to take advantage of the Lu family's birthday banquet, a gathering of righteous people, and make an appearance at the banquet.

Firstly, by observing the attitudes of these righteous sects towards him after his appearance at the birthday banquet, he could determine which sects' disciples he should pay attention to in the future.

Secondly, he also considered that it was the Lu family's birthday banquet, and on such a joyous occasion, they would certainly not really attack him. He also had the Golden Escape Technique, so he could escape at any time.

In fact, everything was proceeding according to Zhao Zhen's plan at the beginning, so he was not surprised by Lü Ci's appearance.

The only two things Zhao Zhen hadn't anticipated were that he would happen to run into Zuo Ruotong on the road and that "willful" Celestial Master Zhang Jingqing.

When Zhang Jingqing was testing Zhao Zhen at the door, Zhao Zhen could of course choose to run away immediately, but wouldn't that cause all the things he had planned to do to fall through?
Moreover, based on Zhao Zhen's impression of this 64th generation Celestial Master Zhang Jingqing, even when facing his own old man, he was reluctant to kill him because of the Golden Escape Flowing Light, let alone himself, a completely "innocent" child.

Not to mention that she came with Zuo Ruotong. Even if Zhang Jingqing really had murderous intentions towards her, Zuo Ruotong would definitely not remain indifferent.

So Zhao Zhen was gambling, betting that it was just a test from Zhang Jingqing, and that she didn't actually intend to kill him here.

Clearly, Zhao Zhen won his gamble; he successfully survived under Zhang Jingqing's control.

Otherwise, Zhang Jingqing certainly wouldn't have personally stepped in to agree with Zuo Ruotong when she vouched for him earlier.

As for why Zuo Ruotong was so kind to him, even going so far as to personally vouch for his character to everyone, Zhao Zhen guessed that part of it was because of his beloved disciple Lu Jin, but of course, the bigger reason was related to Li Muxuan.

In the matter of Li Muxuan back then, although the young Li Muxuan was wrong for being unruly, in Zuo Ruotong’s view, was she, the “Daying Immortal”, also wrong?

He had been telling Li Muxuan what sincerity meant, but because he got really angry at that time, he forgot the meaning of "sincerity".

Li Muxuan is also involved in the Yinghe Tower incident, and unlike Zhao Zhen, Li Muxuan has truly joined forces with those Quanxing demons.

Therefore, in Zuo Ruotong's view, Li Muxuan did bear some responsibility for going astray.

It was precisely because of Li Muxuan's example that Zuo Ruotong did not want the same people and things to repeat themselves. He tried his best to pull Zhao Zhen onto the so-called "right path," which is why he was so "biased" towards Zhao Zhen.

"Is that so? Then I really have to accept this favor from Master Zuo and the Celestial Master."

After saying that, Zhao Zhen clasped his hands and bowed respectfully to Zuo Ruotong and Zhang Jingqing. "It's not the right time yet. Let's go and thank the two seniors in person after the banquet."

"Ah."

Lu Jin reached out and patted Zhao Zhen's shoulder, his face revealing an undisguised smile of happiness for Zhao Zhen.

"I also have to thank you, Brother Lu."

"Oh, it's nothing. But it seems the juniors' practice tomorrow should be basically settled. Brother Zhao, do you still remember what you promised me back then?"

"Of course I remember," Zhao Zhen smiled.

"For the past five years, I haven't dared to slack off in my cultivation at all, just hoping to win back what I lost. I hope you won't let me down, Brother Zhao."

"Haha, there's no point in saying more. We'll see tomorrow."

"Haha, it's a deal. I'll go and keep the guests company now."

"Well, let's go."

After watching Lu Jin leave, Zhao Zhen breathed a long sigh of relief.

To be honest, it was a pleasant surprise that Zuo Ruotong would personally step in for me.

However, regardless of the circumstances, with Zuo Ruotong and the Celestial Master acting as guarantors after the Lu family's birthday banquet, the younger generation might not be so lucky, but at least the older generation should no longer hold a grudge against him for the old man's actions.

After all, these two have said this in public. If anyone else makes trouble for him because of the old man, wouldn't that be disrespecting the Celestial Master and Zuo Ruotong?
Anyone with a modicum of common sense wouldn't be that stupid.

"Congratulations, Brother Zhao."

Zhao Zhen turned her head and saw Zhang Zhiwei striding towards her.

"Thank you, this is also thanks to your master."

Zhang Zhiwei waved his hand.

"That was something you fought for yourself. If you had just run away outside the door, my master would never have personally intervened."

"By the way, Brother Zhao, when you fought that person from the Lü family just now, was your method of dealing with the Lü family's Ruyi Jin (a powerful attack) the Golden Escape Flowing Light technique?"

"I still couldn't hide it from Fellow Daoist Zhang's eyes. That's right, I did use the Golden Escape Flowing Light technique."

"Wonderful, Brother Zhao, your move is brilliant! I had only heard that the Golden Escape Flowing Light was an escape technique before, but I never expected that you, Brother Zhao, could use it in combat!"

If I'm not mistaken, you must have used your Golden Escape Technique to transfer the Ruyi Force from that person's hand the moment you made contact with it, right?

After hearing this, Zhao Zhen looked at Zhang Zhiwei with a hint of surprise in her eyes.

Is it fair to say that he truly deserves to be called one of the "One Person Under One" characters?

He saw through my methods just by observing me use them once. Such a sharp eye is something that even many older generation superhumans don't possess.
"Fellow Daoist Zhang truly lives up to his reputation as a future Celestial Master candidate. Nothing can escape your eyes. I admire you greatly."

"If my master allows me to participate in tomorrow's practice, Brother Zhao must come up and spar with me."

"Haha, that's for sure. Even if Fellow Daoist Zhang hadn't mentioned it, I'd long wanted to witness the Celestial Master's Mansion's unique techniques."

"It's a deal?"

"A word is settled!"

(End of this chapter)