Exploding God

Chapter 1177: My lord, get out of my way!

When this imposing and massive team appeared, without any warning, the Song family members who were setting up and cleaning the square all stopped what they were doing and looked at them with a mixture of shock and fear.

The Zhao family's martial arts uniforms are dark blue with indigo and crimson outlines, making them very easy to recognize. At this moment, this group of over a hundred people appeared wearing the same uniforms, with the majority of them being high-level martial artists whose uniforms were outlined with crimson lines.

The reputation of a person is as good as the shadow of a tree. The impression of the Zhao family's powerful martial arts had long been deeply ingrained in people's minds. When these Song family errand boys first saw such a large scale, they were instinctively afraid.

Meanwhile, the Song family's guards stationed here solemnly struck the welcoming bell, its melodious sound echoing across the wilderness.

……

"So this is the square built by the Song family? It's quite impressive."

"If I were Song Tianhua, I would probably have led the Song family's top leaders out to welcome him as soon as I received the news, since the patriarch has personally led the delegation."

Someone said this with a forced smile, which immediately drew agreement from many of the Zhao family's martial artists.

Even Zhao Luanyan, who was initially worried, couldn't refute it and even secretly agreed with it.

He stood at the front of the line. Despite his tall and burly appearance, his muscles were tense, and he tried to keep his breathing calm.

There was nothing he could do; he was surrounded by reclusive martial artists.

Only by being there in person can one truly appreciate just how impressive the Zhao family's entourage was!

The current patriarch, Zhao Feibai, personally led the team, with all the high-ranking members of Longyang Fortress mobilized, and two-thirds of the reclusive martial artists from Jingyang Mountain Range also came out.

To put it bluntly, Zhao Luanyan, as the Zhao family's top retainer, couldn't even make it into the top five in this team!

The reclusive martial artists around them, who seemed unfamiliar to them, all had extremely indifferent expressions. Only when the patriarch spoke did they slightly move their eyes, and their expressions softened a little.

He, the dignified First Elder, didn't even get a chance to speak; the other party completely ignored him!

Although I was a little annoyed, I have to admit that this indifference was quite encouraging.

Even he himself felt his confidence gradually returning, so Zhao Luanyan took a few steps forward, stood beside the family head, and respectfully spoke:

"Master, the Zhao family has already shown you all the proper etiquette. For you to go any further would be excessive modesty. Please leave the rest to me. Song Tianhua is not one to be ignorant of manners."

Hearing the flattering voices around him and Zhao Luanyan's self-recommendation, Zhao Feibai's eyes remained indifferent, and he raised his hand to signal everyone to stop.

The previously noisy and large crowd instantly fell silent, all turning to look at the person standing quietly.

"Speaking of which, the last time I saw Tianhua was four years ago at the Gu family's Qinghe Manor. Since someone succeeded as the head of the family, I haven't taken the initiative to visit the Zhao family. This time it was quite a coincidence."

Zhao Feibai's voice was calm, leaving the people behind him unsure how to respond. They began to try to decipher the meaning of their patriarch's words.

"What Luan Yan said makes some sense, but it's not that I'm being overly modest. It's just that meeting the master before entering is the proper way for our five great families to get along."

As someone who had been by the patriarch's side for many years, Zhao Luanyan quickly understood his meaning and hurriedly said with a smile, "Patriarch is right. I was thinking too superficially. The Song family has already seen us, and I suppose Song Tianhua and that Mr. Lu are aware of it as well."

That's all I'll say. Zhao Luanyan is someone who knows how to elevate the status of the family head.

Zhao Feibai nodded slightly, looked around, and said, "Let's wait here for a moment and take a good look at the Song family's timeless architecture."

Hearing the relaxed tone in the patriarch's voice, the solemn atmosphere in the group immediately dissipated, and the reclusive martial artists were the first to look around.

Soon everyone noticed the wooden scaffolding in the center of the field. The scaffolding wasn't large, but its location made it seem extremely out of place.

The scaffolding was surrounded by bright red cloth; it wasn't very high, but it was eye-catching enough.

Zhao Feibai and the rest of the clansmen's eyes fell on that spot one after another.

There was a long silence.

Zhao Feibai calmly asked, "If the rumors are true, then the red cloth covering the road sign that person wants to erect?"

Zhao Luanyan hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Patriarch, you are wise. We haven't seen any other road signs along the way, but... that's not necessarily true. Given the strength that person displayed, if I were from the Song family, I would definitely have erected a statue of Mr. Lu here first."

Zhao Feibai tilted his head and couldn't help but look at this rugged-looking chief retainer with new respect.

Upon closer examination, one has to admit that Zhao Luanyan's words do indeed make some sense.

"Let's go take a look."

Zhao Feibai said casually, then strode away.

His movement caused hundreds of people behind him to follow suit, which startled the tense Song family martial artists once again.

Four craftsmen stood on and off the scaffolding, somewhat at a loss. Their martial arts skills were insignificant, and they were stunned for a moment when they saw this grand procession, staring blankly as Zhao Feibai walked up to them.

The patriarch of a thousand-year-old family exudes a powerful sense of authority through his body language and natural gaze.

The four craftsmen involuntarily lowered their gazes, becoming cautious and hesitant to meet Zhao Feibai's eyes, yet they dared not leave either. As a result, their already tense bodies became even more stiff and bewildered.

"Masters, please don't be nervous. I'm just taking a look."

Zhao Feibai's tone was gentle. He walked halfway around the scaffolding with his hands behind his back, then suddenly pointed with his left hand to the area covered by the red cloth. "What is this?"

The craftsmen were not good at dealing with people, let alone in such a grand setting, and remained silent. Finally, the oldest craftsman among them mustered his courage and said, "In response to this gentleman, it is a statue."

statue!

Zhao Luanyan's eyes lit up; he was right after all.

Zhao Feibai nodded, gave Zhao Luanyan a look of appreciation, and then his gaze fell on the red cloth. The large red cloth was wrapped tightly, but the hanging part was not completely sealed, and there were still occasional gaps.

Through the gaps, tiny white flowers, like falling snowflakes, peeked out, dotting the bluish vines.

Although it is only a glimpse of the scene, it gives people a sense of vitality and is very consistent with the overall color scheme of the square and the tone of Songjia New Town in the distance.

"Such a solemn air, you must be a distinguished member of your Song family?"

Zhao Feibai continued to speak to the old craftsman in a gentle tone, but to his surprise, the old craftsman's expression froze as soon as he opened his mouth, and then gradually turned into astonishment.

"Master, how could this person possibly be a member of my Song family?"

As expected.

Zhao Feibai turned to Zhao Luanyan and smiled. He never expected that the martial arts fanatic in the family would have such an enlightened day.

It really was a statue erected by the Song family for that Mr. Lu.

Previously, everyone was deceived by the Song family's secluded appearance. Who would have thought that a prestigious family with a thousand-year history could be so adept at flattery?

Zhao Luanyan responded with a somewhat embarrassed smile, implying that his correct guess was purely by chance and not worth mentioning.

Zhao Feibai looked at the clean scaffolding and the positions of the four craftsmen, and asked, "Is this statue not finished yet?"

"No, it's already finished," the old craftsman replied.

"Oh?" Zhao Feibai became somewhat interested and asked, "Then why is it covered with a red cloth?"

"It wasn't the right time before," the craftsman said honestly, though his eyes held a complicated look.

This complex expression was misinterpreted by Zhao Feibai and the others as the Song family waiting for an opportunity to personally unveil the curtain for Lu Ze.

"When can we see this statue? I'm quite curious." Zhao Feibai smiled, and his relaxed demeanor would further boost the morale of his people.

"It can be done now."

"Huh?" This time, not only Zhao Feibai, but also the hundreds of Zhao family warriors were slightly taken aback.

What a coincidence!

Zhao Feibai's interest grew stronger. He found these craftsmen quite interesting, which put him at ease. He smiled and said, "Old sir, is there anything else you need to say? The sculptor himself must be coming soon, right?"

He asked very gently, but to his surprise, the old craftsman turned pale with fright and quickly waved his hand.

"Sir, please don't talk nonsense! How can a dead person come back to life!"

dead!

resurrection?

Zhao Feibai was stunned.

Zhao Luanyan was stunned.

The hundreds of martial artists behind him, including those who had lived in seclusion, were all stunned.

Then the frozen smile on Zhao Feibai's face gradually disappeared... He and Zhao Luanyan exchanged a glance, and the latter saw complete bewilderment.

Is there some misunderstanding here?

"Elder Tianhua instructed that whichever of the four great families' patriarchs arrives first, the statue should be unveiled first... We have been waiting here. Now that you, Patriarch Zhao, have arrived, we will unveil it for you first."

The old craftsman was also frightened at this point. He couldn't care less about being intimidated by the imposing manner. He hurriedly told the other three to move the scaffolding away, and then, in full view of everyone, he grabbed the red cloth and ripped it off.

Whoosh!

Sunlight bathed the square, and the red color faded like flames.

The base is a giant, dark brown wooden stake, and the fence is made of white vines, which spread and intertwine to form the shape of a stool.

On the stool, a skeleton with a severed arm gleamed pale in the morning light.

It must be said that the posture of that skeleton is quite meaningful, with its only remaining arm supporting its chin in a thoughtful manner, leaving room for endless imagination.

Although the main body of the statue is a skeleton, the thick white bones and the missing left arm convey a sense of vicissitude and weight.

Zhao Feibai's wandering gaze moved from bottom to top and then from top to bottom, finally settling on the base of the dark brown wooden stake.

A line of gilded lettering simply explains the true meaning of this statue—

[Friendly reminder from Tantai Zhongyi: You are 1000 meters from the new town.]

This is fucking—

It's Elder Tantai!

Upon seeing the four characters "Tantai Zhongyi," Zhao Feibai felt a buzzing in his head. Despite the warm weather, he felt as if he were in an ice cellar, with a chill seeping into his bones. He involuntarily staggered backward.

How dare the Song family!

How dare you!

Even though the Song family cunningly wrote "New Town" instead of "Song Family New Town" on the sign, the provocation emanating from the entire sentence sent chills down the spine of Zhao, the head of the Zhao family.

Aren't the Song family afraid of going to war with the Tantai family?

After a moment of discomposure, Zhao Feibai finally came to his senses, quickly stopped, and looked to his side.

Zhao Luanyan remained standing there, displaying the demeanor of a Zhao family martial artist, maintaining the dignity of the Zhao family at this moment!

What Zhao Feibai didn't see was his chief retainer's blank eyes and trembling lips.

Only Zhao Luanyan truly understood Tantai Zhongyi's strength; even a casual slap from the opponent was a crushing defeat that left one utterly hopeless.

But now, he's being stood in the square, utterly disgraced, unable to be buried after death and left to stand in the center of the square exposed to the wind and sun, all while being accompanied by that ridiculous slogan...

This is practically like hanging the entire Tantai family up and slapping them repeatedly in the face.

This is like setting off the entire Bijia Mountain!

The reclusive martial artists in the Zhao clan's group had such serious expressions for the first time.

Their gazes all fell on the skeleton, and they fell silent.

Even after years of seclusion and cultivation, none of them dared to claim they could definitively defeat Tantai Zhongyi.

No matter how much you hear, nothing is as terrifying as the visual impact of the skeleton before your eyes.

Given this situation, and recalling what the old craftsman had said earlier, it's clear that the Song family deliberately had their servants unveil the red cloth in front of them, as a way to intimidate them!

Having figured this out, anger rose in everyone's hearts, but they also had to admit...

Ma Wei's tactics are truly impressive!

……

"But was it Patriarch Fei Bai in person?"

A hurried voice came from afar, immediately attracting everyone's attention.

Several dark shadows appeared high in the sky, and with a loud cry of a crane, the enormous celestial bird swooped down.

A figure leaped from the crane's back, landing lightly. He had broad shoulders, a peaceful face, and resolute eyes... It was Song Tianhua, the head of the Song family.

Upon seeing Zhao Feibai, he immediately clasped his hands in a warm greeting and smiled.

Zhao Feibai sneered, clasped his hands in response, and said stiffly, "Thank you for your warm welcome, Elder Tianhua!"

"Why didn't Patriarch Fei Bai give us a heads-up? Our Song family would have been waiting for you here. This is a breach of etiquette on our part." Song Tianhua stepped forward quickly, his tone genuinely apologetic.

Zhao Feibai looked at Song Tianhua and said with a forced smile, "The Zhao family is busy compiling a list of heroes and undertaking large-scale construction projects. I don't want to delay Elder Tianhua's important business."

"This skeleton is enough to guide us here."

Upon hearing this last undisguised sarcastic remark, Song Tianhua's expression froze. He had never done anything so flamboyant before, and even though he had been mentally prepared, he still felt embarrassed and his speech naturally slowed down.

Just as he was about to speak, a dark figure landed heavily on the ground with a thud, kicking up a cloud of dust and immediately attracting everyone's attention.

A slender figure strode out, a spherical creature perched on her shoulder, a chilling silver spear slung across her back, and a round face that had been full of smiles not long ago now filled with icy coldness.

"What, you have a problem with this road sign?"

Song Tianhua sighed inwardly at his young mistress and said awkwardly, "Miss Xinghuo..."

Zhang Xinghuo walked past Song Tianhua and stood directly in front of Zhao Feibai.

Her slender figure appeared extremely frail compared to Zhao Feibai and the hundreds of warriors behind him, but at this moment, her eyes were filled with coldness as she stared into Zhao Feibai's eyes.

Zhao Feibai narrowed his eyes, revealing a chilling killing intent.

When has he, the dignified head of the Zhao family, ever been publicly reprimanded by a mere maid?

"You little brat, who gave you the right to speak? Get out of my way while the adults are speaking!" At this moment, Zhao Luanyan finally truly played the role of chief retainer and family head's bodyguard. He was already hot-tempered, and his anger was ignited when he sensed the family head's aura. He took a step forward and swung his hand back to sweep at Zhang Xinghuo's arm.

With his strength at the twelfth star level, a casual sweep of his hand would be enough to send this arrogant little brat flying!

The head of the Zhao family came to negotiate terms, not to be questioned in the face by a brat!

"No!" Song Tianhua roared in shock and anger, but he was farther away and weaker than his opponent, so his movements were ultimately a beat slower than Zhao Luanyan's.

Zhang Xinghuo's gaze was icy. Her reaction speed, honed under Lu Ze's training, allowed her to react at an unimaginable pace. She slapped her right hand behind her back!

The spear flew out from the edge of the cliff, a flash of cold light—

boom!

Zhang Xinghuo managed to hold the Cliff Edge Spear to his side before Zhao Luanyan could strike, but the sweeping power of Zhao Luanyan's Twelfth Star Realm technique was ultimately insufficient to counteract it!

She was sent flying horizontally!

A beam of fire, spanning ten meters, suddenly illuminated the ground.

With a muffled groan, Zhang Xinghuo appeared ten meters away, his arm trembling as he pressed the gun against the ground.

"Little brat, remember this: you have no right to speak here!"

Zhao Luanyan narrowed his eyes and said in a chilling tone, "Didn't your parents teach you how treacherous society can be?"

Zhang Xinghuo suddenly looked up, her eyes blazing with fighting spirit. She stared at Zhao Luanyan with a death wish. Just as she was about to speak, a hand gently landed on her shoulder, cutting her off.

"Excuse me, are you teaching me how to do things?"

During the gentle inquiry, the suddenly appearing figure stuffed half a steamed bun into its mouth.

He chewed slowly and deliberately, his bright eyes calmly looking at Zhao Luanyan.

(End of this chapter)