“Du Shaofu, you’re just trying to shrug off your faults, all of us were wounded by you!” Du Hao couldn’t resist anymore, stood up and hollered at Du Shaofu.
“Why would I hurt you all?” Du Shaofu asked.
“My cousin brother and I, looked for you because we wanted to get the Violent Stone Demon Wolf's blood essence and base-building dans back. You refused to do so, and then you beat us up! In the end, you even took all of our possessions.” Du Hao glared ferociously at Du Shaofu yelling loudly.
“That cousin brother of yours what was his cultivation level?” Du Shaofu continued with another question.
“Xiantian level.” Du Hao was baffled, but he answered just the same, with a trace of pride. Having a cousin brother that is a Xiantian level warrior and is also an Imperial Knight, those were the things that he could be proud of.
“Then, where is your cousin brother now?” Du Shaofu brought forward another question, these ten or so people injured are part of Du Clan, but the silver-armored young man wasn’t.
Du Hao blanked for a moment before he answered through gritted teeth, “My cousin brother returned to his encampment last night after being injured by you.”
“Based on what reason do I have to return the Violent Stone Demon Wolf's blood essence and the base-building dans to you?” A light flickered across unnoticeably on Du Shaofu’s eyes as he asked.
“Fart, you snatched it from us, it was you who stole our things!” Du Hao growled. How could any sane person lie in front of so many elders and the Patriarch?!
“Wrong, I won it, I didn’t take anything from you.” Du Shaofu insisted that he did not snatch any of their things.
“In front of so many people, don’t even think that you can deny it.” Du Hao almost roared furiously.
“Then, how should we settle the dans and xuanbi that you had robbed from me these past ten years?” Another question came out of Du Shaofu’s mouth.
“Those items totaled to an insignificant amount and could not be compared to even one-tenth of the blood essence and base-building dans.” Du Hao blurted out in fury, he only realized what he had said a moment later. His expression turned ugly.
A tiny smile crept up on the corner of Du Shaofu’s lips, and then his gaze swept half a circle of the elders, before he finally turned towards Du Zhenwu, and said, “Eldest Uncle, you heard it right, Du Hao admitted that he took ten years’ worth of my xuanbi and dans. This time, they were even worse, he brought his cousin brother to rob me midway, and in the end, falsely accusing me of injuring, and robbing them. His cousin brother was a Xiatian level warrior, could I have done that? I seek Eldest Uncle to give me justice.”
“Du Shaofu, you’re slandering!”
Du Hao glared at Du Shaofu as he thundered, and suddenly blood spurted out from his mouth, unsure whether it was due to his injuries or being stifled too much.
“You have already admitted that you took ten years worth of my xuanbi and dans, I didn’t lie.” Du Shaofu replied lightly.
“Although that is true, it is also a fact that you took away our blood essence and base building dans, and yesterday you even hit us taking and took away all of our possessions.” Du Hao almost shouted, at this time, he can only say whatever came to his mind, he didn’t believe that Du Shaofu would be able to twist everything in his favor.
“First, according to the clan rules, only the top three winners of the junior sparring competition were qualified to be rewarded with the Violent Stone Demon Wolf blood essence and base building dans, and of course I too, can enter. The three of you together weren’t my opponent, so, the rewards should go to me, are you even eligible to receive them?”
Du Shaofu said as he looked at Du Hao, and when the words echoed through the Main Hall, everyone’s expression changed. Undeniably, what Du Shaofu said was correct, he was qualified to enter the juniors’ competition. Since Du Hao was defeated, the clan’s valuable resources should be given to the junior with the highest potential. Although Du Shaofu’s action was a little overboard, however, at the same time, it also proves his ability – one against three. Ultimately, they only have themselves to blame for being weaker than the other party.
Du Shaofu continued without looking away from Du Hao, “Second, you only have yourselves to blame for lacking, bringing outsiders to make trouble for me, but ended up fighting internally and yet you accused me of injuring you all . It's fine even if I beat you guys up since you have no capabilities, but please think, that whatever cousin brother of yours was a Xiantian warrior, how could I have gone against him? It was him who did me harm yesterday and took away all of my possessions. I did not plan to reveal this, thinking that if I endured, everything would be fine and well. However, I couldn’t believe that you would frame me! Our Clan having descendants like you guys would truly shame our Ancestors.
The big hall drowned in silence. Everyone’s eyes stared at Du Shaofu, they were either in shock or dazed, is this really Du Shaofu? Really? the very same Du Shaofu? The tens of nosy aunts and Du Hao's people still lost to Du Shaofu ah.
Du Shaofu’s words not only cleared himself clean as a slate, but he also scolded Du Hao, and the dozen of people kneeling on the floor, meaning, you came to look for trouble with me, but failed and got beaten up instead. No ability, but still dared to shamelessly complain about me. You shamed yourselves, even our ancestors are now ashamed of you.
“Du Shaofu, stop spouting nonsense! You defeated Du Hao’s cousin brother with just one move. He wasn’t your opponent at all, you’re the one who hurt us.” Du Yan and Du Chong couldn’t hold it back anymore and rushed out. All the victims were red in the face from holding in their anger, they would probably suffocate to death.
“Du Yan, Du Chong, according to age, both of you are considered my elder cousin brothers, I am but your little brother ah. It’s fine if you don’t love me, protect me, and take care of me, but don’t side with them to deal with your brother!”
Du Shaofu had a heart ached expression, then shouted towards Du Yan and Du Chong, “Use your brain and think, how could a martial waste with broken veins push back a Xiantan warrior. Although I can practice now, but did you think that I’m Eldest Uncle, Second Uncle or any one of the Elders here, that I can make a Xiantian warrior fall flat on his back. The truth was the other way round, fortunately, I managed to escape, if not, I wouldn’t be able to come to the Main Hall today.”
The audiences wavered. Several Elders wavered. A Xiantian warrior fell flat with one move from Du Shaofu was certainly impossible, although he might be strong, but probably not to that extent.
Some people in the Hall started to think that Du Hao, Du Yan, and Du Chong might have had exaggerated, they might have some losses, but with Du Hao’s cousin brother around, for sure, Du Shaofu would certainly not be able to retreat without some injuries too.
Moreover, Du Shaofu said something right, Du Yan and Du Chong are considered his elder brothers - bullying the young, if this matter was spread outside, it would really bring shame to the Clan. To bring outsiders in to deal with Du Shaofu was really too much.
“Slander! Twisting black into white.”
“Puchi…”
A few of the young man’s bloodflow reversed, they spewed out blood from the insurmountable grievance that they suffered . How could there be someone who would trick others like this. Now, Du Shaofu is the victim, they realized that they just dug a pit that they couldn't get out of.
“I twisted black into white? If you disagree, ask Du Hao to call his cousin brother out and we can deliberate. A Xiantian warrior came to our Clan just to bully me, perhaps he’s afraid of our Clan's punishment that's why he ran away.” Du Shaofu rolled his eyes at Du Yan, and Du Chong. Du Hao’s cousin brother was long gone. Therefore, there’s no way that he could be here, it doesn't even matter if he’s here, the mouth is used for talking.
“You….You…. Puchi….”
Du Hao, Du Yan, and Du Chong spit out blood, their elders rushed up to check their wounds, feeling a slight heartache.
“Eldest Uncle, my injury was quite serious, and two days ago, I promised you that I would participate in the Five Families Juniors Competition, but it seems like I wouldn’t be able to do it, I might need a year to fully recover. I believe that Du Hao, Du Yan, and the others would bring glory to our Du Clan in the competition. Oh right, about the dans and xuanbi that Du Hao, Du Yan, and Du Chong took, as well as the injury that they caused me yesterday, I would like to ask Eldest Uncle not to blame them. After all, in a month’s time, they would need to participate in the competition to uphold our Clan's honor and glory. If there’s nothing else, I’ll excuse myself.”
After he said that, Du Shaofu stood up, and walked out of the Main Hall, holding the box that contained the Spirit Ink Sword close to his chest.
Once again, the Main Hall was drowned in silence. Everyone was dumbstruck and speechless, Du Shaofu’s words contained a different meaning – he’s not going to participate in the Five Families Juniors Competition, let Du Hao and the rest to go. However, it was as clear as day to anyone that none of them was Du Shaofu’s opponent, what’s the use of going then? Du Clan biggest hope was, without a doubt, Du Shaofu.
Although Du Shaofu said not to blame Du Hao, Du Yan, and Du Chong for robbing ten years’ worth of his xuanbi and dans, it actually meant – return my ten years’ worth of xuanbi and dans, and give a satisfactory explanation for yesterday’s event. Otherwise, the competition would be irrelevant to him.
The silence lasted quite for some time, no one had ever imagined that it would turn out this way. The current Du Shaofu is definitely not the same as before, instead, it was Du Hao, Du Yan, and Du Chong that seemed lacking.
Almost all of them believed that it was Du Hao’s group that suffered heavy losses, but too bad, those wounded and nosy aunts were unable to overcome Du Shaofu.
“Du Shaofu, that little brat is just too deceitful.”
“Did that little guy really endured for ten years.”
The Elders sighed in their hearts, being laughed at, ridiculed, and showered with endless abusive words for ten years, what kind of perseverance and state of mind would it need. Now, the young man needs not to forbear. Du Hao, Du Yan, and Du Chong are now incomparable to him.