Disrupting the Rules

"No, no, no!" Xiaocui hurriedly waved her hands, stumbling over her words. "Young Master, when did you come back? The Old Master has been standing at the main gate before dawn these past few days. I heard he was waiting for Young Master to return, so I thought you weren't at home!"

Tang Yan's heart suddenly clenched.

Grandfather had been standing at the gate every day, waiting for him to come home?

"I came back last night. I'll go see Grandfather."

Tang Yan had just started toward the study when Xiaocui called after him, "Young Master, the Old Master isn't at home."

"Where did Grandfather go?" Tang Yan stopped and turned back to ask.

"I heard today is the Eastern Region Grand Competition. The Old Master went to watch."

"Where is it being held?" Tang Yan asked at once.

"Cloud Platform... Hey! Young Master! Young Master!"

Xiaocui had only just named the place when Tang Yan vanished after a few bounding steps. She called after him blankly twice, then stamped her little foot and muttered, "He disappeared right after we met. What exactly happened to Young Master..."

On the Cloud Platform, City Lord Lin Xiao gave a few more words of encouragement, then announced the rules for the selection.

"This competition will be decided according to the results of the Mid-Autumn Conference. Liu Zhi of the Liu Family, Lin Dongxue of the City Lord's Manor, Qin He of the Qin Family, and Wu Feiming of the Wu Family will compete first to determine the top three rankings.

"As for everyone else, they will enter the arena matches. Whoever lasts until the end will duel the third-place contender for the final spot. Does anyone object?"

This method was relatively fair, so naturally no one had any objections.

Just as everyone was about to voice their agreement, a discordant voice suddenly rang out.

"I object!"

The voice was not loud, yet everyone present heard it clearly.

The crowd turned in surprise.

A lean, slender figure stepped out from a corner and walked slowly toward the Cloud Platform.

"Tang Yan!"

When they saw who had arrived, cries of surprise rose through the crowd.

Old Master Tang shot to his feet and stared at the newcomer, his face flushing red in an instant. His emotions were so stirred that his body trembled slightly.

Afraid his eyes were playing tricks on him, Old Master Tang looked him over again and again.

After two months apart, his grandson... seemed no different at all on the surface!

Could this brat have run off somewhere to indulge in wine and pleasure?

After that brief surge of excitement, such a thought suddenly sprang into Old Master Tang's mind.

It was not that Old Master Tang was overthinking. The Supreme Alchemy Scripture Tang Yan cultivated was the foremost alchemy scripture under heaven, blending with the Dao of nature. It was extremely difficult to see through Tang Yan's true strength at a glance.

Besides, Tang Yan still looked refined and fair. Where was even the slightest sign of hardship after bitter tempering?

"Grandson greets Grandfather!" Tang Yan strode over and saluted Tang Ling.

"Good, good!"

Old Master Tang patted Tang Yan on the shoulder. Although his grandson seemed unchanged, what he had truly worried about was Tang Yan's safety. Now that he saw Tang Yan return safe and sound, he could finally set his heart at ease.

The moment the crowd saw Tang Yan appear, heated discussion broke out everywhere.

Although Tang Yan had interrupted the course of the selection, with him joining in, would things not become even livelier?

His appearance also shattered all the earlier rumors by itself.

The higher-ups of the Qin Family and Wu Family looked somewhat gloomy.

Why had this fellow come out to stir up trouble at a time like this?

On the surface, the City Lord remained calm, but Tang Yan's appearance still gave him an inexplicable spark of delight.

He wondered what sort of surprise this brat would bring him.

Seeing the Tang grandfather and grandson exchanging words, Lin Xiao did not interrupt.

Instead, Old Master Tang realized this was not the proper occasion for a long talk and nodded apologetically toward Lin Xiao.

"Tang Yan, you said just now that you object. What is your objection?" Lin Xiao asked.

Everyone's gaze fell on Tang Yan.

Tang Yan was not flustered. He took two leisurely steps forward and said in a clear voice, "I believe Liu Zhi, Wu Feiming, and Qin He are not qualified to be placed on the challenge-exempt list!"

Faced with Tang Yan's challenge, the City Lord did not hurry to speak.

Old Master Wu, however, could not hold himself back. He sprang up, pointed at Tang Yan, and shouted, "Impudent! If they aren't qualified, could it be that you are?"

Tang Yan made no attempt at modesty. He laughed aloud. "Old Master Wu truly has discerning eyes. That's right, I am!"

"Arrogant!" Old Master Wu had not expected Tang Yan to boast so shamelessly.

"The City Lord has already set the rules. Why is your Tang Family singing a different tune?" Old Master Qin said in a strange, mocking tone.

At this moment, the gazes of tens of thousands of people watched the confrontation among the great families with great interest.

Once the quarrel quieted down, City Lord Lin Xiao smiled and asked, "Then how do you think the rules should be set?"

"Miss Lin and I advance directly."

After a pause, Tang Yan continued, "Everyone else enters the arena matches. The first-place winner obtains the qualification to participate in the Eastern Region Grand Competition."

The moment Tang Yan said this, the crowd burst into another uproar.

If Tang Yan objecting to the City Lord's arrangement could be called brazen, then this proposal could only be called wildly arrogant.

He had actually excluded Liu Zhi directly from the challenge-exempt places?

As Tang Yan's words fell, everyone's gaze shifted once more to Liu Zhi.

Faced with Tang Yan's provocation, how would the eldest young master of the Liu Family respond?

"What bold words!"

Liu Zhi curled his lip.

When he fought Tang Yan two months ago, the strength Tang Yan displayed in that final strike had shocked him greatly, but he did not believe that was power Tang Yan truly possessed.

It should have been nothing more than a life-saving method.

Besides, over these past two months, he himself had improved by quite a bit.

He asked coldly, "Since Young Master Tang believes I, Liu, am not qualified, why don't the two of us fight? If you win, I will willingly enter the arena selection."

Last time, Tang Yan had relied on his Yellow Rank sixth-grade strength to forcibly withstand twenty moves from him.

That incomparably humiliating result was like a fly stuck in Liu Zhi's throat, disgusting him beyond measure.

This was the perfect chance to wash away his former shame.

Once Liu Zhi finished speaking, the Cloud Platform fell quiet for a moment.

Everyone looked toward Tang Yan.

A trace of anxiety appeared on Old Master Tang's face.

Beside him, Uncle Mo remained rather composed and quietly comforted him. "Old Master, be at ease. Eldest Young Master has acted with propriety lately. If he did not have confidence, he would not make such a rash decision."

Hearing Uncle Mo's words, Tang Ling's heart settled slightly.

He sat in his seat and waited to see how Tang Yan would answer.

Tang Yan was secretly pleased.

Stirring up the competition was not recklessness.

If they followed Lin Xiao's rules, he would have to enter the open selection.

After fighting through round after round, he would waste both time and effort, be watched by the entire city, and in the end, he would only get to fight the third-place contender.

Now that he had successfully disrupted things, one fight would be enough.

If he could defeat Liu Zhi, he would not only obtain the qualification, but also shake all of Yun City and raise the Tang Family's prestige.

As for whether this would offend the City Lord, Tang Yan believed that with the City Lord's breadth of mind, he would not quibble with him over it.

"In that case, let it be as you say! City Lord, Tang Yan of the Tang Family requests a battle with Liu Zhi!"

City Lord Lin Xiao pondered for a moment before nodding. "Since neither of you objects, then fight upon the Cloud Platform."