Chapter 15: Making a Ruckus Out of Nothing

“You, how dare!”

While Rizhi pointed to An Shan, it was not he who shouted, but an elder behind him.

By his side, a grey beard elder appeared. This was his assistant, Elder Tu Li. Due to the brilliant entrance of the Grand Elder, only now most people in the hall noticed this white robed elder. While the elder seemed angry, the Grand Elder simply maintained his pose. His demeanor was as if a grandpa, aloof and unwavering, not paying anymore attention to naughty children.

The whole disciples in the hall turned to the two people Elder Tu Li paid attention to, the young lady in purple, and the young man in light green robe. The audience realized they were still sitting, not joining them standing up to greet the Grand Elder.

Rizhi himself did not pay them anymore attention, simply turning away and then sat on a throne-like seat on a pedestal in front. To this exalted Divine Scholar, it was simply too outrageous for him to pay rebellious disciples anymore attention than this, for it did not suit his exalted position. As for that girl Ling Shuren, he already told her off three days ago. Raising his voice often might just hurt his reputation, so he let this assistant of him to do his job.

It would be suffice for him to sit and enjoy the show.

Ling Shuren turned anxious, but An Shan smiled to her, his hand assured her it would be alright. Seeing him, for some reasons, her anxiety was reduced by a lot. Many of core disciples frowned. They realized the two still sitting down, and that young man in particular, was clearly lacking in manner. His confident outlook was a mockery itself.

Plus, his hand was still holding tightly on Ling Shuren’s hand!

“How audacious, don’t they have eyes?”

“Arrogant, not even welcoming the elder? No wonder,”

“What elder, His Excellency is a Divine Scholar. The beloved of the Founding Ancestor, you know? For the two not standing up to greet him, hmph!”

“Isn’t that Ling Shuren? She still dare come?”

“You just noticed? Well they’re young and rebellious, no surprise here,”

“For them not even knowing how amazing the figure before them, hmph,”

“What’s so hard to stand up like the rest, how foolish,”

While all of them noticed them not standing up, around half of them were sensitive enough to notice that particular smile on An Shan. They pondered whether that was the reason for Elder Tu Li to be angry. As a loyal assistant of Grand Elder Rizhi, he was sensitive to his mood. Noticing the source of his displeasure, he was quick to curry his favor.

Those who noticed, pondered.

“That guy, he’s smiling like that,”

“Where have I seen that kind of smile?”

“Where’s this upstart comes from? Regional headquarters?”

“An out of country hicks, no wonder,”

While they pondered, the party in question raised his eyebrows. An Shan blinked a few times, looking around, pointing his finger to himself as if asking the elder, were you referring to me? While his action was casual, it signified a lack of seriousness. Acting so even when the Elder raised his voice, do you have a death wish?

Seeing his attitude, Ling Shuren beside him grew agitated. She looked at him with concern.

Down below, the elder bellowed;

“You! State your name, and your master’s name!”

As the demand reached his ears, An Shan simply shook his head. Just where did this guy come from?

He wanted to evaluate this so-called Divine Scholar, yet you had to be the lackey sacrificing yourself for the boss? Well, he had seen the guy turning sour before, so it was enough as a first impression. Not such a good impression, but seeing Rizhi no longer paying him attention, it seemed this guy at the very least knew the rule of power. By not paying him more attention than this, he established the fact that he was too far removed from involving himself in such a petty matter, a fact established in front of everyone.

He let his lackey did his dirty work, good!

For now, An Shan turned his attention to this nobody elder.

“What do you mean, elder? Why are you acting like this?”

“What, you dare ask!”

“Of course I dare ask. A core disciple must dare ask, if not how can one learn.”

“Y-you…!”

Not just dared asking, he even dared answering.

The hell? At the time, the question of where did this guy come from crossed everyone’s mind. How could such a boor become a core disciple? Even if he was from a regional headquarter, would one be so uncultured like this? Or did he come from another continent, absolutely oblivious to their virtue?

In this continent, respecting one’s elder was seen as an absolute virtue. Among those in the same sect, even if one possessed talent, one still ought to address his elder with respect. While Elder Tu Li might not be in a high position, he was still an elder. No, what was most important to everyone was, he was representing Grand Elder Rizhi, the Divine Scholar! For this guy to not even pay him basic respect, how daring!

For An Shan however, he did nothing wrong. He was simply stating something obvious, for he wished to know what exactly made this elder so furious. Hey, if I did wrongs, just state my wrongs.

No need to drag this anymore than necessary!

“What? Was my statement wrong?”

Hearing this, many almost choked, wanting to refute him themselves. How could you not know? Can’t you see the problem? No, the problem was not with the statement! You stating that statement in this situation was the problem!

While Tu Li was boiling with anger, Grand Elder Rizhi behind him knocked his large staff onto the pedestal. Hearing it, the elder’s face paled. The scene was taking time, and the longer it took, the less beneficial it would be for Grand Elder’s reputation. He knew he ought to finish this nonsense fast. He turned around, bowing to the Grand Elder, as if saying he would finish it soon.

Turning to An Shan, he waved his hand. While the distance between them was almost forty metre, something from An Shan’s waist moved towards him. It was his brown core disciple’s token. Within the token there was his name and affliction, so he simply wanted to take it and submit it to the punishment hall. While this young man was rude, he could do nothing to exact punishment. All core disciples could only be punished officially by the punishment hall.

A hand moved, gripping the token in the air. It was An Shan.

“How so weird, it moved,”

“You, how dare!”

“Hm, was it your doing, elder?”

“Of course it’s my doing!”

The elder was furious. Not only did he not stand up to greet the exalted Grand Elder, he showed such a contemptuous smile, acting so casual in this situation, dared to question and answer an elder, and now even resisting him in front of such a large audience. Seeing his attitude, the audience could not understand this guy. What he was doing would just add to his offense!

What did he come here for? To be punished?

“…Now elder, why would you do that? This was given to me by the Patriarch, if you want one just ask him for one,”

“Nonsense! Why, you ask! Do you need a list?!”

“Un, list them down if you could. I can appreciate that,”

“Y-you…”

Seeing him acted so, An Shan felt weird. Hearing the same expressions from him sure did not help. Always You, and How dare, these somehow felt so cliché. Learn some other way of expression, seriously. This scene reminded him of some cheap theater dramas where a scene kept going around in a circle of repeat. No, wait, was it from those free novels he used to read in his younger days? Rinse and repeat, was it?

Whatever, this ought to stop.

‘Just state the damn offense I did, I’m curious,’

Actually, even An Shan himself was not certain what offenses he did.

Seeing him not budging, and the fact that he was holding up the lecture, the elder simply had no choice. He would simply state his faults and be done with it!

“Very well! Seeing you’re so daring, I will. Let everyone here be the witness! First, not only did you not stand up to greet the Beloved, a Divine Scholar, you even gave him a contemptuous smile! You think I’m blind, hmph! Second, you even questioned and dared to answer me! That was seriously lacking manner, rude! Third, you even dared resisting me from taking your token! Going against an elder, especially an elder assisting the Divine Scholar? You’re simply insulting your ancestor! There, I’m done. You’re at fault, so be quiet and submit,”

“Ah, I see. Sounds weird, but three offenses eh,”

Hearing the three offenses stated, he felt strange.

When the others stood up, he did not. There was no need to follow others doing futile things, and lecture was meant as semi-formal anyway. Unless one was the Patriarch or Ancestor, there was no rule or need to stand up. Ling Shuren was about to stand up, but his energy channeled into her forced her down. And while he did smile, he was just imitating the smile the Grand Elder had, in order to test what it really meant. The smile the Grand Elder had earlier made him annoyed, so he tried it on to see the reaction of the other party.

There was nothing complicated, it was that simple. He did not intend to offend anybody, not really though. If one asked him why he did not stand, he would just answer earnestly.

But for this Tu Li guy to shout like this in front of a large audience, for such a matter? And on top of it, him asking for clarification was considered an offense? And defending his token, his property, was an offense too? What the heck! My sisters, you beauties being born must have been an offense too!

This elder, he was making a ruckus out of nothing!

An Shan could not understand, what logic did this elder use? Did logic really change that much in just 2000 years? Hm, wait, did the elder just say the beloved just now?

“Hmph, now you know your faults. You and that girl there, follow me outside! You’re holding up the lecture!”

“Nope, not going,”

“…”

Silence. The whole hall turned silence. Many had their mouth opened.

This guy was too rebellious!

“I wish to hear the lecture, so I won’t follow you. In addition, those three offenses you said? Not offenses at all,”

“What nonsense! You still dare…”

Not offenses? How could there be no offense. The elder was clearly furious, and though a little, one could see the displeasure on Grand Elder’s face. This small matter had delayed his exalted lecture, so it might not be a good thing to continue this farce anymore.

“You don’t understand? Then let me explain, first, about me and her not standing up to greet the Grand Elder. Elder, there’s no such rule.”

“W-what, rule?”

“Yes, there’s no such rule. So us not standing up to greet the Grand Elder, was not an offense at all. Lecture was considered semi-formal, standing up to greet the lecturer was not a rule, not even a cultural rule. You can check this in our sect’s Rulebook, and Book of Ceremony. Elder, you’re making no sense.”

“N-no sense?!”

“Plus, my smile just now, I was imitating the Grand Elder,”

“What?”

“Everyone here saw it. He smiled so when he saw everyone here. It looked so mysterious so I simply imitated it. I was curious what his smile meant, it was that simple,”

“T-this…”

“So elder, mind telling us, what did his smile mean? I’m sure everyone here would like to hear,”

This opened everyone’s eyes.

What he said did make sense. No wonder his smile looked familiar! Seeing that on such a youngster, they felt like he was mocking someone, invoking displeasure in them. But the Grand Elder did the same smile while looking at them, so it could not be true? He could not have mocked them, thinking they were fools…

Could it?

“…”

“…Well?”

“T-that’s different! The beloved’s smile was full of magnanimity, yours was full of mockery! It was like Heaven and Earth. Anyone with eyes could tell, how dare you even compare!”

“Oh, really?”

Hearing his answer, he frowned. That was the second time, the fuck was the beloved meant? From the way he used the word, he seemed to be referring to the Grand Elder. You two had such relationship, ah?

Imagining two old men making out... Enough, brain, shut down! My sanity!

His mind ran wild, but he shut his thought process decisively. Fortunately, just in time. Having such a quick thinking process was dangerous sometimes, for he really could see it vividly, even hearing those unnecessary noises which never existed!

At the same time, from hearing the elder's answer, the audience seemed to be enlightened. It was as if it had cleared them from any doubt they had from hearing An Shan’s retort.

“T-that’s right, this is the Divine Scholar we’re talking about,”

“How dare this upstart compare himself to his exalted self?”

“Hmph, his words are poisonous! Even I started to think wrongly so for a second,”

“Y-yeah, how dare he tried to trick us,”

Hearing the murmurs around them, Ling Shuren grew worried. An Shan’s demeanor was too outrageous. He refuted too much. Even if he was related to the Founding Clan, going against elder Tu Li meant going against Grand Elder Rizhi. Going against a senior Grand Elder, moreover a Divine Scholar out of nowhere like this, what basis he possessed to do this? He might be punished for this, and for nothing. What was worse, he actually dragged her into this!

This guy, for her to even thought well of him before!

“Brother An, it’s not too late to apologize,”

“Shh, quiet.”

“Uh,”

Somehow, him saying so was akin to an order for her. There was something about him that made her intimidated, and at the same time, interested. When he spoke, it was as if he was in a position of authority, and command respect. Yet at the same time, it was not overbearing. Being so close to him, she felt his presence in its truest.

Turning to look at elder Tu Li, An Shan smiled as honest as possible.

“Oh, then it must have been a misunderstanding. I thought I imitated his smile well, for it to be mistaken as a mockery, what a pity,”

“…Misunderstanding? Whatever it was, you still disrespect an elder. Follow me to the punishment hall! I’ll make sure not to punish you too harshly! Three months of public service should suffice!”

Public service, hmph!

I’ll make sure you cleaned up toilets and garbage in the Trial Disciple’s sector for three months!

“…No, not going. I did say so before, the second and third offenses were not offense at all,”

“You still,”

“Listen, a core disciple had the same kind of status as an Honor Guard, but the two were considered different status. Do you know why, elder?”

“Eh, this…”

“Well, everyone?”

Since they spoke from such a far distance, everyone here could hear them. In addition, being a Sub-Stars stage cultivator, their hearing was better than lower cultivator by a lot. The two’s conversation was as clear as someone speaking next to them. When An Shan said everyone, he was referring his question to the rest of the core disciples.

The difference between a Core Disciple and an Honor Guard? The two had similar status, and similar cultivation. Both were sect member of similar seniority, so what would the difference be? Age? Nonsense. Youthfulness? Not a related subject!

But soon, those who were sharp enough, seemed to realize what he was referring to.

“…Responsibility?”

A voice came out from among the many core disciples. A young man with a scholarly look, but confident demeanor fitting for a warrior. The word came from him was blurted out, as if it was an accident.

“That’s right, responsibility!”

“Responsibility, what nonsense are you,”

“A core disciple ought to dare question, dare to give an answer, even if it mean making a mistake. That is how one could learn. Learn and improve. If a core disciple is deprived of his ability to question, and to answer based on what he believes, then it truly defeats the purpose of making core disciple status by the Founding Ancestor!”

Hearing his explanation, many core disciples there had epiphany. They had the feeling what he was saying was right, for if one was afraid of asking questions, it could very well hinder growth. If one was afraid of answering, how could one ascertain of his conclusion, to fix his own mistake?

Seeing the wind was shifting in favor of this young man, the elder had cold sweat. He knew this youngster was right, but still, he was an elder. He had his face to keep.

“So what? What you said just now had no relation—”

“There is relation. Just now I did not understand your action, treating me as if I am guilty of crime. Thus, I asked. Then you posed me a question, I simply answered. Then you tried taking my token, without even notifying me of my wrongs, so I stopped you. This token was an ancestor’s one full day worth of toil. As a core disciple, I have the responsibility to prevent it from being taken without a clear reason. Plus, only the Patriarch could demand me handing over my token. So, tell me what’s wrong with that. Are you the Patriarch, elder? Since when?”

“Ah, y-you…”

This time, this elder’s tongue was frozen stiff.

An Shan’s answer fit perfectly to logic, and he used a stable tone, clearly showed his desire to give an answer instead of offending him. Thus, the elder could not find any fault from him. Seeing the elder frozen there, unable to refute, the rest of the core disciples seemed to see the newcomer with a new sort of interest. His answer was simple and against norm, but strangely they could accept it perfectly. Moreover, he was brave enough to state it out loud in front of the elder, in front of them.

More so, in front of the Divine Scholar!

…

Silent, eerie silent.

Feeling uncomfortable, elder Tu Li was about to refute again, yet;

“Enough. If they wished to listen, then let them,”

This time, help had come. The voice came not from the elder, but behind him. It was an elderly voice, full of a sense of benevolence and righteousness. Hearing him, the murmurs went silent.

It was Grand Elder Rizhi’s voice.

…

Chapter 15 End