Chapter 262: A Mere Gang Force, and You Dare Call Yourself a Celestial Pride?

Meng Yun suddenly spoke up.

“Yes, Mother.”

A girl of fourteen or fifteen, who bore a strong resemblance to Meng Yun, walked out from an inner room.

She wore a goose-yellow dress, her hair styled into two small buns tied with silk ribbons.

“Young Hero Zhang, please follow me.”

Yao Peiyu’s voice was clear and pleasant.

Zhang Su nodded. He was indeed a bit uncomfortable here, so he rose and left the living room.

The two of them walked out of the living room and into the courtyard.

Yao Peiyu walked ahead, her steps light and quick.

Zhang Su followed her at a steady, unhurried pace.

After leaving the living room, Yao Peiyu also breathed a sigh of relief, and her lively, open nature immediately shone through.

“Mother told me my maternal grandfather is the Sect Leader of the Guiyuan Sect?”

Yao Peiyu turned her head, looking at Zhang Su and asking curiously.

“Yes.”

Zhang Su nodded.

“Are you a Celestial Pride of the Guiyuan Sect?”

Yao Peiyu asked again, her eyes sparkling.

“I am.”

Zhang Su’s reply was still brief.

“Then you must be very powerful…”

Meng Yun had asked Yao Peiyu to show Zhang Su around the Yao Mansion.

As a result, Yao Peiyu chattered nonstop along the way, asking one question after another.

Her questions were almost entirely about the Guiyuan Sect.

Evidently, Yao Peiyu was very interested in the Guiyuan Sect.

Unfortunately, she had never been to the Guiyuan Sect.

She only knew from her mother that her maternal grandfather was the Guiyuan Sect’s Sect Leader, and nothing more.

She had grown up in Haojin City and had never left.

She was full of curiosity about the Guiyuan Sect and the place where her grandfather lived.

Zhang Su answered her questions one by one.

Sometimes, he was reluctant to say much.

Yao Peiyu didn’t mind and continued to ask with great enthusiasm.

The two of them walked along the paths of the Yao Mansion, passing through one courtyard after another.

The Yao Mansion was vast, its buildings arranged in a staggered yet orderly fashion with an exquisite layout.

Along the way, they met many people from the Yao Family. Some were hurrying, while others were strolling leisurely.

Seeing Yao Peiyu with an unfamiliar young man, they all cast curious glances her way.

“A Celestial Pride? HAHAHA, Yao Peiyu, where did you find this foolish boy? How dare he call himself a Celestial Pride?”

Just then, a jarring laugh reached their ears.

The voice was sharp and piercing.

Zhang Su looked in the direction of the voice and saw a group of about ten people.

The one who had spoken was a girl about the same age as Yao Peiyu.

The girl wore a bright red dress, a gold hairpin in her hair, and a jade bracelet on her wrist. She was dripping with jewels from head to toe.

Her features were delicate, but her eyes held an overbearing arrogance.

Beside her were a few others of the same age, as well as several guards.

Each of the guards was burly, with a long saber hanging from his waist and a sharp gaze.

The girl who had spoken was looking at Zhang Su and Yao Peiyu with a smirk.

Yao Peiyu’s expression darkened when she saw this group.

“It’s people from the Third Branch again… Zhang Su, let’s go.”

Yao Peiyu turned to leave.

She clearly didn’t want to get entangled with them.

She grabbed Zhang Su’s sleeve and quickly walked in another direction.

“Yao Peiyu, what are you running for?”

The girl in red caught up to Yao Peiyu in just a few steps, blocking her path.

Her Body Technique was nimble, her steps silent as she landed. Her Martial Arts were actually quite impressive.

“Yao Ruohua, what do you want?”

Yao Peiyu stopped and looked at her coldly.

Her expression was ugly, and her tone held a trace of anger.

“Nothing much. I’m just curious who this foolish boy with you is. Gang Force? Tsk tsk, these days even someone at the Gang Force realm can be called a Celestial Pride? What a joke.”

Yao Ruohua sized up Zhang Su from head to toe.

“This person with you must be a Gang Force Martial Artist, right? A mere Gang Force, and he dares to call himself a Celestial Pride? But then again, with the Upper Sect’s recruitment date approaching, all the major powers have sent their disciples to Haojin City. Every last one of them claims to be a Celestial Pride. There must be a thousand of them, if not eight hundred.”

She paused and pointed behind her.

“As it happens, I have some Peak Gang Force Martial Artists here who also claim to be Celestial Prides. How about we have them fight? Just for a bit of fun.”

Behind Yao Ruohua were two young Gang Force Martial Artists.

Both appeared to be in their early twenties, wearing gray martial attire with long swords at their waists.

Their expressions changed slightly.

Yao Ruohua had said for them to fight Zhang Su, but they could see that although Zhang Su was also at the Gang Force realm, his momentum was clearly not weak.

They exchanged a glance but said nothing.

Yao Peiyu’s face grew cold as she said in a low voice, “Yao Ruohua, what do you take Zhang Su for? He is an honored guest of my Fifth Branch! Stop making trouble.”

Yao Peiyu wouldn’t agree to Yao Ruohua’s proposal for a fight under any circumstances.

She knew Zhang Su was a Celestial Pride from the Guiyuan Sect, so his strength was certainly not weak.

But this was the Yao Family, not the Guiyuan Sect.

If Zhang Su were to fight someone here, it would be troublesome regardless of whether he won or lost.

If he won, he would offend the Third Branch.

If he lost, the Fifth Branch would lose face.

Neither outcome was good.

“What, you don’t dare? They say you geniuses from small places have pride, but I see it’s nothing special. Fight a match. If you win, I’ll give you a reward. How about an Elixir? It’s very beneficial for those at the Gang Force realm.”

Yao Ruohua even took out an Elixir.

She took a porcelain bottle from her sleeve and shook it in her hand.

The bottle was entirely jade-green, its mouth sealed with red cloth, and a faint medicinal fragrance could be smelled.

But Zhang Su remained silent.

He just stood there, watching Yao Ruohua with a calm gaze, showing no reaction.

“Hmph, looks like he’s all show and no substance. Too scared to even fight. How boring.”

No matter what she said, Zhang Su remained unmoved.

Yao Ruohua said a few more things, but when Zhang Su still didn’t respond, she found it boring.

She put away the porcelain bottle, pursed her lips, and turned to leave with her people.

Yao Peiyu checked the time, figured it was about right, and led Zhang Su back toward the Fifth Branch.

As they walked back, Yao Peiyu was silent for a while before suddenly speaking, “Zhang Su, that person just now was Yao Ruohua from the Third Branch. We don’t get along. She has a spoiled and willful personality.”

She paused, then suddenly asked, “Yao Ruohua was so provocative just now, yet you didn’t react at all. I know you’re not a weak person, so tell me, if you really had to fight, are you confident you could defeat those two Gang Force Martial Artists behind her?”

Yao Peiyu’s eyes were fixed on Zhang Su, her gaze serious.

“I am.”

Zhang Su’s tone was calm.

Yao Peiyu smiled.

It was as if she had received a satisfying answer.

She didn’t ask anything else and continued leading Zhang Su back.

Soon, the two of them returned to the Fifth Branch’s living room.

In the living room, Zhong Wangji and Meng Yun were still talking.

Seeing Zhang Su return, Zhong Wangji stood up.

“Zhang Su, you’re just in time. Come with me to pay respects to Elder Yao!”

Zhong Wangji said.

There was a sense of urgency in his tone.

Zhang Su nodded and stood behind Zhong Wangji.

“Xiaoyun, we’ll be going then.”

Zhong Wangji cupped his fists toward Meng Yun.

“Elder Zhong, I wish you success.”

Meng Yun also stood up and returned the courtesy.

Afterward, Zhang Su followed behind Zhong Wangji, led by a servant, toward the residence of the Yao Family’s Third Ancestor.

The living room fell quiet again.

“Mother, I just ran into Yao Ruohua from the Third Branch…”

Yao Peiyu recounted what had just happened in detail.

“Mother, do you think Zhang Su can really defeat those two?”

Yao Peiyu asked.

She looked at Meng Yun, her eyes filled with curiosity.

“He can.”

Meng Yun’s tone was decisive.

She gazed at Zhang Su’s retreating back and said meaningfully, “For this Zhang Su to remain patient and hold back in that kind of situation shows how resolute his will is.”

‘It seems Father didn’t misjudge him this time. If he can stay in the Upper Sect, perhaps there really is a glimmer of hope…’

Meng Yun also hoped a genius from the Guiyuan Sect could remain in the Upper Sect.

If that happened, it would mean she had someone from her maternal family to rely on, giving her some backing in the Yao Family.

Although she had lived without want for food or clothing in the Yao Family all these years, she ultimately lacked the backing of her maternal family.

If the Guiyuan Sect could produce a Direct Disciple of the Upper Sect, her own status in the Yao Family would rise accordingly.

“Mother, can this Zhang Su stay?”

Yao Peiyu asked.

“I don’t know. It depends on how determined your maternal grandfather is, and what price the Guiyuan Sect is willing to pay… The Third Ancestor is not so easily persuaded.”

This was all Meng Yun could do.

The rest depended on what the Guiyuan Sect could offer to move the Third Ancestor.