6 Foolish Doting Fathers (2)

Prince Chen Tao, less eloquent in speech than Prince Zhang Mou preferred to let his actions speak for him. His upright and straightforward character, seemingly beyond his years at sixteen, was a testament to his reliable nature. He commanded no less respect than Zhang Mou, especially after he expertly carved the two stone slabs with the couplet Zhang Mou had composed.

"Is he really only at the Solid Core stage?" Bai Dajin frowned, observing the deep sword marks on the stone slab. "Chen Zong, what have you been feeding your son? These are very heavy strokes."

Curious, the other sect leaders, except Yan Ping, gathered around the stone slabs. The White Tiger leader was right. The depth of these sword strokes was very clean, but they also made very deep marks in the stone, speaking of Chen Tao's raw physical prowess and qi technique control.

Feeling accomplished, Cheng Zhong finally let them in on the secret.

"Although Chen Tao is only at the Solid Core stage, he has been training to imbue qi into his weapons and enhance his body using it. We normally use wooden swords at the Black Tortoise Clan for this training, but Chen Tao can only use paper swords."

…

Brutal. Even Zhao Mingfeng could not imagine training his Ruiting this way. His oldest daughter was already undergoing very difficult training. However, the way Chen Zhong trained his son made Chen Tao a monster for surviving the training and fully understanding how to imbue and coat the weapon using qi.

Saluting to the sect leaders after his demonstration, Chen Tao only mentioned a brief word of thanks before silently retreating into the background. However, that silence did not last long.

Two seats were empty the whole time during the banquet. Zhao Ruiting, the oldest daughter of the Celestial Dragon Sect and most likely successor, and Zhao Yihao, the second son, were missing. However, at this moment, the two missing people came crashing through the main hall's door.

After being defeated by his powerful older sister, Zhao Yihao wasn't ready to throw in the towel, even though he was thrown into the banquet hall against his wishes. Everyone else was just there to show off their martial arts. He wanted no part in it because he felt his father would mock him before the important guests. Who would have thought his nosy older sister would personally find him and capture him?

"You crazy bitch! Do you think I'm afraid of you just because you've reached the Enlightened Core stage? Do you think I will be afraid of you?! How dare you kick me!"

Before the rebellious boy could fight back, he felt an ominous pressure as his father's voice boomed throughout the banquet.

"Zhao Yihao! Are you finished? Your behaviour tonight has damaged the entire Celestial Dragon Sect's reputation. How can you demean your sister in front of all these important guests? I wouldn't scold you if you didn't want to attend the banquet. I won't even question why you ended up fighting with her. However, since you're already here, shouldn't you apologise for causing a scene?"

There it was… that look that Yihao hated. Although he was in the wrong for causing trouble all the time, he hated not being asked for a reason and getting brushed off like dirt at the bottom of someone's shoe all the time. His father was an important man, so he understood if he was always unavailable. His older sister was an important successor. It was only natural that everyone would favour her. His older brother, who was two years older, was smarter than him, and he used to have all his mother's attention until three years ago when his younger sister came along. However, his sister had a weak constitution from birth after her father sealed her cultivation core to save her life. It was bad enough that his mother spent most of her time caring for Anji. However, not even the servants had time to spare him. Zhao Yihao never had a place in this sect or family in the first place!

Standing at the front of the banquet door, looking unfazed, Zhao Ruiting shook her head. Her foolish brother should have followed her obediently the moment she found him. Things would not have blown out of proportion if he attended the banquet as he should have. She did not care if Yihao hated her. It never mattered since he was never interested in martial arts or succeeding the clan. However, it was her duty as the successor to maintain the image of their sect. Yihao didn't even greet the guests earlier. How could he ignore them rudely without an excuse or apology at the banquet? It was unacceptable. There was only a six-year difference between them. Why was Yihao so childish?

Feeling utterly humiliated by his family, Yihao balled his hands into fists by his side as he did his best to hold back tears. A man cannot cry! He knew his father was still scolding him but could not hear a single word directed at him. All he felt was rage burning from within, wanting to explode.

"Darling, please stop. I know Yihao wasn't right. However, we have guests. Can't you leave the disciplining until after the banquet?" Wanting stepped up to reason with her husband.

Unable to refuse his wise wife, Zhao Mingfeng sighed and agreed to let the matter go.

"Yihao, just sit down now. We will talk after this."

As Mingfeng turned around, he didn't expect to feel a violent energy behind him. On instinct, he blocked and returned a counterattack. However, he quickly regretted his reflex when he saw that the attacker was Yihao.

Ruiting, still standing at the door, was caught off guard as Yihao was sent flying towards her. She considered dodging. However, if she did, Yihao would sustain severe injuries. Hence, Ruiting braced herself for impact.

At this crucial moment, Bai Dajin, who had been silently observing the family drama from the side, stepped in and grabbed Yihao's foot, stopping the collision.

Dangling with one foot in the White Tiger leader's hand while coughing blood from his father's powerful internal energy counterattack, Zhao Yihao wondered how he survived. Any anger he had earlier had vanished.

As if holding up a fish he had caught at sea, Bai Dajin examined the boy he had caught. Although he had quite the temper, the White Tiger leader saw it clearly earlier. The boy might have less cultivation talent than his older sister. However, his reflexes and battle instincts were top-notch. Compared to Zhang Yi and Chen Zhong, Bai Dajin had no successor. On the other hand, a boy like Yihao could never hope to succeed in the Celestial Dragon Sect with this many siblings.

"Oi, old Zhao. Give this brat to me. I want to bring him back to the White Tiger sect and mould him into my successor. He has a good body that can inherit my Sabre technique."

Shocked and speechless, Zhao Mingfeng did not know where to begin. Although Zhao Yihao wasn't his sect's successor, sending him to learn another sect's martial arts did not seem very appropriate. He was also unwilling to give his second son up for adoption, even if he was quite the troublemaker.

"This…" Unable to refuse but unable to accept Dajin's proposal's suddenness, Zhao Mingfeng faltered.

Not wanting to put the flustered Celestial Dragon sect leader on the spot, Bai Dajin stared at the boy and spanked him once before putting him back down on the ground.

"There," he looked at Zhao Mingfeng. "I've disciplined him on your behalf. We can discuss details about him studying under me later, but I've taken a strong liking to him, enough for me to consider becoming this child's godfather. It's not every day you see someone with such honed battle senses. You have very talented children."

It was the first time in Yihao's life that he wasn't a complete nuisance or burden to others. Although his butt was still throbbing from that hard spanking, he looked at Bai Dajin with respect and turned those hopeful eyes towards his stupefied father.

"What are you doing?" Zhao Wanting whispered urgently. "If you want to follow Sect Leader Bai, quickly kowtow and pay respects to your new teacher!"

Wasting not a second more, Zhao Yihao knelt before Bai Dajin with urgency and greeted at the top of his lungs.

"Zhao Yihao greets his teacher!"