Star Martial Era: The Way of Star Light Cultivation

Chapter 1879: Chapter 791: The Twenty-Year Pact and the Attempt

December 30th, Yuanling Royal City.

Lu Zhen of Bixuan True Mansion hosted a banquet for a group of Dao Palace elites.

Unlike Yuan Chengfa’s banquet the previous day, Lu Zhen did not invite Xu Jin. After all, even if he did, Xu Jin wouldn’t come, so there was no need to go looking for a snub.

Su Xuan was among those invited.

The banquet was fine, the wine was excellent.

But during the after-dinner chat, Lu Zhen casually mentioned a few things, modestly downplayed himself once or twice, and Liu Shu from Xiji Star Monarch Mansion cooperated with a few words. Lu Zhen’s goal was thus achieved.

Su Xuan was a bit worried, but he did not fear Lu Zhen. On the contrary, he was somewhat curious about what Lu Zhen had gained in those four or five months he’d gone to Heavenly Patrol True Monarch Ding Moqiu’s place to improve himself.

The two of them sparred on the spot.

Just like Li Qingchen and Xu Jin’s contest yesterday, they only compared their level of Enlightenment and Evolution on the Law Path, without competing in Star Power.

The disturbance was minimal, but the outcome drew attention.

In the end, Su Xuan, who hailed from Heavenly Jade True Monarch Mansion, fell half a notch short in skill and narrowly lost to Lu Zhen.

The banquet went on, but the result of this small contest held during the feast had already rippled outward like waves.

That night, Su Xuan returned gloomily to Heavenly Jade True Monarch Mansion, only to receive a notice from the old steward that the patriarch was waiting for him.

Adjusting his mood, Su Xuan pinched his own cheeks, took a deep breath, and went to see True Monarch Tianzhang.

"Tell me the details of today’s spar," True Monarch Tianzhang asked directly upon meeting him.

With his own patriarch, Su Xuan naturally dared not hide anything. He recounted everything that happened at the table, especially the details of the spar, without leaving out a word.

"Grandfather, in the spar, Lu Zhen was only a hair stronger than me on the Law Path, but I feel he should have held back a bit, he didn’t go all out." Su Xuan said softly.

Hearing this, True Monarch Tianzhang nodded lightly. "Being able to sense that means you’re still clear-headed. People of the Lu family have always put calculation first in their actions.

Inviting you today and sparring during the feast was, by and large, just to test your strength.

In essence, it’s still for raising the tier of his own Viscount-level treatment.

The Imperial Palace’s selection of a Saint Heir is drawing near. Once he breaks through to the Tenth Rank, he can naturally use up all his Enlightenment opportunities with the True Monarch Blood Crystal and the Emperor’s Dao Secret Realm, striving to be chosen as an Imperial Palace Saint Heir."

"Grandfather, doesn’t that mean I can only rank fourth?" Su Xuan said helplessly.

True Monarch Tianzhang pondered for a moment, then suppressed his tone, saying, "As things stand, that’s all we can expect."

Su Xuan lowered his head, staring at his toes, saying nothing.

The atmosphere between grandfather and grandson grew somewhat heavy.

With all his experience, how could True Monarch Tianzhang fail to see it? He immediately asked, "Xuan’er, are you resenting me?"

"This grandson wouldn’t dare."

"If you ’wouldn’t dare’, then it means you do, but don’t dare to say so."

This time, Su Xuan neither denied nor acknowledged it, merely kept silent.

True Monarch Tianzhang naturally understood that silence was tacit admission.

"Xuan’er, you think that if you had agreed to Heavenly Patrol True Monarch Ding Moqiu’s transfer, you could have held on to third place, maybe even second, don’t you?" If it were anyone else, True Monarch Tianzhang would never say such things, but the person before him was his grandson, the successor he had chosen as the next-generation leader of Tianzhang the Su Family.

And Xu Jin was the greatest investment he had ever made for Tianzhang the Su Family.

It wasn’t to the point of staking a hundred years of clan fortune on him, but if it paid off, Tianzhang the Su Family would usher in another leap forward.

The last time Tianzhang the Su Family leapt forward was back when Emperor Dongxuan began his rise. At that time, True Monarch Tianzhang sensed that Emperor Dongxuan, still only a Great Star Monarch, had extraordinary potential, so he devoted himself wholeheartedly to serving the newly-rising Emperor Dongxuan.

In the end, by following in the Emperor’s footsteps all the way, Tianzhang the Su Family transformed from a minor Star Monarch clan into a True Monarch great family that held sway over the Star Realm.

Now, he smelled the same scent on Xu Jin, felt the same kind of aura, even stronger than before.

Although Xu Jin’s current Cultivation Level was only Ninth Tier, far from a level worthy of pledging fealty.

But there was one thing True Monarch Tianzhang understood better than anyone: Experts loathe most those fence-sitters who waver between sides and hedge their bets.

At this stage, even if they notice it, they might not say anything, but once they have the power, they will certainly settle the account.

Back then, after Emperor Dongxuan became an Emperor and carved out a vast domain, he did settle with quite a few people, including two who even had a chance to break through to Emperor but were still purged by Emperor Dongxuan.

Just because, before Emperor Dongxuan’s rise, they had dabbled in backing both sides, then, for various reasons, returned under Emperor Dongxuan’s banner.

But the boomerang they threw back then came hitting straight between the eyes many years later.

Now, those people are long dead, their clans extinguished.

As a direct witness to all this, True Monarch Tianzhang had, the last time, decisively told Su Xuan to refuse Heavenly Patrol True Monarch Ding Moqiu’s transfer as well.

Talking of fealty now would be overblown, but their stance had to remain consistent.

Because of this, now that Su Xuan harbored resentment, this patriarch had to personally speak up to resolve it.

Otherwise, even if the Su family and Xu Jin became close in the future, Su Xuan’s dealings with him while carrying resentment would inevitably ruin great plans and waste all his painstaking efforts.

Under True Monarch Tianzhang’s gaze, Su Xuan continued his silence, clearly admitting to this matter.

"Xuan’er, I know you carry resentment in your heart, but this bit of resentment isn’t something I can dispel with just a few words."

"Grandfather, I don’t..."

"No need to deny it. This is the human mind, and human nature. The resentment in your heart won’t vanish just because you say it isn’t there.

But I want to ask you one question: do you trust your grandfather’s judgment?" True Monarch Tianzhang asked.

This time, Su Xuan thought seriously for a while, then nodded heavily.