I Pick up a Lost Godhood-Chapter 99 - 97: Contention

"Yes, Ancestral Master."

Hu Jing didn’t dare comment on the matter, because so far, only the Ancestral Masters could see what was really going on.

The moment Zhao Tianlong arrived, the noisy hall immediately fell silent. Everyone knew how much Ancestor Master Zhao valued etiquette. They all returned to their places, and though it was crowded, no one complained.

Zhao Tianlong’s gaze locked directly onto the sword Wang Meng had refined. With a beckoning gesture, the sword flew straight into his hand.

Zhao Tianlong’s eyes remained fixed on the long sword for a long time. Suddenly, he turned to Zhao Lingxuan, who was beside him, and asked, "What do you see?"

Zhao Lingxuan knew he was testing her perception. In truth, she had also been studying it for a long time. She didn’t dare misrepresent her findings. "Ancestral Master, the craftsmanship of this sword can only be considered average, but this sword has a soul!"

"Heh heh, well said. Someone who can forge an Artifact Soul is exactly what every Artifact Cultivator dreams of. Hu Jing, where is this person?"

The surroundings fell deathly silent again. ’Is there no end to this? That’s the fourth one.’

"The disciples are already looking for Senior Brother Wang Meng..."

"Zhao the Kid, since you’re here, come on in. It’s not like we’re short on space for one more."

The one who spoke was Thunderbolt.

Zhao Tianlong smiled slightly. "Ling Xuan, come inside with me."

Inside the inner hall, the three Elders had clearly been arguing. Zhao Tianlong now understood why the three of them were waiting here. If it were him, he would have waited too. First come, first served!

He was increasingly glad that he had made his first move with Zhao Ya!

"Senior Brother Lei, Brother Wu, Senior Sister Zhou, what a coincidence." Zhao Tianlong clearly saw no need to put on airs in front of them.

Everyone knew Zhou Lingxuan, so there was no need for introductions. Zhou Lingxuan obediently stood next to Liangyuan and Wangg Qing.

Liangyuan and Wangg Qing both looked a bit dazed, clearly stunned by the Ancestral Masters’ previous conversation to the point of being completely disoriented.

"Zhao the Kid, you can come hang out at Thunderlight Hall, but don’t get any ideas. This Wang Meng is a disciple of Thunderlight Hall. Whoever tries to snatch him from me, I’ll have a bone to pick with them!"

Thunderbolt said.

Zhao Tianlong just smiled faintly. "I don’t understand what Senior Brother Lei is saying. How can you call it snatching? We are all Ancestral Masters of the Holy Hall, all striving for the same goal."

"Now that’s what I like to hear, Junior Brother Zhao. Teach according to aptitude," Wu Fatian immediately chimed in.

"Then that’s even less reason for him to go to you! Who would want to learn your Ghost Talismans!" Thunderbolt immediately shot back.

"I’ve seen the sword this boy forged. It has a Sword Soul! If that talent is applied to Artifact Refining, he is destined for greatness!"

Zhao Tianlong praised.

"Junior Brother Zhao, in just a few months, he cultivated a Fourth Grade Pill Flame and can refine Five Elements Pills on his own. I think being a Pill Cultivator is more suitable for him. Besides, my disciple was the first to discover him. There should be some order to things, shouldn’t there?"

Zhou Luodan realized that if she didn’t fight for him now, things would truly get chaotic.

Zhao Tianlong was taken aback. He hadn’t expected this twist; he thought Zhou Luodan was here to mediate.

Zhao Tianlong truly coveted such talent. The ability to forge an Artifact Soul was the key to becoming a top-tier Artifact Cultivator. His own disciples, like Zhao Guang and even Zhao Lingxuan, had decent cultivation talent, but in Artifact Refining, none of them were capable of inheriting his legacy. However, there was one thing: good talent wasn’t the most important factor. At least, it wasn’t valuable enough for the four of them to be squabbling over it here.

Talent only represented a possibility; there was still a long road to travel to reach an actual high standard. Yet, Thunderbolt, Wu Fatian, and Zhou Luodan were clearly fighting for real.

Judging by the looks in their eyes, there seemed to be something he didn’t know. He could tell that the boy’s talent alone was definitely not worth this much fuss. Perhaps an Elder Level cultivator like Zhou Feng might be moved, but for an Ancestral Master, who had seen countless shooting-star-like geniuses fall, the ones who ultimately achieved greatness were few and far between. It shouldn’t have come to this.

Faced with Zhao Tianlong’s questioning gaze, the three of them—Thunderbolt and the others—had clearly reached some sort of tacit understanding. During their discussion, they absolutely avoided mentioning the hidden secret.

In truth, only Wu Fatian and Thunderbolt knew this secret. In their youth, they were known for despising evil as a personal enemy and acting first, thinking later. They had once received a favor from the same person, whose guidance played a crucial role in them achieving their current status. However, because that person’s identity was rather sensitive, almost no one in the Holy Hall knew about it.

That was why Wu Fatian had to fight for the boy, no matter what. And Zhou Luodan happened to be one of the very few who knew this secret.

Therefore, if the senior who had taken a liking to Wang Meng was *that* person, then the boy’s talent in Pill Cultivation was likely beyond even her ability to predict.

None of the three wanted this matter to be known by more people, but Zhao Tianlong happened to be someone who was not easily fooled.

Zhao Tianlong knew he had arrived late, but he couldn’t just pass up this opportunity. He smiled faintly. "Actually, I think we should let him try a bit of everything and then choose what suits him best."

"I agree!" Zhou Luodan laughed. With her chess piece, Zhou Feng, already in play, she was already halfway to success.

Thunderbolt froze. He had the home-field advantage and the support, yet he never expected that little rascal Zhou Feng to get a step ahead of him. He was now a bit behind.

"That’s for the best. And I feel that as Ancestral Masters, we’d best not interfere in this matter. Otherwise, we’ll dishearten the other disciples."

Wu Fatian said suddenly, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

"That makes sense. Senior Brother Lei, I think Thunderlight Hall has done an excellent job with this assembly. Our original intention for these hall assemblies was to give the disciples a chance to showcase themselves. Regardless of their level, what’s important is participation, learning from each other’s strengths to make up for weaknesses. That is the path of the Holy Hall."

Zhao Tianlong said, and Zhou Luodan and Wu Fatian echoed in agreement.

The topic was suddenly diverted, leaving Thunderbolt at a loss for whether to laugh or cry. ’Of course I know these guys want to make moves behind my back,’ he thought. ’Damn it all! Thunderlight Hall is my territory, after all. Who’s afraid of who?’

He immediately laughed as well. "I think so too. This assembly by Thunderlight Hall was very successful. Thunderlight Hall has indeed encountered some problems in recent years. As Ancestral Masters, we should offer care and assistance at times like this, not kick them when they’re down. Wouldn’t you all agree?"

"But of course. We’ve naturally thought of that. It was just a matter of letting the children understand. Now that they’ve had their awakening, the time is right," Wu Fatian said with complete confidence.

Thunderbolt cursed inwardly, ’This guy is obviously just posturing.’

The one suffering the most was Liangyuan. It felt as if a mix of every possible flavor had been stirred up in his heart. Listening to the four Ancestral Masters scheming over an unknown disciple truly felt like a dream.

When it came to that, Zhou Luodan had the most to say. "Heh heh, you all are still planning. I’ve already taken action."

How could Zhou Feng not understand her meaning? He quickly said, "The Ancestral Master was indeed worried about Thunderlight Hall’s situation, which is why she had me visit Thunderlight Hall to see if there were any promising talents."

Thunderbolt and the others were truly left speechless. In this regard, Zhou Luodan had indeed beaten them to it.

Luu Yun was so frustrated. ’This must be what they call "you can’t force a flower to bloom, but a casually planted willow can grow into a forest." This time, I’ve been completely defeated.’

"Heh heh, we’ve spent enough time in Thunderlight Hall. It’s time to check on the situation in the other Sub-Halls. As for Wang Meng, we’ll proceed as agreed. No matter who he ends up with in the future, no one else is to object," Zhou Luodan said.