Chapter : 44 : Engagement Promise Cancellation : ( Part : 3 ) :
Location : The Feather City : Zhau Clan Estate : Main Meeting Hall :
" Respected elder Xiao Lin , please go ahead take a seat first . "
" Oh ! And please also have this special medicinal tea we brought for you today . I am sure your like it's taste . "
At this moment the main meeting hall of the Zhau clan was filled with people .
On the ground there were many members of the Zhau clan who came to watch the delegation from the Xiao clan and the meeting that would have a huge impact on their future .
On the high platform the area was divided into two groups .
The first group that was looking both nervous and excited was the group led by the Zhau clan head Zhau Bo and the first elder Zhau Haoran .
On the other side the second group looked far more composed , dignified and honestly a little annoyed by the overly enthusiastic reception by Zhau Bo .
They were the group led by the first elder Xiao Lin of the Xiao clan .
" Please ! Clan head Zhau Bo there are no need for such polite words . "
" We are quite satisfied with your arrangement so far . " - Xiao Lin said with a fake smile on her face .
To be honest at this moment the respect they were getting felt more like an bad over acting then anything sincere or genuine.
And this was a huge thing especially coming from Xiao Lin .
As the first elder of the Xiao clan it can be said that she had seen her fare share of troubles and headache .
And this included various diplomatic talks with other strong clans and the royal family of the kingdom .
She even participated in many events were the various small clans often came to pay respect to the Xiao clan for protection and other matters .
But still even in those meetings there was semblance of dignity even for the smaller clans .
And the Xiao clan unlike the Gu clan never asked for too many formal things when it came to showing respect .
But right now what the Zhau clan especially their leader was doing was truly embarrassing even to them as cultivators .
This Zhau Bo was so much engrossed in pleasing them that he even came up himself to pull the chair for Xiao Lin and run around to bring the tea himself .
' Does this fool not realise that he is the head of a clan . ' - this was a thought in everyone's mind right now including the members of the Zhau clan who were watching from behind .
Especially the elders led by Zhau Haoran as they practically looked down in embarrassment .
Even they thought that their clan leader's actions where nothing but pure and utter humiliation .
' Pulling out chairs for someone to seat personally and then bringing them tea yourself ! What are you ? the clan head or a servant . ' - many Zhau elders behind thought to themselves bitterly .
At this point some of them even wanted to directly leave the hall in shame rather than witness such a scene anymore .
And if this was the reaction of the elders who were more experienced then the rest .
I am sure you can already picture the reaction of the younger generation cultivators of the Zhau clan standing below .
" What in the world is this ! Is this how our clan leader should behave in front of such esteemed guest . "
" Disgraceful ! truly disgraceful ! I feel ashamed by just looking at him . "
" Look at him serving tea like his some kind of servant for the Xiao clan ! "
" Exactly !!! I know that we are a small clan compared to the Xiao clan but still he is the clan leader at least he should think about the prestige of the clan if not his own . "
" Sish ! Quitely you foolish don't say those things out loud do you want to get punished by the clan leader later . "
" Oh ! He will punish me after his
own disgraceful behaviour then I would like to see that . "
" Blast it all !!! It's all because of these father and son duo that we are facing such humiliation today . "
" Sigh ! I just hope everything that happens here doesn't get leaked outside or else we'll truly have no face left . "
Right now a flurry of silent discussions and whispers where going on between almost everyone within the younger generation of the clan .
The raw emotions of humiliation and anger they were feeling were too much to hide even in front of such big figures .
After all what were they supposed to feel ! when they see there clan leader the one who was supposed to represent them in front of the world .
Was now acting in such a disgraceful manner just to please the other side because of his son's reputation .
And it was quite clear to see that not only was the other side annoyed by this behaviour they also looked down upon them even more .
While this discussions were going on among the crowd of young cultivator only one person looked at the clan head Zhau Bo with pitty and sadness in his eyes .
He was non other than Zhau Xuan .
There had been a lot of changes in his life since we last saw him .
The greatest change that happened during this time was that his earlier arrogance that was left behind due to his cultivation talents had slowly crumbled away .
After multiple trials and taking alchemist pills eventually he had to face the fact that he had indeed lost his cultivation talent .
And it was only then that he truly understood his situation within the clan .
With each passing day the behaviour of the young clan members around his age had gotten even worse .
At first they only talked bad behind him and at best gave him a cold shoulder .
But now theY openly mocked in front of him .
Some of them even went as far as to pickup fights with him only to beat him up in name of a practice session .
This was a huge blow to his moral and mental strength .
At the same time he heard some elders talking that he should leave his cultivation journey and simply take up the businesses on by the Zhau clan as his future .
And for sometime he truly believe that this was his future .
But even after all this his father and his elder brother were still there fighting and supporting him while going against the entire clan .
So while looking at them that he found some strength to continue forward .
It was then that just a few days ago he learned that people from the Xiao clan were coming to visit their house .
Obviously he knew that it was most likely about the engagement promise that his father told him about .
To be honest he had never met his supposed fiancee Xiao Yun before and has only heard some stories about her .
He knew that she was a genius just like he was before his fall and apparently was very cold beauty .
But when it came to the matter of engagement promise he felt a little conflicted.
To be honest he would have preferred not to get engage with someone he didn't know .
But he was not entirely against the idea either .
Especially if the promise was done by his grandfather.
And even his father supported this engagement promise a lot so it must be the best thing for him and the clan .
And to be honest he also didn't dislike the idea of getting close to the Xiao clan which would give him a lot of future possibilities .
And perhaps even bringing back his cultivation talent .
Well at least that's what his father said to him .
So his father instructed him to come and participate in today's family banquet , which he was very reluctant to do before .
But now seeing his father giving away his pride and dignity to please the Xiao clan elder was very heartbreaking for the young boy .
Especially when he knows that his father is doing all of this for him .
' How dare they insult my father like that ! They don't have any idea how much sacrifices he has made for the clan . '
Zhau Xuan was also quite angry towards his other classmates in the area who were constantly criticizing Zhau Bo .
To him these people who had not even done anything for the clan did not have the any right to speak ill of his father.
But unfortunately all he could do now was to look and let it happen without the power to interfere .
Location Change : Main Meeting Hall : Upper Section :
At this moment the while the situation on the ground floor among the young cultivators was getting heated up the situation at the upper section was even more tense .
Because Xiao Lin was done playing around .
" Clan head Zhau Bo let's come to the real discussion we need to have right now . " - Xiao Lin looked up at Zhau Bo while finishing her tea .
Hearing the serious voice from Xiao Lin, Zhau Bo who still wanted to continue flattering the other side finally stopped .
To be honest it was not like that Zhau Bo wanted to behave like this .
Only he knew just how much will power it took right now to suppress the humiliation he was feeling .
As a Dou Disciple it did not take him some cultivation technique to hear the whispers going on among the young cultivators below.
And from the looks that he got from the elders of his own clan it was quite understandable that he had lost a huge part of his reputation among them .
But right now he did not have the time to think about that .
He had already placed all his hope in his son's engagement promise and as such he couldn't allow anything to affect that .
And now it seemed that finally the time for that discussion has arrived .
" Please go ahead elder Lin what is it that you wish to discuss with us . " - Zhau Bo put on his best smile as he asked .
At this moment even the other elders of the Zhau clan paid full attention as even they understood that right at this moment the real junction of the conversation was about to start .
Seeing that she had the undivided attention of the other side the first elder Xiao Lin finally once again spoke up .
" A long time ago when one of our clan elders was in need it was your father that came to his help . "
Xiao Lin started recounting the events of the past and the help that the Zhau clan did to the Xiao clan .
" After our elder was saved he made a promise with your father the previous clan head of the Zhau clan regarding an engagement promise . " - Xiao Lin said her eyes still indifferent showing no emotions .
However hearing this the smile on Zhau Bo's face grew even brighter .
The fact that the other side was actively talking about the past favours and goodwill was a good start for him .
Moreover the topic of engagement promise meant that the Xiao clan still had that in mind .
This was precisely the opening of the conversation he was wishing for so long .
" Please ! First elder , you don't need to say... " - however just as he was about say some things to look modest he was cut off by Xiao Lin .
" However... Things have changed since then . "
Xiao Lin didn't look bothered after rudely cutting of Zhau Bo mid conversation as she continued to speak in a slow and deliberate manner .
"at this moment Zhau Bo's earlier happiness had gone away as a forbidden feeling came over his body .
The fact that the first elder Xiao Lin set that things have changed clearly meant that there was a problem with the continuation of the engagement promise .
' This is bad ! really bad ! ' - Zhau Bo talk to himself desperately trying to believe that everything would turn off to be okay .
However the next words that came from Xiao Lin's mouth finally shattered any illusion he had left .
" Clan head Zhau Bo after carefully considering the current situation regarding the engagement promise . " - Xiao Lin stop for a moment before delivering the final words of the sentence .
" As such our Xiao clan has came to the decision to cancel the engagement promise . "
To Be Continued .