Seeing that Wang Zongyao had taken the initiative to let them pass, averting a major battle, Round Dance cupped his hands and said with a smile, "Then I thank you, Chief Examiner, for letting us through. Our only purpose here is this young man. Once our business is finished, we will leave immediately and apologize to the West Mansion."
"Hmph."
Wang Zongyao just snorted coldly, then stepped aside without another word.
’I can’t beat you, so I can’t stop you from going in,’ he thought. ’But whether you can come back out is another question entirely.’
Of course, Wang Zongyao wouldn’t say any of this out loud to Round Dance.
Since Wang Zongyao wasn’t talking, Round Dance didn’t press the matter. He waved to his black-robed men, beckoning them to follow him. Then, he led the dozen or so men toward Tang Yi’s arena with a menacing aura.
"The West Mansion let those black-robed men in!"
"They’re heading for Tang Yi! Are they really here for him?"
"Is Tang Yi crazy? Those people clearly have ill intentions. If they’re really here for him, why would he face them on his own? Wouldn’t it be safer to hide under the West Mansion’s protection?"
"How could he hide? Even the West Mansion’s Chief Examiner couldn’t beat their leader!"
"It’s obvious Tang Yi must have provoked someone he shouldn’t have, and now they’ve come knocking. If I were the West Mansion, I’d make them handle it themselves, too. I wouldn’t protect that troublemaking Big Waste."
"That makes sense!"
"I have a feeling Tang Yi is going to be beaten to a pulp."
"I bet he’ll be dragged away like a dead dog."
Seeing the West Mansion allow the black-robed men into the arena area, the crowd erupted in discussion.
Meanwhile, on the high platform, the Elders of the various Noble Families were also endlessly surprised. The series of events was developing in a way that was completely beyond their expectations.
First, Su Jian put on an act to let Tang Yi win. Then, a black-robed man with the power of a Battle King appeared and fought the West Mansion’s Chief Examiner. Now, these black-robed men were after Tang Yi.
The situation was changing so quickly it was hard to keep up.
What in the world was going on?
And why did Tang Yi refuse the West Mansion’s protection and insist on handling it himself?
Was the Big Waste just playing with fire?
"Clan Leader, this... Will Young Master Tang Yi be alright? These black-robed men don’t come in peace. I’m afraid they mean to harm him," a Tang Family Elder whispered in Tang Haotian’s ear.
As Tang Yi’s father, Tang Haotian couldn’t help but start to worry.
Tang Haotian knew what his son was capable of; Tang Yi had once told him he was at the Battle Spirit level. However, among those black-robed men was a Battle King!
Moreover, the other black-robed men might also be Battle Spirits. Even without the Elder’s warning, Tang Haotian knew the situation was extremely unfavorable for Tang Yi.
"Clan Leader Tang, it looks like your Tang Yi is in a bad spot."
At that moment, the nearby Clan Leader of the Su Family, having assessed the situation, spoke in a taunting, sarcastic tone.
Because of the earlier incident with Su Jian, the Su Family held a great deal of resentment toward the Tang Family.
If it weren’t for Tang Yi, how could their Su Family have been implicated? How could they have been subjected to such public scorn?
So, seeing Tang Yi in trouble now, they couldn’t resist sneering at him.
"It’s more than a bad spot. In my opinion, the Tang Family’s decline begins today!" the Fan Family’s Clan Leader added, twisting the knife.
"With a Big Waste like Tang Yi, the Tang Family’s decline is inevitable. And they even bribed the Chief Examiner for a qualification exemption? It’s utterly ridiculous," the Yuan Family’s Clan Leader said as well.
"The Clan Leaders are right. I don’t know what the Tang Family was thinking, letting a Big Waste participate in the qualification exam without anyone stopping him. If I were a member of the Tang Family, I’d want to dig a hole and bury myself. It’s just too humiliating."
"The Tang Family doesn’t have any particularly special talents this year, do they? Only Tang Piaomiao is decent, but she’s still a far cry from geniuses like Fan Wei and Su Four Sabers."
"I heard the Tang Family only had six people in the qualification exam, and three of them were eliminated. It’s hilarious! Look at our Su Family—we have a total of seven people who made it to the third round."
"Our Fan Family has eight."
"And our Yuan Family has six."
"The Tang Family is washed up. And they dare call themselves one of Fengyue City’s top-tier families alongside us? Are they even worthy?"
"Now that Tang Yi is in trouble, maybe the whole Tang Family will be dragged down with him. Heh heh."
"They should hurry up and sever all ties with Tang Yi. Otherwise, the Tang Family might just vanish by tomorrow morning."
Seeing their Clan Leaders take the lead in ridiculing the Tang Family, the Elders from the three families all began to chime in with their own taunts.
Everyone kicks a man when he’s down. With Tang Yi targeted by such a powerful Mysterious Man and the Tang Family on the verge of disaster, when better to rub salt in the wound?
Thus, the words of these Noble Family Elders were as venomous as could be, their gazes filled with utter contempt. Even some of the smaller Noble Families joined the mocking crowd, sneering at the Tang Family.
This caused the faces of the present Tang Family Elders to alternate between green and white, and they trembled with rage. They wanted to retort, but they didn’t know what to say, leaving them feeling incomparably frustrated and stifled.
The Clan Leader of the Mu Family, however, did not join in kicking them while they were down. Instead, he asked with concern, "How did Tang Yi provoke an expert of this caliber? Clan Leader Tang, shouldn’t you go down and see if there’s been some kind of misunderstanding?"
Tang Haotian hadn’t expected the Mu Family to still stand with them at a time like this, and his favorable impression of them soared.
He ignored the words of the Clan Leaders from the Su, Fan, and Yuan Families. Instead, he cupped his hands toward the Clan Leader of the Mu Family and said, "Thank you for your concern, Clan Leader Mu. I don’t understand what’s happening either. I’ll go down in a moment to ask. Although I am no match for those black-robed men, Tang Yi is my son and a disciple of my Tang Family. I will not let anyone harm him."
After speaking, Tang Haotian turned to the Tang Family Elders and instructed, "You all wait here. I’m going down to take a look. If..."
Tang Haotian paused, his gaze suddenly becoming incomparably resolute. He continued, "If something happens to me, then Third Uncle will take over as Clan Leader."
Although he had faith in Tang Yi’s strength, Tang Haotian was still uneasy.
After all, what father wouldn’t worry about his own son?
And so, Tang Haotian decided to go down and stand with his son!
If those black-robed men truly intended to move against Tang Yi, then Tang Haotian was resolved to protect him, even if it meant dying in the attempt!
Of course, he was only a Battle Grandmaster. In front of those people, his strength was nothing, but...
He couldn’t just stand by and watch his son die before his very eyes!
"Clan Leader, we’ll go with you!"
"That’s right! We’ll go together! If we die, we die together!"
"I’m just a bag of old bones! Who do I have to be afraid of!"
The Tang Family Elders all declared.
"You are not to go down. I’ll go by myself. Perhaps the situation isn’t as bad as you imagine," Tang Haotian refused them decisively.
"Clan Leader...!"
The Elders grew anxious and were about to say more, but Tang Haotian cut them off.
"This is an order!" Tang Haotian shot a glance back at the Elders, scaring them into silence. Then he turned, leaped lightly off the high platform, and headed toward Tang Yi’s arena.

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