Under One Person: Please Call Me Golden Flash

Chapter 23 Zhang Zhiwei's "Arrogance"

The Lu family's territory, once an empty square, is now brightly decorated with red lanterns.

In the square, rows of round tables were neatly arranged, with at least twenty tables in total.

Looking around, almost everyone sitting here is a prominent figure in the world of supernatural beings.

"Those are... the Celestial Master and the Left Sect Master?!"

"Greetings, Celestial Master; greetings, Master Zuo."

"I never expected that even the Celestial Master and the Left Sect Master would be here. Old Master Lu's birthday banquet is truly lively!"

……

"Grandpa! Father! My master and the Celestial Master have arrived!"

With Lu Jin's excited shout, everyone's attention was drawn to Zuo Ruotong and Zhang Jingqing in the square.

"Mr. Lu, long time no see!"

Zhang Jingqing laughed heartily as she cupped her hands in greeting to Old Master Lu, who had come out to greet them.

"Lord Lu, am I not late?"

Zuo Ruotong also cupped her hands and smiled slightly at Old Master Lu.

"Not at all, not at all. The Lu family is honored that the Celestial Master and Master Zuo have graced us with their presence."

Old Master Lu returned the greeting with a cupped hand.

Behind him, Lu Jin's father, Lu Xuan, and the heads of the other three families also bowed with their hands clasped in greeting.

"Please, our two distinguished guests, take your seats."

"please."

"please."

As he spoke, Old Master Lu personally led Zhang Jingqing and Zuo Ruotong to the head seat at the same table as him.

No one present dared to say a word against it; on the contrary, they all felt it was the right thing to do.

If even the Celestial Master and the Great Ying Immortal are not worthy of accompanying the host, then who else in this world of supernatural beings is qualified to do so?
Meanwhile, under a tree in the corner of the square, Lu Jin glanced at Zhao Zhen, who was being supported by Zhang Zhiwei, with some confusion.

"Brother Zhao, what's going on?"

"It's nothing, I just walked for a long time and feel a little weak."

Zhao Zhen gave a casual reply, without mentioning that he had been tested by the Celestial Master at the Lu family's gate.

"With your stamina and skills, Brother Zhao, how did you manage to walk until you're so exhausted? Just how far have you traveled?"

Zhao Zhen smiled somewhat reluctantly and waved the birthday gift he had prepared in advance.

"This is a birthday gift for your grandfather. You know I'm not very well-off, so this gift isn't very valuable. Please forgive me."

"It's alright. A gift from afar is a gift of great sentiment. I am already very grateful that you came as promised, Brother Zhao. I will accept it on behalf of my grandfather."

Lu Jin smiled and accepted Zhao Zhen's birthday gift. The Lu family was large and wealthy, so naturally they didn't care how valuable Zhao Zhen's gift was.

For Lu Jin, Zhao Zhen's willingness to keep her promise and attend the banquet was already the greatest sign of sincerity.

"By the way, I didn't have a chance to ask earlier, who is this senior brother?"

Seeing that Lu Jin finally turned his gaze to Zhang Zhiwei beside him, Zhao Zhen silently replied in his heart.

He's the kind of man who can slap you so hard you'll cry right away...

"I am Zhang Zhiwei, a disciple of the Celestial Master's Mansion."

"The Celestial Master's Mansion? Senior Brother Zhang, you came with the Celestial Master? Are you a disciple of the Celestial Master?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Lu Jin's eyes.

When he went to greet the Celestial Master and his own master, he did not see anyone following behind them, which is why he was unable to recognize Zhang Zhiwei's identity for a long time.

"Ah."

Zhang Zhiwei nodded, then looked back at Zhao Zhen beside him.

"Young man, how are you feeling?"

"I'm much better now. Thank you for your support along the way, Fellow Daoist Zhang."

Zhao Zhen nodded and stepped out with Zhang Zhiwei's help.

"No problem, it's nothing at all," Zhang Zhiwei said with a slight smile.

"Just now, I heard outside the door that you are a disciple of the Golden Light Master of Quanxing Sect. You must also know the Golden Light Master's unique secret technique—Golden Escape Flowing Light, right?" "I know a little bit."

"That's great! I've always heard my master praise the Golden Light Immortal's Golden Escape Flowing Light, but it's a pity I've never had the chance to see it in person."

Now that we've met by chance, young brother, you must fulfill my wish later!

"Easy to say, easy to say..."

"Brother Zhao, Senior Brother Zhang, please don't chat here yet. The banquet is about to begin. Why don't you two take your seats first, and we can eat and chat later?"

Faced with Lu Jin's invitation, Zhao Zhen simply smiled and shook her head.

"There's no need for me to take a seat. Brother Lu, you know my identity. Today, my presence, gifts, and sentiments are enough. As for taking a seat, let's forget about it. I don't want to cause any trouble for Old Master Lu during such a joyous occasion."

"Look at what you're saying. Since I, Lu Jin, invited you here, it means that I have never cared about your status, Brother Zhao. All I care about is you as a person!"

Besides, Brother Zhao, you are merely a disciple of the Quanxing sect, not a true member. How can you not be allowed to sit here?

As she spoke, a hint of anger seemed to rise between Lu Jin's brows.

“Not everyone in the world is as magnanimous as Brother Lu. Moreover, the Lu family is full of distinguished guests today. If I were to upset anyone or ruin the atmosphere because of me, I would truly become the sinner of today.”

After hearing Zhao Zhen's words, Zhang Zhiwei, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but take another look at Zhao Zhen.

"But……"

Lu Jin was about to continue persuading him, but Zhang Zhiwei suddenly interrupted, saying, "Young Master Lu, I won't go over there. I'll stay here and keep Brother Zhao company."

"Senior Brother Zhang, what is the reason for this? Is there something wrong with the Lu family's hospitality that has upset you?" Lu Jin asked, frowning.

"Young Master Lu, please don't misunderstand. The Lu family has certainly not neglected me. It's just that I've never really enjoyed interacting with people, and I feel uncomfortable when there are too many people at the table."

It's quite nice to stay here; it's quiet. However, I'm afraid we'll have to trouble Young Master Lu to bring us some food later.

"Well... alright, since Senior Brother Zhang doesn't like crowds, then forget it. I'll go and tell someone to send you some extra food later."

Lu Jin had no choice but to give in to the two of them.

He was the host today and had to entertain other guests, so after chatting for a few more minutes, he left in a hurry.

After Lu Jin left, Zhao Zhen glanced at Zhang Zhiwei, who was sitting casually on the ground with his back against a big tree.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, instead of taking a seat, you sit with me, a disciple of the Quanxing Demon Clan. Aren't you afraid of attracting gossip?"

"What do I, a hermit Taoist priest, have to be discussed by others?"

Zhang Zhiwei shrugged indifferently.

"As for you, Brother Zhao, since my master and the Left Sect Leader trust you, what do I have to worry about? I have never believed that my judgment of people is more discerning than that of my master and the Left Sect Leader."

"In that case, I have been overthinking it."

Zhao Zhen smiled slightly, and then sat down next to Zhang Zhiwei in a very casual manner.

"For Fellow Daoist Zhang to be taken along by the Celestial Master when he goes out, he must be exceptionally talented among his peers in the Celestial Master's Mansion and deeply favored by the Celestial Master, right?"

"Haha, I dare not say whether Master likes me or not, but in terms of skill alone, I can beat my fellow disciples on the mountain by a move or two."

If someone else heard this, they would definitely think to themselves, "How can Zhang Zhiwei be so arrogant?"
But to Zhao Zhen, it sounded like Zhang Zhiwei was quite humble in front of others, and he didn't see any arrogance in him at all.

It makes sense, just as the Celestial Master Zhang Jingqing said. Zhang Zhiwei's arrogance is really different from that of ordinary people. It is a kind of "arrogance" in which he doesn't take any of his peers seriously at all.

Just like how you get used to drinking plain water every day, you naturally won't constantly talk about how you drank a glass of plain water this morning.

"In that case, could it be that Fellow Daoist Zhang's surname 'Zhang' was also fraudulently claimed?"

Unlike in reality, where the succession of Celestial Masters requires blood ties, in the background of "Under One Person," although all the Celestial Masters of the Celestial Master's Mansion have the surname Zhang, not all those with the surname Zhang are direct descendants of Zhang Daoling.

Disciples who are not surnamed Zhang can also be included in the Celestial Master candidate system through "adopting a surname" or "being granted a surname".

These disciples who were qualified to impersonate the surname "Zhang" were all exceptionally talented individuals, one in a million!
"Yes, my real name is not Zhang."

Zhang Zhiwei nodded calmly, just like before, clearly not taking the matter of falsely claiming the surname "Zhang" too seriously.

"Then wouldn't I be very likely having a face-to-face conversation with the future Celestial Master right now?"

Zhao Zhen smiled slightly, then couldn't help but sigh with some regret.

"It's a pity I don't have any wine on hand right now, otherwise I would have at least offered Fellow Daoist Zhang a toast."

"Haha, Brother Zhao, you flatter me. My master passed the position of Celestial Master to me, so I naturally accept it. But if he wants to pass it on to someone else, I have no objection either. So let's forget about the wine."

Just as the two were having a pleasant conversation, a chubby little boy holding a skewer of candied hawthorns suddenly ran up to Zhao Zhen.

"It's you, Zhao Zhen?!"

(End of this chapter)