Chapter 6: Snobbery

Tie Zhu was silent. Wang Zhuo sneered from the side, "I told you long ago, this kid doesn't have what it takes. Now look, he just went to make a fool of himself for nothing. I was accepted after the first test. I didn't see his later tests, but I heard he didn't pass a single one of the three tests. If he had listened to me earlier, he wouldn't have even gone. I reckon my Fourth Uncle's son, Hu Zi, would be better than him."

Tie Zhu's Fourth Uncle frowned and snapped, "Wang Zhuo, even if you become an Immortal, don't be presumptuous in front of me. Whether my Hu Zi has what it takes is none of your damn business. You have no respect!"

A cold glint flashed in Wang Zhuo's eyes. He sneered a few times but said nothing.

Tie Zhu's father seemed to age more than ten years in an instant, slumping into a chair. Tie Zhu's mother was also stunned, seemingly unable to believe it, and asked, "Tie Zhu… is… is it true?"

Tie Zhu bit his lower lip tightly, ignoring the blood that flowed. He knelt on the ground with a thud, kowtowed several times heavily, and whispered, "Father, Mother, Tie Zhu wasn't accepted by an Immortal. I'm sorry… I… I will repay your nurturing grace in my next life."

Tie Zhu's mother sensed the despair in her child's voice and immediately ran over, embracing Tie Zhu. She sobbed, "My child, it's okay, don't be sad. So what if you weren't accepted by an Immortal? We'll go to the county for the grand examination next year, it'll be the same. My child, you absolutely must not do anything foolish. Look on the bright side. Your father and I are still counting on you to take care of us in our old age."

Tie Zhu's father also recovered at this moment. Seeing Tie Zhu's expression, his heart trembled, and he quickly went over to hug Tie Zhu, anxiously saying, "Tie Zhu, you mustn't do anything foolish. Your father is here for everything. Listen to your father, let's go home and study hard. The grand examination next year is the same."

The relatives around them changed their expressions extremely quickly, one by one moving away from Tie Zhu's parents. Their faces all showed expressions of watching a show, gossiping and discussing animatedly.

"This child Tie Zhu, I already thought he wouldn't make it. How can he compare to Elder Brother's Wang Zhuo? This time, he's truly disgraced the family," Tie Zhu's father's Sixth Younger Brother mocked.

"Exactly! If we had known it would be like this, he shouldn't have acted as if he was really accepted. How embarrassing! Second Brother, you're already this old, why do you keep doing such foolish things? No wonder Father didn't divide the family property with you back then," Tie Zhu's father's Third Uncle said with a look of disgust and sarcasm.

"If you ask me, the story about this child being smart since childhood is probably false, nine times out of ten. It's likely Second Brother felt he wouldn't amount to much in this life, so he exaggerated about his own child. Now look, he's been exposed," the Fifth Uncle, who had been sitting next to Tie Zhu's father just now, immediately changed his expression, completely abandoning his earlier fawning demeanor.

"Three children went for the test, and he was the only one who failed. This child Tie Zhu is the worst in our Wang family. What a disgrace! Second Sister-in-law, just now I was saying you and Second Brother would enjoy good fortune together, but now it seems your life will just be like this. You don't have that kind of good fortune," someone among the female relatives mocked.

"Isn't that right? A few days ago, I went to their village and saw Tie Zhu. At the time, I was thinking this child was so silly, how could he compare to those two children, Wang Zhuo and Wang Hao? He definitely wouldn't succeed," Tie Zhu's Fifth Uncle's Wife also changed her expression and began to mock.

"I've long seen that this child Tie Zhu is no good. Look at his father and mother; what kind of good child could they produce? In our Wang family, only Elder Brother's and Third Brother's children have promise. Tie Zhu, bah, even that name looks silly," another woman among the female relatives said, not to be outdone in her mockery.

"I must have been blind just now, wanting to push my daughter into a pit of fire. Fortunately, this Tie Zhu wasn't accepted by an Immortal, otherwise my daughter would resent me for a lifetime! Tie Zhu's mother, this engagement, let's just forget about it. Since your child can't become an Immortal, who would marry their daughter to him? Isn't that like a toad wanting to eat swan meat?"

All of a sudden, almost all the relatives revealed their snobbish faces, and the malicious words became increasingly severe, mercilessly striking at Tie Zhu's family.

This scene was a world apart from the earlier flattery. Even more, some simply tore off their masks and directly demanded the gifts they had given earlier. Tie Zhu's parents turned pale, Wang Lin clenched his fists, and the pain in his heart intensified. He felt as if he was dying, with only mocking words filling his ears.

Wang Zhuo's father sneered inwardly and said carelessly, "Second Brother, I told you before, Immortals are very particular about fate when accepting disciples, and the requirements are very strict. Unless one is as outstanding as my son, there's simply no chance at all. But you, you took it seriously, and now the child is so desperate he doesn't want to live. Why bother?"

Tie Zhu's father could no longer bear it. He suddenly turned around, glaring furiously, and shouted, "Wang Tianshan, shut your mouth! When Father was on his deathbed, he clearly left me a share of the family property. You painstakingly contacted relatives to snatch my share, and today you're still here making sarcastic remarks. Do you really think I, Wang Tianshui, have no backbone?!

And you relatives! Just now you were fawning, and now you're making sarcastic remarks. My child is already like this, and you're still kicking him when he's down. Do you have no humanity at all?!"

Wang Tianshan's voice faltered, and he said angrily, "Why bring up so much of the past? Your child simply isn't that material. I kindly advised you, but instead of thanking me, you're lashing out at me. Hmph, if the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked. With a father like this, the son won't be much better!"

The surrounding disdainful laughter and sarcasm, falling into the ears of Wang Lin, who stood blankly in place, were like sharp thorns piercing his heart. He forcibly endured the tearing pain in his heart, watched all of this with cold eyes, and remembered the face of every relative.

"You!! I'll fight you!" Tie Zhu's father grabbed a nearby stool and was about to charge forward. Tie Zhu's Fourth Uncle quickly rushed out, stopped him, and whispered, "Second Brother, don't be impulsive. Elder Brother's household has many servants, don't suffer a loss. I'm here, watch me."

After speaking, he glared at Wang Tianshan and said, "Elder Brother, is that how you talk? I, Old Fourth, can't stand it anymore. If you dare to insult my Second Brother in front of me again, don't blame me for disregarding our fraternal bond. Although the Wang family is large, I, Old Fourth, have made many Jianghu friends over the years. Don't let it all be burned to ashes!"

Wang Tianshan mumbled a few words, deeply wary of this Fourth Younger Brother who had extensive connections.

"Old Fourth, what you said is wrong. Second Brother's child simply isn't that material. Are we wrong to talk about it? This child isn't good, and we elders aren't allowed to talk about it? That's too unreasonable," the oldest Third Ancestor Uncle said with dissatisfaction.