Clan Leader Zhao Guang didn't speak, but he just stared at Zhao Yao, ignoring Su Zhelan.
He couldn't antagonize the Su clan leader because the Su clan was the only ally clan the Ancient Zhao clan had.
Even though the reclusive clan had existed since the Ancient Era, it had long since degenerated from a top-level power.
The marriage alliance with Su clan Leader was a great opportunity for them. Even though they were not fond of the crippled status of Zhao Yao, they took care of him due to his marriage alliance with Su Ruo.
It only changed recently, and Zhao Yao can guess now that it's due to Zhao Ping having his eyes on Su Ruo. Zhao Yao got treated badly, and they oppressed him.
He wasn't sure what these idiotic elders were thinking when supporting Zhao Ping to win over Su Ruo. Because the only reason Uncle Su agreed to marry his daughter into this clan was due to his close friendship with Zhao Tong, Zhao Yao's late father.
Zhao Yao believed that Zhao Ping did the trap with the help of few elders. Because of Zhao Yao's shame ruining the marriage arrangement, the rest of the Elders, including the Grand Elders, sided with Zhao Ping to arrange his marriage with Su Ruo.
"Haha...Look at how the champion lay there moaning like a ***" Uncle Su whispered to his Assistant, but every one near the arena heard him. "Old Chen, they want my daughter to marry this fellow? Hahaha."
"Su Clan Leader, please forgive us for this interruption. We will discipline this clan member." One of the grand elders apologized.
The grand elders all had landed on the arena.
Zhao Yao tried to make eye contact with Uncle Su, but he was ignored, and he could understand the reason why. The trap set up by Zhao Ping had ruined Uncle Su's trust in him and had greatly disappointed him.
Zhao Yao couldn't blame him as he realized how hard it must be for this Clan Leader to adamantly stand by his word to give his only daughter to a cripple.
"Zhao Yao, have you had enough ruining the contest?" Instead of the clan leader Zhao Guang, Elder Zhao Yang was the one who spoke.
Unlike the unrestrained Su Clan Leader, Su Zhelan, Zhao Clan Leader tried his best to not speak unnecessarily to avoid speaking any errors.
Zhao Guang borrowed another mouth for him to do the talking.
"This matter is over now, Guards take Zhao Yao into custody. The gathered crowd can disperse now."
"THIS MATTER IS NOT OVER." Zhao Yao shouted. "Why are you ignoring Zhao Ping's crimes?"
"What crimes?" Elder Zhao Yang mocked. "You have no proof."
"Proof?" Zhao Yao smiled.
Reaching his robe, he grabbed a small cloth bag he tied inside near his waist.
"You want proof?
Here is the North Mansion's account book that clearly indicates that they still have the same number of Merps from the day before. They didn't kill any of their beasts for the feast yesterday. But they killed a Merp yesterday and feasted on it. Check their waste pit." Zhao Yao displayed the account book for everyone to see. "Whose Merp do you think Zhao Ping stole and slaughtered?"
"You stole North Mansion's account book?"
"THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE HERE. You can punish me for this AFTER I get the justice I deserve." Zhao Yao was forceful, showing his ownership title of the Merp and North Mansion's Demon Beast account book.
'Master, it's time to insert Martial Lord Qi to my father's robe.'
'Yes.' He heard his Master's reply.
Taking a deep breath, he shouted.
"I, Zhao Yao, son of Lord Zhao Tong, the direct descendant of Great Zhao Zhen, wager my lineage rights and heritage and request the clan to give me AN OPEN TRIAL with the accused Zhao Ping subjected to truth ceremony. And I demand it NOW in front of this gathered public."
As he spoke Zhao Yao's robe glowed and manifested a projection.
"It's a Martial Lord's residual will. The kid managed to resonate with the will."
Uncle Su rushed to his front grabbing Zhao Yao's arm.
"You are wearing Zhao Tong's robe?"
Zhao Yao could see the sorrow in his eyes.
"Yes?"
"Is that why you can speak loud?"
"Yes, after wearing my father's robe, I somehow feel strong." Zhao Yao meekly replied.
"It's not strange. A martial Lord can leave behind a residual will in his cultivator dress." Uncle Su let out a deep breath, and the way he looked at Zhao Yao became more amicable.
"Where did you get this robe?" Elder Zhao Jiang asked.
"This belongs to my father, Lord Zhao Tong." Zhao Yao hated the clan usurping his father's belongings. He used his father's robe and used his Master's Qi to enhance the minute amount of his father's residual will.
Some Grand Elders looked at him with sympathy and pity. They may not like him, but his father Zhao Tong was their pride once.
"I DEMAND JUSTICE. I request an open trial in this place as a direct descendant."
Zhao Yao pushed forward using the newfound sympathy on him.
By wagering his lineage, Zhao Yao asked to exclude him from the main family of lineage in exchange for the trial to prove his point. The forefathers had included a law like this to aid direct descendants from falling victim to clan politics and thus denied from getting justice.
"What? We can't do it now?" Elder Zhao Jiang interjected.
"Why can't you? Or are you saying the Ancient Zhao clan is so corrupt now that it doesn't follow it's own rules?" Zhao Yao retorted as he observed the Grand Elders who kept their silence.
"How dare you?" Elder Zhao Yang shouted in anger revealing his Golden Core realm cultivation to pressurize Zhao Yao. Zhao Yao, who experienced many Martial Lord's pressures, felt this threat was nothing.
"Then tell me why can't you oblige when a direct descendant wagers his lineage? Why can't you honor a Martial Lord's son's request?"
"We can't rush the investigation?"
"Let me make this clear. I DON'T TRUST the clan's investigation. That's exactly why I requested for an open trial now.
You can punish me all you want after the trial for all the crimes I committed and 'will' commit. But I need the trial now at this moment."
"How dare you belittle the elders?" Elder Zhao Yang bellowed in anger.
"That's enough." A Grand Elder ordered. Zhao Chengjiao was one of the oldest Grand Elder of the clan, who had a good reputation for his justness.
"The kid is correct. He has the right to demand an open trial, and the clan laws allow it."
"Yes, I agree." Soon the other Grand elders joined and agreed.
The Elders who used to support Zhao Yao's father vehemently criticized the elders who tried to deny his request.
"Junior Zhao Yao, as an Elder, I want to tell you that the clan is your home, don't treat it with mistrust. Even with an absurd accusation like yours, as long it follows the rules, the clan won't suppress it."
"Thank you, Grand Elder." Zhao bowed sincerely grateful for supporting him and then continued.
"I want Zhao Ping subjected to truth ceremony and trialed for stealing my wife, for stealing my property, for the murder of my wife, for the cruel treatment of a clan member, and for engaging in cannibalism."
"..."
Zhao Yao listed out his charges suffocating even the Grand Elders. It was his turn to suffocate them.
Only Uncle Su was laughing, hearing his charges. "This is funny...Haha."
They didn't delay and started expanding the arena for the open trial. The crowd who came to see a fight was excited to see all the Legendary Grand Elders together and they expectedly waited to see a spectacle that rarely occurs in the clan.
Zhao Yao stood unfazed in the towering pressure, rehearsing his plot points. Zhao Ping was taken to the infirmary, and Zhao Yao knew that the Elders will get the details and the truth out of him and try to ruin the trial to their favor.
He also realized that his request for subjecting Zhao Ping to the truth ceremony will never be approved. They will never let that happen.
But, Zhao Yao wasn't worried as he had already ruined Zhao Ping's reputation. Beating him down like a dog, the undefeatable scion image he built was shredded to pieces in front of tens of thousands of clan members.
The coolest Young Master wasn't cool looking anymore with a crushed nose and missing teeth.
'Zhao Ping, I can play this game too.
You want to tarnish my name so that you can marry Su Ruo? I can tarnish your name too so that you could never marry her.
You want to make me a pervert in front of a crowd? I can make you a thief, murderer, and a pathetic loser in front of the entire clan.
You gave me an aphrodisiac to f***? I cracked your nuts so that you never f***.
You want to make me married to a Merp? I can use the same Merp you gave me to destroy you.
You want to play?
I can play your game.
I can play it better than you.
I can beat you using your own game.'