Zhang Chen's arrival, and his fiercely independent manner, had certainly taught everyone a lesson.
"This boy truly deserves his reputation as the one who stirred winds and clouds throughout the Pacifying Border Prince's Mansion. His methods exceeded all our expectations. Even that lad Zhang Shenqi couldn't get the better of him. He really is the son who will restore our lineage to glory," someone praised from afar.
Another agreed, "Indeed. I like this boy's temperament. Only someone like him can lead our Zhang Family to rise again amid this storm-tossed situation and withstand the backlash from the Great Victory Royal Family."
"Hmph, this boy is wild and unruly, with no regard whatsoever for the bigger picture. If someone like him gains power, he'll throw rules and propriety into chaos, leaving our Zhang Family unwelcome among all the great aristocratic clans and lineages under heaven. He'll make enemies everywhere, and sooner or later they'll all rise against us," someone countered.
"Nonsense! Though this boy scorns propriety, he follows his own principles. He may have many enemies, but he has just as many genuinely capable friends. Xie Lingyun, Xie Xuan, Zhong Wu Bai, and Zhou Qiucheng are all great cultivators renowned throughout the capital. Together, they've already become a force to be reckoned with. Their combined foundations are no weaker than those of a great lineage," someone argued in Zhang Chen's defense.
"Exactly. Zhang Chen may have many enemies, but he has plenty of friends who can lend him a hand, too. The Eight Great Families, on the other hand, seem united, but each harbors its own schemes. They can hardly twist themselves into a single rope. They're nothing but a motley rabble," Fourth Master Zhang declared confidently.
For a time, everyone present kept arguing, trading volleys of spit until the entire