There was a commotion from the audience below after he finished speaking.
Suddenly, someone asked, "Why isn't Patriarch Luo Qinghao here to preside over the grand assembly?"
The voice was not loud, but it was unclear whether it was intentional or accidental, as some secret technique was used.
Everyone present heard his voice.
Moreover, this person did not conceal himself at all, but stepped forward from the crowd, facing Luo Qingyu, and stood below the arena.
Upon seeing this person, Luo Qingyu frowned but did not react. He slowly said, "The Patriarch is unwell today and cannot preside over this grand assembly."
"Oh? Is that so? I had a life-or-death friendship with Patriarch Luo when we were young."
"My old friend is now going to visit the 'unwell' Patriarch Luo."
"Please have the Luo 'butler' arrange for someone to lead the way for this old man!"
This person's words were a complete provocation to Luo Qingyu.
He emphasized the words 'butler' and 'unwell' with heavy intonation.
As expected, Luo Qingyu paused, his gaze turning cold as he looked at him.
However, he still held back and glanced back at the stage. A person on the stage nodded slightly.
Chu Tian looked at him and guessed that this person should be... the eldest surviving eighth generation member of the Luo family, Luo Lingshan.
He had been guessing earlier that it was Luo Lingshan, and it was impossible for him not to be present at such an occasion.
At this moment, it was confirmed.
This person's complexion was as pale as paper, as if he were sickly.
He was the complete opposite of Luo Lingfeng.
Although Luo Lingfeng was in a spiritual state, he still possessed that powerful and yang aura.
While it might be due to the awakening of qi, appearance also played a role, and the nurturing of qi should also be related.
Chu Tian speculated randomly and finally defined Luo Lingshan as a cunning old scoundrel.
While he was guessing erratically, Luo Qingyu, having received the nod, turned his head and said to the crowd below, "Then please wait a moment, Elder Fang. I will arrange for someone to escort you to visit the Patriarch."
"He is Fang Hongyu, the sect master of the Hongyu Sect. It's him... no wonder he's so bold."
The person speaking was sitting next to Chu Tian.
Chu Tian tilted his head and asked him, "The Hongyu Sect uses his name to name itself, is he the founding ancestor?"
This person's interest was piqued when Chu Tian spoke to him. He said, "Brother, you don't know this!"
"The Hongyu Sect has a tradition: no matter what your name was before, after becoming the sect master, you must change your name to Hongyu!"
"Of course, your surname remains your own!"
"So that's how it is!" Chu Tian nodded and thanked the person.
While the two were chatting, four more people suddenly stepped out and said, "Wait a moment, we will accompany Sect Master Fang!"
With their words, Luo Qingyu once again turned to seek instructions.
This time, Luo Lingshan's gaze became even colder. He stood up and slowly said, "My grandnephew's current condition is not suitable for too many people to disturb."
"If Sect Master Fang wishes to go alone, we will immediately arrange for someone to escort you."
"Don't disturb my grandnephew with so many of you! All of you, retreat!"
"Today is an assembly for the younger generation. We old fellows will just watch the show!"
"Patriarch Lin, please take the trouble to preside over this first literary competition!"
He turned and said to the leader of the Lin family's contingent.
"I respectfully accept your kind offer!"
The person stood up and bowed to Luo Lingshan.
A crowd of people below began to whisper.
Chu Tian looked at the old man named Fang and thought to himself: If it weren't for the people who came out later wanting to go with you, you would have been in trouble.
Fang Hongyu seemed to understand the situation. Although he was reluctant, he turned back to his seat.
Luo family's eighth master, being a generation older than the Patriarch, his words carried weight.
Furthermore, people feared death, and those present were all aware of some inside information.
They were all friends that Luo Qinghao, Luo Luo's father, had made over the years.
Luo Qingyu, on the stage, saw that the crowd below had calmed down.
Moreover, the Lin family patriarch, Lin Wenshan, also walked onto the arena.
"I believe most of you have not participated in a grand assembly before. I will explain the rules in detail..."
Lin Wenshan began to explain the rules of the literary competition in detail.
"The literary competition will be conducted through literary games. Everyone present will be issued a platinum card specially made by the Luo family."
"The Luo family's villa has already prepared the venue and set up four areas."
"Each of the 'Four Noble Families' will be in charge of one of the four areas."
Upon hearing this, Chu Tian asked the person next to him, "What are the Four Noble Families?"
The person looked at Chu Tian blankly, with a helpless expression. After chatting with him for so long, he realized that Chu Tian was a country bumpkin who knew nothing.
"Brother, you're attending the grand assembly of the Eight Great Families, and you don't even know the Four Noble Families?"
Chu Tian shook his head, "I haven't heard of them!"
The person stared at him again and asked, "Do you know the Eight Great Families?"
"Yes!" Chu Tian replied casually.
"Then tell me, who are the Eight Great Families? Oh right, besides the Luo and Lin families!"
Chu Tian understood immediately. This person probably thought he was an ignorant novice and wanted to test him. However, he embraced the spirit of asking when he didn't know, so he opened his mouth and said, "There's also the Zhang family, I don't know the others!"
"The Zhang family?" The person was stunned and said, "Oh... you mean the Zhang clan of the Mao Sect, right?"
"The Zhang family cannot truly be considered one of the Eight Great Families; the Mao family is!"
"However, in recent years, the Zhang clan has indeed been the dominant force of the Mao family, so it's not wrong to call it the Zhang family."
Chu Tian was even more confused after hearing this, what Mao family and Zhang clan.
"Brother, you're impressive. Could you explain it to this little brother?"
The person's face lit up with pride when he heard this, and he said, "Sure, sure. But buddy, calling me 'brother' so often is too much of a mouthful!"
"My name is Ma Deju. From now on, just call me Brother Ma. By the way, what's your name?"
Chu Tian's face tightened, Ma Deju?
This... Ma Juzi, isn't that a colt?
Suppressing a chuckle, he said, "Brother Ma, my name is Chu Tian."
"Alright, Brother Tian, let me tell you..."
He explained in detail who the Eight Great Families were.
They were: the Four Martial Families and the Four Noble Families.
The Four Martial Families: Kyoto Luo family, Shaanxi Lin family, Southern Mao Zhang clan, Northern Ma Ma family.
The Four Noble Families: Qinghai Qin family, Guizhou Qi family, Yunnan Shu family, Suzhou Hua family.
Combining the martial and noble families, they formed the Eight Great Families.
He specifically mentioned the Southern Mao, which was the only difference from the other families. In fact, they were originally a family passed down from the Mao Sect Daoists.
To be precise, they were the four celestial master families: Zhang, Xu, Ge, and Sa.
In recent years, the Zhang family had become the leader of the Mao Sect.
As for the Ge and Xu families, their inheritors might still be alive, but perhaps they had retired to the mountains and forests or lived in seclusion in the city.