Iron Pillar said nothing. Wang Zhuo sneered from the side: "I told you long ago that brat didn't have what it takes. Look at him now—went and made a complete fool of himself for nothing. Me, I was accepted on my very first test. Didn't stick around to watch his later attempts, but I heard not a single one of his three tests was up to standard. Should've listened to me from the start—he'd have been better off not going at all. I'd wager even Fourth Uncle's Huzi could've done better than him."
Iron Pillar's fourth uncle furrowed his brow and barked: "Wang Zhuo, even if you've become an immortal, don't act presumptuously in front of me. Whether my Huzi has what it takes is none of your damned business—show some respect for your elders."
A cold gleam flashed through Wang Zhuo's eyes. He gave a few disdainful laughs but said nothing.
Iron Pillar's father seemed to age more than a decade in an instant, slumping lifelessly into his chair. Iron Pillar's mother stood frozen as well, as though unable to believe it, and asked, "Iron Pillar… is… is it true?"
Iron Pillar bit hard on his lower lip, heedless of the blood that welled forth. With a heavy thud he dropped to his knees and kowtowed several times against the ground, murmuring softly: "Father, Mother, Iron Pillar was not taken in by an immortal. I have failed you… I… in my next life, I will repay the kindness you showed in raising me."
Iron Pillar's mother caught the despair in her child's voice and rushed over at once, pulling him into her arms. She sobbed, "My boy, it's all right—don't be sad. So what if the immortal didn't take you in? Next year we'll go to the county seat for the grand examination; it's just the same. My boy, don't you dare do anything foolish. Look on the bright side—your father and I are counting on you to see us through to the end."
Iron Pillar's father had recovered by now as well. One look at Iron Pillar's expression sent a jolt through his heart. He hurried over and wrapped his arms around the boy, saying urgently: "Iron Pillar, don't do anything rash. Father is here — whatever happens, Father will handle it. Listen to me: let's go home and study hard. Next year's exam will come just the same."
The relatives gathered around were quick to change their tune, one by one pulling away from Iron Pillar's parents, their faces settling into the idle expressions of onlookers savoring a spectacle, tongues wagging with whispers and chatter.
"I always knew that boy Iron Pillar was no good—how could he ever compare to Wang Zhuo from Elder Brother's family? This time he's really gone and disgraced himself completely." Iron Pillar's father's sixth younger brother sneered.
"Exactly. Had we known it would come to this, you shouldn't have carried on as though you'd truly been taken in as a disciple—how utterly shameful. Second Brother, you're not a young man anymore. How do you keep doing one foolish thing after another? No wonder Father didn't leave the family estate to you back then." Iron Pillar's father's third uncle looked on with undisguised contempt, his words dripping with mockery.
"If you ask me, this child being clever from a young age was probably all made up—nine times out of ten. I'd wager Second Brother figured he'd never amount to much himself, so he puffed his own kid up to high heaven. And now look—he's been found out, hasn't he?" Fifth Uncle, who had been sitting right beside Iron Pillar's father only moments ago, instantly shifted his expression, dropping every trace of the flattery he had worn just seconds before.
"Three children went for the test, and he was the only one who failed. This child Iron Pillar is the worst of our entire Wang family — what a disgrace. Second Sister-in-law, I was just saying how lucky you were to be with Second Brother, but looking at things now, I suppose this is all your life will ever amount to. You simply don't have that blessing." Someone among the women sneered.
"Isn't that right — just a few days ago I went to their village and saw Iron Pillar myself. Right then I thought to myself, that boy's a simpleton through and through. How could he ever measure up to those two lads, Wang Zhuo and Wang Hao? Bound to amount to nothing." Iron Pillar's fifth uncle's wife had likewise changed her tune, joining in with her own snide remarks.
"I could tell long ago that Iron Pillar was no good. Just look at his father and mother—what kind of decent child could come from people like them? In our Wang family, only Elder Brother's children and Third Brother's children ever amounted to anything. Iron Pillar—pfft—even that name sounds dim-witted." Another woman among the female relatives chimed in, not to be outdone in her mockery.
"I must have been blind just now, nearly pushing my own daughter into a pit of fire. Thank heaven this Iron Pillar was never taken in by an Immortal — otherwise my daughter would have hated me for the rest of her life. Iron Pillar's mother, let us simply call this matter between our families settled. Since your boy cannot become an Immortal, who would ever betroth their daughter to him? Is this not a toad lusting after swan meat?"
In an instant, nearly every relative revealed their snobbish faces one by one, their vicious words growing ever more cutting, striking mercilessly at Iron Pillar's family.
This scene stood in stark contrast to the fawning of moments before—worlds apart. Worse still, some simply tore away all pretense and openly demanded back the gifts they had given. Iron Pillar's parents drained of all color, while Wang Lin clenched his fists, the pain in his heart growing more unbearable by the moment. He felt as though he might die right then and there, his ears filled with nothing but mocking words.
Wang Zhuo's father laughed coldly to himself, then said with an air of casual indifference: "Second Brother, I told you before — when immortals take on disciples, it all comes down to fate, and the requirements are extremely strict. Unless someone is as exceptional as my son, there isn't the slightest chance. But look at you — you actually took it seriously. Now you've driven your child to such despair he can't go on living. Was it really worth it?"
Iron Pillar's father could bear it no longer. He spun around sharply, eyes blazing with fury, and roared: "Wang Tianshan, shut your mouth! When Father lay on his deathbed, he clearly set aside a share of the family estate for me — yet you schemed and connived, rallying relatives to seize my portion. And now you stand here sneering and mocking me? Do you truly think I, Wang Tianshui, have no backbone?!"
And you lot — these so-called relatives of ours — flattering and fawning just moments ago, and now sneering and mocking. My child is already in this state, and you still have the nerve to kick us while we're down. Have you no humanity at all?!"
Wang Tianshan's words caught in his throat, and he shot back in fury: "Why keep dragging up the past? Your boy was never cut out for it to begin with. I gave you good counsel out of the kindness of my heart, and not only are you ungrateful, you turn around and snap at me. Hmph — when the top beam is crooked, the whole house leans. With a spineless wretch like you for a father, the son can't amount to much either!"
The contemptuous laughter and mockery from all around fell upon Wang Lin's ears as he stood rooted to the spot, each word like a sharp thorn driving deep into his heart. He forced himself to endure the tearing agony within, watching it all with cold eyes, committing to memory the face of every single relative.
"You!! I'll fight you to the death!" Iron Pillar's father snatched up a nearby stool and made to charge forward. Iron Pillar's Fourth Uncle rushed out at once and blocked him, then lowered his voice: "Second Brother, don't be rash. The eldest has plenty of servants in his household—we'd only come off worse. Leave it to me. Just watch."
With that, he glared at Wang Tianshan and said: "Elder Brother, is that any way to talk? I, Fourth Brother, cannot stand to hear this any longer. If you dare insult my Second Brother in front of me again, don't blame me for throwing brotherhood out the window. The Wang family may be mighty, but I, Fourth Brother, have made no small number of friends in the jianghu these past years — best take care you don't end up burned to the ground!"
Wang Tianshan murmured a few words of compliance, inwardly quite wary of this fourth brother of his, who counted friends everywhere.
"Fourth, what you said is wrong. The child from Second's family was never cut out for this in the first place—what's wrong with us saying so? The child is no good, and we elders can't even speak our minds about it? That's completely unreasonable." The most senior of them all, Third Grand-Uncle, said with displeasure.