Realms In The Firmament

Ye Xiao was serious, “Let’s do it this way and the only thing we need to do is talk. Isn’t it much safer than going through the motions?”

“It will never hurt our relations. An old man shouldn’t count on his weak strength. I believe you have been feeling weak since long ago. Let’s just solve this thing by talking. I don’t think there will be anyone saying I am taking advantage of you. After the verbal combat, there will be no more enmity between us. Isn’t it a perfect solution…”

Guan Zheng-Wen and the Crown Prince looked at this wretched guy and were left speechless.

[You actually believe that we only want to go through the motions?

Verbal combat?

How on earth did you come up with such an idea?

And after all, it actually turns out that we are the ones taking advantage of you!]

“Heh heh… You have a truly interesting mind. It is a practical way.” Guan Zheng-Wen smiled and said, “However, a verbal combat instead of striking seems to be something only women would do… Besides, I have admired your father’s martial arts for years. I have always been wanting to learn something real from his official heir…”

“Do we really have to fight?” Ye Xiao frowned.

“It would be better to…” Guan Zheng-Wen had a reluctant look on his face. He actually gave Ye Xiao a hint with his eyes and spoke in a lower voice, “Besides, it could also solve the enmity between you and the Mu Clan. The Crown Princess is already here to watch… No matter what, we need to make it happen for the Crown Prince’s sake.”

Ye Xiao glanced at the corner of the middle hall and found that the Crown Princess was standing nearby, staring at him.

In her eyes, there was nothing but killing intent.

[Why does this chick stare at me with such hatred in her eyes every time…] Ye Xiao thought, [A Crown Princess, huh. Can’t she just show some generosity… I have done nothing but kill her brother. I didn’t break into her ancestral graves or kill her whole family. No big deal…]

Thinking of that, he curled his lips.

“Since you insist, then I will have a fight against you.” Ye Xiao nodded and smiled, “Take care. Don’t wrench your arms or hurt your waist… Hmm. I mean, I am surely not a match to you, so you don’t have to be too serious… Heh heh. Let’s go through the motions.”

It seemed Guan Zheng-Wen didn’t understand Ye Xiao’s ‘warm suggestion’ because he was pretty much focused on his own troubles. He only smiled peacefully and spoke gently, “Thank you for your kindness. We both know what we are doing.”

The Crown Prince was calm.

The Crown Princess’s eyes were filled with delight.

She thought she was finally going have her revenge and felt excited.

“Please.” Guan Zheng-Wen was still acting like a an old man who could barely walk steadily. He reached out his hand elegantly and walked out of the middle hall with Ye Xiao.

In the yard, many people were waiting as they stood in a circle.

Obviously, the Crown Prince had arranged for many people to watch the fight as eyewitnesses.

Ye Xiao looked around and discovered many acquaintances.

“Why is Xiao Xiao suddenly participating in a fight?” A voice came over from the crowd, “Were you not invited to dinner by the Crown Prince? Are you not here to discuss some national affairs? How come it has turned into a fight? That… You are really capable at creating trouble, are you not?”

It was Zuo Wu-Ji who spoke.

Ye Xiao looked over and found Lan Lang-Lang and Zuo Wu-Ji standing together. They were both stretching their necks to look at Ye Xiao. Even in the crowd, Lan Lang-Lang’s favus-plagued head remained conspicuous.

Lan Lang-Lang and Zuo Wu-Ji were actually part of the crowd too. They must have been invited by the Crown Prince. It was a reasonable thing to do.

If they were not here and Ye Xiao died during the combat, there would be no one who could testify that the Crown Prince was innocent. A stranger’s words would be, after all, unbelievable.

In fact, the perfect witnesses were not these two foppish lords. The perfect choice would have been Prince Hua-Yang or Su Ye-Yue. But the Crown Prince would never dare to invite these two, because if any of them were here, a fight would never happen. They would definitely stop them from fighting. So the Crown Prince had no other choices other than inviting these two foppish lords to come.

Lan Lang-Lang and Zuo Wu-Ji were worried for Ye Xiao, so they came without hesitation.

When they saw Ye Xiao coming out, they knew it was true that he would be fighting. They were so worried, and they tried their best to give Ye Xiao some support with their eyes.

Ye Xiao nodded and waved his hand to tell them not to worry.

A group of guards from the Crown Prince’s Palace came out and stood in a circle. They separated Ye Xiao and the crowd, creating a spacious fighting ring in the yard.

Ye Xiao couldn’t help frowning. His instincts were screaming at him, warning him of danger.

It seemed like he had to abandon his title of a foppish lord from now on.

However, he really didn’t want to abandon this charade. He was just having fun in being the foppish Lord Ye…

How could he give up on that title so casually?

But when he looked at his opponent, he couldn’t help but laugh, “Hahahahaha…”

It turned out he was not the only one who felt unpleased about being watched.

Guan Zheng-Wen was frowning deeply and he looked like he had eaten a piece of shit. He was obviously unhappy.

Apparently, he felt the same as Ye Xiao. He realized that his true capability would be exposed to the public.

And it was worse for him than for Ye Xiao.

He had kept a low profile in his whole life and always showed up as an elegant scholar in front of the public. Everyone knew that he was only good at literature and was pretty weak at fighting…

Yet, as of now, he was forced to expose his cultivation capability…

All the hard work he put in disguising himself was going to be wasted. Besides, if Ye Xiao died after the fight, it wouldn’t matter if it took days or months, he would still have died fighting.

And Guan Zheng-Wen would be the guy who had caused his death.

Would Ye Nan-Tian be reasonable if that happened? Even though he would consider not messing with the Crown Prince, he would definitely vent his anger on Guan Zheng-Wen.

Then how could Guan Zheng-Wen defend against Ye Nan-Tian who had an army of experienced soldiers?

[The Crown Prince arranged everything… He is using me as a scapegoat, isn’t he…]

Thinking of that, Guan Zheng-Wen felt more uncomfortable.

Yet he could have no regrets regarding the current situation.

With all that had happened already, it was too late for him to step back.

He had no choices left other than fighting.

The story about Ye Nan-Tian singlehandedly fighting an army in the battle was a state secret. It was not known to anyone except a select few. If Guan Zheng-Wen knew the truth, he would be extremely upset.

However, Ye Xiao’s laughter had already made him feel worse. Guan Zheng-Wen sighed and said, “Oh. A hero is nothing but a product of his time…”

Ye Xiao realized that there was someone feeling worse than him. He had already achieved a sense of victory in his mind, so he felt delighted. He even spoke to himself with disdain, [What the hell. Since when did I become a man who takes pleasure in other’s misfortune. I feel a little bit evil…]

Yet it was really hard for him to suppress his enjoyment after seeing someone having it worse than himself. So, although he was going to face a crisis, he looked happy.

Because Ye Xiao appeared to be delighted, the crowd thought that he was confident. They looked down upon Ye Xiao and thought, [A young man winning a battle against a weak old man. Where is the glory in that?

How shameless… You actually feel happy about it?]

Wang Da-Nian and Meng Zi-Xiao were there too. They knew the true cultivation capability of Guan Zheng-Wen, so they smiled evilly. They happily looked at Ye Xiao, hoping that he would be slaughtered as soon as possible.

Ye Xiao glanced at them. His eyes were full of disdain. He suddenly made a whistle.

It was as if he was calling his dogs.

The next moment, he pointed at Wang Da-Nian and Meng Zi-Xiao and bent the finger.

The meaning was obvious. [You two are just like two dogs.]

“You are a dead…” Their faces suddenly blushed and they were about to shout. They were obviously going to say something like ‘you are a dead meat already’, but before they could say it out, they noticed the Crown Prince’s eyes coldly looking at them, daring them to speak.

They trembled and stopped making any sound. Yet their eyes remained filled with hatred.

“Please, Lord Ye.” Guan Zheng-Wen looked upset, but it was too late for him to retreat now. After all, he had to do what he had to do.

“Please, Old Master Guan.” Ye Xiao stood opposite to him with a calm smile.

The ‘Old Master Guan’ that Ye Xiao used to call him now embarrassed Guan Zheng-Wen, [We are going to fight against each other now. Why do you keep calling me Old Master? Are you addicted to it?]

In front of everyone’s eyes, he casually stood there. Ye Xiao attacked first.

Ye Xiao suddenly rushed forward. He was moving fiercely with the sound of howling wind. His fists were like tigers, and his feet were like dragons. He rushed to Guan Zheng-Wen with a shocking vigor that could frighten ten thousand men.

He only made one move, yet killing intent had already spread throughout the surroundings.

“Dragon In The Battle! That is a move from the Battle Art Of A Thousand Troops.”

In the crowd, there were a few smart ones who shouted out in low voices.

It was popular move in the Kingdom of Chen. It was a fistic martial art that was usually used by the soldiers. It was bold and resolute, giving out a horrific aura. It killed decisively in an obvious way.

As the son of a general, it was just fitting that he would use this martial art. He and this fistic martial art, under the present situation, were a perfect pair.

……

—————

First of the two sponsored chapters from last week. Special thanks to Mr. Nathanael C. for sponsoring the chapter.

Translated by: Rain

Edited by: Alpha, Arch