Chapter 23 – “Even without spiritual power, I will win.”

“Shixiong, my spiritual power is draining away…..I can’t control it…..I tried to stop it…..I can’t control it…..” Fang Yang was a little incoherent.

He knew that Feng Ye must have discovered the drastic reduction of his cultivation. There was nothing for him to hide anymore, so he poured out all of the suffering he had experienced in this short period of time.

When Fang Yang first realized he was losing spiritual power, he didn’t realize what it meant, and just thought he was really tired from the competition that morning. He adjusted his internal qi as usual, and reabsorbed the spiritual power that was spread throughout the world.

But…..the speed of loss was much greater than the speed of absorption, and he soon realized that something was wrong. His level dropped step by step, with unstoppable momentum. First, he fell below the seventh level of Qi Refining, then the sixth, the fifth…..and now to the third…..

The loss of spiritual power finally stopped, but this was nothing worth celebrating – because the majority of his cultivation had been destroyed over this short period of time.

Fang Yang had never suffered such a blow. He would be sixteen years old this year, but he was actually about fifteen. The biggest setback he had ever experienced was having the sugar figurine he had worked so hard to obtain snatched from him by the village bully.

But now he was faced with the fact that all of his hard work this past year had been in vain. All of it, gone in an instant. The championship and the earth-level magic weapon, things that were once just a step away from him, were now out of reach.

Fang Yang was suffering a mental breakdown and didn’t know what to do. He could only follow his instincts and hide in a corner to secretly cry. 

But he felt that crying was a very shameful thing, so he only dared to cry quietly, and tried to hide it in front of Useless Shixiong and Huo-dage.

Although his embarrassing appearance had been seen by everyone, he still rubbed his eyes vigorously in an attempt to be less of an eyesore.

Seeing Fang Yang like this, Feng Ye pursed his lips slightly. He didn’t speak any words of comfort, but asked instead: “What did you have for lunch?”

Fang Yang stopped rubbing his eyes. He was a little confused, not understanding why Useless Shixiong would ask this. He also had no idea why his cultivation had regressed. The mere fact that it had regressed was enough to devastate him to such an extent that he had no time to think about anything else.

Hao Chen discovered the key to the issue in Feng Ye’s question. It seemed this naive boy had become too popular and someone had taken action against him.

“I just…..just…..ate…..in the cafeteria…..” Despite not understanding, Fang Yang answered honestly. Even though he tried to speak normally, he still sobbed here and there.

“Did anything happen during the meal?” Feng Ye asked.

Fang Yang recalled: “Nothing, ah. I just found a corner like I usually do…..that’s right!” Fang Yang finally remembered a clue: “A fellow disciple I’m not familiar with came and praised me for being so fierce.”

There was no need to think it over. This was the culprit. Or even if he wasn’t the culprit, he was associated with him.

Feng Ye and Hao Chen came to this realization simultaneously.

Feng Ye asked again: “Do you remember what he looked like?”

Fang Yang nodded, then shook his head and said vaguely: “Just…..very ordinary…..like you, Shixiong…..”

Feng Ye: “……” Was this a disguised way of saying he looked average?

He stood up from the floor, giving up finding out the identity of that person from Fang Yang.

Pfft. Although the current matter was not something to laugh about, Hao Chen couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly. The naive boy was truly naive.

He continued to maintain a grave, solemn expression so as not to ruin the sad atmosphere.

Although Fang Yang was the only sad one.

Hao Chen had no feelings about this matter at all, and was just watching the show.

And Feng Ye stood there with his arms folded, frowning in thought. Even though the clues given by Fang Yang wouldn’t lead to the culprit, based on the motive, the suspect pool was fairly small.

Why did they poison him?

Resentment. Benefits.

And there was only one person with both motives.

Lu Chengye held a grudge against Fang Yang and was a strong competitor for the championship. With Fang Yang removed as an obstacle, he would be the biggest beneficiary no matter how one looked at it.

But there was no evidence…..no evidence to prove that Lu Chengye had done it. All suspicions directed at Lu Chengye originated from Feng Ye’s extremely subjective speculation.

Fang Yang wouldn’t be able to get justice for the time being – at least, not by conventional means.

With this thought in mind, Feng Ye set the matter aside for the time being. There were more urgent matters at the moment.

He took an abrupt step forward, picked up the iron sword Fang Yang had placed on the table, and went back to him. Holding it by the middle of the scabbard, he held it out to Fang Yang. His meaning was self-evident.

Fang Yang stared, and so did Hao Chen.

Such was Fang Yang’s bewilderment that he even stopped crying. He looked at the hilt of the sword in front of him, and then up at Feng Ye’s serious face. Without moving, he maintained the posture of hugging his knees.

Feng Ye pushed the hilt of the sword forward a bit and said: “Go to the competition.”

Cold and impersonal, Hao Chen thought. Feng Ye was usually very easy to talk to, and never truly got angry at anyone. But Feng Ye was a completely different person right now, callous and unfeeling.

Fang Yang had fallen to the third level of Qi Refining. Wouldn’t it be humiliating if he went to the competition?

Could he still be expected to defeat the remaining opponents with his third level Qi Refining skills, which put him close to the bottom in the entire sect?

Although Fang Yang had defeated a White-Nosed Demon Bear at Foundation Establishment stage with his seventh level Qi Refining cultivation, Hao Chen was aware that there was a level of falsity to it. The White-Nosed Demon Bear had been forced to advance by Hao Chen himself. It appeared to be at Foundation Establishment stage, but its power was still unstable, making it far inferior to a genuine Foundation Establishment monster.

Moreover, had Fang Yang truly defeated it on his own?

Although he hadn’t caught Feng Ye’s fox tail, Hao Chen didn’t believe that this fellow hadn’t helped at all.

Fang Yang’s triumph over the White-Nosed Demon Bear was an unrepeatable happenstance. Given the absolute gap in strength, it would be impossible for him to win such a battle again.

Fang Yang thought the same way. He naturally knew the time for the competition had come, but also knew it was useless for him to attend now.

He remained unmoving.

After a brief stalemate, Feng Ye handed the hilt of the sword to Fang Yang for the third time. His tone was severe, nearly ice-cold: “Take up your sword. Go to the competition.”

“But even if I go, I can’t win, ah!” Being urged again and again by Feng Ye, Fang Yang was no longer disconsolate, but was stimulated into a sort of self-destructive anger.

He glared at Feng Ye with red, swollen eyes, and shouted: “I’m only at the third level of Qi Refining, and the remaining opponents are at least at the sixth level of Qi Refining. It’s impossible for me to win!”

“It’s impossible for me to win!” After shouting at Feng Ye, Fang Yang repeated this loudly toward the floor, saying it for both himself and the others.

It was impossible. If he went there, all he would accomplish was letting everyone know that his cultivation had drastically declined and he had become a waste.

Feng Ye slowly retracted the hand holding the sword, and Fang Yang thought he had been convinced.

Feng Ye suddenly repeated Fang Yang’s words: “Impossible?”

Fang Yang felt that he was being called into question, so he tilted his head to look directly into Feng Ye’s eyes, and replied: “Simply impossible, ah. If I try to win the championship, I’ll definitely run into an opponent at the seventh level of Qi Refining, which is more than twice the spiritual power level of someone at the third level of Qi Refining. It’s impossible to win! Shixiong, you don’t understand…..”

Fang Yang abruptly cut off. He realized that his words were a bit too much, as if he was belittling the cultivation of his Useless Shixiong. Although this was a statement of fact, Feng Ye was only at the third level of Qi Refining, and couldn’t understand the difference between the third and seventh levels.

Feng Ye stared at Fang Yang, unmoving.

“A person at level three of Qi Refining can’t beat someone at level seven?” Feng Ye suddenly smiled.

A person at level three of Qi Refining couldn’t beat someone at level seven. This should have been an established fact. Fang Yang, who had once been at the seventh level of Qi Refining, was very clear about the difference in spiritual power between the two, and it was precisely because of this clarity that he believed he couldn’t win.

But when the words came from Feng Ye’s mouth, they were spoken in a frivolous tone, as if he was telling a joke.

After smiling, he spoke again.

The smile was now completely absent, leaving behind only the coldness of firm iron. He spoke with emphasis on each word: “Even with no spiritual power, I can win.”

Having said this, he ignored Fang Yang’s eyes that were wide with surprise, took the iron sword, and turned away with large strides.

With a swish, Hao Chen closed his fan and quickly followed Feng Ye’s departing footsteps.

His face was full of pleasant surprise, because he had realized that…..the real show was about to begin.

---

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Chapter 22 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 24

“Idiot, I’m your father……!”

Xi Lei stared at him as if seeing a ghost, and Ling Yi still had the urge to make fun of him during such a chaotic scene. 

“……’s adopted son. Didn’t expect that, did you?”

Xi Lei was very familiar with this face. Over the years, he could never get used to seeing it, nor could he get rid of it.

“A-aren’t you dead?”

“Not dead. Are you disappointed?” Ling Yi taunted him with a mixture of truth and falsehood: “I haven’t repaid Uncle Xi En for raising me yet. How could I die so easily?”

Xi Lei was already in a terrible mental state, and his brain instantly short-circuited when faced with such complex information.

As Ling Yi busied himself untying the knots, he just stood there dumbly.

“How long are you going to stand by and watch? If you don’t want to get caught, come and help!”

Xi Lei snapped back to his senses and hurried to help untie the ropes.

When the last knot was undone, the unconscious Xi En fell face-down and was caught in Xi Lei’s arms.

“Dad! Dad, wake up!”

His panicked voice trembled.

Blood flowed from Xi En’s head to cover his face, but the places not stained red were paper-white.

Xi Lei couldn’t detect breathing or a heartbeat, and his eyes reddened: “Dad!”

Ling Yi had already turned to look for a way out of the chaos: “Let’s get out of here first!”

“Dad is dying!” Xi Lei wailed.

“If you cry to death here, there will be no way to save him!”

“This is all your fault!”

Xi Lei lost control of his emotions: “If it weren’t for you, Dad wouldn’t have—”

His voice cut off abruptly. After he realized what he had said, Xi Lei’s face turned as pale as his dying father’s.

Ling Yi looked back at him, his eyes full of complicated emotions.

Against the chaotic background, he looked like a solitary person in the desolate wilderness.

Xi Lei even had a premonition that if he didn’t apologize at this very moment, he would lose any chance at being forgiven later.

Ling Yi turned around. He offered no accusations or rebuttals, and his voice was calmer than ever before.

“I’m going to take Uncle Xi En away from here now. If you don’t want to leave, just give him to me.”

Xi Lei was so stimulated by his calmness that his heart trembled: “I’m leaving!”

He bent down and put the dying Xi En on his back. When he stood back up, he found the entirety of Lu Hulun’s private troops in front of them.

Ling Yi stepped slightly to the left, shielding the Xi family father and son behind him.

“It turns out the Prime Minister’s prediction was correct. With this person as bait, the fish will definitely fall into the trap.”

Ling Yi stared down the leading officer, muscles tense under his clothes as he waited for the opponent to leave an opening.

The officer dismissed his overconfident behavior.

Behind him were a dozen well-trained, fully-armed soldiers. It would certainly be easy for them to take care of two unarmed youngsters, not to mention that they were carrying a half-dead burden.

“I advise you to put that person down and surrender.”

Xi Lei hollered: “Dream on! I won’t hand my dad over to you even if I die!”

The officer sighed, turning his head slightly to give instructions to those behind him.

“The Prime Minister has ordered that we capture him alive. It doesn’t matter what state he’s in, as long as he’s still breathing.”

“I’m afraid that’s not up to you.”

As that voice fell, Tang De and his guards inserted themselves between the two sides, forming an impenetrable barrier in front of Ling Yi and the others.

The officer recognized Tang De and asked unhappily: “Why are you here?”

“Excuse me, but I’ve been ordered to take everyone away safely and not leave anyone behind.”

“His Highness Oser has repeatedly wronged the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister’s patience is limited. Even his grandson is not permitted to do such things.”

Tang De pulled out his weapon and said: “I must take these people away today. Since we’re unable to reach a consensus, we might as well use the most primitive method to resolve this issue.”

The two sides were on the verge of conflict. Sparks flew, and the situation was about to ignite.

Ling Yi had no intention of participating, and turned back to urge Xi Lei: “Go!”

“You may go, but I advise you to choose your destination carefully.”

Ling Yi’s steps paused.

Tang De stood at the forefront without looking back, blocking the way with an imposing manner that said no one would get past him to Ling Yi.

“I’ve followed His Highness for quite some time, and this is the angriest I’ve ever seen him.”

Tang De himself wasn’t sure if his words were a threat for him to stay or a warning for him to run away.

“No matter which path you choose, there is no turning back.”

Ling Yi paused for half a second, then pulled Xi Lei up and said: “Follow me!”

Xi Lei didn’t hesitate to follow Ling Yi.

The officer was unwilling to let this duck he’d caught get away: “After them!”

Oser’s guards blocked their path, and Ling Yi’s figure quickly vanished into the rioting crowd.

“Was that man just now Captain Tang De?!”

Xi Lei followed Ling Yi, and asked this belated question while dodging left and right amongst the crowd.

All he could see was the back of Ling Yi’s head.

“So you’re not blind!”

Xi Lei didn’t understand: “Why would he save us?!”

Ling Yi led him out of the encirclement and straight to the black Soaring Eagle. He opened the door forcefully and said: “Get in!”

Before he was done speaking, a stray bullet flew over. Ling Yi reacted very quickly and pulled Xi Lei down into a squat.

The bullet hit the car window, shattering the glass.

“Get in the car! Quickly!” Ling Yi’s voice exploded in his ear along with the sound of gunshots.

The series of events happened so quickly that Xi Lei had no time to think about them one by one.

For example, where had this vehicle come from?

Why would His Highness Oser’s guard captain cover their retreat?

And more importantly, how had Ling Yi survived?

At that moment, he had no choice but to pick up Xi En and get into the back seat. Ling Yi leaped into the driver’s seat at the same time. He took off his hat and mask disguise, threw them into the passenger seat, and stepped hard on the accelerator.

The Soaring Eagle rushed to the center of the road, drifted out in a perfect arc, and zoomed forward at high speed.

The sound of gunfire continued, and Xi Lei leaned over the back seat to shield Xi En underneath him.

It wasn’t until they were getting farther and farther away from the Prime Minister’s residence that Xi Lei dared to raise his head and fasten the seatbelt for Xi En.

He was still in shock. Thinking back to the series of events that had just occurred, each was more incredible than the last.

Ling Yi pressed the accelerator to the floorboard, and wind rushed into the car through the shattered window. Xi Lei had to speak loudly to ensure that his voice reached the front seat.

“Ling Yi! You haven’t answered my question yet!”

Ling Yi tightened his grip on the steering wheel and sent a quick glance at the rearview mirror.

“What question?!”

“Captain Tang De! Why did Captain Tang De come to save us?!”

“Aren’t you always praising His Highness Oser? Maybe he was moved by your filial piety!”

Xi Lei had just considered joining forces with Ling Yi, but that idea was completely extinguished by his anger.

This person may be worth remembering when he was dead, but he was just annoying when he was alive.

“I worship His Highness Oser! He’s my spiritual idol!”

“He quantum sensed your worship and sent people to rescue you!”

Xi Lei was so angry that his teeth ached, but since he couldn’t beat him up, he asked another question: “Whose car is this?!”

“Mine!”

Xi Lei was incredulous. “How could you possibly own a car? And such an expensive one!”

“It’s a gift from my sponsor!”

This sounded even more incredible than the fact that Ling Yi was still alive.

“What nonsense is this? When did you get a sponsor?”

“I just found him not long ago!”

“What kind of sponsor would need someone like you? What can you do for him?!”

“Sleep with him!”

Xi Lei just about spat a mouthful of blood onto the car window: “Are you sick?!”

“Do you have medicine, ah?”

Their childish quarrel continued, just one among countless others, and Xi Lei found that he had missed their bickering. Although this annoying person was eating for free in their home, it was better than having one person on the verge of death and the other dead.

The scenery outside the window receded rapidly, and the road ahead became increasingly unfamiliar.

“This isn’t the way to the hospital!”

“Uncle Xi En is too badly injured. A regular hospital can’t save him!”

“Then where are you going if not to the hospital?!”

Ling Yi made a sharp turn, and Xi Lei was thrown from one side of the cabin to the other.

Ling Yi gave his answer: “The Royal Medical College!”

Xi Lei regained his balance and staggered to the middle back seat, asking not far behind Ling Yi’s ear: 

“Are you crazy?! How could you possibly get into the Royal Medical College?!”

Ling Yi was focused on the road ahead, and didn’t bother to explain: “I have my methods!”

Xi Lei insisted on getting to the bottom of this: “Even if you can get in, why would they treat Dad?”

“My sponsor also funds the doctors there!”

Xi Lei was stunned: “The doctors at the Royal Medical College also sleep with your sponsor?”

Screee—

Ling Yi slammed on the brakes. Xi Lei lost his balance and slammed headfirst into the front seat, then bounced back.

He covered his aching forehead, and when he opened his eyes, he saw that Ling Yi had turned around to stare at him.

Ling Yi was looking at him like he was some sort of dumb creature he’d never seen before: “Idiot!”

Xi Lei was about to curse back, but at the thought of this mysterious sponsor who was able to make the medical college help his grievously wounded father, he swallowed his anger in silence.

The medical college entrance was wide open, and the Soaring Eagle entered the underground parking lot unhindered.

Medical staff had been waiting there for some time, and immediately lifted Xi En onto a gurney. No one questioned their identities, as if they had been registered in advance.

Xi Lei ran a few steps behind the gurney before realizing that his presence was really redundant. Even if he followed, he wouldn’t be able to provide any professional medical help.

He stared in amazement as Xi En was pushed into the emergency room, and was numb for a while before he recalled the root cause of all of this.

“Hey! What’s going on with this sponsor you mentioned?”

Xi Lei had just finished speaking when he suddenly felt a buzzing sensation. His scalp went numb and the hair all over his body stood on end, his Alpha instincts on high alert.

That was an extremely aggressive barrier, created by an Alpha with much higher mental strength than his, intentionally releasing pheromones.

This was the first time in Xi Lei’s life that he had encountered such a strong oppressive force from his own kind, and he couldn’t help but adopt a defensive stance.

“Who is it? Where are they?!”

The crisp sound of leather shoes hitting the ground rang out at a regular pace, each step trodding on Xi Lei’s auditory neurons.

As he looked around for the force of the footsteps, he was surprised to see Ling Yi standing there motionlessly.

The overly strong pheromones were obviously having an effect on him as well. Ling Yi wore a solemn expression. His lips were tightly pursed, and his nails dug into his flesh.

But he didn’t have the defensive reaction of a normal Alpha. He lowered his shoulders, forcing himself to appear submissive.

The footsteps behind came closer and closer. Ling Yi didn’t need to look back. He knew who was coming by the unique smell of pheromones and Xi Lei’s increasingly complicated expression. 

He pulled up the corners of his mouth with difficulty, as if mocking Xi Lei, or perhaps mocking himself.

“Need I introduce you? Your spiritual idol, your dream man, your soulmate, and…..”

“…..My sponsor, the Crown Prince.”

---

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Chapter 8 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 10

Unprecedented fear swept through Ling Yi, the threat no less than the feeling of a cold scalpel softly brushing his skin.

No Alpha could bear to have their gland bitten by a member of the same sex and have foreign pheromones injected into them.

Their pheromones were naturally suited to aggression and plunder, and would only compete against and reject another conqueror.

Ling Yi was trapped in the cramped corner, and helplessly pressed his hands against Oser’s chest.

He was well aware of the power imbalance between the two of them. The outcome depended on whether the other party wanted to take action, not on whether Ling Yi could resist.

“Your Highness, please calm down. You like Omegas, not Alphas!”

Ling Yi felt the other party use more force, and tried his utmost to block him.

“If you weren’t obsessed with Omegas, you wouldn’t have spent a fortune for Pat to research gender reassignment surgery. You’ve waited so many years – waiting a few more days should be nothing.”

Oser stared at him closely, not hiding the naked desire in his eyes.

Once a lion awoke from a thirty-year nap, it wouldn’t be easy to coax it back to sleep.

Ling Yi panicked, and spoke without thinking in order to protect himself: “Your Highness, I’m wearing Pat’s clothing. Didn’t you say you take offense to other Alphas’ pheromones?”

“If you bite me now, it would be like marking Pat. Can you really bear such a thing?”

Oser said nothing. Instead of answering, he yanked with his right hand and two of Pat’s buttons fell off.

Ling Yi’s breathing stagnated. Oser was definitely not messing with him like before. This time, he was really aiming to achieve something!

At this moment, there was an urgent staccato knock on the door, and Ling Yi swore that it was the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard in his life.

“Your Highness, someone’s knocking on the door!”

Oser didn’t move a muscle, but the completely unaware person outside continued to knock, as if they wouldn’t stop until the door opened.

Ling Yi clung tightly to this life-saving straw and tried to use a tranquil tone that wouldn’t agitate Oser: “Your Highness, the person outside seems to have urgent business.”

Oser sat in place, neither advancing nor retreating, and the two of them faced off in a stalemate.

To Ling Yi, it seemed as if a century passed before Oser slowly backed away amidst the constant knocking.

Ling Yi still didn’t dare to breathe, for fear that breathing too hard would arouse Oser’s animal instincts once more.

Oser got out of the vehicle with a dark expression, closing the door with his backhand so that there was only a small gap.

Tang De stepped forward to report despite the look on Oser’s face: 

“Your Highness, the Prime Minister was attacked on his way back.”

“Is he dead?”

“The guard who blocked the bullet died on the spot, but the Prime Minister himself was only slightly injured.”

“Humph.” Oser sneered: “A scourge will live for a thousand years.”

Tang De lowered his voice as he reported: “The attacker was arrested on the spot, but he wasn’t sent to the police station. He was taken to the Prime Minister’s office instead.”

“Name.”

“Xi En. Ling Yi’s adoptive father.”

The car door opened behind Oser with a swish: “Who did you say it was?”

Tang De was taken aback to see Ling Yi: “How are you here?”

Oser deadpanned: “He walked out on his own two legs. You couldn’t even keep an eye on one person. Your pay is docked for this month, and so is Pat’s.”

Tang De was still reeling from the shock of Ling Yi’s escape, so much so that even the salary deduction seemed insignificant.

He had clearly sent elite troops to guard all of the major passages. Although this was for the purpose of preventing those with ulterior motives from entering, they shouldn’t have allowed anyone to just swagger out.

If Ling Yi hadn’t been with His Highness the whole time, Tang De would have likely lost more than a month’s salary…..

Ling Yi jumped out of the vehicle. No longer caring about anything else, he grasped Oser’s arm tightly.

“Your Highness, my adoptive father is in danger!”

Oser said coldly: “I did make a promise to you.”

“Then right now —”

“But I can’t save someone who’s seeking death.”

Ling Yi stood there in a daze for a few seconds, then abruptly released Oser and leaped into the driver’s seat of the Soaring Eagle at a speed no one could have predicted, slamming the door shut behind him.

Tang De blurted out: “Ling Yi!”

The rear tires of the Soaring Eagle screeched counterclockwise as the vehicle backed up in a curve in front of the two men. Its frame brushed past Oser, and Tang De vigilantly pulled him back.

“Your Highness, be careful!”

The tires stopped with a squeal of friction, followed by a roar as the accelerator went from zero to one hundred in an instant. A gust of wind blew up their hair and the hems of their clothes, and when they opened their eyes again, the Soaring Eagle was already dozens of meters away.

After speeding away in a straight line, the vehicle drifted half a circle around the corner with its nose pointed toward the exit. It whizzed out of the underground parking lot, leaving only an afterimage in the eyes of the two left behind.

Tang De didn’t dare look at Oser’s expression, and immediately activated the microphone next to his ear: “Intercept a black Soaring Eagle, plate number AOS, driving from the medical college basement parking lot to the Prime Minister’s office. Block all routes immediately. Do not allow the vehicle to approach the Prime Minister’s office!”

Only then did he steal a fearful glance at Oser, and what he saw was a rage unlike anything he had ever seen before.

Even when there was no relief during his last rut, Oser hadn’t been this angry when he furiously smashed up the Royal House of Parliament. The air pressure in the underground parking lot was lower than that preceding a thunderstorm.

Tang De swallowed nervously and carefully added into the microphone: “Make sure the driver lives. No….make sure he’s unharmed.”

. . . . . 

The Prime Minister’s residence was surrounded by protestors.

The police formed a defensive line, holding huge explosion-proof shields as they pushed and shoved against those constantly rushing forward to engage in a contest of strength.

Behind the police, the Prime Minister’s guards stood in a straight line, fully-armed with guns and ammunition. As long as they received the order, they would open fire on the unarmed civilians before them without hesitation.

Covered in blood, Xi En was tied to a flag pole with his head hanging down. He showed no signs of life.

It seemed to be a warning that anyone who plotted against the prime minister would meet a similar fate.

Two officers stood next to him, one to the left and one at his back, talking quietly. No changes to their facial expressions could be seen from three meters away.

“The Prime Minister said that as long as we tied this man up here and displayed him in public, the target would show up. Do you think he’ll come?”

As the other person spoke, his eyes scanned the crowd: “Unless he wants us to kill his adoptive father, he’ll definitely show.”

“There are so many civilians here. If a fight really breaks out, it’ll be hard to deal with.”

“The Prime Minister has ordered that anyone causing trouble in front of the government office should be killed without mercy. What are you afraid of? You just need to keep your eye on the target. He can’t be allowed to get away this time.”

“I’ll follow orders.”

The Soaring Eagle was blocked by a tempestuous crowd before it could reach the government office.

Ling Yi jumped out of the vehicle and strode through the masses. He took a medical mask out of his pocket to cover his face, then removed the conspicuous white uniform and tossed it away.

A protestor wearing a black baseball cap felt something brush his head, and when he looked up, he saw only the wide, clear blue sky.

“Who stole my hat?”

Ling Yi had already vanished to the front, and pushed the baseball cap down to cover his eyes and perfectly conceal his face.

Deafening protest slogans rang in his ears.

“Impeach the Prime Minister! Make the Lu family step down! Clear Ling Yi’s name!”

Ling Yi mingled with the crowd, shouting slogans along with them as he crept closer and closer to Xi En.

His lifeless body seen from afar made Ling Yi’s heart constrict, and his hatred for Lu Hulun burned a little hotter.

He quickly made his way through the crowd of protesters, and his sixth sense alerted him to an unusual commotion behind him.

Tang De’s associates had failed to intercept Ling Yi’s vehicle, but since they knew his destination, it was only a matter of time before they found him.

He turned his head slightly and met the eyes of one of the guards.

“Captain Tang De, we seem to have found the target.”

The guard’s lips moved slightly as he conveyed the message.

Tang De’s instructions came through his headset: “Follow him, I’ll be there soon! There are too many people here, don’t cause a conflict!”

Nearby colleagues received the order and converged on Ling Yi from all directions.

Ling Yi calmly analyzed the situation. Lu Hulun’s elite troops were waiting for him to fall into the trap ahead and Oser’s guards were coming to intercept him from behind, while the police and angry protesters clashed constantly on all sides.

All of a sudden, his figure flashed before the guard’s eyes and his target vanished from sight. He quickly scanned the crowd and found that Ling Yi was already at the front of the group. Controlling his volume, he shouted in Ling Yi’s direction: “Over there!”

It all happened in a flash. Ling Yi took aim at a dull-looking policeman and went around behind him to elbow him and snatch his gun all in one smooth movement.

He fired a shot into the air, and the sound of gunfire instantly drowned out the protestors, silencing hundreds of people at once.

“The police shot someone!” Ling Yi shouted, and people screamed and fled in all directions.

Oser’s guards were pushed to and fro, and had difficulty keeping their balance, much less keeping an eye on Ling Yi amidst the chaotic scene.

“Stop running! Stop running around!”

“Where is he? Where did he go?!”

They tried in vain to direct the crowd, attempting to focus on their mission objective while preventing a stampede.

And during this interval, Ling Yi quickly shuttled against the flow of people. He took advantage of the chaos to knock down several of Lu Hulun’s men, rushing up to the bound, bloodied man on public display.

“Uncle Xi En, Uncle Xi En!”

He called out anxiously, but received no response. Xi En displayed no signs of life.

Ling Yi immediately went to untie him. But before the first knot could be undone, some daredevil suddenly jumped out and shoved the unsuspecting Ling Yi, causing him to stagger.

Just as he was about to fight back, he stopped abruptly.

The young man who attacked Ling Yi was around the same age as him, and possessed a face that had originally looked quite handsome. 

But now his hair was a mess, his eyes were bloodshot, and his school uniform was wrinkled. He seemed as if he hadn’t slept for several days, even more pitiful than a homeless person on the street.

“Don’t touch him!”

He shielded Xi En with his body, treating Ling Yi as enemy number one, as tense as a frightened bird.

He didn’t recognize the disguised Ling Yi, but Ling Yi recognized him at a glance.

That was Xi En’s eldest son – he was the same age as Ling Yi, and went to the same school, department, and classes, but forever considered him an “enemy.”

Xi Lei yelled at him hysterically. 

“Who are you?! What are you trying to do?!”

“Idiot,” Ling Yi cursed in a low voice. He pulled his mask down halfway. “I’m your father….!”

---

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Chapter 7 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 9

“Nonsense, get out quickly.” Liu Zhenqing finally spoke, but his voice was hoarse and listless from the kiss.

The expression in Huo Fenglie’s eyes changed even more, and he suddenly reached out to grab Liu Zhenqing’s hand and press it to a certain place.

Liu Zhenqing’s brain immediately crashed. His palm felt as if it had been scalded. He simply couldn’t understand how such a well-behaved puppy could act so roguishly. Was he still Erg-ou?

Could it be that the boy had held it in for so long that it damaged his brain?

Huo Fenglie let out a low groan at the pressure.

That sound made Liu Zhenqing wish he could die on the spot.

“See, I’m not talking nonsense.” Huo Fenglie’s eyes shone with a terrifying light, but his tone was aggrieved: “Qing-ge always doubts me.”

Liu Zhenqing had no words left. He was so alarmed that he couldn’t retract his hand.

Huo Fenglie gritted his teeth. Maintaining his last shred of rationality, he lowered his head to whisper in Liu Zhenqing’s ear. He didn’t do anything excessive with his hands, but murmured: “Qing-ge, it’s too late this time, so never mind.”

Liu Zhenqing: So you know this too!!!

“Next time…..”

What! He wanted a next time? Get out of here!

“Next time we meet, I won’t hold back. I’ll do everything to Qing-ge.”

Liu Zhenqing: Wait! Laozi can’t possibly like you, but you still want to continue doing this? You dummy! Sure enough, young people who were blinded by lust were mentally abnormal! You must be delusional!

No matter how Liu Zhenqing roared in his mind, he couldn’t say a word, because Huo Fenglie was too close to him, and his lingering scent made him instinctively afraid. This had happened several times now, after all, and he feared that he would be kissed again as soon as he opened his mouth.

Huo Fenglie really didn’t have time to do anything else. When he was finished speaking, he left a gentle bite on Liu Zhenqing’s earlobe.

“Qing-ge, wait for me!”

When Liu Zhenqing was called out of the carriage by Li Xingruo, he was rubbing his earlobe numbly.

Huo Fenglie had already been scolded by his brother and urged to return to the contingent. When traveling with the troops, he couldn’t be too unruly.

Faced with Li Xingruo’s teasing eyes, Liu Zhenqing was endlessly depressed. That bastard had run away after giving in to his impulses, as if he had reached the point of no return. He had turned bad at such speed that Liu Zhenqing almost couldn’t recognize him.

Liu Zhenqing could only sulk and say goodbye to Huo Feihan and Li Xingruo with a gloomy expression.

“This is a farewell gift from Er-gou,” Liu Zhenqing said dryly. “I won’t delay you, have a safe trip.”

The two exchanged glances, then hugged him one by one, telling him to take good care of himself and avoid getting into trouble.

The army set off and gradually moved out of view. No matter which angle Liu Zhenqing looked from, he couldn’t see Er-gou among the tens of thousands of people. He wanted to scold someone, but had no one to blame, and was incredibly frustrated.

He heard a whimpering sound beside him, and when he turned to look, he found that it was Uncle Tian.

Liu Zhenqing moved to comfort him. Uncle Tian was about to say something, but when he glanced down at the jade Rubik’s Cube, he descended into a violent coughing fit.

Liu Zhenqing quickly helped him calm down: “What’s wrong?”

“You….you have…..”

Liu Zhenqing looked toward the jade cube he was pointing at and said: “Fenglie gave it to me.”

“Of course I know that. This is a Huo family tradition. The Second Young Master has had that jade since he was a child. It’s supposed to be given to…..” Uncle Tian was momentarily speechless. He stared at Liu Zhenqing, lips trembling as if in a drug-induced seizure.

Liu Zhenqing was completely dumbfounded. He naturally understood Uncle Tian’s meaning. So what Er-gou had given him was…..

Uncle Tian slapped his thigh and trembled for a long time before finally accepting the facts. “It turns out…..it turns out…..ai! Young Master, you must wait for the Second Young Master to return. You can’t…..you can’t provoke him anymore. After all, you accepted his proposal gift.”

After saying this, Uncle Tian left with a sigh.

Liu Zhenqing stood there with a blank face, unable to utter a word.

Er-gou hadn’t left himself any way out, ah. What if he fell in love with someone else in the future? Would he ask for it back? But the jade had already been carved into a Rubik’s Cube!

Liu Zhenqing picked up the jade Rubik’s Cube and stared at it. Thinking about what had just happened, he could only purse his lips and sigh through gritted teeth.

What sins have I committed, ah!

At this point, Huo Fenglie’s face had cooled down a little. He was also shocked by his own actions. He had acted on impulse as if possessed. As the contingent proceeded, he secretly tied the lock of hair with a red string and tucked it into the innermost part of his robes, directly over his heart.

Gazing at the distant sky, he murmured: “Qing-ge, you must wait for me.”

. . . . .

Two Years later. At Liu Manor.

Liu Zhenqing was listening to his master’s lecture. Next to him was a fair-faced boy, who was the disciple he had been forced to accept. He had just dozed off when he was awakened by Han Ye’s voice.

“Shizu, Shifu is sleeping again!”

Liu Zhenqing awoke with a start and grabbed the medical text his master had thrown at him.

He turned his head speechlessly and glared at Han Ye, who rolled his eyes in disdain. Liu Zhenqing was depressed. Instead of attending court, he had to take classes at home. Had he known earlier, he would have asked the Crown Prince for an official position.

Just as he was stewing in resentment, he heard that Bai Yu and Liu Qiao had returned. He was instantly excited, and said: “Master, please teach Ye’er first. I have official business to attend to.” Having said this, he ran away, the jade Rubik’s Cube at his waist swaying with his movements. But not before pinching Han Ye’s chubby face in revenge.

When he arrived in the back courtyard, he heard Bai Yu and Liu Qiao conversing from afar. The rare thing was that they were having an argument.

“Y-you really angered me to death. You stupid fool, ah, why did you do that in such a situation? Don’t you know that it’s a crime to assault an official? And can he withstand a punch from you? You really are…..”

Liu Qiao didn’t seem to understand why Bai Yu was angry: “You were struggling, and I helped you. Shouldn’t you be happy?”

“I…..I…..” Bai Yu choked.

Although the two had very different identities and were at opposite extremes, being a scholar and a warrior, they had a good relationship.

Two years ago, Bai Yu had served in the Imperial court for a period of time. But he really didn’t enjoy court affairs, and eventually resigned from the position. During that time, Liu Zhenqing was going to accompany his grandfather to visit his aunt and cousin, Yuan Jin, in the south, so Bai Yu went with them, thinking about painting along the way. They were naturally guarded by Liu Qiao on the journey, so the two formed a good relationship.

One was reticent, and the other was gentle, so it wasn’t easy for them to argue with each other. This situation piqued Liu Zhenqing’s curiosity.

“Didn’t you go to the government office to deliver the evidence? Did you finish your work?” Liu Zhenqing walked out to see an unusually anxious Bai Yu, and a Liu Qiao who still looked out-of-sorts.

Bai Yu immediately calmed down when he saw Liu Zhenqing, saying: “It’s finished.”

Liu Zhenqing smiled: “Then why are you arguing? What happened?”

The two spoke simultaneously, but their answers were completely different.

Bai Yu said in a panic: “Nothing!”

Liu Qiao said directly: “Ji-daren bullied him.”

Liu Qiao would never lie or hide anything from Liu Zhenqing, so he immediately looked in surprise at Bai Yu, whose face reddened.

Ji Qinglin was actually somewhat familiar with them. When they were traveling that year, he happened to have just joined the six ministries. The Crown Prince wanted to investigate the tax money case, and sent him to take a look first. He also asked Liu Zhenqing, who happened to be passing by, to keep an eye on the situation. In fact, he just wanted Liu Zhenqing to give the young man some guidance. 

Thus, Ji Qinglin also accompanied them on the first leg of their journey. Ji Qinglin was intelligent, insightful, and had a meticulous mind. He performed brilliantly in the tax money case and quickly solved the problem. And when Liu Zhenqing led his team to visit Song Xingmu at his place, they parted ways. Liu Zhenqing had praised him in his letter to the Crown Prince, and after returning to the capital, Ji Qinglin had taken up the important role of Chief Magistrate.

Along the way, Liu Zhenqing had seen how Ji Qinglin and Bai Yu’s relationship had gradually changed from acquaintances, to friends, and then to something more subtle. He remembered that one time when Bai Yu was helping Ji Qinglin with the tax money case, he met a scholar who was a skilled painter. They had similar interests, and became friends. The busy Ji Qinglin found out about it when he happened upon them painting together, and Liu Qiao said that at that time, there was murderous intent in his eyes.

That night, Liu Zhenqing drank too much wine and had to get up to relieve himself, and saw Ji Qingling holding Bai Yu’s hand tightly in the courtyard, refusing to let go. The two of them were at a stalemate. Liu Zhenqing couldn’t interrupt them, so he could only wait for them to finish talking. In the end, neither of them said anything. Bai Yu blushed and pulled his hand away somewhat angrily, preventing Liu Zhenqing from suffocating to death. After that, their relationship became more ambiguous until they separated.

Presently, when they had just returned to the capital, Liu Zhenqing came across an interesting case and assisted in solving it. He then handed the evidence over to them and asked them to deliver it to Ji Qinlin.

When he saw Bai Yu’s reaction, Liu Zhenqing narrowed his eyes slightly and asked with interest: “How did he bully you?”

“He didn’t. D-don’t say anything…..” Bai Yu anxiously tried to stop Liu Qiao.

But Liu Qiao had also developed a bit of a bad temperament under Liu Zhenqing’s teaching. He felt that he had done nothing wrong, and wanted to tell Liu Zhenqing so that he could make a judgement.

“They started arguing, and then Ji-daren held him tightly and wouldn’t let him leave. He even bit his mouth! He was very fierce!” Liu Qiao said with righteousness on his side: “So I punched him.”

When he heard this, Liu Zhenqing really had to use a lot of effort not to laugh out loud. How should he conduct a sexual education class for Liu Qiao?

Bai Yu lost his temper. His face turned even redder, and he immediately reached out to smack Liu Qiao: “You…..you…..”

Liu Qiao regarded him with even more dissatisfaction: “What did I do wrong?”

Liu Zhenqing tried so hard to hold back his laughter that he almost started coughing: “Qiaoqiao is right.”

Bai Yu was taken aback, and looked at Liu Zhenqing with shame, suspicion, and helplessness: “Xiting-ge, how can you…..that’s not…..that’s…..”

“What’s wrong? Qiaoqiao fought well. Anyone who dares bully one of us must be beaten!” Liu Zhenqing said at once.

Liu Qiao raised his head proudly at the praise.

Bai Yu wanted to cry but had no tears. He didn’t know how to explain. “It wasn’t…..bullying. Xiting-ge, how can you…..”

“No matter what he was doing, if you resisted, that means you didn’t want it. Qiaoqiao, don’t let Ji Qinglin get close to Wangshu next time. If he dares to, then beat him up.”

Liu Qiao immediately nodded.

Bai Yu was anxious. How could he be Liu Zhenqing’s opponent? When Liu Zhenqing said that and Liu Qiao agreed, he was truly helpless. He could only bow his head and say: “But…..it wasn’t bullying…..I…..I was willing, Xiting-ge. Please don’t let Liu Qiao mess around. He can’t take it. Qinglin’s nose was bleeding just now. You don’t know how strong Liu Qiao is, it’s too dangerous.”

Liu Zhenqing laughed when Bai Yu admitted defeat, while Liu Qiao just looked confused and said: “Then should I beat him or not?”

Liu Zhenqing patted Liu Qiao on the shoulder: “Don’t beat him. They’re just little lovers flirting. Even if he cries when he’s bullied, they’re happy tears. Don’t get involved in this matter, lest you be blamed by both parties.”

“What…..lovers….we’re not…..yet.” Bai Yu was speechless. He really wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it. This wasn’t what he meant, ah. It wasn’t the case at all. But facing the straightforward Liu Qiao, he had no way to explain it, and could only swallow down his bitterness. If they blamed Ji Qinglin, then…..

It was just that the friend he’d met during the tax money case had sent him a letter, saying that he was coming to take the Imperial Examinations and hoped to meet up to reminisce about the past. He’d just mentioned casually that he would provide hospitality for this talented scholar, and Ji Qinglin suddenly began to act strange. He turned his head away and said that he would ask His Highness to arrange unified accommodations for examinees from other places. Bai Ye felt that his additional hospitality wouldn’t conflict with anything, so he pushed back slightly, and the other party actually just…..just…..

The more Bai Yu thought about it, the redder his cheeks became. His heart pounded wildly, and he couldn’t calm down at all. Seeing the teasing look on Liu Zhenqing’s face, he couldn’t stay here any longer, and quickly left in a sulking mood.

Liu Qiao took note of Liu Zhenqing’s instructions and regarded them as an Imperial decree, so later on…..when he saw Liu Zhenqing being bullied in certain situations, Liu Qiao heeded his master and didn’t get involved!

---

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(Alt Universe) Extra 21 << Table of Contents >> (Alt Universe) Extra 23

The interior of the Soaring Eagle was extremely spacious, with three horizontal seats in the back row forming a concave shape.

Oser and You Lin sat face-to-face, each occupying opposite seats. The seat to the side seemed to have been specially reserved for Ling Yi.

Both focused their attention on him, one with astonishment, and the other with a meaning-laden smile.

Ling Yi pretended to be calm and stepped inside, moving to take the only empty seat. But at the last second, he turned and sat next to Oser without taking time to think.

Although Oser’s seat fit two people, he was sitting in the middle of it, and when Ling Yi sat down, they inevitably came into physical contact.

You Lin’s brain short-circuited, and wasn’t sure which development was more bizarre – that Ling Yi was still alive, or that he was ignoring social etiquette.

But then, something even more surprising happened. Not only did His Highness Oser not admonish him for his rudeness, he even put his hand on the other’s leg and rubbed it affectionately.

You Lin even began to suspect that during the time he was absent from the country, the prince had become more approachable and the common people no longer had to be so careful to keep their distance.

Had class barriers completely broken down?

Had equal rights in their motherland developed to such an extent?

In just a short moment, what seemed like thousands of thoughts went through You Lin’s head, and it was as if every branch in his nerve center was abruptly cut off.

Through the thin layer of cloth, Oser could feel the tense muscles beneath his palm.

No matter how calm Ling Yi was pretending to be, his body couldn’t lie.

“Why are you here?” Oser asked with a smile.

Ling Yi replied serenely: “Your Highness took a long time coming back. I came to pick you up.”

“Since you came to pick me up, why did you get into the vehicle?”

“I’m a poor student who’s never seen such a nice car. I wanted to see whether it was comfortable to sit in.”

“Now that you’ve tried it, is it comfortable?”

Ling Yi was on pins and needles, but there was no change in his expression: “It’s not bad.”

“Do you like it? If so, I’ll give it to you.”

“…..Your Highness is very generous.”

Oser said with implied meaning: “I’m always generous to those who follow me.”

Ling Yi pursed his lips.

Oser watched his expression change with amusement, waiting to see what excuses he would make next.

“Of course I’m willing to follow Your Highness. I….would never be disloyal.”

As the two of them talked back and forth, You Lin seemed like a third wheel.

He couldn’t take his gaze away from Oser’s hand, and brainwashed himself into thinking this was just His Highness’s appreciation for the younger generation. 

“I’m sorry to bother you two.”

You Lin mustered up the courage to interrupt the dubious atmosphere that had permeated the cabin.

“Can you tell me what’s going on? Didn’t you say that Ling Yi…..was already dead?”

Only then did Ling Yi turn his attention toward the person sitting opposite him.

He looked to be twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, with blue hair cut in a gentle style and innocent eyes that displayed his complete faith in Oser.

It was obvious that he was another victim deceived by Oser’s lies.

“The person who died in the accident wasn’t me. He was a scapegoat found by Lu Hulun.”

“But he didn’t do it to let me off the hook. He just didn’t want me to have such an easy death.”

After Ling Yi finished his explanation, he saw Oser smiling and nodding at him, as if “praising” him for obtaining all of his outside information while underground.

Ling Yi pretended not to notice, and said flatteringly: “If it weren’t for His Highness Oser, I would have been tortured to death by Lu Hulun. He’s my savior.”

You Lin’s body trembled. He turned his head stiffly to look at Oser, interpreting the curve of his mouth as mockery directed toward him.

It turned out that His Highness Oser had already made arrangements, and You Lin had come here in vain to point fingers.

The fewer people who knew about such confidential information, the better. His Highness Oser had naturally withheld the truth from him in order to better protect Ling Yi.

How could he have thought that his savior would leave another innocent person to die?

He had even thought himself clever by coming up with an escape plan. A strategic thinker like His Highness Oser must have planned Ling Yi’s departure route long ago.

You Lin’s mood at this moment was extremely complicated. Distress from the misunderstanding mixed with the guilt of confronting Oser, and he was moved even more by Oser’s noble character. 

“I’m sorry, I said so many inappropriate things to Your Highness.”

You Lin’s apology was brimming with remorse.

“I shouldn’t have doubted you. You’ve been secretly protecting the person who was persecuted by the Lu family. I….I deserve to die!”

Oser smiled faintly and said nothing.

Ling Yi watched as the innocence in the other’s eyes became even more pure, mixed with a fanatical sort of admiration.

This person was probably beyond saving.

“Will Your Highness introduce us?” Ling Yi asked.

Oser laughed mockingly: “It’s good for you to get to know each other. This person can be considered your senior – he has much more experience than you in suffering persecution from old men.”

You Lin sat up straight and formally introduced himself: “Nice to meet you, my name is You Lin. The former Chief Justice of the Imperial Court was my father.”

“Six years ago, Lu Hulun’s second son used the power of the Lu family to illegally amass wealth. My father sentenced him to death despite immense pressure, but in return, his family was destroyed. If it wasn’t for His Highness’s help, I would have been killed as well.”

“I’ve been paying close attention to you for a long time. Lu Dawa’s death was his own fault. But since my father’s death, Lu Hulun has used all means to purge the Imperial Court, and those not under his control have been either transferred to distant places or dismissed.”

“Now, not only is the current chief justice Lu Hulun’s lackey, the entire court is filled top to bottom with his people. There will never be another judge as fair and honest as my father.”

You Lin was so moved as he spoke that he leaned forward and patted Ling Yi’s knee hard with one hand.

“Ling Yi, Lu Hulun is ruthless and vengeful. The longer you stay here, the more danger you’ll face.”

“I can take you to live abroad with me, teach you the language, and pay for your studies. Then, when the time is right, you can return to China to pursue your ambitions. At that point, you and I will join hands to assist His Highness Oser and make Lu Hulun pay in blood!”

You Lin’s eyes were bright and spirited. Even though he had suffered injustice and his family was ruined, his passion was undampened.

“Are you willing?”

Ling Yi looked at him like he was a fool: “I’m not willing.”

You Lin hadn’t expected such an unhesitating refusal: “Why not? Don’t you know that as long as you remain in the country, Lu Hulun will never give up?!”

“I have a backer.”

“Backer? You mean His Highness Oser?”

You Lin detested his naivety: “His Highness can protect you now, but for how long? He can’t keep you with him day and night.”

“I don’t know whether His Highness Oser will keep me with him day and night, but I know that if you keep your hand on my leg, you’re probably going to lose it.”

“……” You Lin was thoroughly confused.

He glanced at His Highness Oser’s expression, then at Ling Yi, and finally down at his hand.

He hesitated, then retracted his hand and leaned back until he was stopped by the back of the chair.

Perhaps everything was different from how he had imagined. Perhaps class barriers were not so easy to break, and only some individuals received special treatment.

Oser pretended to brush imaginary dust from Ling Yi’s shoulder, and assessed: “This is a nice uniform. It suits you well.”

Ling Yi confessed: “It’s Doctor Pat’s.”

“Give it back to him and tell him to prepare a new one for you.”

“No need, Your Highness. This is a doctor’s uniform, it isn’t necessary.”

“It’s necessary to me. I don’t want you wearing Doctor Pat’s pheromones.”

Ling Yi’s smile froze. 

“Your Highness, there are other people in the car.”

Oser stared at him. Only his lips moved: “Get out.”

The car door opened and closed with a gust of wind as an entire living person vanished in an instant.

Once again, they were the only two left in the enclosed compartment. Ling Yi was like prey delivered to his doorstep, and it would be a shame if Oser didn’t do something after he walked into such a trap.

He leaned over, further shortening the non-existent distance between them.

“‘The pleasure of delayed gratification. ‘A little more patience.’” Oser repeated Ling Yi’s words one by one. “Who was the one who said these things?”

“…..It was me.” Ling Yi couldn’t deny it.

“If you were as good at fulfilling your promises as you are at admitting your mistakes, you wouldn’t have had to go to such lengths to please me.”

“I didn’t intend to break our agreement.” Ling Yi endeavored to swallow past the discomfort in his throat. “I didn’t sneak out to escape.”

“If you’re not running away, did you really come here to pick me up?” Oser said mockingly.

The pheromones surging toward him took Ling Yi’s breath away.

“I just got some news that my adoptive father might be in danger…..”

“No, he’s absolutely in danger. The driver of the hijacked van is a good friend of my adoptive father’s, and he said he’s going to the Prime Minister’s office.”

“My adoptive father must think I’m dead, so he’s gone to seek revenge on Lu Hulun at all costs. I can’t let him put himself in danger.”

Ling Yi was rather anxious, fearing that his adoptive father would cause irreversible consequences due to his impulse.

“Your Highness promised to take care of my family.”

“Did you forget about the first half of our deal?”

“My adoptive father is in danger right now. By the time the operation is completed, he might be dead!”

Oser stated unhurriedly: “I’ve always been fair, and I give as much as I receive. Ling Yi, the deposit you paid has been overdrawn.”

“……”

Oser’s meaning was self-evident. Suppressing his instinctive fear, Ling Yi took the initiative to loop his arms around the other’s neck.

Top-level Alpha pheromones invaded Ling Yi through the gaps in his mental power, and his arms visibly shook.

Ling Yi closed his eyes, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed nervously.

After some psychological preparation, he made a decision and leaned in for a determined kiss.

One second, two seconds, three seconds…..

For the first time in his life, he experienced what it meant to feel every second like a year.

He had no idea whether Oser’s lips were soft or hard, hot or cold. His senses were numb.

It wasn’t until three years had passed that Ling Yi left the other’s lips and slowly retreated to his original position in the darkness.

There was no sound inside the cabin. Everything was still.

Had the concentration of pheromones not continued to increase to a terrifying level, Ling Yi would have suspected that the other party had fallen deeply asleep.

It took a long time for Ling Yi to overcome the tremendous mental pressure and crack open his eyes.

The other person was staring at him intently, the tip of his tongue slowly licking over his upper gums.

This was the instinctive hunting reaction of an Alpha, which he had demonstrated to Oser himself.

At that time, when he was being suppressed by Oser, he was convinced that due to the lack of a hunting reaction, Oser was just verbally messing with him and had no true interest in another Alpha.

But it was different now!

When an Alpha was aroused, they would put on this sort of primitive, lethal display.

The moisturized canine teeth could pierce an Omega’s glands more sharply and accurately, completely claiming their prey for themselves.

If the other party was an Omega and returned the Alpha’s interest, they would expose their neck to demonstrate their submission.

But if not, then they could only hope for the best.

Ling Yi loosened his arms in horror and tried to move away, but there was nowhere to retreat.

He had originally been seated in the corner, with the soft seat back and the metal body of the car forming an angle.

When Oser spoke again, his hoarse voice was like that of a lion that had awoken from a thirty-year nap.

“You were right. I really didn’t need anyone to teach me.”

---

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Chapter 6 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 8

Chapter 22 – Poisoned

“There’s a method for sweeping the floor. Fellow Daoist Hao Chen, can you……” Feng Ye looked at the area Hao Chen had swept, where leaves were scattered here and there like it hadn’t been touched.

He paused, then continued with some disdain: “Pay a little more attention.”

It was free labor, but he actually complained that it wasn’t done well. Hao Chen should have known, but his thumping heart from that morning had caused him to change his attitude toward Feng Ye a little bit.

He felt that instead of childishly quarreling with the other party over trivial matters such as sweeping the floor, it would be better to start from a different angle.

So he offered an apologetic smile: “I didn’t do it well. If Fellow Daoist Feng Ye could…..personally~ instruct me…..then I would definitely do better.”

Feng Ye: “……” There wasn’t actually anything wrong with this sentence. But when Hao Chen said ‘personally,’ he deliberately emphasized the word, letting it circle the tip of his tongue before uttering it slowly, with a lingering final syllable that added a touch of charm.

Is this guy flirting with me? Feng Ye couldn’t help thinking.

But when he looked at Hao Chen again, the other’s expression was innocent.

He’s probably not. This guy always speaks in a tone that makes people think the wrong thing, Feng Ye thought again.

Besides…..who would dare to flirt with him? If someone really did dare, Feng Ye wouldn’t be angry. He would just admire their courage.

With such thoughts, Feng Ye no longer bothered with Hao Chen and didn’t respond. He just buried his head and continued to do his own work.

Hao Chen’s smile deepened when Feng Ye didn’t respond.

It seemed he had actually discovered Feng Ye’s weakness. Every time he flirted with Feng Ye, he would go silent.

Yes, he was flirting with Feng Ye. Not only now, but also previously.

He naturally knew that his words could easily lead to misinterpretation, and had said them deliberately.

Although Hao Chen was a fossil-level bachelor, being single didn’t mean he was an upstanding person, nor an upstanding fish. On the contrary, he was a great romantic and would flirt with people without even thinking about it. It was a completely subconscious speaking habit.

This was why he would talk in such a way when he had no feelings for Feng Ye at all. And now, he went a step further by saying it deliberately.

He still held that he didn’t have feelings for Feng Ye – that face was too ordinary, after all. Yet he couldn’t help but try to find ways to get the other person to notice him.

The way he accomplished this was to shamelessly flirt with Feng Ye, who was probably several hundred years younger than him. But he had a thick face.

The two began to sweep the floor again after that brief conversation, but neither of them were sweeping very attentively.

Hao Chen would glance toward Feng Ye from time to time, like a voyeur. As for Feng Ye, his thoughts were on the competition. By his calculations, the break was almost over, and Fang Yang should be heading for the next round.

Feng Ye wasn’t worried. While watching Fang Yang’s fights, he had also been watching those of the other junior disciples, and he could say with certainty that none of them were Fang Yang’s equal.

It was a foregone conclusion that this adopted shidi of his would win the championship. It was just a pity that he wouldn’t be there to watch it. He really wanted to verify the results of his teaching.

But maybe if he swept faster, he could make it there for the finals?

Feng Ye quickened his movements. However, after sweeping for a while, someone who looked like a fellow junior disciple suddenly passed him in a hurry.

The person inadvertently tilted his head as he walked past and caught sight of Feng Ye. When he saw who it was, his eyes lit up and he turned around, walking straight toward him.

He said in a rushed tone: “You’re Fang Yang’s friend, right? Do you know where he is?”

Feng Ye stared blankly. Instead of answering, he asked: “What happened?”

The disciple quickly explained: “He’s in the next match, but he hasn’t shown up. If he’s not there, he’ll be considered to have forfeited the match.”

“That naive…..did he oversleep?” Hao Chen had come over when he saw a stranger approach Feng Ye, and spoke his conjecture after listening in silence. Because it came out so smoothly, he almost called Fang Yang the nickname he’d given him.

Feng Ye glanced at him and said nothing. His mind was racing. Fang Yang oversleeping? That was absolutely impossible. He got up at dawn every day and danced to the sound of the rooster crowing. Even when he took a nap, he would wake up on time. Oversleeping was something that only happened to Feng Ye.

Only when all the roosters in the world were dead would Feng Ye believe Fang Yang had overslept.

And obviously, the roosters weren’t extinct yet.

There was only one possibility – something had gone wrong.

“I can’t talk, I still have to go find him.” The junior disciple tasked with notifying Fang Yang was eager to leave, as the beginning of the competition was growing closer.

Feng Ye quickly stretched out an arm to stop him: “No need. I’ll go find him.”

This was perfect. It saved him from running around, so the junior disciple passed the matter over to Feng Ye. Although he wasn’t familiar with Feng Ye, Fang Yang seemed to spend time with this person often, so leaving it to him shouldn’t pose a problem.

The junior disciple left, and Feng Ye stood there without saying a word. He closed his eyes, sensed the location of the bamboo slip he’d made, then tossed away his broom and strode toward the dormitories.

Hao Chen followed close behind him. He didn’t make any inappropriate jokes for now, having noticed from Feng Ye’s frown that he wasn’t in a good mood. 

The two of them went at a pace slightly slower than a run as they hurried back to the dormitories.

When Feng Ye pushed open the tightly closed door of Fang Yang’s room, the sound of low sobs was no longer blocked, and reached the ears of the two people standing at the door.

Feng Ye scanned the room, his gaze passing over the table, the chairs, the bed, before ultimately landing on Fang Yang curled up in the corner.

Endless tears fell from his eyes like a beaded curtain, and his face was all scrunched together in ugly wrinkles.

When Fang Yang saw the open door and the people standing there, he immediately stopped crying. He rubbed his eyes to conceal the tears, pretending like he hadn’t just been sobbing.

He even tried to call out in his usual relaxed tone: “Shixiong…..”

It was a pity that the words came out in a hoarse and unpleasant weeping tone.

Feng Ye hesitated as he walked through the door, then stepped forward again and approached Fang Yang steadily and resolutely.

He crouched down in front of him and manually pulled up Fang Yang’s right hand from where it was hugging his knees, connecting to Fang Yang’s meridians.

Hao Chen stood behind Feng Ye, watching in silence. He tapped his chin intermittently with his fan. Fang Yang’s cultivation seemed to have been…..substantially reduced?

Level three of Qi Refining…..Feng Ye released the hand that was touching Fang Yang’s meridian gate. He could feel a large amount of spiritual power being drained from Fang Yang’s meridians, and his cultivation level had directly regressed from the seventh level of Qi Refining to the third.

There were generally two reasons for a decline in cultivation: serious injury or qi deviation.

Fang Yang obviously did not meet this criteria. He didn’t have any injuries that could be considered serious, at most a few minor scratches from the competition.

And it was even more impossible for him to have had a qi deviation. Feng Ye had been away from him for an hour total, and he hadn’t had time to rest, let alone cultivate.

Then there was only one answer left: someone had poisoned Fang Yang.

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Chapter 21 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 23

Over the next three days, Huo Fenglie did not come to see Liu Zhenqing. Huo Feihan and Li Xingruo, however, had dinner with him several times since they were about to separate.

And every time, despite Liu Zhenqing not saying anything, they would tell himself that Huo Fenglie had locked himself in his room and was busy with who knows what.

Liu Zhenqing could only drink in silence until the day the Huo Family Army was about to leave the capital. He went to the city gates to see them off, and finally saw a familiar figure among the Huo Family troops.

The young man clad in light armor stood tall and handsome, with solemn eyes. This was the first time he had seen him since he confessed his love in the peach blossom grove. It had only been ten days, but Liu Zhenqing already felt that he seemed different.

Although he was still a bit depressed and angry, Liu Zhenqing could help but fix his eyes on that person, and it wasn’t until Huo Fenglie’s eyes swept toward him that he looked away awkwardly. Pretending like nothing had happened, he went to the accompanying carriage and spoke to Li Xingruo, who had stuck her head out.

Leaning against the window, Li Xingruo raised an eyebrow and said: “Are you really not going to give Fenglie a proper goodbye? Once we leave, you won’t see each other for a long time.”

Liu Zhenqing’s lips curved as he said: “It’s him who didn’t say goodbye to me. I came all the way here and didn’t see him…..”

“Isn’t that because you’re giving him the cold shoulder? He’s about to go to war, but you never went to the General’s Manor to talk to him. How do you think he feels?” Li Xingruo criticized.

Liu Zhenqing looked embarrassed: “Who’s giving a cold shoulder? I….I’m doing this for his own good.”

Li Xingruo scoffed. Her eyes flashed, and she said: “If he came to say goodbye, would you want to see him?”

“I watched him grow up. How could I be so callous?” Liu Zhenqing said speechlessly.

Li Xingruo suddenly smiled: “Since you said so, say your proper goodbyes, ah.”

Hearing her tone, Liu Zhenqing immediately turned around and saw that Huo Fenglie had already walked to within three steps of him. When he saw him looking back, he immediately came to a stop.

“Qing-ge.” Huo Fenglie’s expression was no longer as solemn as before. Instead, he regarded Liu Zhenqing with an obedient look.

The address instantly made Liu Zhenqing feel as if an electric shock had zapped through his body. He hadn’t heard Er-gou call him this in a long, long time.

“Take care of yourself when you go out. It’s a battlefield, after all. No matter how good your martial arts skills are, there will always be unexpected situations, so you must be careful…..” Liu Zhenqing immediately began to nag and lecture, but his mind was a mess.

Huo Fenglie listened silently, his gaze never leaving Liu Zhenqing’s face.

Li Xingruo laughed and jumped out of the carriage, saying: “I’m going to check if I brought enough herbs. You two get in the carriage to say your goodbyes.”

As if fearing that Liu Zhenqing would make his escape, she shoved him into the carriage. Huo Fenglie naturally didn’t need Li Xingruo to urge him. He instantly jumped onto the carriage, lifted the curtain, and went inside.

After being pushed, Liu Zhenqing turned and saw him coming in. The spacious carriage immediately became cramped upon his entry. He had never felt Er-gou’s presence so strongly before, and the air seemed to become thin.

Such an awkward atmosphere and ubiquitous sense of oppression made Liu Zhenqing regret this, and he immediately wanted to get out of the carriage.

But thinking about how he didn’t know when they would next meet, Liu Zhenqing couldn’t help but want to give him a few more instructions. However, the boy in front of him suddenly took something out of his pocket. 

It was a three-level hollow Rubik’s Cube made of rare jade, small and delicate, with a cool color scheme.

“Qing-ge, this is for you,” Huo Fenglie said solemnly.

Liu Zhenqing stared: “Is this…..a parting gift? I didn’t prepare anything…..”

“That’s okay. I carved it myself, and it’s not well-made, but I hope Qinge-ge likes it.” Huo Fenglie lowered his head as he handed it over.

Liu Zhenqing couldn’t help being moved. Was this what he had been doing when he locked himself away these past few days? Although he felt that a gift from Huo Fenglie held a different meaning now, it was very thoughtful. How could he refuse? He could only reach out and take it, playing with it for a bit. It made a crisp clicking sound, and was indeed well-made.

Huo Fenglie’s eyes flickered: “You can…..hang it at your waist instead of a jade pendant.”

Liu Zhenqing looked at the blue and white tassel hanging below it. The weight was suitable, but Liu Zhenqing didn’t hang it around his waist. 

To be honest, Liu Zhenqing liked to give people jade pendants as souvenirs. After all, jade pendants weren’t considered to be lovers’ tokens in Great Zhou, so he just treated them as ordinary gifts. But when the gift was given by Huo Fenglie, it burned hot in his hand, and he was too embarrassed to put it on in front of the other party.

When he just sat there, Huo Fenglie’s eyes darkened uncontrollably.

Pretending nothing had happened, Liu Zhenqing gave a few more stiff instructions, speaking entirely from the perspective of an older brother.

Huo Fenglie listened in silence until a horn sounded outside, indicating that it was time to set off.

Liu Zhenqing’s heart constricted, but he still said in a clear, loud voice: “Go, grow up well in the new world. You still have a very long future ahead of you.”

Just as Liu Zhenqing was speaking these encouraging words, he heard Huo Fenglie murmur: “My future is right in front of me.”

Liu Zhenqing went instantly still. Just when he thought the topic wouldn’t deviate, he saw Huo Fenglie raise his deep eyes and fix a burning gaze on Liu Zhenqing’s face.

“Qing-ge, you are my only future.” Huo Fenglie’s eyes were resolute, but his tone was somewhat anxious. “Qing-ge is brilliant, so he must understand why I’m leaving. Qing-ge, can you wait for me for another two years? Don’t fall in love with or marry someone else. Wait for me. I’ll definitely grow up to be outstanding and make you like me. Just wait for me.”

Liu Zhenqing’s brow furrowed slightly. He took a breath to refute, but Huo Fenglie didn’t seem keen on being rejected again. Before Liu Zhenqing could say anything, he suddenly turned to leave.

When he saw Huo Fenglie start to open the door curtain, Liu Zhenqing’s resistant mood just now seemed to freeze all of a sudden, and his mind buzzed.

He was leaving. Er-gou was leaving…..they were all really leaving.

Liu Zhenqing’s heart suddenly felt half empty. How could he bear to see the clingy child he had watched grow up leave him?

He almost instinctively reached out and grabbed Huo Fenglie’s clothing. It was truly a conditioned reflex, lacking any input from his brain.

He stopped at the critical moment, but the almost undetectable force still halted Huo Fenglie’s retreat.

Huo Fenglie immediately turned around and looked at Liu Zhenqing with surprise, joy, and disbelief. The expression on his face along with those watery eyes made Liu Zhenqing go stupid.

Just when he was at a loss for words, the horn sounded again outside. It felt like a death knell.

In an instant, a figure flashed before his eyes. Liu Zhenqing was pushed down inside the carriage, and it shook as Liu Zhenqing was held in his arms and kissed fiercely.

His reluctance to leave seemed to penetrate into Liu Zhenqing’s soul through the kiss, making his mind go practically blank.

It was as if his previous calm demeanor and obedience was all a sham, and the current out-of-control Huo Fenglie was his true self.

How could Huo Fenglie not lose control? When it came to Liu Zhenqing, he simply couldn’t bear any additional stimulation.

Liu Zhenqing didn’t want him to go right away, and was reluctant to let him leave. His small gesture to retain him excited Huo Fenglie so much that he felt reborn, and the suppressed affection in his heart burst like a dam. He hadn’t wanted to do anything to displease Liu Zhenqing before he left, but the towering wall of reason he had built collapsed with a bang under one nudge from Liu Zhenqing.

He really liked Qing-ge so much. And this affection could only be expressed with a kiss at present, making Huo Fenglie want to tear him apart and eat him up.

Liu Zhenqing was initially dazed by the kiss. He thought about putting up a fight, but he was pinned down so firmly this time that any resistance would only make things more dangerous. In the end, Liu Zhenqing could only let the bad dog on top of him run wild.

Liu Zhenqing’s eyes slid half-shut. His eyes were misted over, blurring the person in front of him, but he couldn’t help wanting to remember this sight.

Er-gou seemed to have improved – his technique made Liu Zhenqing weak in the legs, and sent his heart into palpitations. With such charm, there must be many people who would fall in love with the young military official elsewhere.

He was so strong that Liu Zhenqing felt as if his body would break into pieces. With such great strength, he wouldn’t suffer any losses on the western battlefront.

Liu Zhenqing’s mind raced foolishly, allowing Huo Fenglie to leave an indelible mark in his memory and deep in his soul.

Dazed from the lack of air, Liu Zhenqing heard Huo Fenglie murmur in his ear with a low, hoarse voice: “Qing-ge, wait for me to come back. Qing-ge, I like you, I like you. When I come back, I want to marry you. Qing-ge, you’re mine…..mine!”

Liu Zhenqing’s face flushed and his heart swelled. D….don’t try to brainwash him!

It wasn’t until Huo Feihan’s voice could be heard outside that Huo Fenglie released him. He hovered over him with his head bowed, staring down at the dazed Liu Zhenqing.

His cheeks were flushed, his face like a peach blossom, and his compliant, docile appearance almost crushed Huo Fenglie’s heart. It was as if Liu Zhenqing truly belonged to him now. He was reluctant to leave Qing-ge, truly reluctant, but he had to go.

Liu Zhenqing was still muddleheaded when there was a flash of silver. Stunned, he watched as Huo Fenglie took a tuft of Liu Zhenqing’s hair and cut it off, holding it in his palm.

“You!” Liu Zhenqing was aghast. Was this bastard getting worse? Not only had he forcibly kissed him, but he’d even cut his hair!

Huo Fenglie suddenly kissed him on the lips again. Liu Zhenqing froze and forgot to block him, only able to glare at Er-gou angrily, completely unaware that this expression nearly made Huo Fenglie lose his mind again.

His eyes grew several shades darker than before.

Huo Fenglie grasped Liu Zhenqing’s chin, and for the first time, his tone was insufficiently respectful: “Qing-ge…..I want to hold you…..”

Liu Zhenqing’s eyes widened almost instantly, and his cheeks changed color as he stared at Huo Fenglie in disbelief.

What was this mad dog talking about! In this place, with his brother and sister-in-law outside, what did he want to do, ah? If he gave an inch, Huo Fenglie would push even further. This outrageously bold lust was simply an act of insubordination. It turned out that he shouldn’t have allowed him to do as he pleased!

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(Alt Universe) Extra 20 << Table of Contents >> (Alt Universe) Extra 22

In the East Palace, Yuan Jue looked at the absent-minded Huo Fenglie and put down his brush, saying: “Are you so distraught just because Laoshi didn’t come today?”

Huo Fenglie was in low spirits, and didn’t answer. 

Yuan Jue drew closer and asked curiously: “He hasn’t eased up yet?”

Huo Fenglie paused, then shook his head.

Liu Zhenqing had stayed at home for several days, refusing to go out. He even had to ask for leave from teaching Yuan Jue in the East Palace, because Huo Fenglie would go there in his free time to serve as a study companion for him. Liu Zhenqing was like a frightened bird, and it was useless for Huo Feihan or Li Xingruo to reason with him. He was trying to avoid Huo Fenglie as much as possible.

Yuan Jue touched his chin and said: “I figured you would keep being patient. I never imagined you would be so impulsive.”

Huo Fenglie lowered his eyes with a frustrated expression.

Yuan Jue didn’t like seeing his good brother like this, so he said: “Your martial arts skills are so good, just climb over the wall and go see him.”

Huo Fenglie shook his head. He knew that if he did so, Qing-ge would want to see him even less.

Seeing this, Yuan Jue tried again: “How about…..giving up? Becoming brothers again?”

Huo Fenglie shook his head again, eyes firm.

Yuan Jue murmured: “This is really difficult. You won’t give up, and Laoshi won’t accept you, ah. To be honest, Laoshi is a famous romantic, and there are so many people who like him, but I’ve never heard of him rejecting someone so harshly.”

Huo Fenglie’s expression turned ugly at once. It seemed that everyone else was treated gently when they were rejected. Even toward that foreign prince who wanted to force Liu Zhenqing to marry him, Liu Zhenqing hadn’t spoken one harsh word. Huo Fenglie was the only one he seemed to hate and avoid like the plague.

Was it truly impossible for Qing-ge to accept him?

As the two were talking, the Crown Prince strolled in. His original intention was to check up on their studies, but he ended up finding them chatting.

When Yuan Jue saw his father arrive, he immediately sat up straight and held his book, pretending to be deep in study. He even poked Huo Fenglie to warn him, but the other party was too distracted to react, and just bowed respectfully.

The Crown Prince shook his head in amusement at this sight, but didn’t reprimand them. Instead, he sat down and said mildly: “What’s wrong, Fenglie?”

Huo Fenglie never took the initiative to reveal his inner thoughts to those around him, and would basically only say a word or two when his friends took notice. So in the face of the Crown Prince’s concern, he could only stiffly say that it was nothing. 

The Crown Prince observed Huo Fenglie, and said after some thought: “Could it be that you were rejected when you expressed your feelings to Xiting?”

His words hit the nail on the head. Yuan Jue was so startled that the book slipped out of his hands. “Father, how did you know?”

“It’s obvious, ah. Although Xiting likes to be lazy, he wouldn’t take so many days off for no reason. Considering Fenglie’s current mood, it’s pretty self-evident,” the Crown Prince analyzed with a smile.

Yuan Jue looked at him with admiration. Not only had he long seen that Huo Fenglie liked Liu Zhenqing, but he was even fully aware of the current situation.

Huo Fenglie was momentarily stunned, but he didn’t panic or deny it, and just nodded honestly.

Seeing how at a loss the young man was, the Crown Prince said: “There are many who like Xiting, but you are the only one he has avoided like this.”

Huo Fenglie naturally became even more depressed when the Crown Prince said this. An enormous sense of loss and hopelessness almost completely enveloped him, causing the young man with a physique close to that of an adult to instantly transform into a young boy again.

Yuan Jue quickly signaled to the Crown Prince with his eyes, telling him not to provoke the lovelorn boy.

But the Crown Prince continued: “Perhaps this just proves that you are different from everyone else in Xiting’s heart.”

Huo Fenglie jolted and looked up at the Crown Prince.

Yuan Jue was also puzzled: “Father, do you mean that Laoshi also…..”

“Xiting probably doesn’t like Fenglie right now, and just sees him as a younger brother.”

Frustrated, Yuan Jue said: “But Father, you just said…..”

The Crown Prince smiled: “In Xiting’s heart, you grew up under his watch. It can be said that no matter how you look now or how old you are, in his eyes, you are still the same little baby he saw when he first delivered you. So no matter how much you pester him, no matter how you pursue him and express your love to him, he will only feel awkward and uncomfortable.” 

The Crown Prince analyzed the dilemma Huo Fenglie was currently faced with. He knew that in his heart, Qing-ge had never treated him as a man and an equal.

That was why he had wanted to wait a little longer. But he also understood that with the age difference between them, there was almost no time left, which was why he was so impulsive that night.

When he saw Huo Fenglie’s eyes gradually darken with sadness and despair, the Crown Prince smiled and said: “If you can’t do without him, then find some way to change the status quo.”

“There’s a solution to this situation?” Yuan Jue asked in surprise.

“Of course there is.”

Huo Fenglie’s eyes immediately lit up, and he fixed his gaze on the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince said unhurriedly: “Leave the capital. Leave him.”

Huo Fenglie’s expression changed several times, and he couldn’t speak for a moment.

Yuan Jue quickly said: “Father, he doesn’t have feelings for him in the first place. If Fenglie leaves, won’t he have even less of a chance?”

The Crown Prince touched Yuan Jue’s head and said: “If he doesn’t leave, he will always be that child in Xiting’s eyes. For some things, there can be no construction without destruction. After a long while apart, the relationship between the two will naturally change. It will cause Xiting to no longer see him as the child he once was, so that the relationship between them can develop anew.”

The Crown Prince looked at Huo Fenglie and said: “But there is always a risk. Just like Jue’er said, there may be even less of a chance, or nothing may change. Fenglie, it all depends on your choice.”

An hour later, Huo Fenglie received a decree from the Crown Prince and took it back to the General’s Manor. The entire place was in chaos, and Huo Feihan was even called back from the barracks. He stared at Huo Fenglie kneeling in the ancestral hall with a look of shock.

Looking at Huo Fenglie’s straight back, and hearing the clamor of the other family members around him, he ultimately sighed and said: “Since the Crown Prince has given a decree, this is how it is. Fenglie will be going with us in three days.”

Huo Feihan turned and informed Uncle Tian about the situation. Uncle Tian was nervous. The situation in the west was not worth the two brothers of the Huo family going to war together. To put it bluntly, at least one seedling should be left behind. If both of them were to leave, the General’s Manor would be empty.

“Why is this happening, ah!” Uncle Tian pulled at his beard. “First Young Master, why not try to dissuade him, and call the Madam back to speak with him together? No, not her. He listens to Young Master Liu the most. I’ll go find him now. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince also favors him. As long as Young Master Liu petitions him, he will definitely withdraw his decree and allow the Second Young Master to stay.”

Huo Feihan immediately grabbed Uncle Tian. Even though he wasn’t perceptive about things like this and didn’t know the specific reason, Huo Feihan also understood that his didi’s decision was probably because of Liu Zhenqing. And judging from his expression, there was no room for negotiation. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have taken the decree back without consulting them first.

Liu Zhenqing had also heard the news at this point, because while Li Xingruo was currently at his residence discussing the matter of their master coming to the capital, the servants of the General’s Manor rushed in to give her the news.

The two of them were stunned to hear this. Liu Zhenqing instantly stood up, his face pale.

Whether day or night, Liu Zhenqing had been in a state of anxiety these past days. His mind kept going over the events in the peach blossom grove, making him extremely flustered and nervous. He hadn’t wanted to hear any news about Huo Fenglie, but unexpectedly, the first bit of information he received shocked him to death.

“What is he going to do? Go to the battlefield? If he wants to become a military official, can’t he just take it slow? What is the point of directly receiving a military position? Huo-dage hasn’t even gone to battle yet. The world is so peaceful, and there are so many grown men. How can a young kid like him be given a chance to charge into battle!”

Li Xingruo was confused as well. She stood up and said: “Do you want to go back with me and inquire?”

Liu Zhenqing was about to agree, but then a thought occurred to him and his face darkened. “I’m going to see the Crown Prince!”

Having said this, he rushed to the East Palace. But the Crown Prince wasn’t there, and he was only able to catch Yuan Jue.

Yuan Jue understood the moment he saw Liu Zhenqing approaching. His expression was full of concealed thoughts: “I….I don’t know anything.”

Liu Zhenqing laughed coldly and said: “I haven’t had time to give the Crown Prince the few essays the young prince has written recently…..”

Yuan Jue sent him an aggrieved look: “Laoshi, why are you making things difficult for me?”

“Tell me what’s going on! Why did His Highness suddenly…..”

“Fenglie asked for it himself.”

Liu Zhenqing was stunned. He’d thought that the Crown Prince wanted to guide Huo Fenglie to become a military official early……and he almost laughed out of anger when he realized what was going on. He’d avoided Huo Fenglie, and now the kid was angry because of the rejection and wanted to avoid him? 

“He’s this angry with me? Who’s the one who deserves to be angry, ah?” Liu Zhenqing muttered in vexation.

Yuan Jue mumbled softly: “How could he dare be angry with you…..”

Liu Zhenqing glanced over at him.

Yuan Jue coughed: “He was troubled over you, and Father gave him an idea. He’s seeking an opportunity to…..”

Liu Zhenqing was momentarily baffled, but once his mind cleared, he understood Huo Fenglie’s intentions.

Liu Zhenqing’s lips trembled: “That fool, does he think that leaving will lead to a new beginning? What is he thinking!” After saying this, he turned and left the East Palace.

When he asked Huo Fenglie before whether he wanted to pursue the scholarly or martial arts, Huo Fenglie had said he wasn’t sure. And now, just because of a romantic opportunity, Huo Fenglie had chosen the martial path. This was so careless that it was simply crazy.

Liu Zhenqing rushed to the General’s Manor in a rage. Without taking time to join up with Huo Feihan and Li Xingruo, he hurried to Huo Fenglie’s courtyard under Uncle Tian’s instructions. But as soon as he stepped through the courtyard gate, he saw that the windows of the main room were wide open, and could see the screen concealing the bed.

What happened there that one day at noon instantly flooded Liu Zhenqing’s mind.

Liu Zhenqing momentarily paused, and his expression changed several times.

Uncle Tian called to him in confusion, and at that moment, Huo Feihan and Li Xingruo had heard news of his arrival and came over as well.

Just as Liu Zhenqing was about to speak, he suddenly turned around and looked as if he was going to leave the courtyard. 

“Zhenqing?” Huo Feihan called out.

Liu Zhenqing raised his head with a dry laugh, saying with an uncomfortable look on his face: “I was shocked when I first heard about it, but now I’m able to think about it calmly. Since he has chosen to become a military official, he will have to go to the battlefield sooner or later, and this is better than just listening to lectures at the Imperial Academy. Plus, he’ll be following you. It will be good for you to lead him into this minor conflict. There’s no reason to stop him from going.”

Huo Feihan actually thought the same, for which reason he had never considered asking Liu Zhenqing to dissuade Huo Fenglie. Although Huo Fenglie would listen to anything Liu Zhenqing said, how could their relationship develop this way?

After analyzing the situation with Li Xingruo, they understood the principle of destruction before construction. Huo Fenglie wanted to fight for hope, and they were unable to object.

But seeing Liu Zhenqing slowly lowering his eyes in frustration, Huo Feihan understood his reluctance and said: “It won’t take too long. Two years at most, and I’ll send him back.”

Liu Zhenqing forced himself to smile. He had no desire to talk anymore, and left the General’s Manor directly.

He knew that the Crown Prince had provided Huo Fenglie with a solution not only to help him, but for other reasons as well. It was because of this that he wouldn’t dissuade him. With their separation, perhaps Liu Zhenqing could successfully marry someone else, or Huo Fenglie might forget his improper affections after so much time apart. So no matter how he looked at it, this was the best choice for both him and Huo Fenglie.

But…..why was he so reluctant? He’d felt an emptiness in his heart the moment he heard the news, and had nearly lost control and gone to stop him.

It was likely because the four of them had always been together. With Huo Feihan and Li Xingruo gone, he would have still had Er-gou. But now Er-gou was going too, and his closest bonds in this world would be severed.

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(Alt Universe) Extra 19 << Table of Contents >> (Alt Universe) Extra 21

Tang De rushed in and whispered a report in Oser’s ear.

“Your Highness, something has happened in the northern outskirts.”

Oser sent Ling Yi a nonchalant glance and stood, walking out of the ward with Tang De.

Ling Yi intuitively felt that what Tang De said must be related to him, but he didn’t know how. His brow furrowed.

Nan Ting happened to be coming this way, and heard Captain Tang De deliberately lower his voice at the end of the corridor. Thinking of Ling Yi’s request, she immediately took more caution and stopped to eavesdrop.

“The prime minister’s replacement was in a car accident on the way to the execution grounds. The escort vehicle exploded and caught fire on the spot. After the fire was put out, only four bodies were found inside, completely unrecognizable.”

“Now everyone thinks Ling Yi was burned to death, and people are gathering to protest at the prime minister’s residence. All the police and army personnel in the city were sent to provide support, but the situation won’t be resolved for some time.”

“Let them make a fuss. I just fear they won’t make it big enough.”

Oser spoke with disdain. This car accident was exactly what he wanted.

“Was the accident arranged by that old man?”

Tang De shook his head.

“I don’t think so. It looked more like someone was trying to carjack the vehicle and accidentally set it on fire. The driver is still alive, but he’s on his last breath, so we can’t interrogate him.”

“Where is he now?”

“I sent someone to pick him up in secret. He’s currently receiving emergency treatment on the first floor.”

“He must be kept alive until we can figure out who he is.”

Oser was a little angry.

“I just promised Little Weed that I would take care of his cats and dogs, and now the cats and dogs are rushing to die. They’re really causing trouble for me.”

Tang De pitched his voice even lower: “I’m afraid there’s more than one person causing trouble. Your Highness, You Lin has returned to the country and wants to see you…..”

His voice was too low, and Nan Ting couldn’t hear what he said at the end.

As the footsteps of the two gradually faded away, she quickly walked back to the ward and repeated to Ling Yi everything she had heard.

Ling Yi paced anxiously in the ward after listening to Nan Ting’s retelling.

“Did Captain Tang De say anything about what the driver who was sent here looks like?”

Nan Ting shook her head: “That’s all he said.”

“I need to go up and confirm with my own eyes.”

“Doctor Pat won’t allow you to leave, and neither will His Highness Oser.”

“Then I won’t ask for their approval. I’ll just go up to take a look and come right back.”

“But my only door pass is with Doctor Pat.”

“That works for me.”

Doctor Pat heard the call bell and rushed into the ward. Ling Yi was leaning against the wall, and looked to be in poor health. 

“What happened? Are you feeling unwell? Where is Nan Ting? Didn’t I tell her to take care of you?”

Ling Yi waved his hand weakly: “I asked her to pour me some water, but as soon as she left, I—”

“Nausea,” Pat cut in quickly. “And vomiting, right?”

“…..” Ling Yi was going to say dizziness. “Yeah.”

“That’s normal. Alphas who spend a long time with His Highness will react like this to some extent.”

“…..Really?”

“Although he didn’t stay long, I can roughly guess what His Highness did to you.”

“Technically speaking, this is an adverse pheromone response, which is mainly caused by excessive stress. I particularly sympathize with you.”

Ling Yi suddenly felt that this person was rather pitiful.

Everyone around Oser deserved sympathy.

“I’ll get you some stress-relief medication. You lie down in bed first. Can you stand? I’ll help you.”

As soon as Ling Yi stood up, Pat very quietly fell down.

Ling Yi caught him expressionlessly: “Apologies, Doctor Pat. But this is better than putting hands on a young lady.”

Nan Ting’s work ID was in Pat’s jacket pocket.

“I’ll borrow this for a while and return it to you later.”

People were bustling in and out of the emergency room, and nobody noticed that there was an uninvited guest on the scene.

Ling Yi wore a white uniform, a mask, and a work ID hung casually on his chest, blending in perfectly with the background of the medical college.

The driver who was sent here was dying. His entire body was covered in blood, and several medical staff were endeavoring to stop the bleeding.

When he recognized that face, Ling Yi didn’t know whether to rejoice or grieve.

Fortunately, it wasn’t his adopted father. But he was his adoptive father’s good friend.

Even an uncle who had no blood relationship with him was willing to risk his life for Ling Yi. He was even more worried about his adoptive father’s current situation.

Feigning calmness, he walked over and pretended to inspect the patient’s condition.

“How is he?” he asked.

“It’s not optimistic,” the doctor working on him said without looking up. “He’s lost too much blood, and has no desire to live.”

Ling Yi took a deep breath and said at the risk of being discovered: “He’s a person of importance, and His Highness Oser has ordered that his life must be saved at all costs.”

The other party briefly looked up at him: “Captain Tang De just explained this in person.”

“…..That’s good. I just wanted to emphasize again that you don’t want to bear the wrath of His Highness Oser.”

Ling Yi’s fingertips were grasped without any warning, with such force that it called into question whether this person was actually dying.

Their eyes met, and Ling Yi knew from the shock in the other’s gaze that he recognized him.

“He’s awake!” a nurse exclaimed.

The doctor who had just assessed that the patient had no desire to live was astonished to see that all vital signs were recovering rapidly.

A person who desperately desired to live had a much higher chance of survival than one who was determined to die.

The doctor saw hope – not only the hope of a successful rescue, but also the hope that he would avoid punishment from His Highness.

“Proceed with the blood transfusion! Bring the blood bags!”

Ling Yi held the patient’s hand back tightly, fingers trembling from the excessive force.

He must have thought Ling Yi had died in the car accident he caused, and completely lost hope.

His pale lips opened and closed with difficulty, as if he was trying to say something to him.

Ling Yi immediately leaned forward, and an intermittent whisper reached his ears:

“Xi En…..prime minister’s office…..assassination…..”

“Make way, make way.”

Ling Yi was pushed aside by a nurse who rushed in with the blood bags.

The surroundings were bustling and noisy, but Ling Yi seemed to have lost both his hearing and vision, standing there in a daze without moving.

It wasn’t until he heard someone suddenly call out to him that he regained his senses.

“What?”

“I said, if you have nothing to do, don’t just stand there. Come here and help.”

The doctor wanted to call him by name, but couldn’t remember it. He just felt that he had seen those eyes somewhere before.

“Which department are you from?”

Ling Yi took a step back and calmly covered his work ID.

“Sorry, I have something urgent to deal with.”

He backed away as he spoke, then turned around and walked out with long strides. One after another, he passed by doctors and nurses wearing identical uniforms before gradually leaving the commotion behind.

Even at noon, there was barely any light in the underground parking lot.

The staff vehicles were parked in an orderly fashion near the entrance, with just one black Soaring Eagle parked quietly in a blind corner spot.

This was an expensive, low-profile, extended-cab vehicle. The C-shaped rear seating could accommodate up to eight people, making it a favorite choice for wealthy people who didn’t want to be ostentatious.

The windows of the vehicle were covered in 100% blackout film, and one could only see darkness when peering at the windows from outside.

Two people sat face-to face inside the vehicle, one sitting upright, and the other in a posture of haughty disinterest. The difference in their statuses was obvious at a glance.

“You graduated?” Oser asked leisurely.

You Lin lowered his eyes respectfully: “Thank you for your care. I did, Your Highness Oser.”

“Why did you return after graduation instead of staying there?”

“Even while I was abroad, I followed the news from back home. I’ve been following the case of the murder of the Lu family’s youngest son since the beginning. When I learned that the defendant was sentenced to death, I rushed back as soon as I could.”

“Oh. What does this have to do with you?”

“It may be because the defendant’s experience is somewhat similar to mine that I can empathize with his situation. So I would like to ask Your Highness to let me take him away.”

“You?”

“Yes, I’ve learned how to conceal my identity and adapt to life abroad over the years. Once I take him over there, I can take care of his daily necessities and help him apply to schools…..”

“Stop.”

Oser raised his hand impatiently.

“You’re planning long-term, but who said you’ll be able to save him?”

Only then did You Lin hesitantly raise his eyes: “Your Highness doesn’t plan to save him?”

“It’s too late. He’s already dead.”

You Lin’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Just half an hour ago, that person was burned to charcoal. If you really want the ashes, you can take them and go.”

You Lin had never expected that despite all his efforts, he would be a step too late. 

What surprised him even more was His Highness’s attitude.

“Your Highness…..why didn’t you stop it from happening?”

“Why do you think I had an obligation to stop it?” Oser asked.

“Because…..”

“Because he killed my uncle? So I should commend him, sing his praises, and shield him from my grandfather’s poison at all costs?”

“Your Highness!” You Lin was extremely agitated. “Six years ago, my father was the Chief Justice of the Imperial Court. In order to uphold justice, he sentenced the second son of the Lu family to death, but was retaliated against. He was framed, convicted, and ultimately executed in secret.”

“Lu Hulun even refused to let my father’s family go. It was you who saved me from his clutches, sent me abroad, helped me change my name, and funded my studies. Since you lent me a helping hand, why won’t you help that kid when his situation is so similar to mine?”

Oser crossed his long legs, his expression full of contempt for You Lin’s accusations.

“Why, everyone seems to think I’m a philanthropist who loves to hand out charity. Saving one isn’t enough – I must save a second one. Are you some sort of victim’s alliance, forcing a buy one, get one free deal?”

“He’s only twenty-two years old. He hasn’t even graduated from the Military Academy yet!”

“If the two of you are so afraid of death, you shouldn’t have provoked the wrong people in the first place. Don’t provoke someone and then find out later that you couldn’t afford to. Whether through seduction or coercive moralizing, people have been begging me to save them left and right.”

S-seduction?

You Lin was momentarily confused, but he soon put it behind him.

“Your Highness, I never intended to use coercive moralizing against you.”

“You didn’t want to die in vain, so I sent you abroad. You wanted to study law, and I supported your studies. Now you come back from school just to accuse me to my face for not being a good person at all times. What sort of ingrate have I nurtured all these years?”

You Lin lowered his head even further, regretting speaking out due to a momentary impulse.

“Your Highness, you will always be the person I respect the most. No matter what happens, I will remain loyal to you till death. My words were just wishful thinking, please don’t take them to heart.”

Oser gave a deep, nasal scoff. When his cell phone rang, he turned the speaker on without even looking to see who it was.

“Speak.”

Pat spoke in a panic: “Your Highness, it’s b-b-bad.”

. . . . . . .

Once Ling Yi locked onto his target, he carefully circled the Soaring Eagle twice to confirm that there were no guards or surveillance. 

He removed his mask and put it in his pocket. Then he feigned calmness and moved closer to the car. Using his body as cover, he gingerly tugged at the door.

As soon as he did so, he got a sense that something wasn’t right.

The door wasn’t locked. A strong sense of foreboding came over him.

But he was already here, so he could only bite the bullet and open the door. The strong scent of Alpha pheromones smacked him in the face – pheromones that he could never forget after smelling them once. 

A stranger he had never met leaned forward when he opened the door, and his eyes practically popped out of his head in shock. 

The person sitting opposite looked at Ling Yi with a smile, a familiar voice emitting from the speaker of his cell phone.

Pat: “Your Highness, it’s b-b-bad…..Ling Yi has escaped!”

“It’s alright,” Oser said into the speaker. “I see him.”

Ling Yi: “……”

Oser hung up the phone and curled his lips ambiguously. 

“What a coincidence.”

---

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Chapter 5 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 7

Chapter 21 – Evil Trick

Following the referee’s announcement, Fang Yang jumped down from the ring. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and excitedly rushed forward to hug Feng Ye.

Hao Chen smelled the odor of sweat getting closer and closer, and took a quick step away.

Feng Ye also wanted to escape. Although he was not afraid of uncleanliness, he couldn’t stand the stinky odor of sweat. It was just that…..this was Fang Yang’s fourth round. After winning this round, he had entered the top thirty and secured his qualification to enter the Floating Island Secret Realm.

In this case, it was appropriate to celebrate.

So Feng Ye ultimately didn’t avoid him, and accepted a hug that was extremely tortuous to his sense of smell.

Fang Yang’s excitement calmed down somewhat after the hug. Feng Ye quickly released him, then took a step back and felt like he could breathe again.

He urged Fang Yang: “Adjust your internal energy. The next battle will be rough.”

As the rounds progressed, the upcoming opponents would only be stronger and stronger. Fang Yang was also aware of this. Since it wasn’t his turn yet, he sat cross-legged on the ground and regulated his breathing.

Another hour passed. The selection competition had lasted the entire morning. The sun was growing increasingly hot, and the other contestants were nearly out of energy due to the non-stop battles.

Seeing this, Sect Leader Ji just said: “Take an hour break. The competition will resume in the afternoon.”

That said, he waved his hand and left first.

The rest of those on the viewing platform naturally followed after the sect leader, and the numerous disciples in the arena breathed sighs of relief. 

The schedule was so tight that everyone was exhausted, so it was great to be able to take a break.

This group of people left the training grounds one after another, some to eat and some to rest.

Feng Ye and the other two were also going to eat a meal.

Unlike Fang Yang, who was covered in sweat, Feng Ye and Hao Chen had just been watching the show the whole time. Hao Chen had also brought his own fan to keep cool, so he wasn’t tired at all and had a very leisurely appearance.

Feng Ye glanced at the fan in Hao Chen’s hand and wondered if there was anything strange about it. Why did this fellow carry it wherever he went?

Most of Hao Chen’s attention was on Feng Ye, and he naturally noticed Feng Ye’s gaze from the first moment. He immediately spread the fan and attentively fanned Feng Ye, saying in a tender tone: “Are you hot?”

Feng Ye: “…..”

Feeling the cool breeze generated by Hao Chen’s fan, he shivered from head to foot in a stress reaction and goosebumps appeared all over his body.

Feng Ye gave Hao Chen a speechless look, wondering what was wrong with him. He hadn’t said a word the whole morning, and the look in his eyes kept changing as he stared at Feng Ye. Sometimes he shook his head and sighed, and sometimes he looked at him from head to toe with inquiring eyes. There was no telling what he was thinking.

That was all fine, but what was with the weird tone just now? Anyone who didn’t know better would think that they were a couple in love, with Hao Chen’s words expressing such affectionate concern.

We’re obviously just fake friends who’ve only known each other for four days, ah! Can’t Hao Chen be more professional and not add more unnecessary drama to my life? Feng Ye complained inwardly.

But Hao Chen was unfortunately completely unaware of the complaints in his heart. On the contrary, he maintained that tender smile as he continued to fan him.

Fang Yang couldn’t stand it anymore. He abruptly pulled Fang Yang to walk on the other side of him, successfully switching places, and the ambiguous cool breeze from Hao Chen’s fan hit his face instead.

“It’s so cool,” Fang Yang exclaimed frankly. His simple brain blocked out the undercurrents in Hao Chen’s cool breeze.

Hao Chen’s mouth twitched and he put away his fan.

Everything has something it can be defeated by, Feng Ye sighed.

The three of them arrived at the cafeteria entrance. Just as they were about to enter, someone called to Feng Ye: “Stop!”

The three of them turned their heads in unison.

The steward, whom all three knew, came over with two brooms and handed them to Hao Chen and Feng Ye respectively.

Feng Ye: “ ? ”

Hao Chen: “ ? ? ” He had double question marks, because it was understandable to give one to Feng Ye, whose main job was the sweep the floor, but why should one be given to him?

“There’s a competition today, and we don’t have enough people. Since you’re not participating anyway, you can help sweep.” the steward explained to the confused disciples.

They’ve seen how idle I am, so they’re making me work. Feng Ye understood this, and so did Fang Yang.

Hao Chen, who didn’t understand: “ ? ? ”

He couldn’t help but raise the broom in his hand and ask: “Why give one to me…..”

The steward narrowed his eyes mysteriously and patted Feng Ye and Hao Chen’s shoulders with his right and left hands respectively. Then, with an expression that said, “Don’t ask what you already know,” he put his hands behind his back and turned to leave, having successfully achieved his goal.

Now Hao Chen finally understood. It turned out that this was where the trap lay.

It was Feng Ye’s turn to not understand: “ ? ? ? ”

“Hao-dage, everyone knows you two are the best of friends! The steward knows you’ll definitely help Shixiong, so he brought you another broom.” Fang Yang was suddenly enlightened. “Then you and Shixiong can go work, and I’ll go eat by myself!”

Fang Yang, who was on the entirely wrong track, walked toward the cafeteria alone. The break was only for one hour, so he had to make the best use of it.

Feng Ye looked at Hao Chen, then at his broom, wondering dubiously, Is it really just like Fang Yang said? Why did he feel that the steward’s expression wasn’t quite like that…..

He shook his head. Forget it. At least he had Hao Chen to sweep the floor with him. As long as he could drag this fellow down with him, the reason wasn’t important.

With this in mind, Feng Ye hefted the broom onto his shoulder and said to Hao Chen in a tone that was polite on the surface but gloating underneath: “I’ll have to trouble Fellow Daoist Hao Chen again.”

Hao Chen knew the real reason, and looked at Feng Ye’s triumphant expression with a smile, saying nothing.

This time, he was no longer as reluctant as before and followed Feng Ye to sweep the floor without making excuses.

After all, when it came down to it, he was certainly not the one who suffered the most from that wildly circulating rumor.

Whoever cared about the rumor was the one who would suffer. For Hao Chen, whose face was as thick as a city wall, one dual cultivation partner, two dual cultivation partners, or even a platoon of dual cultivation partners, nothing could penetrate his skin. Neither sword nor axe could chop through it.

And he had just pretended to show care for Feng Ye on a whim, but the other party felt uncomfortable all over. He must not be as indifferent as Hao Chen was.

He wondered what Feng Ye’s expression would look like when he found out that Hao Chen was his nominal dual cultivation partner.

It should be very amusing, Hao Chen thought as he walked behind Feng Ye, holding a stomachful of specialty North Sea bad intentions.

The two men walked one by one. Although they were on their way to do hard labor, they both had happy expressions on their faces.

On the other side, Fang Yang had just ordered his meal, and planned to head back to rest after filling his stomach. However, just as he took a bite of his food, a fellow disciple he didn’t know well came over and patted him on the shoulder.

Fang Yang turned around in confusion and found this unfamiliar disciple directing a friendly smile at him: “You must be Fang Yang. I watched your match, and your swordsmanship is really good.”

Fang Yang felt a little embarrassed being suddenly praised by a stranger: “It’s just okay, ah. I still need to work harder.”

“No matter how hard you work, the rest of us will be put to shame, haha.” The unfamiliar disciple laughed as he spoke, saying: “How do you usually train? Can you teach me?”

First he was praised, and then he was asked this. Being flattered so highly, Fang Yang inevitably became a little proud, and wanted to tell him everything as soon as he opened his mouth.

But when the words came to his lips, he remembered the promise he’d made to the Mysterious Big Brother. He paused, then skipped over the matter and simply talked about his hellish schedule.

The unfamiliar fellow disciple was amazed at what he heard. After Fang Yang had spoken for a while, he shook his head and sighed: “It seems I can’t be like you. I can’t get up at dawn every day to practice swordplay.”

“Oh, right.” He seemed to recall something, and slapped his forehead in annoyance: “You have the competition this afternoon, so I’d better not disturb you for now. You should have a good rest.”

Although the conversation was very enjoyable, Fang Yang also realized that he would have no time to rest if this continued, so he simply nodded: “Okay, let’s talk next time.”

The fellow disciple left at this point, and Fang Yang turned back around to continue eating his rather cold lunch. When he finished his meal, he picked up the bowl of soup. It was a light vegetable and egg drop soup, with some yellow egg pieces mixed within the vegetable greens.

However, mixed in with the yellow egg were some inconspicuous crushed yellow petals. Fang Yang didn’t notice them at all. He just wanted to finish eating quickly and rest, and didn’t check to see if there was anything extra in the bowl.

He held the bowl of soup and gulped it down, the jut of his throat bobbing up and down as he swallowed everything like a cow chewing peonies.

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Chapter 20 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 22