After Jiang Bieli finished speaking, he looked at Jiang Yi again… but felt rather disappointed when he couldn’t see any emotions in Jiang Yi’s expression. It was so calm and indifferent that it was frightening, as though he was looking at a stranger.
After a moment, Jiang Yi remained silent, causing Jiang Bieli to reveal an awkward expression while shifting his eyes away.
This expression had never appeared on his face, even after all kinds of situations he had gone through. What kind of scenario had he not seen before? Even as he faced armies that numbered in millions, his expression remained the same. Now, looking at Jiang Yi’s cold eyes, he felt uncomfortable as he paused for a moment before speaking again, “Jiang Yi, do you have anything to say?”
Jiang Yi finally had some reaction, the edges of his mouth curved up as he grinned. Jiang Bieli stared blankly as Jiang Yi sized up Jiang Bieli for a moment, causing several changes in Jiang Bieli’s expression before Jiang Yi spoke, “You tell me all this; does it… have anything to do with me?”
“Huh!”
Jiang Bieli was staring blankly as his mouth was convulsing slightly. If Jiang Rentu was here, he would have known that Jiang Bieli was on the verge of raging out. Had it been anyone else, Jiang Bieli would have already given them a slap, but this was his son—a son his conscience regarded with guilt, one who he truly didn’t dare to hit.
Jiang Yi went silent again, causing Jiang Bieli to nearly vomit blood from anger and wanted to immediately turn and leave. Moments later, Jiang Yi spoke again with an extremely apathetic tone, “I will only ask you once. Three questions. If you cannot answer them, you shall vanish from my sight forever.”
“Okay! Ask then!” Jiang Bieli nodded. He was afraid of Jiang Yi not wanting to speak; as long as he spoke, then everything would be easier.
Jiang Yi asked indifferently, “First question, do you owe her any gratitude? Second question, did you turn your back on her? Third question, did you ever try searching for her after she had left for so many years?”
“…”
Jiang Yi’s questions were simple, and they were all yes or no answers, but Jiang Bieli didn’t know how to answer them.
He muttered for a moment before answering, “Jiang Yi, you might not be clear about what happened in the past. Things aren’t as simple as you think it is!”
Jiang Yi waved his hand and rudely interrupted Jiang Bieli. “I do not want to know what happened in the past. You just have to answer these three questions!”
Jiang Bieli embarrassedly shut his mouth and spoke with a bitter smile, “I did owe her my gratitude, I did turn my back on her, and I didn’t go searching for her either, but…”
“Hahaha!”
Before Jiang Bieli could continue, Jiang Yi looked up and laughed out loudly, interrupting him once again. Jiang Yi’s face was filled with mockery as he raised a hand and pointed at Jiang Bieli, speaking with rage, “Jiang Bieli, aren’t you shameless? Since you owe her your gratitude, why did you turn your back on her? Since you change the name of Western Garrison City into Jiang Yi City, why didn’t you go look for her after all these years? Since you didn’t appear for so many years, what is the point of you appearing now? I don’t want to say anything else—go kneel at her tomb for three days and three nights! Then, I shall forgive you! And… even if I forgive you, it doesn’t mean I acknowledge you! I have said this before: I don’t have a father in the past, not now, and not in the future!”
Finishing his statement, Jiang Yi turned and left with resolution, leaving behind Jiang Bieli who had this dignified expression.
He, Jiang Bieli, who was the Divine Martial Kingdom’s Western Garrison Liege Lord, no.1 martial expert of the Divine Martial Kingdom, and one of the top ten martial experts in the continent, was actually pointed at by someone and berated as shameless today? He was even requested to kneel for three days and three nights? If this news was to get out, it would definitely invite an uproar from the world.
Surprisingly, Jiang Bieli didn’t get into a rage. He merely flickered his eyes and looked at the Jiang Yi who was vanishing into the distance. Letting out a long sigh and looking at the clear blue sky, he said indistinctly, “Yi Piaopiao, your son’s temperament is exactly the same as yours. Looks like nothing I say will be of use anymore. Are you intentionally using him to take revenge on me? I did let you down back then, but… if you didn’t do such a thing, I wouldn’t have turned my back on you!”
…
After Jiang Yi berated and released that pent-up anger in his heart, he felt much more relaxed now. He sat in a pavilion at an outside garden while remaining silent; no one knew what he was thinking about.
“Shh-shh-shh!”
After a good while, one of the Royal Military captains came and bowed. “My Lord, it is about time. Please follow me to the Radiant Hall and wait.”
“Oh!”
Jiang Yi withdrew his thoughts and arranged his robes. He forcefully pulled himself together and followed the Royal Military towards a distant massive palace.
After walking for 30 minutes, Jiang Yi arrived at a massive palace and lamented when he saw rows of uniformed Royal Military who were all Soul Travel Realm experts. The armies of the six vassal states were all well-trained and powerful; if the Azure Dragon Empire wanted to restore their government, it would be a long and burdened task.
The royal court had already begun. Jiang Yi took a peak from outside. He saw many pillars that were made with purple gold, and many individuals were inside of this majestic hall.
“Summon Jiang Yi for the audience!”
After waiting for one hour, a sharp voice echoed from within while a eunuch at the entrance yelled out, too, “Summon Jiang Yi for the audience!”
Jiang Yi quickly stood up and took huge strides as he walked in, taking a glance to clearly see the scenery within the palace. This palace was indeed massive, which was around 60 meters in radius. There were plenty of people inside that stood in two rows, each with around 100 individuals. On the left were all the officials while all the battle-armored generals stood on the right.
Jiang Yi didn’t dare to look around and walked straight ahead while following the dark red carpet. He fixed his eyes forward on a man who was sitting on the king’s throne above a purple-gold platform.
King of Divine Martial Kingdom, Xia Tingwei!
He wasn’t an incapable ruler that indulged in wine like Jiang Yi had expected. Xia Tingwei had a stalwart figure, domineering facial features, and shining tiger-like eyes. He emitted prowess even when he wasn’t angered and had the same aura as Jiang Bieli. His strength was obviously top-notched and had the manner of a lord that was ambitious and ruthless.
Along with the rise of the status, one’s bearing would rise along with it!
Xia Tingwei had this subtle prowess of a king, which gave people the feeling that they had to bow down to him.
“Commoner Jiang Yi pays his respect to the King!”
Jiang Yi walked to the middle, brushed his sleeve, and knelt on one knee before greeting loudly.
This etiquette from him was obviously not correct. He didn’t have any status of an official ranking, and according to the laws, he had to prostrate himself, kneeling for three times and kowtowing for nine times. Qian Wanguan did explain this etiquette to him, but he remained stubborn and maintained a simple etiquette of a general to his lord. This was even for the sake for the Soul-Subduing Herb; otherwise, he wouldn’t even kneel on one knee.
“En?”
As expected, many faces changed immediately, especially those royal officials who had this infuriated expression. One of them stepped out and reprimanded, “How audacious! If you are greeting our king, why aren’t you kneeling and kowtowing? This is a show of disrespect and shall be executed according to the laws.”
“Hmph!”
An aged man with white hair walked out and berated, too, “What use is there to keep such a presumptuous citizen. Someone, take him out and execute him.”
King Xia Tingwei remained emotionless and didn’t give any opinions. The white-haired eunuch that stood beside him frowned as he snorted while two Royal Military guards walked over immediately and were about to drag Jiang Yi out to execute.
“Wait!”
On the first row of the right, a general who was armored suddenly stood out and bowed with cupped hands towards Xia Tingwei. “Jiang Yi is born in an uncultivated background and doesn’t know such rules. Would the King exercise mercy.”
“Swish! Swish! Swish!”
A group of generals stood out and yelled out in unison, “Would the King exercise mercy!”
Jiang Yi glanced and noticed a group of people that he didn’t know. Jiang Bieli wasn’t around either, but when he thought of the fact that Jiang Bieli was the top authority in the army, he quickly realized that these generals were all Jiang Bieli’s subordinates and would naturally seek mercy for him.
On the left Official’s side, a fatty also walked out; and his body was filled with fats like a small hill. His appearance was rather similar to Qian Wanguan, and he also bowed to the King before looking at Jiang Yi with a smile. “My King, Jiang Yi is only 16 years of age. He was an orphan since young and doesn’t know of such rules. Please don’t take offense from his actions!”
