Translator: StarReader
Editor: Elitecoder
The two stopped twenty meters from each other. Huangpu Fenglei started off with mockery, “Ha-ha-ha, Li Jingtian, when you first came to Regent Estate, it was for the Imperial Tyrant Body Art. For you to betray us in favor of the Luo clan, it must’ve been over something similar, right?”
“Quite!”
Li Jingtian was blunt, “My entire life, I’ve always been obsessed with martial arts, all in pursuit of power. But you guys are too selfish, not willing to impart me the complete Imperial Tyrant Body Art. So why would I ever give my all to you?
“Humph, our Imperial Tyrant Body Art is a second to none profound ranked cultivation method in Tianyu. Training even a fraction of it would’ve benefited you for life! But, fortunately, I was right to judge you untrustworthy and refused to give it to you. Or today would’ve been another story entirely.”
Huangpu Fenglei snickered, “Not to mention that I heard you joined the Luo clan for the same thing we didn’t give you, a cultivation method, right?”
Li Jingtian admitted, “Among other things.”
“Humph, absurd! In the whole of Tianyu, the quality of our cultivation method is second only to imperial family’s. Can a third rate clan give you something like that?”
“Ha-ha-ha, only a fool would believe that. Haven’t you heard? Luo clan has a miraculous steward. He gave me something you can’t even dream of!” Li Jingtian talked back.
Huangpu Fenglei’s voice dropped, “Zhuo Fan? Humph, what can a glib punk ever achieve? He is only a king among scamps. And since you hold him in such high regard, you’ve made me curious to watch him myself. But first, let’s see what you’ve received from the Luo clan.”
Huangpu Fenglei’s power surged and nine golden dragons roared as they twisted around him. He was glowing with might and devastating power, the Imperial Tyrant Body Art of the Regent Estate was revealed in all its glory and trained to the max.
“Ha-ha-ha, perfect timing. It’s time I pay back for the resentment from all those years.”
Laughing, Li Jingtian became enveloped in dark energy, swallowed in the belly of a huge dragon with red eyes thirsting for battle.
The two were moments away from a death match.
The Crown Prince was shocked and rushed forward to stop it. But a man in golden robes stopped him before he got the chance.
Huangpu Tianyuan smiled, “Crown Prince, they are peak Radiant Stage experts. For your safety, please stay away from our Venerable.”
Crown Prince shuddered and noticed his brothers were also behind some Venerable from the Regent Estate. All he could do was sigh.
It was obvious that the Regent Estate wanted no interference. Before the award ceremony even began, he wanted to show the Luo clan the might of the head of the houses.
But with a full blown battle raging over here, what about the imperial family’s reputation?
At this critical and dire moment, a Divine Dragon would usually interfere… no?
The Crown Prince shuddered all of a sudden. How come there were no Divine Dragons around? [It goes on to show that they’ve planned for this all along.]
[Is the imperial father behind this?]
Crown Prince’s worry eased as he looked at the two fighters, puzzled.
The emperor was clearly intent on praising the Luo clan for their exemplary conduct. But letting Luo clan and Regent Estate fight at the gates, he was unclear if it was directed at humiliating the new house or stomping Regent Estate’s cocky attitude.
Even so, attacking the Regent Estate was impossible at this point. Which meant…
The Crown Prince was even more puzzled. [Just what are you up to, imperial father?]
Only Leng Wuchang was calmly tending to his beard. He had easily surmised that the emperor’s stance with the Luo clan changed from the moment Zhuo Fan got the Dragon Vein Soul.
Hence this award ceremony was the perfect time to test the Luo clan’s waters. With how Zhuo Fan’s actions in the past years were shrouded in mystery so that not even the emperor knew, he was feeling a little more than mere unease.
Case in point, only god knew when Li Jingtian had switched sides yet only now did he show his face.
And the emperor wasn’t about to let a viable threat fester.
Thus today’s show was all set up courtesy of His Majesty, with Regent Estate as the main actor. Since the two’s interests aligned, to fish out the Luo clan’s dirty little secrets…
In the heart of the imperial capital, on the top story of the tallest restaurant, Fang Qiubai and Sima Hui sat.
Their eyes never left the nine gates and the waves of power coming from there.
“Old Fang, the two are as strong as us. Leaving them to fight will spin this out of control.” Sima Hui frowned, fiddling with a chess piece.
Fang Qiubai held a brand new flute as he shook his head, smiling, “It’s His Majesty’s order. Let them fight. And even if it blows things out of proportion, we have young Sanzi to deal with them, ha-ha-ha…”
“True, in the end it all depends on the little monster.”
Shaking his head, Sima Hui sighed, “But won’t that make us utterly useless? Look at us, the invincible Divine Dragons, Jade Flute Divine Sword and Monochrome Chess Sage, now reduced to mere relics of the past, obsolete! Huangpu Fenglei aside, for even a third rate clan’s Venerable to outclass us, we won’t be having such an easy time going wherever we want in Tianyu now.”
Sima Hui’s mood sank and Fang Qiubai shook his head, “You’re right, but even so, be it Huangpu Fenglei or Li Jingtian, they were both powerful men of ambition back in the day. Getting caught up is normal. But if a new and upcoming expert suddenly reached our level, I’d smash my head and die!”
Sima Hui found wisdom in his words. They no longer chose to dwell on it and resumed to watch the act unfold.
The clans in the audience were thrilled at the prospect of a good show, but now they were downright terrified, scurrying to and fro for cover.
Of note were those particular clans present at the Esoteric Debate, who were positively dreading the aftermath.
They knew better than ever what a clash between colossi entailed. Getting near was suicidal and getting a stray hit would bury you! If they didn’t flee now, they would never get the chance.
That said, while the two were measuring their auras and powering up, the crowd went wild in hightailing it out of there.
The young master in the crowd stumbled in the confusion but stayed put. The ignorance in him had no clue what was coming.
Then his robe was yanked by the rushing crowd, revealing a fair hand and a dazzling jade bracelet.
The young master cried, trying to cover it, but it was perhaps a bit hard with the frantic mob running around.
Pa!
The bracelet fell and started rolling on the ground.
The young master panicked and chased after it, “Imperial mother’s bracelet!”
“Young… master! Don’t, it’s too dangerous!” The child saw him rush after the rolling bracelet, towards the two experts’ battle.
It was impossible to reach him in time as the mob dragged him further away.
Finally, the young master squeezed out between the last people and finally picked up some speed, catching the bracelet with a smile.
But just then, the two experts moved. With a boom, they charged at one another. While the youth stood there frozen, in the middle.
“Imperial Tyrant Body Art!”
“Soaring Demonic Dragon!”
As they roared, their power reached the masses before they even clashed. The youth had no time to dodge, feeling the godly pressure bearing down on him and coughed blood.
Sharp winds slashed at him, ripping his robe and revealing a lavish garment. The scholar hat fell, draping long flowing black hair.
He was a she!
“Yongning!”
The three princes cried, “Stop!”
Not that it did much good. The two only heard their own roars. When an expert attacked, he had no reason to stop.
Fang Qiubai and Sima Hui jumped to their feet, “Princess!”
They rushed to the rescue.
Even though they knew the futility of it. Not even them could save her, trapped in the maelstrom of power born of two clashing peak Radiant Stage experts.
Li Jingtian and Huangpu Fenglei never even registered the girl there. To them, she was as important as an ant. All they saw was their enemy!
Roar! Roar!
With two dragon roars, the two sped up. The princes and the two Divine Dragons, watched on with bloodshot eyes.
They couldn’t understand how His Majesty’s beloved daughter had ended up here.
The danger of the situation finally dawned on Yongning as blood trickled from her mouth. She was akin to a dinghy in the middle of a storm, with the two waves coming down on her any minute to render her void. Fear gripped her heart as she shook like a leaf.
“Mother…”
Hugging the bracelet, Yongning cried and cried, her lips trembling as she pleaded, “Someone s-save me…”
But who could save her from the jaws of death brought on by the might of two clashing peak Radiant Stage experts?
The princes were beside themselves in fear, the two Divine Dragons knew it was hopeless but still tried to reach her, and the child in the crowd was wailing, “Princess…”
Yet none of those acts was of any help.
The two experts finally reached her with bloodthirsty eyes. Their gaze pierced her heart as their punches drew closer.
A fierce wind snapped at her face. She knew her end was nigh, at their hands. Her heart was in deep regret, for slipping out of the Imperial Palace and ending up here.
But in her final moment, all she could think of was her mother watching her from above as she raised the bracelet and prayed, “Mother, you said there’s someone who will protect me. Please, come save me…”
Whoosh!
Then the gale and pressure vanished, to make way for the cold voice drifting in her ears, “Lass, a rabbit has no place wandering where savage beasts are on the prowl…”
