Chapter 1342: Bullying
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
When Qi Xuangang walked out, his plain bearing changed all of a sudden. Despite wearing a plain long robe, he felt as if he had merged with the heavenly path as he walked.
A terrifying might shrouded the Holiness of Nirvana of the Zhong Clan. At that moment, countless people had their eyes on Qi Xuangang.
He stopped and stood still, looking as if he were the only being left in that space.
His student.
The Holiness of Nirvana of the Zhong Clan naturally knew of Qi Xuangang. He had become renowned in the royal palace as of late and was highly valued by the prince, so much so that the prince often sought his guidance in training. Even those from the Zuoqiu Clan and the Zhong Clan were able to sense a looming threat from him.
That man seemed to be out to fight for status in Emperor Qi’s Territory with them, and it did seem like he had the power to do so.
Both the Zuoqiu Clan and the Zhong Clan were very wary of Qi Xuangang.
However, none of them expected that that powerful being was the teacher of that unbelievable genius who had just stepped onto the stage in such a presumptuous manner and taken care of Zhong Qiu with a single hit.
Those from the two forces became even more glum at that thought.
To them, everything looked like it had been deliberately arranged by Qi Xuangang.
He’d had his student rise by stepping on the heads of all the others, making his name known throughout Emperor Qi’s Territory while shocking everyone else, allowing those from the royal palace see just how extraordinary his student was.
Everything that had happened that day seemed to make sense at that thought, as if that was how things were supposed to be.
The Yun Clan was but one excuse. The newcomer’s true objective had been to pass the Palace Examination and rise by stepping on their heads.
What had just happened made it very easy for people to harbor such thoughts. The truth, however, was that while Qi Xuangang had indeed been waiting for Ye Futian, he had not known his student would show up in such a manner.
But then again, from what Ye Futian said, he realized what was actually happening. A student of the younger generation of Ye Futian in the Heavenly Mandate Realm had been forcefully gifted to others as a servant girl.
Everyone in that vast place turned their eyes to Qi Xuangang as their hearts continued to race. That man who had just walked beside the prince seemed to possess extraordinary powers. The bursting of his might seemed to be that of the heavens, shrouding the entire place and subjecting everyone to that formless pressure.
So this was Ye Futian’s backing then.
No wonder he dared to provoke all major forces with impunity the way he did, going on to insult both the Zuoqiu Clan and the Zhong Clan.
Yun Teng and Yun Ni clenched their fists tight in the crowd and looked very agitated. They seemed to have truly seen the hope.
Ye Futian was from the Crimson Dragon Realm, so his teacher would have definitely been a top-notch figure back at the Crimson Dragon Realm. It seemed that he was just as renowned in the Heavenly Mandate Realm. Furthermore, he was at Prince Qi You’s side. The prince would probably have not sided with anyone, and all who were squabbling would have had to rely on themselves.
But then again, they wondered if Ye Futian’s teacher alone would have sufficed to take on all those people.
The Holiness of Nirvana of the Zhong Clan stared at Qi Xuangang, remaining silent. As a Holiness of Nirvana himself, he naturally sensed, in the might bursting from Qi Xuangang, that the other man had far stronger comprehension and mastery of the great path than he did.
It was apparent that that legendary figure in the royal palace who had emerged of late was more powerful than he was.
A figure was seen rising in the Zhong Clan’s direction at that moment. He was slender and looked like an insurmountable mountain just by standing there.
Everyone was shocked to see him rise.
They were wondering if the Palace Examination would turn into a fight between top-notch figures.
That man was the leader of the Zhong Clan. Zhong Li stood quietly and stared at Qi Xuangang.
He naturally sensed that the prince seemed to have no intention to interfere in the matter. The prince probably knew already.
They were subordinates of Emperor Qi and were considered an extension of the emperor’s power, as they served the emperor. But the emperor naturally knew that they would have looked for themselves as well. None of those matters could have been brought to light, and no one would have said anything about it.
However, Ye Futian made clear what had happened on that day.
The royal palace simply watched the events unfold, so it became clear that the prince intended to let them take care of matters on their own.
If they lost, then their incompetence would be blamed, and that would serve as a good chance to knock some sense into them.
“Your student is indeed extremely formidable, Sir Qi,” Zhong Li said plainly. His voice was not loud, but everyone in that vast place was able to hear him clearly.
Qi Xuangang and Ye Futian both looked at Zhong Li, who had just spoken. Zhong Li continued, “But if Sir Qi were to find anything troublesome in the Zhong Clan, you could have found another chance to bring the matter up. You could’ve told us straight that you intended to ask for a servant girl. It would have only taken a single word from you, Sir Qi, and I would have handed the girl over. There was no need for such commotion and insult to cultivators at the Palace Examination, as well as to crippled Zhong Qiu.”
At their level, if Qi Xuangang were to ask him to hand someone over, he would have definitely complied and handed said someone over.
In his perspective, it was apparent that Qi Xuangang and Ye Futian had said what they had said as a slight towards them.
Qi Xuangang was naturally aware of what lay between the lines in Zhong Li’s words. He looked at Zhong Li and said, “I’ve heard about both the Zuoqiu Clan and the Zhong Clan from His Highness, and he speaks highly of both clans. It is a pity that the repute seems to have eclipsed the man in the flesh. His Highness once asked how I would have compared to the Zuoqiu Clan and the Zhong Clan. From what I’ve seen today, I surely do not hope to be compared to the Zhong Clan.”
Zhong Li looked at Qi Xuangang with slightly raised brows. He wondered if the other man was insulting him, saying that he was beneath being compared.
Qi Xuangang stepped out and elaborated slowly, “The Zhong Clan knew that she was being forced against her will to do so, and you knew that it was not within reason and not something that should have been done. Regardless of who brought it up, you should have let the girl go and looked into the matter. Such was the way of the saints, instead of how you put it. If I were to ask the Zhong Clan to hand over the girl and you complied, it wouldn’t have been out of reason and right or wrong, but out of face and your own interests.”
Prince Qi You listened to Qi Xuangang’s speech and flashed an expression of approval. The prince had found his speech and reasoning to be superb.
“If my student had not been able to defeat Zhong Qiu with a single hit, you would have killed him. Yet Zhong Qiu lost such a dare, and then you refused to bear the corresponding consequences. So that is to say that right or wrong are not being used to determine the outcome of the matter, but one’s own power is. In that case, why berate him for insulting the Zhong Clan? Wouldn’t you be inviting insult to yourselves by doing so?”
Qi Xuangang said this as he walked, and he actually walked right past that Holiness of Nirvana.
The Holiness of Nirvana watched as Qi Xuangang walked past him quietly, and his expression became rather stiff.
Qi Xuangang then walked toward the Zhong Clan and looked at Yun Qianyue, who was within the group of people of the Zhong Clan. He asked, “Are you joining the Zhong Clan of your own will?”
Yun Qianyue looked at Qi Xuangang and said, “No, sir, this is not done pf my own will.”
Qi Xuangang nodded, smiling before continuing, “Ye Futian said you have already taken him as your teacher. Don’t you think it’d be rather inappropriate to continue addressing me as ‘sir’?”
Yun Qianyue was dumbfounded and looked up at Qi Xuangang. Her eyes were bloodshot, and the corners of her eyes seemed rather wet. She bowed solemnly and said, “My name is Qianyue, grandmaster.”
“That’s how it should be done.” Qi Xuangang smiled and nodded. “Come over here.”
“Yes, grandmaster.” Yun Qianyue stepped forward, intending to walk past the group of people from the Zhong Clan. However, several people stood in her way, and all of them burst with overwhelming pressure.
That matter was not over. Zhong Qiu, a genius of the Zhong Clan, had been crippled, and those from the Zhong Clan were not about to just let her walk free.
Qi Xuangang burst with extremely terrifying might all of a sudden at that scene. His might of the great path shrouded their surroundings. The robe he wore billowed, despite that there was no wind.
He stepped forward, and beams of golden light of the great path appeared in the sky, piercing downward and causing all those beside Yun Qianyue to let out a stifled grunt. Their faces were pale as they backed away.
All of them were saints.
The mighty ones of the Zhong Clan were shocked as they looked up. Qi Xuangang’s powers were nothing short of terrifying.
“If you people of the Zhong Clan insist on detaining the student of my student, do not blame me if I go about this the hard way.” Qi Xuangang’s voice was cold as he continued to walk. Those mighty ones with pale faces looked extremely frustrated. They simply looked on as Qi Xuangang kept walking.
None of them dared to do anything against Yun Qianyue.
The might of one person had proved more than enough to stun all of the top-notch forces. That was how terrifying cultivators at the very pinnacle were.
“Sir Qi, did you bother asking if I agreed to let you bully the Zhong Clan’s younger generation?” Zhong Li’s voice was cold. Powerful aura burst and lashed out at Qi Xuangang.
Several Holiness of Nirvanas walked out as well, and all of them had terrifying aura.
Their might fell not only on Qi Xuangang. Some of them went on to shroud Ye Futian with their might as well.
It was as if they were saying that if Qi Xuangang dared make a move against the people of the Zhong Clan, they would make a move against Ye Futian as well.
Things were just as difficult for Zhong Li at the moment.
If they were to simply yield in this situation, not only would they no longer be able to achieve greater heights in Emperor Qi’s Territory, they would lose their current status altogether as well.
If they were to give in, they would essentially be falling into a ravine.
Qi Xuangang would take their place and become the new symbol of the pinnacle of power in Emperor Qi’s Territory.
A figure flashed and appeared beside Ye Futian. It was Wu Yong. His raging aura burst and was cast onto the people of the Zhong Clan.
Several auras burst in the crowd at the same time, all of them overbearing. One person after another took to the sky and came onto the stage after that.
Boom—one of them burst in the divine flames of the sun. His eyes burned like an inferno. That person was none other than Zhu Kong, the leader of the Zhu Clan of the nine tribes.
“City Lord.” Zhu Kong stood behind Ye Futian and cupped his hands. Zhu Kong was no longer against Ye Futian at the moment. He, too, was able to see just how great Ye Futian’s potential would have been. Rather than spending his time scheming against Ye Futian, he found it more sensible to simply wait. By the time Ye Futian became very powerful, he would not bother keeping them on a leash. He might even provide them with opportunities.
“City Lord.” Yet another person emerged. He was the Vermilion Bird Tribe leader, who burst with a Holiness of Nirvana level of pressure as well.
“I was wondering if you would show up. I really didn’t expect to find you here. But then again, challenging someone of your plane here? That’s bullying, man.” A voice was heard, and sword will was sensed. Sword aura then zipped past in the air, and several swordsmen walked up to the stage.
The leader was none other than Pei Min of the Sword Emperor Palace.
Several others stepped up as well, walking to the stage. Yin Tianjiao was there as well. Several others followed as she walked up to the stage, staying close by her side, and said, “Princess.”
Apparently, after the ones who had come to the Crimson Dragon Realm were scattered, they had somehow managed to make that place their meeting point after hearing that there was an event to be held in Emperor Qi’s Territory.
They had then met up with Ye Futian coincidentally.
A group of mighty ones appeared as well, and they came to Ye Futian’s side. It seemed as if Holiness of Nirvanas were appearing one after another every now and then.
The people of Emperor Qi’s Territory found this turn of events to be utterly baffling.
Was the Zhong Clan really going to fight against such odds?