Volume One: The Turmoil of Yan and Yun Chapter Three: A Night Conversation

The entire venue was silent; even the wind seemed to pause. Nothing could better illustrate the phrase "astounding skill that stuns the audience" than the scene before them.

Feng Qi nodded in satisfaction.

The woman who had reached the Insightful Realm had her pupils contract slightly.

Yun Changqing looked at Feng Qi and thought, no wonder you have such faith in him.

The Fierce Tiger Break was the third form of the Overlord Spear. The Rampaging Dragon Tremor was the seventh form. To connect the Fierce Tiger Break with the Rampaging Dragon Tremor—what kind of technique was this? Not to mention the slim chance of success with such an attack, the vastly different flows of vitality between the third and seventh forms would be enough to tear apart most people's meridians!

Wait a minute! Feng Yang shouldn't be able to form his Vital Core, so how was he able to use both moves?

"You cheated!" the woman suddenly shouted in anger.

Feng Qi frowned but did not answer. Even he only had a rough guess—close enough, but not certainty—and as for this woman, who knew nothing about Feng Yang, how could she know?

There was only one person who could answer.

Feng Yang stepped forward, drew his spear, and asked, "May I ask, senior, in what way did I cheat?"

The woman, still furious, said, "Earlier, when I asked your brother, he clearly said you were still in the Body Tempering stage! But the Rampaging Dragon Tremor you just used is not something someone at the Body Tempering realm could unleash!"

Across several meters, a mere youth at the Body Tempering stage had managed to shatter the protective energy of a Mid-Unity realm cultivator with one strike? Unheard of!

Feng Yang shrugged, not bothering to explain. "Does the senior intend to renege?"

The woman replied in a deep voice, "The Bloodshed Pavilion has always kept its word."

Feng Yang sneered, "Then why accuse me of cheating?"

She frowned, "Are you truly yet to open your Vital Core?"

Feng Yang replied, "Would I lie about something like this? Did I use vital energy just now or not? As someone at the Insightful Realm, can't you tell?"

She pressed, "I don't believe someone at the Body Tempering stage could use such an attack—not even the legendary tenth level of Body Tempering!"

Feng Yang raised his brows, wondering why this woman was so troublesome.

"That is merely your ignorance," Feng Qi declared loudly. "Must my brother and I pay for your lack of knowledge?"

The flying sword controlled by Sword Intent trembled; the woman was clearly enraged.

Feng Qi chuckled, his eyes filled with irony. "So you do intend to break your word? Or perhaps, you want to test your hand a little?"

He drew out the Overlord Spear from his Qi Core and shouted, "Come! I'll keep you company!"

The woman ignored his provocation, but her anger rose to the point that she nearly abandoned all decorum to attack again.

Someone behind her whispered her title.

She turned and delivered a loud slap, "Useless! You couldn't even defeat a boy at the Body Tempering stage!"

The man felt wronged, thinking that it was actually Chending who lost to that boy—why take it out on me? Besides, you yourself couldn't defeat the Unity-realm youth across from you!

After venting her rage with the slap, the woman's anger eased a little. She cast a deep glance at Feng Qi.

Feng Qi looked amused. "So much for keeping your word. Come, I'll keep you company."

He did not press the matter of the wager. After decades, for the heretics to send an Insightful Realm expert into Yanbei, how could they drop everything over a mere bet?

The tension in the air mounted once more.

Yun Changqing made a quick assessment, feeling the situation still looked grim. Even with one of their opponents dead, their overall strength was still superior. Fortunately, Feng Yang was not a young master in need of protection; in terms of combat ability, he might even be a match for him. Calculating like this, they were not in utter despair.

All these thoughts took but an instant.

The woman's aura grew stronger, her vitality swirling—then, all at once, her power vanished without a trace.

Yun Changqing made a puzzled sound. What was she planning? He voiced the question.

The woman did not answer. With a wave of her hand, the Bloodshed Pavilion members began to withdraw swiftly.

Yun Changqing looked at Feng Qi.

Feng Qi smiled, making no effort to pursue, and turned to walk toward his horse, as if completely unconcerned about a surprise attack from the Bloodshed Pavilion.

Yun Changqing stopped him. "What's going on?"

Feng Qi shook his head, indicating he didn't know either.

"There must be a reason," Yun Changqing insisted.

Feng Qi gave him a sidelong glance. "I'm no immortal—how could I know everything?"

After a pause, he added, "Besides, even immortals are not omniscient."

...

The battle with the Bloodshed Pavilion had wasted much time and seriously delayed Feng Qi's return. Night fell, and with it, a sandstorm swept the sky. Yet they were still several dozen miles from Tong Pass, the nearest city.

The deep night in Yanbei was rife with danger. The raging wind and dust would interfere with their compass, and to press on blindly would be to risk being lost in the desert. If luck was especially bad, they might run into a sandstorm, and under such conditions, no one could hope to survive.

Feng Qi halted them as soon as he found a suitable spot to camp.

Yun Changqing directed his men to set up a rough circle of tents and kindled a fire with some dry grass and flint. The three brothers sat around the flames, while the others kept watch on the perimeter.

The wind howled outside; none of the three said a word.

Feng Qi squinted, as if dozing.

Yun Changqing stared at him without blinking.

Feng Yang felt awkward and finally couldn't hold it in. "Am I the only one who finds this place suffocating?"

Yun Changqing snorted coldly.

Feng Qi silently cursed Feng Yang in his heart, shot him a glare filled with murderous intent.

Feng Yang thought, why are you all taking it out on me? I only wanted to ease the tension. If this is how you treat me, don't blame me for not being loyal!

He snorted, stood up, hands behind his head. "You two can stew here if you like. I'm going to sleep. If you start fighting, don't call me. If you kill each other, don't call me either!"

As he walked away, he muttered, "If you both die together, Sister Xing will lose both the one she likes and the one who likes her. How tragic."

Feng Qi was about to follow when he heard this and his face turned. Not good.

Looking back, Yun Changqing's expression was indeed ugly.

He spoke, "The Murong family will arrive at Yan Yun in half a month. Do you really intend to marry Murong Xue?"

Feng Qi, who had only just risen, sat back down and sighed. "Parental orders, the matchmaker's word—I'm first, she's sixth. Why not marry her?"

In terms of family, they were well-matched. In looks, a talented man and a beautiful woman. In strength, each had their own merits. Considering only the benefits of this alliance, Murong Xue was undoubtedly the most suitable match for Feng Qi.

Yun Changqing understood this.

But he was still uneasy—furious, even!

He clenched his fist, gripping a handful of sand. "What about Xiao Xing? What of her?"

Feng Qi was silent for a moment. "I've said before, I don't like her."

Gritting his teeth, Yun Changqing said, "But you know perfectly well she likes you!"

Feng Qi found the subject tiresome. "What can I do? You know I've only ever seen her as a friend."

Yun Changqing's fists trembled; he almost couldn't stop himself from punching Feng Qi.

Feng Qi said, "Restrain yourself. If you go back with a bruised face again, how will I explain? After all, by blood, you're still my elder brother."

Yun Changqing sneered, "With a brother like you, I've had the worst luck for eight generations!"

Feng Qi just curled his lip. "If you like her, go after her yourself. Don't blame your own cowardice on me. You can't beat me, so getting angry will only hurt yourself."

"You—!" Yun Changqing's face changed.

Feng Qi cut him off, "I'm a cultivator. My sole goal is to ascend, like the old Emperor. I won't consider anything else, so don't trouble me again."

Ascend? Seek the Dao? Yun Changqing stared at Feng Qi, thinking, have you forgotten your true identity?

Feng Qi smiled. "No one ever said the heir of Yanbei must lead troops and fight, did they?"

Yun Changqing replied seriously, "But you carry the hopes of millions in Yanbei. If you don't lead the army, how will you protect our land?"

He and Feng Qi had their differences, but only in matters of the heart; he never doubted Feng Qi's abilities. All of Yanbei waited for Feng Qi's rise—himself included.

Feng Qi raised his brows. "Protect one region? If I can reach Unity with the Dao, I could guard the world. Why limit myself to one place?"

At that, Yun Changqing thought him mad.

Feng Yang poked his head out from the tent. "Cousin, my brother is serious—he's never cared for the title of Prince of Yanbei. He says he'll give it to me one day!"

Yun Changqing frowned and scolded, "Do you think the title of Prince of Yanbei can simply be handed over?"

Feng Yang replied earnestly, "I know. That's why I've always tried to protect Yanbei's people. One day, I'll become a mighty warrior, a match for the Barbarian Lord and the Demon Grand Priest! Then, Father will willingly hand over the title."

At this, Yun Changqing finally recalled the original reason for this midnight conversation.

"What happened this afternoon? The Overlord Spear isn't hard to learn, but only the first five forms. The latter eight require vital energy. How did you use them? And with such power?"

Recalling the awe-inspiring Rampaging Dragon Tremor from earlier, even he doubted he could have escaped unscathed. His curiosity only deepened.

Feng Yang grinned. "Guess?"

Yun Changqing frowned and looked at Feng Qi. "When you were at the tenth level of Body Tempering, could you have done that?"

Feng Qi shook his head. "No. Without reaching Unity, I could manage seventy percent of the spear's force, but never as Yang'er did."

Yun Changqing nodded, agreeing. Then his eyes widened in shock. "Could it be... Perfect Tempering?"

Feng Qi rolled his eyes. "If it were so easily guessed, would you need to act so surprised?"

Yun Changqing found it hard to believe, staring at Feng Yang. "Truly Perfect Tempering?"

Feng Yang scratched his head sheepishly. "It's not vital energy supporting my technique—it's my strength."

Feng Qi snorted. "I've always told you, don't underestimate my brother's power. If you fought him one-on-one, you might not win."

Yun Changqing wanted to argue, but recalling Chending's fate, he felt a chill and could only ask, "Then why hasn't he broken through? The main problem with condensing the Vital Core is the harm done by chaotic energy, but with Perfect Tempering... that's hardly a concern. Foundational vital energy should be a mere appetizer."

Feng Qi glanced at Feng Yang, a rare gravity in his expression.

Feng Yang, however, just smiled at him.

Yun Changqing sensed something was amiss from their looks and asked cautiously, "Is there something I don't know?"

Feng Qi replied sharply, "That's Yang'er's secret. Why do you need to know so much?"

Yun Changqing looked at Feng Qi, then at Feng Yang, and finally suppressed his curiosity.

The Feng and Yun families were closely allied. As the Yun family's young master, he knew many of the Feng family's secrets, but not this. Which meant this secret was even more important and must not be revealed.

A heavy silence settled.

In the end, it was Feng Yang who broke the awkwardness.

Scratching his head, he smiled wryly. "It's nothing serious... It's just that I have the Ten Severed Meridians."

...

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