Volume One: Chaos in Yan and Yun Chapter Six: Unwed
Murong Xue is at the training grounds?
Feng Qi glanced at Luo Xing.
Luo Xing dared not meet his gaze.
Feng Qi couldn’t make sense of it, so he let the thought go and asked, “Father, shall I go have a look?”
Feng Muyun, thinking of the news from the training grounds, decided it was just as well. Otherwise, how disgraceful would it be if the distinguished Feng family had to borrow people from Yanbei Prefecture.
Luo Xing seemed to want to say something.
Feng Qi stopped her with a look.
She gave a huff and turned her face away stubbornly.
These little gestures did not escape the notice of those present.
Feng Muyun grew a little embarrassed.
Murong Bai’s brows knitted into a frown.
Luo He felt uncomfortable. He looked at Luo Xing, thinking the girl was going a bit too far.
Feng Qi sighed, cupped his hands, and bowed to Feng Muyun. “Father, perhaps… Xiao Xing should go too?”
Feng Muyun thought to himself, can’t you be more proper on such occasions? Are you even allowed to call her Xiao Xing?
Sure enough, Murong Bai’s expression darkened further.
Luo Xing said to Feng Muyun, “My lord, I am willing to go.”
Feng Muyun mused—this isn’t a military expedition; what’s with all this willingness to go? He wanted to refuse, but could not find a suitable reason, so he looked at Feng Qi.
Suddenly, Feng Qi thought of something. He said to Luo He, “Oh right, Uncle Luo, Yanbei Prefecture might have something to discuss with you. Would you take Xiao Xing with you and have a look?”
Luo He answered calmly, “Today is my day off. Even if the City Lord needs me, I have the right not to go.”
Feng Qi replied, “It’s serious. I’d advise you to check in first, Uncle.”
Seeing he wasn’t joking, Luo He asked, “Is something wrong?”
Feng Qi said, “It could be big, could be small.”
“How big?”
“As big as the sky.”
Finally, Luo He left.
Feng Qi breathed a sigh of relief, then departed as well.
...
Though called a training ground, it was not large. The Feng clan had few disciples to begin with, and with a massive drill ground already in the outer city, there was no need for grand construction inside the prince’s manor; such extravagance did not suit the Feng family’s principles.
At this moment, the place was crowded. Nearly all the young generation of the Feng family in Yan Yun were present.
But on the dueling platform stood only one figure.
Murong Xue, veiled in white, dressed in a long gown, holding a jade sword, her hair simply adorned with a single hairpin—she looked like a fairy descended to earth.
But beyond the ethereal beauty, there was also an air of pride.
“So this is the Overlord Spear?” she asked, chin slightly raised, her tone insufferably arrogant.
Perhaps her words weren’t meant as mockery, but she spoke the truth—or at least, what she believed to be true—which made it all the more cutting. Truth, after all, wounds the deepest.
She had been here for less than a quarter of an hour, yet had already won seven consecutive matches; not one opponent could withstand a single exchange.
Ranked sixth on the List of Elegance, only five in the Hunyuan realm could defeat her. Of those, two were in Yanbei, one belonged to the Feng family—yet none of them were present.
This was the Feng family’s ground, so she had only one purpose.
To force him onto the stage.
In her eyes, Feng Qi was not absent, merely unwilling to appear. Until he did, she would defeat every Hunyuan realm member of the Feng family.
As for how much face the Feng family might lose in the process, that was none of her concern.
Thus, she failed to notice how grim the audience’s faces had become, nor the deepening gloom in the eyes of the third-generation elder guarding the dueling platform.
Especially now, seeing no one from the Feng family dare to step up, the elder’s frustration had reached its peak.
Defeat was not to be feared, especially for a family of generals.
What was terrifying was losing the will to win.
A sturdy young man leapt onto the stage and declared in a deep voice, “Since that’s the case, Feng Dong will have the honor of learning from Miss Murong!”
The elder’s face relaxed a little. “Good. Murong Xue is ranked sixth on the List of Elegance. If you lose, don’t take it to heart.”
Feng Dong thought the elder’s talk of defeat before victory somewhat dampened their own morale.
Then he heard Murong Xue’s words.
“Hunyuan Upper Realm? You’re not my match.” Her tone was calm. “Where is Feng Qi? Has he still not come out? I recently learned a new sword technique and wished to spar with him.”
Still not come out? The implication was that except for him, none here were worth her attention.
A new sword technique, and she wanted to spar with Feng Qi—suggesting even he was unworthy.
Such words were blunt. Feng Dong’s face darkened instantly, and he called again, “Feng Dong, Hunyuan Upper Realm—Miss Murong, please instruct me!”
Without waiting for her reply, he charged forward with his spear.
Overlord Three Forms—Tiger’s Fury!
When Feng Yang had crossed realms to slay assassins, he’d used this as his opening move. Most Feng clan disciples did the same, proof enough of the technique’s effectiveness.
But effective did not mean invincible.
At least, not against Murong Xue.
Her expression remained unchanged, only her eyes betrayed a trace of boredom.
She had grown weary of such tactics.
With a slight step to the left, she lightly tapped Feng Dong’s shoulder with her palm, then raised her sword to block his follow-up thrust, using the recoil to break free from Tiger’s Fury’s range.
Feng Dong swept his spear horizontally—a crescent of light sliced across the stage.
Overlord Second Form—Sweeping Sands.
Murong Xue retreated, the arc brushing just past her chest.
Using the momentum, Feng Dong spun, the crescent arc shifting into a full moon.
Murong Xue thought the move was interesting, though ultimately useless.
She ducked under the moon arc, her sword flashing upward to strike the armor over his chest.
Reeling from the blow, Feng Dong staggered back.
Suddenly, someone stepped onto his shoulder, the tip of a sword resting against his brow.
“You’ve lost,” the girl said softly.
Applause erupted, instantly drawing all eyes.
Feng Qi stood at the back of the crowd. With a tap of his toes, he vaulted onto the platform, his face alight with a smile.
“Big Brother!”
“Heir Apparent!”
In that moment, everyone except the girl saluted Feng Qi.
She frowned and sheathed her sword. “You’re back?”
Her tone barely counted as polite.
Feng Qi took the Overlord Spear from Feng Dong and smiled. “Miss Murong, may I ask for your instruction?”
Murong Xue gazed at him. “No one has ever dared keep me waiting this long.”
“Now someone has,” Feng Qi shrugged, unconcerned. “You’ve cost my family enough face; why not call it even? What do you think?”
Murong Xue raised her sword before her chest, icy and resolute. “Let’s fight first, then talk.”
Feng Qi smiled, patting Feng Dong’s shoulder. “Step down. Leave this to me.”
Feng Dong cast a long look at Murong Xue, then left in frustration.
Feng Qi sighed. “She’s not even married into the family yet and she’s already got everyone riled up. What will I do in the future?”
At last, a ripple appeared on Murong Xue’s usually calm face. “Who would marry you!” she retorted.
Feng Qi only smiled ambiguously, drawing a spear from his Yuan Mansion. “Want to break off the engagement?”
Breaking off an engagement was no small matter—certainly not something two juniors could settle on their own.
“I just don’t want to marry. I never said anything about breaking it off,” Murong Xue replied.
Feng Qi thought, it’s not the same on the surface, but in essence, it is.
“If you lose, you must promise me one thing,” Murong Xue said.
“One thing? Isn’t that too few? How about ten?” Feng Qi teased.
He chuckled. “Not that it matters anyway—it’s not going to happen.”
“You!” Murong Xue was exasperated. “Can you be serious for once?”
“When it comes to combat, I’m always serious. Though, if my opponent’s a beauty, I might consider going easy,” Feng Qi replied.
Murong Xue lost interest in further banter. A faint chill emanated from her, adding a wintry bite to the dry air—a level of seriousness she had not displayed in previous matches.
Feng Qi was surprised; he recognized what this was.
“Treading Snow Sword Intent? You’ve entered the Snowcloud Sect?”
Murong Xue didn’t answer, but the cold intensified, a hint of icy blue shimmering around her.
At last, Feng Qi understood why she didn’t want to marry.
She was a kindred spirit.
A kindred spirit with striking beauty—perhaps he would go easy, just a little.
He glanced at Feng Dong, then shot forward.
Tiger’s Fury!
His Tiger’s Fury was nothing like that of the ones before—his was the pounce of a true, starving tiger.
Murong Xue didn’t meet him head-on, but chose to evade.
Suddenly, her form blurred, becoming a phantom image.
The tiger crashed into the phantom.
The phantom became a flurry of snow.
The snow scattered into flakes.
Feng Qi halted.
Murong Xue now stood ten feet away.
He smiled, weighing the Overlord Spear in his hand, then hurled it. The sonic boom, trailing afterimages, brought the spear to Murong Xue’s face in a flash—a dragon’s roar faintly visible in the air.
Overlord Seventh Form—Raging Dragon’s Shock!
Of the thirteen Overlord spear techniques, the seventh was known as the ultimate killing blow—never to be used in friendly matches.
An uproar broke out below. Some even felt Feng Qi was about to mercilessly crush her; several young women covered their eyes in fright, and even the men swallowed nervously.
The elder by the platform’s edge brightened, thinking, as expected of Qi.
Several figures flashed forward, ready to intercept the spear for Murong Xue.
“No need!” Murong Xue cried out, her sword blooming with snowflakes as it struck the dragon’s head.
A thunderous boom echoed. Smoke and dust billowed.
Feng Qi strolled forward, hands behind his back, as if out for a walk.
Suddenly, a cold gleam pierced the dust, coming to a stop at his throat.
He heard Murong Xue’s labored breathing. “You’ve lost.”
Lost?
Feng Qi raised his brows, thinking this woman was a bit ungrateful.
He reached out and lightly tapped the sword at his throat.
The blade scattered like snowflakes, vanishing in an instant.
“With a sword like that, unable even to pierce my skin, how can you say I’ve lost?”
He gently tapped Murong Xue’s brow.
She did not evade.
She closed her eyes and slowly collapsed.
Feng Qi smiled softly. “Now, will you still say I lost?”
After a pause, he added, “It seems you won’t get another chance.”
...