Chapter Eighty-Seven: The Ten-Day Promise

Rushing into the courtyard, Prince Chu Qingyun saw the old marquis bristling with rage and hastened to bow respectfully. “Father, this Qi Fei has come looking for your son. He trespassed into the marquis residence today by mistake. I beg you to pardon him.”

Chu Huaiyuan let out a faint sigh and said in a grave voice, “I am afraid this matter must first be taken up with your aunt.”

Earlier, when the servants had come to report, Chu Qingyun had already learned a little of what had happened. Turning to Chu Yanran, he said with a wry smile, “Qi Fei came today to see your nephew. Why make such trouble for my man?”

For an instant, a trace of reluctance flickered in Chu Yanran’s heart. Then she sighed. “Qingyun, it is not that I am making trouble for your man. It is that Sima Yan died a miserable death by a demonic art, and this matter cannot be separated from Qi Fei. I only feared that in the future he would bring calamity upon you, and that is why I was determined to have him removed.”

Chu Qingyun’s expression changed. Recalling the hidden currents that had surged through Mount Qingyang before, he looked at Qi Fei in alarm. “Qi Fei, is what my aunt says true? How did you come to cultivate such a demonic art?”

Qi Fei knew that if he wished to break this deadlock today, he would have to borrow the power of the Marquis of Might and Chu Qingyun to make Chu Yanran afraid to act rashly. At once he composed himself and said, “Young Marquis, when Master Mu Yun used the secret arts of the Cloudsky Sect to investigate that day, you were present in the great hall of my Mount Qingyang. If I had truly cultivated a demonic art, how could I have concealed that sinister aura? Moreover, the marquis residence surely holds an expert of the Orthodox Path. Whether I have cultivated such an art or not, one inspection will make it plain.”

“Qi Fei speaks reasonably. Father, why not ask Master Liu to see whether Qi Fei has truly cultivated a demonic art?”

After a brief thought, Chu Huaiyuan said in a deep voice, “Yanran, if this Qi Fei has not cultivated a demonic art, then you may not continue to make things difficult for him.”

“Even so, I still want to give that impudent wretch a good lesson.” Chu Yanran had already been toyed with by Qi Fei repeatedly, and how could she now easily spare that hateful rascal?

Chu Huaiyuan frowned at her words, thinking to himself that since Sima Yan had already died a violent death at the hands of a demonic art, if he wished to stabilize the chaos on Azure Cloud Mountain, he would have to bring Qi Fei into the marquis residence. Yet although Qi Fei was a prodigy of the martial path, he was still far from being a match for a true martial grandmaster. If the two were to fight, Qi Fei might not be able to leave unscathed.

When Liu Yanzhen heard that Qi Fei had dared to slight Chu Yanran, a cold glint flashed in his eyes as he looked over at Qi Fei. “You truly dared to offend Yanran?”

“Master Liu, I only did so in order to protect myself. In my haste, I inadvertently offended Miss Chu,” Qi Fei said without changing expression. Then, turning to Chu Yanran, he continued, “Since Miss Chu’s anger has not yet subsided, I will take her challenge. However, I still have important matters to discuss with the young marquis, and the injuries I suffered that day have not yet healed. I wonder whether Miss Chu could grant me some time, so that the two of us may settle our contest at a later date.”

In order to bring Qi Fei under his roof, Chu Qingyun hurriedly clasped his hands. “Aunt, though this Qi Fei has offended you, I beg you, for your nephew’s sake, do not take it to heart.”

Chu Yanran fixed her gaze on Qi Fei and said coldly, “First let us see whether this wretch has cultivated that demonic art. Liu Yanzhen, you must examine him carefully. Do not be careless.”

Liu Yanzhen quickly nodded. “Rest assured, Yanran. If this man has cultivated that demonic art, then before the secret methods of my sect he will surely be unable to conceal that vile aura.”

No sooner had he spoken than Liu Yanzhen activated his true essence and raised a hand, summoning a rainbow-like radiance that enveloped Qi Fei.

Under the wondrous effects of innate primal energy and the Mystic Resonance Art, a long while passed, yet Qi Fei remained calm and composed. After a thorough examination, Liu Yanzhen found nothing at all.

“Miss Chu, surely now you believe that Sima Yan’s death had nothing to do with me?” Qi Fei gave a helpless wry smile.

Chu Yanran’s delicate brows furrowed slightly. “Sima Yan died miserably on Azure Cloud Mountain, and I pursued the trail all the way here. This matter can hardly be unrelated to you.”

“Miss Chu, that day I fought a life-and-death battle with the Cloudless Temple disciple Cheng Feng and, in that near-death struggle, broke through the innate barrier, sustaining severe injuries. How could I possibly have been the match of Sima Yan? Besides, since Master Liu has now investigated me, it is clear that I have not cultivated any demonic art.” Qi Fei paused, then said in a low voice, “However, when Sima Yan fought that demonic expert before, I saw it all very clearly.”

“Who killed Sima Yan? Was it connected to the upheaval at Cloudless Temple on Mount Qingyang that day?” Chu Huaiyuan’s face darkened, a murderous chill rising in his voice.

Qi Fei feigned surprise and hurriedly said, “Your Grace is wise. Sima Yan’s death is indeed tied to the chaos at Cloudless Temple that day. Earlier, Sima Yan had someone deliver a challenge letter, inviting me to settle our grudge in three days at Moonwatch Peak of the Seven Absolutes Gate. My injuries had not yet healed, and I knew I was no match for the gate master of the Seven Absolutes Gate, so I had no choice but to descend the mountain and seek the protection of the young marquis. Who would have thought that after I came down, I would be surrounded by Sima Yan and a host of experts from the Seven Absolutes Gate.”

“Then how did you escape?” Chu Qingyun asked, suspicion in his eyes.

Qi Fei let a look of grateful relief wash over his face. “I fought fiercely against the experts of the Seven Absolutes Gate. Just when I was trapped and thought death was certain, a demonic expert suddenly appeared on Azure Cloud Mountain. When Sima Yan saw that man, his expression changed drastically. During their dispute, they even revealed shocking inside matters concerning the turmoil at Cloudless Temple that day.”

The people of the marquis residence were all greatly astonished upon hearing this, while Chu Huaiyuan and Chu Yanran both looked solemn.

“From their words, I learned that the Orthodox expert who appeared on Azure Cloud Mountain was a disciple of the demonic sect known as the Yin-Yang Dao. That day he had helped Sima Yan use a demonic art to frame Cloudless Temple. For some reason, today he had actually become mortal enemies with the gate master of the Seven Absolutes Gate. That man’s demonic art was exceedingly vicious; all the experts of the Seven Absolutes Gate died at his hands. Yet before Sima Yan died, he launched a desperate final strike and at last wounded the demonic expert. I had feigned unconsciousness earlier, and only then did I escape with a divine movement technique. Such a ferocious demonic figure has appeared in Youzhou, so I hastened to Huaiyang County City to report this to the young marquis. Now that Your Grace is presiding here, I expect that the demonic thief will not be able to stir up much trouble.”

Zhuo Jin’er had always kept secret exactly how she had laid her trap to kill Chu Yanran, and today, in order to save his own skin, Qi Fei had no choice but to invoke the name of the Yin-Yang Dao.

Upon hearing that the demonic figure Qi Fei described was a disciple of the Yin-Yang Dao, the expressions of all present changed at once.

Chu Huaiyuan’s face grew solemn. “If what you say is true, then it is no wonder that such a calamity befell Cloudless Temple earlier. I would never have imagined that Sima Yan would dare collude with a member of the demonic path. Qi Fei, did you see the face of that disciple of the Yin-Yang Dao?”

“Your Grace, every word I have spoken is true. I would not dare deceive you in the slightest. At the time I was desperate to flee for my life, so I truly did not see that disciple’s face clearly.” Seeing that Chu Huaiyuan still harbored doubts, Qi Fei quickly answered with clasped hands.

Chu Yanran trembled slightly, and with gritted teeth she said bitterly, “That scoundrel of the Yin-Yang Dao really did come.”

“Yanran need not worry. Since that villain of the Yin-Yang Dao refuses to die, I shall meet that demon, the Yin-Yang True Lord.” Seeing the beauty enraged, Liu Yanzhen hurriedly offered comfort from the side.

“That person could never be the Yin-Yang True Lord. Otherwise, how could Sima Yan have wounded that demon?” Chu Huaiyuan’s expression turned stern, his eyes full of doubt.

“Your Grace, the Seven Absolutes Gate was once one of the greatest sects under heaven a hundred years ago, famed throughout the world for its seven supreme martial arts. It is said that the most enigmatic of those seven peerless arts was lost long ago. Perhaps, before dying, Sima Yan comprehended that divine martial technique and used it to heavily wound the Yin-Yang True Lord, who had been careless.” After a moment’s thought, Liu Yanzhen slowly spoke.

Qi Fei still had the Seven Absolutes Gate’s treasured Book of Transformative Martiality hidden in his bosom, and at those words he could not help but feel a chill in his heart. No wonder Sima Yan had always carried the Book of Transformative Martiality with him—so the gate master of the Seven Absolutes Gate had still not fully fathomed the divine martial art concealed within it.

“Even if the person Sima Yan wounded was the Yin-Yang True Lord, that demon’s powers are not to be underestimated. Yanran, with such a great enemy at hand, you must not act on impulse. You should remain and settle in the marquis residence.” Chu Huaiyuan looked at his younger sister with helplessness in his eyes.

A look of struggle flashed across Chu Yanran’s face. After a long moment, she sighed softly. “Very well. Since that villain of the Yin-Yang Dao has appeared on Azure Cloud Mountain, I can no longer return to Moonwatch Peak.”

Seeing that Chu Yanran seemed no longer intent on pursuing his offense, Qi Fei secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Who would have thought that the eldest miss of the Chu family still had no intention of letting him off so easily?

“Qi Fei, your martial qi is exceptionally profound. Once your injuries have healed, would you dare to fight me?” Fearing that Qi Fei might refuse, Chu Yanran added, “Do not worry. Since Sima Yan’s death had nothing to do with you, when we spar in the future, I shall show mercy and spare your life.”

At this point Qi Fei had nowhere to retreat, and Chu Yanran’s pressing aggression stirred anger in his heart as well. He immediately declared in a loud voice, “Since Miss Chu insists on sparring with me, then ten days from now I shall humbly receive instruction in your profound arts.”

A hint of excitement appeared in Chu Yanran’s eyes. “Good. It is settled.”