Chapter 118: Chapter 117: The Wen Family, Aiding the Enemy?
"That really is the aura of a Ninth-Grade Martial Arts technique! That spiritual resonance is so profound."
"It’s unbelievable. To think the Eight Kings Map actually contained a Ninth-Grade Martial Arts technique."
"Wen Qingye’s comprehension is astonishing. Isn’t his talent just monstrous?"
"The Liu Family is so lucky! They got a Ninth-Grade Martial Arts technique for free. That’s a Ninth-Grade Martial Arts technique we’re talking about!"
"Wen Qingye is so generous! To just give away a Ninth-Grade Martial Arts technique like that."
The crowd stared at Wen Qingye, utterly shocked, and broke into a flurry of discussion about the punch he had just thrown.
Meanwhile, the members of the Liu Family were beaming with joy. This was a Ninth-Grade Martial Arts technique, a rarity in the entire Celestial Martial Country. How could they not be ecstatic?
As the crowd recalled what had happened, the way they looked at Wen Qingye changed. Some, however, glanced at Wen Xu and secretly shook their heads.
Logically, as Wen Xu’s son, Wen Qingye should have given the Ninth-Grade Martial Arts technique he comprehended to his own father first. Instead, he gave it to his granduncle. But everyone understood his actions.
When Wen Qingye had faced Jia Lu’s provocation just now, not a single person had spoken up for him. No one was willing to help him and risk offending the Jia Family. But Liu Tianli did, and he was even verbally insulted by Jia Lu.
Wen Xu’s face was so grim it looked like water could be wrung from it, and his fists were clenched tightly. Gao Ming and Zhang Hua, by contrast, felt a bit of pity for Wen Xu. ’This Wen Qingye is no weakling eldest son; he’s clearly a brilliant, stunning genius. For Wen Xu to treat him as a disposable piece... he’s truly blind.’
Yao Qi hadn’t expected Wen Qingye to strike so suddenly. To be so thoroughly humiliated in front of Ling Jiao made his face flush with anger. "Wen Qingye, I’m going to tear you to shreds...!"
After speaking, Yao Qi prepared to step forward.
Ling Jiao saw this and said in a low voice, "Yao Qi! I still have things to say to Young Master Wen."
Hearing Ling Jiao’s words, Yao Qi froze, then stood mutely to the side, saying no more.
Ling Jiao turned to Wen Qingye, her eyes immediately glistening. She said softly, "Young Master Wen, you’ve broken my Eight Kings Map. You can’t just back out of your responsibility, you know."
Wen Qingye said calmly, "The eight Fist Techniques of the Eight Kings Map combine to form the Celestial Star Fist Technique. When the Celestial Star Fist Technique is separated, it becomes eight different Eighth-Grade Martial Arts Fist Techniques. I will write them down for you later."
Ling Jiao shot Wen Qingye a coquettish glance and smiled. "No need to trouble Young Master Wen. I will personally pay a visit another day."
At the side, Yao Qi felt like his lungs were about to explode with rage, but he didn’t dare say a word.
Everyone present was stunned. ’Pay a visit another day?’ Judging by her tone and attitude, could it be that this Commandery Princess was interested in Wen Qingye? For a moment, everyone’s minds began to race.
The Eight Kings Map had dissipated, yet Ling Jiao acted as if she couldn’t care less, speaking in a soft and gentle voice instead. This was truly beyond everyone’s expectations.
Afterward, Wen Xu forced a smile and exchanged a few words with the guests. The banquet thus ended abruptly. In the end, everyone watched as Wen Qingye escorted his mother, from the Liu Clan, to the rear courtyard.
Zhang Hui watched Wen Qingye’s departing back, her teeth clenched. She told herself, ’It’s better to be the tail of a phoenix than the head of a chicken. Zhang Hui, you made the right choice. Compared to Wen Tongyu, Wen Qingye is just the head of a chicken.’
Zhang Hui continuously reassured herself. ’Besides, Wen Qingye has already offended the Jia Family. Even if Tongyu doesn’t make a move, his days are numbered.’
Although she kept telling herself this, she still felt a pang of resentment. ’If I had married Wen Qingye back then, he would surely have treated me like a treasure, just as he treats Zhang Xiaoyun. Why did I have to become a concubine with no status? For something as major as our engagement today, Wen Tongyu didn’t even show up. It’s easy to imagine my, Zhang Hui’s, place in his heart.’
Seeing Wen Qingye leave, Zhang Hua also hurried back to the Zhang Mansion. He knew he had made a muddle-headed decision and planned to go back and find Zhang Xiaoyun, using her as a way to break the ice. As for the Jia Family, he would deal with them when they came.
Zhang Hua suddenly had an epiphany. Wen Qingye’s talent might be slightly inferior to Wen Tongyu’s, but given Wen Qingye’s current disposition and aptitude, he knew that the future Wen Qingye would not necessarily be much weaker than Wen Tongyu.
...
Yao Qi looked at Ling Jiao and said with a smile, "Little Jiao, let me escort you back to your room to rest."
Ling Jiao glanced at Yao Qi and shook her head coldly. "No need. I have other matters to attend to."
With that, Ling Jiao left directly, completely ignoring Yao Qi.
Yao Qi’s face turned ashen. The woman who had been laughing and chatting with him moments ago was now treating him with such coldness in the blink of an eye. Yao Qi’s eyes filled with rage, and his hatred for Wen Qingye reached its peak.
Yao Luojun said slowly, "I told you long ago, that woman is not someone you can control."
The woman from the Yao Clan looked at Yao Qi with a doting expression. "That’s right, Little Qi. Your aunt will find a better woman for you."
"Hmph!" Yao Qi angrily flung his sleeve and stormed away.
Yao Luojun watched Yao Qi go and shook his head helplessly. "That child has been undisciplined since he was young. I spoiled him rotten, treating him like a fragile treasure. He can’t handle the slightest setback. He’s clearly four years older than Tongyu, but his disposition is so much worse."
Hearing this, the Yao Clan woman’s eyes flickered. She gritted her teeth and said, "Brother, don’t worry. When Tongyu returns, I will make sure Wen Qingye suffers consequences he can’t handle."
"Wen Qingye is not simple," Yao Luojun sighed. "Judging from his words, actions, and overall aura today, I’m certain that if he doesn’t die young, he will definitely become a prominent figure."
When the Yao Clan woman heard Yao Luojun’s words, the killing intent in her eyes grew even more resolute.
「In the Wen Family’s rear courtyard.」
Wen Qingye said, "Mother, I’ll be heading back now."
"Go on, go on," his mother waved her hand. Suddenly, she added, "Oh, right. You’d best stay far away from that... that Commandery Princess. Mother can tell she’s not a virtuous woman."
Wen Qingye smiled. "Don’t worry, Mother. I have nothing to do with her."
His mother nodded and said no more.
Wen Qingye returned home to find Zhang Xiaoyun and Little Yunshan playing chess. He watched for a while before going back to his room.
Back in his room, Wen Qingye took out a pill and swallowed it. He began circulating the Longevity Technique to cultivate and started practicing the first form of the Undying Seal Technique: Yin Wind Funerating, Soul Reaping!
With his current cultivation, Wen Qingye could just barely manage to execute this first form.
News of Wen Qingye’s battle with Jia Lu, the prodigy from the Purple Sun Prefecture’s Outer Courtyard, and his deciphering of the Eight Kings Map spread like wildfire. It caused a huge stir not only in Phoenix City, but Wen Qingye’s name also began to circulate in the neighboring prefectures and commanderies.
People were also secretly amazed that the Wen Family was willing to hand over a talented disciple like Wen Qingye to the Zhang Family. Everyone knew that a genius was the hope of a family. What the Wen Family did... that was practically nurturing an enemy!
Gradually, the crowd seemed to sense a deeper meaning. Wen Tongyu and Wen Qingye—two tigers fighting for dominance. Could it be that the Wen Family was sacrificing a chariot to save the king?
For a time, rumors flew, but Wen Qingye’s name became renowned throughout Phoenix City and its surroundings.
...
「Ten days later.」
Wen Qingye’s cultivation had reached a bottleneck. On this day, he sat on the edge of his bed, surrounded by a number of Primordial Stones and pills.
Wen Qingye first swallowed a pill, then began to slowly absorb the Primordial Qi from the Primordial Stones. The ones he had taken out were all Top-Grade Primordial Stones, which were full of Primordial Qi—more than enough for his breakthrough.
An unknown amount of time passed before Wen Qingye felt an unprecedented sense of comfort well up in his heart and spread to every inch of his skin. He slowly regulated his breathing and stood up. If Lang Feng or Jia Lu were here right now, Wen Qingye was confident that with his cultivation at the Sixth Level of Refining Essence, he could finish them off within three moves.
Wen Qingye knew the day of his return to Qig Mountain Academy was fast approaching. After he went back, the Inner Courtyard assessment would be held. Once he entered the Inner Courtyard, he would gain access to the vast resources of Qig Mountain Academy. Wen Qingye could use these resources to break through, and he could also search for the Innate Grass to heal the scar on Zhang Xiaoyun’s face.
He believed that even if the Inner Courtyard didn’t have the Innate Grass itself, it would at least have information about it.
