The following day, two pieces of news caused great upheaval in the Eastern Border.
First was the Sky Eagle Sect of Coastal Ridge, this mysterious sect that had recently emerged in the Eastern Border, had overnight turned into ashes. The mountain fire on Falling Eagle Mountain had burned throughout the entire night. It is said that the villagers living nearby had each shed tears of excitement.
This indicated that the Sky Eagle Sect had also been a carcinoma in the Eastern Border.
What drew the most attention wasn’t the Sky Eagle Sect but another piece of news—the Eastern Border’s largest family, the Mu Family, had also collapsed overnight. The expansive Mu estates within several miles had all turned into rubble.
However, what was strange was that not a single body was found among the ruins, and all the signs indicated that there had been no battle.
Had the entire Mu Family relocated in one night, or had someone wiped them out cleanly?
Just as the populace was righteously indignant and demanding a thorough investigation into the matter, the Eastern Border Camp disseminated a statement:
"The Mu Family conspired to rebel and has been executed for it!"
With that statement, judgement was delivered.
There was going to be a change of power in the Eastern Border!
The surviving heads of the great families sensed a different kind of danger from this incident. Ordinary people might not know, but how could they be unaware that the Old Eastern King’s true surname was Mu—an individual who came from the Mu Family.
Now, if someone dared to lay hands on his own kin, what was there that he would not dare to do?
Ruthless and decisive!
Impressive!
Ye Feng made only these brief comments upon seeing the report, thinking back on what the Old Eastern King had said to him the day before. It seemed that the old fellow was determined to thoroughly shake up the Eastern Border.
This was good!
The Mu Family could only be described as paying the price for their greed, courting their own destruction.
For three days, Xiao Chuanqi did not awaken, and Ye Feng’s journey was thus delayed. Even if he never returned to the Northern Border in this lifetime, he would not abandon Xiao Chuanqi.
Moreover, before leaving the Eastern Border to return to Jiangdu, Ye Feng still had a very important matter to attend to, although he still needed to wait for Xiao Chuanqi to wake up.
"Big Brother Ye, thank you for accompanying me to see the sea," she said.
On the clifftop, a man and a woman sat snuggled together, with the sparkling sea stretching out before them.
"Do we still need to say that between us?"
Ye Feng nuzzled the fragrance of the woman’s hair, looking blissful.
"Alright, no need then," she said.
"But Big Brother Ye, I’m really fine."
A smile played on Hong Qingyan’s lips. Ye Feng had carried her on his back for dozens of miles of mountain road under the pretext of wanting to see the sea, but she knew the true reason.
"You’re fine now because I don’t want to wait until something is wrong before you tell me about it."
"Qingyan, whatever thoughts you have in your heart, you’ll feel better once you speak them out," Ye Feng said earnestly.
Ye Feng looked at Hong Qingyan’s haggard face, and his heart ached.
He should never have taken her there.
That level of killing, not to mention a woman, even a soldier who had never been on the battlefield would have long-lasting psychological shadows.
"Am I really useless?" she asked.
Unexpectedly, the question from Hong Qingyan made Ye Feng’s heart hurt even more.
"If you were that useful, what would you need a husband like me for?" he replied.
"I remember drinking your cabbage and bok choy porridge for half a month. How could such delicious porridge be made by someone useless?"
Clearly, Ye Feng wouldn’t go along with her mood. Otherwise, instead of helping her out of the shadow, he would be leading her deeper into it.
"No more cabbage, and no more bok choy," she replied.
Hong Qingyan couldn’t help but recall the past, remembering the expression Ye Feng had when he said those words, and slowly, her lips curved into a smile.
"If you keep laughing at me, from now on I’ll only make you cabbage dishes every day: cabbage with pork slices, cabbage with stewed mushrooms, cabbage with salted fish..."
Hong Qingyan lifted her left hand, counting off the dishes one by one.
There are so many ways to cook cabbage?
Ye Feng immediately felt overwhelmed by the seriousness on Hong Qingyan’s face, as she could actually come up with that many varieties.
"Qingyan, we’re not short on money," Ye Feng interjected to stop her from continuing.
"Even if we’re not, we should still be frugal!" Hong Qingyan’s eyes gleamed with mischievousness.
"Eating too much cabbage can lead to memory loss. What if I forget you in the future?" Ye Feng blurted out in a bid to avoid future cabbage-based meals, with neither blush nor stutter.
"Cabbage has that effect?" asked a startled Hong Qingyan. After a pause, she coughed lightly and said, "Then no more cabbage, from now on we’ll eat green vegetables."
Ye Feng: "..."
Am I a caterpillar?
...
The pair bantered back and forth until sunset faded and nightfall descended before they made their way home.
"Bickering a bit makes one feel much better," Hong Qingyan sweetly said from Ye Feng’s back.
"That’s right, as long as you’re happy," Ye Feng replied cheerfully, having taken Hong Qingyan out just to help her relax.
"Big Brother Ye, teach me martial arts!" Hong Qingyan suddenly changed her warm smile for a look of determination.
Everything seemed to have come full circle.
"No!" Ye Feng said firmly.
New novel 𝓬hapters are published on freёwebnoѵel.com.
How could he bear to let such a gentle and kind woman stain her hands with the blood of enemies? Whether out of selfishness or not, the answer was simply no. Ye Feng’s expression grew even more resolute.
"Then let me down, and let me go back to Jiangdu," she demanded.
Hong Qingyan pounded on Ye Feng’s shoulder a few times.
"Your grandfather has promised you to me, and once you fall into my hands, there’s no way I’ll let you go back."
"Everyone’s life trajectory is different, Qingyan, all you need to do is to be kind. I know you’re blaming yourself for being good for nothing, but all I care about is you in my heart."
"If you must do something to find meaning, then fine, I will teach you medicine."
Ye Feng’s figure suddenly sped up, prompting the person behind him to instinctively wrap their arms around his neck.
Pipsqueak!
I can control a million mighty soldiers, can’t I discipline one little girl?
"Medicine, huh? Alright then, start teaching me tomorrow."
Hong Qingyan’s eyes suddenly lit up.
Study medicine!
To heal people as a physician is indeed more worthwhile than learning martial arts to kill.
In the tranquil Eastern Border Camp, a giant cloud eagle mysteriously descended from the sky, its dark brown feathers shimmering under the lamplight. With its strong claws, it easily pierced through the floor.
A bird of prey, or rather, a great fierce bird.
This cloud eagle was twice the normal size, and its sharp eyes stared at the increasing number of soldiers of the Eastern Border with an almost human intelligence.
"A Cloud Eagle visiting?"
The Old Eastern King, weary from a long day, had not yet managed to enjoy a hot meal before being startled by the report.
A Cloud Eagle, the Sky Eagle Sect!
All the way, the Old Eastern King’s expression was grim. The arrival of this cloud eagle was likely the beginning of more trouble.
"All of you, back off; don’t kill it!"
After moving closer, the Old Eastern King was exceedingly astonished, for he could feel a presence coming from the cloud eagle that was comparable to that of a Great Grandmaster.
Who could it be, who has taught a cloud eagle to practice inner strength?
The Old Eastern King’s heart pounded as he observed the cloud eagle on the ground, which likewise scrutinized him with a discerning gaze.
Moments later, the cloud eagle that had been resting unfolded its black wings and produced a letter from beneath its feathers.
Whoosh whoosh!
The cloud eagle took flight, and the letter fluttered into the hands of the Old Eastern King. All the gestures of the cloud eagle were thoroughly calculated, as if it was sentient.
On the day of Winter Solstice, atop Qian Yun Mountain, a challenge to the strong ones of the Eastern Border for a fight, limited to five people. The culprits who destroyed our Heaven-Destroying Eagle Sect must attend. Defiance will not be tolerated, disobedience will be met with death!
Signatory: White Brows.
The letter was short but carried an air of imperious authority.
This was a Battle Challenge Letter, targeted at the entire Eastern Border – a preposterous declaration of a one-on-five fight, so audacious that it was intimidating.
The Old Eastern King silently put away the letter and furrowed his brows. Since the letter had reached his hands, avoiding confrontation was now out of the question. If the other party was clear about being unmerciful towards defiance, what room was there for bargaining? Stay updated with freewebnovel
White Brows! Well! Very well!
The Old Eastern King’s gaze gradually chilled. This bold attitude treated the Eastern Border as if it were without defense; such audacity on the Eastern Border’s grounds needed to be curbed with some deterring measures.
Returning to his bedroom, the Old Eastern King pulled out a black box containing a red phone, which was followed by a very serious conversation.
What a joke!
The Old Eastern King couldn’t possibly think of White Brows as an ordinary individual, given that he had trained a cloud eagle to such a level. Since White Brows wanted to challenge the entire Eastern Border,
then let him be completely responsible for the consequences!
At this moment, there were five days left until the Winter Solstice, and Ye Feng only became aware of this matter the next day.
"How many people have you found?"
In the camp, Ye Feng asked nonchalantly.
"Not a single one."
The Old Eastern King replied straightforwardly. The Mu Family used to have a Martial King, but that man had long since become a lost soul under Ye Feng’s command.
"You can be so calm without having found anyone."
Ye Feng sneered, thinking the old man was terrified of death, scared to a degree that seemed perfectly justified.
"That’s because you are here, take a look," said the Old Eastern King as he tossed the letter over.
"The one they’re looking for is you, and it’s your Eastern Border that will be challenged," the Old Eastern King said with a smile.
Ye Feng shattered the letter with one strike—the content of the letter didn’t matter whether he read it or not.
"But what they see, the member of the Heaven-Destroying Eagle Sect, is you," remarked the Old Eastern King, smiling.
How did I have such foresight back then?
"Would it be difficult to find out who is behind all this?" asked Ye Feng, giving the Old Eastern King a disdainful glance. The old man was already content without the actual enemy showing up yet, confident of a sure victory?
It seemed so!
"Not difficult."
"Nephew Ye, considering our relationship now, you should..." began the Old Eastern King, but Ye Feng cut him off right away:
"Stop right there!"
"You are the King of the Eastern Border, and I am the Northern Border King. Our relationship is separated by at least five hundred miles. If anything, we can only say that we are both subordinates of the Xuanyuan Nation, but the two borders do not interfere with each other’s internal affairs, you know the drill."
Ye Feng spoke with such a well-grounded argument that left the Old Eastern King speechless—finally learning to play smart.
"So, what do you want?" the Old Eastern King asked directly.
"I don’t want anything. No matter how many people you have invited, tell them not to bother coming," Ye Feng replied.
"I alone am sufficient."
Arrogant?
As for arrogance, Ye Feng never felt he had lost to anyone. No matter what strength White Brows truly possessed, now that all one hundred and eight acupoints in his body were fully opened,
he held unparalleled confidence!