Translator: Transn Editor: Transn

Meng Qi and the others would not take his civility seriously. Nevertheless, the Ranking List of Young Masters of this era gathered many outstanding masters that could be compared with the generation of Su Wuming.

Three or four years ago, they were not so exceptional. Now, the top 10 masters had all reached the stage of Oneness of Heaven and Men or possessed strength equal to that. Following them, there were the likes of Master Lotus whose strength was as powerful as the top 10s, yet rank was often fluctuating, and the likes of Qi Yu who was expected to be in top 10 within at most a year. All these promising masters only made Yang He, the six-acupore who had mastered a Dharmakaya movement, a top-20 master. He was not as lucky as Jiang Zhiwei, who was ranked 10th when she had just entered Jianghu.

Of course, except the Dharmakaya movement, the Six Apertures Jiang Zhiwei’s Sword Principles were already in an esoteric realm. She could create her own unique killer move, which was the level that Meng Qi had only reached recently.

Mi Zijing said with a laugh to try to ease the atmosphere, “We are all youngsters here, there is no need to be over-courteous. Please seat yourselves.”

As he suggested they sit down, he ordered the servant to serve the exquisite tea and snacks. Then he clapped his hands. Soon the sound of music floated from the corners of the Flowers Hall, which relaxed the atmosphere.

“Music must come with dance. I have invited a famous sword-dancer in Ying City to lighten the mood.” Mi Zijing had every detail taken care of.

Prince Zhao Yi grinned and said, “I have known Zijing for many years. He has always been a meticulous man. If he is entrusted with something, no matter how trivial, he will undoubtedly do it with finesse.”

“Thanks for the compliment, cousin.” Mi Zijing chuckled.

Through their short conversation, Meng Qi and the others noticed their close relationship.

As the most anticipated disciple in the Wang Family and son of Wang Wenxian, a master in Terrestrial Rankings and minister of the present dynasty, Wang Zai knew the relationship between Zhao Yi and the Mi Family very well. He stealthily explained to Meng Qi and the others, “His father’s sister is the highest-ranking imperial concubine of his majesty. She has two children: a boy, who is no other than Zhaoyi, and a girl named Shuijing, who is the most beloved princess by His Majesty.”

“So, it turns out he is a relative of the emperor.” The information Six Fan School provided was always vague when it came to the imperial family. He realized why Wang Zai did not seem surprised earlier.

Yan Chong nodded slightly. His knowledge of the emperor and his court was not more than Meng Qi’s. After all, he was just a lower class born disciple of a small sect.

Chu Yunyu restrained his boastfulness and deliberately said, “Though I have traveled through River East and the two prefectures of Di and Qin, I have never been to Luoyang. Finally, this wish has been realized since I have met Your Highness today.”

He was a rogue cultivator. Though his master was of repute and had a superior impartation, his overly upright personality had him killed in his youth by a powerful master of the heterodox path. Instead of benefitting from his master’s fame, Chu Yunyu was even regarded as an enemy of the heterodox path. As a result, he became the opposite of his master, evasive and spineless.

But temper had nothing to do with Kung Fu, strength or spiritual realm. Chu Yunyu could not be underestimated. He did not have many battle records only because he did not like getting into fights.

“There are not many interesting things in Luoyang, besides the many aristocratic families, powerful masters, academies of classical learning and brothels…” Being flattered, Zhao Yi introduced Luoyang to them. With his humorous words, he gradually established a topic.

Most of the masters on the Ranking List of Young Masters loved to travel through River East, the masters who reached the age of 35 often enjoyed going into Luoyang to find their own opportunity.

When it came to the prince and the imperial court, instead of being the ice-breaker or actively participating in the topic, Meng Qi listened silently with a sense of calm. Obviously he had learned a lot more about the Capital City than before.

As the disciple of the most powerful aristocratic family, Wang Zai could never get in close contact with the prince without his elders’ consent. Hence, instead of showing off his scholarship, he just echoed what others said from time to time.

Seeing this, Meng Qi went deep in thought. The imperial family seemed to frequently make an alliance with the first-class aristocratic families to confront the top families.

However, that was only the imperial family’s attitude, which did not prevent Zhao Yi from being intimate towards Wang Zai.

After talking about Luoyang, Zhao Yi gradually changed the topic of conversation toward the Party of Happycloud. Holding a teacup, he said in a tone filled with admiration and respect, “Among the top 10 of the Ranking List of Young Masters, Young Master Su and Yan are the ones I admire the most. The rest of them are all from reputable sects or top aristocratic families. They never lacked resources such as divine skills, weapons, instructions, elixirs or opponents to practice with. Only you two, a disciple from the Sea Tide Sect and an abandoned disciple of Shaolin, seized the opportunity all by yourselves to rise among the top. You truly are role models of our generation.”

“Nice speech…” Meng Qi lauded. “But what about Wang Zai?”

Yan Chong smiled slightly. Obviously, he was a little proud of himself as well. However, since he was not conceited, he sternly said, “We shall not underestimate them either. The competition within reputable sects and the top aristocratic families is not any less intense than that of the outside world. Besides, without their endeavors, they would never have become outstanding masters of the enlightenment period today. Among the top ten, everyone made their names through danger and challenges.”

As Zhao Yi was about to say something, Mi Zijing clapped his hands. Then a group of dancers, who were all girls wearing light, thin crimson costumes came out. Holding long swords, they appeared both seductive and gallant. The lead girl was about 20 years old. Her long eyebrows and twinkling eyes had made her a rare beauty. Though she and Mi Ziting shared a distinct lovely charm, their skin was like cream, which was a feature of the women from River East.

As they began the sword dance with the beating drums, the sword light lit up in consecutive tidal waves. The dance was unrestrained and with a peculiar rhythm. With the dancers’ swaying and alluring postures, the dance immediately became a mesmerizing work of art that filled everyone present with enjoyment and pleasure.

Among all of the dancers, the lead girl was especially glamorous. Sometimes, she would manoeuvr her sword audaciously, like a lady on horseback in the West Region; sometimes her sword-dance included several delicate and tender movements, as if she was a fairy-like girl in the River East humming a sweet melody. In no time, the audience was captivated by her fascinating moves.

Not only was her sword dance magnificent, her cultivation of the sword art was obviously superior as well.

“…Amazed is every corner of the world as she wields the sword… She came like a furious thunder, and she left like a speck of emerald light above the river…” Seemingly satisfied with the sword dance, Zhao Yi was humming verses of poems by past scholars as he tapped the table.

Meng Qi was also watching the dance with great delight as several thoughts occured to him. He wondered what it would be like if Zhiwei was doing the sword-dance. “Whoa, if she knew that I was thinking of letting her do the sword-dance, I would probably be forced to battle her,” he thought.

Meng Qi and the others didn’t sense any danger from her genuine Qi or various moves. Hence, they were all enjoying the dance without any worries.

As the sword dance gradually came to an end, the lead girl came forward as she was dancing. It seemed that she wanted to end it by offering the sword to Zhao Yi.

Zhao Yi stopped humming and took back his hands. He seemed delighted by her actions.

As the girl paced back and forth, she finally stepped on the stairs. Crouching a little, she held the long sword above head with two hands to offer it to Zhao Yi.

Suddenly, Meng Qi sensed an inconspicuous genuine Qi seed exploding inside her body. With her genuine Qi erupting from her body, she looked like a dragon bathing in blood or a butterfly breaking out of a cocoon. Her momentum changed all at once as he restrained her chill and concentrated her killing intent. Her flow of genuine was no longer easy to sense.

“She’s an assassin?” Meng Qi pounced on her without hesitation and unsheathed his saber in mid-air. The shinning silver saber came straight to the back of her head as fast as a thunderclap. His intention to save Zhao Yi by killing the assassin first, not delaying a single moment.

He attacked from a distance without activating Heaven Inflicted Pain, because Zhao Heng could be harmed by it while sitting beside the lead dancer.

At the same time, he felt another tremendous Knife Intent nearby.

It turned out that Yan Chong and Meng Qi, being the first ones who sensed the danger, drew their sabers simultaneously!

The girl neglected the two approaching sabers behind her. She swung her long sword and thrust towards Zhao Yi’s throat like a shooting star. Her dire Qi, intent to kill and Sword Qi were combined. It was a sword to kill, she intended to ruin his Vital Spirit and then take his life!

The blacksilk-hatted servant near Zhao Yi was a step behind. It was too late for him to stop her attack, yet he still reacted instantly. Without turning around, he reached his hand backwards and grabbed Zhao Yi to have him fall to the other side, successfully avoiding the deadly sword.

As the girl was about to change moves, the two sabers behind her arrived. They were fast and fierce, leaving her no chance.

She had no choice but to stay put and turn to fend off the sabers. As the clashing sound erupted defiantly, she managed to push them away. Meanwhile, she leaped upwards by taking advantage of the momentum from the clash, creating a strong vortex of airflow to assist her escape.

“Is she a master at Half-step Exterior Scenery?”

Before Meng Qi could make the second attack, he heard a sharp snort. The girl fell onto the ground hard all of a sudden, with her vital spirit and acupoints sealed.

Then, he saw the black-hatted servant step on the girl with one foot.

“He attacked so fast that I couldn’t catch his move!” Slightly shocked, Meng Qi looked at the servant. Sometimes he seemed to be an Exterior, and sometimes he did not.

“How dare you try to assassinate him in front of me!” Looking furious and fierce, he stamped really hard on the sword-dancing girl.

“It seems that he is a master in service of the imperial family. I wonder how many thousands of years he has lived…” Meng Qi suddenly realized.

Zhao Yi trembled slightly and gradually calmed down. He restored order and said to Meng Qi and Yan Chong, “Thanks to your alertness and follow-up measures I was not killed. No amount of money can equal your favor. From today, your concerns shall be my concerns as well!”

As Yan Chong and Meng Qi were about to show their courtesy, Mi Zijing rushed in. Looking awkward, he kept apologizing. “I have been deceived by this vixen. May the prince punish me!”

Zhao Yi waved his hands. “I was not aware of it either. This is not your fault.”

Then he turned and said to the black-hatted servant, “Eunuch Feng, take this girl and make sure she will be well taken care of. I’d like to know who had the guts to send her.”

Then he looked at Meng Qi and the others and said with a sigh, “After what happened earlier, I’m no longer in the mood for a party. I’m truly sorry for spoiling it. Alas, ever since Crown Prince became obsessed with Sutras and Buddhism, he has been scolded by father. Since trouble has been brewing in the Capital, I wanted to go out and find some distractions to relax, and yet I’m still caught up in this mess.”

Mi Zijing said discreetly, “I just heard about the news this afternoon. The Crown Prince has also arrived in Ying City. He is currently residing in Samantabhadra Temple.”

“Really?” Zhao Yi’s face turned serious.

Meng Qi always held an indifferent attitude towards their fight over the throne. He was only slightly shocked that even the Crown Prince had come. “The Party of Happycloud is indeed a huge event, and yet who would have thought that it could create such a stir to have attracted the Crown Prince!”

Though the party ended in a haste, Zhao Yi seemed to have grown more familiar and friendly with Yan Chong, Meng Qi and the others, since they had just saved his life.

“Brother Su, what do you think of this?” Wang Zai asked him via Secret Voice-sending technique after he accompanied Meng Qi to the door.

Meng Qi frowned a little and said, “Her strength is average.”

Wang Zai understood him instantly. He nodded and said, “I found it strange as well. Assassination is supposed to be done within seconds by absolute power. If the assassin dosen’t have that power, it’s better not do it. Though the female assassin was powerful, her strength was merely enough to kill Wang Zai. Could it be that they didn’t want to send an Exterior because they are afraid that the Mi and Bai families may confine the assassin if the assassination failed?”

“It’s hard to surmise since I don’t know about things in the Capital very well.” Meng Qi had no clue either.

Suddenly he recalled something. He turned around and said to Wang Zai, “By the way, I’m not in a hurry to leave. I would like to ask brother Zijing for a favor.”