Chapter 93 – Obstacle
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“What, you aren’t willing? A real man is resilient and can adapt to the situation. What is this matter of showing a little weakness? Could it be that you want to create problems for me, just because you and Lin Ming are complete enemies?”
Zhu Yan took a few deep breaths and then slowly relaxed his clenched fists. His eyes were cold as he slowly said, “Your highness. A dead genius is no longer a genius.”
“Humph! You want me to assassinate Lin Ming? Zhu Yan, do you not know what sort of unparalleled existence the Seven Profound Martial House is in the Sky Fortune Kingdom? Lin Ming is a rare talent that hasn’t been seen in a hundred years of the Seven Profound Martial House! I can’t believe that you wish for me to assassinate him. Even if he left the Martial House, even if he hasn’t grown, do not forget my elder brother, the Crown Price Yang Lin! Although Yang Lin is stupid, he is not stupid to the point of being retarded! How could he not send protection for Lin Ming? His side also has a master, he even has Muyi! Once I make a minor miscalculation, once just a little bit of my plans are exposed to Yang Lin that I have killed Lin Ming, then I have lost! Let alone when the time comes to take the throne, I won’t even be able to preserve my life! The authority of the Seven Profound Martial House is inviolable. Even if it is my father the emperor, he would also be useless to do anything!”
“Just one Muyi is enough to give me a headache!! I have spent many resources to raise 18 people into the court that are willing to die, and this is just to barely deal with Muyi. If this Lin Ming grows up and is added to this already complicated situation, then my chances will be significantly reduced!”
Zhu Yan’s mouth twitched and both of his fists felt heavy. He spoke slowly and clearly, “Your Highness, please give me some time. I will give you an adequate response!”
“Fine. I will believe you this one time. But what if you disappoint me once again?”
Zhu Yan took a deep breath and bit out the words, “If I am defeated, if Lin Ming can still grow with such a monstrously evil speed, then I will divorce Lan Yunyue and apologize to Lin Ming!”
“Humph. I hope it will not be too late at that time! Draw back!
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In a guest room at the Great Clarity Pavilion, the ambiance was brilliant, and the prepared dishes were delicious, but Zhu Yan did not have the mind to eat the dishes as he stewed in his thoughts.
Seeing Zhu Yan not eating, Lan Yunyue hadn’t dared to move her chopsticks. She had correctly guessed that Zhu Yan’s worry today was related to Lin Ming’s challenge. She was caught in the middle, embarrassed, and did not dare to even say a few words.
“Today, the Tenth Prince called me in to discuss some matters with me.” Zhu Yan slowly said after being silent for a long time.
“Mmm? Discuss… what did you talk about?” Lan Yunyue felt a faint sense of unease. She had never known what Zhu Yan was thinking. She could only feel his dark and terrible mood, as if there was this gently roiling calm, just before he would explode with sudden violent rage and run amok. His look was just like a vicious beast lying in ambush; at first it seemed tranquil and calm, but it was actually containing an inexhaustible murderous intent.
When she was together with Zhu Yan, Lan Yunyue had always felt an invisible pressure pushing down on her as if she couldn’t breathe. It was unlike the past; during the time when she and Lin Ming had been together. When she was with Lin Ming, she could randomly act like a spoiled brat, or randomly lose her temper, but that boy would always smile at her like sunshine and satisfy all of her unreasonable demands…
Unfortunately, those days were long gone and would never return. Lan Yunyue sighed in her heart. She did not dare to show any feelings, because she always felt as if Zhu Yan’s eyes were like an eagle that seemed able to completely penetrate into her innermost feelings.
“He told me to…” Zhu Yan said, and then looked at her with both eyes and slowly continued, “He told me to divorce you…”
In that moment, Lan Yunyue became senseless. It was as if time had slowed down in that instant, and Zhu Yan’s face suddenly seemed far off in the distance. All her senses, her hearing, her touch, all of it became blurred.
Although she had always maintained the purity of her body, she had already become engaged to Zhu Yan. In the Sky Fortune Kingdom, if a girl was divorced after being engaged, this was an extremely shameful matter, and their remarriage would be affected. If Zhu Yan really divorced her, what course was left for her to follow?
She looked at Zhu Yan with a twisted expression and clenched her lips, trying not to cry. Still, tears began to flow from her eyes. She knew what significance the Tenth Prince meant to Zhu Yan and the Zhu Family. His words held much weight to Zhu Yan.
“You… you have agreed?” Lan Yunyue choked on her words, almost sobbing.
“Not yet.” Zhu Yan replied truthfully.
“It…why?” Lan Yunyue subconsciously held the chopsticks in her hand, but her knuckles had turned white.
“Because of Lin Ming. The Tenth Prince wishes to win over Lin Ming, but you… you have become an obstacle for him to win over Lin Ming.”
“Ob… obstacle…” Lan Yunyue could finally not bear the pain, and the tears she was holding back began to tumble down like rain. She was just an ordinary girl. How was it that one day she would be involved in the struggles of the throne, and become an obstacle to the prince…
Why was this happening?
Zhu Yan said, “I have one month, maybe two. But I still don’t know if, there might be a chance… you don’t need to despair. This matter isn’t necessarily a foregone conclusion.”
After saying these words, Zhu Yan simply rose up, pushed open the door and left.
Lan Yunyue was left behind, sitting in her chair. She looked as if her soul had been lost. She knew her situation. Although Zhu Yan had said there was an opportunity, she was not naïve enough to believe this. If she ever became an obstacle in his path, even if just a little, he would not hesitate to get rid of her!
Thinking of this, Lan Yunyue felt a surge of inexplicable sorrow.
She absentmindedly rose, opened the door and left.
The main hall of the Great Clarity Pavilion always resounded with boisterous noise and chatter. A crowd of aristocratic sons indulged in their desires and were having fun, raising goblets to drink from. The delicate bronze goblets were covered with a lifelike design, as if it were the mouth of a monster that was opening its jaws wide to swallow her…
Luxurious halls, velvet rugs, the gentle sounds of lofty strings and wind instruments, fine jade plates and golden bowls filled with the best delicacies… she had once longed for these in her dreams and pursued them, but now they only made her feel desolate.
She walked down the staircase and out of the Great Clarity Pavilion.
The autumn night had a breezy coolness to it, and the blowing wind had a touch of dew; it was somber and wistful.
The truth was, Zhu Yan was not wrong… Lan Yunyue understood the reason he said those few words tonight, and did not feel any resentment towards him.
She had chosen Zhu Yan. She chose him because Zhu Yan brought to her great wealth, and thus a longer youth.
If one day Zhu Yan lost his status to women, then even his wife might leave him…
This truth, how could Zhu Yan not understand?
If one chooses splendor, then they have to be able to withstand the bitterness and pain behind that splendor, but… she understood this principle too late.
She suddenly realized how precious those missing things were that she once had. She regretted, not because Lin Ming had metamorphosed into a golden-scaled dragon, but her regret was not knowing that the happiness she had once felt was a true blessing.
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The result that Lin Ming had created had shocked many people; the major powers had already set plans into action for Lin Ming. But even though Lin Ming had achieved such a great result, he had not even the slightest bit of complacency.
He chose one month of time before challenging Zhu Yan. The truth was, he did not have the absolute assurance that he would win.
Zhu Yan was the first decent enemy in Lin Ming’s entire life.
Once, Lin Min had set surpassing Zhu Yan as a lifetime goal. But now, in only a short period of 6 months, Lin Ming would be facing off against Zhu Yan on the same martial stage.
Lin Ming could feel that Zhu Yan was tough and extraordinary.
Zhu Yan and Wang Yanfeng were the same. Both were proud and had their own unyielding will. It was just that Zhu Yan was not so hard-edged like Wang Yanfeng, and was more restrained at heart. If Wang Yanfeng was an unsheathed treasure sword overflowing with cold air, then Zhu Yan was a slender saber hidden in the sheath. It was difficult to tell when he would leave the sheath, and that first strike would be virtually impossible to guard against!
Zhu Yan would not be so easily crushed! He was the son of a concubine of the Zhu Family. He relied on his own strength and diligent efforts to crawl up, step by step, to his current position. He even had the possibility of inheriting the Zhu Family as the head of the household. Such a person, was like strong grass and just as tenacious!
Even if Lin Ming had the Crimson Gold Dragon Marrow Pill that was enhanced by the medicinal inscription symbol, he didn’t have full confidence that he would win!
This month, Zhu Yan would definitely put in double the effort!
But even knowing this, Lin Ming had still issued a challenge! Not only did he have to challenge Zhu Yan, he had to challenge himself, and force himself into a corner to stimulate his potential!
This month, the resources that Lin Ming would obtain were increased. He would be able to practice for five full days at the seven major killing arrays, receive five Soul Gathering Pellets, and also five true essence stones.
The Soul Gathering Pellets were nothing, but the true essence stones, in particular the five full days of cultivation time, were crucial for Lin Ming.
Five full days was equal to 60 hours he could practice. That was an average of two hours every day for a month!
Although it wasn’t indiscriminate practice, but the effects of two hours were already very rewarding.
This early morning, Lin Ming carried the Penetrating Rainbow and went to the Icy Pond Waterfall.
But just as he was about to enter the cold pond, a distant voice called out to him. “Young Cousin, wait a moment!”
“Mm?” Lin Ming paused his footsteps. It was Lin Wu.
“Young Cousin, congratulations! This time you have really gained face for our Lin Family!” Lin Wu cheerfully said as he ran over.
The Lin Family was one of the biggest families in Green Mulberry City, but at present it did not have the means to compare with the Zhu Family. This was because the Zhu Family had a concubine empress, and moreover the empress’s son was awarded the title of prince.
This was not too bad; one could only blame fate. However, most of the Lin Family elders seethed with rage. The Lin Family was always pressured by the Zhu Family and Zhu Yan. They were like a mountain that stood in front of the Lin Family. The strongest of the young generation in the Lin Family was Lin Wu. He had already spent two years in the Seven Profound Martial House and had just barely entered the Earth Hall. Also, he was only in the lower-middle section of rankings. The other two of the younger generation had not even entered the Earth Hall; they could not catch up to even half of Zhu Yan. How could the Lin Family elders not be annoyed?
But yesterday, 12 long-range sound transmitting talismans had been used, and the great news had been sent a great distance that night to Green Mulberry City.
The common sound transmitting talisman could only reach several dozen miles in range, but the long-distance sound transmitting talisman could spread to several hundred miles. The price was of course far higher than ordinary; one slip cost several dozen taels of gold. To pass news from the Sky Fortune City to the Green Mulberry City required 12 sound transmitting talismans being sent in series. The cost to send this news was several hundred gold taels. If it were not important, then even a rich a respected family like the Lin Family would not be so wasteful.
12 sound transmissions were sent in succession, with an urgent pure gold color, they only had a few simple sentences. “Lin Ming has been at the Seven Profound Martial House for 34 days. During the second Ten Thousand Killing Array assessment, he reached rank 62 and obtained the qualifications to challenge the Heavenly Abode. He challenged Zhu Yan at spear point, and declared that their match would be one month later.”
It is said that when the head of the Lin Family received this sound transmitting talisman, he jumped up from his chair on the spot and even used dirty words – “This is fucking great!”