A month later, in the Imperial Capital.
In a garden of mesmerizing beauty and singing birds, the emperor sat across from a wizen old man under a pavilion. At a closer look, it was easy to recognize him as being Mr. Sima.
A stone table laid between them, with a chessboard filled with black and white pieces. Mr. Sima was playing the black pieces.
The emperor held a white piece, still unclear as to the best place to put it. When he finally placed it, he chuckled sadly, “Mr. Sima’s skill is exquisite. I fall sorely short. But could you at least give me some leeway as an Emperor? You won ten matches already.”
“Ha-ha-ha, Your Majesty is too modest!”
Mr. Sima chuckled, “I am only able to grasp this square foot area, while Your Majesty plays with the whole nation in mind. How could my meager skill ever compare? Your Majesty may have lost ten chess matches but has resolved the land’s issues. It is I who has fallen dreadfully short!”
“Ha-ha-ha, Mr. Sima mustn’t joke. In this land, it is unknown who shall be the true winner!”
“But Your Majesty has everything set in place and is only waiting for the final piece, correct?” Mr. Sima let a meaningful chuckle as he placed a black piece on the board.
The emperor’s face twitched a second as they exchanged glances. Then they burst out laughing.
“Im-Imperial father…”
A thundering cry came from behind, shaking with it the ground in its wake. The emperor waved the maids to clean the board, “Damn, that brat is back again.”
“Ha-ha-ha, Your Majesty need not fret. I have come prepared!”
Mr. Sima waved for the maids to leave, as he smiled at the board, “I brought a black iron board this time so the third prince won’t get to disturb the match!”
The emperor smiled, “Mr. Sima is thoughtful.”
A familiar figure rolled into their sights. The fatty was jumping over and quaking the ground with every step.
The emperor turned to the heavy weighting Yuwen Cong and lamented. [What did this kid eat to grow even fatter in these three months?]
Bang~
Yuwen Cong ran for all he was worth at the emperor – soaked in sweat, and filled with panic. Watching the ball growing ever bigger, the two servant girls were feeling fear, fear for their lives that the fatty would slip and barrel straight for them.
“Cong’er, slow down!” The emperor pointed at him impatiently.
But the warning fell onto Yuwen Cong’s deaf ears as he strained to understand, “What did you say, imperial father?”
His eyes finally catching onto who the emperor’s guest was, had robbed him of the attention of what was in front. A mischievous rock found itself in his path, and the fatty was now falling to the ground like a ton of bricks.
He found it odd as the ground only grew nearer, inertia working against him and turning him into a veritable living ball of flesh rolling on its merry way straight for the emperor.
The emperor stood in shock and stepped back. Mr. Sima was too out of it, “The third prince is a man of extraordinary talent. Who else can have such a precise shape?”
Bam!
In his sighing, Yuwen Cong found himself shooting right before him, taking out the stone table by happenstance as well.
The black iron chessboard was also thrown to the ground and the game scattered everywhere.
His face twitching, Mr. Sima stood agape at the ball of flesh, itching to curse him. The ball was aiming for the match all along, but who’d have thought to lift the chess in that dire moment?
And he even promised the chess match would be untouched. It was not only touched, but the board was entirely thrown off.
“Mr. Sima, are you alright?” Yuwen Cong rubbed his poor spine as he crawled on his stubby legs.
Mr. Sima’s eyes twitched and took a deep breath, “Third prince, few and far in between had managed to shame me. You should be proud to be one of them!”
[Eh?]
Yuwen Cong was at a loss, blinking his bean-sized puppy eyes cluelessly. Suddenly, a bellow came from behind him, “Cong’er, how many times have I told you that a prince must remain calm and upright. What got you so frantic that you had to lose all decorum?”
With uncanny agility, Yuwen Cong kneeled and cried, “Imperial father, this time it’s huge, titanic!”
“Humph, what titanic? Are you going to say the sky is falling?”
With an angry snort, the emperor flicked his sleeve at the servants to rearrange the table and bring tea. He took back his seat and shouted coldly at Yuwen Cong, “Over the past century, the Tianyu Empire had been in harmony, filled with peace and prosperity. The biggest event was only fifty years ago, when Quanrong had crossed the borders. The second is the death of You Guiqi two months ago. What could be more grave than these two?”
Yuwen Cong peaked at the emperor as he mumbled, “Imperial father, this matter is indeed grave. At least far more than the situation two months ago!”
The emperor was about to pour tea when his face turned grave, “Who was it this time?”
“Merry Woods’s sixth elder, Lin Zitian!” Yuwen Cong was kneeling as he reported.
Face twitching, the emperor took a deep breath and took his teacup, “Lin Zitian, he can be said to be someone of importance, but not up to the likes of You Guiqi. Well, he’s dead now. Oh, and who killed him?”
“Luo clan’s steward, Zhuo Fan!”
“What? Him again?” The Emperor perked an eyebrow, “This kid only knows how to stir trouble! First was Hell Valley and now Merry Woods. Humph, he just doesn’t know his limits and probably will be ending up dead in a ditch somewhere. Who knows by what lucky turn of events that he managed to kill You Guiqi, and now he thinks he’s a bigshot around here!”
“But Your Majesty, he is the pillar of the Luo clan. Anything he does will come back to bite the Luo clan. While your Secret Pearl Order…”
“I know, I know!” The emperor waved him off with a smile. He turned to see Mr. Sima’s eyes flickering, as if already knowing what he was planning, “I assume Mr. Sima is fond of talent and would like to outstretch a helping hand, perhaps?”
“Ha-ha-ha, helping him means helping the Luo clan, which in turn, helps Your Majesty…”
“Fine, if Mr. Sima wants to help him, then go ahead. I believe the Merry Woods would consider Mr. Sima’s presence and will know restraint.” The emperor smiled.
Yuwen Cong looked up at the two then blurted, “Uh, Mr. Sima I will have to trouble you to go to Hell Valley.”
“Eh, why would I?” Mr. Sima asked.
Just killing You Guiqi got the Hell Valley to bear a deep seeded hatred for Zhuo Fan. Going was pointless.
With a sneaky smile, Yuwen Cong replied, “Because the kid also robbed Hell Valley’s fifth elder of his arm. The Hell Valley is a powder keg ready to explode. Perhaps your face is great enough to fizzle it out…”
“What?!”
The emperor and Mr. Sima replied at the same time. While Mr. Sima went slackjawed.
“You’re saying the kid took Hell Valley’s 5th elder’s hand? How is that possible?”
Mr. Sima blinked the shock away, “That fifth elder is a powerful body cultivator, just as Veiled Dragon Pavilion’s third elder. He is known as the Diamondback Ape, for crushing a whole mountain. And you mean to tell me this renowned expert got his arm ruined by an unknown kid?”
“Who is unknown? At this point, the entire Tianyu heard of this Demon Archon, Zhuo Fan. He caused a sensation at the Hundred Pill Meeting, fighting one against seven, yet standing invincible! While the Seven Noble Houses turned into a laughing stock, with three dead and one crippled!” Yuwen Cong mocked.
This came as an even greater shock to the emperor and Mr. Sima.
“Three died and one crippled… Lin Zitian died and 5th elder was crippled. Then who are the other two?” The emperor was getting nervous, “Who?”
“Uh, Vicious Pill King, Yan Song!” Yuwen Cong spoke with caution.
Sss~
The two gasped in shock.
A dead Lin Zitian was no biggie, but Vicious Pill King was more well known even compared to You Guiqi, and was stronger far stronger. With Vicious Pill King dead as well, the Pill King Hall wouldn’t rest until either they or Zhuo Fan laid dead.
“Damn this brat! Is he looking to stir up heaven itself? He thinks that since the Luo clan is under our protection, he can just go wherever and kill whoever?” The emperor was imperially pissed.
Mr. Sima straightened his beard and sighed, “Guess kicking up a storm is also a talent, of sorts. Who knew the insignificant Luo clan could bring up such a savage? Ha-ha-ha, quite amusing!”
“Mr. Sima, don’t just go being fond of that kind of talent in front of me. This kid went past poking a hornet nest and is now stabbing at heaven. Messing with three houses in one swing sure is amazing. He’d very soon find himself dead, that’s how amazing he is!” The emperor panted with rage, “I hoped he’d be the one to revive Luo clan, but now, I just pray he won’t end up inviting calamity and ruining the Luo clan altogether, and my Secret Pearl Order…”
Mr. Sima chuckled and tried to mollify him, “Your Majesty, at worst, I’ll just have to intervene and tie him down so he won’t pull any more stunts. In the end, the three houses don’t dare to openly defy the imperial might, going after the Luo clan.”
“Maybe not them, but one house does!” Yuwen Cong whispered with a grin.
Now the two recalled there was one more dead unaccounted for, “Who is he?”
“Uh, imperial father, it’s best if you sit!” Yuwen Cong emphasized every word, “Regent Estate’s second young master, Huangpu Qingyun!”
Sss~
Mr. Sima was struck dumb. The emperor was having a panic attack, breathing in and out to finally recover his voice, “My heart… dammit! This brat went and poked the heavens…”