Chapter 83: National Crisis

The first to enter was a young man whose complexion was a dark, sickly shade, giving him an appearance of frailty. Following him was a young officer clad in silver helmet and armor. Xue Baiqi and the sickly youth met eyes, both pausing in surprise. The sickly youth then shifted his gaze to Ye Xin, frowned, and the young officer behind stepped forward, sizing up Ye Xin from head to toe.

Ye Xin heard the commotion, glanced briefly toward the entrance, then closed his eyes again. The two young men stood at the doorway, unmoving, with the retinue of household guards behind them remaining silent.

After a moment, the sickly youth could hold back no longer and spoke slowly, "Gentlemen, we have reserved this Spring Pavilion. Would you kindly make way?"

"Empty words—just because you say you’ve reserved it, does that make it yours?" Ye Xin replied without even lifting his eyelids. He sensed something amiss, but his character dictated such a response.

"I know who you are—Ye Xin," the young officer said, his voice slow. "Things are not as they once were. Don’t push your luck!"

"I'm pushing you—so what?" Ye Xin opened his eyes, seriously countering.

The armored young officer was momentarily at a loss for words. He drew a deep breath, then turned to the sickly youth, saying, "Brother Yue, forget it. Let’s not stoop to his level. We'll find another place."

He turned to leave, but the sickly youth smiled and stretched out an arm to block him. "No, Zong Shao, this isn’t about stooping to his level. He's already riding roughshod over us—can you endure it? I can't!"

With that, the sickly youth strode closer to Ye Xin. When he was still five or six meters away, Xue Baiqi stepped forward, blocking his path.

"Move aside!" The sickly youth's pupils contracted sharply, needle-thin.

Xue Baiqi merely smiled, standing tall and utterly unyielding, his gaze locked on the youth.

The sickly youth grasped the hilt of the blade slung across his shoulder, flicked it forward, and suddenly wielded an oddly shaped sword—its blade was square, heavy, like a giant cleaver.

"Brother Yue, don’t!" the young officer cried anxiously. "That’s Ye Xin, the Wolf Commander’s own son!"

"Oh, so this is the Ye family’s infamous Ye Xin..." the sickly youth drawled. "A scion of a military house—I must not touch him, at least not here. But if I kill one of his mere household guards, that should be fine, right?"

Before his words faded, the sickly youth’s figure erupted in dazzling brilliance, and he swung his blade mercilessly at Xue Baiqi's neck.

The flash of steel was like lightning. The courtyard suddenly felt cold and grim. Xue Baiqi drew his sword, meeting the blow head-on.

The sickly youth’s ferocity was unmatched; it seemed his blade would not only cleave Xue Baiqi in two but split the entire courtyard. In contrast, Xue Baiqi’s sword appeared slow, as if the weapon was heavy as a mountain, yet he managed to block the strike just in time.

With a thunderous clang, Xue Baiqi staggered back three or four steps before regaining his footing, while the sickly youth merely swayed in place, grinning. "Again..."

The young officer watching from behind had not expected a mere household guard from the Ye family to possess such skill, and his face betrayed astonishment.

Other guests in the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion sensed the violent disturbance of elemental force and hurried over. Just as the sickly youth prepared to unleash his power again, a roar echoed: "Yue Hu! Do you dare?!"

The sickly youth halted abruptly, turned to the gate, and smiled. "So it’s Young Master Wang."

Trailing Wang Meng were Tie Shudeng, Han Yuanzi, and Han Yunzi. Seeing Ye Xin seated in the courtyard and Yue Hu clearly acting against him, their expressions darkened.

"Brother Xin, why are you here? We’ve waited for you in Autumn Pavilion for ages!" Wang Meng said quietly.

"So it was Autumn Pavilion..." Ye Xin replied coolly.

"Finally, someone reasonable!" The young officer stepped forward. "Your Highness, perhaps you might take Young Master Ye away. Not only has he claimed my Spring Pavilion, he seeks to drive us out. If it weren’t for the Wolf Commander’s sake, I’d have been harsher!"

"What do you say, Xiao Xin?" Tie Shudeng turned to Ye Xin, sensing that Ye Xin was not entirely in the right and wanting his thoughts.

"Me?" Ye Xin chuckled, glancing around. "I find Spring Pavilion’s scenery quite pleasing. Third Brother, let’s move our food and drink here."

Wang Meng was momentarily stunned. The old saying goes, ‘show mercy whenever possible.’ Mischief in childhood was forgivable, but as young nobles matured, even if their hearts harbored resentment, they maintained decorum. Yet Ye Xin now seemed intent on trampling others, which was rather excessive.

"Oh? If you like it, then as your elder brother, naturally I’ll stay here with you," Tie Shudeng strode over and sat beside Ye Xin.

The young officer’s face shifted repeatedly. He spoke in a low voice, "Your Highness, what is the meaning of this?"

"No meaning at all. Didn’t you hear? I like this place," Tie Shudeng replied calmly. "Zong Yunjin, pick another spot. Or go to Autumn Pavilion—it’s yours, our feast is unfinished, you may have it all."

"Your Highness, are you sure?" Zong Yunjin’s cheeks twitched. He and Tie Shudeng had always kept to their own spheres, at least maintaining appearances. He had never imagined Tie Shudeng would openly side with Ye Xin against him.

"Are your ears defective?" Tie Shudeng’s expression chilled, then he turned his gaze to the sickly youth. "Yue Hu, I know you’ve been promoted to Cloth Guard Chief, and your cultivation is profound and favored by your father. But Nine Cauldrons City isn’t yours to run wild. And next time, use your head—don’t let yourself be used for nothing."

"Thank you for the guidance, Your Highness," the sickly youth smiled, then turned to Zong Yunjin. "Zong Shao, let’s find another place—we can’t win this one." His demeanor remained calm, as if undisturbed by humiliation.

Zong Yunjin drew a long breath, turned away in anger, and stalked off. The sickly youth glanced deeply at Ye Xin, then followed in Zong Yunjin’s wake.

Tie Shudeng, Wang Meng, and the others watched, concern in their eyes. Once Zong Yunjin and his guards had departed, Tie Shudeng hurriedly said, "Xiao Xin, why did you provoke that madman?"

"It wasn’t me—someone’s trying to harm me," Ye Xin replied, smiling. "It reminds me of four years ago..."

"Four years ago? Do you mean Tie...?" Han Yuanzi began, but stopped midway.

Everyone understood what Ye Xin referred to, exchanging glances. Tie Shudeng asked quietly, "What’s the story?"

"I came looking for you, and someone led me to Spring Pavilion," Ye Xin explained.

"Yuanzi, check into this," Tie Shudeng said to Han Yuanzi.

Han Yuanzi had just risen when Ye Xin shook his head, saying, "No need—they won’t be found. Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion has some background. If they’ve been bribed, they’ll have made preparations and won’t leave loose ends."

"Zong Yunjin?" Tie Shudeng realized suddenly. "So that’s why he brought the madman along!"

"Brother Xin, we leave tomorrow and you’ve provoked him... How can we rest easy?" Wang Meng sighed repeatedly. "That lunatic never follows rules—he does whatever he pleases!"

"Is he truly formidable?" Ye Xin smiled.

"Formidable is an understatement..." Wang Meng inhaled sharply. "My father said that our Wei Kingdom has eight pillar-level masters. If a ninth ever rises, it’ll almost certainly be him!"

"Xiao Meng, however strong he is, he’s still under the jurisdiction of the Commandery Office. Why not approach him, take Xiao Xin along, make amends? A fist does not strike a smiling face—if we show respect, perhaps he won’t hold onto this matter?" Tie Shudeng suggested.

"Third Brother, are you joking? Under the Commandery Office? He’s a Cloth Guard—who in the Commandery dares to restrain him? Even my father avoids him," Wang Meng replied bitterly.

"Ye Xin, you’ve stirred up the wrong person this time!" Han Yuanzi sighed. "That madman has personally killed—perhaps thousands—in the past two years!"

"He acts lawlessly even in Nine Cauldrons City?" Ye Xin asked in surprise.

"He’s the gold-medal executioner of the Heavenly Prison," Han Yunzi explained. "If he doesn’t kill, who will?"

"My father said Yue Hu’s innate technique is of a fiendish school. He refuses to do anything else, but takes his executioner’s role very seriously—because it’s his cultivation," Wang Meng added.

"If the Commandery Lord is correct, he might become Nine Cauldrons City’s ninth pillar-level master," Tie Shudeng sighed.

"No matter how strong he is, it won’t trouble me for now," Ye Xin said, seemingly unconcerned.

"Brother Xin, this is no joke!" Wang Meng cried. "When we leave, who’ll protect you?"

"I'm leaving too," Ye Xin replied.

"You’re leaving? Where to?" Tie Shudeng was startled.

"Wherever you go, I go," Ye Xin said. "The academy should have received the imperial summons by now."

"They’ll only draft innate warriors. Xiao Xin, I know you can now gather elemental force, but you’re still far from ready," Tie Shudeng said.

"This is a national crisis—no one can stand aloof. When the nest falls, how can any egg remain intact?" Ye Xin said slowly. "Besides, the veterans of the Wolf Legion will only follow me. If I don’t go, they’ll stay in Nine Cauldrons City, wasting their years."

"A national crisis..." Tie Shudeng fixed his gaze on Ye Xin, then sighed deeply. "Well said!"