Menban's Past, Black Chicken

Led by Madam, Chu Xuanao arrived where his fourth brother was.

With a wave of his hand, Madam tactfully withdrew.

"Tell Fourth Brother his Sixth Brother has come to play with him."

"Greetings, Your Highness Prince of Qin."

The guards at the door naturally knew Chu Xuanao. After saluting him, one of them turned and went inside to announce his arrival.

"Reporting to the Prince, His Highness Prince of Qin has arrived."

Hearing that Sixth Brother had come, Fourth Prince Chu Xuan'an, who had been immersed in the countless exquisite dances of Lijing Pavilion, immediately felt his mood sour.

Refuse to see him?

He was afraid he could not stop Sixth Brother.

With anyone else, he truly could refuse to see them. Even if Fifth Brother came, if he said he would not see him, then he would not see him.

No, if it were anyone else, Chu Xuan'an would not feel so unlucky and disappointed. He would still have to see them.

But Sixth Brother was utterly shameless, and his nerve was enormous.

He truly could not understand where all the Four Books and Five Classics, propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame that Sixth Brother had studied as a child had gone.

With a helpless expression, he said, "Invite him in."

After Chu Xuanao entered, he smiled and cupped his hands toward his fourth brother.

"Fourth Brother, your Sixth Brother arrived late. Please forgive me."

After all, his fourth brother was the host today. He still had to give him the proper face.

Late my ass. Did I invite you?

Fourth Prince Chu Xuan'an roared inwardly.

Yet with a smile on his face, he said, "Ah, we are brothers. What are you saying?

Come, let us toast Sixth Brother. No—let us toast Prince of Qin."

"Thank you, Fourth Brother."

After drinking together, they set down their cups.

Only then did Chu Xuanao begin enjoying Lijing Pavilion's unique flavor, chatting idly with his fourth brother as he did.

(Don't ask where the wine came from the moment he entered, or where the wine cups were placed. There isn't even a place for you!

One must have tact and know how to handle things.)

After watching the seductive dancing for a while, Chu Xuanao's gaze turned toward Menban.

Chu Xuanao: Don't misunderstand, I have no special fetishes.

But something seemed off about Menban's behavior!

Menban was staring fixedly at a skinny old man across from him.

Meanwhile, the old man under his fourth brother kept his head lowered, not daring to meet Menban's eyes. He would only occasionally sneak a glance at Menban, and upon seeing that Menban was still staring at him, quickly looked elsewhere.

One stared without blinking, while the other seemed too shy to meet his gaze.

Watching Menban's expression, Chu Xuanao muttered inwardly.

Menban had that kind of hobby too?

Back at Prince An's Mansion, Chu Xuanao had noticed Menban constantly staring at that little old man. But since Menban had said nothing, he had not bothered with it.

And now he was still staring at the little old man without letting up.

Had he taken a fancy to him?

With a slightly teasing look in his eyes, Chu Xuanao looked at Menban and said, "You know him?"

"Reporting to Your Highness, the famed Elder Black Chicken is someone I naturally know."

Black Chicken?

Chu Xuanao was somewhat taken aback.

Upon hearing Menban call him out by name, the old man known as Black Chicken finally raised his head and looked at Menban.

Black Chicken sighed inwardly.

No escaping it!

Elder Black Chicken first cupped his hands toward Fourth Prince Chu Xuan'an before turning to Chu Xuanao.

"Your Highnesses may not know this, but when this old man roamed the Martial World in my younger days, I came to know Brother Yue Shan through fighting. We had some friendship between us."

Menban looked at Black Chicken with disdain.

"Is that so? Yue Shan is a crude man. He would not dare presume to climb so high as Elder Black Chicken."

You only get to know someone after a fight—you old bastard nearly beat me to death.

By "some acquaintance," do you mean you nearly tore half my body off?

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Recalling what had happened back then, the sharpness in Menban's eyes grew even more intense.

Back then, I was in the Early Manifestation Realm, while you were at the Dharma Aspect Realm Peak.

Now I am in the Mid Ascension Realm, while you are only in the Early Ascension Realm.

Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—do not mock the poverty of the middle-aged!

Today, I stand right here. Tell me, how much do I still resemble my former self?

Through Menban's account, Chu Xuanao also came to understand what had happened back then.

At the time, Menban had only been in the Early Manifestation Realm and was roaming the Martial World when someone, no one knew who, spread word that he had obtained a Rotten Bone Flower.

By rights, most people would not want a poisonous herb. Though Rotten Bone Flowers were uncommon, they could hardly be called precious.

Well, perhaps "rare" was not quite right either.

But even if you did not want something, someone else always would.

Black Chicken was probably one of those who needed it. A group of people came looking for Menban—some for money, since even a single medicinal herb like that could fetch a decent price.

Others wanted the item itself. Among that group, Black Chicken had the highest cultivation—and he was also the most ruthless.

Even though Menban said he did not have it, no one believed him. Black Chicken had nearly beaten him to death.

In the end, however, Menban still escaped from Black Chicken's hands.

After enduring that brutal beating, Menban became much more low-profile.

"You really didn't have it?"

Chu Xuanao looked at Menban and blinked.

Seeing the look in his prince's eyes, Menban said helplessly, "Your Highness, I'm a sword cultivator. What would I need that thing for?"

Menban had always been deeply helpless and furious over the matter.

After the uproar died down, he could never let it go. He investigated from every angle, and only several years later did he learn that it had all been fabricated by some fellow in the Grandmaster Realm, who had used him to brag and spread rumors.

The man claimed he had met him, had connections with him, and had even helped him obtain a Rotten Bone Flower.

But somehow, the story had spread everywhere.

People fear fame just as pigs fear growing fat!

No need to imagine what happened afterward—he had nearly lost his life. How could such towering rage be smoothed over by time? And after learning the truth, who would not want to give that bastard a good beating? One always needed somewhere to vent!

So Menban smashed that fellow into pulp.

Who would have thought that fellow had family working at the Town Martial Division? After some maneuvering behind the scenes, Menban became a wanted criminal. After that came a life of wandering and upheaval, settling grudges with swift satisfaction.

Until he encountered his prince.

And now, only one of his enemies from back then remained. Menban looked at Chu Xuanao and called out, "Your Highness."

His eyes remained fixed squarely on Black Chicken.

At that moment, bitterness welled up in Black Chicken's heart. Who could have imagined this day would come?

He desperately wanted to run, but there was nowhere to run.

They had fought to that extent back then; the grudge had already been forged. Naturally, he could not let Menban live, so he had been determined to kill him. Yet who would have thought the man would still escape?

And now that they met again, Menban had already surpassed him.

He had long known about Yue Shan. The Sixth Prince had paraded through the streets with his people so flamboyantly—who in Tiandu City did not know?

It was just that Black Chicken usually kept a low profile within Prince An's Mansion, rarely leaving, and many matters did not require him to act personally.

Besides, Prince An's Mansion had so many people. What could Yue Shan possibly do?

Yet who would have thought that, so soon after their last meeting, they would run into each other again?

Judging by Yue Shan's gaze, he would not rest until he tore Black Chicken apart today!

"Ah, Sixth Brother, as the saying goes, you only get to know someone after a fight. What happened in the past is already past.

For us to sit together today is fate. Why dwell on those old matters? This king will have Black Chicken apologize to Brother Yue Shan and punish him with three cups of wine. Let this matter end here.

What do you think?"

Fourth Prince Chu Xuan'an spoke at that moment as well.

Could he, Chu Xuan'an, let someone bully his own man right under his nose?

Black Chicken chimed in as well:

"That's right! Prince of Qin, Brother Yue Shan—like they say, no friendship without a fight. I, Black Chicken, offer Brother Yue Shan my apologies for my past recklessness. I only ask that Brother Yue Shan forgive me."

Chu Xuanao did not answer. Instead, he turned to look at Menban. He would not make the decision for Menban.

Menban had spotted Black Chicken at Prince An's Mansion last time, yet had not made a move. Chu Xuanao knew it was because Menban feared ruining his plans.

Since Chu Xuanao had already gotten his satisfaction last time, then no matter what, he could not let Menban suffer a grievance over today's matter.

The main thing was to keep his thoughts unblocked.