The Stranger Appears

Ji Lie hadn't realized that this grand gathering was a great opportunity until the Heir of Prince Xiang came out to provoke everyone and wiped out three hundred newly minted scholars. Only then did Ji Lie realize his chance to distinguish himself had arrived.

The hateful thing was that, though his martial talent was astonishing, he had always loathed the arts of writing and ink. He couldn't even compete with ordinary scholars, let alone the Heir of Prince Xiang.

All he could do was watch helplessly as that Poet Immortal, Word Sage burst onto the scene, defeated the Heir of Prince Xiang, and won himself immense prestige.

Though he'd had no part in the literary contest, the incident had inspired him.

That was why he had publicly challenged the nations: to seize the chance to make a name for himself throughout the world and, in the process, establish Great Yue's might—fulfilling the conditions for entry into the Secret Guards by another means.

Who could have guessed that his fame had spread so far, and that Chen Guanhai would meddle in his affairs? His perfect plan had ended the moment he voiced it.

The Son of Heaven of Great Yue was already growing impatient with the endless disputes, so he gladly went along with the suggestion and waved Ji Lie away.

The birthday celebration finally returned to its usual course.

The Wenchang Kingdom's envoy presented his gift, followed by the Naiman envoy, the Qiushui Kingdom's envoy, the Dufo Kingdom's envoy...

The procession of gifts passed by like a carousel, and everything seemed as usual.

After Xu Yi had basked in the limelight, he didn't return to his original place in the ranks. Instead, he went to stand in the line on the left, two tables away from where the Third Prince