Beating Xue Beng to a Pulp

The noon sun was somewhat dazzling. In the garden, strange flowers and exotic plants drooped their leaves listlessly under the blazing heat. Rockeries, flowing water, and winding paths leading into seclusion lent the place a peculiar tranquility.

Like a bird freed from its cage, Ning Rongrong skipped along ahead, turning back now and then to urge him, "Hurry up, Little Feifei! There's a pavilion up ahead, and it's nice and cool!"

With his hands in his pockets, Zhang Fei followed at an unhurried pace, looking utterly helpless.

After rounding a rockery, they came upon an open stretch of grass with a pavilion at its center.

Several youths stood before the pavilion.

The leader looked thirteen or fourteen. He wore a luxurious white-gold brocade robe, with a costly jade pendant hanging at his waist. His features were fairly proper, but there was an air of arrogance between his brows.

Four or five youths of similar age followed behind him, each dressed in fine silk and lavish clothing. Clearly, this was some prince with his lackeys in tow.

It was the Fourth Prince, Xue Beng.

Xue Beng was idly kicking pebbles on the ground when he looked up and happened to spot Zhang Fei and Ning Rongrong approaching from afar.

His gaze lingered briefly on Ning Rongrong before shifting to Zhang Fei.

As the prince strongly backed by Prince Xue Xing, Xue Beng had spent the past years pretending to be mad and foolish, acting like a wastrel in order to numb Xue Qinghe's suspicions.

But disguise was one thing. Deep in his bones, his wariness and resentment toward that Crown Prince sister had long taken root.

And now, at the sight of someone by Xue Qinghe's side, that resentment naturally shifted to him.

"Well, where did this country bumpkin come from?" Xue Beng crossed his arms and blocked their way, looking Zhang Fei up and down with a sneer on his lips. "I was wondering who it was. Turns out it's some nameless bastard."

Zhang Fei halted, his brow furrowing.

Ning Rongrong's expression changed. "Xue Beng, watch your mouth!"

"Oh? Young Miss Ning is here too?" Xue Beng snorted. "Did I say anything wrong? Everyone in Heaven Dou City knows that His Highness the Crown Prince picked up an orphan off the street and raised him like some treasure. What, bringing him into the palace today so Father Emperor can see just how benevolent he is?"

He took two steps forward and leaned close to Zhang Fei, lowering his voice, though his words became even more venomous. "You're dressed up rather nicely, but underneath, you're still a lowborn bastard without a father or mother. What makes you worthy of standing in the imperial palace?"

Zhang Fei's fists clenched at once, his knuckles cracking.

He stared at Xue Beng's arrogant face, fury surging through his chest.

But he took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed it.

This was the imperial palace. Xue Beng was a prince. If he made a move here, he would surely cause trouble for Xue Qinghe.

"What? Not convinced?" Seeing that Zhang Fei remained silent, Xue Beng assumed he was afraid and grew even smugger. He reached out to pat Zhang Fei's face. "Come on, call me Fourth Prince. I'm in a good mood today, so I might reward you with a couple of bones to gnaw on..."

Zhang Fei tilted his head aside to avoid him and said coldly, "I advise you not to make trouble for yourself."

"Trouble for myself?" Xue Beng acted as though he had heard the funniest joke in the world. Turning back to his lackeys, he laughed. "Did you hear that? A fatherless, motherless beggar is telling this prince not to make trouble for himself?"

The other youths burst into laughter.

"Fourth Prince is right. Someone like him thinks he's worthy?"

"I heard His Highness the Crown Prince keeps him by her side every day. Who knows what she sees in him..."

"Maybe he's the Crown Prince's little male concubine, hahaha!"

The moment those words came out, even harsher laughter erupted from the crowd.

Zhang Fei's heart skipped a beat.

Holy shit, he accidentally guessed it?

No, this isn't the time to think about that.

Xue Beng laughed so hard he nearly doubled over, pointing at Zhang Fei's nose. "Right, right, a male concubine! So that's why the Crown Prince treats you so well!"

Slap!!!

A crisp, resounding slap cut Xue Beng off mid-sentence.

Xue Beng's head snapped sharply to the side, and he was completely stunned.

Clutching his burning cheek, he turned back in disbelief and met Zhang Fei's frost-cold gaze.

"You... You dared to hit me?!" Xue Beng's voice rose several octaves. His left cheek was already visibly swollen.

"I hit you because you deserved it." Zhang Fei swung his hand and slapped him again. "You can insult me, but you cannot insult His Highness the Crown Prince."

"Get him! Beat him to death!" With his right cheek swollen as well, Xue Beng screamed hysterically.

His lackeys froze for a moment, then summoned their martial souls and rushed forward all at once.

These youths were all twelve or thirteen, most with soul power around rank twenty. They usually threw their weight around at the academy on the strength of their family backgrounds, but their real combat experience was pitifully scarce.

Zhang Fei sneered.

Martial Soul Possession!

Golden dragon scales instantly covered his arms. His pupils narrowed into vertical slits, and a faint draconic pressure spread through the air.

His body flashed, and he charged straight at them.

Bang!

A straight punch slammed into the stomach of the youth in front. The boy folded like a shrimp, flew three meters away, and landed on the ground retching.

Crack!

Zhang Fei sidestepped a limp punch, seized the other boy's wrist, and twisted. The sound of dislocated joints rang out sharply as the youth screamed and dropped to his knees.

"Stay away! Ah!"

The third youth had barely released his martial soul when Zhang Fei swept his leg into the back of his knee. He dropped to his knees with a thud, then Zhang Fei kicked him in the backside, sending him rolling into the nearby flowerbeds.

The remaining two turned pale with fright and spun around to flee. Zhang Fei caught up in a single stride and struck with both hands, delivering two chops to the backs of their necks. They groaned and crumpled to the ground.

The entire process took less than ten breaths.

Xue Beng stared in utter shock, his legs retreating on their own.

Zhang Fei turned and walked toward him step by step, his golden vertical pupils gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

"Y-you stay away! I'm a prince! If you dare touch me, even the Crown Prince can't save you!" Xue Beng shrieked, fierce only on the surface.

Zhang Fei grinned, baring his white teeth. "Weren't you talking big just now? Keep going."

"I..."

Bang!

Zhang Fei's fist smashed into his left eye.

"Ah!" Xue Beng cried out miserably, clutching his eye as he staggered backward.

"That punch was for me."

Bang!

Another punch landed on his right eye, instantly giving Xue Beng a pair of panda eyes.

"That punch was for my status as someone without a father or mother."

"Stop hitting me! Stop!" Xue Beng scurried away with his head in his hands.

Bang!

Zhang Fei kicked him in the backside. Xue Beng sprawled face-first onto the ground.

"That kick was for His Highness."

Zhang Fei crouched, grabbed Xue Beng by the collar, and lifted him up before delivering another two slaps in quick succession.

Xue Beng's face was battered and swollen, tears and snot smeared all over it. There was no trace left of a prince's dignity.

"Stop! Stop at once!"

Hurried footsteps and shouts came from the distance.

Still unsatisfied, Zhang Fei released Xue Beng, rose to his feet, and dusted off his hands.

Xue Beng lay sprawled on the ground like a lump of mud, sobbing miserably.

Not far away, Xue Qinghe, Prince Xue Xing, Xue Ye the Great, Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, Dugu Bo, and several others hurried over.

Apparently, the guards had seen that things were going badly and rushed to report it.

The instant Xue Beng saw Prince Xue Xing, he seemed to spot a savior. Scrambling and crawling, he threw himself at him. "Uncle! Uncle, save me! This lowborn bastard is trying to kill me!"

Prince Xue Xing looked at Xue Beng's face, swollen like a pig's head, and his expression instantly turned livid. He glared at Zhang Fei. "What audacity! You dare commit violence in the imperial palace!"