Ye Linger's heart tightened.
The instant Zhou Cheng appeared, Fan Xian's already bloodshot eyes seemed to blaze red.
He staggered to his feet, his legs trembling slightly, yet stubbornly held himself upright. His voice was unbearably hoarse:
"It was you... you arranged for the assassins, didn't you?"
Zhou Cheng stood where he was, his expression unchanged.
His hands remained behind his back as his gaze swept casually over Fan Xian. His tone was relaxed:
"Don't get the wrong idea. I just happened to hear the commotion and came over to enjoy the show."
Fan Xian stared fixedly at him.
The hatred in his eyes was almost tangible!
Happened to hear the commotion? Came over to take a look?
It wasn't you?
How could there be such a coincidence? How could you just happen to come by?
Ye Linger stood beside Zhou Cheng, her gaze shifting between the two men.
She noticed the look in Fan Xian's eyes, then saw Zhou Cheng's complete lack of surprise, and her heart sank slightly.
Naturally, she knew something of the feud between Zhou Cheng and Fan Xian.
She, too, suspected Zhou Cheng had orchestrated everything before her.
After all, the meeting place she had asked Lin Wan'er to convey yesterday hadn't been here at all.
Zhou Cheng himself had changed the location to Ox Pen Street.
And then he had come straight over as soon as he heard the commotion...
She couldn't believe it was all such a coincidence.
But even if she suspected him, even if she was almost certain, she still... couldn't say anything.
She had no evidence. More importantly, she couldn't accuse a prince for the sake of Fan Xian, a man she had never met.
Ye Linger secretly clenched her hands inside her sleeves. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward and tried to keep her voice steady:
"You're Fan Xian? How are you? Are you all right?"
He was Lin Wan'er's fiancé, after all. As her close friend, she ought to at least ask.
Fan Xian shifted his gaze from Zhou Cheng to her face.
It was an unfamiliar face. She wore fiery red martial attire, her hair tied in a high ponytail, and her features held a spirited air absent from most genteel young ladies.
He didn't know her.
He gave her only a glance before looking away, fixing his eyes on Zhou Cheng again.
That glance left Ye Linger feeling somewhat awkward, but she could hardly say anything more.
Zhou Cheng seemed not to notice her embarrassment at all.
He walked unhurriedly over to Fan Xian and looked down at the motionless figure on the ground.
"Isn't this Teng Zijing?" He then raised his head, a faint hint of puzzlement in his voice. "Why does he look... a little dead?"
"..."
Fan Xian's breath abruptly caught.
He clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking as veins bulged across his forehead.
Just as he was about to lose control and attack, a sudden rushing sound came from the distance. A figure raced toward them over rooftops and walls.
"Lord Fan-!"
Wang Qinian was panting heavily when he landed. Looking up, he spotted Fan Xian first, and much of the tension drained from his face.
Then he saw the figure standing in front of Fan Xian.
Wang Qinian jolted and hurriedly cupped his hands and bowed, bending so low he nearly folded himself in two:
"Your humble subordinate, Wang Qinian, pays his respects to Your Highness Prince Cheng!"
Zhou Cheng waved a hand casually.
Wang Qinian straightened and edged closer, wearing his usual ingratiating smile:
"Your Highness, what... what happened here?"
Zhou Cheng tipped his chin toward Fan Xian:
"Ask him."
Wang Qinian nodded repeatedly and approached Fan Xian with his back bent. He reached out and discreetly tugged Fan Xian's sleeve, lowering his voice:
"Lord Fan..."
Fan Xian neither moved nor spoke.
He continued to stare fixedly at Zhou Cheng.
He was in terrible shape. Merely staying on his feet was already difficult, while Zhou Cheng was a concealed martial expert even stronger than he was...
The hatred in Fan Xian's eyes deeply unsettled even an old hand like Wang Qinian.
Wang Qinian was helpless.
With Fan Xian refusing to speak, there was nothing he could do. He could only crouch down and first examine the man on the ground.
He checked Teng Zijing's breathing-
There was none.
He then lifted Teng Zijing's hand, felt for his pulse, and waited quietly for a moment.
Then he released his hand and sighed softly.
At Wang Qinian's sigh, Fan Xian could no longer hold back his tears, and they spilled from his eyes.
He hated him.
He hated Zhou Cheng.
And he hated himself.
-If only, if only I had been more decisive, if I had fought harder, Teng Zijing could have survived!
Cheng Jushu was a body-hardening expert at the peak of the eighth rank. Coupled with his extraordinary gifts and innate strength, his power far exceeded others of his rank. Fan Xian and Teng Zijing's attacks had barely been able to penetrate his true qi defenses.
In their very first exchange, both Fan Xian and Teng Zijing had been wounded, one after the other.
Each had wanted the other to escape first while he stayed behind to buy time. But because they shared the same thought, neither would leave, and in the end, they could only stay and fight Cheng Jushu to the death.
Fan Xian had only just reached the eighth rank, but he cultivated overlord true energy, which let him challenge opponents above his level. Yet overlord true energy was so aggressive that it harmed its wielder as well as his enemies.
If only I had ignored the backlash and given it everything...
If only I hadn't worried about the consequences, if my resolve had been a little firmer...
Teng Zijing wouldn't have had to take that fatal blow for me...
Wang Qinian stood, walked to the other side, and crouched down to examine Cheng Jushu.
After a moment, he shook his head and sighed:
"Cheng Jushu is dead." He paused. "If he'd had even a breath left, we could have used him to track down the real mastermind. What a pity..."
Fan Xian still said nothing, his eyes still fixed on Zhou Cheng.
Meeting his gaze, Zhou Cheng raised an eyebrow slightly:
"Why are you looking at me? Do you think I'm the murderer?"
He tucked his hands into his sleeves. "That's what I don't understand. Teng Zijing was one of my men. I've merely lost a guard. Why are you getting so worked up?"
"Teng Zijing never belonged to anyone. He was his own man!"
Fan Xian's voice abruptly rose, his hoarseness edged with barely restrained hysteria:
"He wasn't just a guard! He was a child's father! A wife's husband! My friend! My brother!"
His eyes were bloodshot, and his whole body shook:
"You don't understand anything! Cold-blooded creatures like you don't understand human feelings at all! You don't deserve to be called human!"
Zhou Cheng remained where he was. Rather than getting angry at Fan Xian's abuse, he smiled. "You do. You deserve to be called human. Happy now?"
He paused, his gaze settling on the lifeless figure on the ground:
"But Teng Zijing was one of my men, whether you're willing to admit it or not." He lifted his chin slightly. "I paid for his life, after all."
"Shameless!"
Fan Xian could only force the word through gritted teeth.
To him, Zhou Cheng's so-called payment for Teng Zijing's life meant holding his wife and child's lives hostage.
"I'm always generous to my own people, you see. And I never make a losing bargain."
As he spoke, Zhou Cheng walked up to Teng Zijing and casually kicked his body.
In that instant, Fan Xian felt the taut string in his mind snap completely!
"I'll kill you!"
He snatched Teng Zijing's dagger from the ground and lunged forward, murderous intent surging!
"Lord Fan! You mustn't! You mustn't-!"
Wang Qinian rushed forward and locked his arms around Fan Xian's waist! Fan Xian struggled desperately, but Wang Qinian held him fast, leaving him only able to watch as Zhou Cheng desecrated Teng Zijing's corpse.
Even Ye Linger couldn't help frowning.
He had gone too far!
How vicious!
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