Neither Servile nor Overbearing, Zhang Lata

The sun set, and a bright moon rose in the east.

By the lake in the rear courtyard, two figures sat together. Moonlight reflected on the water, rippling and shimmering, lending movement to the stillness.

"Old Zhang."

Li Ziye gazed at the lake and asked, "Even you have no way?"

"No."

Zhang Lata shook his head. "Mu Yao has already opened his second divine repository, while you haven't opened even one. The gap is too great."

"My family has silver."

Li Ziye spoke softly. "As much as you need. Divine weapons, sharp blades, battle robes, treasured armor-we have everything."

"That still won't work, unless..."

Zhang Lata gazed at the lake and said calmly, "You send someone to slaughter him tonight."

"That makes sense."

Li Ziye thought for a moment, then nodded in all seriousness. "Old Zhang, name your price."

"Heh."

Zhang Lata smiled faintly. "This old man wouldn't stoop so low."

"One hundred jars of Hundred Flowers Brew," Li Ziye offered.

"He's a prince of Great Shang."

Zhang Lata sneered. "Do you think this old man is a fool?"

"Two hundred." Li Ziye kept raising the price.

"Absolutely impossible," Zhang Lata said, shaking his head.

"Five hundred." Li Ziye raised his offer outright.

"I don't like killing." Zhang Lata fell silent, then spoke after a moment.

"One thousand jars, plus five hundred jars of fine Daughter's Red." Li Ziye gave his final offer.

"Deal."

Zhang Lata rose and strode outside.

"Old Zhang."

Behind him, Li Ziye called out.

Zhang Lata turned around. "What, having second thoughts?"

"Not at all."

A smile appeared on Li Ziye's face. "But don't beat him to death. It isn't time to tear all pretense apart with the imperial family yet. Just leave him bedridden for a few days."

"No backbone."

Zhang Lata sneered, then turned and left.

Night deepened.

In a guest room at Yuelai Inn, Mu Yao sat beneath the candlelight, quietly wiping his sword.

Beside the bed, his servant finished arranging the bedding and said, "Your Highness, please rest early."

"Mm."

Mu Yao nodded. "You may go."

"Yes."

The servant accepted the order and was about to leave, but stopped again, worry appearing on his face. "Your Highness, is there really no need to contact the authorities in Yuzhou City? This servant fears the Li Family might act against you."

"They won't."

Mu Yao smiled faintly. "We're all clever people who understand the rules. The Li Family surely understands that if anything happens to me here, they won't escape implication."

Only then did the servant leave the room, reassured.

Mu Yao put away his sword and prepared to blow out the candle and go to bed.

Suddenly, a cold wind swept through, making the candle flame sway.

Mu Yao shuddered. When he recovered his senses, his expression changed drastically.

The wind rose, and an invisible force blasted the room open. Before the blink of an eye, a figure walked in. His pace seemed unhurried, yet within a breath, he was already inside.

"Who are you?!" Mu Yao cried in alarm.

"The man who'll take your life."

The newcomer wore a mask, his presence restrained, yet the terrifying pressure was suffocating.

"Fairy, save me!"

Knowing how terrifying the newcomer was, Mu Yao shot backward while shouting desperately.

Fairy Qin was also staying at Yuelai Inn. His only way to save his life was to alert her.

"Heh, Qin Enuo?"

Beneath the mask, Zhang Lata smiled faintly. His figure swept forward, and he raised a hand to seize Mu Yao by the throat.

In a guest room on the third floor, Qin Enuo heard the cries for help below, and her eyes narrowed slightly.

An instant later, Qin Enuo moved, vanishing from her room.

On the second floor, Zhang Lata held the third prince by the throat, slowly tightening his grip.

"I'm the third prince of the Great Shang Dynasty! If you kill me, you won't survive!" Mu Yao cried in terror.

Bang!

Without a word of nonsense, Zhang Lata slammed a fist straight into his chest.

Pfft!

True Qi from the powerful punch penetrated his body. Mu Yao's chest seized, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Whoosh!

Just then, a streak of Sword Qi tore through the air behind them.

Sensing it, Zhang Lata released the man in his grasp and shifted aside, dodging the Sword Qi.

Mu Yao slumped limply. The Sword Qi swept past, and a lock of long hair drifted down silently.

Inside the room, Qin Enuo and Zhang Lata met each other's gaze, unleashing an intense pressure.

"Plum Blossom Sword Immortal, your reputation is well deserved. Until next time."

Zhang Lata spoke calmly, then pushed off the ground and leaped out through the window.

Qin Enuo frowned and swept after him.

Beneath the night sky, two figures darted through the streets of Yuzhou City at incredible speed, crossing several streets in the space of a few breaths.

Ahead, Zhang Lata stepped through the air and leaped onto the rooftops lining the street. Then he joined two fingers into a sword, sending Sword Qi tearing through the air.

Qin Enuo focused and swept her slender hand, gathering Sword Qi that blocked the incoming attack with a crash.

"Sword Maniac!"

At their first exchange, Qin Enuo recognized him. In Yuzhou City, he was the only person who could possess such mastery of the sword.

"Oh, a sharp eye."

On the rooftop, Zhang Lata smiled and taunted, "How did the illustrious Plum Blossom Sword Immortal become a guard for the imperial family?"

Qin Enuo sneered, responding without giving an inch. "I never expected the world-renowned Sword Maniac to take up hired killing either. Who's your master? Li Ziye?"

"Heh."

Zhang Lata smiled faintly. "You think far too highly of that brat. This old man isn't greedy for money. The Li Residence may be wealthy, but it can't buy my freedom."

"Not the Li Residence?"

Qin Enuo frowned. How strange. Who besides the Li Residence would strike at the third prince?

"Qin Enuo, are we still fighting? If not, this old man is leaving."

Zhang Lata laughed heartily, pushed off once more, and leaped away into the distance.

Qin Enuo stood in the street, light flickering in her eyes, and did not pursue him again.

Her cultivation was not far from the Sword Maniac's. Unless they fought to the death, it would be difficult to keep him there.

Just who could command this Sword Maniac?

The Li Residence.

In the rear courtyard, Li Ziye was still waiting patiently.

Just then, a figure swept in and removed his mask.

"Old Zhang."

Seeing him, Li Ziye immediately approached. "Did you get it done?"

"With this old man taking action, how could I fail?"

Zhang Lata smiled. "This time, that third prince will need at least ten days or so of recovery before he can leave his bed. But brat, you dared do this-aren't you afraid of retaliation from the imperial family?"

"Of course I am."

Li Ziye smiled. "It's just that over these past years, the court has already begun testing and suppressing our Li Family, whether openly or subtly. It's only a matter of time before the court moves against us."

"Heh, daring to contend with the imperial family. It seems I underestimated your Li Residence."

Zhang Lata narrowed his eyes. "Even if I hadn't acted today, someone would have dealt with the third prince, wouldn't they?"

"Who knows? Perhaps Heaven couldn't stand watching and sent some chivalrous souls to help cut the imperial family down to size," Li Ziye said with a smile.

"One thousand jars of Drunken Flower Brew, plus five hundred jars of Daughter's Red. Not a single jar less," Zhang Lata stressed.

"No problem."

Li Ziye smiled. "Whenever you want a drink, it'll be served."

"I'm off. Spend another moment with you, brat, and this old man feels like someone might scheme against him at any moment." Zhang Lata waved and headed toward his room.

Once Old Zhang returned to his room, Li Ziye did not linger either. He turned and left.

Creak.

The door opened. Li Ziye walked into his room, and a gentle smile appeared on his face when he saw the woman inside.

"Sister Youwei, why are you here?"

"Waiting for you."

Inside the room, the flickering candlelight made Li Youwei's delicate, beautiful face look so enchanting.

"Waiting for me?"

Li Ziye approached. "Do you need something, Sister Youwei?"

"For you."

Li Youwei pushed a wooden box toward him. Inside, a longsword lay quietly.

"What is this?" Li Ziye asked in puzzlement.

"A sword coated in poison."

Li Youwei's expression was calm. "A colorless, odorless poison that takes effect upon contact with blood and scatters a person's true Qi. It lasts only a quarter of an hour. After that, its toxicity dissipates entirely. No one can detect it, and no one can neutralize it."

"Oh?"

Hearing this, Li Ziye looked surprised. "There's actually something this good? When was it developed?"

"Your sworn brother sent someone to deliver it today," Li Youwei said.

"Second Brother?"

The corner of Li Ziye's mouth twitched. "If there'd been no word from him any longer, I would've thought he was dead."

"Don't talk nonsense. Be careful he doesn't hear about it."

Li Youwei spoke in exasperation. "He won't go easy on you. Stop provoking him unless you want your flesh to suffer."

"I'm only saying it because he isn't here."

Li Ziye smiled, readily backing down. "Sister Youwei, thank you. Thank Second Brother for me too. He doesn't like me, so I won't thank him in person."

"Mm, understood. Get some rest."

Li Youwei answered softly, then rose and left.

Inside the room, Li Ziye looked at the sword on the table, a dangerous gleam flashing through his eyes.

The night passed peacefully.

The next day, everyone in the Li Residence gathered. They even invited many prominent figures from Yuzhou City to witness the final outcome.

In the front courtyard, Li Ziye, Li Baiwan, and Li Youwei were all present. Everyone at the helm of the Li Residence had arrived.

The Li Residence was exceptionally lively.

From early morning until noon, then until the blazing sun moved westward, everyone waited patiently to see how this grand disciple-taking event, which had drawn the attention of the entire Great Shang Imperial Dynasty, would end.

Under everyone's gaze, Qin Enuo arrived, riding her sword, as peerlessly magnificent and radiant as ever.

In bearing and beauty, the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal was absolutely without equal in the world.

Nearly all the main figures had arrived. Only the third prince was missing.

As time ticked by, the powerful figures of Yuzhou City whom the Li Family had invited began growing impatient.

"This third prince certainly puts on airs. Even the Plum Blossom Fairy is here, yet he still hasn't come."

"Let's wait a little longer. He is a prince, after all."

"A prince, heh. He's only a prince, not the emperor yet. He doesn't command that much deference."

The crowd buzzed with discussion, clearly displeased with the third prince's continued absence.

Yet even as the sun sank in the west, Mu Yao, the other main figure in this martial contest, still did not appear.

Li Ziye, Li Baiwan, and Li Youwei all knew the truth, so their hearts remained unruffled.

"The sun has set. Has the third prince still not arrived?"

"What's going on? Why hasn't the third prince come?"

"The time is up. To think the third prince actually shrank from battle."

Inside the Li Residence, all the prominent figures of Yuzhou City whispered among themselves, clearly not having expected this outcome.

"Fairy."

Li Baiwan's face was wreathed in smiles. "His Highness the third prince hasn't come. What do you think we should do?"

"The appointed time has passed. Li Ziye wins and passes the trial."

Having long foreseen the outcome, Qin Enuo gave Li Ziye a long, searching look from nearby. Without dragging things out any further, she announced the result before everyone.

Hearing the result, Li Ziye thrilled with excitement and clenched his fist hard. It worked!

Under everyone's gaze, Qin Enuo looked at him and asked earnestly, "Are you willing to take me as your master?"

"I am."

A brilliant smile spread across Li Ziye's face as he said, "From this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, or for any other reason, I am willing to become Fairy Qin's disciple, to remain forever faithful to you, never to leave or forsake you, until the end of my life. Fairy, are you willing?"

Listening to the strange declaration from the person before her, Qin Enuo slightly furrowed her delicate brows, yet noticed nothing amiss. Before the city's gathered nobility, she nodded her assent and said, "Yes, I am."

Beside them, Li Youwei broke into a smile at his words, like a flower blooming, so beautiful it was intoxicating.

It worked. This Qin Enuo was destined never to escape her little brother's palm.

Marrying a sword immortal would be rather nice. It wouldn't be beneath her little brother.