Placing a Piece

The dark azure dragon seemed almost tangible, a manifestation of solid Dao power woven from pure Bifeng and Yin Fire.

As its scales opened and closed, the wind was a bone-eroding, soul-dissolving nether wind, and the fire a poison flame that burned marrow and scorched souls. Its might remained concealed, yet everyone in the hall felt as though their souls were about to split, as though they had plunged into an endless frozen hell.

"When has it ever been your place to comment on what I do?" Ye Jinyu's voice remained gentle, but he did not stop walking.

The phantom dragon advanced with his steps, its head hovering three inches above Sima You, its dark eyes gazing down with indifference.

"You... you..."

Sima You's eyes bulged. The pressure crushed down on him, making every bone in his body creak. A rasping sound came from his throat, but he could not form a complete syllable.

He could sense it clearly: if the dragon truly struck, his Dao foundation would shatter and his soul would be destroyed in an instant!

Surely even His Highness Ruiming had only been this strong at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage?!

He had actually reached such a level in just a few years? Strength on the level of the Four Nobles was not something that could be explained or attained by talent and resources alone.

"Young Lord!" Just then, an announcement came from outside the hall.

"His Highness Sima Ruiming of Cangxuan's Firmament Heaven has sent his envoy, Sima An. He has arrived outside the hall and requests an audience with the Young Lord, saying he has important matters to discuss."

Ye Jinyu raised an eyebrow and eased the pressure beneath his foot.

The dark azure dragon let out a long cry and dissolved into strands of wind and fire Qi that withdrew into his body.

Sima You collapsed to the floor like a boneless lump of mud. His face was pale as paper, his breathing faint as a thread, and his face was full of terror as he whimpered.

Seventy percent of the Law Power from his Foundation Establishment cultivation had been stripped away!

"Perfect timing." Ye Jinyu brushed his sleeve as though he had merely stepped on an eyesore of an insect.

He glanced at Sima You, who lay limp on the floor, and said calmly to Ye Anlan,

"Anlan, take this man and those two gifts to that envoy, Sima An, and show them to him."

Ye Anlan perked up and answered with a grin, "As you command!"

He called over two Ye Clan disciples, who hauled Sima You up as though dragging a dead dog.

He himself carefully picked up the cold jade treasure box containing the nine-leaf waterheart lotus and the Shark-Silk Cloud Garment, his eyes shining with excitement.

Ye Jinyu walked slowly back to the main seat and sat down, tapping his fingertips lightly against the armrest.

He said to Ye Jinming, who stood nearby, "Please bring the principal envoy in. Remember to observe every courtesy."

A short while later, a middle-aged cultivator in the dark official robes of Great Qi was led into the hall. He carried himself with composure.

This was Sima An, who was also at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage. His features bore some resemblance to Sima You's, but his gaze was deeper and more seasoned.

After entering the hall, he first bowed. When his gaze swept over Sima You, who was being held up to one side in a wretched state, his pupils abruptly contracted, but his expression remained calm.

"I am Sima An, a cultivator of Firmament Heaven. By His Highness Ruiming's command, I have come especially to call on Young Lord Ye."

Sima An's voice was resonant, his manner neither servile nor overbearing.

"His Highness Ruiming has long admired Young Lord Ye's bearing, as you hold sway over the Southern Region and command the awe of all around you. He has sent me to discuss joining hands across our two regions to seek the fortuitous opportunities of the Wind Abyss Ruin Realm together."

"Join hands?" Ye Jinyu gently interrupted him, though his gaze rested on the jade box Ye Anlan was holding.

"His Highness Sima Ruiming wishes to join hands, yet the envoy he sent knows only to curry favor at the Xie Clan's waterside palace. He could not even bear to part with a presentable greeting gift for my South-Pacifying City. Such sincerity truly leaves me puzzled."

Sima An's expression stiffened. He looked at the familiar cold jade treasure box, then glanced at the disheveled Sima You. He already understood most of what had happened, and inwardly cursed Sima You for mishandling the matter and stirring up trouble besides.

He took a deep breath and said gravely, "Young Lord Ye, please understand: Sima You came here on His Highness's private orders, and his visit has nothing to do with official business between our two regions. His Highness prepared generous gifts long ago as a token of his respect for you. They are currently outside the city..."

"There's no need for generous gifts." Ye Jinyu interrupted him again, his lips curving into a smile that was not quite a smile.

"I have already received His Highness's gifts." He pointed to the treasure box.

"This nine-leaf waterheart lotus is of decent quality. My Ye Clan's medicinal garden happens to lack a water-attribute main ingredient. As for this Shark-Silk Cloud Garment..."

Ye Jinyu paused briefly, then spoke slowly as Sima An's expression abruptly turned ugly. "The color is poor. I don't like it.

"But Fairy Qingying might accept it for my sake. Anlan."

"At your service!"

"Make a trip to the waterside palace yourself and deliver this garment to Fairy Xie.

"Tell her it was a gracious gift from His Highness Sima Ruiming of Great Qi. After it was refused, it passed through other hands and came into mine. I found it acceptable and could not bear to see a pearl covered in dust, so I am passing it on to her as a small token of my regard.

"Make sure the fairy knows that it represents His Highness Sima's deep affection and goodwill."

"Yes! I'll be sure to deliver the message!" Ye Anlan answered loudly, making faces as he took the jade box and started to leave.

"Wait!" Sima An could no longer maintain his composure. He shouted urgently, the veins on his forehead twitching.

This was no simple seizure, but the most naked humiliation!

To forcibly take a gift Sima Ruiming had seen refused and then pass it on, while making a point of naming its source-once word got out, Sima Ruiming would become a laughingstock.

Ye Jinyu cast him an indifferent glance. "Does the envoy have something else to say?"

Sima An suppressed the shock and anger in his heart and said through gritted teeth, "Young Lord Ye! This is going too far!

"Whatever Sima You may have done wrong, he is still a man of our Firmament Heaven, a member of Great Jin's imperial family, and His Highness's trusted subordinate!

"These two gifts were personally bestowed by His Highness! Is forcibly taking them any way to treat a guest? Won't others laugh at you?

"When the time comes and His Highness Ruiming unleashes his thunderous fury, he will bring the might of the entire nation of Great Qi south and first wipe out the forces under your Ye Clan.

"Then, during the training expedition in the Ruin Realm, you will gain nothing, and your clan disciples will suffer heavy casualties.

"When you return, Young Lord Ye, you will have a hard time answering for it, won't you?!"

"Threatening me?" Ye Jinyu chuckled, walked slowly down from the main seat, and came before Sima An.

Though he gave off no pressure, Sima An felt an invisible weight bearing down on him.

"In the Southern Region, the Ye Clan now reigns supreme. How dare you call on the Xie Clan first and forget the Ye Clan! That is your first offense.

"The people of Firmament Heaven are truly ill-mannered. You showed me disrespect. That is your second offense."

As Ye Jinyu said this, his gaze grew colder.

"I have always been a reasonable man. Does Sima Ruiming truly want to talk? He's merely flying into a rage out of humiliation. Who does he think he is?

"He wants to imitate those who fly into a towering rage for a beauty?!

"Is he worthy?! On the strength of that laughable marriage agreement? Only benefits can move people's hearts.

"Have him think carefully for himself. What exactly is Qingying thinking? Does he still not understand?

"What a joke... tsk, tsk, tsk."

"Since you didn't come to discuss cooperation with me, a few trash fish like you dare threaten me?!"

"The Southern Region is not a place where Sima Ruiming can throw his weight around and reach his hand in."

"As for Fairy Xie, perhaps her heart belongs to someone else. That would not be impossible."

Then Ye Jinyu glanced at Sima You on the floor and said lightly,

"Next time, don't send such an embarrassing piece of trash."

With those words, he swept his sleeve.

A gentle force lifted Sima You and sent him crashing squarely into Sima An's arms.

The force was so artfully applied that even Sima An, at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, staggered half a step before barely managing to catch him.

"I accept the gifts. Take this trash and get out of the Southern Region."

Ye Jinyu turned his back, his voice as cold as ice.

"If you are still in my sight after three breaths... then stay forever."

Sima An's face turned ashen. He took a long look at Ye Jinyu's back and said no more, swallowing every harsh word and threat.

He looked deeply at Ye Jinyu, his gaze extraordinarily complicated. There was anger, alarm, and even deeper wariness.

This boy must not be allowed to live!

I must report this to His Highness when I return and tell him to be on his guard!

He helped the unconscious Sima You up and strode out of the hall.

Outside, dusk was deepening, and the last clouds on the horizon were red as blood.

Ye Anlan went to the window and watched the streaks of light as the Sima Clan cultivators fled in panic. Grinning, he said, "Young Lord, Sima Ruiming will probably be furious this time."

Ye Jinyu stood in the hall with his hands behind his back, his fingertips rubbing the jade pendant Xie Qingying had given him. A dark light flickered in his eyes.

"His anger is exactly what I want."

"Only when anger reaches its peak will he lose his reason. If he truly acts this way over a woman, then Sima Ruiming is nothing much after all."

Ye Jinyu gazed north, as though his eyes could pierce the hall and pass through ten thousand li of cloud-wreathed mountains in the Southern Region.

The gentle smile gradually faded from his face, replaced by a profound calm.

"If the waters aren't muddy, how can one fish in them? If the wind doesn't rise, how can one soar into the clouds?"

His voice grew quieter, as though he were speaking to himself:

"This is only the beginning..."