Chapter 583: Failing the Exam But Winning Respect

The Yu family. That enormous warship was still wandering through space.

Ever since Crow City was destroyed by Xia Fei, the original custodian Yu Peng had been promoted, going from a custodian of Crow City to a guard captain of the Yu family’s main city.

The main city, which was home to several hundred thousand people of the clan, was enormous. As guard captain, he had five hundred clan warriors under his command, and his salary doubled. The difference was like that between night and day.

After sunset, the new guard captain quietly left the city and came to an orchard thirty kilometers south of the city. This was the Yu family’s second-largest fruit production base. Apricots, peaches, strawberries, grapes, and other kinds of fruits had been planted across six million acres.

There was someone already waiting for him under the peach tree. The pink peach blossoms were beautiful, and the flowers concealed the man’s face, but from the voice, one could tell that this was the same person who had appeared at the swamp of Crow City.

Warily looking around, Yu Peng cautiously said, “Why were you in such a hurry to find me? I was just promoted to guard captain of the city, so I can’t go wherever I please.”

The man in the peach flowers did not answer his question, sternly saying, “The situation has changed.”

Yu Peng was startled, his brows furrowing. “What happened? Is that side getting impatient?”

“Your guess is correct. That side truly can’t wait anymore. We must give them an answer within one month. If we’re late, we must bear the consequences.”

Yu Peng clenched his jaw. “Easier said than done! They’re in such a rush; do they want us to force the patriarch? That’ll make all our previous efforts be for naught.”

The man in the flowers helplessly shrugged. “Provoking the patriarch will have dire consequences, but provoking that man behind us will have even more serious consequences.”

Yu Peng fell silent, acknowledging that this view was correct.

“I didn’t come to ask for your opinion but to inform you that a few people will be coming in the next few days, and you need to let them into the city.”

Yu Peng grumbled, “I just took control over the city guard. I still haven’t gotten the trust of my men!”

“That’s your problem. I only came to inform you,” the man coldly stated. “That group on Snake Isle is about to come back.”

Yu Peng was stunned, then he sternly said, “So Yu Guding has emerged from seclusion? The Yu family is about to have its third Law Emperor!”

“Yes, the patriarch is quite the vicious fellow, penning up his grandson in Snake Isle for twenty years, not letting him out unless he advances to a Law Emperor and even sending a large number of guards. He said that it’s to protect the Sky-raising Mottled Python, but it’s really to protect his precious grandson.”

Yu Peng bitterly smiled. “Since Yu Guding is leaving Snake Isle and has become a Law Emperor, it means that he’s met the requirements to become a patriarch. I presume that the patriarch will be formally announcing this news soon.”

“After all, the grandson is his flesh and blood.” The man in the flowers nodded, appearing to be somewhat disappointed.

In the Law Realm, humans had very long lives, particularly those with high cultivation, and would often live for several hundred years. The changing of the patriarch was extremely important, as each patriarch would hold absolute authority over a clan for several decades, perhaps even several centuries!

The Yu family had once had its heyday and had been a clan of some fame in the circle, so the changing of its patriarch would affect other clans. After all, their welfare was all linked together.

“This is a problem. The patriarch offended Duba because of Xia Fei, but then Xia Fei lost his trust because of his rashness. At present, the only one loyal to the patriarch is Yu Jin, but if Yu Guding emerges from seclusion, the balance will shift, and the grass swaying on the walls of the Elder Court might turn in favor of the patriarch,” Yu Peng seriously analyzed.

The man in the flowers smiled. “Political power? You’re still thinking about that at this time? Your vision is a bit too shortsighted. For many years now, everyone has known that that item is with our Yu family, but no one has ever tried to steal it. Do you know why?”

“Because of the protection of the Moonward Clan and the Nine Fan Clan,” Yu Peng said.

“Correct. Both clans protect the Yu family because they’re worried that other people might get that item. Everyone’s welfare is bound together, impossible to be separated.

“If the Yu family wants to continue developing, it must escape from this messy situation. We no longer have the strength to keep playing the political game. Everyone gets this except the patriarch. He continues clinging onto that treasure, vainly hoping that the family can regain its splendor.

“If my guess is right, besides coming back to take the seat of patriarch, Yu Guding is also going to try and subdue that item.”

Yu Peng shook his head. “We can’t let him succeed. Once that item recognizes a master, it will stay bound for the rest of its life, but the patriarch himself couldn’t do it, so Yu Guding probably won’t, either. In the end, it won’t come to anything.”

The man in the flowers regretfully sighed. “The patriarch might seem open and honest, but he’s the most selfish of us all. Yes, as patriarch, he has never been corrupt, always impartially enforcing the law until now, but he has hidden the best and most important thing for himself.”

Yu Peng said, “I know. In the Yu family, only two things are most important: One is the post of patriarch and the other is that item. These two things far surpass everything else!”

“Even if Yu Guding is no good, Yu Guding will have sons and grandsons. If there’s no change in the Yu family, those two most important items will continue to be passed down in that patriarch’s lineage.” The man in the flowers paused for a moment, then he continued speaking. “Thus, the Yu family must change, and for there to be change, blood must flow.”

Yu Peng said nothing, but he constantly stroked his short hair, appearing rather nervous.

“Great Law Sovereigns Hangu, Qi Kang, Weston, Reese, and Lain; Law Emperor Guo Yue; and Great Law Emperor Sines. Remember these seven names. In at most half a month, they will arrive at the Yu family, nominally for a Law Conference.

“You must watch them and keep an eye on all their movements.”

Yu Peng frowned. “Using five Law Sovereigns and two Law Emperors to deal with the patriarch? It seems that someone is getting impatient.”

The man in the flowers shook his head. “No, those are the people the patriarch sent to guard Yu Guding.”

Yu Peng was stunned!

“How could the patriarch mobilize these experts? Could it be…”

“These are only the ones I know of. There’s no telling how many others there are, but there’s no need for you to be afraid. The patriarch is very powerful, but we are even more powerful!”

With these words, the man in the flowers disappeared without a trace.

Yu Peng sighed and returned to the main city.

The night had settled in, and the lights of the Yu Clan’s main city seemed very enchanting. All was at peace, utterly unaware that a war was approaching.

Counting on his fingers, Yu Peng muttered, “The patriarch actually has four Law Emperors on his side? Things are getting more and more interesting.”

…

All of this transpired when it was still day back at the White Horse Constellation. When Yu Peng was counting with his fingers the men the patriarch could mobilize, Xia Fei had just finished killing Evil Wind.

“Screw your rules!” Xia Fei stood up and coldly said. “Since this rule is so frustrating, I’ll crush it!”

Furball excitedly ate while it nuzzled against Xia Fei, clearly agreeing with its owner. If Xia Fei had come to such a realization earlier, it would not have had to go through so much suffering. No fighting and only using pressure? This was probably the most frustrating battle Furball had ever fought.

Now that Xia Fei had ignored the rules and killed Evil Wind, Furball felt all it frustrations being swept away.

It must be said that Furball truly had a rather cheerful personality. It took only a while for it to return to its smiling and mischievous self.

He felt an indescribable sense of relaxation, and he discovered that it actually was not that hard to break the rules. Was it not just some Dragon Ascension Martial Hall? What did it matter how formidable it was? He did not care!

With a gangster-like aura, Xia Fei kicked aside the decayed cage. The alloy was brittle from Evil Wind’s toxic gas and easily shattered.

Lighting a cigarette, he began to walk back. Behind him, that giant cage, which had occupied a square kilometer, collapsed into a pile of debris.

Many of the girls present saw this clearly, and they felt an indescribable feeling welling up within them.

Xia Fei was wanton and unrestrained, despising the conventions of the world and tinged with danger. These were all elements that young women liked.

Such was the reasoning behind the phenomenon of girls like bad guys. If Xia Fei had obediently completed the exam according to the rules, even if he got full points, he would never have drawn as much attention as with his frenzied display today.

A young girl with a healthy tan shouted Xia Fei’s name, her cheeks blushing.

“What are you so excited about? No matter how brash Xia Fei is, he still failed the exam! If that incautious fellow who accidentally killed an exotic beast gets deducted one thousand points, Xia Fei will probably lose ten thousand!” a cold-faced youth next to the girl sternly said.

The tanned girl argued, “He didn’t fail! Xia Fei is much cooler than all of you! Did you forget how silly you looked earlier while being chased around by that exotic beast?”

“Correct!” That fair-faced white-robed young man began to speak again. “In this round, Xia Fei didn’t lose. On the contrary, the rest of you lost.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Smiling, the youth scanned the crowd and spoke in a mocking tone. “Ask yourself honestly: During the exam, which one of you didn’t want to kill those menacing exotic beasts?

“Yet none of you had the guts to strike. It wasn’t that you couldn’t beat them; you just feared the Dragon Ascension Martial Hall behind those exotic beasts!” The young man spoke in a sharp tone, his tone aggressive. “Someone with fear and apprehension in their heart will never be able to become a true warrior. If you were to encounter some powerful foe one day, I would wager that you people would be the first to turn traitors!

“While Xia Fei won the battle and failed the exam, at least he didn’t lose his dignity. What about you?”

Everyone fell silent. The restraints of the rules had made this exotic beast exam even more frustrating than the math exam. They had clearly been able to beat these exotic beasts, but they could only stand around and be beaten. As warriors, how could they just accept this treatment?

None of them had liked it, but the only one who actually stood up to fight it was Xia Fei alone.

“Who are you? Who gave you the right to talk to us like this?!”

“That’s right. Speaking such arrogant words at such a young age, how were your parents educating you?”

The white-robed young man’s words were stinging, and the candidates could not help but talk back.

The young man did not answer, disappearing with a soft chuckle.

“How come he has the freedom to enter and exit the assessment ground?” a big-headed and large man curiously asked.

No one could answer. Nobody here knew who that young man was, able to come and go as he pleased.

“He’s Zanian Feng, the son of Dragon Ascension Martial Arts Hall’s Master Kuzen Feng,” replied a somewhat older youth coldly.

He had long ago recognized that white-robed youth, but since he kept it a secret until Zanian left, it probably meant that he did not harbor any good intentions.

The assessment ground fell silent. No one had expected that an unremarkable young man would be such a big name!

Zanian’s words still lingered in their ears: ‘Xia Fei failed the exam, but you lost your dignity!’