by Shian Jeen
“Big brother!” Huwang Xiaohai was stunned, but the look from Huwang Xiao’s eyes made him return to his seat down.
Huwang Xiao opened one of the wine jugs, pouring out two bowls for them, “Come.”
The brothers clinked their wine bowls and took a big mouthful, filling the mouth with the fragrance of wine.
Huwang Xiao nodded: “Not bad.” This Hometown Wine, although not as good as the Sapidity Wine, it did not lose out to the Snow Moon Wine he had with Lu Kai in the Luo Tong Kingdom.
At this time, the voices from the next table sounded again.
“Say, what do you think Young Noble Divine Dragon’s strength is now?”
“Several years ago, when he participated in the Imperial City Battle, he had just broken through the Xiantian realm, in my opinion, he is at most a Xiantian Fourth Order.”
“Xiantian Fourth Order? I think that’s not possible. Talented as he might be, it’s impossible to advance one order every year, my guess is that he is a Xiantian Third Order. Who knows, maybe he hasn’t even reached late-Xiantian Third Order.”
Xiantian Third Order? Huwang Xiao nearly choked listening to these people’s estimations, smiling helplessly. Whereas Huwang Xiaohai’s brows furrowed deeper, these people’s words grew more outrageous the more they talked.
That year, Huwang Xiao revealed his strength once, but the Huwang Family and Emperor Duanren had the news blocked, thus common people, in general, had no idea of Huwang Xiao’s strength.
Another wave of words floated over to their table.
“I heard that Huo Ping made a declaration yesterday, saying that he wants to pay a visit to the Southern Hill Estate to ask Young Noble Divine Dragon for ‘guidance.’”
Guidance… meant asking for a battle.
“If that is true, I wonder who would come out on top.”
Huwang Xiaohai couldn’t hold his temper in anymore, hearing that Huo Ping guy actually planned to go to that Southern Hill Estate to look for his Big brother.
“A bunch of idiots!” He scolded.
The customers at that table looked over, hearing Huwang Xiaohai’s voice.
“Kid, what did you say just now?!” A shaggy beard middle-aged man stood up from his seat and snapped at Huwang Xiaohai. That expression was exactly one of an evil and vicious character.
“I said, all of you are a bunch of idiots, didn’t you hear?” Huwang Xiaohai repeated coldly.
That shaggy beard middle-aged man erupted in rage, one hand unsheathed the big knife in his hand, barking: “Kid, you’re courting death!” and wanted to attack Huwang Xiaohai.
But at this time, at sudden ruckus swept across the restaurant first floor.
“It’s Huo Ping!”
“This year’s Imperial City Battle first place winner, Huo Ping!”
That shaggy beard man was surprised, he stopped and turned over to look, like everyone else. Not far from the main streets below, there was a young man wearing a short-sleeved blue robe with an accompanying treasure sword hanging from his waist. Handsome features, in his early twenties, and he was crossing the crowd below, walking toward the Happy Monarch House with a group of bodyguards tagging behind him.
From the beginning, this young man wore a proud, lofty expression on his face. Well, it was inevitable for any young man to look a little proud after winning the Imperial City Battle, at the same time possessing an amazing talent, top grade thirteen superb talent martial spirit.
Everywhere Huo Ping walked past, the street was packed with disciples from big families, young men and women, cheering at Huo Ping.
By this time, Huo Ping reached the restaurant’s entrance, being welcomed personally by the restaurant owner with utmost respect before entering the premise.
Huwang Xiao retrieved his gaze from the window, shaking his head. Merely from the short observation just now, Huo Ping gave him a bad impression.
Seconds passed and Huo Ping and his group of bodyguards came up to the first floor. The present guests all stood up, smiling in a complaisant manner and smartly moved to the sides.
Watching the respectful demeanor around him, Huo Ping nodded with satisfaction, but when his sight fell on Huwang Xiao and Huwang Xiaohai, who remained sitting by the window, he frowned slightly.
He turned toward the restaurant owner saying, “Boss, I want to reserve the entire first floor to celebrate with my subordinates here.” Done saying that, he threw a bag of gold coins into the restaurant owner’s hand, “Those who have already ordered, take it as my treat.”
Receiving the bag, the restaurant owner weighed it roughly in his palm, estimating about five to six hundred gold coins inside, his face immediately bloomed, “Young Noble Huo Ping, holding the celebration banquet in our Happy Monarch House is our honor, it’s just that…” His face looked a little ugly, as the proprietor, it wasn’t proper for him to chase his customers away.
Seeing this, Huo Ping looked around the first floor, “You have no objections, right?” Nearly all the first-floor customers smile amiably, nodding there were no objections.
The restaurant owner secretly breathed in relief, however, noticing that two people were still sitting by the window table, he hesitated for a moment before approaching Huwang Xiao and Huwang Xiaohai with a smile he deemed friendly, “These two brothers, Young Noble Huo Ping wants to reserve the entire first floor, how about I arrange another table for the two guests on the ground floor?”
The restaurant owner’s demeanor was considered polite.
At this point, Huwang Xiaohai took out a bag of gold coins, pouring out everything inside, it probably contained one to two thousand gold coins, then said, “Since it’s like this, then us brothers are reserving the whole first floor. Those who have already ordered, consider it as our treat...” pausing here, Huwang Xiaohai looked at Huo Ping and sneered, “As for those that haven't ordered, forgive me, tell them to scram!”
Scram!
Everyone was aware who those words were intended for, because only Huo Ping’s group just came up and haven’t made an order.
The restaurant owner blanked staring at the gold coins littered on the floor, and the customers that prepared to leave halted their steps.
“This kid dared to challenge Young Noble Huo Ping?! What’s his background?!”
“What background? I say, they don’t even know how miserably they will die in a moment!” The shaggy beard man who was discussing Huwang Xiao and Huo Ping loudly earlier scoffed.
The crowd was stirred, but the expression on Huo Ping’s face was extremely ugly. He didn’t expect that he would encounter such a thing after coming here to celebrate with his subordinates.
“Young Lord, these two brats are so lacking in tact, how about this subordinate go there and teach them how to behave?” One of the guards behind Huo Ping approached him, giving a suggestion.
Huo Ping lifted his arm, stopping the guard beside him. Watching Huwang Xiao and Huwang Xiaohai, he snapped coldly, “Which family are you two from? Have both of you thought about the consequences of doing this?”
Huwang Xiaohai shrugged his soldiers nonchalantly, “Consequences? Why don’t you tell us then, what are the consequences of our actions?”
Huwang Xiao sat watching in silence, thinking that his younger brother’s temperament was quite like himself.
Hearing that, Huo Ping’s face darkened as if water was about to drip out.
The restaurant owner stepped forward to persuade Huwang Xiao and Huwang Xiaohai, “These two brothers, in my opinion, it’s better if you go down to the ground floor. In fact, ground floor or first floor is just the same.” In his eyes, this was for Huwang Xiao and Huwang Xiaohai’s benefit, it was not necessary to offend Huo Ping, who had a strong background, merely for a table.
Ch.342
Ground floor or first floor are just the same?
Huwang Xiaohai looked at the restaurant boss impassively, “It seems that you failed to understand my meaning?”
Huwang Xiaohai had clearly stated h
is intent earlier, they two brothers reserved the entire first floor, those who had ordered, the payment was on them, those who haven’t ordered, scram!
The restaurant owner put on a difficult face looking at Huo Ping, those who came were customers, since those two men were unwilling to leave, they couldn't use force to throw people out. He could tell that those two young men had certain status, otherwise, no one would dare to challenge Young Noble Huo Ping in public.
Huo Ping’s face grew gloomier by the second, he glared icily at the Huwang Xiao and Huwang Xiaohai, “Today, I don’t care who you are, I’m giving you a last chance to roll out, if not…!”
Huwang Xiao calmly interjected, “If not, what then?”
“If not, I will break your dog legs and then throw you out of the first floor through the windows.” Huo Ping laughed coldly. Being ‘insulted’ to this level, if he still acted benevolently, how would others see him, how would he gain a foothold in this Duanren Imperial City?
“I really want to see how you will break our ‘dog’ legs and throw us off the first floor.” Huwang Xiaohai snorted.
Huo Ping nodded to the guard behind him, that clever guard understood, answering respectfully, and proceeded to stride towards Huwang Xiao’s table.
“You two should be grateful to our Young Lord, he merely want your dog legs crippled. If this was any other normal day, you’d be dead!” That guard sneered, then in an abrupt action, he attacked, striking his palm at Huwang Xiaohai.
This guard was an early Houtian Ninth Order, his palm moved at breaking wind, emitting a wave of heat. The other customers on the first floor swiftly backed away to avoid being pulled in as collateral damage.
Catching on the guard’s intention, Huwang Xiaohai harrumphed, jumped to his feet, and punched his fist out-Heart Burrowing Fist! A fist imprint whistled across the air, rotating like a step drill, boring through the guard’s heat wave to reach right in front of him.
The guard’s face was ashen, but it was too late for him to dodge or retreat, Huwang Xiaohai’s punch hit his chest. A muffled grunt escaped the guard, his body flew back, crashing into the many tables and chairs around. Plates and dishes flipped over, wine jugs and cups crashed on the floor, an eaten piece of beef bone accurately fell into the guard’s opened mouth.
The people watching were genuinely shocked, none of them thought that Huwang Xiaohai had this much strength. Including Huo Ping.
But then again, it was merely unexpected for him. In a mocking sneer, he said, “Mid-Ninth Order? So there's some skill.” Huo Ping’s eyes signaled two early Tenth Orders amongst his guards, indicating them to attack with a gesture.
Both early Houtian Tenth Order guards nodded. In a quick flicker and without a single word, both launched their attacks on Huwang Xiaohai.
These years, Huwang Xiaohai had consumed many rare treasures and spirit pellets, coupled with his hard work, he managed to reach mid-Ninth Order, possessing attack and defense stronger than same level warriors, even able to defeat peak late-Houtian Ninth Order. Still, he could barely fend off one Tenth Order, not to mention two of them together.
Thus, under the joint attack of the two guards, Huwang Xiaohai was forced to retreat again and again, mostly dodging, unable to attack.
Seeing this result, Huo Ping spoke, “Break their dog legs, waste their Qi Sea for me as well!” Initially, he planned to settle the matter just by breaking these two people’s legs, but now, his anger would only be pacified by destroying their Qi Seas.
Acknowledging their Young Lord’s order, one of the guards aimed at Huwang Xiaohai’s chest with a fatal palm, however, when his attack was about to land, a whelming force bounced them off. The Tenth Order guard’s eyes widened in surprise. Before he could register what happened, he felt as if a heavy mountain slammed into his body, knocking him off from the first floor. The guard shuttled through the broken window, crashing into another restaurant on the other side of the street.
The same fate befell the other early Houtian Tenth Order guard.
Everyone was stunned agape watching the two guards ‘jumping off’ the building inexplicably. No one knew, what happened?
It was evident that Huwang Xiaohai was not in a situation to attack at that time.
Huo Ping to was secretly taken aback, unable to put his finger in it. He turned to scan the surroundings, it seems he thought it was some expert hiding amongst the customers who secretly lent a hand to Huwang Xiaohai.
Despite that, he found nothing.
“So you have some expert protecting you two in the dark, no wonder you’re so arrogant here.” A moment later, Huo Ping retrieved his gaze and turned to Huwang Xiaohai, malicious light and hatred shone in the depth of Huo Ping’s pupils, “Very well, I will temporarily let you off this time.” Then he waved his hand, ordering the guards behind him, “Let’s go!” He had decided to make his move in the future after finding out these two men’s background.
Seeing Huo Ping prepared to leave, the restaurant owner was inwardly relieved. If both parties continued to fight, his little restaurant couldn’t withstand that level of tossing.
The patrons that were waiting to watch a good show were disappointed with the way things ended. Just when everyone present thought the matter was done for the day, Huwang Xiao’s voice sounded, “Go? Who allowed you to go? Did I say you can leave?”
Everyone’s action lagged on the spot.
Huo Ping, who decided to swallow today’s anger temporarily until he investigated Huwang Xiao and Huwang Xiaohai’s background before exerting his revenge, halted his steps and turned around.
Huo Ping fixed a deadly glare on Huwang Xiao, his voice frigid, “What did you just said?”
Everyone who was about to leave had their attention fully on Huwang Xiao, including the restaurant owner.
Huwang Xiao raised the wine bowl in his hand, taking a leisured sip, filling his mouth with fragrant wine, “Break your own legs, then roll down from the first floor.” Huwang Xiao continued calmly as if he was talking about today’s weather.
All eyes widened akin to seeing ghosts.
That person told Huo Ping to break his own two legs and then roll down from the first floor?! Had this black-haired young man gone insane?! Nearly all the people on the first floor had the same thought flashing through their minds.
But the individual himself, Huo Ping, laughed out loud instead, murderous aura tipping over in his eyes: “Punk, are you sure?”
Huwang Xiao remained impassive, “Break your own legs before I change my mind, if I were to change my mind, forcing me to act, then you wouldn’t merely end up with broken legs.”
The arrogant sentence drew weird faces from the people around.
“Not merely just broken legs?” Huo Ping broke out in a hearty laughter, “So what, you want to break my Qi Sea too?” Before, he had ordered his guards to break Huwang Xiao and Huwang Xiaohai’s legs and destroy their Qi Seas too.
Throwing down his jeering question, Huo Ping’s atmosphere rose, an enormous white bear materialized above his head. Unprecedented anger, rage, and wrath that he had never experienced in his entire life erupted violently in Huo Ping’s heart.
Shock and envious gazes were cast toward the white bear hovering above Huo Ping’s head. There was also awe and worship, after all, that was a top grade thirteen martial spirit, ah!
Huo Ping immediately soul transformed after summoning his martial spirit. His physical body expanded twice his original size, his arms and fingers grew thick, sharp claws, akin to a giant bear’s paw.
“I really want to see how you’re going to cripple both my legs and my Qi Sea!” Viciousness filled Huo Ping’s eyes. He roared, and before one could blink, Huo Ping was already in front of Huwang Xiao, both palms swinging ferociously at him.
Die! This was the only thought that existed inside Huo Ping’s mind.
Shred this bastard to pieces!
Everyone saw both of Huo Ping’s palms solidly strike Huwang Xiao’s torso.
“This
kid still dared to say that he would break Young Noble Huo Ping’s legs and break his Qi Sea, truly overestimating himself!” The shaggy beard man mocked.
Ch.343
Each onlooker had their own thoughts watching Huo Ping’s palm aim accurately at Huwang Xiao. Of course, the majority had the same thoughts as the shaggy beard middle-aged man, thinking that Huwang Xiao greatly overestimated himself.
Even the restaurant owner was shaking his head, he tried to persuade Huwang Xiao earlier. Huo Ping was this year’s Imperial City Battle champion, a late-Xiantian Second Order expert. Huwang Xiao looked about twenty-two or twenty-three years old to him, how could he be more powerful than Huo Ping?
Young Noble Huo Ping had a top grade thirteen martial spirit talent, it was hard for the restaurant owner to believe that the young man would have a martial spirit of a higher grade than Huo Ping. Having better talent than Huo Ping, that meant having grade fourteen martial spirit…
He shook his his head again, it was something impossible. Now, he only hoped that the hidden expert protecting Huwang Xiao could save the two young men.
While everyone was immersed in their own thoughts, still sitting down, Huwang Xiao’s hands sped out just as Huo Ping’s attack was about to hit, grasping Huo Ping’s hands in his palms.
Grasped! All the energy contained in Huo Ping’s palms dissipated.
The audience blanked, then their eyes widened, nearly dropping out of their sockets with disbelief staring at Huo Ping’s palms being halted in place by Huwang Xiao’s hands.
He… actually pinned them midair!
Before this scene, many possible endings crossed the minds of the people present; some thought that Huwang Xiao would be sent flying by Huo Ping’s palms, some imagined Huwang Xiao’s chest exploding from the impact, and a variety of tragic scenes, mostly on Huwang Xiao’s part, yet this was the only outcome no one thought of.
Huo Ping looked with an astonished expression at Huwang Xiao’s hands over his own, eyes sluggish: “You...!”
But Huwang Xiaolonng’s gaze turned sharp as he increased the strength in his hands, causing Huo Ping to scream loudly in pain.