Free Web NovelChapter 188: Chapter 187: Martial Combat
The Yao Family had suddenly made a move, and the only person Gao Ming could think to turn to was Wen Qingye. The matter with Tang Ying was merely a trigger. As for why they were targeting Wen Qingye, the reason was simple: Jie Jiachun. How could the Yao Family swallow their pride when their esteemed chief Pill Master had been taken in by Wen Qingye as a house servant?
As for the Yao Clan, Gao Ming naturally hadn’t considered that.
Wen Qingye glanced at Gao Ming and nodded. "Alright. I’ll make a trip to Kaiyang City."
Wen Qingye had agreed to help Gao Ming partly for Gao Yuerou’s sake. At the thought of Gao Yuerou, the image of that gentle woman surfaced in Wen Qingye’s mind, and he sighed wistfully.
"Thank you, Young Master Wen! Thank you, Young Master Wen!" Gao Ming said at once, overjoyed.
Gao Ming knew how dangerous this trip to Kaiyang City would be. He hadn’t expected Wen Qingye to agree, let alone so decisively.
Finally, Gao Ming departed, his mind at ease. Wen Qingye watched his retreating back, then turned to Jie Jiachun beside him and asked, "How strong is this Yao Luojun?"
Jie Jiachun replied, "As the Patriarch of the Yao Family, Yao Luojun’s cultivation has already reached the Refining Spirit Fifth Layer Heaven. He is very powerful."
Wen Qingye nodded. The strength of the Refining Spirit Fifth Layer Heaven was already extremely formidable, and that didn’t even include the other experts in the Yao Family.
Jie Jiachun spoke up from the side, "Young Master, let me accompany you on this trip."
Wen Qingye mulled it over for a moment before nodding. "That would be good."
Wen Qingye was a complete stranger in Kaiyang City, and he suspected this invitation from the Yao Family was, in all likelihood, a Hongmen Banquet, fraught with hidden dangers.
......
「Three days later, in Kaiyang City.」
Wen Qingye, Jie Jiachun, and Gao Ming were standing at the main gate of the Yao Family estate in Kaiyang City.
Before them stood an antique-style mansion. Above the entrance, a gilded plaque was inscribed with two large words: Yao Mansion.
Jie Jiachun pointed at the mansion before them and said slowly, "Young Master, this is the Yao Mansion."
After speaking, Jie Jiachun walked up and began to knock on the door.
"KNOCK KNOCK."
After just a moment, the door was opened.
"Mas... Master Jie!" The person who opened the door was completely stunned to see Jie Jiachun, staring at him without moving.
Jie Jiachun nodded calmly, saying nothing.
"Quickly, please come in!" the steward who had opened the door said hurriedly. "I’ll go report to the Patriarch right away."
"Young Master, please." Jie Jiachun ignored the steward and spoke deferentially to Wen Qingye behind him.
Wen Qingye nodded and strode inside.
Although the steward was a little puzzled, he still led the three of them into the Yao Family’s main hall before excusing himself to make his report.
Seeing Jie Jiachun standing behind Wen Qingye, Gao Ming hesitated for a moment, unsure if he should remain standing or take a seat.
"Have a seat," Wen Qingye said, gesturing for Gao Ming to sit.
Gao Ming nodded and then cautiously sat down.
Before long, the sound of hurried footsteps came from outside.
Yao Luojun walked in briskly, his eyes immediately landing on Jie Jiachun standing behind Wen Qingye. "Master Jie, you’ve finally returned!"
Only after speaking did Yao Luojun notice that Jie Jiachun was standing behind Wen Qingye. He saw Wen Qingye sitting there, a cup of tea in hand, sipping it gently.
Jie Jiachun looked at Yao Luojun and said, "I appreciate the Patriarch’s kind intentions, but I have already pledged my allegiance to the Young Master. From now on, I will serve him faithfully and will no longer have any grievances or ties with the Yao Family." freeweɓnøvel.com
"Wen Qingye!?" Upon seeing Wen Qingye, a faint, hidden flicker of delight flashed in Yao Luojun’s eyes.
Wen Qingye paid Yao Luojun no mind, continuing to drink his tea. At his side, Gao Ming quickly stood up. "Patriarch Yao, I came here this time to..."
Seeing Gao Ming, Yao Luojun waved his hand dismissively. "Alright, I know why you’re here. You don’t need to say any more."
Gao Ming, his words cut off by Yao Luojun, stood there in immediate embarrassment.
Just then, another figure walked in. It was Yao Qi.
The moment Yao Qi entered, he glared at Gao Ming. "Gao Ming, you actually dare to come to my Yao Family. Good. Very good."
Gao Ming saw a flash of hatred in Yao Qi’s eyes, but it vanished in an instant. He calmed himself and replied slowly, "The Yao Family sent me an invitation. I wouldn’t dare refuse to come."
Yao Qi sneered, "Since you’re here today, let me tell you this: don’t even think about walking out of my Yao Family’s doors."
"Oh?" At that moment, Wen Qingye set down his teacup, looked at Yao Qi, and said, "Is that so?"
Yao Qi hadn’t noticed Wen Qingye at first. Now, hearing his voice, he turned to look at him. His eyes flew open, and his breathing grew ragged.
"Wen Qingye!" Yao Qi’s teeth were clenched, his voice seeming to squeeze out from between them.
Ever since word got out that Ling Xiao had bailed out Wen Qingye, Yao Qi had hated him to the bone.
Yao Qi’s eyes practically shot flames as he glared at Wen Qingye. Seeing this, Wen Qingye smiled faintly. "What’s this? Is your Yao Family planning to keep not only the Patriarch of the Gao Family, but me as well?"
Yao Luojun, however, was very calm. Never mind Wen Qingye’s own talent and current strength; just the man behind him, Jie Jiachun, was not someone the Yao Family could easily offend. And then there was the Eighth Prince, Ling Xiao, whose relationship with Wen Qingye also seemed to be extraordinary.
"Hmph! Wen Qingye, you passed up the path to heaven and chose to storm the gates of hell. Today..."
"Silence!" frёeωebɳovel.com
Yao Qi was about to say more when Yao Luojun suddenly roared. Yao Qi froze, momentarily unable to process what had happened.
Yao Luojun looked at Wen Qingye and smiled. "Young Master Wen, my son spoke rashly. Please don’t take offense."
Wen Qingye nodded. For some reason, as he looked at Yao Qi’s expression, he felt he had seen it somewhere before; it seemed very familiar.
Yao Luojun’s eyes darted as he looked at Wen Qingye, then he asked bluntly, "It seems Young Master Wen is here to stand up for the Gao Family?"
Wen Qingye’s expression remained unchanged as he replied, "When it comes to the right and wrong of certain matters, I don’t think I need to explain, do I?"
Yao Luojun chuckled softly. "All the inns my Yao Family operates in Phoenix City were senselessly vandalized. I believe this matter is related to Gao Li of the Gao Family, is it not?"
Hearing this, Wen Qingye’s brow twitched, and he glanced at Gao Ming beside him.
Seeing the look, Gao Ming hastily explained, "That was my son being young and ignorant, just causing trouble while drunk. I have already sent people to deliver a large amount of Primordial Stones as compensation."
"Compensation?" Yao Luojun sneered. "Can your compensation restore my Yao Family’s reputation? Can it cover the hidden losses my Yao Family has suffered?"
Gao Li had always been an unruly character, and incidents of him causing trouble while drunk were not at all uncommon.
"This..." Cold sweat poured down Gao Ming like rain. He stood there, completely at a loss.
Wen Qingye’s eyes narrowed. How could he not see that Yao Luojun was deliberately making things difficult?
Wen Qingye asked directly, "And what does Patriarch Yao propose?"
"We settle it with a martial duel," Yao Luojun said bluntly. "Both sides will sign a life-and-death contract."
"A deathmatch? For such a trivial matter, a deathmatch is necessary?" Hearing Yao Luojun’s words, all the color drained from Gao Ming’s face. He never imagined the Yao Family would raise such a fuss over something so minor as to demand a deathmatch. Gao Ming was well aware of his own strength; he wouldn’t be able to withstand a single blow from Yao Luojun.
Jie Jiachun’s brow furrowed tightly at the sight. ’Having been with the Yao Family for years, how could I not see Yao Luojun’s true meaning? This man plans to kill Wen Qingye! And he wants to do it openly and justifiably!’
A sudden glint appeared in Wen Qingye’s eyes, refracting a cold, ghostly light.
In that instant, Yao Luojun felt as if he had been plunged into an ice cellar. An uncontrollable tremor ran through his body, as if Wen Qingye had seen straight through to the deepest secrets of his heart.
Wen Qingye retracted his gaze and stood up. "Fine. I accept the deathmatch!"
Seeing that Wen Qingye had actually agreed, Gao Ming was stunned. He felt as if he had taken a heavy blow to the chest, and for a moment, he even stopped breathing.
