Chapter 104: Demon King
Translator: YH Editor: Pranav
Duanmu Huanghun’s sharp gaze swept across the entire hall as he nonchalantly walked towards the seat of honor.
Everyone’s eyes were focused on Yu Ziyi who was sitting on that seat. The Yu family was an illustrious family as well, and its prominence was such that even Wu Qirong had to curry favor with Yu Ziyi.
The Yu family had produced three grandmasters throughout its 800-year family history—an average of one every two hundred years. What was more impressive was that the three of them had imparted three entirely different absolute arts to the family.
Outsiders were simply unable to imagine just how vast the knowledge left behind by three grandmasters was.
The Yu family had its roots firmly planted in the Avalon of Five Elements; all of its successive heads of the family were extraordinary individuals. Most of the top-tier influential families of today had been involved in the founding of the Avalon of Five Elements. The Yu family was one of those handful of families who managed to sustain their power till today.
Yu Ziyi was young, but he was ranked high in the Yu family’s hierarchy. He was recognized as being immensely gifted and was slated as a possible candidate for becoming the Yu family’s fourth grandmaster.
Wu Qirong had spent a lot of effort to curry favor with Yu Ziyi.
Several guests were smiling grimly, unsure of what was about to happen. The Yu family was renowned throughout the Avalon of Five Elements—just who was this new guest who dared to try something like that? Yu Ziyi wasn’t exactly known for being amiable or modest either.
He gave off an air of aloofness and arrogance, and his face was cold—he hadn’t so much as smiled since the meal started. Those who were familiar with Yu Ziyi knew that he was definitely someone who wouldn’t hesitate to fight over the slightest disagreements.
The other party seemed to be someone with a background too. With two tigers in the cage, there was bound to be a good show.
Yu Ziyi pushed his chair back and stood up, his face expressionless.
The guests had become agitated, but they all tactfully remained silent. Yu Ziyi had a profound knowledge of his family’s teachings but rarely demonstrated these skills in front of others. The few instances where they had seen bits of his skills had left them feeling bewildered.
The atmosphere was electric as their eyes locked.
The tension at the dining table ran high as the guests continued to sit in an uncomfortable silence.
Suddenly, Yu Ziyi bowed at the waist and affectionately exclaimed, “Brother Huanghun!”
Everyone’s eyes opened wide, dumbstruck by what they had just witnessed.
Yu Ziyi helped Duanmu Huanghun get seated, warmly saying, “Please take a seat Brother Huanghun. If I knew you were coming, I’d have gone to fetch you!”
Hearing Yu Ziyu address the guest in such a humble manner almost made the others spit out their food. Confused expressions could be seen across the entire table. Was this really the unfeeling and arrogant Yu Ziyu that they knew?
Duanmu Huanghun nodded towards Yu Ziyu. “Your base level has increased quite a bit; it seems like you haven’t been wasting all your time gallivanting.”
Feeling wronged, Yu Ziyu immediately whined, “Brother, your words really hurt! I’ve been hard at work from dawn till dusk, trying to catch up with Brother Huanghun. If not for Little Wu I wouldn’t be out here today.”
“Yes, that’s true,” Wu Qirong hurriedly verified Yu Ziyu’s words. “Young Master Yu has practically been in seclusion these days.”
Duanmu Huanghun sat down in a dignified manner. When he saw that everyone else was still standing up by the table, he said indifferently, “Do sit down.”
Everyone sat down subconsciously as if they had just awoken from a dream.
Some of the more quick-witted guests had begun to deduce Duanmu Huanghun’s identity. The name “Huanghun” was, after all, rather unique. Being in the same social circle made it all the easier, and soon, everyone knew who this godlike person was. They now understood why Wu Qirong and Young Master Yu would behave as such.
Duanmu Huanghun! The top talent in the Duanmu family! The one who had just been accepted by Master Dai Gang as his last disciple!
The Duanmu family was one of the oldest and most powerful families of the Avalon of Five Elements. Members of such families were far beyond the reach of folks lower down in the hierarchy.
While they may not be adept at much, these rich and good-for-nothing playboys were highly social and were privy to all sorts of gossip. Upon learning of his identity, they quickly recalled several fear-inducing rumors about Young Master Duanmu.
Before he had entered the Induction Ground, Young Master Duanmu was notorious for being utterly vicious.
Yu Ziyi was always on edge around Duanmu Huanghun. The Yu Family and the Duanmu Family were related by marriage and were, as such, very familiar with each other.
Yu Ziyi had known Duanmu Huanghun since they were kids. Although Duanmu Huanghun was younger than him, Yu Ziyi was forced to address Duanmu Huanghun as his elder from the moment they first met. However, Yu Ziyi had refused to do so, thus beginning his days of being beaten up.
The only thing that made Yu Ziyi glad was the fact that he wasn’t the only one had been beaten up. All the other members of both families, who were of the same generation as them, were beaten up by Duanmu Huanghun as well.
This went on to such an extent that those who were beaten up eventually decided to join hands and attack Duanmu Huanghun. However, despite uniting against a common enemy, they were still beaten badly.
From then on, Duanmu Huanghun was unanimously addressed as Brother Huanghun.
However, that was not all. After that fight, Duanmu Huanghun began to show more interest in training, eventually becoming madly obsessed with it.
Everyone was initially happy that they were no longer oppressed by the Demon King’s presence. Little did they know that the true nightmare was about to begin.
Duanmu Huanghun’s all-consuming obsession resulted in him thrashing anyone whom he saw not training. Yu Ziyi was once caught by Duanmu Huanghun while he was playing around. Duanmu Huanghun had dragged him in front of his father after giving him a good thrashing.
With a stern expression on his face, Duanmu Huanghun had reported to Yu Ziyi’s father, “Uncle Yu, I cannot bear to see Ziyi wasting his time like this, so I beat him up.”
Yu Ziyi’s father had stroked Duanmu Huanghun’s head gently and had said, “You’re so sensible, Huanghun! You did the right thing! Please help me give Ziyi a good thrashing if you catch him slacking off again, alright?”
Following that exchange, Duanmu Huanghun had happily returned to his training.
Yu Ziyi was then severely beaten by his father behind closed doors.
That scoundrel Duanmu Huanghun made use of his good looks to cajole the young ladies of other households into keeping watch for him. Oh gosh! Those nightmarish days were simply unbearable. Duanmu Huanghun was adored by the elder generation who saw him as an individual with a penchant for leadership.
In the past, the good-for-nothing youths of the influential families would give all sorts of excuses to avoid going to the Induction Ground.
Yu Ziyi and the others of his generation were, however, very eager to enter the Induction Ground as soon as possible, praying that they could escape from the demon king as early as two years ahead of schedule.
Their wishes were eventually realized when they finally entered the Induction Ground. Yu Ziyi enjoyed a good two years free from the oppressive reign of the demon king.
Just as he had left those dark days in the past, Duanmu Huanghun had suddenly appeared before his eyes. The very sight of him left Yu Ziyi’s face frozen in fear. Thankfully, he had made some progress in the past two years and was able to prevent his legs from trembling. Those horrifying memories suddenly began to surface in his consciousness—he soon realized that this was the year Duanmu Huanghun was going to enter the Induction Ground.
The good old days were over!
All he wanted to do now was escape this place. Why did he even attend this dinner? Duanmu Huanghun had become even more powerful now, and coupled with his greater prestige, he was bound to make life a living hell for Yu Ziyi in the years to come.
Wu Qirong!
You’ve gotten me in trouble!