AGM 0077 – Chu Tianjiao
Chu Ling and Mu Rou continued advancing on their horses, and they soon arrived in a vast, spacious field. The distant entrance was filled by armored soldiers standing on guard.
“Beyond that entrance should be the gardens of the Royal Palace.” Qin Wentian shifted his gaze over to the entrance. Most likely, the members of the Royal Clan would use this garden exit to enter into the hunting grounds.
“The esteemed 3rd prince as well as the Snowcloud Country’s respected guests have yet to arrive. Please wait outside for now.” A soldier approached and explained the situation politely to Chu Ling and Mu Rou. Afterwards, the two of them dismounted and waited outside the entrance.
“Why is the Snowcloud Country so proud?” Chu Ling asked somewhat unhappily.
“Well, they were invited over as guests. Let’s just wait for them patiently.” Mu Rou smiled. At this moment, others had also arrived, and they went forwards to greet Chu Ling and Mu Rou. The majority of the guests already knew each other before this, so although they were not very familiar with each other, they looked very harmonious together on the surface.
“Chu Ling,” At this moment, the sound of a voice drifted over. Chu Lin turned her gaze, and as she noticed the person who called her name out, a smile lit up on her face, “Ye Zhan, you came as well!”
“Of course.” Ye Zhan smiled and nodded. Shifting his gaze to the guard standing behind Chu Ling, he was shocked to find killing intent flickering in the cold gaze of the guard, who was staring daggers at him.
Obviously, Qin Wentian recognised Ye Zhan, someone that sought to kill him together with Orfon during the expedition in the Dark Forest.
Ye Zhan’s countenance froze, but he swiftly recovered. A shallow grin spread on his face.
“Qin Wentian.” Ye Zhan spat the name out, causing many to train their gazes upon his direction. Very swiftly, they all remembered where they had heard the name ‘Qin Wentian’.
A descendant of the fallen Qin Clan, a new student from the Emperor Star Academy, Orfon’s killer!
Chu Ling froze. She had never expected Ye Zhan to know who Qin Wentian was. Not only that, Ye Zhan had even shouted out the name in such a loud voice, causing her to be placed in a difficult position. The power her Violet Palace wielded couldn’t be compared to the power of the Ye Clan.
As Qin Wentian noticed Liu Yan and Liu Yue standing beside Ye Zhan, an uncomfortable feeling crept into his heart. That day, when he and Fan Le were avoiding the pursuit of Orfon and Ye Zhan, Qin Wentian had instructed Liu Yan not to say that they were acquainted so that she could avoid trouble.
But Qin Wentian had never predicted that Liu Yan, would actually stick together to Ye Zhan. Not only that, the relationship between them seemed somewhat intimate.
Ye Zhan noticed the direction of Qin Wentian’s gaze. He smiled as he pulled Liu Yan over to him. “Yan`er, you should have long been acquainted with Qin Wentian, right?”
Liu Yan had an extremely awkward expression on her face. After all, Ye Zhan wanted to kill Qin Wentian, she was already acquainted with Qin Wentian. Because Qin Wentian saved her, she felt good will towards him, and thus, she decided to keep the fact a secret.
“Yes.” Liu Yan lightly nodded her head shyly, as she smiled to Qin Wentian, “Thank you for saving me previously.”
“No need for thanks, treat it as though I’ve repaid your kindness in saving me.” Qin Wentian’s countenance was calm. As the saying goes, ‘Each to his own’. Liu Yan had the right to choose. Qin Wentian didn’t blame her, but he never would have expected for her to have chosen the person who wanted to kill him – Ye Zhan! This put him in a difficult position. What attitude should he adopt when dealing with Ye Zhan?
Even now, Qin Wentian believed that Liu Yan was the one who had saved him earlier.
“Hehe.” Ye Zhan’s laughter was laced with coldness. Shifting his gaze to Chu Ling, he inquired, “Chu Ling, Qin Wentian belongs to a traitorous clan, and not only that, he even killed Ye Mo and Ye Lang from my Ye Clan. You should know this, right?”
“This fellow.” Chu Ling cursed in a low tone as she continued, “I didn’t know he was Qin Wentian. He is merely a servant that was employed to guard me.”
“Servant? Oh, I see.” Ye Zhan sneered. Turning his gaze back to Qin Wentian, he continued, “So, you even lower yourself to be a servant. How befitting of someone of your status.”
“For the sake of sister Qin Yao, I must tolerate her.” Qin Wentian stated to himself. He had never thought that the character of this princess was so despicable.
Ye Zhan already guessed that the reason Qin Wentian was here today was for Qin Yao. But as a member of the Ye Clan, he already received some inside information on what was going to happen here today. Now that Qin Wentian delivered himself, Ye Zhan couldn’t help but to laugh coldly in his heart.
Holding Liu Yan’s hand, Ye Zhan led her away while laughing. At this moment, Chu Ling became to center of attention.
“Qin Wentian, leave now, this place is unsuitable for you.” Chu Ling felt the gazes of the crowd landing on her and couldn’t help but whisper to Qin Wentian in a low tone. “For the matters here today, I will explain to my friend. I don’t wish to help you any longer.”
Although the volume behind Chu Ling’s words wasn’t loud, the crowd could hear clearly what she had said. They now knew that Chu Ling was asked by someone else to bring Qin Wentian in here.
“As a disciple of the Emperor Star Academy, he doesn’t even have the qualifications to enter this place. This is the disparity between status.” Liu Yue gazed at Qin Wentian. He had already keenly felt the difference between his current and past lifestyle. In the Royal Capital, there was many differences in the ranks of aristocrats. Here, the weak would only be good for the strong. This was the stark reality.
“The Ye Clan is our only support.” Liu Yue silently stated in his heart. He whispered to Liu Yan, who was beside him, in a low tone. “Liu Yan, you know that Qin Wentian is interested in you. You better wake him up and draw a clear boundary henceforth.”
“I understand.” Liu Yan froze for a moment before lightly nodding her head.
After hearing Chu Ling’s words, Qin Wentian froze. This Chu Ling had already agreed to help, and even more, they’ve already come so far. At the last moment, she was going to rescind her help and not allow him to enter?
“How laughable. Goodbye.” Qin Wentian laughed coldly. It wasn’t that he had no temper, but to see Qin Yao, he had no choice but to control it. To think that now, Chu Ling would actually tell him to get lost at the very last moment.
“What kind of attitude are you showing me?” Chu Ling shouted coldly.
“If you didn’t agreed to help earlier, then that would’ve been it. But since you’ve already agreed, why did you rambled on and on, showing such a cold attitude and even treating me as a real servant? Who the hell do you think you are?” Qin Wentian coldly regarded Chu Ling with contempt. Immediately after, his body flickered, moving at inconceivable speed while exhibiting peerless exquisiteness. Since Chu Ling didn’t want to help, he would not stay on and beg. Qin Wentian would have to think of some other idea.
“Huh?” At this moment, as Mu Rou witnessed the movement techniques of Qin Wentian, her heart thumped wildly. She was extremely familiar with this movement technique.
Mu Rou sparred countless times against Qin Wentian in the Dreamsky Forest. How could she not be familiar with his movements!?
“It’s him.” Mu Rou’s heart quivered.
“Wait.” Mu Rou open her mouth to speak, causing Qin Wentian to halt in his steps as he turned and studied her.
“You can come in with me.” Mu Rou smiled towards Qin Wentian. Hearing this, he became filled with puzzlement.
“We are friends, are we not? Me bringing my friend to the banquet, there shouldn’t be a problem with this.” Mu Rou smiled beautifully. Qin Wentian widened his eyes in surprise, his heart filled with bewilderment. However, he understood that Mu Rou was helping him, and thus, he didn’t wish to be pretentious. Nodding his head at her, Qin Wentian stated, “Many thanks.”
“Mu Rou.” Chu Ling unhappily looked to Mu Rou. Didn’t Mu Rou’s action mean that she was slapping Chu Ling in the face?
“Chu Ling, I didn’t interfere in your decisions earlier. Now that I’ve decided to bring him in, the reason is not because I’m going against you, but because of my own reasons.” Mu Rou gazed at Chu Ling as she stated, hoping that Chu Ling would understand that Mu Rou wasn’t taking an aggressive stance.
“Is that so? But why do I feel that your actions are very intentional?” Chu Lin was extremely unhappy. “Mu Rou, I treated you as my friend, but you still do this to me? I’m so disappointed in you.”
After saying this, Chu Ling turned around and departed.
“Chu Ling.” Mu Rou still wanted to continue, only to hear Chu Ling once more, “No need to explain anymore. In the future, we will walk our own paths. Just treat it as though we were never friends”
Mu Rou’s countenance froze. As she turned, she only saw Qin Wentian, but she managed to still force out a smile. However, that smile was slightly tinged with bitterness.
“Chu Ling’s personality is just like this, so please don’t blame her.” Mu Rou explained to Qin Wentian. She then murmured to herself, “She will calm down after a few days and not be as angry towards me.”
Qin Wentian sighed in his heart. With anyone who was able to break their promise to a friend so easily, their moral standing could be seen quite easily from this. Mu Ruo had regarded Chu Ling too highly; Qin Wentian knew that Mu Rou was too kind in her heart.
Mu Rou didn’t even know who he was, but she immediately stood forth forwards and used the excuse of bringing a ‘friend’ to help him to gain access. Her actions were open, and she wasn’t afraid of offending others. Chu Ling was someone much more hypocritical in comparison.
At this moment, the soldiers guarding the garden’s entrance were dismissed, and the crowd began to enter the garden.
“Let’s enter.” Mu Rou smiled at Qin Wentian without revealing the fact that she already knew who he was. She felt awe in her heart. The person that had actually clashed with Yanaro was actually the Emperor Star Academy’s new student, Qin Wentian!
Qin Wentian entered the garden with Mu Rou. They were led to a lush, green landscape, where beautiful lakes adorned the landscape. In the center of this lush green landscape, a scrumptious banquet was prepared. However, the 3rd prince had not arrived yet, and thus, no one dare to enter.
Far off in the distance, a figure could be seen, slowly walking out of a pavilion.
This person was a youth wearing a simple and tidy attire. His figure well proportioned, with eyes filled with spirit. An extraordinary good-looking man with an extraordinary aura.
This youth’s eyes contained hints of laughter. His eyes seemed to sparkle with a spirit so intense that the light they emitted seemed capable of brightening up the entire atmosphere.
Beside him stood a youth whom Qin Wentian was acquainted with. This person was none other than the demon of the Emperor Star Academy – Luo Qianqiu!
Both of them walked side by side, disregarding status.
The two of them halted their steps after they exited the pavilion. Smiling, that extraordinary-looking youth glanced behind him, as though he was waiting for the appearance of an esteemed guest. A graceful figure walked forth, causing great shock to those in the crowd. The last person who walked out was, Qin Yao.
“The 3rd Prince, his Highness is here.”
“The 3rd Prince still looks as refined as ever, like a son the Heavens are proud of.”
The crowd all had smiles on their faces, and they involuntarily call out praises as the extraordinary youth walked near. The 3rd Prince, Chu Tianjiao, given the name of Tianjiao (Heaven’s Pride), was the prince with the highest chances of taking over the Chu Country. He was also in good graces with the current Emperor. Not only that, his talent was outstanding, and he was ranked 2nd among the Royal Capital ten prodigies.
Chi Tianjiao, the pride of heaven of this generation!
TN Note: 楚天骄 Chu Tianjiao, Chu is a surname, Tian = Sky/Heavens, Jiao = Pride/Arrogance