Firmament Sword

”Me? What does this have to do with me?” Huangfu Haoyue snorted, his voice menacing. ”I’m the victim here. You beat my attendant to within an inch of his life. This is the Imperial City, and I am a member of the Royal Family. I don’t care who you are—this time, you’re dead!”

”Oh? So now he’s just an attendant, not your brother?” Su Qianqian said, her voice laced with mock surprise. ”You really are a cold fish, aren’t you? You change your tune so quickly. Your ’brother’ is at death’s door, yet you don’t even bother to check on him? Instead, you’re just standing here spouting nonsense?”

”Little girl, if you know what’s good for you, leave now. Don’t assume people will fear you just because you have some backing,” Huangfu Haoyue said, looking at Su Qianqian with a meaningful tone. ”This isn’t your home, and the people here aren’t your parents. If you insist on being stubborn, I guarantee you’ll regret it.”

At this point, the young general realized things were not as he had imagined. Young Master Hao Yue seemed to know these two. And while his expression was full of disdain, the young general—who dealt with people from all walks of life day in and day out—could sense that Young Master Hao Yue was actually somewhat wary of this young man and woman!

’Wary?’ The rebuke the young general was about to shout died in his throat. A look of apprehension flashed in his own eyes.

’What kind of person could make even a Royal Family Descendant feel apprehensive?’

The young general didn’t dare to dwell on it. He was even starting to regret arriving so quickly. ’Why was I in such a hurry? Jumping in without understanding the situation first... a classic mistake!’

’I’ve always been so careful. This is the Imperial Capital, right under the Emperor’s nose. Any random person on the street could have an extraordinary background.’

Back when he was just an ordinary soldier in the City Guard Army, his seniors had constantly warned him to keep a low profile in the Imperial Capital. ’Even a homeless man might have some powerful figure you can’t afford to offend standing behind him!’

The young general had always heeded that advice. Perhaps things had just been going too smoothly for him lately. Upon seeing a member of the Royal Family, he had subconsciously assumed there was no status that could possibly compare.

He’d taken sides without thinking, and now it seemed he’d stirred up a real hornet’s nest!

”You’re a Royal Family Descendant and a disciple of a sect. Weren’t you so arrogant just a moment ago? Why do your words suddenly lack any conviction?” Su Qianqian said, looking at Huangfu Haoyue. ”Or is it that you’re afraid of me?”

Her words were utterly ruthless. Asking such a direct question in front of so many people left him with no way to save face. For someone like Huangfu Haoyue, who was proud to the core, it was absolutely intolerable.

”You think I’m afraid of you?” Huangfu Haoyue laughed, furious. He then turned to the young general at his side and said flatly, ”You’ve seen it. These two are unbelievably audacious, daring to threaten a Royal Family Descendant...”

The young general finally understood what was going on. He was so furious he started cursing internally.

’Huangfu Haoyue, you shameless bastard! Is it really appropriate for someone of your stature to plot against a minor officer like me?’ the young general thought, his expression remaining impassive.

He looked at Xu Luo, the handsome young man who had remained mostly silent, and asked, ”Is what Young Master Hao Yue says true? Is there anything you’d like to say?”

Xu Luo gave the young general, who had finally caught on, a pitying look. ”This matter is above your pay grade,” he said lightly. ”You should go. I’m not like certain people who are completely unscrupulous.”

”Xu Luo!” Huangfu Haoyue snapped. ”You owe me an explanation for what happened today!”

Huangfu Haoyue, however, failed to notice that the moment he called out that name, the young general’s body gave a violent shudder, and his expression turned incredibly grim.

’Xu Luo... so this steady young man who looked vaguely familiar is *the* Xu Luo!’ A tsunami of curses raged in the young general’s mind. He gritted his teeth and cupped his fist at Xu Luo. ”So it is the Second Young Master! My apologies for my offense! This lowly one will be sure to visit and apologize properly another day!”

With that, the young general turned and left, a look of utter disgust on his face. He didn’t even spare Huangfu Haoyue another glance.

As Huangfu Haoyue’s face turned pale with anger, a sense of alarm finally rose in his heart. The Sixth Prince had once told him not to provoke Xu Luo lightly.

In fact, it was precisely because of the Sixth Prince’s warning that the proud and arrogant Huangfu Haoyue had targeted Xu Luo in the first place.

Before today, he had never given Xu Luo a second thought. In terms of family background, he, Huangfu Haoyue, was a Royal Family Descendant whose father was a Prince. In terms of ability, he had entered a sect in his youth and now stood at the pinnacle of the mortal world’s martial prowess—and he was still far from his prime. In terms of backing, not only did he have his status as royalty, but he was also supported by an incredibly powerful sect!

Who in this mortal world did he need to fear? Even the reigning Emperor was just his older brother of the same generation!

His status was so revered, his power so immense, yet today, he had been humiliated by some unknown young general in the Imperial Capital!

That’s right. Huangfu Haoyue no longer felt it was Xu Luo who was humiliating him, because it seemed... the man actually had the right!

’But you, a petty officer in the City Guard Army... I call you General out of respect. If I didn’t respect you, you’d be nothing but a dog of the Royal Family... and you dare humiliate me?’

Veins throbbed on Huangfu Haoyue’s forehead as he stared coldly at the young general’s retreating back. Just then, Murong Feng, who had been carried over by the City Guard Army soldiers, finally regained consciousness. He was a miserable sight, moaning weakly and unable to even form words.

”You want an explanation? Haven’t I already given you one?” Xu Luo said with a smile, looking at Huangfu Haoyue with an innocent expression. ”The waters of the Imperial Capital run deep. Be careful where you tread.”

With that, he glanced at Su Qianqian. ”Are you coming or not?”

”Ah... I’m coming.” Su Qianqian rolled her eyes at Xu Luo and followed closely behind him.

The two of them swaggered off Cyan Dragon Avenue, leaving Huangfu Haoyue standing there, his eyes glinting with a cold and venomous light. But in the end, he said nothing more.

”Not bad at all. I didn’t realize you had some clout in the Imperial Capital,” Su Qianqian said, grinning at Xu Luo. Then she mumbled, ”The world of normal people is pretty exciting. Much more fun than my home!”

Xu Luo glanced at Su Qianqian. ”Do you have any idea how many ordinary people would kill to get into that ’boring’ home of yours? It’s a place they can only dream of.”

”Sigh, what’s so great about it? Only outsiders look up to it. I’ve never met anyone who actually lives there who’s particularly fond of it,” Su Qianqian said, before her expression turned blissful. ”I think my life right now is the best! See? When I eat, I don’t have to pay. When I shop, I don’t have to pay. And if anyone tries to bully me, I have a powerful bodyguard, so I don’t even need to lift a finger...”

”So, what you’re saying is I’m just like that guy from before? Your follower?” Xu Luo shot Su Qianqian a glare.

Su Qianqian giggled. ”I never said that.”

...

Inside Fengyue Building, Huangfu Haoyue drank sullenly, his face ashen. He had never suffered such a major defeat in his entire life.

His strength was inferior, his status couldn’t intimidate them, and in a battle of words... he was no match for that sweet-faced but sharp-tongued young woman.

What he found even more intolerable was that Murong Feng, his follower for many years, had his breastbone shattered by a single punch from Xu Luo. Although he had survived by a stroke of luck, he would be little more than a cripple from now on...

Huangfu Haoyue arranged for Murong Feng to be sent back to his family home in Ying City. Regardless of the circumstances, Murong Feng had followed him for many years. If he simply abandoned him, it would disillusion others who supported him.

A bitter resentment festered in Huangfu Haoyue’s heart, impossible to dispel. He downed cup after cup of wine in gloomy silence.

At the same time, he was waiting for the Sixth Prince to arrive.

His main purpose for leaving his sect and returning to the mortal world this time was to undergo a period of tempering.

For a sect disciple to achieve great mastery, they had to pass the trial of Mortal Heart Cultivation. If they became intoxicated by the mortal world and could not break free, their life’s achievements would go no further.

Only by breaking free from the secular world could one truly become that fish leaping from the water.

After that, the vast world would be theirs to explore!

Everyone understood this principle, but those who could truly enter the world and then emerge from it were incredibly rare—as scarce as a phoenix’s feather.

The reason, of course, was that the dazzling, hedonistic world was filled with too many irresistible temptations.

Many young people, before leaving their sects to temper their minds through worldly experience, would beat their chests and make grand claims. Most considered themselves transcendent masters for whom the trappings of the mortal world were beneath notice.

They held it all in contempt!

It was only after truly entering the mortal world and stumbling through it for a few years that they would discover their former selves had long since disappeared.

In their place was a person whose heart was filled with nothing but fame and fortune. Once they reached that point, it was nearly impossible to ever break free.

Initially, Huangfu Haoyue had viewed the secular world in the same way. He felt that his master, the Sect Leader, sending him back to the mortal world for tempering was completely unnecessary.

He came from an incredibly illustrious and wealthy background and had been exposed to the pinnacle of worldly riches since childhood. How could he possibly be tempted by such things?

Huangfu Haoyue remembered very clearly that his master had only said one sentence at the time.

”After you have tempered yourself in the secular world for a few years, if you can still return to me and say these same words, then... your future in this life will be limitless!”

Huangfu Haoyue recalled his master’s words, and a bitter, self-mocking smile touched his lips. ’How long has it been? And I’m already stained with the air of the mortal world—proud, arrogant, disdainful of everyone, looking down on worldly people. And look what happened. In the Imperial Capital, which I thought of as my own backyard... I suffered such a massive, easy defeat at the hands of someone I completely dismissed! Huangfu Haoyue, oh, Huangfu Haoyue, did you really think you were such a big shot?’

A cold glint flickered in Huangfu Haoyue’s eyes. ’Xu Luo,’ he murmured to himself, ’when you get down to it, I really ought to thank you...’