The Strongest Dandy in the City-Chapter 1275 - 1268: We Meet Again

The three individuals originally being pursued by the five Demon Wolves let out a heavy sigh of relief when they saw He Ping and his companions effortlessly dispatch the beasts. Without their intervention, it was certain they would have perished under the wolves’ claws sooner or later.

The young man, accompanied by two middle-aged men, approached Ye Chenfeng. After sincerely expressing his gratitude to Ye Chenfeng and his group, they introduced themselves.

The young man’s name was Zhao Qi, the Third Prince of Qi Yuan Country. This time, he’d been hunted down by men under his half-brother, the Crown Prince. Not long ago, the Crown Prince’s mother, the Empress of Qi Yuan Country, had poisoned Zhao Qi’s mother.

Upon learning of this, Zhao Qi secretly killed the Empress. However, the matter did not escape the notice of the Crown Prince and the Emperor of Qi Yuan Country. Consequently, Zhao Qi fled Qi Yuan Country under the cover of darkness, taking his sister with him.

The Crown Prince immediately sent people to give chase, refusing to let up. Two days ago, Zhao Qi’s sister was captured by the Crown Prince’s men, who issued an ultimatum: Zhao Qi must return to Qingyuan City within three days, or his sister would come to harm. Left with no choice, Zhao Qi headed for Qingyuan City.

The journey required crossing the Beicang Mountain Range, resulting in many of Zhao Qi’s men either dying or being injured. In the end, only two Spirit Communication Realm first-stage experts, the strongest among his subordinates, survived.

Tomorrow was the final deadline. Zhao Qi dearly loved his sister, so he was determined to reach Qingyuan City by then.

After listening to Zhao Qi’s account, Ye Chenfeng furrowed his brow and said, "We’ve just met, haven’t we? Why are you explaining all of this to me? It seems to me that you want our help, right?" freewēbnoveℓ.com

Exposed by Ye Chenfeng’s words, Zhao Qi’s expression turned awkward. Indeed, he hoped Ye Chenfeng and his group would help him. Zhao Qi could see that Ye Chenfeng was at the Peak of the Spirit Communication Realm fourth stage, and He Ping and the others were no weaklings either. In his view, with their assistance, the Crown Prince of Qi Yuan Country could undoubtedly be killed, and his sister rescued.

Yet Ye Chenfeng had no interest in getting involved in such matters. His current objective was White Snow Villa, which happened to be near Qingyuan City. Thus, Ye Chenfeng was incidentally heading in the same direction as Zhao Qi and his group.

Ye Chenfeng shook his head and said, "I also need to go to Qingyuan City this time. You can travel with us, but you’ll have to handle your own affairs."

Ye Chenfeng and Zhao Qi were merely strangers who had crossed paths. Saving Zhao Qi’s life was already a significant gesture; involving himself further in his affairs was out of the question. If Ye Chenfeng were to concern himself with every injustice in the world, he’d never have time to accomplish anything. Besides, his purpose for coming to the Earth Profound Realm was of great importance. He needed to seize every moment to enhance his strength.

Hearing Ye Chenfeng’s direct refusal, Zhao Qi’s face showed disappointment. He said, "I’m sorry for being presumptuous. I will remember the life-saving kindness you’ve shown me, seniors."

In the Earth Profound Realm, strength was paramount. Thus, although Ye Chenfeng’s group was younger than Zhao Qi, he referred to them as seniors out of respect for their power.

The night passed without incident.

At daybreak the next morning, Ye Chenfeng and his party continued their journey. Zhao Qi and his two companions followed closely behind; traveling with Ye Chenfeng provided them much-needed safety.

The Earth Profound Realm housed countless small nations, and Qi Yuan Country was no more than an insignificant speck among them.

As the sun set, dyeing the horizon crimson with twilight, Ye Chenfeng and his group successfully traversed the Beicang Mountain Range. In the distance, a city slowly came into view.

When Ye Chenfeng and the others approached, they saw a large military presence stationed outside the city gate. The soldiers, whose strength ranged from the Innate Realm to the Sky-Breaking Realm, stood in dense ranks.

At the front of the formation were two crimson-red steeds. Mounted on the horses were a middle-aged man and a youth who bore a strong resemblance to Zhao Qi. The middle-aged man was the Emperor of Qi Yuan Country, Zhao Qianlong, while the youth was the Crown Prince, Zhao Hua. Clearly, these individuals were awaiting Zhao Qi’s arrival.

Realizing that Ye Chenfeng’s group would likely not intervene, Zhao Qi quickened his pace, leading his two companions to the city gates.

Staring at the mounted Crown Prince Zhao Hua, Zhao Qi demanded, "I have returned to Qingyuan City. Where is my sister?"

Zhao Hua sneered, "Zhao Qi, is this the tone you use to address me? You killed my mother, fled Qi Yuan Country, and became a traitor to the nation. As for your sister, I’ve agreed to marry her off to the Crown Prince of a neighboring country. Tomorrow, she will be sent there. I’ve heard that the prince has a particular fondness for women, so I’m sure your sister will please him greatly."

"Zhao Hua, you bastard!" Zhao Qi clenched his fists tightly. Looking toward Emperor Zhao Qianlong, he pleaded, "Father, it was Zhao Hua’s mother who struck first against mine. Surely, you must be aware of this! None of this is my fault. Can’t you at least handle this fairly?"

Zhao Qianlong snorted coldly and said, "Zhao Qi, you are no longer part of Qi Yuan Country, nor are you my son. Your mother was nothing but a lowly woman. If she hadn’t carried you in her womb, do you think I would have brought her into the palace?"

"And yet, you killed the current Empress, my lawful wife. Both you and your sister must bear the consequences. This place will be your grave."

Turning his attention to the two Spirit Communication Realm experts beside Zhao Qi, Zhao Qianlong added, "Do the two of you also wish to die along with him? The Young Master of White Snow Villa is currently in Qingyuan City. With his abilities, if you continue to protect Zhao Qi, you’ll only end up dead."

The Crown Prince Zhao Hua chimed in, "I have already been accepted as an outer disciple of White Snow Villa. Under my leadership, Qi Yuan Country will flourish even more. Once I’ve officially become part of White Snow Villa, I can help you two grow even stronger. You can still pledge your loyalty to me."

The two Spirit Communication Realm experts beside Zhao Qi hesitated. In the Earth Profound Realm, strength equated to dignity and worth. Who among them didn’t aspire to become more powerful, and who could claim they weren’t afraid to die?

Faced with death and the prospect of greater benefits, the two experts hesitated no longer. After apologizing to Zhao Qi, they walked toward Zhao Hua, bowing respectfully. "Crown Prince, from now on, we pledge our allegiance to you."

Seeing his only two remaining subordinates defect, Zhao Qi felt both indignant and hopeless. At that moment, a young man in a white robe emerged from Qingyuan City. His complexion was unnaturally pale, and his appearance gave off an unsettling vibe. This was Liu Wuyuan, Young Master of White Snow Villa.

Meanwhile, Ye Chenfeng’s group, still some distance away, clearly heard Zhao Qi’s conversation and witnessed Liu Wuyuan step out from the city gates. Realization dawned on Ye Chenfeng: Qingyuan City’s proximity to White Snow Villa meant Qi Yuan Country was likely a vassal state of the villa.

It seemed Ye Chenfeng had no choice but to involve himself in this situation, despite his earlier reluctance. Picking up his pace, Ye Chenfeng approached the city gates and spoke with a mocking tone, "We meet again."

Startled by Ye Chenfeng’s voice, Liu Wuyuan looked over and froze momentarily. He hadn’t expected to encounter Ye Chenfeng here. Quickly recovering, Liu Wuyuan’s face twisted into a sinister smile. "Yes, it seems we do," he replied.

Seeing that Ye Chenfeng knew the Young Master of White Snow Villa, Zhao Qi wondered if there might be a chance for Ye Chenfeng to speak on his behalf. After all, Qi Yuan Country was merely a vassal state of White Snow Villa, and even an ordinary disciple of the villa commanded deference from the Emperor himself.

If Ye Chenfeng had a good relationship with Liu Wuyuan, killing the Crown Prince Zhao Hua—or even Emperor Zhao Qianlong—would be as easy as uttering a single word.

...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)