Chapter Fifty-Two: The Stone in the Path

This was within my expectations.

Listening to Su Ziye’s words, Liu Ru showed no trace of surprise. Or perhaps she had grown accustomed to this youth’s composure and unfailing foresight; as long as everything remained within his calculations, there would be almost no room for error.

“What should I do next?” Liu Ru asked. “That person called Bei Zhou challenged me during the day. How should I handle it?”

“That?” Su Ziye lowered his head and smiled, then looked up at Liu Ru. “It’s already been dealt with.”

“All you need to focus on now is the second trial the day after tomorrow.”

…

…

Binshan Villa.

Xi Ye stood in the courtyard, quietly listening to his subordinate’s report, and finally frowned. “You’re saying Liu Ru released the Golden Blaze in the examination hall?”

“All the examinees present saw it; it’s no secret,” the subordinate replied calmly.

“Golden Blaze…” Xi Ye sighed softly. “Even I can’t be sure now whether Liu Ru is Xiao Qi or not.”

“And intelligence on Su Ziye?” Xi Ye continued.

“There’s nothing on that front. Su Ziye passed the first trial at remarkable speed—no one even caught a glimpse of him,” the subordinate said in a low voice. “But on June 4th, at Karotes’ invitation, Liu Ru visited Yeyue Academy and met him atop the Sun Tower. I suspect Liu Ru and Karotes made some kind of deal.”

“Karotes is not within our immediate concern,” Xi Ye shook his head. “Xiao Qi is too well hidden. Even if he leaks his whereabouts purposefully or inadvertently, it’s still hard to pinpoint his exact location.”

“I’ve heard rumors of a dark force in this city with malice toward both myself and Xiao Qi.” Xi Ye turned to the man behind him. “Jin, what do you think?”

The man addressed as Jin didn’t answer immediately. He fell silent for a moment before speaking. “I know nothing of this for now, but if you need, Your Highness, I can go to the Western Quarter to gather intelligence.”

“After all, for the Sterling Empire, this city on the world’s westernmost edge is a place our reach can hardly touch.”

“No need for such trouble,” Xi Ye shook his head. “In the whole land, those with both the strength and daring to act can be counted on one hand. To sum up, it’s just Dark Star, the Western Quarter, and Azure Wing.”

“This time, Azure Wing sent that youth called Bei Zhou, the Western Quarter are the hosts here and wouldn’t want trouble in their own domain unless there’s immense gain, while Dark Star is our Sterling Empire’s ally. That’s why, when I came here, I never expected any surprises.”

“Then why does Your Highness suddenly feel uneasy?” Jin asked.

“Xiao Qi warned me,” Xi Ye replied plainly.

“Seventh Prince?” Jin was a little surprised. “When?”

“No need to worry about that,” Xi Ye shook his head. “He used rather secretive means, so I never met him face to face, nor do I know when he left those warnings. But he never acts without reason. If there truly is danger, then the greatest threat must come from Dark Star.”

His voice suddenly turned grave. “Perhaps that dark star is no longer such a reliable ally.”

“In Yeyue City, no power can act openly. The Dean is ever present here,” Jin looked at his prince. “Even the Seventh Prince’s motives may not be so simple.”

“At least until now, he hasn’t told Your Highness why he left so resolutely.”

“My trust in him may be hard for you to understand,” Xi Ye gazed quietly at the sky, “but I know, and I still believe.”

“He would never harm me.”

…

…

“Golden Blaze.” Bei Zhou, his black hair falling over his brow, muttered the words. “Is it credible?”

“Absolutely. There were many witnesses,” someone answered from the shadows.

“So Liu Ru is a member of that clan?” Bei Zhou rubbed his forehead in silence. “That makes her origins easy to trace. In the past five years, how many royal members of Sterling have left Zhan Ge City?”

“Only two are of matching age,” replied the voice in the shadows. “One is confirmed to be in Yeyue City, the other is suspected.”

The voice hesitated. “Even so, young master, do you still wish to challenge Liu Ru?”

There was implication in his words, but he didn’t make it plain.

“You think I am no match for the Sterling prince?” Bei Zhou said angrily. “But it was he who provoked us first.”

“I didn’t order his death, yet he stole our spirit artifact. This must be settled, and I choose the simplest way.”

“Even if I fail, it is my own choice.”

“If you have so decided, Your Highness…” The voice in the shadows trailed off, as if forcibly cut short.

Bei Zhou grew instantly alert. “Who’s there!”

He shouted sharply into the darkness.

“No need to be tense, classmate Bei Zhou,” a gentle yet unfamiliar voice came quietly from the dark.

A figure stepped forth, dragging a bloodied corpse in his right hand.

“Allow me to introduce myself—I am Mo Yun.” The man smiled and greeted Bei Zhou, setting down the corpse. “I’ve come to ask for an explanation.”

Mo Yun was impeccably dressed in a gray pinstripe suit, every detail in place. He greeted Bei Zhou with grace and gentleness, yet in his hand was still a body, warm with fresh death.

Bei Zhou looked at him in silence for a moment. “What does Dark Star mean by this?”

“As I said,” Mo Yun replied, “I’ve come to demand an explanation.”

“What explanation?” Bei Zhou asked. Even now, facing danger, he didn’t show panic.

“Just yesterday,” Mo Yun said, “one of my subordinates was killed.”

“Here, in this city.”

“You distributed so many virtual seeds in Yeyue City. Isn’t it normal for deaths to occur?” Bei Zhou retorted coldly.

“She was my secret agent tailing Liu Ru,” Mo Yun said unhurriedly. “But the weapon that killed her was Winter’s Song.”

“So you suspect me?” Bei Zhou laughed aloud. “I forgot to tell you—Winter’s Song was stolen the day before yesterday, and the thief was none other than Liu Ru.”

“So you’ve been played for a fool, do you understand!”

“Winter’s Song isn’t in your hands?” This time, Mo Yun was genuinely surprised.

Such a change of ownership, even Dark Star couldn’t possibly know immediately, and Bei Zhou certainly wouldn’t spread such family disgrace.

“Do you understand now? You’ve been toyed with,” Bei Zhou sneered. “A petty trick, and you’re already dancing in their palm. Yet you’ve killed my people—how will you apologize?”

“Apologize?” Mo Yun smiled at Bei Zhou. “We of Dark Star never apologize.”

“Then it must be washed away with blood,” Bei Zhou said coldly. “Azure Wing never forgets.”

“This had nothing to do with you, yet you insist on interfering.” Mo Yun sighed, looking at Bei Zhou. “Yeyue City does not welcome outsiders these days.”

“I never knew Dark Star could be so arrogant.” Bei Zhou felt a chill settling in his heart.

Now that it was clear this was all a misunderstanding, why was Mo Yun still so aggressive?

It showed the man was utterly fearless.

“Enough. Let me tell you the truth,” Mo Yun smiled and looked at Bei Zhou. “I am here under orders to kill both Your Highnesses.”

“Your Highnesses?” Bei Zhou’s expression changed at once.

He finally understood Mo Yun’s attitude.

“Both are princes of the Sterling Empire—one the seventh in line, the other the fourth,” Mo Yun continued. “The Fourth Prince is already in our grasp, a caged bird. As for the Seventh Prince, we’ve been tracking him all along.”

“And today, we received information about him.”

“The first piece: Liu Ru released the Golden Blaze, unique to the Sterling royal family, during the third trial at Yeyue. That should have confirmed her identity, but we believe the Seventh Prince would never be so foolish.”

“The second piece is related: my subordinate, who was tailing Liu Ru, was killed with Winter’s Song. That drew my attention to you, classmate Bei Zhou.”

“So, let me propose a bold idea.” Mo Yun gazed at Bei Zhou, like a fox eying its prey.

“Could you be the Seventh Prince?”

“You speak nonsense!” Bei Zhou replied in fury.

He realized now that Mo Yun, having revealed so much, had no intention of letting him live.

In other words, since Dark Star had decided to turn Yeyue City into the tomb of these two princes, all extraneous variables must be eliminated.

And he, present at the heart of the matter, had become the stone in their path.

“So, killing you will provide clarity,” Mo Yun said, raising his right hand.

“Break!”

In that instant, the air around Bei Zhou compressed, squeezing him as if to pulp, a prison built of uncountable stone walls. Bei Zhou spat blood and, dropping abruptly, broke free from the cage, transforming into a blur as he charged at Mo Yun.

Mo Yun calmly raised his palm and caught Bei Zhou’s punch.

The force exceeded Mo Yun’s expectations, sending him back a full ten feet, but even as Bei Zhou landed a hit, he wasted no time and turned to leap for the window behind him.

He knew that if he could reach the street, and attract the attention of the Snow Burial Society, no one could kill him so easily under their watchful eyes.

But Mo Yun did not stop him—he only laughed, a mocking sound, from afar.

Bei Zhou crashed through the window, but felt no glass nor wood splinter. It was as if he had broken through a thin paper screen, and then began to fall.

A chill seized Bei Zhou’s heart.

He looked back—he was plummeting into a bottomless abyss.

“Mo Yun!” Bei Zhou roared in near-rage. He hadn’t expected the other’s intent to kill was so absolute, that the trap had been set from the very start.

“It’s quiet here—we can have a proper duel,” Mo Yun’s voice came from above, as he leapt down and landed ahead of Bei Zhou.

“You don’t have to kill me,” Bei Zhou said. “I hold a significant status in Azure Wing. If you imprison me, you can ransom me for a fortune after your mission is done.”

“That would be Dark Star’s ransom. What does that have to do with me, Mo Yun?” Mo Yun smiled. “I care only about completing my mission, and to do that, I must eliminate every variable.”

“And you, undeniably, are a variable.”

“You’re that confident you can kill me?” Bei Zhou said coldly.

Mo Yun smiled and extended his hand, a grayish crystal orb appearing in his palm.

“So it is you,” Bei Zhou said, staring at Mo Yun.

Back in the Hall of Stars, they had exchanged brief words. He’d suspected Mo Yun’s identity, but never confirmed it—until now.

“Today, I saw the vision of your death before me. That is why I came,” Mo Yun said calmly. “Is that reason enough?”

The Eye of the Seer could glimpse brief flashes of the immediate future, at the cost of one’s luck for the entire day. Since Mo Yun had seen this future, he came here without hesitation, not even caring whether Bei Zhou truly was the Seventh Prince.

A mere suspicion was enough.

“Perhaps your luck was exhausted in that very moment,” Bei Zhou retorted, discarding all illusions. He had been in his own stronghold, almost unarmed, while Mo Yun arrived fully prepared.

But even so, he would prove that Azure Wing’s honor was not to be trifled with.

“Kneel,” Mo Yun commanded coldly.

In that instant, the pressure around Bei Zhou forced him to the ground.

“Impossible!” Bei Zhou shouted in fury.

He couldn’t imagine someone could reach such a level.

“You know nothing of Dark Star,” Mo Yun said with a smile.

“Farewell.”

He closed his fist.

In the next moment, Bei Zhou was crushed before his eyes, bursting into a cloud of blood and mist.