Chapter 98

Chapter 98 - Hunting (Part One)

Since most sixteen-year-olds were already wed, nearly all youths under that age joined the hunt, with Teng Yu being the eldest.

Teng Yu and Yin Xu lingered at the rear of the procession. As others rushed into the mountain, they remained unhurried on the level ground. Finnd new stories at novelhall.com

“What rank of commander?” Yin Xu queried, observing the spirited youths.

“In the army, the commander holds the third rank. However, the emperor referred to the palace commander, overseeing the imperial guard. Numerous individuals occupy this role,” explained Teng Yu.

“Would the imperial guard, predominantly from esteemed lineages, readily obey these youngsters' orders?”

“Aptitude determines acceptance. The Emperor prioritizes capability. Many commanders vie for position annually. Public opinion weighs heavily,” Teng Yu remarked.

Yin Xu smirked sinisterly. “Looks like I'll need to exert myself.”

“You aim to enter the palace?” Teng Yu reined in, grasping Yin Xu's arm in surprise.

“Is it not simpler than heading to the northwest battlefield? It's the swiftest way out of this predicament, plus the palace offers advantages,” Yin Xu reasoned.

“The palace may harbor more dangers than the battlefield. It devours without remnant. Your youth and inexperience concern me. I'd be uneasy if you ventured there,” Teng Yu cautioned.

Yin Xu's expression turned peculiar. Limited experience? Was Teng Yu referring to him?

He clapped Teng Yu's shoulder earnestly. “By age, I could be your great-grandfather! And you should worry about those in the palace.”

Teng Yu scrutinized Yin Xu, seeking traces of his grandfather's demeanor. Alas, having never met his own grandfather, how could he identify ancestral qualities?

Leaning closer to Yin Xu, he queried, “What manner of being are you? Is this body Huo Tian's? Is it possession?”

Yin Xu pushed him away gently. “I'm a celestial who descended to the mortal realm. Huo Tian is deceased.”

Teng Yu tightened his grip, questioning, “Borrow? Do you intend to reclaim it?”

Yin Xu, amused by Teng Yu's anxiety, replied, “Mortals perish eventually. My demise would naturally equate to repayment.”

“Then we'll discuss this postmortem!” Teng Yu hoisted Yin Xu onto his horse, embracing him tightly. “You'll outlive me!”

“Naturally!” Yin Xu exuded confidence. To him, decades were but fleeting.

They ambled along the mountain path, indifferent to passing wildlife. Their purpose seemed less about hunting and more about communing with nature.

Huo Yiloong pursued a deer through the forest, swiftly taking aim as it emerged from the foliage.

Sensing imminent danger, the deer bolted from its position. But with Huo Yiloong's archery skills, evasion seemed futile.

Oddly, though the arrow struck, no sound echoed, and the deer, unharmed, vanished into the forest.

“What beast should I fear?” The young man managed to disentangle the whip from his neck, gasping for air, he queried, “Cough, cough... What do you want from me?”

Yin Xu approached from behind and rummaged through the bag on the youth’s horse. He found a fresh wild boar leg along with some wild chickens and rabbits.

Seizing the moment of distraction, Yin Xu swiftly claimed the bag for himself and brazenly declared, “Consider these a tribute to the Third Prince from you.”

The young man stood speechless, only realizing what happened when he saw the bag now secured on Yin Xu's back, “Wait! How is this different from outright theft?”

Yin Xu offered a slight smile, “Wasn't it clear I was stealing from you?” With that, he sealed the bag and motioned Teng Yu to move on to their next target.

Though slow to react, the young man was no pushover. He blocked Yin Xu's way and mocked, “Seventh Young Master Huo, do you intend to win the contest through such tactics? This amounts to deceiving the emperor!”

“Did our lord explicitly forbid stealing prey? Did Jun Mo Xie mandate that we must hunt personally?” Yin Xu shrugged, “If it wasn't specified, then how does the crime of deceiving the emperor arise?”

“You're twisting logic!”

“Indeed, I am. I confess to that. So, what are you going to do about it?” Yin Xu challenged, successfully riling him up.

Stealing was a skillful act. Yin Xu chose not to exploit his identity as Teng Yu to intimidate others but instead resorted to physical force to take what he wanted. He suspected the Emperor’s intent behind the contest was not merely to judge archery prowess.

“You've crossed the line!” He swiftly pulled a sharp arrow from his quiver and launched it at Yin Xu without hesitation.

Yin Xu reclined on his horse, narrowly evading the arrow. As he righted himself, his opponent was already swinging a large sword at him.

The blade still bore bloodstains, clearly from earlier in the hunt.

Yin Xu countered with his palm, striking the sword’s surface forcefully. The sword snapped in two, its freshly exposed edges dark and jagged.

The young man was stunned to see his blade break before it even struck, a blade that had been with him since he began learning martial arts, now bested by a young man's bare hand.

He questioned whether the pride his father had shown when presenting him the sword was just pretense. What happened to the promised prized weapon?

Unaware of the turmoil in the youth's heart, Yin Xu bluntly asked, “Do you still wish to continue the fight?”

Defeated, the youth discarded the broken sword, his expression one of despair. “Unless you end my life today, I will expose your actions to His Majesty!”

“I fear no one discovering my actions. Speak freely!” Yin Xu scoffed, unlike these naive youths who believed the Emperor would always act justly. Perhaps the Emperor relished the spectacle of internal conflict.

Furious to the point of steaming, the youth couldn’t stand losing to someone like Ye Zichen, who had slain his game.

“Just you wait!” With those bitter words, the youth spurred his horse and fled.

Yin Xu called after him, “I'll be ready anytime! And bring more people; it saves me the trouble of tracking them down individually!”

Teng Yu watched him go and chuckled, shaking his head, “Better be quick. Once he spreads the word about you, the rest of us might just have to chase you out.”

Imagining himself encircled by a hundred and eighty young warriors, Yin Xu laughed. He saw no harm in mocking a group of mere children.