22 Disciplinary Actions

The bronze fox seal slammed into Long Ming's torso, his chest caved in, and he flew backward while spurting a large mouthful of blood. It wasn't that he didn't try to resist, but as a late stage Dao Revelation Immortal, his cultivation was far too low to resist a Grade Twelve Blood Artifact at full strength.

And this was precisely what Long Wei was afraid of. If Hou Hui's cultivation level was uncertain, what was certain was that their imperial uncle, the dragon clan's great elder and Yin-Yang God Zui Gao, fully protected him. What was also known was that Zui Gao was very fond of creating new artifacts and had crafted many cultivation methods for that purpose.

Long Wei didn't believe that his imperial uncle would let his most cherished and beloved nephew roam without a few powerful artifacts to protect him. This was the reason why he was never worried about Hou Hui. He was only worried about Long Ming because Long Ming was too rash and proud to accept certain realities.

Hou Hui, however, had stopped taking his youngest brother's character into account.

Because he was enraged.

*Bang*

Long Ming's body crashed into the opposing wall, and soon afterward, it limply slid down onto the ground.

Snapping out of his torpor he regained his consciousness and wits, then stood up.

And although blood still dripped from his lips, he roared.

"Hou Hui! This marriage was bestowed upon me by imperial mother! Yet, you actually have the nerves to interrupt it and use an artifact bestowed by imperial uncle to injure me? Do you still have the rules of the imperial family in your eyes?"

However, Hou Hui's response was much more direct. With a grasping motion the bronze fox seal flew back toward him, only to once more soar toward Long Ming with seemingly inexhaustible force.

"Hateful! Ten Thousand Sword incantation!"

Vast silver light erupted from Long Ming's body and turned into thousands of silver light swords which flew toward the artifact.

*BOOM*

But, it was to no avail. The swords couldn't stop its onslaught and collapsed in a haze of silver light. Unhindered, the artifact maintained its trajectory and crashed onto Long Ming's abdomen.

*Puff*

He spurted blood, flew right back into the wall he had crawled from and painted a new figure onto it.

"Insolence! You have nothing more than imperial mother's oral permission to marry Wu Shuang "if she's willing," yet you dare say that marriage was bestowed upon you? In front of the many immortals gathered here, let me make this clear. Wu Shuang are you willing?"

Long Ming turned his yearning and hopeful eyes toward Feng Wu Shuang whose aloof gaze had firmly locked onto him. However, her following words almost caused him to spurt blood.

"Never, ever."

*Puff*

Actually, he really did just spurt blood, teetered, and fell backward. His teeth were gritted to the point they gave the impression they could burst at any time while his nails were already digging through his palms and caused blood to slide from within his hands.

"Why!? I can give you anything. For you, there is nothing I cannot give up. Pride and dignity I put at your feet so why won't you even spare me one gentle glance? I don't understand…what does he have that I don't? Give me a reason!"

Long Ming howled.

Anger!

Rancor!

Sorrow!

All bloated within his heart and aimed at Hou Hui. He couldn't understand what was so special about him that all his efforts were nuked before they even set out. Not only Feng Wu Shuang but in his eyes, even their imperial father was no different. He had high expectations for Long Wei, so he diligently trained him. Hou Hui, however, was left alone and never bothered while he…he could only get abused at the slightest excuse.

Deep down, he only wished they could exchange places. To become Hou Hui and not ever have to worry about the cruelty of a whimsical father while still enjoying the love of Feng Wu Shuang. But Hou Hui he was not.

"You want a reason? Fine. I will not only give you one. I will give you several."

Feng Wu Shuang coldly began.

"You are egoistic."

"Self-centered."

"Rash."

"Impetuous."

"Have no respect for your elders."

"Obnoxiously arrogant."

"Possess the nasty tendency of believing the world ought to follow your immature will..."

The list just went on with each word thrashing Long Ming's heart while sapping the air out of his chest.

"…but most importantly, you are not him."

Long Wei's eyes twitched.

Feng Wu Chen sighed.

The immortals were slack-jawed.

Long Ming's damaged organs spiraled out of control, and a massive gush of blood sprang from his mouth.

And Hou Hui's face lit up with complacent glee.

"Fight…I must fight. Hou Hui if you have a modicum of courage, fight me without the artifact!"

He had suffered too many blows in such a short amount of time. If he couldn't vent the hatred within his heart, he would truly collapse.

"Oh? Ok, ok. Suppression!"

The bronze fox seal released bindings of white light which dived into Long Ming's body and tightened around his dantian. Quickly, he could feel his cultivation base being restricted. Leaving him no different than the mortals he so despised.

"You…shameless!"

Hou Hui, however, was undisturbed, puffed out his chest and shamelessly replied.

"How is that shameless? Didn't you say you wanted to fight me without the artifact? Good! The artifact stands aside. Fist against fist. Let's fight!"

The immortals were astonished. Could he get any more shameless? He had obviously used the artifact to seal Long Ming's cultivation base but was now acting proud and upright!

"Hoodlum. A true hoodlum."

Who first said that was unknown, but from that moment onward, Hou Hui would be known in immortal circles as the hoodlum prince.

*Smack*

Hou Hui grabbed Long Ming by the throat and, without restraint, smacked him across the cheek.

*Smack*

*Smack*

*Smack*

"Hou Hui, you despicable bastard! I will never forgive you!"

"Oh, you still want to fight? Truly, newborn calves are not afraid of tigers. See how your elder brother rectifies your insolence!"

*Smack*

*Smack*

*Smack*

A festival of face-smacking ensued, with a helpless Long Ming receiving the beating of a lifetime. While he was used to his imperial father's mistreatments, they were mostly verbal. Not often would he suffer such cruel abuse.

And quickly, his bravado was tamed.

"Stop…stop…imperial brother…please stop."

He struggled to say through his badly swollen and bloodied lips.

"Will you behave yourself from now on?"

"Behave…I…will behave."

"Good. Then imperial brother won't make things too difficult for you."

Hou Hui chortled and tossed Long Ming's frail body onto the ground. After which overtaken by exhaustion, Long Ming passed out.

Instantly the banquet hall became silent.

But then the clacking sound of footsteps echoed within the hall. Long Wei walked toward Long Ming's unconscious form to carefully raise and place him on his right shoulder.

"Imperial brother, welcome back."

And without another word, he left the banquet hall.

Seeing his departing form, many immortals were embarrassed. With the hosts gone, what were they now supposed to do?

The serpent clan, in particular, was irritated. This banquet whose primary purpose was to showcase the strong bond they still held with the imperial dragon clan had been turned into an embarrassing shitshow…by the imperial dragon clan.

Among them, however, one person was full of smiles. It was a young, scantily clad enchantress dressed in a close-fitting amethyst mini skirt that highlighted her luscious curves. She had long purple hairs falling on her bottom, violet slit eyes, ruby round lips, a slender waist, and mesmerizing long legs that invited crime and worship.

She was the seventh celestial fairy, the Serpent God's daughter and only child, Jiu Fang You.

"Hey, Long Ming, Long Ming. I never expected that you could have such a miserable day. Serves you right."

While she was supposed to be Ba Zu's fiancée, as a nascent gold digger, she was never satisfied with that state of things and wanted to obtain a much better future for herself. A future in the imperial family.

To that aim, she had targeted Long Ming. And as expected, he was a simple target who didn't have what it took to resist her wiles. However, the day he met Feng Wu Shuang, he never looked at her again. And unfortunately for her, the resentment she felt could only be swallowed…until today of course.

Her almond shaped eyes now locked on the last remaining imperial prince, Hou Hui.

"Top notch looks, an attitude that is perfectly to my liking, and pockets full of mighty artifacts."

She appraised, looking at him like stock on the market.

"Unfortunately, she's still in the way."

Although Long Ming had promptly ditched her for Feng Wu Shuang, Jiu Fang You didn't bear any severe grudge. After all, it wasn't her fault that Long Ming had eyes but failed to see.

Now, however, she was getting annoyed. Because she had already beaten her into grabbing what she now found to be excellent merchandise.

"Cleanse those thoughts. He is the person the empress most wants to kill. Although the Yin-Yang God favors and protects him, no one knows what will happen in the future."

The one who spoke was an androgynous young man endowed with extreme feminine beauty and iridescent cyan hairs. He was the seventh son of heaven, the Peacock God's son Kong Ren. And while he had no good will toward Long Ming, this really wasn't the place to take pleasure in his misfortune.

"I suppose you're right…"

In the meantime, Hou Hui had turned toward Feng Wu Shuang who without a second thought had wrapped her arm around his. And so, arm in arm, they too left the banquet hall.

Feng Wu Chen was clearly dissatisfied by the public display of affection which was bound to empower thoughts his father didn't want to entertain. Still, he said nothing, and also went on his way. The banquet could now be considered ended!

...

Silently, Hou Hui led Feng Wu Shuang toward his marble palace and upon reaching it, brought her into his chambers.

"Wu Shuang, I missed you."

He gently said while softly rubbing his forehead against hers.

"Right? Is that why you willingly spent almost half a year away from me? Because you missed me? Or did you need to learn how to miss me? I give you three breaths to say something clever. Otherwise…heh..."