A Most Humble Rejection

I left through the exit, entering the hall beyond to a thunderous wave of applause.

"Little brother…" Cang Yue rushed to my side. "You have to get treatment immediately. The wounds you have are beyond severe-"

"I'll be fine." I chuckled, shaking my head. "Trust me, it's not as bad as it looks."

"Don't brush it off like it's nothing." Cang Yue seemingly scolded me. "You can have permanent scars if you don't treat those cuts properly."

"Well fought, my liege." Beatrice smiled, grabbing my hand. "Or should I say fiance?"

To say that before such a crowd… you know what you're doing.

Immediately, everyone caught wind of that news, and it spread like wildfire.

"Who is that young woman?"

"I recall that wherever the prince went, she followed… though, to have the interest of such a person - she likely isn't ordinary in the slightest."

"She did threaten the Scarless Sword without fear… it might even be that she is the benefactor behind his heaven-defying growth."

"... Fiance?" Cang Yue blinked. "You've already found a partner?"

"Yes, of course~" Beatrice giggled joyfully, resting her head on my shoulder as she pressed her body against my side. "Though Chao'er is very reserved, I love him with all my heart. He belongs to me."

Eleonora stood to the side, her arms crossed. Is jealousy a common trait among my vassals?

"Yes, I'm stuck with this clingy witch." I smiled, nodding. My wounds were healing at a rapid pace. Ling Yun's cuts were all vanishing as if they hadn't existed in the first place. "She has our royal father's blessing and my approval… so all that's left is time, really."

"Your wounds…" Cang Yue's eyes widened. "They've… did she do that?"

"Mn, Chi-ling has some miraculous abilities." I nodded, glancing at her slight smirk as she nodded. "Abilities that would put even the so-called medical saints to shame."

"Amazing..." Cang Yue looked at Beatrice in an entirely different light. "I suppose we will be sisters-in-law in the future."

"Indeed, indeed." Beatrice nodded.

"..." I chuckled, turning to Dongfang Xiu. "Well, Palace Chief... what do you think of my victory?"

"Brilliant." Dongfang Xiu smiled, firmly nodding. "There is not much else to say. You defeated Ling Yun despite the many advantages he had over you. You will undoubtedly be hailed as a hero the moment you step foot in the Blue Wind Imperial City."

"A hero, huh..." I chuckled, shaking my head. "I haven't done anything deserving of such a noble title."

"You've overcome all odds and claimed the seat of the strongest youth in all of the Blue Wind Empire." Dongfang Xiu reiterated, smiling. "Do not act so modest, Your Royal Highness. News of the courage, fortitude and strength you've shown today will spread like wildfire to every corner of our nation. Soon enough, there won't be a single household that does not know your name. All the youths of the next generation will idolise you... they will strive to be just like you."

"You've given the entire Blue Wind Profound Palace a sense of pride that will never be washed away... because their number one disciple, the Crown Prince, claimed victory against the exceptional Ling Yun on this day. How is that not grounds to be considered a hero? In the eyes of countless people, you are undeniably one!"

"..." I smiled, looking around at the crowd that endlessly praised me. "Perhaps you are right, Palace Chief."

However, the word 'hero' had connotations of someone selfless... and I was very much the opposite of that.

"I've never seen such effective healing from merely a touch..." Ling Kun observed, walking towards us. "May I know esteemed visitor's name?"

"Bing Chi-ling." Beatrice was a little hesitant to say it, probably because she understood what it meant to me. "I do not come from these lands, which is why you haven't heard of me until recently."

"Oh, I tend to travel from one edge of the Profound Sky Continent to the other... yet I've still not seen nor heard of such an ability."

"Perhaps you should broaden your horizons a little, old man," Beatrice replied, raising an eyebrow.

"..." Ling Kun managed a smile.

Beatrice never fails to make things more complicated than they have to be. Then again, this Ling Kun is a bit of a nosy old geezer.

"So..." I interrupted. "What might the esteemed elder Ling Kun from the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region seek from our humble party?"

"Cang Chao… I was wondering if you would be interested in joining the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region?"

In a single question, Ling Kun had shaken everyone present… except my vassals. I had foreseen such an invitation eventually, especially in the incident where I would reveal my true strength. To receive one while being suppressed almost two great realms…

As a prince, I had no obligation to any sect and one might argue that joining a Sacred Ground would make the Blue Wind Empire untouchable. 

But… I had an obligation to the Blue Wind Empire. 

A personal one. I aimed to forge a nation that would eclipse and conquer the world. My ambition was to raise the Blue Wind Empire above all else. 

Quite frankly… I was not all that interested in becoming a simple disciple. Maybe if their leader came to me and asked to become my direct master, I might consider it.

But a regular disciple? I much preferred being a prince.

"You must forgive me, Senior Ling." I shook my head. "My place is with the Blue Wind Empire. Even if I wanted to join the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region and make the most of my talents, my heart could never allow me to leave my home behind."

"Hahahahaha… that is good!" Ling Kun seemed to laugh quite peacefully. "Many in your shoes would be impatient and beyond tempted by such an offer. Not only is your talent extraordinary, but so is your spirit and devotion."

"However, joining the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region alone would grant the Blue Wind Empire an impenetrable shield. No nation in the Profound Sky Continent would be brash enough to attack the homeland of a disciple of a Sacred Ground, let alone one who is the Crown Prince of that nation."

"... Senior Ling is truly considerate." I smiled, shaking my head. "Even so, should I join the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, I would be expected to spend most of my life within its borders… is that not correct?"

"Indeed, under normal circumstances, you would be expected to train in the best conditions and fulfil the promise of your talent." Ling Kun nodded. "The Mighty Heavenly Sword Region is stern on such matters unless it is a truly exceptional case."

"Then… I must sincerely and humbly decline."

"Heh, I see." Ling Kun nodded.

Ling Kun flicked his finger, and a deep purple jade the size of a fist flew in my direction.

I caught it.

"This is a special sound transmission jade that can communicate with me so long as we are within a distance of a hundred and fifty kilometres. Should you change your mind on this matter, message me, and I will guide you to us. I believe the Venerable Sword Master would be intrigued by your talents."

Venerable Sword Master… interesting. Sounds like a big man. Maybe it's the big man.

"I will keep this close." I nodded. 

~

After his fight, James returned to his training regime of cooking himself in his throneroom while leaving his body chilling in various medical baths. In between, he would recall the profound skills he had witnessed with perfect clarity… and seek to replicate and even improve on them.

Meanwhile, it was Fen Juechen's turn to cook.

His opponent in the round of thirty-two… Xiao Nan.

"Even though you represent the Blue Wind Imperial Family, you are still a young master of the Burning Heaven Clan." Xiao Nan stated, drawing his Wind Spirit Sword. "Given that, we should be bitter rivals-"

"Don't waste my time." Fen Juecheng said coolly, drawing his own sword. "I have no interest in defeating the Xiao Sect in this tournament… but you are standing in the way of my goal. That means that I have to defeat you. That is all."

"I see… and that goal is?" Xiao Nan questioned.

"That is none of your concern."

"Heh." Xiao Nan chuckled. "Your older brother might be more pleasant than you."

"Round of thirty-two, match sixteen... battle start!"

Matched in profound strength, the two profound practitioners charged into battle. Fen Juechen lit his sword with scarlet flames while Xiao Nan sped himself up with the Xiao Sect's Heavenly Eagle Art. The Burning Heaven Blade against Xiao Sect's Heavenly Eagle Wind... it was a classic matchup that occurred in every single Blue Wind Ranking Tournament without fail.

And almost always - the Xiao Sect's disciples would emerge victorious. It hasn't lost the third-ranking spot for a thousand years. It hasn't gone up higher to second or first, too... but that's beside the point.

Clang. Clang. Clang.

The two swords danced at the centre of the arena, neither withholding any ground. Both were utterly determined to win. Alas, there could only be one winner.

Suddenly, Fen Juechen's flames began to burn an apparent blue.

"... Impossible-" Xiao Nan's eyes widened. "Blue flames at the age of seventeen-"

Fen Juebi frowned slightly as he observed the fight.

"Seafaring Flame Dragon."

A thick dragon-shaped blue flame flew out of Fen Juechen's blade, a scorching heatwave following its wake. The wind whistled as Xiao Nan was struck directly. He put up his guard, but it was no use… the blue flames burned through his defences and humbled his lowly wind.

Tsss…

Fen Juechen lowered his sword, observing indifferently as Xiao Nan fell to his knees. Every inch of his body was burned. Even so, he was not ultimately defeated. He got up with the support of his sword.

"You thought… it was over?" Xiao Nan took a deep breath. 

"..." Fen Juechen sighed, lighting his sword with blue flames again. "Have it your way."

He clashed against him once again. However, this time, he produced illusions from his raging flames… confusing Xiao Nan. He created dozens of clowns, which ultimately led to Xiao Nan being pieced up in angles he didn't see coming.

By the end, he had taken ten strikes from Fen Juechen's blade… collapsing onto the ground from a lack of strength to keep going.

"I… admit defeat."

"Fen Juechen claims victory for the last round of 32 match and proceeds to the round of 16, which will commence tomorrow!"

"Our Juechen has grown." Fen Juecheng remarked, smiling as the match came to a close. "You should be careful; you're on the same side of the bracket as him."

"We both know the only reason this is the case is because your 'best' friend, the Crown Prince, has supported him." Fen Juebi sighed, shaking his head. 

"He has also aided Fen Jin with his miraculous pellet. Not to mention that he saved my life from that terrible poison…" Fen Juecheng remarked. "This support is not at all one-sided."

"He sold that pellet in an auction, older brother." Fen Juebi countered. "Our Burning Heaven Clan just so happened to pay more than the rest for it on that occasion. Besides, the Xiao Sect also received one. So did the Heavenly Sword Villa, and the Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace bought three. Cang Chao isn't playing one side, true… he is playing all sides."

"For its effects, it could be considered a cheap price." Fen Juecheng shrugged his shoulders. "See, our little brother has the right idea. The closer you are to Cang Chao… the more benefits you will reap. Because of this, he might very well avenge his humiliation and crush you."

"... You make it sound like it's an acceptable result." Fen Juebi raised an eyebrow.

"I have no part in the disputes of my little brothers." Fen Juecheng chuckled. "Whoever is the strongest wins. Hasn't this always been the rule? You've had the benefit of being the second eldest… but now that Juechen has an opportunity to catch up, you're all shrivelled up in fear?"

"It's just that… Cang Chao is a boy of miracles. Who knows? Our little brother might appear as an Earth Profound Realm expert and make me look like a fool."

"On the bright side, someone of our bloodline will gain glory in this tournament and rank second overall." Fen Juecheng managed a smile. "Whether it is representing the Blue Wind Imperial Family or Heaven Burning Clan, I see it as a victory."

"You've grown soft to that prince, older brother." Fen Juebi frowned.

"He is the future, little brother. The future of the entire Blue Wind Empire."