Chapter 85 - 77: To Go or to Stay

"Kill him... I want to kill... kill..."

After Xiao Yi let out those roars, it was as if all the strength had been instantly drained from him, and his condition plummeted.

The wound in his chest made every breath sound like the rasp of a broken bellows. A gurgle echoed from his throat as bloody froth trickled from the corners of his mouth, staining his collar a deep, dark red.

He had thought that by exposing Chen Cheng’s secrets, he could ruin his future.

He never expected that Xu Linyuan would still give Chen Cheng a chance, that Cao Miao wouldn’t turn on him, and that even two prominent factions were still willing to sponsor Chen Cheng at the standard rate.

This outcome was harder for him to bear than being killed outright.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. His bloodstained face twisted into an inhuman mask, veins bulging from his temples and snaking down his neck.

Mouth agape, he seemed possessed, repeating "kill him" and "kill" over and over.

"Elder Ye, Xiao Yi’s obsession is too deep... If he stays in the Inner Hall, having to see Chen Cheng every day, I fear it will hinder his recovery..."

Wu Ziyu’s expression was grim, but she maintained her steady composure.

"It would be better to send him home to recuperate. I’ve rented a small courtyard for him in An Nan District; the environment is pleasant enough... My Wu Family will also cover all of his subsequent medical treatment. What do you think?"

"Excellent! Miss Wu, you are thoughtful, benevolent, and righteous. This is truly a blessing for Xiao Yi!

Ye Yang nodded emphatically in agreement, but the look he gave Wu Ziyu was complex.

’Everyone here is a cunning old fox; who doesn’t know who’s playing what game?’

Wu Ziyu’s act of utmost benevolence was merely a play to build a good reputation. With so many distinguished guests present, the news would spread. In the future, this would give the Wu Family an extra edge when recruiting talent.

As for what would become of Xiao Yi after she took him away, that was entirely up to Wu Ziyu to decide...

Then again, Ye Yang knew perfectly well that Xiao Yi’s injuries went far beyond flesh and bone. His heart and lungs had been devastated by a penetrating Power.

Even if Wu Ziyu were willing to use the finest medicines to keep him alive and nurse him back to health, his future in Martial Arts was unequivocally over.

Whether he received treatment or not made little real difference.

It just went to show how ruthless Chen Cheng’s strike had been!

Wu Ziyu also knew full well that spending money to treat Xiao Yi was no different than throwing coins into a river just to hear them splash.

With that, Ye Yang entrusted Xiao Yi to Wu Ziyu’s care before rising and walking over to Chen Cheng.

"Master Ye."

Chen Cheng said respectfully, clasping his fists.

"Senior Brother Xiao... is he all right? I didn’t mean for this to happen. It’s just that everyone in the Middle Courtyard calls him a genius, so I didn’t dare hold anything back..."

"You don’t need to explain. In actual combat, things can change in an instant. You must give it your all."

Ye Yang’s attitude remained level. He clearly had no intention of blaming Chen Cheng over a cripple—besides, Chen Cheng had done nothing wrong.

"Elder Cao has his reasons, and it’s not my place to comment... But as far as I’m concerned, your performance today deserves a reward..."

Ye Yang said, his expression turning serious.

"Tell me what you want. I will, in my personal capacity, do my best to grant it."

"Thank you, Master Ye..."

Chen Cheng replied with almost no hesitation.

"Tutor Marquis Fang Wenhao of the Lower Courtyard—Senior Brother Fang—gave me my first real chance. I am deeply indebted to him. I would like to ask you, Master Ye, to have him transferred back to the Central Courtyard Inner Hall."

"Well..."

Ye Yang was taken aback for a moment, then said with a helpless tone.

"I... can’t interfere in this matter... Marquis Fang Wenhao offended Cao Zhao years ago. It was Master Cao who punished him by sending him to the Lower Courtyard... If you want him to return, you’ll have to get Cao Zhao himself to relent."

"...I see. Then I won’t trouble you with it, Master Ye."

Chen Cheng nodded, then added.

"I’m currently in need of some supplementary medicines to improve my training efficiency. Perhaps you could provide those as a reward, Master Ye?"

"Fine."

Ye Yang nodded and said in a low voice,

"First thing tomorrow morning, I’ll have Zhuang Zhen send them to you."

"Thank you, Master Ye."

Chen Cheng’s gaze subconsciously shifted toward Zhuang Zhen in the distance, who still seemed to be a million miles away.

Chen Cheng had noticed some time ago that Zhuang Zhen was responsible for many daily chores in the Middle Courtyard, tasks that an Inner Hall Disciple shouldn’t have been assigned.

’As for why...’

’I’ll have to ask Qian Baolu about it later. Even if he doesn’t know, he has ways of digging up information.’

"Brother Ye."

Just then, a powerful, resonant voice called out from the side.

"Lord Song."

Ye Yang glanced over and saw Song Che, dressed in the cyan robes of an Imperial Guard Official, approaching at a measured pace. Ye Yang immediately clasped his fists in greeting.

"Things have been rather chaotic here today. Please forgive us for not being more attentive."

"You’re too kind, Brother Ye."

Song Che smiled and asked, his tone casual.

"Did I just hear the two of you mention Marquis Fang Wenhao? What a coincidence. He happens to be my wife’s nephew..."

Though Song Che spoke of Marquis Fang Wenhao, his eyes were fixed on Chen Cheng, his gaze a mixture of undisguised scrutiny and curiosity.

"Lord Song? Are you... interested in Chen Cheng?"

Unaware of what Song Che was thinking, Ye Yang began to earnestly promote him.

"His Root Bone may be lacking, but his Heart Nature and perseverance are of the highest caliber! Lord Song, you can ask anyone—in this entire Dragon Mountain Middle Courtyard, no one is more diligent than this lad!"

"Add to that, he’s clever, resourceful, and audacious... If he’s carefully cultivated now, and should he encounter the right opportunity down the line, there’s a real chance he could advance even further!"

"Hmm, not bad indeed..."

Song Che gave a noncommittal reply, withdrew his gaze, and then took his leave.

"Don’t lose heart, Chen Cheng..."

Ye Yang said reassuringly in a low voice.

"At the end of the day, you’re a Bright Force Martial Artist of the Inner Hall with Three A+ ratings. That is a solid achievement that no one can erase!"

"I’ll keep an eye out for good opportunities for you... But don’t you slack off on your training, either. If you can one day become the top fighter beneath the Dark Force realm, you’ll never have to worry about finding a place for yourself in the Outer City!"