The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  As soon as Abutong came to, he immediately began struggling with all his might.

  "Wang Chong, I swear I will kill you!..." a furious voice resounded clearly across the area.

  "Abutong, if I am you, I would choose to remain silent so as to avoid attracting the recruits of the entire training camp over."

  At this moment, a leisurely voice sounded beneath him. Along with eight other people, Wang Chong sat at a table beneath the pole, calmly sipping on a cup of tea.

  "... though I guess you might not care about it anymore since all of your Tongluo subordinates have already seen your state!"

  In midair, Abutong suddenly shuddered in fear. Gazing downward, he saw a majestic manor, and below the manor, at the halfway mark of the mountain, he saw Huorja and the other Tongluo youths looking in his direction in agitation, fury, and peculiarity.

  However, that wasn't the most shocking blow.

  The most shocking blow was his realization of his current state.

  He was being currently being hung on a pole seven to eight zhang above the ground completely naked!

  In realization of that fact, Abutong's face immediately turned ghastly white.

  "Y-y-you..."

  Abutong's entire body trembled, and his eyes blazed with fury. The immense humiliation he felt so infuriated him that he nearly fainted on the spot.

  "You what you? This is just a small punishment for you!" Seated on the purple rattan chair, Wang Chong continued sipping on his fragrant cup of tea calmly. It was Gao Feng who spoke up on his behalf.

  "Just to add on, even though many people have seen your unimpressive body, there are still many who have yet to. If you wish to rally them over, feel free to do so. I don't think I will mind sharing this sight with the entire training camp," Wang Chong spoke leisurely.

  With this reminder from Wang Chong, Abutong finally noticed the crowd gazing over here from White Tiger Peak. They seemed to be muttering something as their fingers pointed at him.

  Abutong's heart immediately froze. His anger was washed away by embarrassment and fright.

  He had lost to Wang Chong, but he didn't expect Wang Chong to utilize such extreme means on him.

  This was a huge humiliation!

  Anxiety, fury, embarrassment, and fright came gushing into Abutong simultaneously. Under the clash of all those intense emotions, his grievous wounds acted up, and he fainted once more.

  "Gongzi, is it really fine for us to do this?" On the opposite end of the rectangular table, Chen Burang held onto a cup of tea with a slightly unnerved expression. This matter had arisen because of him, so he felt guilty over this incident.

  He hadn't seen what had happened in between, as he was unconscious, but he was worried by the way Wang Chong had dealt with Abutong. After all, Abutong was the son of Great General Abusi.

  Getting on the wrong side with a great general of the empire truly wasn't a wise decision.

  "Hmph, what are you frightened of? If we don't teach him a harsh lesson, will he learn to be obedient?" Wang Chong waved his hands nonchalantly. "Besides, the goal of this isn't just to humiliate him. More importantly, it is to deter others from doing the same, so as to terminate the problem at its stem. At the very least, with this precedent, they will have to consider whether it will be worth the risk."

  The group silently nodded in agreement. In truth, they agreed with Wang Chong's method of handling this matter.

  There were some things that they couldn't afford to do, but Wang Chong, as the grandson of Duke Jiu, could do it in their stead.

  Since Wang Chong was involved in this matter, Abutong would be unable to make use of the influence behind him to get even.

  "Burang, listen to gongzi's words. Gongzi knows what he is doing," Xu Qi advised from the side.

  Chen Burang was simply too kind. Even Xu Qi felt furious when he saw the Tongluo youths viciously beating him up, and yet the person-in-question didn't feel a thing at all.

  It was fortunate that gongzi's recovery pill was effective, allowing Chen Burang's injuries to heal swiftly. At this moment, the hideous swelling on his face had already been alleviated.

  Chen Burang hesitated for a moment, but he still nodded eventually.

  He still felt guilty over this incident, but he had trust in Wang Chong's judgement.

  This trust wasn't just due to Wang Chong's background, but the trust one had for comrades who had been through a life-and-death situation together. Not to mention, Wang Chong had even met the Sage Emperor personally, and stormed through the regional commanders incident.

  The deeds he had achieved were unimaginable for those of his age.

  "... It's about time. The training camp should be dispatching someone over soon. Xu Qi, take two people with you to escort Abutong to the training camp later on. We'll hang him there for a while longer before letting him go," Wang Chong instructed.

  "Yes, gongzi," Xu Qi nodded.

  Tapping his right forefinger lightly on the table, Wang Chong turned to Chen Burang and said, "Burang, in the future, you should bring your bow along with you wherever you go. Your martial arts might be acceptable, but it is far from sufficient to deal with someone of Abutong's class. However, if you were to have a bow in your hands, I doubt that even Abutong will be able to do anything to you."

  Chen Burang actually wasn't weak at all, but he was crippled without his bow. If he had his weapon in hand then, Abutong's group would have suffered serious casualties for their actions.

  "Un," Chen Burang nodded humbly.

  "For the time being, you shouldn't visit the cultivation ground on the main peak. Also, I have something to tell you all."

  Without any hesitation, Wang Chong revealed his discovery of a spirit vein to everyone. Upon hearing that Wang Chong actually owned a huge spirit vein, everyone was dumbstruck.

  Even Chen Burang also stared at Wang Chong in shock, realizing how huge an affair this was.

  Even though he grew up hunting in the forest, he wasn't living in isolation from the world. Naturally, he knew what a spirit vein was.

  Kunwu Training Camp was built right on a small spirit vein.

  Spirit veins were extremely hard to come by, and even prestigious clans were dying to lay their hands on one. And yet, Wang Chong actually said that he possessed a spirit vein.

  "... Actually, I intended to tell you all this matter a little later, but since such a thing has happened, there's no need no wait any longer," Wang Chong said impassively.

  The Deflecting Blade Manor was actually a part of the spirit vein. It was through this benefit that Wang Chong intended to entice people to join his faction.

  Wang Chong was intending to tell the others about this a little later, but he had changed his mind due to several reasons.

  First, this could help to reduce conflicts. Also, this would allow Chen Burang, Xu Qi, and the others to raise their cultivation swiftly, so that they wouldn't be so vulnerable should such a situation occur once more.

  "Gongzi, are you speaking the truth?" Nie Yan spoke in a trembling tone. Even now, he still found it hard to believe that Wang Chong actually possessed a spirit vein! Such a thing was so rare and out of their reach that it was nearly a myth to them. The worth of a spirit vein was truly incalculable!

  It was precisely this that made everything so hard to believe.

  Seeing their confused looks, Wang Chong chuckled. "Hehehe, you will know once you see it."

  At that moment, two familiar figures suddenly appeared at the entrance of the Deflecting Blade Manor.

  "Brother Jiang, Brother Chai!" Wang Chong greeted. These were the two men who visited Wang Chong after the Goguryeon's night assault, and presented him with a gift.

  They were both the children of illustrious dukes of Great Tang. One of their ancestors was a meritorious subject who stabilized the Western Regions, while the other was a mighty general who conquered the world alongside Emperor Taizong.

  "Are the both of you here for Abutong as well?" Wang Chong dove straight into
the topic.

  "This... That's indeed the case. I apologize, Brother Wang, but we weren't able to turn down the request."

  Jiang Feng and Chai Zhiyi looked a little embarrassed. They had barely gotten acquainted with Wang Chong, so it was a little inappropriate for them to make such an abrupt request.

  Just that, the person who requested this matter of them possessed extraordinary standing, thus making it difficult for them to turn down the request.

  "Since Brother Wang has already beaten and humiliated him, your anger should be placated by now. May I ask of you to let Abutong go on our account? The Wang Clan and Abusi's lineage are both important pillars to the empire, and it is truly unwise to become enemies because of such a small incident. This is only detrimental to the royal court, to the Wang Clan, and to the Tongluo Tribe," Jiang Feng said.

  As befitting the successor to a clan, his words were extremely persuasive.

  It seemed like Jiang Feng had been entrusted with the role of a diplomatic envoy.

  "It is not that I am unwilling to let him go, but that he is unwilling to let me go. Brother Jiang and Brother Chai should know that it is Abutong who came knocking on my door this time. The only reason why he is the one hanging up there now is because he had underestimated my strength. If I were to simply let him go just like that, won't I be letting him off the hook too easily? Wouldn't such matters simply happen again and again?" Wang Chong replied calmly.

  Jiang Feng and Chai Zhiyi glanced at one another awkwardly. Naturally, they wouldn't be so foolish as to claim that it was Chen Burang who offended the Tongluo before Wang Chong.

  From the looks of it, it seemed like this offspring of Duke Jiu was unwilling to let this matter go easily.

  Chapter 304: Mister Taijia!

  Chapter 304: Mister Taijia!

  "But since it is Brother Jiang and Brother Chai who are asking me for this favor, I can let him go. However, not now." Just when the duo thought that they would have to return in failure, Wang Chong suddenly changed his tone, giving them a spark of hope.

  "May I know when does Brother Wang intend to let Abutong go?" Jiang Feng and Chao Zhiyi were delighted to hear those words. In truth, they didn't think that Wang Chong would accede to their request in the first place, and the reason why they headed over was due to the overwhelming pressure heaped upon them.

  "Soon. When the timing is ripe, I'll naturally let him go," Wang Chong said calmly.

  "May I know if he can be released by today?" Jiang Feng tried to sound Wang Chong out.

  Wang Chong nodded in affirmation.

  "Thank you, Brother Wang!" Jiang Feng and Chai Zhiyi immediately thanked Wang Chong profusely. To say the truth, they didn't want to do this dirty job. The Wang Clan was one of the powers which the Jiang Clan and Chai Clan were actively trying to strengthen their ties with, and matters like this could easily sour their relationship.

  But the person who requested this matter of them was simply too influential.

  Thus, they were already gladdened by the fact that Wang Chong was willing to let Abutong go today. As for the rest, they couldn't be bothered with it.

  After all, the ones suffering wasn't them. Why should they?

  "Brother Jiang and Brother Chai, why don't you sit down and have a cup of a tea as well?" Wang Chong flicked two empty Yixing teacups over.

  "Hahaha, I would love to!"

  "It's rare that Wang gongzi is treating us to a cup of a tea, how can we possibly turn down this offer?"

  With hearty laughs, the duo caught the teacups and took a seat. The tension on their faces alleviated slightly.

  As members of prestigious clans, they would often be forced into situations beyond their control. Take, for example, the incident with the Duke of Liu Residence. In order to save Su Hanshan's little sister, he now owed a favor to the latter.

  Thus, if the Duke of Liu Residence were to request help, the Wang Clan would not be in a position to turn them down.

  This reciprocation was a common practice among prestigious clans. Having grown up in the circle, Wang Chong was well-versed in such matters.

  After putting aside Abutong's matter, the atmosphere among the group grew relatively happy. Jiang Feng and Chai Zhiyi also expressed their interest to join the group.

  Unwittingly, several hours passed.

  ------

  "You brat, you sure know how to enjoy yourself!"

  A deep and lively voice suddenly sounded by everyone's years. Following which, with loud metallic clanging sounds, the armored Zhao Qianqiu and Zhou Huang strode into the room.

  "Brat, you have had your fun already. It should be time for you to hand him over, right?" Zhao Qianqiu walked directly to the table, took a teacup from Wang Chong, and gulped down a cup of tea.

  "Haha, is Instructor Zhao here under someone's request?" Wang Chong chuckled as he watched Zhao Qianqiu pour himself yet another cup of tea leisurely.

  "What nonsense are you spouting? If not for me, the other instructors in the training camp would have trampled this manor of yours already!" Zhao Qianqiu raised his hand and smacked the back of Wang Chong's head.

  He had learned of the conflict between Wang Chong and Abutong relatively late because someone had intentionally hidden the news from him.

  And when Wang Chong gained the upper hand, someone else intentionally made the entire matter known to him. Zhao Qianqiu was no fool, and he immediately realized what was going on.

  On one hand, Zhao Qianqiu felt a little frustrated. Those bastards were simply going too far. This was a training camp that the Sage Emperor was keeping an eye on, and yet they still dared to cause trouble here.

  On the other, Zhao Qianqiu was also displeased. This was the first time that there was such a huge conflict among the recruits, and if he were to let this matter rest easily, he would be going too easy on them.

  At the same time, leniency would only promote the reoccurrence of such incidences.

  Thus, he was determined to teach the perpetrators a heavy lesson!

  On this aspect, Zhao Qianqiu and Wang Chong were of the same mind. Thus, Zhao Qianqiu tapped into his authority to interfere in this matter.

  King Qi might possess vast influence, but this was limited to beyond the training camp. Even the Bureau of Military Personnel couldn't stretch their hands in here. However, Zhao Qianqiu was different.

  The lord behind the training camps was his direct superior. Zhao Qianqiu could simply find that superior of his to suppress this entire matter.

  Since Abutong was the one who caused this matter, he had to be punished firmly so as to serve as a deterrence to others.

  As such, Zhao Qianqiu actually supported Wang Chong's actions.

  "Brat, there is a limit to what you can do. It's about time already, so let him go," Zhao Qianqiu said.

  Despite the strict orders against instructors getting too close with recruits, Zhao Qianqiu still enjoyed Wang Chong's company. Somehow, the latter's personality seemed to suit his preferences.

  "Xu Qi, you heard Instructor Zhao's words. Take Abutong down!" Wang Chong gestured, and with a chuckle, Xu Qi and a few others immediately stepped forth to free Abutong from the tall pole.

  With this, this matter could be considered to have come to an end. However, this was just the beginning of Abutong's humiliation.

  "Let's go!" Xu Qi, along with Nie Yan and Gao Feng, left by the side door.

  Seeing that Abutong was finally allowed to leave the Deflecting Blade Manor, Jiang Feng and Chai Zhiyi heaved a sigh of relief.

  "Brat, don't be in such a hurry to leave. Let's play a game first..."

  Right after Xu Qi left, Zhao Qianqiu immediately whipped out a Go chessboard from his sleeves and slammed it on the table.

  "Sure, how can I possibly dare to disobey the words of Instructor Zhao?" Wang Chong smiled.

  After losing five rounds to Wang Chong consecutively that day, he had become addicted to challenging Wang Chong. Thus, whenever he had time, he would visit the Deflecting Blade Manor
and grab Wang Chong for a match.

  Zhou Huang was the same as well.

  The rules of the training camp dictated that ordinary recruits couldn't leave the training camp freely. Zhao Qianqiu's help was required to grant this privilege to Xu Qi, Nie Yan, Gao Feng, and the others. As such, Wang Chong sat down and played a round with him.

  Nevertheless, the disparity in abilities was simply too great.

  In just less than half a tea's time, Zhao Qianqiu was completely crushed.

  ------

  Kacha!

  A streak of light flashed across space, and thorny vines with the thickness of an infant's arm were sliced across. A gray-robed elder with cold eyes stood up amidst shrubs.

  With his sharp eyes and sudden movements, the elder felt like a snake prowling the grounds, waiting to strike at its prey.

  An aura of danger lurked around him, warning others to keep clear.

  Gazing at the vast mountain filled with trees and thorns, the elder asked, "Mister Taijia, is this really the place in your divination?"

  "There's no mistake. A hunch suddenly came to me half a month ago, so I spent some time divining, and this was the result I got. Under normal circumstances, it is definitely impossible to divine this far. Even seers of equivalent prowess to me will only have a one in a thousand chance after repeated divinations to zone in on this location."

  Behind the elder stood a dignified and scholarly daoist, who wore a white robe with a Taiji symbol in front.

  The daoist's long hair was held in place with a purple hairpin, and in his left hand was a unique gold dual-layered compass. He was currently standing above a boulder as he formed seals with his right hands, seemingly divining something ceaselessly as he surveyed the surroundings.

  "The malicious aura is growing stronger as we advance. 'A blessed land concealed within malicious, an earth dragon veiled amidst nature', this geographical terrain is shaped after the famous Yin-Yang Facade. The only way to determine the true nature of this region is to travel here, or else even the best of seers will find it hard to divine the presence of a spirit vein here."

  "The malicious aura has the attribute of yin whereas the spirit vein has the attribute of yang. This is a rare Complementation of Yin-Yang! I am certain that we're getting closer and closer to our destination," the daoist holding onto the compass said.