Xiao Jiu shook his head: “Master, you’ve misunderstood.”
“Master’s kindness in nurturing me is something I’ll never forget. No matter how disrespectful I may be, I would never dare to betray my master.”
“But, I no longer wish to be your pawn.”
“You trained me only to control the Northern Border’s million-strong army through me, so that when you give the order, I would lead the army to serve you loyally.”
“But you forgot, the Northern Border army belongs to the nation. All my honours were granted by Old Tang. If I were loyal to you, I would betray the emperor’s grace and lead the million soldiers of the Northern Border into an abyss.”
Hearing this, Old Tang looked at Xiao Jiu deeply.
He felt some relief.
Though Xiao Jiu was Long Yi’s disciple, he hadn’t forsaken his duty and mission.
Long Er sneered: “Xiao Jiu, from your words, are you betraying Big Brother?”
“Don’t forget, without Big Brother, could you have become the War God of the Northern Border?”
“Could you have become the top of the Dragon List?”
“You don’t want to betray the emperor’s grace, but what does betraying Big Brother count as?”
“I’m telling you, Xiao Jiu, this is outright ingratitude!”
Long Er was furious.
Back then, Long Yi had secretly taken Xiao Jiu as a disciple because of his martial talent, intending to use him as a pawn to control the Northern Border’s million-strong army.
With that army in hand, combined with the Forbidden City’s strength, they could dictate the affairs of the world, reducing Old Tang to a figurehead.
But they never expected Xiao Jiu to betray them today.
This pawn was cultivated in vain.
Long Er wanted nothing more than to kill Xiao Jiu.
Xiao Jiu said: “I don’t want to betray the emperor’s grace, nor do I want to be an ungrateful person.”
Long Er was stunned: “What do you mean?”
“You want to be loyal and filial at the same time?”
“What a joke!”
“Since ancient times, there’s never been such a thing as balancing loyalty and filial piety.”
Long Yi looked at Xiao Jiu, silent.
His face was grim.
“Master, I, Xiao Jiu, am not an ungrateful person. To repay your kindness, today, I will risk my life to help you eliminate a great enemy.”
After speaking, Xiao Jiu turned and walked towards Ye Qiu.
Long Er shouted: “Killing a few ants doesn’t need your help. Xiao Jiu, get back to the Northern Border!”
Before he could finish.
Long Yi raised his hand, gesturing for Long Er to be quiet.
Long Er couldn’t help but say: “Big Brother, we’ve planned for years, not for him to help us kill enemies. We wanted the Northern Border’s million-strong army.”
Long Yi said: “Xiao Jiu has made his choice. Even if he returns to the Northern Border, that army won’t be under our control.”
Long Er said urgently: “But this will disrupt our plans.”
“Don’t worry, it won’t affect the bigger picture.” Long Yi stared at Xiao Jiu’s back, saying coldly: “Some people, with a bit of status and strength, think they can change the course of events.”
“Little do they know, the affairs of the world aren’t something one person can alter.”
“Fool!”
Long Er’s eyes gleamed with malice. He had already decided that after tonight, he would eliminate Xiao Jiu.
A disobedient pawn would only become a liability.
Xiao Jiu stopped ten metres from Ye Qiu.
He smiled and said:
“Ye Qiu, back in Yangcheng, you said if I gave you ten years, you could beat me to a pulp.”
“I said I’d only give you three years.”
“Regrettably, I’m breaking my word. I can’t give you three years.”
“This battle begins now!”
Normally, Ye Qiu would have agreed without hesitation, but tonight, he didn’t want to fight Xiao Jiu.
“Xiao Jiu, my enemy isn’t you,” Ye Qiu said.
Xiao Jiu replied: “Your enemy is the Forbidden City, and I am part of the Forbidden City.”
Ye Qiu shook his head: “No, in my heart, you’re a person worthy of respect.”
A person worthy of respect?
Xiao Jiu smiled.
He smiled happily.
“Ye Qiu, I’m glad to hear you say that.”
“But our fight tonight is unavoidable.”
“I represent the Forbidden City in this battle, and I will give my all. Ye Qiu, I hope you will too.”
Boom!
As Xiao Jiu spoke, a terrifying aura erupted from him.
Instantly, the prominent figures in the crowd retreated dozens of metres.
In the blink of an eye, only Xiao Jiu and Ye Qiu remained in the centre of the plaza.
They faced each other from a distance.
“Xiao Jiu, why must you do this?” Ye Qiu sighed.
Xiao Jiu grew impatient: “Enough talk, make your move!”
Ye Qiu stood still.
“Since you won’t act, I won’t hold back.”
Roar!
Xiao Jiu let out a loud roar, his handsome face filled with battle intent. He didn’t draw his blade but clenched his right fist, charging at Ye Qiu like lightning.
This punch was direct and straightforward.
No fancy moves.
Ye Qiu suddenly recalled what Master Longbrow had said: if Xiao Jiu entered the capital within a year, he would surely die, and by Ye Qiu’s hand.
Whoosh!
Ye Qiu moved his feet, quickly dodging to the side.
He didn’t want to fight Xiao Jiu.
Xiao Jiu pursued, his fist swinging at Ye Qiu again.
Ye Qiu dodged and asked: “Must we fight?”
“We must,” Xiao Jiu said: “I told you, I’ll give my all, and I hope you will too.”
Boom!
Xiao Jiu threw another punch.
Ye Qiu understood Xiao Jiu’s resolve. This time, he didn’t dodge, swiftly channeling his inner force and meeting the punch with his own.
Facing the top-ranked master of the Dragon List, Ye Qiu didn’t dare be careless.
This punch carried the power of true qi.
Bang!
Their fists collided, a loud crash resounding.
Ye Qiu and Xiao Jiu both staggered back three or four metres, then swiftly lunged at each other again.
In an instant, they exchanged over thirty moves.
Step, step, step!
They both retreated.
Equally matched!
The onlookers’ eyes widened. This rapid, brutal exchange, each punch landing with force, set their blood boiling, far more intense and thrilling than any movie fight scene.
Ye Qiu rubbed his fist, clearly sensing that Xiao Jiu had cultivated true qi.
“Last time in the Northern Border, you hid your cultivation?” Ye Qiu asked.
“No, I only broke through recently,” Xiao Jiu replied. A strand of true qi appeared behind him.
Then, a second strand.
A third.
A fourth.
A fifth.
Five strands of true qi in total!
“At just over thirty years old, cultivating five strands of true qi, truly a martial genius.”
Ye Qiu sighed inwardly and said: “Xiao Jiu, we could fight another time.”
Ye Qiu still didn’t want to fight Xiao Jiu.
Or rather, he didn’t want to kill Xiao Jiu.
“You should understand my situation. I don’t want to betray Old Tang and the million soldiers, nor do I want to be an ungrateful disciple. Right now, there’s only one choice.”
Xiao Jiu smiled and said: “Ye Qiu, don’t let me down in this fight.”
“Of course, if you hold back, you’ll be the one to die.”
Ye Qiu was silent for a moment, then made his decision.
“The greatest respect one can give an opponent is to go all out.”
“Champion Marquis, I won’t hold back.”
“Make your move, a fight to the death!”
