Chapter Nine: I Refuse to Accept This (First Update)

In the grand hall, a man clad in silver armor and a black robe stepped forward, pointing coldly at Li Fu. At his words, many of the young officers of the Heavenly Strategy Manor could not suppress their sneers.

“Li Yuanhua, are you questioning what we have said?” Xu Changhai’s expression suddenly darkened. He gazed at Li Yuanhua, displeasure evident in his tone.

“That’s right. My foster father has no biological sons—so where has this Young Lord of the Manor come from?” Li Yuanhua’s resistance to Li Fu’s identity as the Young Lord was palpable.

He himself was the adopted son of the Marquis of Martial Valor, and unless something unexpected occurred, the Heavenly Strategy Manor would, in less than a century, inevitably pass into his hands. Now, out of nowhere, a Young Lord had been named, and he could not help but feel aggrieved.

“Indeed, we share the vice-commander’s doubts. Just what is the origin of this Young Lord? Why should he hold that title instead of the vice-commander?” Others echoed his sentiment. In the hearts of all the generals of Heavenly Strategy, both Yang Ning and Li Yuanhua, being sons by adoption of the Marquis, were most suited to succeed as Young Lord.

Yet now, a youth whom none had ever seen was suddenly declared the Young Lord by General Xu. This was difficult for many to accept.

“I will, of course, clarify this matter. The Young Lord is the disciple of the Grand Preceptor. I hold in my hand a letter in his own hand, and Generals Zhenwei and Xuanwei have both seen it. Would I, as a general, dare to speak rashly of such things?” Xu Changhai explained calmly.

A sudden hush fell upon the hall, all eyes settling upon the plainly dressed youth.

A disciple of the Grand Preceptor… Of course. The Grand Preceptor was indeed the Lord of Heavenly Strategy. Yet, when he had held office, he had rarely interfered in the affairs of the manor, so much so that people had forgotten the manor had two masters, not one.

“This…”

A trace of embarrassment flickered across Li Yuanhua’s face. Still unwilling, he dared not press too far. Gritting his teeth, he said with resentment, “Since General Xu claims to have the Grand Preceptor’s own letter, then I ask that its contents be made public. That will put any doubts about the Young Lord’s identity to rest.”

“Yuanhua, enough! Stand down. I know this is hard for you, but the Young Lord’s identity is beyond question.” Yang Ning furrowed his sword-like brows, his tone cool.

“Brother! Is a mere letter enough to prove he is the Grand Preceptor’s disciple? What if the letter is forged, or he stole it from someone else? This can’t be glossed over,” Li Yuanhua muttered after a moment’s thought.

“You…” At these words, Yang Ning paused. He and Li Yuanhua had both been adopted by the Marquis since childhood, and knew each other well. The sudden emergence of this Young Lord was naturally unsettling.

“Then what do you propose?” Li Fu coughed softly, standing up with a stiff expression.

“It is known that the Grand Preceptor’s Azure Lotus Sword Art is famed throughout the realm. If you are truly his disciple, surely you should be able to wield his ultimate technique.” Li Yuanhua laughed softly, but his expression grew solemn at the mention of the Grand Preceptor.

“Do you wish to challenge me?” Li Fu looked calmly at those in the hall. Though the three great generals had no doubts about his identity, many others remained skeptical. Moreover, even he was not entirely sure that his master was the Grand Preceptor.

“Yes!”

“Very well.” Li Fu nodded, walking unhurriedly to the center of the hall.

A tense silence settled over the chamber. The three generals atop the dais were briefly taken aback by Li Yuanhua’s challenge, but after exchanging glances, they offered no objection.

“Since you doubt the Young Lord’s identity, and he is willing to meet your challenge, so be it. But if his identity is proven, Yuanhua, you will apologize to the Young Lord.” Xu Changhai looked at the resolute Li Yuanhua, sighed, and spoke mildly.

“Naturally,” Li Yuanhua replied, his expression unperturbed.

At that, the hall cleared a broad space in the center, all present retreating to the sides, leaving only Li Fu and Li Yuanhua face to face.

“My apologies… Mountain-Crushing Fist!”

As soon as the words fell, Li Yuanhua shouted sharply, his right fist clenched and thrusting forward with terrifying force, splitting the air with shrill vibrations.

Bang!

The air trembled, and an unseen shockwave rippled outward from where the two clashed.

Li Fu met the heavy blow with his palm. The forces collided, neither yielding.

“Lotus Burst!” Li Fu chanted inwardly. A faint azure energy surged over his palm. Instantly, a powerful counterforce shot into Li Yuanhua’s iron fist, surging from his fist to his arm, then through his entire body, draining the color from his face.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

After a brief deadlock, three muffled explosions sounded. Li Yuanhua was hurled back by the recoil, retreating dozens of paces before regaining his footing. In the air before him, three shadowy azure lotuses exploded in succession.

The great shockwave from the three bursts shook the seats in the hall, setting them rattling.

No sooner had Li Yuanhua steadied himself than the blast sent him flying like a leaf in a gale. Under the stunned gazes of all present, he was flung from the hall, landing outside in a swirl of dust.

Watching this, the three great generals atop the dais recoiled in shock, drawing in sharp breaths.

“Was that… the Grand Preceptor’s Void Technique?”

“Not quite. The form was from the Azure Lotus Sword Art, but the method was the Void Technique. The Grand Preceptor has fused the two arts as one.”

“What a formidable technique…”

As they gazed at Li Yuanhua, sprawled outside, silence fell once more within the hall.

After a moment, a host of eyes—regarding Li Fu as if he were some monster—focused on the handsome youth standing in the center. All knew Li Yuanhua’s strength; he had only recently broken through to the middle stage of the Heavenly Origin realm, yet he had been unable to withstand a single blow from Li Fu!

“I would say the Grand Preceptor’s power now exceeds what it was fifteen years ago. At the very least, he must be at the Saint King level,” Xu Changhai murmured, a flash of light in his eyes, to his fellow generals.

“Then that means our Great Tang now has a third Saint King?” Xuanwei General Tai Yiyuan spoke in a low voice.

“Not only that. The Divine Strategy and the Imperial Family still have some old monsters alive. Who knows what their true strength is? Even if they are not at the Saint Martial realm, they must be at the Saint Spirit level.” Xu Changhai shook his head, concern evident in his tone.

In the hall, Li Fu slowly lowered his hand, glancing at the now-standing Li Yuanhua outside. “Do you still wish to fight?” he asked coolly.

Struggling to his feet, Li Yuanhua wiped the blood from his lips. Fixing a deadly glare on Li Fu, he suddenly sprang like a tiger, his true energy surging and flooding his body.

He stamped hard on the stone floor, launching himself forward, shards of stone scattering from the impact.

His gaze, now icy, fixed on Li Fu as he closed the distance, blood still staining his lips, his face twisted with fury. “I yield to no one!”

“Yuanhua, stop!” The sudden turn of events left the three generals momentarily stunned. Beside them, Yang Ning shouted, his figure flickering as he tried to intercept Li Yuanhua.

Yet, consumed by rage and jealousy toward Li Fu, Li Yuanhua paid him no heed, charging recklessly at his rival.

His sudden attack sent a stir throughout the hall, the faces of the three generals paling instantly.