The Steward Demonic Emperor

Chapter 337, Stalemate

Fang Qiubai waved him off, “Brother Li, I would never treat you as an enemy. It is the Emperor’s decree you see, to defend Dragon Cloud City’s public order. I was forced to intervene the moment you attacked Regent Estate. I ask that you be sensible and let this matter rest. It would be for the best of both the Regent Estate and Luo clan, wouldn’t you say?”

Li Jingtian’s eye twitched, realizing this opponent of his knew his way with words. If the Luo clan and Regent Estate fought it out now, both sides would end up with a disaster. He was at an impasse, however…

A glance at Zhuo Fan’s cold face and the seething bloodthirst in his eyes made that choice for him.

Li Jingtian gnashed his teeth and smirked, “Mr Fang, it’s been ages since I met an opponent like yourself. How about we spar a little?”

Fang Qiubai frowned at Li Jingtian’s smile. [I forgot, Mad Dipper is a martial fanatic but he is not an idiot either. So why would he insist on being so reckless?]

[Killing even a single elder of Regent Estate today will set off Regent Estate on the warpath against the Luo clan…]

The answer was made clear soon enough. Li Jingtian looked back and Zhuo Fan said something to him.

It was unimaginable to see the great Mad Dipper actually abiding by a pup’s every word. Talking to Li Jingtian now wouldn’t change a damn thing, so he had to switch gears and talk it out with Zhuo Fan.

Fang Qiubai said, “Steward Zhuo, I understand your anger, but this is not the place to settle your grudges. I ask that you do not forsake your clan over a single loss.”

That had the crowd thrown in a loop. [If he wants to persuade someone, he should do that with Li Jingtian. Who is to stop him if he decides otherwise?]

Then it dawned on them like the sun’s morning glow.

[Oh, Li Jingtian is doing it at Zhuo Fan’s orders. Does that mean a word out of him can make Li Jingtian stop? A peak Radiant Stage expert, Mad Dipper in particular, is actually housebroken?]

The vassals and the seven house lords turned to Zhuo Fan to gawk in shock.

[That’s a Radiant Stage expert we’re talking about! These guys are Venerables in the seven houses. One would have to beg for any kind of help. Even the house lords need to watch their words around them. And all they could do is make requests, not order them around.]

[Or the Venerable will simply scoff at anybody pleading to them!]

But here is one peak Radiant Stage expert who is listening to a kid. [Did Li Jingtian mellow out, or are Zhuo Fan’s methods far more sinister?]

Then again, Mad Dipper was called as such for a very good reason. That made the first reason moot and the second one highly plausible. Zhuo Fan was versed with so much knowledge that he could even get Mad Dipper to fall in line.

[So why is he then just an elder and not a Venerable?]

Venerables, who are on the same status as a patriarch, were above a house lord who could only order elders around. [Zhuo Fan, oh Zhuo Fan, you are just a steward, so how can you tell an elder what to do?]

Long Yifey and the rest sighed watching him. [This kid might very well be the greatest steward to have ever walked the earth!]

[It’s hard to tell if I should be happy or sad if I had such a capable steward in my clan…]

…

Zhuo Fan ignored the chatter and stared back at Fang Qiubai, then turned his head away. [Don’t care.]

Fang Qiubai faltered. [This punk doesn’t know when to quit.] Li Jingtian laughed it off, filled with thirst for battle, “Mr Fang, it’s hard for me to find such a good opponent like you. I won’t be holding back. Please return in kind. I won’t be blamed for any unforeseen demise on your part.”

“Brother Li, I feel the need to stress this. Per Emperor’s orders, I cannot allow you to rain havoc in Dragon Cloud City!” Fang Qiubai saw talking was off the table and the jade flute began to let out sounds.

Li Jingtian saw Fang Qiubai getting serious and was overjoyed. He gave a belly laugh, then charged with a dragon roar.

“Wraith Style’s 2nd move, Ghostly Dragon Claw!”

Roar!

Li Jingtian was covered from head to toe in black energy and a claw sprung out. The power it released was intent on tearing a hole in space itself.

Fang Qiubai gasped. He let the shock subside and turned serious as well. With the flute in hand, he stabbed at the incoming attack.

“Profound Heaven Sword Star!”

Hum~

The jade flute was wrapped in a blue wind and turned into a sword, it’s tip shooting into the sky.

The black and blue auras collided, shuddering the hearts of onlookers. Then came the shock wave, turning to dust anything in its path.

Fortunately, the people were wise enough to stay clear from the start, lest they’d be pulverized as well by now.

Once all settled down, they watched on slack jawed.

Li Jingtian and Fang Qiubai were staring at each other with grave faces mere five meters away from each other.

Jade Flute Divine Sword’s hand holding the flute trembled. While Li Jingtian’s brows shook, far more astounded.

His hand was dripping blood on the ground.

[Elder Li… lost?]

Luo Yunchang was filled with worry. Zhuo Fan only shook his head, “It’s no loss, but a stalemate. Neither could overpower the other!”

The next second, a sharp crack announced the crumbling flute falling to the ground from Fang Qiubai’s hand.

Fang Qiubai sighed at his loss, “Brother Li, this flute has followed me for fifty years. I never thought I’d see it crumble here. Take it as me having lost by a fraction.”

Li Jingtian smiled, lifting his bloody palm and speaking cheerfully, “This iron hand of mine has been with me for 158 years. But today it has come to harm. I have lost in this exchange.”

The two stared for a second before laughing it up, while respecting each other for the hero the other was in their hearts.

“Mr Fang, should we go at it again and settle this stalemate?” Li Jingtian spoke while waving his bloody hand.

Fang Qiubai looked at the broken flute and nodded, “Since brother Li is so courteous, I shall oblige.”

“Marvelous!”

Li Jingtian laughed and attacked.

But then Zhuo Fan said, “Elder Li, we’ll leave it here today, out of respect for Mr Fang. We’ll just have to settle our grudges with Regent Estate some other time.”

The people’s faces twitched.

[That’s a nice way of putting it. What respect for Mr Fang? You should have done that from the start if you had any respect for the man!]

[Saying it now when you know fighting won’t get you anywhere makes you look like a hypocrite!]

At least he was far better then those stupid heads knowing only to push ahead regardless. [The kid sure is smart, to know when to retreat.]

Fang Qiubai smiled, “Then, brother Li, we will spar again another day. Or your steward might get angry!”

Li Jingtian sighed with a nod, “Fine, since Steward Zhuo said so, I don’t have a choice but to fight another day.”

Li Jingtian cupped his hands and walked back to Zhuo Fan.

While Fang Qiubai stood there with a heavy frown.

He had just taunted Li Jingtian, to see if he was so resolute in following the little demon’s words.

Not expecting at all that Li Jingtian hadn’t even entertained the notion of defying Zhuo Fan’s orders, his reply being very calm. As if the grand Mad Dipper listening to a brat was the norm, not to mention he was devoted to a fault.

Zhuo Fan’s qualifications as king had now evolved. It wasn’t as simple as drawing his peers over to his side, but included the power to rally astonishing people like Li Jingtian under his banner.

It only proved the fact that Zhuo Fan was far more worthy to be king than Huangpu Qingtian. Getting Dragon Vein Soul was a mere coincidence. He had the power to become an emperor already, but now it was also decreed by heaven itself.

At that moment, Zhuo Fan became the number one threat for the imperial family in Fang Qiubai’s mind…

“Mr Fang!”

Zhuo Fan called with a cryptic smile, “You were very quick in stopping Elder Li. You are a true Divine Dragon. His Majesty made the right choice in sending you to preside over Dragon Cloud City’s order.”

Fang Qiubai’s face flushed a bit.

No one but him could sense the dripping sarcasm.

[He’s mocking me for not intervening when Huangpu Tianyuan’s team attacked him before, but stepping in when Li Jingtian attacked.] It was a clear sign that Fang Qiubai wanted Zhuo Fan dead.

Keeping Dragon Cloud City’s order was merely the best excuse at the moment.

[He has now taken me into account as a potential enemy. When he had Li Jingtian attack Huangpu Tianyuan, it was all to see my stance.]

[The little demon is too outstanding!]

Staring at Zhuo’s creepy smile, Fang Qiubai sighed…