Chapter Nine: The Beginning of Frustration (Part Two)

Sorry for the delay in updating—something came up during the day, so this chapter is to make up for what was owed yesterday. Brothers and sisters, it seems like the number of votes is a bit low. Could you give me some motivation?

Back at his residence, Kuang Chi’s expression was far from pleasant. It was his first day of class, and though he had hoped to make a couple of close friends, the result was the opposite—he hadn’t made a single friend. In fact, he’d been ignored by the entire class for an entire day.

He watched others laugh loudly, listened to the soft, melodious voices of the beautiful girls, but none of it involved him. Within a three-meter radius, no one approached him, as if he were a stranger to be avoided.

Zixia clearly understood Kuang Chi’s predicament. She was waiting in the living room, book in hand, and when she saw him sit down, his face full of indignation, she smiled and said, “Fatty, what’s wrong? Not happy? Everyone at the academy is talking—your class is full of girls. Pretty much all the beauties of your year are in your class.”

Seeing Zixia’s strange smile, Kuang Chi knew she was making fun of him. But he couldn’t vent his anger at her, so he could only reply, “You just love to tease me. So what if they're beautiful? What does that have to do with me?”

Zixia smiled, but when she saw how truly upset he was, she tried to comfort him, “They just misunderstand you right now. Don’t take it to heart. If you want to blame someone, blame your grandfather.”

“Why?” Kuang Chi looked puzzled. How did this relate to his grandfather?

Zixia’s expression turned a little aggrieved. “Your grandfather is going around the whole empire’s noble circles looking for a wife for you. Don’t you think those nobles understand how to seize an opportunity?”

“What? My grandfather is helping me look for a wife?” Kuang Chi exclaimed in shock.

This time, Zixia could no longer conceal her true feelings, and let out a bitter snort.

Kuang Chi didn’t understand any of this and hurriedly asked, “Don’t I already have two betrothals? Why look for more?”

Zixia replied, her face full of resentment, “Your grandfather said that I and Phoebe were chosen by your great-grandfather, and as a grandfather, he wants to find a wife for you himself.”

Kuang Chi muttered to himself, “Another wife...”

After a pause, he offhandedly asked Zixia, “Zixia, how many wives am I supposed to have?”

Asking exactly the wrong question at the wrong time, he only managed to anger Zixia. She threw her book aside and left for her room, ignoring him completely.

A month passed in the blink of an eye, and during that time, attending class was the thing Kuang Chi dreaded most.

One day, Zixia was in unusually good spirits and took Kuang Chi for a stroll around the academy. The Imperial Academy’s scenery was indeed unrivaled—after all, it was built to nurture the future of the empire. Pavilions and towers dotted the landscape, and there was even a large artificial lake. Couples strolled hand in hand along its shores; it was indeed a perfect place for lovers.

Zixia walked ahead, taking her time, while Kuang Chi trailed behind her, glancing around. The occasional laughter from passersby made it easy to imagine what they thought of the pair.

Zixia didn’t care at all—let others laugh if they wished. But when she saw Kuang Chi’s gawking, especially his eyes lingering on the girls around them, she grew a little annoyed. “Fatty, what are you looking at?”

Kuang Chi answered without thinking, “Strange that I haven’t seen Phoebe Karaji in all this time. Last I heard from her grandfather, he wanted me to keep her company at the academy because she hasn’t been well lately. But I’ve looked for her several times and couldn’t find her. No one will tell me where she lives.”

Zixia’s tone turned slightly jealous, “Oh, so you’re growing up and finally know how to care for someone?”

Over the past month, Kuang Chi had already experienced Zixia’s jealousy more than once, and he hurried to explain, “It’s not that. She’s my fiancée, after all. If she’s ill, I can’t just ignore her.”

Zixia snorted, “It would be strange if she were truly sick. Phoebe is a famous martial arts prodigy. I hear she’s been cultivating a martial arts technique your great-grandfather sent her since she was a child, and rumor has it she’s about to break through to the Innate Stage. If there’s any talk of her being ill, it must be her grandfather’s doing.”

Just then, Kuang Chi’s expression darkened, as if flames were flickering in his eyes. Following his gaze, Zixia couldn’t help but cry out softly in surprise.

Not far ahead, Phoebe Karaji and Bier Hyde were sitting closely together in a pavilion, looking quite intimate.

The two seemed not to notice Kuang Chi and Zixia’s arrival, chatting and laughing quietly. Zixia glanced at Kuang Chi, whose brow was tightly furrowed, and could sense the internal energy surging wildly within him.

Just as Zixia was about to speak, Kuang Chi charged toward the pair, shouting, “Damn you, pretty boy! I’ll beat you up!”

Only then did the two in the pavilion notice them, but Kuang Chi was already upon them, launching a deadly move from the Heaven-Wounding Fist directly at Bier Hyde.

When Bier Hyde saw Kuang Chi, his own anger flared. Neither cared for the academy’s no-fighting rules, and they started brawling without a second thought.

In just a few moves, the pavilion was reduced to a pile of rubble.

Bier Hyde’s cultivation was a bit deeper than Kuang Chi’s, but Kuang Chi’s martial techniques were more refined. The two were evenly matched for a time.

Phoebe Karaji stood to the side, her expression shifting repeatedly. Zixia sighed to herself and quietly walked over to Phoebe. Watching the fight, she spoke softly, “Phoebe, I know you’re not happy about your engagement, but have you considered how slim your chances of breaking it off are? Would your grandfather even allow it? With what you’re doing now, it’s no wonder Fatty is upset—truthfully, even I’m angry. Why put yourself through this?”

Phoebe stood silent, lost in thought, her expression changing rapidly. After a while, she replied, “Zixia, are you really satisfied with your engagement? I doubt it.”

Zixia’s expression changed as well. She looked at Phoebe and said, “Satisfied or not, what does it matter? Things have come to this point—can we really decide our own fates? Phoebe, I’ve told you before, you can’t go back on this engagement. If you try, you’ll only bring trouble to yourself and to the other party.”

She paused, then continued, “Do you think that by allying with the Hyde family, you can withstand the fury of the Kuang family and the Karaji family? Or should we add the Sword Sect to the list?”

Phoebe’s face grew even more troubled.

As she watched the duel, Zixia continued quietly, “Do you really think the alliance between our three families is as simple as it seems? I once thought as you do, but now I know—this is not an engagement we can break.”

“Why not?” Phoebe asked, her face full of curiosity.

Zixia’s expression turned bitter. She looked around at the crowd, now more than ten layers deep, and sighed before answering, “I can’t say right now. Maybe you’ll understand in the future. I just want to tell you not to make trouble for yourself—or for the people you care about. Bier may be the Hyde heir now, but the Hyde family cannot withstand the combined wrath of the Kuang and Karaji families. Do you understand?”

“Why can’t this engagement be broken? Why?” Phoebe pressed anxiously. “What’s the real reason? Isn’t my family just looking for a powerful ally? If I align with the Hydes, isn’t that enough?”

Zixia shook her head softly, her face full of sorrow. “The real reason, I think, is known only to the heads of the Kuang family, the Sword Sect, and your Karaji family. I don’t know much myself. But I can assure you, it’s not just about finding an ally.”