Thus, under the crashing roar of cheers, the weapons clashed and sparks flew. The more invigorating the fight was on stage, the louder the cheers below.
Suddenly, there was a deafening clang. White light flashed, and the crowd gasped, their breaths hitched. That three-meter saber was flicked out of the demon’s hand by the long slender sword of the God-Pleasing Martial Warrior and was nailed directly into a stone pillar of the towering platform. A few bystanders tried to pull it out, but even when they pulled with all their strength, the long saber didn’t move an inch. They were greatly astonished.
“What kind of saber is this? What strength you’d need to wield it!”
Upon the grand stage, the God-Pleasing Martial Warrior shook his sword, and he flicked his finger on the blade again. Another resonant ring, and from behind the golden mask there came soft chuckling.
“You fought well. But you still lost,” Xie Lian said, cheerfully and leisurely.
With his weapon lost, the demon bent one knee to the ground. He was still silent, but his fists clenched harder. Xie Lian skillfully twirled his sword and, surrounded by the cheers from all around, prepared to make his final strike and “slay” the demon.
Just then, there was screaming from above!
Shocked, Xie Lian lowered his sword and looked up, but he was only able to see a blurry shadow plunging rapidly from the city wall.
In that split second, he didn’t have time to think. He pointed his toes and pushed off the ground in a flash to leap into the air, darting upward weightlessly.
He surged and flew, his sleeves fluttering open like the wings of a butterfly, then landed gracefully, light as a feather. Firmly in his hold was a person, and only when he touched solid ground did Xie Lian sigh a breath of relief and look down.
In his arms there was a child, his head wrapped in bandages, dirty and unkempt. He was curled up in his hold and watching him dazedly.
This child was no older than seven or eight, and quite the small, gaunt creature. After falling from such a height, his little body was shaking uncontrollably in his arms like a newborn animal. However, from that mess of bandages wrapped around his head there peeked a large black eye that reflected the silhouette of a snow-white figure. He was watching him unblinkingly, as if he could no longer see anything else.
Loud gasps were heard from all around, and when Xie Lian raised his head, his heart sank. In his peripheral vision, he saw lying on the ground not far away a golden object. The golden mask that hid his face had fallen.
Xie Lian had landed in the middle of the Grand Avenue of Divine Might, and the ceremonial parade was dozens of meters behind him, the procession not having made it this far yet. The sudden commotion broke the steady march of the warriors, the flower-tossing celestial maidens looked panicked, the golden carriages stopped, a number of white stallions stomped their hooves and neighed in alarm, and the strings missed notes with their rhythm disrupted. Some kept going, and some stopped. Without being able to coordinate their march again, the entire situation was spiraling out of control. The crowd on both sides of the street still hadn’t had the chance to react, but the King of Xianle upon the towering platform stood up immediately, looking worried and grave as he watched his son.
The moment he stood, how could the rest of the nobles remain seated? Thus, they all rose to their feet in a frenzy. The State Preceptor’s bottom had only just warmed his seat, but now it was cold again. He was frantically deciding whether he needed to prostrate on all fours immediately to beg for forgiveness when Qi Rong leapt onto the railing, his sleeves rolled up, shouting in rage.
“WHAT’S GOING ON NOW? WHAT’S HAPPENING? WHY DID THE PROCESSION FALL INTO CHAOS? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU USELESS TRASH DOING? DID YOU ALL EAT NOTHING BUT PLAIN RICE, CAN’T EVEN HOLD YOUR HORSES?!”
The queen’s face was pale, her brows lightly knitted, and she hurriedly sent for another person to drag him back. The crowds were growing agitated and a riot was about to erupt when just then, Xie Lian rose to his feet once more.
Usually, the honorable crown prince was hidden deep within the palace or training at the Royal Holy Temple, so he rarely had the chance to show his face to the people. This was such a rare occasion that many couldn’t help but be intrigued, their gazes all falling on him. Yet when they gazed upon his face, their breathing hitched. That young man had long brows and charming eyes, exceptionally handsome, radiating nobility, so dazzling it forced down the eyes of those looking. With the child in one arm, he slowly raised the other with sword in hand, and pointed it to the grand stage.