Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Fen Ziyan
Fen Ziyan had barely stepped out of the arena when a group of female disciples approached her.
"Senior Sister Fen, do you have some time for a talk?"
At the front was Mu Qingyao, smiling sweetly as if nothing was wrong.
Fen Ziyan frowned seeing this group as she knew this bunch wasn’t up to anything good, but since they were still in public, she didn’t want to make a scene.
With a cold snort, she agreed.
"Hmph, you people better not waste my time."
Soon, they arrived at a secluded, quiet courtyard behind the outer halls, where no one else could see or hear them.
Then, as if the friendly and smiley faces from before were just an illusion, they immediately turned hostile.
"Look at you," one of the girls sneered, stepping close, her voice low and mocking. "The great Fen Ziyan... losing so easily. Even the spectators are still talking about it. Do you realize how embarrassing this is for the Fen Dynasty?"
Fen Ziyan’s lips pressed tightly together at the sudden change and she tried to rebuke, but the girls weren’t done and cut her off.
"Honestly," another said, smirking, "I thought you were a genius before. But right now? Pathetic. Still stuck in the small realm for so long... it’s almost funny."
Fen Ziyan’s fists clenched, but her face turn pale as what they saying is the truth. But she didn’t come here to just for them to mock her.
"...This is none of your business. And if that’s all, then I’m leaving." She tried to step past them, but the girls blocked her way.
Mu Qingyao laughed softly, her tone venomous. "Not my business? Don’t make me laugh. You’ve lost face for the whole dynasty. Your so-called privileges, the support provided by the dynasty... all of it will be gone. And your high-class residence? It’s mine now."
Fen Ziyan finally snapped hearing this. "Who gave you the right!?"
And Mu Qingyao’s voice turned cold and sharp. "Do you even realize what your loss means? The Fen Dynasty can’t afford to keep supporting someone like you, someone who can’t even advance a single small realm." She then pulled out a small, shining token. "This. The emperor’s seal. His Majesty entrusted it to me, so now my words carry the emperor’s will."
"...W-what...? Father gave you the seal?" Fen Ziyan’s eyes widened in disbelief, unable to accept that her own father had handed the seal to Mu Qingyao.
"Since you can no longer advance and are dragging the Dynasty’s name through the mud... starting today, you are to return to the Fen Dynasty," Mu Qingyao said, a cruel smile curling her lips. "If you dare disobey, your titles and ties to the Fen Clan will be cut off completely."
Mu Qingyao then slowly leaned closer, her voice dropping low and whisper. "And just a little bit of inside news... My uncle has taken quite an interest in you and has proposed taking you as his concubine with His Majesty... Maybe soon we will even be one happy family."
Fen Ziyan’s mind went blank after hearing all of these. She knew exactly what Mu Qingyao meant and who her uncle was, the prime minister of the Fen Dynasty, a man who holding a high position in the court.
She knew her father well, he would squeeze every last bit of value out of her if he could, now that her talent as a genius is no more.
If marrying her off meant gaining stronger connections, he wouldn’t hesitate. To him, she was just another bargaining chip.
The reality hit her harder than any sword or punch ever could, as her face darkened, fear and anger begin to battling inside her, as this basically meant her cultivation journey will end if she were to return.
Meanwhile Mu Qingyao’s eyes lit up with joy when she saw the despair on Fen Ziyan’s face.
Ever since she was young, she had always lived in Fen Ziyan’s shadow. No matter what she did, Fen Ziyan was always better.
If Mu Qingyao was called beautiful, Fen Ziyan was called stunning.
If Mu Qingyao was praised for her talent, Fen Ziyan was praised as a genius.
If only Fen Ziyan didn’t exist, then the title of number one young genius of the Fen Dynasty would have belonged to her.
And to be honest, she was told by her family to pressure Fen Ziyan and make everything hard for her for some reason, but she doesn’t really care about the reason why her family wants her to do this.
Since she also wants to bring this high and mighty woman down, so she gladly takes on this task and make sure to finish it beautifully.
’Once she is married to Uncle, I have to ask him to humiliate this woman even more,’
Mu Qingyao’s breath starts to grow hot at the thought of Fen Ziyan crying and struggling under the body of her old uncle, which makes her feel a twisted sense of excitement.
Fen Ziyan was already shock in silent from hearing all of these news yet this group didn’t stop.
They continued to mock her, trash talking about her skill, her talent, and her supposed pride.
Fen Ziyan’s hands trembled, her chest tightening with every words as if a heavy weight pressed against it. Soon her vision blurred as unshed tears welled up, threatening to fall.
"Eh? The great genius Fen Ziyan is actually about to cry?" Mu Qingyao’s laughter rang sharp and cruel. "How low you’ve fallen. Well, whatever. You’d better be obedient and return to the Fen Dynasty otherwise... hmph."
With her final words, Mu Qingyao turned and left with her group, their mocking laughter echoing behind them.
Fen Ziyan remained alone, her figure trembling slightly, her head lowered, no longer held high with pride.
She slowly sank to the ground, trembling, arms wrapping tightly around her knees as if that could shield her from the cruel world.
Her mind was a mess, shame, fear, anger, and despair about the future all tangled together.
For the first time in her life, she felt small... powerless... and utterly abandoned.
Somewhere nearby, Li Feng had been watching the whole thing, couldn’t help but murmur under his breath.
’Women can be quite scary... especially when it’s between their own kind.’
He was honestly amazed that they hadn’t lifted a hand against Fen Ziyan, no force, no violence and yet their venomous words alone had been enough to crush her.
He watched Fen Ziyan collapse, and saw the raw fear and vulnerability in her eyes.
But a small, sly smile appeared on his face. Because this... this was the perfect moment he had been waiting for.
After waiting for a while, sensing it was the right moment, he straightened his robe and cleared his throat.
Then, pretending to just be passing by, and "accidentally" noticing Fen Ziyan, he put on a look of surprise.
"Eh? Senior Sister Fen, are you alright?" Li Feng asked, his voice turning gentle, laced with concern.
--
Meanwhile, in the Fen Dynasty Palace,
Inside a luxurious study room, middle-aged man exuding an air of authority sat on a cushion, he dressed in a golden robe, his eyes scanning the reports on the table before him.
An eunuch soon come before him and bowed and spoke. "Your Majesty, Concubine Zi requests an audience."
"Hmm, let her in," the middle-aged man replied casually, without taking his attention off from the report in his hands.
Soon, a beautiful, mature woman entered, dressed in a purple luxurious robe adorned with expensive jade ornaments. Behind her followed an attendant eunuch.
Her long silky black hair framed a face that bore a slight resemblance to Fen Ziyan. Her eyes were calm and steady, but the curves of her body, her full chest carefully concealed beneath the robe, hinted at her maturity and elegance.
"Your Majesty, I apologize for the sudden visit, but... I heard you recalled Ziyan..." Concubine Zi asked hesitantly, bowing slightly, causing the front of her robe to reveal a glimpse of her deep cleavage.
"Yes, she has failed to advance and even lost so ungracefully in the sect tournament that I find it hard to continue investing in her," Emperor Fen replied coldly, without even looking at Concubine Zi.
Concubine Zi, hearing this, knelt and kowtowed, pleading for her only child. "Please! Your Majesty, give Ziyan another chance. I’m sure she can break through soon after facing this obstacle."
Her eunuch knelt silently behind her, showing support.
"My decision is final," Emperor Fen’s cold voice echoed. "Besides..., Prime Minister Wu has just suggested taking Fen Ziyan as his concubine... and I think she will have a better future that way rather than wasting her time on anymore cultivation."
Emperor Fen also finally looked up, with a gaze sharp and unyielding, leaving no room for rebuttal, as what he said was not a suggestion, but an order.
The kneeling Concubine Zi trembled as she heard this, realizing that Emperor Fen likely wanted to strengthen ties with the Prime Minister’s faction.
Sensing the cold atmosphere, she understood it was time for her to leave.
"...Your Majesty is wise," she said through gritted teeth, rising reluctantly before bowing and leaving the room with her eunuch.
Emperor Fen watched the enticing figure of Concubine Zi leave the room and let out a soft sigh.
His personal eunuch, who had long served him, sensed the emperor’s thoughts and quietly asked,"Your Majesty, shall I call Concubine Zi back to attend you?"
"No," Emperor Fen shook his head. "I must conserve my yang energy."
Emperor Fen wasn’t completely immune to mortal indulgences, as he carried the duty of producing heirs for the royal family.
Now, he finally understood why neither he nor the previous emperors had advanced much in cultivation. Their environment never allowed them to devote themselves fully to the Dao.
That’s why no empire or dynasty could become as strong as the major sects. They, in a sense, can be considered false cultivators as they are too busy with mortal affairs, politics, and personal interests to truly pursue immortality, making them unsuitable for the higher realms.
Emperor Fen looked at his aging hands and sighed. Who wouldn’t want immortality... but for him, it was already too late.
--
A while later, somewhere in the palace.
Inside a small, dimly lit room, an old man with a white beard sat with his eyes closed, waiting for someone.
A knock echoed from the door.
"Come in," he answer
The door opened, and a figure clad in a full-body robe stepped inside. The hood even completely concealed their face.
The old man opened one eye. "So, how is it?"
"Prime Minister Wu, everything is going as planned," a distort voice that seemed neither male nor female was heard coming from the robed figure.
Prime Minister Wu smiled. "Now we just have to wait for Princess Fen Ziyan to return. Once she does... you must follow through with the deal we agreed upon."
"Don’t worry," the hooded figure said. "I’ll give you what you want. Then you just need to make it look like Fen Ziyan mysteriously disappeared and hand her over to me."
Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Wu felt a thrill of excitement, a faint, blood-like aura emanating from him before he quickly suppressed it.
And with concern, he asked, "What if she doesn’t return? Wouldn’t that render all our plans meaningless?"
The hooded figure chuckled. "Then we wait until she leaves the sect and personally make her disappear. If she doesn’t return, the emperor will cut ties with her anyway, so it won’t be a problem. As for the sect... we just have to make it look like she failed her sect quest outside."
Prime Minister Wu exhaled, impressed by the extent of the preparation. And curiosity got the better of him. "Just one more thing... why do you want Fen Ziyan so badly?"
Suddenly the aura around the hooded figure change, growing darker and more violent. Prime Minister Wu broke out in sweat, realizing he may have overstepped but to his surprise, he actually got an answer.
"Hmm, to be honest, with your cunning mind, I’m sure you can already guess somewhat why I want her."
With a low laugh, the figure added, "It’s because... her body is special."
Prime Minister Wu nodded, already having a rough idea himself.
They had been working together for years, carefully casting a net around Fen Ziyan. Every step was planned, every piece in its place. Now, the time to reel in the fish was near.
Nothing could possibly go wrong... or so they thought.
They didn’t realize yet that all their hard work was about to be taken and used by someone else... by a pervert at that too.