Stranger Danger

“It’s because the Four Seas does not, in fact, fall under Qi’s jurisdiction.”

Feng Qingyou explained, “More accurately, the Four Seas does not fall under Qi’s jurisdiction only.”

“Four Seas is built together by Yan, Chu, Qi, and Wei. It is to commemorate their predecessors coming together to fight back against the Strangers of the four seas. That is why Four Seas does not abide by Qi’s laws despite being located in Qi. It is a city that is jointly managed by Yan, Chu, Qi and Wei.”

“To facilitate the management process and minimize conflicts, the four countries at the time decided to split Four Seas into east, south, west and north. The east side of the city, or East City, is controlled by Qi, the South City is controlled by Chu, the West City is controlled by Wei, and the North City is controlled by Yan. Generally speaking, they do not interfere with each other’s rule.”

“However, having not one, not two, but four governments in one city, each of them upholding a different set of laws, is sure to breed chaos. For example, if someone commits a crime in South City and escapes to North City, there is a good chance they would not receive any punishment at all. As a result, both the authorities and the laws became no different from ornaments.”

“Although the four countries realized their mistake later and created a Central Bureau with unified laws and the power to manage the entire city, it was ultimately a measure that treated the symptoms but not the root cause. It did not really help with the situation.”

“Not only that, Four Seas borders the Eastern Sea, a wealthy region overflowing with Strangers, resources, and even mythical opportunities. As a result, countless jianghu warriors traveled to Four Seas everyday either to hone their strength, slay Strangers, seek out opportunities, visit celestials, studying the Dao and more.”

“Jianghu people are used to being free and unfettered, and they do not subscribe to any country’s laws. This further exacerbated the chaos plaguing the Four Seas. Eventually, the unique culture of Four Seas was formed.”

“I see!” Ye Qing rubbed his nose for a moment before breaking into a grin all of a sudden. “This is good for us.”

The more chaotic it was, the easier it was for them to carry out their plans undetected and unimpeded.

“That is very true.” Feng Qingyou nodded. “Do you have a plan, Joyless?”

“I have some immature ideas. It’ll take time for them to ripen.” Ye Qing shook his head. “Let’s find an accommodation and familiarize ourselves with Four Seas’ environment first. After that, we’ll see.”

“Very well.”

The duo were just about to take their leave when suddenly, a commotion suddenly broke out from somewhere. Someone was yelling at the top of their lungs, “You need to see this! Someone is challenging Xiaohou Qi to a fight!”

“Who is the suicidal bastard who dares to challenge Xiahou Qi?”

“Where is it? Where is the fight taking place?”

“The shore! The fight is happening at the shore! The fight could break out at any moment, so you better not waste your time and leave now!”

“What are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

The next moment, a thick swathe of people began moving toward the eastern gate. It looked and sounded like a tidal wave of humans.

“Xiahou Qi?” Ye Qing voiced the name thoughtfully. “Are they referring to the son of the Martial Sovereign of Wei, the ‘Junior Martial Sovereign’ Xiahou Qi?”

“It’s possible,” Feng Qingyou replied with clear interest. “There wouldn’t be such a huge commotion otherwise.”

“Let’s go then. I would like to witness the strength of this so-called ‘Junior Martial Sovereign’ myself.”

Ye Qing did not hesitate. With Feng Qingyou following closely behind him, he tracked the human tidal wave and quickly arrived at the eastern shore.

By the time they reached their destination, Xiahou Qi and his opponent were fighting already.

They were two men. One man looked to be twenty seven or eight years old, and he was wearing a long black gilded robe. His facial features were chiseled like they were carved out of stone, firm and unyielding. His expression, however, was one of pridefulness and a hint of scorn. 𝘳âＮÒ𝐛Èṡ

The other guy was in his forties, and he had a slim face and cruel eyes. His aura was as cold and sharp as an unsheathed sword.

The duo were currently locked in a fierce battle. The middle-aged man wielded a broadsword that was over a meter long and as wide as a wooden door. The blade of the sword was flawless azure like the ocean itself.

It did not take a genius to see that the broadsword was quite heavy, but the way the middle-aged man was wielding it, you would think that it weighed no more than a feather. His techniques were nimble, abstruse, and everchanging like a fish swimming unfettered in the sea.

In contrast, the young man was barehanded. He was neutralizing his opponent’s sword techniques with his fists, palms, or fingers. His techniques were plain, simple, but efficient. He did not look under pressure at all.

In fact, the battle looked fierce on the outside—sword qi flying and gale blowing—but anyone above a certain level of martial insight knew that they were still testing each other. No one was going all out just yet.

Suddenly, someone from the crowd commented, “I remember now! The man fighting against Xiahou Qi is the lord of the Canglang Island of the Eastern Sea, the island lord Chao Haisheng. The sword he’s wielding is called the ‘Rising Tide’.”

“Chao Haisheng? Is he the eighty-first warrior on the Earth Champions Ranking, the so-called ‘Sword That Rises With The Tides’ Chao Haisheng?”

“That’s right.”

“No wonder he dared to challenge the Junior Martial Sovereign. Tsk tsk, this is going to be interesting.”

“Who do you think would win, Chao Haisheng or Xiahou Qi?”

“Are you serious right now? Of course Xiahou Qi is going to win!”

“Oh? Why do you say that?”

“Heh! Xiahou Qi is the son of the Martial Sovereign of Wei, and he is extraordinarily talented. They say that he is a worthy heir who inherited his father’s full might and talent; a genius who broke through his physical limits and became a body-tempering Grandmaster at a young age. That was how he earned the moniker ‘Junior Martial Sovereign’, and why he is ranked sixty-ninth on the Earth Champions Ranking. On the other hand, Chao Haisheng is only eighty-first. How can he possibly be a match for Xiahou Qi?”

“Don’t come to conclusions just yet. Xiahou Qi may be strong and ranked higher than Chao Haisheng, but he is young. Chao Haisheng is a veteran warrior who’s made his name for decades. He is famous for his signature ‘Rising Tide Sword Art’, and his fighting experience far exceeds a fledgling like Xiahou Qi. Just because Xiaohou Qi’s cultivation level is higher doesn’t necessarily mean that he will win for sure.”

“That is true, but I still think that Xiahou Qi will win.”

“By the way, does anyone know why Chao Haisheng suddenly challenged Xiahou Qi to a duel? It’s not like they resent each other, do they?”

“Are you kidding? Yes, they do not know each other, but what do all jianghu people seek? Fame and glory! If you are more famous than me, then you are my enemy. It’s that simple.”

“Heh. In short, you’re a goddamn junior who is two decades younger than me. Who are you to ride on my head and pretend to be my better? Fuck you!”

“Haha… your words are vulgar, but your logic is sublime…”

“The Sword That Rises With The Tides?” Ye Qing smirked as he listened to the surrounding conversation. “It’s an impressive title, but why can’t I see any tide from his sword technique at all?”

Feng Qingyou replied, “That’s because he’s using the ‘Spirit Fish Sword Art’, not his signature ‘Rising Tide Sword Art’. But don’t worry. You’ll witness it very soon.”

“Chao Haisheng, will you please stop humiliating yourself with this worthless sword art and get serious already?”

It was at this moment Xiahou Qi landed a palm strike on Chao Haisheng’s blade and shattered the sword qi surrounding the sword. He scoffed, “Show me your ‘Rising Tide Sword Art’ already, or I promise you you won’t get the chance to do so.”

A flinty glint appeared in Chao Haisheng’s eyes. “If that is your wish, then so it shall be. I too would like to witness the Martial Sovereign’s ‘Nine Blades That Melt The Sun’.”

“Quit dreaming. You are nowhere near the level you need to to witness my father’s signature move!” Xiahou Qi taunted.

“Arrogant junior!”

Chao Haisheng was furious. He was afraid of the Martial Sovereign, sure—there was no one in the world who wasn’t afraid of the man who became a Sage through his body, Xiahou Zun—but that did not mean that he was afraid of Xiahou Qi.

Although they said that Xiahou Zun was his father’s equal in terms of talent, he was ultimately not the Martial Sovereign. The difference between the Junior Martial Sovereign and the Martial Sovereign was night and day.

That was why Chao Hai was sure that he wasn’t inferior to Xiahou Qi, and why he dared to challenge Xiahou Qi to a duel.

Chao Haisheng let out an angry grunt and abruptly changed his sword style. Instead of nimbleness and flexibility, his sword now sported large movements and grandiosity.

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