thefictionvixens Chapter 45: Want to play a game? You'll have to pay extra.
Chapter 45: Want to play a game? You'll have to pay extra.
"You're overthinking it. Playing chess at this level is mentally exhausting, and there's no benefit to it. Why should I play chess with you?"
Ye Chengfeng rejected Fan Xian without hesitation, even though the feeling of crushing a weakling was very enjoyable.
Stomping noobs is fine to do occasionally, but if you spend all your time doing it, it gets a bit boring.
Moreover, competing in terms of artistic conception with a martial artist like Fan Xian, who has only just begun to explore the realm of artistic conception, would not have any effect on training Ye Chengfeng's sword intent.
On the contrary, Fan Xian can gain real benefits; suppressing his true qi is just the most superficial benefit.
Such a contest of martial arts concepts is also a very good way to train Fan Xian's own martial arts conception.
If Fan Xian can elevate his martial arts realm to the Grandmaster level before his true energy completely spirals out of control...
Perhaps he can become a grandmaster in a different way.
Why would Ye Chengfeng say that Fan Xian could become an unconventional grandmaster?
This is naturally due to the domineering true qi that Fan Xian cultivated.
A cultivator of domineering true qi who wants to break through to the Grandmaster level must undergo a process of destruction and reconstruction, merging their meridians into one and filling their entire body with true qi.
This is also the advantage of a domineering true qi cultivator; the amount of true qi far exceeds that of cultivators of the same level, and so does its power.
While the domineering aura sounds impressive, it doesn't actually offer much benefit to martial artists.
Pure is all about sheer power and flying bricks; it's all about stats, how could it not be domineering?
On the contrary, those who practice swordsmanship, like Ye Chengfeng, have fast swords, sharp swords, and flashy swords.
That's right, sword intent is sharpness. It's not that there aren't higher-level sword intents, but rather that such high-level sword intents are impossible to find in the world of Joy of Life.
"You're so stingy! What do you want in return for playing chess with me?"
"How about this, I'll simply set a price: 100,000 taels per game?"
"Why don't you just rob it?"
One hundred thousand taels is not a small amount for Fan Xian, let alone one plate of one hundred thousand taels.
"This is much faster than stealing."
Ye Chengfeng laughed heartily and continued to tease, "I didn't even charge you this time, and you're still not satisfied? Besides, after I marry Ruoruo, I have to make sure she has everything she needs; she can't do without money."
"You, the young master of Dongyi City, are you short of money?"
"That's all the people's money. How can I just take it and use it however I want?"
As they chatted, the conversation drifted off-topic.
Ye Chengfeng suddenly asked Fan Xian, "You really don't want to be emperor? As a prince, you have a great chance!"
Fan Xian also discovered that Ye Chengfeng was similar to him in personality; they were both people who disliked trouble.
Fan Xian was also helpless; if he hadn't been forced to, he wouldn't have bothered going to the capital.
When he was in Danzhou, he was so happy every day, and he could tease the maids in the mansion whenever he had nothing to do.
"How about we switch places? I'll take Wan'er to your Dongyi City to be the city lord, and you come to our Qing Kingdom?"
"Get lost! Can you really bear to see your sister suffer in the future?"
When the topic of the throne came up, the two suddenly fell silent.
Yan Bingyun, however, looked at Fan Xian with a strange expression.
Fan Xian chatted with Ye Chengfeng without trying to hide it from him, and Ye Chengfeng heard their conversation clearly.
Originally, Yan Bingyun didn't have a good impression of Ye Chengfeng, but after hearing his words, she began to appreciate Ye Chengfeng's personality.
Moreover, Fan Xian had no opinion on the two men's "theory of the emperor," but Yan Bingyun did.
It wasn't that he wanted to be emperor himself, but that he felt Fan Xian was suitable.
"Given Lord Fan's personality, he might become a wise ruler in the future. Let's observe him further, and perhaps we can discuss it with the Dean."
In Yan Bingyun's eyes, the Qing Kingdom is more important than anything else. To put it another way, if stabbing the Qing Emperor a few times would benefit the development of the Qing Kingdom, he would not hesitate to do so.
Fan Xian didn't notice Yan Bingyun's change, but Ye Chengfeng did, as he had been paying attention to Yan Bingyun all along.
"What's Yan Bingyun thinking? Does he really think Fan Xian is suited to be emperor? If so, that'll be hilarious, hehe!"
Ye Chengfeng was secretly delighted, and he could even picture it in his mind.
One day in the future, Yan Bingyun suddenly draped a yellow robe over Fan Xian's shoulders.
Will Fan Xian ever say, "You've really put me in a terrible situation!"
He might also berate Yan Bingyun severely, since Fan Xian never thought being emperor was a good thing.
"How has Ruoruo been lately? Has your maid informed you?"
Fan Xian still cares about his sister. Ye Chengfeng asked Xiao Lan to take Fan Ruoruo to Dongyi City, but he doesn't know how she is doing.
"Don't worry, as long as it's not a Grandmaster who makes a move, Xiaolan and Ruoruo will be safe."
Ye Chengfeng wasn't worried about Xiaolan and Fan Ruoruo at all.
Xiao Lan is extremely strong, and Yun Zhilan is the most qualified to say that, as he has never won against her in their sparring matches.
It's just that Xiaolan's strength is unknown to outsiders.
"That puts my mind at ease. I wonder if Ruoruo will find it difficult to adjust to life in Dongyi City."
"Since you're so worried about Ruoruo, why don't you bring your princess with you and come back to Dongyi City with me?"
Ye Chengfeng was curious to know if Emperor Qing would get angry if Fan Xian were taken to Dongyi City.
It's important to know that Fan Xian was a crucial part of Emperor Qing's plan to scheme against the other three Grandmasters.
"Emperor Qing is definitely furious. Forget it, let's just calm down. If he really gets angry, even this old man can't protect me."
"Forget it. If I go back to Dongyi City with you, wouldn't the people of Qing Kingdom curse me to death?"
Fan Xian is also very rational.
"You've already kidnapped Ruoruo and taken her to Dongyi City, so why are you still coming to the capital with me? What wicked plan are you plotting now?"
"What wicked idea could I possibly have? Of course, I'd go to Emperor Qing and ask for Ruoruo back!"
"If it weren't for you! Wait, are you planning to disgust my cheap old man?"
Fan Xian immediately realized that not many people knew that Fan Ruoruo had been taken to Dongyi City by Xiao Lan.
Even if they knew, no one would believe them if they told others, there was no evidence, and logically no one could suspect Ye Chengfeng.
"You're really something else, aren't you afraid I'll betray you?"
Not to mention Fan Xian, even Yan Bingyun standing to the side was dumbfounded!
"Whatever, but someone has to believe it first. Besides, you don't have any proof."
"What's your purpose in doing this? Just to disgust people?"
"Of course not. Tell me, if Ruoruo disappears, will Emperor Qing grant me another marriage? Who should I choose then? Are there any other beauties in your Qing Kingdom?"
"Old Wang, where's my knife? I'm going to chop this bastard to pieces!"
Fan Xian was furious. She hadn't even married his sister yet, and she was already flirting with other women. As her brother, how could Fan Xian tolerate this?
"You're allowed to have ambiguous relationships with Bei Qi Haitang Duoduo and that Si Lili, but I can't? That's not fair!"
Fan Xian's face changed rapidly, turning black one moment and red the next.
"I have no relationship with Duoduo or Silili; those are all rumors."
Fan Xian immediately explained.
"Tch, someone has to believe it first. Ask your subordinate Wang Qinian if he believes it, ask Young Master Yan if he believes it?"
When it comes to this, Wang Qinian is the most qualified to speak.
Whether it was Haitang Duoduo or Si Lili, Wang Qinian had seen Fan Xian flirting with them quite often.
"My lord, I think what Little Sword Immortal Ye said is right. It's normal for men to have three wives and four concubines."
"Old Wang, who are you on board with? Believe me or not, I'll tell your wife!"
Upon hearing Fan Xian's words, Wang Qinian immediately changed the subject.
"But Little Sword Immortal, you should at least do this behind someone's back. Look at my master, he likes it, but he doesn't say it out loud."
Wang Qinian was essentially adding insult to injury, which delighted Ye Chengfeng.