C5 The Fifth Chapter

As the news of Xia Ye's mysterious illness swept through the city of Insasari, the Right Prime Minister, Qin Seng, made a bold declaration. He announced that Xia Ye's appearance, altered by her affliction, would not deter him, and that their wedding would proceed as planned.

Amidst the buzz about the Qin family's integrity, a message came from the Xia household. Xia Yan was resolute, defying orders and pleading for the engagement to be broken off.

With one party eager to wed and the other refusing to be married, the drama between the Qin and Xia families left many onlookers bewildered. Ultimately, due to the Xia family's firm stance, Qin Seng reluctantly called off the engagement to preserve his family's honor.

The Qin family saved face, while the Xia family, in that moment, had no concern for their own reputation. Their priority was to play along with Qin Seng's act to ensure their safety. The money spent over the ordeal, they believed, would be recouped in time.

Upon hearing the news, Xia Ye buried herself under her blanket, weeping for quite some time until Qiu Feng's call finally calmed her.

Qiu Feng was overjoyed with the resolution of the situation, indifferent to the Xia family's losses. For him, Xia Ye's safety was all that mattered.

In this world, Qiu Feng was unfamiliar with the Xia family or any Second Uncle. The only person he acknowledged was Xia Ye.

With Xia Ye's issues resolved, Qiu Feng found himself at ease. He spent his days poring over the slightly yellowed pages of the Mystic Spirit Secret Record, not out of curiosity, but in search of the reason behind Xia Yi's disappearance.

As he read about the Spirit Gathering Grand Array, Qiu Feng couldn't help but shake his head in frustration. No clues emerged, only warnings of the grave consequences of using the array—ranging from halving one's lifespan to a mere three years of life remaining. Beyond that, there was nothing.

But then, it dawned on him. His presence in this world was no random occurrence.

Could it be that I am Xia Yi, and Xia Yi is me? I exist in this world, and there's another me in a different world. By coming here, have I somehow merged with him?

A bizarre thought suddenly zipped through Qiu Feng's mind.

Ugh... I don't want to dwell on that. Anyway, I'm currently known as Xia Yi. Given the circumstances, I might as well use this identity to fulfill my master's wishes.

That being said, Xia Yi couldn't shake off a slight feeling of discomfort deep down.

"Xia Yi, come out here!" boomed an arrogant voice from outside.

Startled, Xia Yi set aside his book and stepped outside.

There, with arms akimbo and scowls on their faces, stood brothers Xia Ren and Xia Jie, clearly looking for a confrontation.

Xia Ren pointed imperiously at the ground and barked at Xia Yi, "Kneel down!"

Xia Yi couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the demand.

"What's so funny? You heard my brother. Kneel down!" Xia Jie threatened, his fists popping with tension.

With a cold chuckle, Xia Yi advanced a step and challenged, "Brothers, why should I kneel? There must be a reason, surely?"

"You're an eyesore, that's why," Xia Ren retorted with a dismissive flick of his eyelid.

"Fine, if you insist."

As Xia Yi bent down, seemingly compliant, he seized a handful of dirt and flung it into Xia Ren's face at the height of their smugness.

"My eyes, ah—my eyes!"

Xia Yi then delivered a swift kick to Xia Ren's abdomen, eliciting a pained grunt as he doubled over, writhing on the ground.

Xia Jie, snapping to action with a flash of white light in his hand, was about to strike when he saw Xia Yi brandishing a dagger at his throat.

"Come any closer, and I won't hesitate to puncture his neck," Xia Yi warned.

Frozen, Xia Jie could only bellow, "You... You dare to pull a knife!"

The dagger in Xia Yi's grasp was the same one Xia Ye had stashed beneath her pillow. It was merely a trinket he had picked up to fiddle with, never imagining it would prove useful in such a situation.

Mud caked Xia Ren's swollen, reddened eyes. Desperate to clear his vision but immobilized by the dagger at his neck, he could do nothing but let tears stream down, silently praying for the dirt to wash away quickly.

Xia Yi inquired, "Who sent you?"

Xia Jie shifted his gaze and answered, "We came on our own."

"Speak up." Xia Yi nudged the dagger closer, causing a small cut to appear on Xia Ren's neck.

Terrified, Xia Ren blurted out, "It was my mother, she sent us to give you a lesson."

"That makes more sense." Xia Yi's eyes narrowed with contentment.

Had he not encountered these brothers before, Xia Yi might have believed their claim of acting independently. But he remembered their previous encounter when they had insulted him and simply walked away.

If this provocation was truly of their own volition, their previous dismissal would likely have been more than just calling him trash.

While patting Xia Ren's cheek, Xia Yi lamented, "We're all brothers here. There's no need for violence. Let's talk it out. Fighting only damages our bond."

His demeanor and words left Xia Ren and his brother dumbfounded.

Was this really Xia Yi?

He seemed less like a gentleman and more like a street thug...

"Go tell your dear mother to stop bothering me. If she angers me, she'll have to face the consequences herself."

Xia Yi released Xia Ren. The two brothers exchanged glances, neither daring to act. They slunk away with their tails between their legs.

That was a narrow escape. Xia Yi covertly wiped away his sweat. Despite his bold words, he was well aware of the brothers' fighting skills; a single swipe from them could snap a sapling. If it came to a real fight, he stood no chance at all.

As Xia Yi was about to head back to his room, a middle-aged woman dressed in fine garments approached, flanked by a servant.

"Kneel!"

The woman's tone was identical to that of Xia Ren and his brother. It was clear she was the matriarch of the Xia clan.

The old Xia Yi would have knelt without hesitation, but things were different now. The woman before him stirred no feelings within him; to Xia Yi, she was nothing more than a stranger.

Just then, Xia Ye emerged from her room and, upon seeing the confrontation, hurried over. "Auntie, what's going on?"

"Get out of my sight, you worthless wretch!"

Upon seeing Xia Ye, Mrs. Xia's fury knew no bounds. With a swift motion, she slapped Xia Ye across the face, causing the veil to fall and reveal Xia Ye's horrifying visage.

"Smack!"

Xia Yi, standing to the side, swiftly returned the favor with a slap of his own. He didn't care about the woman's status; if she dared to strike Xia Ye, he would not hold back.

"You... you little brat, you... how dare you hit me?" Mrs. Xia clutched her face, so enraged she nearly passed out. She could never have imagined that Xia Yi would dare to lay a hand on her.

Not only had she not anticipated it, but Xia Ye, the recipient of the slap, was also taken aback. Her brother had dared to commit such a disrespectful act on her behalf.

Xia Yi spoke with icy resolve, "Why wouldn't I dare to hit you?"

"I am your aunt. Hitting me is an act of disrespect!"

"Is it wrong for me to hit you, but right for you to send your son to cause me trouble?"

"Since my parents disappeared ten years ago, you and your husband have made a fortune in my name. But look at how you've treated me? You've banished me from the main house to sleep in this cold, dilapidated ancestral home. Is that your idea of doing right by me?"

"If you expect my respect, first take a hard look at yourself and ask whether you've earned it."

Mrs. Xia was left speechless by Xia Yi's rebuke.

Xia Yi paid her no further attention, turned, and walked into the house, leaving her standing there.

"You wretched boy, this isn't over!" Mrs. Xia spat out the curse and stormed off in a huff.

...

That evening, Xia Yi called Xia Ye aside to share his heartfelt thoughts, "Sister, have you ever considered leaving the Xia family behind?"

"Leave?" Xia Ye was taken aback.

"Yes, leave. I've had enough of this family. I want out."

"But brother... haven't you forgotten..." Xia Ye's voice trailed off.

No, it couldn't be. Her brother wouldn't forget that incident...

With this in mind, Xia Ye nodded at Xia Yi, "I'll follow your lead."

...

Despite being resolved, Xia Yi didn't act hastily. He had no intention of ending up homeless after leaving. He would only depart once he had secured a place where he could find refuge.

In Insasari, Xia Yi found himself in a completely unfamiliar environment. Thankfully, once Xia Ye's engagement was called off, the siblings regained their personal freedom. Now, they could come and go from the Xia Mansion as they pleased.

The vastness of Insasari left Xia Yi in awe, and the array of bizarre and exotic modes of transportation was nothing short of astonishing. On the ground, riding a horse was mere child's play compared to the tamed lions, tigers, and other formidable creatures that Xia Yi couldn't even recognize, all domesticated by the people of Foglaostein.

Looking up, one could see people soaring through the sky on giant eagles and cranes, adding to the wonder of this world.

For two full days, Xia Ye guided Xia Yi through Insasari, giving him a deeper insight into the city's customs and way of life.

"Brother, what's our plan for each day?" Xia Ye, bundled up tightly, finally inquired on the third day.

"Well, we need to scout out the best locations and find an affordable house. Now that we're parting ways with the Xia family, securing a new home is our first priority," Xia Yi explained, having already strategized their next steps. With his expertise in talisman drawing, he was confident they could easily make a life for themselves in Foglaostein.

"Brother, with your reputation, you could have your pick of patrons with just a word. Why go through all this trouble?"

"My reputation?" Xia Yi was taken aback.

Xia Ye nodded earnestly.

Xia Yi, the paragon of virtue in the Kisal Dynasty, was renowned for his martial prowess and his ability to govern. Previously, he had regarded wealth and status as trivial, but with his capabilities, even without the Martial Spirit, he would have had a significant role in the Kisal Dynasty.

Since the disappearance of the Martial Spirit, countless officials and merchants had sought to win Xia Yi over, but he had always responded with a gentle smile and a polite refusal.

It could be said that Xia Yi's current standing was due to both the Martial Spirit and his own merits.

"Stubborn" was how Xia Yan described Xia Yi.

Xia Yi was taken aback, "Was I really that impressive?"

"Am I?" Xia Ye's beautiful eyes showed a hint of bewilderment.

"It's something that's edible, but you definitely shouldn't swallow it," Xia Yi explained with earnest.