Chapter 208 - Foxs Pride (1/2)
The fight between Lang and Chloe Elliott was over. Victory had gone to the young beast tamer of the Ice Wolf Beast Family. The affinity and cooperation between her and her spirit beast, the wolf Fenrir, had allowed them to prevail over their opponents.
As the four fighters left the stage to make way for the next match, Song Yazhu announced the next two challengers.
”Taking the field for the next match are Huli Xieren of the Huli Family and Bao Yeong-Cheol of the Bao Family.”
”Bao Yeong-Cheol? Is he related to Bao Jong-Su?”
Upon hearing that name, He Fen, whom he had confronted Bao Jong-Su on his rounds, couldn't help but ask.
”Yes. Bao Yeong-Cheol and Bao Jong-Su are brothers, twins to be precise.”
The one who answered was Feng Chen. As a member of one of the Eight Big Families, he knew the names of the principal members of the younger generation of each bloodline family, especially those in the Southern Region and therefore within the area administered by the Feng Family. The young man then turned his gaze to the young woman with fiery red hair, preparing to leave the stands dedicated to the fighters.
”Xieren, go and win. With your skills, you will have no problem facing Bao Yeong-Cheol. But be careful; he could turn out to be an insidious opponent.”
Hearing Feng Chen's recommendation, Huli Xieren nodded her head. Her purple eyes with a slight reddish tinge looked in the direction of Feng Chen. The intensity of her eyes' color was so bewitching that she would be able to captivate people with little willpower with just one look.
”I'll be back as a winner as soon as possible.”
Leaving those words, Huli Xieren made her way to the fighting stage. As she exited the fighters' stands, she met her opponent, Bao Yeong-Cheol, who was also heading to the stage.
”And so my opponent is someone from the Huli Family. You know, I confess I was hoping for a better opponent for the first round, especially after my little brother lost his match and was eliminated from the tournament. To regain the lost face of my family, it would have been better to face someone strong. And instead, I have to put up with someone from a shameful family like the Huli Family. You and all the other families who submit to the Eight Big Families are just trash. To avoid seeing your prestige ruined by your ineptitude, you are willing to lick the asses of those who would not hesitate to kill us if they could.”
Hearing those words, Huli Xieren said nothing but just continued walking in the open corridor that connected the stands of the fighters with the fighting stage. Seeing this, Bao Yeong-Cheol came out with a smile as if he was expecting a similar reaction.
His earlier words weren't a provocation to influence Huli Xieren's heart and her clarity in combat. It was his honest consideration of the Huli Family, shared by the Bao Family and the other bloodline families.
It had to be known that, although the Sun Empire appeared strong and firm in their bonds, in reality, it wasn't. The Imperial Family had always been wary of the Eight Big Families and tried to increase their authority and prevent the Eight Big Families from gaining too much power. Similarly, the Eight Big Families had constantly monitored the Imperial Family's movements to prevent them from achieving the Empire's supremacy while taking advantage of every opportunity to increase their influence.
But it wasn't just these nine noble families who wanted a piece of the pie. Even the smaller families, especially those with pure bloodlines, wanted their share; no, they wanted an even bigger slice. After all, those at the bottom of the ladder would always envy those above and go to great lengths to climb up and replace whoever was above them.
Consequently, for the smaller families who saw the Eight Big Families as their target, there was nothing more repulsive than someone who gave up their independence to submit to one of the Eight Big Families. This was because the act of submission did nothing but widen the gap in strength between the minor families and the Eight Big Families. And it so happened that the Huli Family was just one of those families who had given up their pride in order not to lose their prestige.
'No reaction? It wasn't like I was aiming to undermine her concentration but even so… if an attack on her family's honor doesn't affect her, why not try a personal attack? ' Bao Yeong-Cheol thought to himself.
He wasn't normally the type to use such tactics, but his opponent came from a family for which Bao Yeong-Cheol had no respect. Therefore, he decided to provoke Huli Xieren seriously. Not only would he get his first tournament win and regain face for his family, but he would also teach a heavy lesson to the traitors who had turned their backs on the other bloodline families.
”I guess your life must be easy. You just need to open your legs, and that c.o.c.ky Feng Chen gives you some resources to cultivate in exchange. I guess he told you he loves you or something like that. That's nonsense. He's just using you for his pleasures. As soon as the Feng Family finds someone for him to marry, he will throw you away or keep you as a concubine to use when he feels like it at most. If I were you, I'd leave such a guy, but considering you're part of the Huli Family, I guess you're used to throwing your pride in shit to stay in your fake position of prestige.”
Bao Yeong-Cheol's words were malicious and contemptuous. He poured out his contempt and hatred for the Huli Family directly on Huli Xieren as she belonged to that family. He also brought up Feng Chen, insinuating that the latter was only exploiting the young woman for his pleasures.
Once again, Huli Xieren said nothing. However, this time, some twitchings could be seen on the edges of her eyes and forehead. The young woman had been influenced by Bao Yeong-Cheol's words, although she was doing her best not to show it.
”Let the fight begin.” Song Yazhu declared as soon as the two designated fighters arrived at the center of the fighting stage.
”Come on! Won't you respond to what I said? Not even a word? Or do you know that everything I've said is true?” Bao Yeong-Cheol was smiling gleefully. He didn't care about playing the bad guy; no, considering the other party came from a traitorous family, regardless of what he said, he could never be considered the villain of the situation.
Hearing this, Huli Xieren eventually could no longer remain silent, ”How much do you speak? I hope your strength matches your ability to get your tongue moving. As for what you said about my family, I can't blame you. We sold out to avoid the destruction of our family. For the other minor families, we are traitors, and indeed we are. But I don't care. We of the Huli Family have long since given up our pride and no longer have the right to be angry if someone insults us.
However, it's another question if you start insulting Feng Chen. You don't know him. You don't know what kind of person he is and about his situation. Yet don't hesitate to tarnish his name as well as his relationship with me.
Therefore, as a representative of the Huli Family… no, that's not correct. As the personal guard assigned to the young master Feng Chen, I, Huli Xieren, will face you with my full strength. You will experience first-hand what it means to piss off a woman.”
After saying this, Huli Xieren released her spirit power. An intense fighting aura enveloped Bao Yeong-Cheol, who could sense the young woman's anger even from his position.
”Hahaha, do you think you can scare me just because you're pissed? What bullshit. Well, if you really have the strength to support your words, then let me experience this so-called anger of yours!” Bao Yeong-Cheol yelled as he pulled out his weapon.
The weapon of the Bao Family's young man was a metal staff a meter and a half long. The unusual thing was that the ends of the staff, which should have been flat, contained a triangular blade, like a spear. Moreover, the blades themselves weren't smooth but serrated, thus chopping the opponent's flesh rather than cutting it.
Slash!
Bao Yeong-Cheol moved his staff forward, aiming one of the blades at Huli Xieren. The young woman had drawn her sword but didn't receive the weapon's impact coming from the front. Instead, she dodged to the side and then advanced towards Bao Yeong-Cheol, who was exposed.
'Stupid.'
As he thought like this, Bao Yeong-Cheol quickly backed his hand back, bringing his staff's shaft behind his back. From that position, he switched the weapon from his right to his left hand and brought the staff forward, just in time to meet Huli Xieren's sword. All this was done with a speed and fluidity that demonstrated Bao Yeong-Cheol's mastery with his staff.