Chapter 454 - Going to Propose a Marriage (1/2)
Divine beasts were the top martial artists in the world.
All of them had different personalities, their different living environment crediting to this difference.
Standing at the foot of the mountain, Qin Fen gazed at the thousands of meters tall mountain, most of which was blanketed by lush, green trees.
This was where Song Wendong lived. Its original name had long been forgotten by the citizens of the Federation. Today, this mountain was only known as Qilin Mountain.
Qilin was different from the late White Tiger, who, as the guardian divine beast of Venus had directly changed the name his city of residence to White Tiger City, and then built it into the political and economic center of Venus. The city where White Tiger resided was also known as Sacred Tiger City; everything there belonged to him.
Song Wendong didn’t build a huge city of his own on Earth. Rather, he chose to settle on a mountain with the name of Qilin Mountain. Every Federation citizen knew that the martial god of Earth lived at the top of this mountain.
“Qilin Mountain, Qilin Mountain…”
Qin Fen repeated this in a low voice. The mountain stood before him but was this mountain easy to climb? The members of Qilin Sect at the foot of the mountain didn’t attack him immediately but judging by the indignant look on everyone’s face, they may quite possibly attack him any moment.
“Brother Qin Fen, I will ask you again.” Hashimoto hit Qin Fen’s shoulder hard with his large hand. “Are you really planning to go up and ask Qilin for his grandaughter’s hand?”
Qin Fen looked up the towering mountain and nodded lightly as he replied in a light tone, with a calm look, “If I’m going to ask for Song Jia’s hand, what am I doing here?”
“You must know Qilin’s attitude towards you, right?” Hashimoto looked about at those martial artists standing at the foot of the mountain just opposite to them. “I’m afraid…”
“I’m quite clear.” Qin Fen exercised his shoulders as he lowered his head and looked at the martial artists below. “I have considered the difficulties I will face when going up the mountain to propose a marriage a lot already. I think I will not be welcomed and perhaps even turned away. But it’s okay, I am already prepared to fight my way up.”
The nearby Mysterious Daughter of Nine Skies was secretly taken aback. Finally, she too, admitted that she had underestimated Qin Fen, who had recently killed martial dao masters one after another, who, even after knowing that Qilin had issued an edict to express his attitude, still chose to come propose a marriage.
Qin Fen calmed down a bit as he circulated his true energy before he took his first step up the mountain for the marriage proposal.
As Qin Fen raised his leg to take the step, the faces of the several dozen martial artists at the foot of the Qilin Mountain turned cold; hatred spread on everyone’s face. Everyone retreated to either side somberly, opening a way on the mountain road immediately.
Hashimoto froze, and Mysterious Daughter of Nine Skies also had a stiff expression on her face. Even Qin Fen’s furrowed eyebrows twitched non-stop in confusion. Judging by the expression of the several dozen martial artists, Qin Fen and the others would not have found it surprising for everyone guarding the mountain to charge at Qin. However, they were taken aback by this sudden backing down and clear suppression of battle intents. Qin Fen and others found this act incomprehensible.
Right then, a hump-backed old man slowly walked down the stairs going up the mountain with a gentle and appreciative look in his eyes. With just one glance, Qin Fen recognized the old man. He was Steward Hou, whom Qin Fen had met in the Shengjing Manor back then.
Qin Fen quickly took two steps forward, arrived before Steward Hou, and gave a deep bow. “Grandpa Hou.”
Qin Fen had never forgotten the grace shown by Steward Hou by teaching him palm techniques through Lin Liqiang. If not for those excellent palm technique, his martial dao would not have reached his current level for sure.
Steward Hou narrowed his eyes as he nodded lightly with his hands behind his back. “Kid, you still came. Very good, since you took the first step to climb the mountain, then these people will not stop you. Follow me.”
“Ah!?”
Qin Fen was taken aback. In light of Song Wendong’s previous declaration, even if he didn’t kill his way up the mountain, he might’ve had to resort to kicks and punches to force his way up the mountain at the very least.
“What was that ah for? My master wants to meet you.” Steward Hou turned around and lifted his old pair of legs, walking up the mountain slowly, seemingly mumbling to himself. “Master is Qilin. Why would he be Qilin if you can guess his thoughts easily?”
Qin Fen furrowed his brow slightly. As expected of Qilin! We haven’t even met face to face yet and the confrontation between us has already started. Moreover, I have already fallen behind in our first confrontation. I am caught off guard by his command of allowing me to go up the mountain without a fight.
“Are you still not going?” Hashimoto patted Qin Fen’s back happily. Even martial dao masters would find it hard to meet Qilin, Song Wendong. So, he was very happy for Qin Fen for receiving such a favor.
“Both of you, fatty and the miss, you will be staying at the foot of the mountain.” Steward Hou didn’t even look back; his voice may sound amiable but it gave a sense of irresistibility. “Master didn’t say he wants to meet you.”
Mysterious Daughter of Nine Skies shrugged her shoulders, there was the same calm look on her face as she had at the very beginning. It was hard to tell if she was pretending or if it was natural.
Qin Fen quickly followed Steward Hou up the mountain. As they walked, Steward Hou never said a word; he just kept walking forward, carrying his hands behind his slightly humped back.
Qin Fen may be following behind Steward Hou but by no means was that easy. There were many martial artists living on the mountain. From time to time, he could sense hostile glares suddenly coming from the forest, which made him feel like he was surrounded by a pack of wolves.
The higher the Qin Fen went up the mountain, the stronger the glares he could feel coming from the woods. Many people’s glares were as sharp as a knife. With his sensitive martial sense, Qin Fen felt even more uncomfortable under these sharp stares than any other martial artist.
Under these stares, Qin Fen felt as if he was walking through a forest of thorns naked, without any internal defensive art; he found each and every stare stabbing into his body. As a result, he felt like rushing into the forest and beating the hell out of them from time to time.
One would reach the summit no matter how high a mountain was. Steward Hou might have seemed slow but it only took him less than an hour to bring Qin Fen to the hall closest to the peak of the mountain.
Qin Fen found it very perplexing to reach the top of the mountain so uneventfully. What in the bloody hell is Qilin thinking? Back then, I had opposed his decree and he made a direct announcement, which made all the young martial artists come challenge me.
“Was he just testing me back then and in fact, had high hopes of me?” Qin Fen shook his head and rejected this notion. As a divine beast, who stood at the highest level of martial artists, where would he have the time to observe and pay attention to a fledgling?
There are so many young and talented martial artists in this world; even Qilin could not pay attention to all of them at the same time. Besides, as a divine beast, Song Wendong has seen many talented martial artists, he would not be surprised by a genius young martial artist, no matter how much of a prodigy one was.
He might have seen many, many young and talented martial artists of the same level disappear in the long river of martial arts.
“If he was not testing me, then…?”
Qin Fen felt even more perplexed standing at the front of the hall. In light of Qilin’s previous personality, it was obvious that his visit would not go so smoothly.
Qin Fen would not find it the least bit surprised if there was a seventeen-star martial artist standing at the foot of the mountain. As a divine beast-level martial artist, he might not have a large following but as a veteran divine beast with rich experience, his thoughts could not be guessed just by any outsider.
“Kid, wait here first, I will go and inform him first.” Steward Hou, carrying his hands behind his back, walked across the hall and embarked on the road to the peak of the Qilin Mountain, with a staggering yet measured gait.
Sitting in the lobby, Qin Fen no longer continued guessing. The longer he kept guessing, the more he would be at a disadvantage. And to propose a marriage to a divine beast-level martial artist, he could not remain passive!
Qin Fen got up and walked around the lobby. He found the furnishing here even more surprising. Originally, he thought there would be a huge screen with a large 武1 written in stylish calligraphy and some things related to martial arts here and there.
However, this lobby was exceptionally clean and simple. It was like a hall where an ordinary elderly lived; judging by the looks of it, no one could tell that the one living here was a martial arts expert.
Not long after, Steward Hou returned to the lobby again with the same gentle and amiable smile on his face. “Kid, Master will see you now, let’s go.”
Qin Fen gave a bow before he sped up his steps towards the last steps leading to the top of the mountain. Slight ripples emerged in his calm heart.