Chapter 190: Into the Night

~~~

To Feng Zhi’s credit, his Qi does not flare up.

If that were to happen, everyone in the party would notice, and dealing with this quietly would no longer be an option. Scandal would be sure to follow, and even that might be an optimistic outcome. The Young Master of the Eternal Flame Clan must not be seen raging through the streets and causing chaos like some common dog.

However, Feng Zhi’s Qi not flaring out of control does not mean that Feng Zhi isn’t angry. It means he is angry and in control of himself. Not a combination Liu Jin looks forward to dealing with, yet one he must. The moment Feng Zhi takes a single step towards Huang Shing’s Qi is the moment in which Liu Jin stands in his way.

“Young Master,” Liu Jin says, his arms spread wide, and his Qi lowered, “you cannot leave the party like this, and you cannot maim Huang Shing in the middle of the city.”

His words don’t seem to reach Feng Zhi’s ears. In fact, nothing seems to matter to Feng Zhi other than the fact that Liu Jin is standing in his way.

“You knew this would happen!” Feng Zhi hisses at him. Liu Jin flinches at the accusation.

“I thought it was a possibility,” Liu Jin admits, already aware of how bad that sounds. Fearing Feng Zhi might bolt at any moment, he rushes out his next words. “I warned him not to! I am not any happier about this happening than you are, Young Master.”

In a way, Huang Shing choosing to approach Yi Jiao right now is almost smart. Not only does the party give him a guaranteed opening, but it also makes it unwise for Feng Zhi to cause a scene.

Of course, pointing that out won’t make things better.

It certainly won’t stop Feng Zhi from glaring at him.

“Move,” Feng Zhi says.

Liu Jin tries to think of anything he can do or say to calm Feng Zhi down, but it’s all useless. Anything he can attempt will just make things worse. Feng Zhi will just interpret his actions as being part of some scheme.

Liu Jin sighs and steps out of the way.

Feng Zhi blurs and leaps out of the balcony. He does it silently. A small mercy, Liu Jin supposes.

Instead of chasing him, Liu Jin briskly walks back into the party and looks for Lu Mei. Luckily, he has no trouble finding her. Perhaps, she had been looking for him, thinking he had kept to himself long enough. It doesn’t matter. She realizes something is wrong the instant their eyes meet.

“What happened?” she asks, quickly walking over to him. Their hands make contact, and information is transmitted through their Qi instantly.

“Those idiots!” Her grip tightens around his hand. “What are we going to do?”

“Trust them to settle their issues without violence and interfere only if it is absolutely necessary.”

Lu Mei stares at him.

“You’re serious. You’re actually serious.”

“Senior Brother Mud could subdue them quickly and easily, but the people will notice the actions of a Heaven Realm cultivator. Horrifying as this may sound, we need to appeal to whatever they have that passes for maturity. Can you create a distraction so they won’t notice our absence?”

“I can stir up five different scandals, yes. That won’t stop these people from noticing a brawl breaking out in the middle of the street.”

“Let’s hope it won’t come to that.”

~~~

Liu Jin’s steps are silent as he crosses several streets in the blink of an eye. Feng Zhi has made contact with Huang Shing, and nothing is on fire yet. That is a good thing. At least, Liu Jin hopes that is a good thing.

Unlike other disciples, who either stayed in the flame-wheeled wagons or were hosted by the rich and influential families of Rumbling Thunder City, Feng Zhi was given an entire manor for his use. Most likely in recognition of his status as the Eternal Flame Clan’s Young Master.

Yi Jiao has been staying with him. As their stay in Rumbling Thunder City dragged on, Huang Shing’s patience must have hit his limit.

The walls around Feng Zhi’s manor are twelve feet tall. High enough to prevent people on the street from watching what goes inside, but still very easy for Liu Jin to leap over.

He lands in the courtyard. There is no need for him to do anything else.

“-utter fool! You will leave this place at once!”

“I am not moving from this place until you let me talk to Yi Jiao!”

It is all happening in front of him. Or perhaps, he should say it is unraveling? No, it is not that bad yet. Feng Zhi and Huang Shing are screaming at each other’s faces, but at least they are doing it out of everyone’s sight. He can see Feng Zhi’s servant standing further back and Yi Jiao further back still.

What is there for him to say here?

He is Huang Shing’s friend, and he is a Core Disciple of the Eternal Flame Clan. However, that doesn’t mean anything here. No matter how he looks at it, he’s an outsider who doesn’t know anything.

Liu Jin looks at Yi Jiao. The girl’s face is pale. Her horrified brown eyes dart constantly between Feng Zhi and Huang Shing as if unable to believe the reality before her.

He clears his throat.

Nothing happens the first time. The argument between Feng Zhi and Huang Shing continues. Liu Jin clears his throat once more, and another time still. Each time is louder than the previous one. By the fourth time, he adds a loud, rasping cough to go along with it.

That does it.

Huang Shing and Feng Zhi turn towards him as if they are only just now noticing he is there.

“Brother Jin!”

“Qing Jin!”

Perhaps, they are.

“I realize I have no right to say anything here, so please forgive my impertinence,” Liu Jin says, bowing his head. “It occurs to me that there is one person who is not saying anything right now.”

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He glances at Yi Jiao, and Feng Zhi growls. “Do you think it’s up to you to dictate what we do?”

“No, Young Master,” Liu Jin says, shaking his head. That seems to catch Feng Zhi by surprise. “It is not up to me to do anything right now.”

He points to Yi Jiao.

“It is up to her.”

Yi Jiao looks at him as though she were a rabbit who had just been yanked out of her burrow and exposed to the harsh light of day. Her eyes are as wide as dinner plates, and her white-knuckled hands clutch at her robes. Her Qi bristles in an almost animalistic fashion.

“It’s her choice whether she wishes to speak or not,” Liu Jin says, his voice perfectly resigned.

Feng Zhi grits his teeth but says nothing. Huang Shing looks pleadingly at Yi Jiao, who tries her hardest to avoid his eyes. Feng Zhi’s servant does not move an inch or say a word. She might as well be another decoration in the garden. Liu Jin finds himself envying her quite a bit.

For several breaths, no one says or does anything. The courtyard is so completely silent that not even a single cricket dares to make a sound.

“I…I think…” Yi Jiao’s voice is soft and full of hesitation. She lets go of her robe and takes a deep, shuddering breath. This time her words come out firmer. “I think I need to speak with Shing.”

Feng Zhi’s reaction is immediate. “But he-”