Chapter 93 — Shangguan Qianhui's Resolve

Jing Hao lay sprawled on the ground like a puddle of mud, his eyes like those of a fish on the verge of suffocation, with only enough strength left in him to gasp. Never had he imagined that a day would come when he would lie on the ground in such an undignified manner.

But at last, he was free...

Jing Hao's gaze was unfocused, and he heaved a long sigh of relief from the bottom of his heart. Twenty-four hours — twenty-four bouts in a row!

Even though Jing Hao was a man of unyielding will, faced with such a monstrous, frenzied regimen, he was soon tormented to the point of wanting to vomit. It was not that he had never sparred before, but never like this. Apart from meditation, there was not a moment's rest in between. Tang Tang was like an unkillable cockroach: whenever Jing Hao was about to relax, he would leap up with a smack and roar out a challenge.

This is no way to play...

Jing Hao's guts were green with regret — why on earth had he agreed to this fellow?

Tang Tang crouched beside Jing Hao, chattering away with a look of exasperation at his failure to live up to expectations: "I say, Brother Jing Hao, your stamina is a bit too poor. How long has it been? I haven't even won yet — how can you just stop? Are you doing it on purpose? Afraid of losing to me? Oh, come on, you don't have to be like that. We're proper men, aren't we? How can we behave like this?"

Spare me...

Jing Hao was on the verge of tears.

Tang Tang tormented Jing Hao for a good long while, but Jing Hao still showed no reaction at all, so he had no choice but to rise and leave resentfully, his face full of unwillingness.

Sparring with Brother Jing Hao had produced outstanding results — even better than bitter solitary training. Whether it was the several martial techniques or the honing of his instincts, the effect was superb. But what truly made Tang Tang unable to stop was the Heavenly Dragon Force. He had only just begun to grasp its knack, still far from mastery, and this was the most exciting moment of all — yet Brother Jing Hao had suddenly said he would practice no more.

Still, hearing Brother Jing Hao's snoring, he had to suppress the urge to haul him back up.

He only found it a little strange: how could Brother Jing Hao's stamina be so poor?

Behind Tang Tang, Bing cast a sympathetic glance at Jing Hao, who had already sunk into deep sleep.

Tang Tang knew that long hours of bitter training had accustomed him to high-intensity drills. Each round of bitter training lasted ten days, and throughout those ten days he had to maintain intense focus and train without interruption. No one but him would do such a thing.

It had only been twenty-four hours...

Tang Tang did not take it to heart; he was only using himself as the yardstick, and he had no idea what other people's training was like.

With no one left to spar with, Tang Tang simply returned to his original spot and began his own training.

He planned to come back in a few days.

If Jing Hao, in his sleep, had known of Tang Tang's plan, he would probably have been frightened awake on the spot; but for now, he was enjoying a sweetness of sleep such as he had never known.

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The young woman sat at the desk, gazing at an old, faded book before her, her expression grave.

Her long, glossy black hair fell over her shoulders; her exquisite, beautiful face seemed utterly untouched by the dust of the mortal world, and only her pair of bright black eyes were quiet yet captivating. She wore the Shangguan family's traditional dark green uniform, black leather boots, a bright yellow sash, and snow-white gloves — dashing and valiant, yet edged with sharpness and cold detachment.

The Shangguan family had a long history, one that could be traced back to the age when Perseus was first settled. In that era, the name Shangguan was synonymous with Perseus itself, and her forebears had poured countless efforts into Perseus.

Yet it was this very family — the oldest and most illustrious in Perseus's history — that, a few years ago, had nearly met with annihilation, and even Shangguan Qianhui had been sent to the remote Wu'an Star for safety. As the times gradually calmed, the Shangguan family's crisis quietly lifted, but the family, gravely weakened, was in everyone's eyes already in decline.

No one had expected that two years ago, the arrival of a young girl would change all of that.

That girl was Shangguan Qianhui — a prodigy so dazzling one could scarcely look at her directly, and now the true power holder of the Shangguan family!

She had returned to the Shangguan family without a sound, and in a mere two years the family had risen again at a pace that left people dumbstruck. No one regarded her as a girl any longer; she had won everyone's respect. The ruined Shangguan family had erupted with astonishing energy in her hands, reclaiming the title of Perseus's foremost family — a glory lost for many years.

Toward her enemies she was cold and lethal, decisive in action, never dragging things out in the slightest. Yet among the poor, her name for kindness and gentleness spread far and wide.

She was the most perfect woman in all of Perseus!

"Uncle Qian, has anything happened at home lately?" Shangguan Qianhui suddenly raised her head and asked.

"Everything is on track," Shangguan Qian answered hurriedly. He was Shangguan Qianhui's most trusted steward and also her clan uncle. He had watched Shangguan Qianhui grow up, and when she had taken refuge in Yaochuan City back then, he had gone with her — loyal to the core.

"Have you finished investigating the news about Brother Tian?" Shangguan Qianhui asked. At the mention of Tang Tang, the ice and snow on her face seemed to melt away, leaving her gentle and captivating.

"It's all been investigated. Young Master Ah Tian was brought from Yaochuan City to Perseus by the Radiant Inkstone." Shangguan Qian had stayed with Shangguan Qianhui in Yaochuan City for many years, and at the mention of Tang Tang, a smile also came to his face. "He was taken a liking to by Kong Youlin of the Radiant Inkstone. They say Kong Youlin values Young Master Ah Tian very highly. Young Master Ah Tian insisted on coming to Perseus, and in the end everyone else followed along. It just so happened that Kong Youlin's younger sister is the branch head of the Radiant Inkstone's Perseus branch, so Kong Youlin brought them all over. Young Master Ah Tian must be wanting to give the young miss a surprise."

The corners of Shangguan Qianhui's eyes curved upward, brimming with warm amusement. "He loves playing games like this."

But gradually, the smile faded from Shangguan Qianhui's face. She stood up and mused, "Then Brother Tian will arrive very soon. It seems that matter must be investigated thoroughly first; otherwise, given Brother Tian's temperament, he certainly won't give up."

Shangguan Qian's expression changed drastically. "Young miss, absolutely not! The matter of the Southern Cross Ascetic Token involves far too much — it can even be traced back to the era of the Three Great Legions. This is nowhere near as simple as it seems. Young Master Ah Tian's father, I fear..."

"I know," Shangguan Qianhui nodded. "But as for this matter, I fear that even at the cost of his life, Brother Tian will pursue it to the end. I know him."

"But young miss! We can think of another way regarding Young Master Ah Tian's affairs!" Shangguan Qian said urgently. "Once the young miss... the Shangguan family..."

Shangguan Qianhui was not shaken in the least. Her long black hair streamed, revealing a face beautiful enough to stop the breath, and her black, calm eyes were full of resolve. Her voice rang with a metallic clarity: "I have already fulfilled all my duties to the Shangguan family. The family is stable now; even without me, it will survive very well."

"But..." Shangguan Qian's mouth was full of bitterness.