Edited by RED

Lin Feng and Xiao Qing went back to their room. Lin Feng stood at the window and looked at the pitch-black sky. There were no stars tonight…

Xiao Qing slowly walked back and forth. She arrived behind Lin Feng and suddenly started crying guiltily. She hugged Lin Feng from behind.

Lin Feng was surprised, but then smiled patiently and turned around. He looked at Xiao Qing’s face, on which tears were flowing.

“Hehe, silly little girl. Everybody has their own perspectives. I was carried away by my will to protect you, but I didn’t think of you, I need to help you become stronger, too.

“Don’t belittle yourself because you’re from a slum. You have to rely on yourself and make great efforts to become strong, no matter what your background is, poor or rich.

“When I was young, people used to humiliate me all the time. Everybody called me a piece of trash. I’m fine now. Despite themselves, those people who kept humiliating me contributed to making me stronger. Hehe, they became my stepping stones. They are nothing in comparison to me now.

“Therefore, Xiao Qing, don’t feel guilty, and don’t belittle yourself. Trust yourself. Have faith. Think of yourself as someone special and exceptional,” Lin Feng told Xiao Qing honestly, cheering her up.

Xiao Qing nodded and smiled. She continued crying, but they were tears of joy this time.

“Thank you, brother. Having met you is one of the most beautiful things which could have happened to me in life,” said Xiao Qing, sticking out her tongue and trying to lick Lin Feng’s face a few times. Then she giggled and ran out of the room.

Lin Feng could only smile, speechless. He scratched his nose and continued looking out of the window at the dark sky. He started daydreaming and thinking. He thought of the Continent of the Nine Clouds and the Continent of the Gods, and how the people were doing there? Maybe they were better off without all those titanic battles…

Were there stars in the skies of the Continent of the Nine Clouds and the Continent of the Gods on tonight? Did people feel calm and safe?

——–

The next day, very early in the morning, Hu Yan Zan sent some people to invite Lin Feng to a big pre- Great Competition banquet, to celebrate Lin Feng’s participation.

Lin Feng nodded and had the servant leave.

He left the room. Xiao Qing wasn’t there. He remembered her teasing him the previous night. She hadn’t come back after that.

Lin Feng ran to Xiao Qing’s room and knocked at the door, but nobody answered. Lin Feng was worried, having a bad feeling. It was a kind of sixth sense he had, he had had it for a very long time.

“I hope I won’t need to slaughter everybody!” whispered Lin Feng angrily.

Then he thought of Hu Yan Qing, who hated him. Maybe he had sought revenge?

Lin Feng decided to go and see Hu Yan Zan first. Hu Yan Qing would inevitably be there, too; Lin Feng would then sound him out.

Lin Feng quickly left the courtyard and flew towards the party hall. There were only two li to that place so Lin Feng arrived at the gate in a few seconds.

“Lin Feng, young friend, we were waiting for you.”

A dozen people appeared when Lin Feng arrived; they were all elders, there was a Vice Leader, too.

Lin Feng saw Hu Yan Qing and Hu Yan Hao. He looked at Hu Yan Qing coldly. The older brother seemed like a completely different person. He lowered his head, and didn’t dare look at Lin Feng anymore. He was afraid, but Lin Feng knew that Hu Yan Qing was sly as a snake.

Lin Feng remained vigilant when it came to Hu Yan Qing. The Great Prince was now his enemy. He would have to kill him at some point to prevent him from becoming stronger and becoming a potential threat in the future. He couldn’t do it openly, or Hu Yan Zan would know about it, and Xiao Qing would be in danger too…

“Brother Lin Feng, come in,” Hu Yan Hao said warmly from the top of the stairs.

They usually didn’t organize such banquets, but they made an exception for Lin Feng, to show everybody that Lin Feng was one of their greatest assets for the competition.

“Sit down,” said Hu Yan Zan, pointing at the seat right next to Hu Yan Qing’s. Lin Feng understood that Hu Yan Zan was trying to make them friends.

Lin Feng sat down expressionlessly. Hu Yan Zan glanced at Hu Yan Qing. Hu Yan Qing understood and sat down next to Lin Feng.

“Come on, let’s toast! To our young friend!” said Hu Yan Zan, raising his glass. He was seated on the main seat. Everybody raised their glass, to Lin Feng!

Lin Feng didn’t want to ruin the banquet because of Hu Yan Qing, so he also raised his glass and downed it.

“Cough, cough! Little Qing, toast to our young friend!” said Hu Yan Zan after downing his glass, smiling at his son coldly. It was an order.

Hu Yan Qing didn’t disobey. He had completely changed his attitude. He stood up, poured alcohol in Lin Feng’s glass, then in his own, and then raised his glass, “I’m sorry for my behavior. Brother Lin, please forgive me for being vile and petty. To you! Cheers!”

Hu Yan Qing downed his glass after saying that.

“Alright, haha! Young friend, drink! From now on, Little Qing will never annoy you again,” said Hu Yan Zan happily, laughing cheerfully.

Hu Yan Hao frowned; he didn’t want Lin Feng to be friends with Hu Yan Qing…

The atmosphere was lively and joyful, but Lin Feng didn’t raise his glass. He didn’t move. He didn’t intend to drink.

Everybody stopped laughing and smiling. Hu Yan Zan looked at Lin Feng coldly. Lin Feng had a powerful background, and he kept humiliating them, but Hu Yan Zan was a Supreme God and his patience had limits. “Young friend, please?!”

“Brother Lin, I apologized earnestly, why don’t you drink with me?” asked Hu Yan Qing as if he didn’t understand. He seemed honest and kind, like a completely different person.

Lin Feng glanced at Hu Yan Qing, then at Hu Yan Zan, and he raised his glass.

“I can’t drink this glass, because of my sister.”

“What’s wrong?” asked Hu Yan Zan. He seemed confused and glanced at the other elders; they all shook their heads, they didn’t understand either.

Lin Feng then said, “Hu Yan Qing, don’t pretend you’re innocent. What did you do to Xiao Qing?” Lin Feng frowned and stood up. He stared at Hu Yan Qing threateningly.

Hu Yan Qing seemed confused and said, “Brother Lin, what do you mean? I don’t understand.”

“Hehe, you’re lying,” Lin Feng said, smiling demonically. Everybody’s expression quickly changed.

Hu Yan Zan stared at Lin Feng; he thought Lin Feng had misunderstood something, he hastily shouted, “Young friend, don’t be angry, what happened?”

“Brother, are you saying that my big brother harmed Xiao Qing?” asked Hu Yan Hao suddenly.

Everybody suddenly understood, including Hu Yan Zan. Xiao Qing had disappeared?

“What’s going on, Little Qing?!” shouted Hu Yan Zan coldly. Hu Yan Qing seemed ready to panic. If Lin Feng was offended, he would probably decide not to participate in San Country’s Great Competition.

Hu Yan Qing looked at his father and looked confused. “I don’t know,” said Hu Yan Qing hastily.

Lin Feng’s eyes were filled with murder, as if he were about to burst into action.

“Brother, Miss Xiao Qing is in the library studying some skills and techniques. Calm down.”

Swish, swish, swish…

Everybody stared at Hu Yan Hao. He wasn’t used to people staring at him like that, and could only smile wryly.

Lin Feng looked at Hu Yan Qing; his tensions with Hu Yan Qing had increased once again.

Hu Yan Qing glanced at Lin Feng and smiled coldly. Then, despite the fact that Hu Yan Zan called him, he left straight away.

The atmosphere became quite cold.