Chapter 580

Fan Sheng lowered his head even further: "Brother, we were wrong; you already scolded us a few days ago. Did the Emperor, did the Emperor impose any punishment when you entered the palace today?" "Us?" Fan Long sneered, "Only you caused trouble; the third brother was led astray by you, and I was implicated by you!"

Fan Sheng dared not talk back.

Outsiders all said how fierce and explosive Second Commander Fan's temper was, but in front of his big brother, he was actually as obedient as a lamb.

"The Emperor didn't want to see you. I went to the palace today to plead for mercy, but in the end, I came back with punishment," Fan Long said. "That old demon and his son submitted memorials, and both mentioned you. Although they didn't explicitly point out that you were acting as a tiger's accomplice, you were on duty in Qingding City yet privately slipped away to Baishawan to beat people for Cen Boqing, and you even beat the special envoy from the Chiyan Kingdom, heh heh!"

Fan Sheng couldn't help but say: "Brother, I just wanted to return a favor to Cen Boqing. I only thought the one surnamed He was an outsider and had no idea he was handling the Anti-Aging Pill case, otherwise..."

The day Zhongsun Mou was abducted, he regretted it so much his guts turned green!

"An outsider? An outsider that even Cen Boqing couldn't handle—could he be a pushover?"

Fan Sheng had nothing to say.

Things were crystal clear now, but how could he have thought so much at the time? Fan Bao, tired of standing on all fours, simply walked behind Fan Long and sat on the ground with a thud.

Fan Sheng glared at it; the third brother was really disloyal, refusing to share the elder brother's wrath with him, right?

"Neglecting duty, interfering in the internal affairs of a vassal demon nation," Fan Long pressed his fingers to count his crimes, "assassinating the special envoy of the vassal demon nation, colluding with the prime suspect of the Anti-Aging Pill case!"

Hearing the last item, Fan Sheng waved his hands repeatedly: "Brother, I can't admit to this last one! I didn't know about it."

Those who do not know are not guilty.

"I also argued based on reason on this point," Fan Long sighed. "Fortunately, the Emperor remembered old ties; although he was angry that you added to the chaos, he didn't intend to take your lives after all!"

"As for you, salary docked for half a year, demoted by half a rank, and in ten days, you will follow General Dachang to the eastern front to serve as Deputy General of the Left Vanguard."

"As for the third brother, salary docked for half a year, demoted by half a rank."

"As for me, for failing to govern strictly, salary docked for half a year, I must publicly confess my crimes at the court session and write a letter of apology to the King of Chiyan!"

It didn't seem like a big deal; the big bear stretched out its long tongue to drink water, *slap-slap*, exceptionally loud.

"Third brother!" Fan Sheng roared at it.

The big bear stopped and raised a paw to wipe its mouth.

"Brother, I'm going to the eastern battlefield?" Fan Sheng was very surprised.

"Hmm, don't you always want to achieve merit? Beijia hasn't fought a war in a long time; it's not easy to get a chance to participate in battle." Fan Long's mouth bloomed with a faint smile, "The Emperor demoted you to the front line on the surface, but in reality, he is letting you temporarily leave the right-and-wrong place of Lingxu City. When things calm down here, it's best if you accumulate some military merit before returning."

"Yes!" Fan Sheng couldn't help but smile too, "The Emperor is wise!"

"By the way, tell me about the two battles with He Xiao in Baishawan again, the more detailed the better." Fan Long pondered, "Hmm, you still remember, right?"

"How could I not remember?" Speaking of the two battles, Fan Sheng wanted to grit his teeth, "Every move, every style, I remember them all!"

"Then break down every move and every style for me to see."

Fan Sheng's battles with He Lingchuan were both short and quick; the two matches combined didn't exceed a quarter of an hour. But when he broke them down to demonstrate for his brother, it took nearly half an hour.

Of course, in the second battle at Hegong, he and He Xiao never engaged in close-quarters combat from start to finish; there were only the opponent's endless tricks.

Fan Long watched exceptionally carefully, his expression growing more solemn the further it went.

Finally, he asked: "Is He Xiao really only seventeen or eighteen?"

"At least he looks like it on the outside; I don't know his real age." Fan Sheng knew there were many non-human things in this world, and some even had the faces of tender children at a hundred years old.

Didn't those few State Preceptors also look very young?

"Do you know where you lost?"

Fan Sheng nodded and said earnestly: "It's my fault for being arrogant and careless; I didn't take him seriously."

"It was like that the first time, was it the same in the Battle of Hegong?"

Fan Sheng said with annoyance: "The first time there was no winner, I thought that if I went all out the second time, I would definitely be able to knock him down!"

Before the second round began, many of his subordinates arrived in Baishawan, which boosted his Yuan power and gave him more confidence.

"His cultivation is not as good as yours, his strength is not as good as yours, and I'm afraid his divine abilities may not be as fast as yours either," Fan Long said slowly, "but if you were to fight a third time, I'm afraid you would still be the one to lose."

For the past month, Fan Sheng had been simulating the two battles in his mind. Hearing his brother's words, he subconsciously wanted to refute, but swallowed the words back when they reached his lips.

He was unconvinced, but he no longer had the confidence to win.

This kind of mindset was very subtle; it was the shadow inevitably left behind after a major defeat.

At this level of combat, confidence represented momentum.

At this moment, the big bear started drinking water again, *slap-slap*.

"Third brother!" the two older brothers said in unison.

Fan Bao quickly shut its mouth.

"Because his combat style is more plain than yours, hmm, or rather, more pragmatic. His grasp of combat opportunities and his use of the environment are far superior to yours," Fan Long stood up and paced twice, "this is the sword technique of killing; this is a warrior who has truly fought his way out of the battlefield."

Seeing his second brother's lips move as if to argue, he preempted: "No need to be unconvinced. Although you have many lives on your hands, the work of the Tongxin Guard is either catching thieves or killing demon enemies. You've only been to the real front-line battlefield twice, and not even in the main force legion. How many enemies could you have killed?"

He chuckled: "The gap between you and He Xiao is probably the gap of many lives!"

Fan Sheng finally found a chance to speak: "Brother, are you saying he can kill countless people on the battlefield?"

Fan Long nodded: "When you spar with me or with your brothers, no one goes for the kill, so you can't experience the insights gained from walking between life and death. This time when you go to the eastern front, you must perform well."

"Yes."

"It's strange, even you can't get a battle to fight, where could this surnamed He have been seasoned in battle?" Fan Long frowned, "Beijia hasn't fought a major war in decades; everyone is fighting for the chance to go to the front line to train troops and achieve merit."

"Perhaps it's those small neighboring countries; their local conflicts are constant." Fan Sheng took a deep breath, "Actually, I've been pondering repeatedly these days, and I always feel that the way the surnamed He fights is quite like someone."

"Who?"

"Hong Chenglue."

Fan Long narrowed his eyes: "Hong Chenglue is a rare military talent."

He thought for a moment: "I will find an opportunity to test He Xiao."

"Brother, don't kill him, leave him to me," Fan Sheng said quickly, "I must defeat him with my own hands!"

Only then could his Dao heart be clear, and he could take big steps forward on the path of cultivation.

Fan Long sneered slightly: "Get lost!"

￥￥￥￥￥

A few days later, even Fushan Yue felt the surging undercurrents around him.

How could he not notice the eyes around the guesthouse?

But he didn't want to cause trouble by taking action in Lingxu City.

Even when he went out on behalf of his father to pay visits, he heard the other party ask him several times: "You sent a special envoy to investigate the Baishawan case? What kind of person is this, and where are they now?"

When many people asked, Fushan Yue's look at He Lingchuan when he returned was a bit strange: "We've become famous, especially your deeds, which are spreading like wildfire on the Floating Island."

"Me?" He Lingchuan pointed to his own nose, "Floating Island? Isn't that where the powerful live?"

The efficiency of Songyang Prefecture was indeed high.

"This is not a good thing. How many days have we been in Lingxu City? I don't know who is making trouble behind our backs."

"What are they saying about us?"

"They say that Cen Boqing and Zhongsun Mou combined are not our match and were played around. Especially Zhongsun Mou, who was thwarted by you at every turn and treats you as a thorn in his side. He even invited Fan Sheng from out of town to kill you, but both were beaten up by you. Zhongsun Mou even compensated you with tens of thousands of gold and silver after he died..."

"Anyway, they are adding oil and vinegar, describing Zhongsun Mou as stupid as a pig or dog," Fushan Yue laughed, "If I didn't know how stupid he was originally, I might have really believed it."

He Lingchuan frowned: "Should I be worried?"

"The Zhongsun family will be furious, but you don't have to fear them when you're with me," Fushan Yue rubbed his hands, "But as for the Fan brothers..."

He Lingchuan felt something was wrong: "What?"

"Your battle with Fan Sheng is also being talked about everywhere. Now at least half the people on the Floating Island have heard that the Fan brothers failed to ambush you twice, Fan Third's forelimbs were almost chopped off, and Fan Second was trapped in the water by you for two or three quarters of an hour, his face chewed up by piranhas, and he still hasn't been able to come out to see anyone."

He Lingchuan gave a wry smile: "It's not that bad, right? He was still working for the White Envoy in Baishawan."

At that time, there were a few blood holes on Fan Sheng's face, but they formed black scabs in two days, looking like a big pockmarked face... but before returning to Lingxu City, these minor injuries should have healed completely.

"In short, the miserable defeat of the brothers is being described vividly, as if seen in person," Fushan Yue felt a bit regretful; he wasn't present for those major battles, "They went to do a private favor for Zhongsun Mou, which is even more embarrassing."

"After the news spread, Fan Sheng hasn't appeared in public," Fushan Yue touched his nose, "As for Fan Long, the eldest, he hasn't made a sound either; he is not someone to be trifled with."

When in Baishawan, Xiang Yan, a retired official of the Chiyan Kingdom, said that Fan Long, the Great Commander of the Tongxin Guard, was shrewd and sophisticated, with formidable cultivation, a ruthless character. Now it seems Fushan Yue feels the same.

He Lingchuan felt the pain of lifting a rock only to drop it on his own feet. Was the person Li Qingge found to spread the rumors working too hard? But he realized something was wrong upon reflection; the information he gave Li Qingge didn't mention the Fan brothers at all.

Regardless of whether he really forgot, subconsciously he didn't want to deeply offend the three brothers.

But the deeds of him defeating Fan Sheng and Fan Bao were being talked about with relish on the Floating Island; this didn't look like Li Qingge's doing.

Could it be someone else? Come to think of it, rumors fermented to this extent in a few days; Li Qingge alone probably couldn't do it. After all, she was also an outsider; how could she stir up wind and rain in Lingxu City? It seems someone else is fanning the flames behind the scenes, He Lingchuan pressed his temples. For a small matter like spreading rumors, is there actually someone competing with him to do it?

Got sick in the middle of the night, tossed and turned until dawn before falling asleep, delaying the update at noon.

Sorry.

The update has been posted, I'm going back to lie down.

(End of chapter)