Chapter 69 : Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Seventh on the Human Ranking—Cheng Yu?!

“Ah.”

At the mention of Cheng Yu, Cheng Yue shook her head and left, intending to go to another courtyard to check on her little sister.

Ever since she had witnessed Sword-Forging Manor’s attitude toward the deaths of a million laborers, her heart had remained in turmoil, and she no longer wanted to think any further.

After his daughter left, Cheng Zhenjiang’s anger once again reached its peak.

That unfilial son had run to Sword-Forging Manor and shown off right in front of him, gravely damaging his reputation.

He had accused him—Great Hero Cheng, famed far and wide and upright beyond reproach— of covering up Sword-Forging Manor’s slaughter of a million laborers.

He had even proved with his own actions that Cheng Zhenjiang had failed as a father: one son had become an imperial hound of the court, slaughtering jianghu martial artists.

The two brothers had become mortal enemies and turned their blades on each other, leaving one of them gravely wounded.

With all of these things happening in succession, Cheng Zhenjiang did not even dare imagine what would become of his reputation!

Not to mention the impact this would have on both the River-Severing Sect and the Cheng Family.

Had he not been so frantic over his beloved son’s injuries at the time, hurrying to bring Cheng Feng here for treatment, he would certainly have found a chance to cripple Cheng Yu and make amends for the grave sin of slaughtering the jianghu.

Then he would have kept him under strict watch, so he could not stir up any more trouble.

“Hmph!”

With his hands clasped behind his back, Cheng Zhenjiang gave a cold snort.

“That mere imperial hound of the court ran to a great sect and acted so arrogantly. Does he really think that just because he has a bit of strength, he can do whatever he pleases?”

He had left ahead of time a few days earlier precisely because he was not worried for Sword-Forging Manor at all.

At the same time, the matter of Sword-Forging Manor killing a million laborers was too hard to explain, so leaving early to distance himself from them had been perfect.

In Cheng Zhenjiang’s eyes, the Great Qian Dynasty had long since become rotten to the core and terribly weakened.

Given his status, he could sense Great Qian’s attitude even more keenly.

Toward the River-Severing Sect occupying the north and controlling tens of millions of people, Great Qian had only one attitude:

Endure!

With such an attitude, no matter how mad Cheng Yu might be, the Jinyiwei would never dare let matters escalate into a real conflict with Sword-Forging Manor.

“That unfilial wretch has surely slunk away in disgrace by now. All he has is ruthless brute force, without righteousness or principle. No one there would have thought much of him!”

Cheng Zhenjiang was filled with disdain for Cheng Yu’s earlier boasts.

The hidden strength he had displayed was indeed remarkable, but in the end it was only petty troublemaking.

Since he had dared sever ties with him, he would never amount to anything!

He would never become as renowned in the jianghu as his younger son!

Just as Cheng Zhenjiang was inwardly fuming with resentment, Zhao Xichun’s excited voice rang out.

“Feng’er, you’re awake! Your mother was worried sick over you!”

“Feng’er is awake?!”

Cheng Zhenjiang hurried over to look and indeed saw Cheng Feng’s eyes had opened.

He quickly walked over.

“Father, Mother... where is this?”

Cheng Feng was in excruciating pain all over, and even his voice came out weak and frail.

“This is Divine Physician Mountain... Divine Physician Ma has already examined your injuries. Your father also used many heavenly materials and earthly treasures on you. I guarantee your future martial path will not be affected in the slightest.”

Zhao Xichun clasped her son’s hand tightly and spoke in great excitement.

“Divine Physician Mountain...” Cheng Feng murmured.

But in his mind, he was recalling what had happened before he lost consciousness.

He...

He had been cut down by Cheng Yu in a single slash, leaving him unable to resist!

Had he not been protected by his Inner Armor, he might well have died on the spot!

“Cheng Yu!”

Grinding his teeth, Cheng Feng trembled as he uttered Cheng Yu’s name, his heart overflowing with rage and fear.

He was a proud genius on the Human Ranking, the much-praised Young Alliance Leader.

And yet he had lost to that man!

How was that possible?!

The boundless fury, shame, and humiliation crashed down on Cheng Feng, twisting his face into a mask of pain and hatred.

“Feng’er!”

Zhao Xichun knew Cheng Feng was still brooding over the fact that Cheng Yu had badly wounded him, and her heart ached beyond measure.

She, too, began to resent Cheng Yu.

Being dissatisfied with his father and mother was one thing, but how could he lay hands on his own younger brother?

That was the act of a beast!

Seeing this, Cheng Zhenjiang gently began to comfort his younger son.

“Feng’er, do not dwell on it. Focus on resting. Divine Physician Ma will come again shortly to examine you.”

“You are a righteous and chivalrous man. Of course you would suffer when dealing with someone as vicious and ruthless as that sneak attacker. Don’t let it trouble you too much.”

Yet not a bit of the anger in his heart had lessened.

That brothers turning their blades on one another would actually happen in the Cheng Family!

Only after hearing that did Cheng Feng calm down somewhat.

A sneak attack?

Yes!

That was right—it had been that bastard’s sneak attack. Otherwise, there was no way he could have lost!

That ruthless, vicious scoundrel!

Next time, he would definitely take revenge!

“Feng’er, Tianji Tower’s Human Ranking has been updated. Mother will read it to you.” Afraid Cheng Feng would brood too much, Zhao Xichun deliberately changed the subject.

A mother knew her son best. She knew what Cheng Feng cared most about.

Reputation!

This time, Cheng Feng had broken through to the Fifth Rank and easily defeated He Qing, who had been ranked thirtieth on the Human Ranking, at Sword-Forging Manor.

His ranking would surely soar.

Zhao Xichun had long since sent people to keep watch on the changes to the Human Ranking so she could tell her son the moment the update came out.

Hearing it would definitely cheer him up.

The moment Cheng Feng heard that the Human Ranking had been updated, he naturally knew his ranking would rise sharply, and his mood improved at once.

“Thank you, Mother!”

Seeing Cheng Feng’s spirits lift, Zhao Xichun nodded happily.

She took out the newest copied list from her sleeve.

“Twentieth on the Human Ranking... Cheng Feng of the River-Severing Sect! Martial realm: Fifth Rank. Obtained a High-Grade Human Rank weapon. Record: easily defeated He Qing of Sword-Forging Manor!”

Twentieth?!

The moment he heard his ranking, Cheng Feng was overjoyed.

Now he was one of the twenty finest heroic talents in all of Great Qian.

One of the rarest of the rare!

More importantly, only the righteous and chivalrous of the jianghu could appear on the Human Ranking. Imperial hounds of the court could not sully it.

That proved that he was the genius truly acknowledged by the world.

And Cheng Yu could never achieve that!

“Twentieth?”

Cheng Zhenjiang was delighted beyond measure.

The joy in his heart was no less than his son’s.

The higher Cheng Feng ranked, the more it proved that he had raised his son well!

“My lady, let me have a look.”

Deeply gratified, Cheng Zhenjiang exchanged a smile with his wife and took the copied ranking list from her.

Looking closely, he indeed found Cheng Feng’s name at number twenty.

His heart brimmed with joy.

But right then, Cheng Zhenjiang suddenly saw something he had never expected.

“Nineteenth on the Human Ranking: Qi Yun of Great Qian’s Shenwei Army...”

How did someone from Great Qian’s army ended up on the Human Ranking?

He frowned.

It had long been an unwritten rule that Tianji Tower’s three rankings did not include people of the imperial court.

So why has that changed now?

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Cheng Zhenjiang’s mind.

If people from Great Qian’s court were now being included, then...

As though possessed, he looked upward along the list.

And sure enough, he saw a name that was terrifyingly familiar.

Cheng Zhenjiang froze where he stood and instinctively read aloud.

“Seventh on the Human Ranking—Jinyiwei Cheng Yu...”

No one had expected this.

Cheng Yu? Seventh on the Human Ranking?

How could such a thing possibly happen?

“That bastard is seventh on the Human Ranking?!”

It was like a bolt from the blue crashing down onto Cheng Feng’s head. His eyes went wide.

Cheng Yu had stepped over his head.

His last shred of pride had been utterly ground to dust.

“Yu’er is seventh on the Human Ranking? How is that possible?”

Hearing Cheng Yu’s name, Zhao Xichun snatched the Human Ranking and looked at it herself.

Her whole body began to tremble.

More and more, she realized that when it came to Cheng Yu, her own son, she had not understood him in the slightest.

Blankly, she began reading out the description on the list.

“Record: severely wounded Cheng Feng, protected by his Inner Armor, with a single slash; killed He Qing, the senior disciple of Sword-Forging Manor, with a single slash...”

“Who?!”

Cheng Zhenjiang could hardly believe what he had just heard.

He had killed He Qing, the most valued senior disciple of Sword-Forging Manor?

What had that unfilial wretch done?!

Just then, an aged voice sounded faintly from nearby.

“Sword-Forging Manor was raided and destroyed by the Jinyiwei. Manor Lord He Qin and the others died on the spot. Quite a number of experts from the Jiangnan martial world lost their lives as well.”

“Great Hero Cheng has just come from there. Might he know something about what happened?”