Chapter 74.3: You Want to Leave The Water Edge

All the people below then obediently took their leave where even the Imperial attendants bowed their backs and walked out. Within the vast grand hall, only Yue Mu Chen and Qing Ye Li were left, but the young Emperor had his face turned away at that moment so the expression on his face could not be seen.

After a long while, a long sigh was then heard from him.

“Including this year, it has been a good thirteen years since you came to the Water Edge Kingdom. This is a number that has now come to mean your impending departure.” Yue Mu Chen’s voice was soft, and listening to it carefully there did not seem to be any emotion in it. “I have always admired you and Xin Yan like you more than she likes me, her biological elder brother. Thirteen whole years….. Qing Ye Li, grant me this one last request. Only after the rest of this year has past, and then leave will you? !”

There was only two of them there at that moment. Yue Mu Chen did not use an officious tone but spoke like they were friends, sounding a lot more casual.

Qing Ye Li had thought that Yue Mu Chen had dismissed everyone else because he wanted to persuade him to stay, never having expected that he would be so candid and straightforward, not saying a single word about it.

But even if he had, it would be of no use. He was determined to go and anything he might have said would be in vain.

The expression on Qing Ye Li’s face did not change. “I thank your Majesty for understanding. Although I will be leaving, but if the Water Edge Kingdom is in trouble, I will definitely lend a helping hand.”

The Emperor’s tall and thin figure did not move in the slightest but merely waved his hand, to indicate that Qing Ye Li can leave.

It was not known how long it had been, but only when he was the only person left in the vast hall, did Yue Mu Chen finally heave a sigh of relief, his face dejected as he slumped into his throne.

It was most probably because he had known Qing Ye Li for too long and now that the man was leaving, he was finding it hard to accept it. It was like having gotten used to having something in your life, and then suddenly finding that it had disappeared.

Yue Mu Chen gave a soft and imperceptible sigh as he raised his long fingers up to cover over his forehead in between his brows.

——

Every year when the great sects opened their doors to recruit new disciples, the atmosphere would always become exhilarating and nerve wracking at the same time. Even the Young Masters who were always out and about pleasure seeking were seen to restrain themselves, behaving quite a lot better.

The Three Great Sects were each other’s checks and balances and the Faint Mist Sect had firmly taken the top position among the sects for many years with the Limitless Sect hot on their heels. Although the Carefree Valley was last among them, but they commanded great might as well. But as its ways and methods ran counter to the of the other two sects, having trained a top notch band of dark assassins who were both orthodox and unorthodox, greatly feared by many and despised by those who proclaimed themselves to be righteous.

At the very moment in the Carefree Valley, a gloomy looking middle aged man stood, his hands behind his back as he said: “Say that again?”

“Valley Chief please appease your anger. Your subordinate was ambushed midway through the journey and when I woke up….. all my clothes had been stripped off and I was bound to a tree…..” The man down below was so angry his teeth were gritted together. “It must be the work of that traitor of the Carefree Valley, Baili Ji Ran who did it. I heard that he went to attend the All Saint’s Day festival as the Carefree Valley’s Young Lord! That is just utterly despicable!”

“Is that so?” The middle aged man said those two words very softly, and it was not possible to discern whether it was spoken in joy or rage.

“Valley Chief, isn’t Baili Ji Ran being too wilful and arrogant here? Should we teach him a lesson? He was once a member of the Carefree Valley afterall and for him to disrespect the Carefree Valley so completely, it is the greatest affront to the Valley Chief!”

“Do not drag the Carefree Valley into your personal grievances.” The middle aged man said offhandedly as he glanced at the man down below, like he could see right through him. He is someone from the White Fens Lands afterall and with the Four Great Family Clans branches from the same tree and united in the same breath, however strong the Carefree Valley is, do you think we can stand against the Four Great Family Clans of the White Fens Lands?”

With those words, the man immediately clamped his mouth and dared not speak. No matter how displeased he was with Baili Ji Ran, when before absolute might and authourity, he could only cowardly submit.