Her graceful form curled upon the bed,
As if in slumber, still enduring some pain.
The young man slowly approached, extending his right hand…

Before he could even react, his entire body
Was thrown heavily to the ground, his internal organs
Feeling as though they had been shattered.
The dao essence within him scattered, and his neck
Was tightly gripped by two fingers.
The man’s face quickly flushed red, his eyes wide,
Staring at the woman wearing the faceless mask,
Who was pressing down on him.

“Yan… Yan…”

The Revealing-Masked Demon glanced at the bottles and jars scattered on the ground,
Seeing they were all sorts of healing elixirs.
She gently loosened her fingers, but her gaze remained cold:
“What do you intend to do?”

“You seem… gravely injured,” the young man said,
His voice filled with anxiety. “I wanted… to help.”

“Little waste,” the Revealing-Masked Demon sneered,
Standing up and walking back to the bed,
Her tone laced with amusement:
“What help could you possibly be to me?”

Liang Jiu, once a disciple of Qingyun Pavilion in Yong Kingdom,
Lay still on the ground, still trapped in the deathly tremor,
Unable to break free.

Yanzi twisted and sat upon the bed, her graceful figure
Still as a curved line. As she brushed back her long hair,
She wiped away the clammy sweat on the back of her neck,
Subtly retracting her jade-like hand, resting it upon her knee.
Her tone soft and tender: “Fool, why are you still lying there?”

Liang Jiu scrambled up in a start, his staggering steps
Knocking against the bottles and jars, producing a tinkling sound,
Then stopping fearfully.

“What are you doing?” Yanzi chided, “Are you afraid of me?”

“No, no. I like… like you,” Liang Jiu quickly pressed forward,
Trembling as he clambered onto Yanzi.
He reached out to unbutton her collar, but struggled for a long time
Without success, his hand instead brushing against the mask with no features.

“Slap!”

Yanzi backhanded him, sending his entire body flying,
Making him roll several times on the ground.

“Annoying thing!”

Her cold voice held anger:
“Others in their twenties are endlessly glorious, you in your twenties
Are like a dog! And you can’t even be a good dog, so clumsy!”

Liang Jiu rolled awkwardly on the ground several times.
As soon as he stopped, he quickly flipped over and knelt properly,
His head bowed.
He didn’t know why he had been slapped.
He also didn’t know who Yanzi was referring to as “others,”
Nor did he know that she was actually mistaken,
That Jiang Wang was not even twenty years old yet.
He simply lowered his gaze submissively, his spirit, long since
Worn away, curled up, and he whispered, “I’m sorry.”

“Alas…” Yanzi sighed, seeming to soften slightly again.
She rose and walked to Liang Jiu, slowly crouching down.
A fragrant breeze brushed past his nose, and her jade-like hand
stroked his forehead:
“Sister truly likes you, truly treats you well,
But in your current state, how can you stay by Sister’s side?
Sister teaches you every day, every day,
Can’t you be a little more promising, okay?”

Liang Jiu was both fearful, ashamed, and flustered,
Letting out a whimpering sound like a puppy: “Mhm.”

Yanzi reached out and pulled him into her embrace.
They held each other tightly, both feeling a warmth
Of mutual need.
It felt, vaguely, like love.

The Star-Moon Plain battlefield gathered the vast armies
Of the Xiang and Xu Kingdoms.
The Xiang Kingdom’s leading general was Lian Jingzhi,
The Great Pillar of the Xiang Kingdom. The Xu Kingdom’s leader
Was Fang You, the Grand Marshal of the Xu Kingdom’s forces.
Both were renowned generals of their time, and the most
Accomplished strategists their respective nations could offer.
But anyone with clear eyes knew that the outcome of the war
Did not depend on them.
The true role played by these two contemporary famous generals
Was merely a title. To make their countrymen believe that the armies
Of the Xiang and Xu Kingdoms fought for their own nation’s interests.
Filling the battlefield were the numerous young Heaven’s Chosen
From Qi, Jing, and their respective subordinate and vassal states,
Whose mettle was to be tested in this battle.

Lin Xian, as Rong Kingdom’s foremost Heaven’s Chosen,
Was infinitely glorious in his own country, but on the Star-Moon Plain,
He was not particularly conspicuous.
Bao Bozhao, Chao Yu, Xie Huaian, Wang Yiwo, Chong Xuan Sheng,
Li Longchuan, Yan Fu, Tian Chang, Wen Lianmu, Gao Zhe…
Just the younger generation from Qi Kingdom who had reached the battlefield
Were already a pool of talent, dazzling and prominent,
Leaving no room for the Heaven’s Chosen from those small Eastern Domain countries
To make a name for themselves.
Furthermore, due to the subtle intentions Rong Kingdom displayed
At the Yellow River Meeting, it was foreseeable that they would
Be reprimanded on the Star-Moon Plain.
Therefore, since arriving at the Star-Moon Plain, Lin Xian
Had been exceptionally low-key, never leaving the camp
Without a troop movement order.

But even so, some things could not be avoided.
After the military council that day, almost immediately after
Fang You announced the end of the meeting, Lin Xian had already
Quietly risen and left, heading back to his camp.
He had not gone many steps when he suddenly saw a figure flash,
And a tall, imposing man blocked his path.
The man had a wide nose and large eyes, dressed richly,
With an arrogant expression on his face.
His gaze, when it fell upon Lin Xian, was quite condescending.

“You are Lin Xian, are you?” the man asked.

Lin Xian’s expression was calm. He nodded in greeting:
“Greetings, Young Master Gao Zhe.”

Gao Zhe was half a head taller than him. He looked down at him
With interest, an air of a cat toying with a mouse:
“You know me?”

Facing the heir to the Gao clan of Jinghai, Lin Xian’s posture was very humble:
“A small country dares not disrespect a great country.
Lin Xian has done his homework on the names of the Heaven’s Chosen of Qi.”

“Ah ha?” Gao Zhe looked left and right, smiling:
“This person’s demeanor is quite different from what was rumored!”

Yan Fu, who was not far away, spoke up:
“Brother Gao, what are you stopping here for?
I still have a dao technique to discuss with you.
Let’s go to my camp and chat first!”

“Hey, there’s no rush for that,” Gao Zhe waved a hand,
Unwilling to climb the ladder Yan Fu offered,
Still looking at Lin Xian: “I heard your Rong Kingdom people say
That after Jiang Wang disappeared, you, Lin Xian,
Are the foremost Inner Palace cultivator in the Eastern Domain?”

Gao Zhe’s posture, clearly looking for trouble, was already very apparent.
Wang Yiwo, Wen Lianmu, and others passing by
Also stopped and looked over at this moment.
Chong Xuan Sheng and Li Longchuan walked on the other side,
But said nothing.
Li Longchuan had no particular friendship with Gao Zhe,
While Chong Xuan Sheng immediately saw through Gao Zhe’s intentions
And was too lazy to expend the effort.
Gao Zhe had now solidified his position as the family heir,
And his spirit had risen significantly. Coming to the Star-Moon Plain battlefield
Was originally to gain prestige and fame. The best way, of course,
Was to display prowess on the battlefield, but stepping on Lin Xian,
Who had been on the Observing River Stage, was also one way.
And it was safe and secure.

Bao Bozhao, Chao Yu, and others walked away, minding their own business,
Especially Bao Bozhao, who felt that these were all his younger generation,
And that Bao Zhongqing should be grouped with them.
Chong Xuan Zun disdained even coming to the Star-Moon Plain,
And Bao Bozhao usually carried himself with considerable pride,
Maintaining a distance from these younger generation fellows.
Furthermore, geniuses from smaller countries like Xu, Zhao, Yi, and Chang
Dared not even approach, only watching from afar.
With so many young geniuses present, who would willingly lose face
Or weaken their momentum?
It was likely that a confrontation was inevitable.

But Lin Xian, whose path was blocked by Gao Zhe,
Did not even raise his eyelids, only said indifferently:
“I have never said such a thing.”

“Oh?” Gao Zhe was not surprised that Lin Xian would back down,
But was surprised that he backed down so quickly,
Without any struggle. He stepped forward,
Pressing him with ill intent: “Then now, in front of so many people,
I ask you, do you genuinely believe,
How do you compare to Jiang Wang?”

Lin Xian raised his eyes and looked around,
Under the gaze of the young Heaven’s Chosen from various Eastern Domain countries,
He said very calmly:
“I, Lin Xian, am willing to be a running dog
Under Jiang Qingyang. Before reaching the realm of Dao Manifestation,
I dare not compare myself to Jiang Wang!”

Upon these words, all the noise, the clamor, the unease…
All fell silent.
The entire scene was still!