An Unyielding Wind

This chapter has been brought to you by me, and WanderingGummiOfDoom.

V01-S20-C03

Chapter Three To the Empire

"Truthfully, I do have some considerable trouble. You know my temper and situation. I will not return to the Qin Family, but for Big Brother"s sake, I have to go to Karroll. If the Qin Family pressures me, I don"t even have a helper." Aofeng raised a handsome brow and looked wryly at him. "I just don"t know if you are willing to be hired for the long term."

This time, she reached celestial rank in this trip to Death Ridge. Naturally, the next step was to go the strongest empire on the Radiance Continent, the capital of the Kaya Empire, and see Big Brother and Little Uncle.

Aofeng did not hesitate in asking for help from her friends when she needed to speak. Facing the enormous Qin Family in the Kaya Empire, she had no power to fight back. The Freedom Alliance had just planted their roots and could not tolerate any storms. Lei Yufeng was different. From how the Lan Family treated him, she knew his background was not simple. He was strong, and even if he could not win, he could protect himself.

Lei Yufeng felt Aofeng"s trust in him and felt even better. He wanted Aofeng to find him for all matters. He enthusiastically hugged her and then patted his chest, saying, "No problem, in any case, I have to return to Karroll to see my grandfather and family members. Even if you did not speak, I will help you. I guarantee, as long as it is in Karroll, the Qin Family will not wound one hair on your head!"

"You dismiss even the Qin Family, what family are you from?" Aofeng asked in shock. Pausing, she then said, "If it is not convenient, then do not say."

"There is nothing inconvenient. Actually, everyone else here already knows. Only a fearless freak like you will fight me even when ignorant of my background. Haha, but that was a good fight. Otherwise, I will not have known you," Lei Yufeng said emotionally. His att.i.tude had changed from the initial regret to now joy at meeting Aofeng.

Pausing, pride appeared on Lei Yufeng"s face. "Have you heard of the King"s Three Venerable Swordsmen?"

"King"s Three Venerable Swordsmen?" Aofeng stilled. She couldn"t help but think of Venerable Swordsmen Tian Ya. She nodded in shock, "You are the grandson of one of the venerable swordsmen? No wonder you said your grandfather wanted you to be a swordsman!"

"Yes, I really miss my grandfather and father right now." Lei Yufeng sighed, his yearning clear to see. "While Grandfather forced me to be a swordsman, he was actually very good to me. He is the leader of the King"s Three Venerable Swordsman, the First Protector of the Kaya Empire, Venerable Swordsman Lei Ting. Even His Majesty has to ask him for advice on many decisions so he cannot easily leave the empire. Otherwise, I fear he would have come to take me back himself a long time ago."

The leader of the King"s Three Venerable Swordsmen?

Aofeng inhaled in shock. She knew in this world where the strong ruled, the ones with power were these experts who guarded the emperor. In a certain way, Venerable Swordsman Lei Ting represented the Kaya Empire more than His Majesty the Emperor. However, these people did not manage government and were existences that intimidated others.

"Then your parents?" Aofeng asked.

Lei Yufeng said, "Haha, my father is the Country Protecting Lighting King of the Kaya Empire, His Excellency Lei Shan who commands a million troops. Not just military command, the Kaya Empire"s Court Protector-Warriors are under my father"s command. My mother is a n.o.blewoman that my father rescued when he was at war. My old father has a very good relationship with His Majesty Mo Qi, they frequently drink together." Such a grand status!

Aofeng rubbed her smooth chin. "Uh, then you are a minor king?"

"Yes, from birth, I was t.i.tled "Thunder and Wind King." However, don"t compare me to those n.o.ble family members. I do not like to frighten people with my family"s status." Lei Yufeng scratched the back of his head and smiled as he confessed to Aofeng.

"I understand, you are telling me in the hope that I will not feel anxious as I have you backing me." Aofeng patted his shoulder and smiled brightly. "If you were one of the n.o.bility who like to show off your family status, then you would not have come to the Great Forest of Neversetting Sun and stayed for so many years."

The youth"s handsome beauty, and the light that shone in that moment caused Lei Yufeng to feel as though heart was filled. He dazedly said, "Aofeng, if you are a woman, I will stick to you and be your knight for a lifetime."

Aofeng stilled and then felt slightly guilty. Her face blushed, a rare occurrence. "What nonsense. You are a king of the empire, how can you go be a knight for someone else?"

"I am not lying." Lei Yufeng did not care too much and smiled as he kept an arm around Aofeng. "I am willing to be your knight. It is alright even if you are not a girl. Bodyguard and knight areabout the same. Now that I have a divine giant dragon beast, I am the strongest dragon rider. Even the captain of the Imperial Dragonriders may not be stronger than me."

Aofeng glared at him with beautiful eyes."Don"t speak such nonsense lightly, a knight is someone"s possession. If a swearing loyalty to a man, then alright. But if I am really a woman, according to the rules and tradition, you cannot marry anyone else." 1

"So what if I do not marry. If it is not true affection, who would swear their loyalty? I never like to disguise my affections. I like you, the person. If you are a woman, I will do my best to gain your affections." As he spoke resolutely, Lei Yufeng suddenly looked suspiciously at Aofeng. "Aofeng, you seem to like always being shrouded in a long black robe. You never take off your clothing in front of other people. Are you … … actually a woman?"

Aofeng"s eyebrows twitched. She twisted her mouth and did not dodge as she allowed the man"s large hand to search around her chest.

After touching around for a while, Lei Yufeng sighed in disappointment. "There is really nothing at all. If you are a woman, my life will be full of hardship, a flat chest … …"

"What, you will not pursue a flat chest?" Aofeng smiled as she teased him. She used a concealing magic medium. How could Lei Yufeng find anything?

"Who said that, just a flat chest, I can do it!" Lei Yufeng put his head high, his expression one of fearlessness.

Aofeng broke out in sweat and said with lingering fear. "Fortunately, I am not a flat chest." Her figure was very good, though she had disguised it.

In Lei Yufeng"s mind, he understood it as Aofeng was not a woman. His expression turned grieved again as he sighed, "Ah, why are you not."

Aofeng rolled her eyes at him in speechlessness.

In three days, Liang Xuan and Xiao Ling each caught three sacred beasts. The number of divine beasts in the outer perimeter was limited. They did not dare to go to many places, and as they may not be able to defeat divine beasts, they could only capture what they could. Aofeng tamed six sacred beasts and two seven-star sacred beasts in succession but only advanced one sword level. From this, the difficulty of levelling up as a celestial magister could be seen. Most people had to rely on cultivating on their own. Liang Xuan and Xiao Ling supervised as their family members swore the oath to not expose any of Aofeng"s information, and then they started on their journey home.

A fortnight later, Aofeng gathered with the people of Freedom Alliance who had been waiting at the valley mouth. Hearing that Aofeng had obtained a divine beast, everyone was very happy.

"Grand Commander, you are really going to leave? You cannot stay a while longer with us?" Lian Ya said with slight sorrow. She did not feel it when they were together, but now Aofeng was leaving, she felt some reluctance. This black-robed youth"s thin but powerful figure was deeply imprinted on their minds.

Lian Cheng patted Lian Ya"s shoulder in comfort and said grandly, "Xiao Ya, do not let Grand Commander have to worry about you. With Grand Commander"s strength, it will be a pity to not go into the continent. A man"s ambitions should be high. We need to develop the Freedom Alliance of the Great Forest of Neversetting Sun. One day, when Grand Commander becomes famous and returns, we can stand and shout proudly, "we are your followers.""

Lian Cheng scrunched her nose and nodded. "Yes, we will not lose face for Grand Commander."

"Yes, we will never forget we are to surpa.s.s the Kaya Imperial Dragonriders!"

"We will wait here for you."

"Grand Commander, when you return here again, the Freedom Alliance will be the force at your back." The reliable Li Jie was not skilled in saying anything moving. He put his right hand in front of the left of his chest. He seemed to swear an oath in his deep and determined voice .

Back to the bright sunset, Aofeng"s eyes narrowed slightly. She said with a smile, "I believe in you!"

Everyone was moved. Yes, there was no need to say elaborate things. One phrase of trust contained everything.

After biding farewell, Aofeng and Lei Yufeng followed the training squad of the Qin Family towards the Kaya Empire.

"About twenty thousand miles to the north of Death Ridge, we will leave the forest and reach the famed city of the north, Liscia. After travelling through a few more cities, we will be able to reach the capital, Karroll. We probably will need more than a month to leave the forest. After that time, we can ride the lion-vultures to reach the capital directly." Qin Jian pointed towards the north, and introduced the geography of the northern part of Neversetting Sun to Aofeng as well as some important cities.

"I am not in a hurry. This has no conflict with my schedule. I have time." Aofeng calculated. The Diguo School"s recruitment is in July. RIght now, it is only April. i will be able to get there in time. When she thought of this, Aofeng asked, "Right, Teacher Qin Jian, do you know where the Diguo School of Karroll is located?"

"Diguo School?" Qin Jian stilled and then said, amused, "You mean the Imperial School. How can I not know? That is the most famous school on the continent. I don"t know how many people want to get in. However, our four great magister families usually trains our own magisters and not many of them go to the Imperial School."

"Imperial School?" Aofeng stilled and then said in surprise, "Then … … then Teacher Lan Xiu?"

"Teacher?" Hearing this term, Qin Jian and Lei Yufeng all gaped. They could not recover for a long time. "What did you say? You say that Lan Xiu Daren is your teacher?"

Aofeng nodded. "He said so. What, Teacher Lan Xiu is very strong?"

"Not just strong!" Lei Yufeng glared exaggeratedly and shouted, "No wonder you are such a freak, you are the disciple of the strongest person in the empire! His Excellency Lan Xiu is called the man most close to divine, a peak nine sword magus scholar. Even the patriarchs of the four families have to give him face. Because he is a magister, even my grandfather has slightly lower in reputation compared to him. However, His Excellency Lan Xiu never partic.i.p.ates in state matters. He is the princ.i.p.al of the Imperial School." Back then in Qin City, the celestial magic technique of the enforcer Qin Lian had been suddenly interrupted. Teacher Lan Xiu must have blocked it for her. Also, Teacher Lan Xiu must have been the reason the events concerning her had not spread in the Qin Family.

"This is good. Aofeng, you do not need to be afraid. With His Excellency Lan Xiu supporting you, not just the Qin Family, even the Lan Family, the strongest of the four, will have to ask Lan Xiu Daren if he agrees if they want to touch you. Lan Xiu Daren"s status in the Lan Family is considerable," Lei Yufeng said excitedly.

"Teacher Lan Xiu is also a member of the Lan Family?" Aofeng frowned and she said. She had killed so many Lan Family members and felt slightly guilty inside.

Qin Jian said with a smile, "Do not worry. Back in the past, Lan Xiu Daren left the Lan Family because of his dissatisfaction with their actions. For the many years after, no matter how the Lan Family tried to lure him back, he has ignored them. Really, the student follows the teacher. You also left the Qin Family. Just for this reason, he will likely support you."

Aofeng felt much better. She shook her head and laughed. Lan Xiu was really the princ.i.p.al of the Imperial School while pretending to be a recruiter of a minor school. Thinking about what the recruiters of other schools had said at the time, it was laughable.

She looked into the sky, filled with antic.i.p.ation.

Imperial School, Qin Family, Karroll, I, Qin Aofeng, is coming!

Translator Ramblings: I completely agree with the editor.

This is the end of volume one.