Сhарtеr 5 (13/22)
Gong Ziyu flеw intо а rаgе and struck out аt Gоng Yuanzhi. Hоwever, Gоng Yuаnzhi wаs quiсk-еуed and swift-hаnded, blocking Gong Ziyu’s pаlm strikе with his wrist. Neithеr of thеm gаvе wаy tо thе оthеr, сontinuing tо exchаngе blows.
Fоr a moment, thе two fought fiеrcelу in thе grеаt hаll, with оnlу the sound оf slеevеs сutting thrоugh the аir.
Seеing thе situation, thе Еlders vоiced their аngry rebukes.
Еldеr Хue: “Вlade Mаstеr!”
Еlder Yuе turnеd tо Gоng Shаngjuе: “Brаwling оpеnly in thе great hаll—Shangjuе, аrе yоu just gоing tо lеt your yоunger brother run wild?”
Gong Shangjuе flashed betwеen the twо. His Innеr Fоrcе was profound, immediately separating them. Gong Shangjue raised his hand and slapped Gong Yuanzhi across the face. The force was great, showing no mercy even though he was his own brother, causing Gong Yuanzhi’s head to snap to the side. Then he swiftly turned and, with a backhand, intended to strike Gong Ziyu. Yet he paused for a second. In the next instant, seeing Gong Ziyu glaring at him with furious eyes, Gong Shangjue’s already halted hand delivered a slap without hesitation.
The crack echoed especially loudly in the vast hall.
Gong Ziyu was stunned by the blow. Humiliation and shame instantly surged in his heart, leaving him standing there dumbfounded.
Gong Yuanzhi touched his cheek and stepped back behind Gong Shangjue, but he showed not a trace of anger. Instead, he watched the enraged Gong Ziyu with gleeful schadenfreude. Taking this slap himself while also ensuring Gong Ziyu received one was worth it.
Elder Hua slammed the table and rose to his feet, trembling with anger: “Enough! This is absurd!”
Gong Shangjue admonished the two: “You usually scorn the family rules and act lawlessly—that’s one thing. But today, with three Elders present, you dare to fight openly. Gong Yuanzhi is still a minor, reckless and ignorant, so we won’t hold it against him.” He turned his head, his gaze cold as ice. “But you, Gong Ziyu—you now keep calling yourself the Blade Master, yet you raise your hand against your own family. You possess neither the status, ability, nor virtue for the role. What makes you think you can shoulder this position?”
Gong Ziyu’s dark pupils burned with fury. Gong Shangjue’s words were righteous and stern, but to Gong Ziyu, they sounded only like icy mockery. Ignoring Gong Shangjue’s aggressive tone, he glared at Gong Yuanzhi: “The one who poisoned my father and brother—I will kill him sooner or later!”
Elder Hua, surprised by his statement, immediately spoke up: “Blade Master, without evidence, you must not speak such grave words!”
Rebellion within the House of Gong was a serious crime. Gong Yuanzhi could not believe Gong Ziyu would make such accusations so casually.
Gong Shangjue stared sternly at Gong Ziyu: “Making baseless, slanderous accusations—you are unworthy of being Blade Master!”
Gong Ziyu calmed down slightly in his heart and spoke word by word: “Evidence? Of course I have it.” He then looked at Gong Shangjue. “And you—you are not entirely unrelated either.”
Gong Shangjue retorted: “What about me?”
Gong Ziyu voiced the doubts in his heart: “The last person my father and brother saw that night was you! What did you discuss? Why did you leave in such a hurry that you couldn’t wait until daybreak, having to depart overnight? Where did you go, what did you do—does anyone know? Can you explain it clearly?”
Gong Shangjue met Gong Ziyu’s gaze unyieldingly, stepping closer to him: “Of course I can explain it clearly, and naturally, someone knows. But this is confidential, a command personally issued by the Blade Master. I have no obligation to report to you.”
Gong Ziyu: “I am the Blade Master! I order you to report to me now.”
Gong Shangjue suddenly smiled, lifting his chin slightly with a hint of disdain.Gong Ziyu was provoked by his smile: "If you don't report to me, both you and Gong Yuanzhi are suspects in the conspiracy to murder my father and brother!"
Faced with Gong Ziyu's loss of control, Gong Shangjue instead withdrew his aggressive demeanor, returning to a state of calm and indifference: "If I truly harbored ambitions of murder and usurpation, I would have stayed within the House of Gong that night. Had I been inside the House of Gong, how could the position of Blade Master possibly have fallen to you?"
Gong Ziyu was momentarily stunned, hesitating for a brief moment.
Gong Shangjue snorted coldly and said: "When actions fail to achieve their aim, one should reflect on oneself. If you are unfit for the position of Blade Master, do not recklessly accuse others of treason."
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