Chapter 29: How Reliable Is This Prophecy?

Within the barrier, the wild winds raged incessantly. Whether it was the hard stone tiles, or the tables, chairs, and food within range, all were torn to powder by the force. The entire ground was scraped down by three inches. And since the barrier was sealed, the onlookers could only see that the moment You Zhuo unleashed the “Wind Commanding Hand,” the interior filled with swirling dust, as if a sandstorm had erupted.

In the blink of an eye, Ji Huo was swallowed by the storm. The inside of the barrier became a blackened chaos, blocking all vision.

“Oh no! I can’t see anything!”

“My first time seeing a legendary technique, and it’s already over?”

“I even brought my wine—what a waste, I want my money back!”

The officials craned their necks, peering inside, but saw nothing. One by one, they were bitterly disappointed.

Only a rare few—some martial generals, Ji Xiaoxiong, the Grand Preceptor, and the old Emperor—kept their eyes fixed unblinkingly on the barrier.

The Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince glanced about, finally locking eyes in mutual understanding: So he’s just as clueless as I am! Then, as if by tacit agreement, both widened their eyes and pretended to see everything inside.

Even though nothing could be seen within, the sight alone of the howling, swiftly churning sand and wind was enough to make one’s scalp tingle, as though countless spirits of the wind were reveling in a frenzied dance.

Everyone understood well: throw a chair in there, and it would be ground to dust in an instant.

Such was the power of an Earth-Tier martial art.

A shadow of worry crept into the hearts of the civil and military officials. Ji Huo looked so young, and had only just returned to the capital; he surely hadn’t had time to learn the Bear General’s signature technique. Even if he’d picked up some skills in the wilds, how could he possibly withstand the force of a legendary art?

Was Ji Huo about to lose? Such terrifying might—how pitiful, that our great Zhou has finally produced a youthful hero, only to have him snuffed out so soon.

The promising youths attending the banquet clenched their fists, eyes wide and teeth gritted, their fighting spirits burning with red-hot fervor.

“Hahahahaha! Now this is my true strength! Ji Huo, can you withstand it?”

Amid the sandstorm, You Zhuo’s wild laughter could be heard. He shouted:

“Winds, obey my command!”

Suddenly, the sand and dust within the barrier changed. Their speed abruptly slowed, as if drained of all force.

Li Xiu blinked and pressed his hand downward. Instantly, the dust settled rapidly, and the crowd’s sight was restored.

Through the lingering haze, one man could be seen standing tall and proud, while another lay collapsed on the ground.

All eyes strained to see who remained standing.

“It’s Ji Huo! It’s Ji Huo!”

A sharp-eyed youth was the first to recognize him, his cry echoing through the hall.

“Haha! It’s Ji Huo!”

“Bravo!”

“What a true young hero!”

The entire hall erupted in a cacophony of laughter, exclamations, and sighs of admiration.

An elder minister, white-haired and bearded, on the verge of retirement, slapped his thigh with gusto, then thrust up his thumb and bellowed:

“You’ve brought us honor!”

Ji Huo stood where he was, perfectly composed, a faint smile on his lips, not at all like someone who had just fought a violent battle.

You Zhuo, meanwhile, had fainted among the dust. The ground, ground to powder by the winds and now forced to settle, resembled an incredibly fine layer of ash.

Ji Huo turned and returned to his seat, only then noticing that the spot where they had fought was now a perfectly circular depression, the ground within the barrier scraped down three inches—a pit of sand, or rather, sand powder. The barrier had protected the rest, but inside, devastation reigned.

The power of these legendary arts truly was fearsome. If the “Wind Commanding Hand” was this terrifying, what then of the “Thunderous Bear Fist”?

It was only because You Zhuo had not fully mastered the “Wind Commanding Hand” that Ji Huo could defeat him so easily. If You Zhuo had practiced a few more years, victory wouldn’t have come so simply.

Since learning the “Thunderous Bear Fist,” Ji Huo had never had the chance to display it—mainly because the capital was so inconvenient, crawling with people and prying eyes, not to mention all the affairs demanding his attention upon arrival.

Moreover, the Bear Fist’s distinctive style was unmistakable. In the entire world, only his own father had mastered it—it was as good as a security mark.

“Senior brother!”

Hu Fu hurried into the sand pit, scooping up You Zhuo. After a careful check, he found nothing seriously wrong—just unconsciousness and exhaustion—and breathed a sigh of relief.

He quickly carried You Zhuo out of the palace, clearly having lost his appetite and probably hoping to keep well away from Ji Huo.

Ji Huo, acting on impulse, covertly reached out with his right hand. With a deft “Stellar Sleight,” he found himself holding a folding fan—the very weapon You Zhuo had just been using.

So it was only a folding fan? This technique really isn’t all that, Ji Huo thought, a bit disappointed.

“Congratulations to Second Young Master Ji for bringing glory to our great Zhou!”

“Congratulations, congratulations!”

“Such valor, Second Young Master!”

A throng of officials and young nobles crowded forward to offer their congratulations. Ji Huo quickly tucked the folding fan into his robe, smiled, and cupped his hands.

“It was nothing but luck.”

“Luck? Not at all! To survive in that storm is to stand as the finest among Zhou’s youth! Why, your very clothes are untouched.”

The official, speaking without thinking, suddenly froze—his eyes bulging as he stared Ji Huo up and down in astonishment.

“Your clothes aren’t even torn! Not a hair out of place!”

This old man’s eyesight is something else… Ji Huo could only offer a dry laugh.

“Just good fortune, that’s all.”

Atop the dragon throne, the old Emperor watched Ji Huo, who was busy deflecting the crowd’s congratulations, and broke into a broad smile. Rising to his feet, he exchanged a glance with the Grand Preceptor before leaving the hall.

He hadn’t gone far when Li Xiu hurried to catch up.

“What does Grand Preceptor think?” the Emperor asked, smiling.

Li Xiu, as if he had already reached a conclusion, replied, “The Ji boy’s martial skills, internal strength, and techniques are all peerless among men. Though You Zhuo’s legendary art was not fully mastered, for Ji Huo to strike him down amid the storm is no feat an ordinary person could hope to achieve. He—”

“Go on,” the Emperor prompted.

Li Xiu hesitated, stole a glance at the Emperor, and said softly, “I couldn’t see everything clearly, but judging by his performance in the midst of that tempest, among Zhou’s young generation, he easily ranks in the top three.”

The Emperor shot the Grand Preceptor a look. The man was excellent in every regard except courage. The Emperor declared directly:

“I saw far clearer than you did. Old Ji surely did as well. That rascal could well be called the foremost youth in all Zhou!”

Li Xiu bowed even lower.

The old Emperor chuckled and mused, “If your divinations are right, Ji Huo is the future of Zhou. With such a star, what worry have we about our dynasty’s prosperity? Hahaha!”

Hearing this, Li Xiu’s heart gave a jolt, but he could only force a laugh and offer agreement.

“Sadly, I won’t live to see it,” the Emperor’s voice suddenly grew quiet.

Li Xiu was about to respond when the Emperor waved him off. “No need to say more. I’ve toiled a lifetime as Emperor—can’t I let myself be reckless in the end?”

Yet you’re already plenty reckless… Li Xiu dared not say this aloud, lest the Emperor slap him dead on the spot.

“Today’s events reminded me,” the Emperor continued, “is there any news of the Human Monarch’s Secret Art?”

Li Xiu shook his head like a rattle-drum. “Your Majesty, you’re making things hard for your humble servant. The Human Monarch’s technique doesn’t even have a proper name, only a rumor. How am I supposed to find it?”

The Emperor sighed. “If it can’t be found, so be it. The prophecy says that whoever practices it is the chosen of Heaven, destined to unite the world as the sole emperor. Seems it’s not for our generation.”

Li Xiu bowed respectfully. “Such an unreliable prophecy is best ignored.”

“Aren’t you a grandmaster of divination? Isn’t this your line of work?”

“If even I, a grandmaster of divination, find it unreliable, it must truly be nonsense.”

“Fair point.”