Above the Galaxy
Chapter 131 - 99: Blow a breeze to send him up to Qingyun!

Chapter 131: Chapter 99: Blow a breeze to send him up to Qingyun!

Shen Boyu was lying leisurely on a rattan chair, listening to a tune and smoking a water pipe when the butler, Chang Biao, walked over and whispered, "Second Master, there’s some fresh news, I don’t know if you’re interested in hearing it or not."

Shen Boyu gave him a discontented glare, pulled the water pipe from his mouth, and said, "At our age, hearing something fresh means living an extra day... That’s quite the bargain. What is it? Just tell me quickly, do you really need to ask if I want to hear it?"

"I didn’t want to disturb your refined pleasures," Chang Biao said with a chuckle. "You asked me to keep an eye on that kid from the Old Land, and I’ve been paying attention. Hey, guess what... Something amusing happened to him again today."

"Did he get into another fight?" Shen Boyu inquired.

"No fight," Chang Biao replied. "He’s forced someone to withdraw from school again."

Upon hearing the words "withdraw from school," a trace of discomfort appeared on Shen Boyu’s face.

If it were not for Chang Biao, who had been serving by his side for many years and understood the master’s nature extremely well, it would have been nearly impossible to detect this subtle change in expression.

Clearly, that incident was still a thorn in his heart.

Although he had sent the Princess and that kid away with a Luminous Pearl, how could he restore the Shen Family’s face that had been trampled underfoot?

It was also infuriating that Shang Xiulin had recklessly shared the virtual fight video on the school’s intranet for all students to watch for a fee, with that kid earning a star coin for each viewing...

The Shen Family didn’t care about the money, what mattered was that with each view, wasn’t that the same as humiliating the Shen Family once more?

With each additional viewer, wasn’t that another person humiliating the Shen Family?

They had watched that video too and didn’t have the courage to watch it a second time.

To be honest, Shen Qingping’s performance wasn’t bad, it’s just...

It’s just that the kid was too cunning.

When dealing with a cunning and fearless person, you really had no way to deal with him.

Unless you had absolute power to crush him.

"Oh? That’s strange, how did he force someone to withdraw from school without fighting?" Shen Boyu asked curiously.

He thought the person had the same tactic as Shen Qingping, attempting to use higher level power to suppress Tang Fei.

But this wasn’t an exam, were there such strict requirements?

Chang Biao walked over, holding a tablet computer, and smilingly said, "Take a look at this, and you’ll understand after seeing it... This kid, he’s really something else."

Shen Boyu waved his hand, indicating the young girl playing the zither and singing to leave.

He then took the tablet, pressed the play button on the video, and soon became engrossed in what he was watching.

The video wasn’t long, and Shen Boyu finished it quickly.

He handed the tablet back to Chang Biao and said with a smile, "This kid, he’s quite interesting. Uninhibited, shameless, does whatever he wants and says whatever comes to mind. He’s like a hedgehog – people normally don’t know how to handle such an uncharitable individual."

"Are you praising him?" Chang Biao asked.

"Of course I am. Don’t underestimate the words ’uninhibited’ and ’shameless’... In this world, how many can live solely for themselves? Tell me, Lao Chang, can you live just for yourself?"

"I may not be able to live for myself, but I can die for the Shen Family," Chang Biao replied with a smile on his face.

Shen Boyu nodded; he didn’t trust these words from others, but he believed Chang Biao.

"You can’t do it, and neither can I. Take me for example, managing this big family while maintaining pretenses, playing dumb when I’m fully aware, or pretending to be clear when I’m actually confused... Being respectable in front of others and scheming behind their backs. Tired, isn’t it?"

"Tiring. But there’s no other way, you can’t let people see too clearly, nor can you let them be too confused. If they see too clearly, someone will harm you. If too vague, someone will fear you. So what do you do? You just have to live in this half-clear, half-vague state. And what’s the result? You turn into this kind of old monster."

"Second Master is very wise," Chang Biao consoled, "but the world is unpredictable, and hearts are treacherous. Sometimes you have to compromise, trying hard to find the most comfortable angle to live."

"Yes, the world is unpredictable, and hearts are treacherous," Shen Boyu murmured in reflection. "This kid understands this, so he made his choices."

"Shamelessness? Over safety?"

"Think about it, if he had accepted Lu Yang’s challenge, what would he have gained if he had won? And what would have happened if he lost?"

"If he won, he would become more famous, attracting even more challengers. If he lost, all the reputation and prestige he had built up would be wiped clean... He would then become Lu Yang’s stepping stone."

"So, he decisively refused," said Shen Boyu. "Refusing was one thing, but I didn’t expect he could force Lu Yang into such an embarrassing situation without even lifting a finger... Not just anyone can do that..."

Shen Boyu suddenly stood up from the rattan chair and looked at Chang Biao, asking, "What do you mean by disturbing my refined pleasures? Does this matter involve the Shen Family?"

He paused, then Shen Boyu shouted angrily, "Is it Shen Anyuan?"

"Second Master, please don’t be angry. Getting upset over such a trivial matter is not worth harming your health," Chang Biao advised, trying to pacify him.

"I don’t want to be angry, but they always do such stupid things, how can I not be angry?" Shen Boyu expressed a forlorn sentiment, "Call Shen Anyuan over."

"Yes, Second Master," Chang Biao agreed and then went to make the call.

After a short while, a Flying Car belonging to Shen Anyuan landed in the courtyard of the Shen Family Mansion.

Shen Anyuan hurried in and said to Shen Boyu, "Second Master, you called for me?"

Shen Boyu, sitting on a Taishi Chair, looked at Shen Anyuan and asked, "Busy, An Yuan? Did I interrupt your work?"

"Not busy at all," Shen Anyuan replied with a smile, "When my uncle summons me, I’m always available. At your beck and call."

"That’s good," Shen Boyu nodded and went on, "I called you over to show you something amusing. I’ve heard there’s a video that’s particularly trending..."

Shen Boyu glanced at Chang Biao and said, "Lao Chang, show it to An Yuan."

"Yes, Second Master," Chang Biao handed the prepared video over.

After watching it, Shen Anyuan passed the screen back to Chang Biao and looked sincerely at Shen Boyu, "Uncle, this was me, Lu Yang is my setup..."

"Let’s hear it then, what was your original plan?" Shen Boyu asked.

"The Imperial First Military Academy has a tradition of challenging the strong, especially the Ancient Martial Department. Lu Yang is a high-grade Qi master, not far from Tang Fei in ability, but his cultivation technique hid lethal moves. If Tang Fei was unprepared, he would have been killed with a single blow."

"But who would have thought, Tang Fei simply wouldn’t accept your challenge?" Shen Boyu said with a smirk, appearing leisurely as if he was a bystander watching a play.

"Scoundrel." Shen Anyuan cursed hatefully.

He had considered all possibilities and made all the necessary preparations.

If Tang Fei accepted the challenge, then, with Lu Yang’s assassin, they could defeat and kill Tang Fei during the official challenge.

If Tang Fei refused to challenge, that would also tarnish his reputation and cause his newly established image as the "Light of the Old Land" to crumble...

Moreover, if Tang Fei refused the challenge today, then let Lu Ming go tomorrow.

If he doesn’t accept tomorrow, then the day after tomorrow, and the day after that...

Day after day, year after year.

If you keep refusing the challenge, everyone’s perception of you will change, thinking you’re cowardly, afraid of death, without backbone, and you will no longer have any prestige at the school.

Besides, those who practice martial arts fear nothing more than someone damaging their moral heart.

If someone challenges you every day, that will become your heart demon...

Without slaying the heart demon, how can one reach enlightenment and break through the barrier?

But he had never imagined that Tang Fei would handle it this way...

Using the power of the rules to take care of Lu Yang.

I haven’t made a move yet, and you’ve fallen already?

"What if Lu Yang is not his match?"

"Failing doesn’t matter. Martial arts sparring among students—surely he wouldn’t kill Lu Yang, would he?"

Shen Anyuan’s expression was sinister as he said, "Besides, even if he were killed... it’s just a Lu Yang, who doesn’t even count as an outer member of our Shen Family. After being nurtured for so many years, it’s time he stood up and served us."

"Aren’t you afraid that he will betray the Shen Family?"

"Betray? His achievements today are all thanks to the full support and funding of the Shen Family. Otherwise, how would he have access to those Secret Techniques? And how could he afford those pricey supplements?"

"Once he’s consumed what we’ve provided, it won’t be easy for him to spit it back out... He would rather die than utter a bad word against the Shen Family."

"So, are you heading there out of vengeance, trying to kill him under the guise of a challenge?" Shen Boyu’s face still wore a casual smile as he asked.

"Yes," Shen Anyuan didn’t deny it, and said, "I really do want to kill him..."

"Isn’t that a bit too hasty?"

"Hasty?" Shen Anyuan looked at Shen Boyu and said gravely, "Uncle, Qingping has already followed the previous batch of death-row prisoners to Ghost Mountain, where he is now fighting for his life against wild beasts, and could die at any moment..."

"That Tang Fei, his living another day makes me restless and sleepless through the night..."

"I want to avenge Qingping, I wish he were dead right now... I want to eat his flesh, drink his blood..."

Shen Boyu sighed softly and said, "Was this accident caused by Qingping?"

"Yes, but... they shouldn’t have humiliated Qingping like this."

"You hate Shang Xiulin more than Tang Fei. But since you can’t deal with Shang Xiulin, you’ve transferred your hatred onto Tang Fei, haven’t you?"

"Uncle..."

"Tell me, is it so?"

"Yes," Shen Anyuan replied softly.

He could deceive others, but he couldn’t fool Shen Boyu or himself.

He hated Tang Fei, but he hated Shang Xiulin even more. He hated him for exposing his son to the public platform, subject to countless mocking and insults...

That’s his own son, who’s fighting for his life on Ghost Mountain, his head at risk of being taken by barbarians at any moment.

Yet those lowly people are using the internet to attack and humiliate him on various platforms.

This is something a father cannot tolerate.

So, he wants to kill Tang Fei.

If Tang Fei dies by the hand of a challenger, will the hatred inside him diminish a bit?

Those lowly people who praised him as the Light of the Old Land, will they calm down a bit?

Or perhaps, after Tang Fei’s defeat, will he also become the subject of others’ disdain and mockery?

After all, most people admire the powerful; the strong are right, the wealthy are noble.

Can money really wash away all past sins?

"To strike a snake, you must hit its seven-inch mark," Shen Boyu said, frustrated like a teacher disappointed in his pupil, "If you’re going to do it, do it thoroughly. Encircle him from all sides, creating an inescapable net. The only thing waiting for him should be a dead end."

"If you’re not confident about something, it’s better not to act and to be patient. As long as one is human, one will make mistakes. And when a mistake is made, you will find an opportunity for a decisive strike."

"You’ve made the same mistake as your son."

Shen Anyuan knelt respectfully on the ground and said solemnly, "Uncle, I’m sorry."

"What good is saying sorry? In my life, the thing I dread the most is someone saying that to me. Because once it’s said, it means you’ve done something to wrong me and still hope for my forgiveness..."

"Enough, enough, what’s done is done, there’s no use talking more about it," Shen Boyu said with a heavy sigh, "Let’s let someone else try what we cannot do."

"Blow some wind in his direction, elevate him to Qingyun."

"Yes, Uncle."