Great! I'm surrounded by villains!
Chapter 144 - 64: The Child from Another Family

Chapter 144: Chapter 64: The Child from Another Family

The Sword Control Technique prodigy, Second Prince Ying Xin, was brutally defeated.

When the news reached the Imperial Court, no one was happier than Ying Tian; he spread the news far and wide, afterward slacking off in Swordsmanship Class with even more peace of mind.

He had always said that the Sword Control Technique was useless, yet everyone in the court over-idolized it, treating it like it was something extraordinary.

Of course, rejoicing in another’s misfortune wouldn’t affect Ying Tian’s feelings towards his elder brother. What truly irked him were the old relics in the Swordsmanship Class, who never missed an opportunity to use the Second Prince as a benchmark to suppress the others. Perhaps in the old man’s eyes, even the Second Prince’s fart smelled fragrant; he was nothing but the ultimate brown-noser.

"The Elder Princess must have definitely used some underhanded tactics! It doesn’t count, it certainly doesn’t count!"

The old master was so angry that his face turned beat red, and his clenched fists trembled ceaselessly.

Ying Tian ignored him, sleeping soundly while holding a dummy.

"Aren’t you his student too?"

Jiuyue was somewhat displeased.

Ning Ruyue was her and Mr. Mingyuan’s student; defeating a mere Second Prince was a piece of cake, wasn’t it?

Moreover, since they were taught by the same teacher, yet there was such blatant favoritism, not only did they fail to bless the victorious Ning Ruyue, but they also accused her of vile means.

Foxes not only guard their food but also their shortcomings.

There’s no need for Mr. Mingyuan to take action against such people; she could easily deal with them herself.

"Actually, according to the rules of Swordsmanship Class, I indeed couldn’t beat the Second Prince."

Ning Ruyue said.

Her victory in the Academy only made the score between her and the Second Prince 3-21; the previous two victories were when the Second Prince had just started practicing the Sword Control Technique.

If they were to compete with the true Sword Control Technique, the gap between her and the Second Prince would only widen further.

However, Mr. Mingyuan’s arrival was a revelation for Ning Ruyue.

It was Mr. Mingyuan who made them realize that if you can’t beat the Chess Institute’s senior brother in a game of chess, you can still win by knocking him on the forehead with the chessboard.

This is the charm of the Indiscriminate Combat course.

Duan Mingyuan, as usual, identified an academic issue and inquired, "This gentleman is your... um."

He hesitated as he was about to speak, realizing that the relationship with the Royal Family bloodline was indeed complicated. He speculated that the teacher of "Swordsmanship Class" was a descendant of the Prime Monarch’s clan, since the headmaster Chu Xingluo had solemnly claimed that only the bloodline of the Prime Monarch’s clan could wield the Sword Control Technique. However, if he considered the lineage, Ning Ruyue was the direct daughter of the Prime Monarch.

Did that mean that this white-haired old gentleman should call Ning Ruyue his great great great grandmother?

"They are researchers of the Sword Control Technique, all the books and history concerning the technique were written by them. However, since they don’t possess royal blood, they can’t practice the Sword Control Technique themselves, only providing us with theoretical guidance,"

explained Ning Ruyue.

"Elder Princess!"

Someone in the classroom noticed the trio at the door, and after confirming Ning Ruyue’s identity, the old master first showed an incredulous expression, then, like grasping at straws, [said], "Please come with me, due to the Second Prince’s case recently, doubts have arisen about the Sword Control Technique. I ask that you recount the scene of your bout with the Second Prince to them. You must have used some tactics, right? Otherwise, with your ability, you definitely wouldn’t be a match for the Second Prince, would you?"

Although he used polite language, he impolitely grabbed Ning Ruyue’s arm, dragging her roughly into the classroom.

The old master’s eyes were filled with anticipation, eager for her to stand in front of the assembled crowd, in front of her younger brothers and sisters, and describe how she’d used unsightly tactics to ambush and defeat the Second Prince.

This invoked some unpleasant memories for Ning Ruyue.

"Swordsmanship Class" was her favorite class; she used to run to the old master to seek guidance whenever she had time. But in her memory, the old master’s attitude was always impatient.

Lacking talent, slow to comprehend, she would never be able to catch up with the Second Prince no matter what.

When she learned that her father intended to give her the royal sword, the old master had hinted more than once that she should hand the Prime Monarch’s sword over to someone truly worthy of it.

This suggestion, she did not heed.

She was young then, naïve to the ways of the world, but thinking back now, that old man was simply trying to PUA her!

What infuriated Ning Ruyue even more was that since the other party knew she had clashed with the Second Prince, they should be aware of the Second Prince’s purpose for this visit. However, after a long absence, he did not even offer a token inquiry, but instead, was eager to have her publicly clarify that her victory over the Second Prince was undeserved.

"Teacher."

Taking a deep breath, Ning Ruyue retorted, "You ought to be aware of Ying Xin’s purpose for going to Yunhai Academy this time, right?"

Realizing something, the old teacher said, "Ah, he did mention it to me."

"Then you must also know that he climbed the mountain with the intention of killing me, right?"

Upon hearing this, two students below the stage whispered among themselves, and Ying Tian, who had been dozing off with a dummy, opened his eyes, looking forward to the drama.

Good, very good.

Anyone who talked back to this old man was his good friend.

Although they had not spoken much before, this didn’t prevent him from treating the Elder Princess as his dearest elder sister from that moment on.

"How could that be? Recapturing the academy was indeed his mission, but after all, you are siblings; he would never strike to kill you."

"And how can you be so sure?"

"I am quite clear that with your ability, you would simply..."

The old teacher’s words stopped abruptly. He had just been provoked by Ying Tian and was somewhat annoyed, still on edge and almost let slip his true thoughts impulsively.

But Ning Ruyue said the latter half for him, "With my ability, I am simply no match for him, and if I surrender without a fight, he won’t make things too difficult for me."

The Second Prince did say he would not take her life but intended to leave a scar on her face.

Facing Ning Ruyue’s piercing gaze, the old teacher averted his eyes and remained silent, as if by default he agreed.

"If that’s the case, the battle between me and the Second Prince was a matter of life and death. Since he lost to me, he should not look for excuses anymore."

"Nonsense, I can see that you are definitely not his match!"

"Calm down, both of you!"

Seeing both of them on the verge of confrontation, and even Jiuyue becoming restless, Duan Mingyuan could only step forward to mediate as a peacemaker.

"Ning Ruyue, you should understand the old teacher’s predicament. After you recounted to me the whole story, I understood the reason behind it. This old teacher does not possess royal bloodline, so his lifelong research can be realized through you, by teaching you the Sword Control Technique, as if refining a piece of art."

Ning Ruyue stared at Duan Mingyuan blankly, as this was an angle she had never considered before.

Duan Mingyuan continued, "Having one’s life’s work realized through others is a feeling that can be excruciating for anyone. Among you all, the Second Prince is undoubtedly his most proud creation; the more powerful the Second Prince becomes, the more it proves his research worthwhile. Similarly, a setback for the Second Prince is a setback for him."

The old teacher, too, bowed his head, saying nothing.

Although this was his first meeting with Duan Mingyuan, every word the young man uttered struck a chord in his heart.

Everyone in the Imperial Court knew that the Second Prince excelled in the Sword Control Technique, displaying a prowess reminiscent of the young Prime Monarch, but few knew how much effort he had put into it.

And now, someone finally recognized the effort he had poured into his work.

The old teacher’s eyes brimmed with tears.

It’s rare in life to find a kindred spirit!

"That’s why, even if what you ultimately carve out is crap, it’s still the crystallization of your efforts, and you have no choice but to stick to your guns and defend it because that’s human nature."

?

All the sentimentality vanished with that remark.

The old teacher’s eyes widened with fury, radiating a menacing glare at someone who might burst out with violence at any moment, "Motherfucker, who are you calling crap!?"

"Old teacher, don’t get agitated, I wasn’t targeting you; I’m just making an objective assessment," Duan Mingyuan patted the old teacher’s shoulder and consoled him in a low voice, "But frankly speaking, your teaching and the Second Prince’s Sword Control Technique are just a pile of crap."

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