Chapter 74: Echoes of the Past

The spring mountain breeze grew warmer, gently blowing over the water, carrying a faint fragrance of flowers.

Qian Ye twirled the thin porcelain cup in his hand. In the afternoon sunlight, the delicate and exquisite little thing was as clear as glass, much like the surrounding decorations and scenery—beautiful, but out of place in his world.

Song Zining poured another cup of tea for Qian Ye and said, “I heard that the Grand Steward of the Duke of Wei appraised your innate talent, so I went to see you last night to check on the situation. Did everything go smoothly?”

Qian Ye nodded, “Chief Wen said it was Dawn Awakening.” He paused, then said with a mix of laughter and frustration, “You didn’t plan this, did you? That’s one of the top three innate talents of Dawn Force!”

His friend, who had shed his usually gentle and refined exterior, exuded a bit of fatigue and carelessness. He said nonchalantly, “You managed to snatch so many points from Zhao Junhong with just one Eagle Strike, and then break through the encirclement. If it weren’t for such a top-tier talent, it would be quite strange.”

Qian Ye frowned, “But Chief Wen tried to kill me, surely not because of this talent, right?”

Song Zining suddenly sat up straight, his voice deepening, “What happened?”

Qian Ye recounted the events, including the several possibilities he had discussed with Qiqi. After confirming a few details and making sure Chief Wen hadn’t seen the old scar on Qian Ye’s chest, Song Zining fell into deep thought.

At that moment, Qian Ye recalled a detail he hadn’t shared with Qiqi, and he said with confusion, “There seemed to be a trace of dark origin power in the hidden force left by Chief Wen, but that shouldn’t be possible, should it? How could someone close to the Duke of Wei have any connection with the dark races?”

“Once one reaches the rank of War General, everyone’s path is different. Due to various secret techniques and opportunities, bloodlines and origin powers can become very complex. Therefore, having a dark component in one’s origin power is different from falling into darkness.”

A slight movement stirred in Qian Ye’s heart. Could this mean that if he could break through to the rank of War General, he might find a way to use the power of blood?

By now, Song Zining had finished his thoughts and said slowly, “Chief Wen is a person with a peculiar disposition. I don’t think it’s because of a personal grudge. No matter how high someone’s status, there are always interests that can move them. So, the trouble likely comes from Qiqi’s side.”

“Can Qiqi’s siblings really wield such power?”

Song Zining suddenly laughed, “It’s possible they found a way through the Song Clan.”

Qian Ye was startled, but Song Zining’s expression didn’t seem to be joking.

“Although Qiqi’s maternal clan is a collateral branch of the Song Clan, their overall strength is quite formidable. Yet, none of them were selected as potential heirs to the Song Clan, so they formed an alliance with my second brother.” Song Zining smirked, “If Qiqi really becomes the head of the Yin family, she will not only disrupt the balance within her family, but also draw the ire of those in the Yin family who are competing for the position, as well as those in the Song Clan who don’t want her to succeed.”

Qian Ye quickly understood the implications and asked, “I heard that you and Qiqi don’t get along well. Is it for similar reasons?”

Song Zining winked at Qian Ye and dropped a bombshell, “It’s not just that we don’t get along. After the Spring Hunt, you can say we’re at odds!”

Qian Ye was dumbfounded, “Ah?”

Song Zining smiled lightly, “Didn’t you notice that Ye Mulan isn’t here? She left two days ago to return to the Song family and receive punishment.”

Qian Ye felt a hint of Schadenfreude in his friend’s smile, which surprised him. After all, Song Zining was quite indulgent towards Ye Mulan. Thus, since recognizing Song Zining, Qian Ye had been troubled by how to resolve the almost mortal enmity with Ye Mulan.

“That Miss Qiqi of yours wrote a letter home immediately after the Spring Hunt, reporting my misdeeds,” Song Zining explained, knowing that Qian Ye wasn’t familiar with the intricate relationships among the aristocratic clans. “My great-grandmother is also her great-grandmother. Though our ancestor favors me, she can’t go too far, and Qiqi’s maternal relatives and allies will speak up.”

Song Zining continued cheerfully, “Moreover, I only ranked fifth in the Spring Hunt and lost half of my senior guards. As the leader of the hunting team, Ye Mulan was naturally called back for her actions. I expect to face a scolding from the elders when I return. Whether or not I will be officially reprimanded depends on how much effort Qiqi put into reporting me to the Song family.”

Seeing how easily Song Zining talked about a serious matter, Qian Ye didn’t know how to react. He sighed, “Even though I’m not familiar with your clan’s internal affairs, being reprimanded will affect your evaluation as an heir, right?” If that were true, Song Zining’s claim of breaking off with Qiqi was not empty talk, especially considering the brutal competition for inheritance within the Yin family.

Unexpectedly, Song Zining burst out laughing, “It’s not that serious. As a mid-ranked heir, what chance do I have of becoming the patriarch? A reprimand might just drop me a rank or two.”

Qian Ye furrowed his brow, “But… why did you indulge Ye Mulan? Her actions would affect your reputation, wouldn’t they?”

Song Zining leaned his head on one hand and casually traced the cup with a depiction of rain passing, saying indifferently, “It’s not so bad. Look, even I might get reprimanded, and Ye Mulan’s punishment will be even heavier. The elder will be very displeased. No matter how much the Song family values its reputation, after a few more reports from Qiqi, the engagement will be hard to maintain.”

Staring at his friend’s gentle smile, Qian Ye was speechless. He hadn’t expected Song Zining to also want to break off the engagement.

The behavior of this seventh son of the Song family was completely different from Qiqi. Qiqi was sabotaging her own reputation, while Gu Liyu was clearly a resilient person. Even Qian Ye could see that Qiqi had no chance of success. But Song Zining chose to “flatter and kill,” allowing Ye Mulan to gradually overstep and cause trouble, while he innocently bore the brunt of the tarnished reputation. This would happen a few more times, and even if someone wanted to see the engagement through, the Song Clan elders would prioritize the family’s reputation.

Song Zining smiled, “The conflict with Qiqi is just because I’m tired of getting involved in the inheritance disputes between the two families. Even if you serve the Yin family in the future, it won’t directly conflict with me, so there’s no need to worry too much.”

Qian Ye shook his head, “I was only hired by Qiqi through the Hunter’s Guild, and this Spring Hunt was the last task.”

Song Zining pondered for a moment and said, “That’s best. The person who forged your record for the Yin family is quite skilled. It’s enough to fool people for now. But if you truly want to occupy a core position near Qiqi, they will definitely investigate your background.”

Song Zining paused, showing a hesitant look, then looked up at Qian Ye, “Do you know the origin of the old wound on your chest?”

Qian Ye’s face changed slightly. The large scar from his heart to his navel was a nightmare of his entire life in the underworld. Even though he had gotten used to the excruciating pain, it constantly hindered his origin power cultivation. But Qian Ye never knew who had inflicted such a wound, or why.

Song Zining sighed and softly asked, “Didn’t Commander Lin tell you?”

Qian Ye felt a sudden panic, took a deep breath, and said, “I haven’t seen Commander Lin since graduation.” He added, “Commander Lin was suppressing a rebellion in the western border at that time, and the battle seemed to be going nowhere.”

Song Zining listened quietly and asked, “Did Commander Lin instruct anyone else to tell you?”

Qian Ye remained silent.

Song Zining continued, “That scar is from origin power plundering. It means you were born with first-class talent, and there might have been a fully formed origin crystal in that wound. Most people need to open nine origin nodes and gather enough power to form a vortex to reach the rank of War General before condensing a crystal. Origin power plundering is a taboo of the Empire, and people rarely mention it. Only a few top figures have the ability to do such things.”

Qian Ye listened quietly. Song Zining spoke slowly, each word clear, but it took him a long time to fully understand. Qian Ye looked up and into Song Zining’s eyes, asking, “Who are they?”

Song Zining leaned over the table, placed a hand on Qian Ye’s shoulder, and whispered, “The Imperial Family, the Four Clans, and the strongest figures of the Empire.”

Silence followed, as heavy as death.

Qian Ye sat motionless, and a soft “pop” sounded as the teacup shattered in his hand, tiny sharp fragments piercing his palm. Blood droplets welled up, vying to escape.

Song Zining watched him and suddenly said, “The Marquis of Bowang’s son claims you were his childhood playmate. The Wei family has a unique way of nurturing young members, starting from a decade-long study tour. But I know that’s not the case. According to the timeline, you and Wei Qiyang joined the army the same year. He was a member of the Broken Angels, and the Red Scorpions and Broken Angels have always been rivals in the military.”

Qian Ye smiled bitterly, finally understanding where the street-ruffian-like habits of the Wei Prince came from. He briefly recounted how he met Wei Po Tian.

Song Zining’s eyes flashed with realization, “He must have told you about the Red Scorpions’ campaign.”

Qian Ye took a deep breath, struggling to say, “Is it related to Commander Lin?”

Song Zining nodded, “All the clues start and end with Commander Lin. Even the records of all the fallen soldiers were sealed by the Marshal’s office. If I hadn’t seen your name in the obituaries and decided to investigate, I wouldn’t have known you had ever been in the Red Scorpions.”

“Stop talking,” Qian Ye interrupted Song Zining, “I won’t believe any speculation without solid evidence.”

Song Zining pressed down on Qian Ye’s hand, his tone calm, “If you hope to stand before Commander Lin one day and ask him, then, Qian Ye, live well.”

The sun continued to rise and set on Qin Lu, following its constant path. Only the mountain breeze grew warmer, hinting at the approaching early summer.

The next day, the fighting arena opened on schedule. In the fourth round, Qian Ye’s opponent was the legitimate son of a small noble family. Qian Ye had some recollection of this person, remembering he had ranked tenth in the Spring Hunt.