Awakening of the Ancient: Rise of the Fallen

He had a plan, but it was not something he could exert so fast because of certain limitations and his lack of knowledge.

Xu Ming cultivated for the day and night. 

It was the next morning when his concentration was broken because of the knocking on the door 

He put the mask of mischief back on his face as he stood up and walked towards the door. He activated the effect of the Mask before he opened the door.

"Why are you disturbing me now? Didn't I tell you not to disturb me unless absolutely necessary?" Xu Ming let out as he opened the door.

As the door was opened, Xu Ming frowned as he realized that the person standing before him was not his servant. Instead, it was a girl. It was the same girl that he had defeated in a battle yesterday.

"What do you want?" Xu Ming asked Yu Yan.

"I came here to tell you that I accept my defeat. You won the battle, and I lost the Rights Challenge. I can't break off the engagement now," Yu Yan said.

"That's good," Xu Ming nodded his head as he acknowledged her decision, which was technically in his favor since now the engagement wouldn't get canceled and he wouldn't attract unnecessary attention because of the broken engagement.

"Although I lost the battle and the right to break off the engagement, you still have that right. And you won the battle as well. I came here to request you," Yu Yan let out as she dropped down to one knee before Xu Ming. "Please break the engagement yourself and free me."

Xu Ming looked at her in confusion. What was her obsession with breaking off the engagement? Was Li Mu really that bad? He was the Prince of this kingdom. A girl shouldn't be that eager to break off the engagement that she would be willing to go down to her knee to break off her engagement, especially if the girl was as proud as Yu Yan.

"Why do you want to break off the engagement badly? Are you in love with someone else?" Xu Ming asked her.

"No," the girl replied.

"Then what is it?" Xu Ming inquired.

"I... I just don't want to marry someone and become a widow," Yu Yan let out as she stood up.

"Ahh... Are you saying that I'm going to die, and that's why you don't want to marry me?" Xu Ming asked as he smiled wryly. "Or are you saying that you will murder me if I marry you, and you don't want that to happen if it can be avoided?" 

Yu Yan looked at Xu Ming as if she was looking at an idiot.

"Don't pretend as if you don't know. The whole kingdom knows that you will die in the trial to become the crown prince. I don't want to marry someone who will die," 

'I will die in the battle to become the crown prince? What the heck? Is she serious?' Xu  Ming thought as he frowned.

"It's the truth that we all know. You're the weakest of the three Princes that will be attempting to become the crown prince, so it's obvious that you will die. Only one Prince can stay alive at the end, and no way in hell will you be the one," Yu Yan let out.

"Well, thank you for the vote of confidence," Xu Ming chuckled as he heard her words.

He had already decided that he wouldn't stay in the kingdom for long, so there was no need for him to fight any other Prince. He wasn't even the real Li Mu, so he wanted to stay as far away from Li Mu's father or his brothers.

"You can joke all you want. I guess you have come to terms with your death, but why are you trying to spoil my life with yours. Cancel the engagement, and then you can die in peace. Don't drag me down with you," Yu Yan let out in annoyance.

"I'm not dragging you down, and you will know about that soon. As for the engagement, I can't break it. I apologize for that, but I have reasons of my own."

Xu Ming refused to budge from his stance. He was ready to annoy his fiance, but he wasn't ready to annoy Li Mu's father.

"You are a bastard!" Yu Yan stomped her foot on the ground before she left.

"Well, she looked confident that you would die in whatever trials. You think she forgot how you thrashed her yesterday?" Valeria muttered while sitting on Xu Ming's shoulders.

"I don't think she forgot, but she probably knows the difference in strength between her and the other Princes," Xu Ming muttered as he stepped out of his room.

"Now, where did that guy go? He should be taking care of the courtyard, but someone came in and left, and he's nowhere to be found," Xu Ming muttered as he looked around the courtyard.

He searched everywhere, but he couldn't find his servant.

"Maybe he went outside to return the herbs he got for you," Valeria chuckled as she remembered the situation before.

"Maybe," Xu Ming muttered as he walked closer to the main door and closed it.

"That girl, she didn't even close the door before she left. It doesn't look like she has any manners. Your Fiance is not a wife material," Valeria let out.

"She is not my fiance," Xu Ming responded.

Xu Ming was about to walk back when he heard more knocking on the door.

He turned back and opened the door, only to find his servant standing there.

He looked like he was severely beaten. His face was swollen, and there was a dark mark on his eyes.

Xu Ming moved aside and allowed him to enter.

"What happened to you? Who did this?" Xu Ming asked as the servant sat on a chair.

"N-no one, Master," The Servant replied. "I fell down."

'Can't you come up with a better lie, at least?' Xu Ming thought as he looked at the servant.

"Don't lie to me. Tell me what," He said sternly.

The servant had just opened his mouth when Xu Ming heard more knocking on the door. It seemed less like knocking, and more like someone was hitting the door heavily.

"Wait here, I'll be right back," Xu Ming said as he turned back.

"No, Master, don't go!" The servant instantly let out.