The Inverted Dragon’s Scale

024 – Muyang subdues the horse!
*The horse the title is referring to is Yan Xiangma (Ma means horse in chinese)

Because the story of the Cowherd and the Weaving maid[1] was circulated throughout Shenzhou [2], every noble family that had raised a beautiful unmarried woman would be extremely vigilant towards the Cowherds outside.

Li Muyang was the cowherd that the Cui and Yan family were currently vigilant against.

Don’t just assume that because Li Muyang had a dark face he was stupid. In fact, he was not dumb in the least.

He never had the opportunity to talk with classmate Cui Xiaoxin in these three years. But from Cui Xiaoxin’s appearance, speech, temperament and actions he was able to clearly understand in his heart just how outstanding she was. It was very early on that the rumours about how Cui Xiaoxin had an extraordinary and mysterious background began to appear. But at that time, Li Muyang was still deeply in a drowsy state. It he was not sleeping, then he was preparing to sleep. Just where did he have the heart to concern himself with these senseless matters?

If he dared to be shameless enough to speak to Cui Xiaoxin, then disregarding just how much the teacher and students would laugh in the class, it was most likely that there would be an even more marvellous and comedic version of the tale of the toad trying to eat the swan’s meat being retold in the school.

After encountering the assassination in the cafe, he had guessed that Cui Xiaoxin did not have a normal background. If she was the child of a normal family, just how was it possible for her to meet with such a dangerous situation?

Assassins are very expensive are they not? Who would ever invite a assassin to their home to slaughter a pig just so they could celebrate Chinese New year?

Later, when he accompanied Cui Xiaoxin back to her home, he saw such a black luxurious car driving her about. The man wearing the green robe had used the etiquette of a noble knight —— for someone able to possess a high class martial artist as their personal knight, the only people able to do so were the powerful families that had remained standing for thousands of years at the capital of the Kingdom.

Li Muyang could not help but admit this fact. Cui Xiaoxin had an extraordinary background; they were people from two different worlds.

Therefore, he was not surprised that Yan Xiangma had seeked him out of his own initiative today to his doorstep.

It was even so that in his own predictions, the reaction of the opposing party would be even more intense.

If not, then how else would they make a ‘cowherd’ like him receive a memorable lesson and retreat?

“But I want to go to West Wind University.” There was honesty on Li Muyang’s face as he looked at Yan Xiangman. “I have already made a promise with Xiaoxin, that we will go to the Weiming lake to look at the sunset together.”

“Made a promise?”Yan Xiangman was taken aback for a moment, then began laughing uproariously. With his fan pointing at Li Muyang, he said: “Li Muyang, I only discovered just now, that not only are you not stupid, you are especially funny —- you promised Xiaoxin to go to see the sunset at Weiming Lake together? Are you making a joke with me?”


“I’m not.” Li Muyan shook his head. “We really promised each other. If you don’t believe me, then you can go ask Xiaoxin. The reason that I am so bitterly revising, and that I am not willing to waste even a second or minute, is because I want to go to West Wind university – a man must uphold his words. I already said I will go to West Wind university, how can I not keep my promise?”

“Do you feel you are able to pass the exams?” Yan Xiangma’s nose twitched, narrowing his eyes as he laughed.

“I don’t know.” Li Muyang shook his hand. “But I must try. How can I give up before the very last moment?”

“Li Muyang.” With a ‘pak’, Yan Xiangma snapped his fan shut. His patience was nearly expended, he really did not want to waste too much of his time on such a little character. The reason he was still using such a manner to speak to him right now, was because Li Muyang had once rescued his cousin after all. Both the Yan and Cui families were not bastards who would not pay back their debts. There was also another important reason – Li Muyang had treated him to ice chilled watermelon. This was the best tasting watermelon he had eaten recently. “Right now, I just praised you, saying that you were very smart. But very evidently, you still do not understand the answers to some questions, or perhaps you are unwilling to comprehend them. Do you know what kind of person you are?”

“I know.” Li Muyang nodded his head. “I am riddled with illnesses, with an ugly appearance and my grades are very bad. Previously, I was a high school student that was a good for nothing.”

“Honest and accurate.” Yan Xiangma nodded his head: “Then what kind of person do you think Xiaoxin is?”

Li Muyang thought for a while, then replied: “She is my friend?”

“Friend?” A smile cracked open in Yan Xiangma’s face. “You guys are friends? You don’t even have a shred of romantic feeling for her?”

“I do.” Li Muyang said. “I like Cui Xiaoxin. This is the truth I only discovered several days ago.”

“In other words—-” Yan Xiangma’s tone suddenly became sharp and harsh. “Are you fit for her?”

“—–”

“What is it?Have I hurt your pride?” Seeing that Li Muyang had his lips close without a reply, the corners of Yan Xiangma’s mouth lightly twitched. “But, this is a truth that no one can deny. You do not know Cui Xiaoxin’s background, and I cannot tell you. But I, am Yan Xiangma, my father is Yan Balai, the city lord of Jiangnan city. He is the highest official in the entire city — even if Xiaoxin is my little sister, do you think our families will agree to let her marry a high school student that is ill, ugly, poor grades and is a good for nothing?”

“They won’t.” Li Muyang gave a very sure reply.

“Therefore, let everything return back to what it was. You are still you, Xiaoxin is still Xiaoxin ——– accept this box, then idly drift about waiting for the notification of enrollment from Jiangnan University. Tomorrow, when Xiaoxin comes to tutor you, then tell her that you are not able to learn anymore, and want to give up. Is that not the wisest choice?”

“It is.” Li Muyang said.

“Then can we be said to have reached an agreement?”

“I don’t understand one thing.” Li Muyang said.

“What part do you not understand?”

“I have never said I wanted to pursue Cui Xiaoxin.” Li Muyang said in a low voice. “I only like her, I only feel that I like her a little bit. But, I did not say I would pursue her right now —–I only want to continue being her friend, even an exceedingly normal friend. I will do my best, exerting all the strength in my body to succeed. If I am able to enroll into West Wind University, then naturally this is my fortune. If not, then I am also able to accept such a fate.”

“I will make myself become exceptional, I will make myself become so exceptional that I will be fit for Xiaoxin one day and make her sit up and take notice. I will make her be fond of me for a little bit. I know better than anyone, that I am not fit —– I am not fit for her. But, this is not a reason for me to break off my friendship with Xiaoxin. If I am able to give her happiness, then I will beg her to accept my feelings. If I am not able to do so, then I will forever feel that I am not fit for her in front of her, therefore —– I will also sincerely hope that she is able to suit someone great. I think, that before Xiaoxin needs to find a husband, she first needs some friends, is that not so?”

“Xiaoxin is a stubborn girl. She will expend her full efforts on what she reckons is right, including tutoring me. She feels that I still have hope, that I can still struggle and fight once again. Therefore I will also do my utmost to struggle along with her —– in these tens of years, I have never ever wanted to do something so acutely. At this time, how can I tell Xiaoxin that I want to give up?”

Yan Xiangma remained silent for a long time, looking at Li Muyang. “I was nearly persuaded by you —-but, if you really want to insist on not budging, then you will lose everything. You will not be able to go to West Wind University, nor will you be able to go to Jiangnan university. You will possess nothing. At that time, do you feel that there is any possibility left between Xiaoxin and you?”
“If I tell Xiaoxin right now that I want to give up, then just what kind of possibility will there be between us?”
“At least then, you will have Jiangnan University.”

“But, I want to go to West Wind University.”

“Look at this, there’s no way of discussing if things are like so.” Yan Xiangma said with a smile.

Yan Xiangma swished his fan, and a sharp needle appeared in the metal frame.

There was a black light emitting from this needle, as if it had been immersed in poison.

“This fan is known as the ‘Beating dragon spine’ fan. It cuts steel like mud, chopping apart someone’s muscles and bones. The old man in my family tells me that it can even break the spine of a dragon.” As Yan Xiangma spoke, this fan that was pitch black like black iron began swirling around his fingers, whistling lightly through the air. A white light began began flickering in all directions.

Cha——

The fan met with the Lapis Lazuli table, and a corner of the table was cleanly sliced apart, falling to the ground.

Cha—–

It met with the table once again, and another piece of stone was cut apart from the Lapis Lazuli table.

Cha—–

Yan Xiangma held the fan in the centre of his palm, looking at Yan Xiangma with a smile: “Look, I can switch to another method when negotiating things with you. But, I am a civilised person, I am a famous and well known noble ——— therefore I cannot use such a ruffian like method. Therefore, why don’t you consider again?”

“Extremely amazing.” There was a light emitting from Li Muyang’s eyes as he stared at the Beating dragon spine fan in Yan Xiangma’s hands. “It cuts steel like mud, and cuts apart stone like tofu. Your fan is really too amazing.”

Yan Xiangma was the second expert he had ever seen. He was a similarly powerful existence like the assassin Crow he had met last time.

But without knowing why, when he saw someone performing extraordinary abilities, there was a sensation of his blood boiling within his body. It was like that he was being summoned by some sort of emotion.

Yan Xiangma was very satisfied with Li Muyang’s reaction. “Your arms and legs are so skinny. If I hit you one time on your body, most likely your skeleton will completely be scattered apart. I, Yan Xiangma, definitely cannot do such an act. Therefore, Muyang you must know what’s best yourself. Being friendly and peaceful, just how great is that?”
Li Muyang held a corner of the table with his right hand. His face was somewhat red, and his eyes was enveloped in a red light. A slightly brown fish scale suddenly appeared on the back of his hands, with roiling clouds and mist and the clap of thunder inside the scale.
He suddenly fiercely exerted strength from his dantian, and a cracking sound could be heard. He had forcibly torn apart a large piece from the Lapis Lazuli table.

He shook his head, then said towards the Yan Xiangma with his eyes and mouths wide open: “You are still slightly more amazing the me. Look, the stone that I tore apart with my hands is not as neat as the one you sliced apart using your fan.”

“——”

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Weaver_Girl_and_the_Cowherd
[2] Old name for China