Chapter 153: Stranger

　　“Cousin…” State Master Jia Yan mumbled, staring blankly at him. She still hadn’t recovered from the shock.

　　Xie Lianzhen continued to smile at her brilliantly. “Hmm?”

　　State Master Jia Yan looked at him, then back to the teenager who kicked open her door. As if she had found a target to get angry at; “Xie Zhanghui! How dare you trample on my door!”

　　The teenager who trampled her door went back to stand behind Xie Lianzhen. He looked around as if it had nothing to do with him.

　　“Xie Zhanghui-!”

　　“Jia Yan,” Xie Lianzhen cut her off. He sounded calm, as if nothing had happened. However, from his tone, one could tell that he was just acting calm.

　　“Cousin!” State Master Jia Yan panicked. “I… I’m not planning anything….”

　　Xie Lianzhen looked at the teenager behind him. “Zhanghui.”

　　The teenager behind him answered, “Yes,” as he made his way forward.

　　Not only was Xie Zhanghui tall, he had long limbs and an expressionless face. State Master Jia Yan felt oppressed by him and kept retreating while screaming. “Xie Zhanghui! What are you trying to do?”

　　Xie Zhanghui didn’t even spare her a look. He snatched the box of medicine over from the servant girl and poured the medicine out to have a sniff. “Young Master, there’s Fire Fox Vine’s powder added to it.”

　　“Fire Fox Vine…” Xie Lianzhen smiled with exaggeration. “The best medicine to improve blood flow. Wow. Perfect for someone covered in cuts.”

　　His smile gave State Master Jia Yan goose bumps. “Cousin…”

　　“I heard you made a bet with her, huh?”

　　State Master Jia Yan lowered her head in silence, not daring to look into his eyes.

　　“And you used my name to send her a special medicine, huh? If she really used it, not only today, she wouldn’t need to go for any of the remaining matches because there’s no doubt she would lose.” Xie Lianzhen looked into her eyes and smiled. “Jia Yan, you’re really something!”

　　He spoke without any emotion, as if he was an iceberg.

　　This wasn’t the first time State Master Jia Yan heard him speak like this. However, in the past, he only spoke like this to outsiders, not her. Back then, she felt satisfied to see it, but when the arrow was pointed at her, her heart sank. It was as if the whole world had crashed down on her.

　　“Cousin…” she pleaded. “I, I don’t like her, can you not…?”

　　“Have you ever liked anyone?” Xie Lianzhen looked into her eyes coldly. “Ever since the queen started picking out a bride for me, how many have you liked?”

　　“I… I didn’t do anything to her, just that…”

　　“Just that she wouldn’t be able continue the matches.” Xie Lianzhen continued in monotone. The smile on his face was soon gone. “Jia Yan, you were born under a lucky star, with a golden spoon in your mouth and everyone doting on you. Everything has gone as you wished your entire life, and now you think my life should be as you wish too?”

　　“So what if she can’t compete!?” State Master Jia Yan retorted in anger. This was the first time in her life that she had been chided. “Not like she would die! And getting into the New Generation Ranking is just to feed her ego, what’s the big deal?”

　　Xie Lianzhen sneered. He gave her a cold stare. “Of course it’s no big deal to you. You’re the only State Master in a royal family; you can have whatever you want. As soon as you started cultivating, you were given everything that could help you and anything that you asked for no matter how rare or expensive the things were. But some people don’t even have access to any resources. Even basic resources are difficult for her to get. Even an ordinary weapon costs an arm and a leg for some people…. The New Ranking may just be chicken ribs to you, but it may be an important step to some in their lives.”

　　Xie Lianzhen paused for a while before continuing. “You’re also wrong. Not competing will kill her by changing her fate. She’s trying hard to get out of the mess that she’s being forced into, and here you are trying to take away her only chance.”

　　State Master Jia Yan’s eyes were dripping with tears. She trembled, but she didn’t dare to say anything else. She only looked at him with grievance.

　　“Even I have my limits,” Xie Lianzhen continued calmly. “Yes, I remember all that you’ve done for me and all the care you’ve shown me. But that doesn’t mean that I have to tolerate all your actions. There are many powerful people in this world. You may be from a royal family, but so what? Even I, an Alioth Star-Lord that’s not even fit for my position, can decide to not tolerate you, let alone people with actual power. This is my last warning; if you choose to ignore it, then don’t blame me for being unkind.”

　　Xie Lianzhen signalled Xie Zhanghui to push him out.

　　“Cousin!” State Master Jia Yan’s tears burst forth like water from a dam as she called out to him. In her entire life, she had never been treated this way before.

　　But that didn’t stop Xie Lianzhen. He went further and further until he could no longer be seen.

　　“State Master…” The servant girl was at a loss. She wanted to calm her down, but she did not dare.

　　“Get lost!” State Master Jia Yan pushed her away and ran away sobbing.

　　“State Master, State Master!” The servant girl hurried after her.

　　…

　　The matches were still in progress on the rooftop.

　　“Young Master, should we go back and watch the matches?”

　　It was inappropriate for a Star-Lord to just leave during the middle of a match, but if State Master Jia Yan hadn’t suddenly left, Xie Lianzhen wouldn’t have left either.

　　Xie Lianzhen didn’t respond. He then pointed to another direction after a few moments. “Let’s go there.”

　　Xie Zhanghui looked at him in shock, but he remained silent and pushed the wheelchair.

　　As they were reaching the courtyard where the Nine Jade Palace team was temporarily staying, Xie Lianzhen held his hand up, and both of them stopped under a tree outside the courtyard.

　　Xie Lianzhen kept quiet, and Xie Zhanghui kept quiet too.

　　Silence then took over the area. If someone saw this scene, it was just two guys staring into space, one standing and one sitting.

　　After a few moments, Xie Lianzhen suddenly started, “Am I a disgusting person?” It was a bit soft, so Xie Zhanghui couldn’t tell if he was just mumbling to himself or asking. “In front of Jia Yan, I said all that as if I am devoted to righteousness, but honestly, what’s the difference between me and her? Jia Yan keeps suppressing Lu Mingshu because she doesn’t like her, while I kept teasing her because I find her interesting, and I even tried to help and protect her without her consent. In the end, I am just as disgusting as Jia Yan. A selfish human being who only cares about himself.”

　　Xie Zhanghui kept quiet.

　　“Why is there a person like her in this world?” Xie Lianzhen lowered his head and looked at the piece of jade in his hand. “Her father remarried, biting the hand that fed him. Her family members were all dead, but she still wasn’t treated properly. She had an even-tougher life than me, so why can she still… shine so brightly? Zhanghui, why am I so bad?”

　　“No,” Xie Zhanghui answered without hesitating. “You’re shining brightly too.”

　　“Hah…” Xie Lianzhen sneered. “Why do you even bother trying to make me feel better…? Xie Xingchen… Xie Xingchen…. She must have great foresight to give me such a name.”

　　(Xing means “star” and Chen means “drown”)

　　“Young Master…”

　　“I’m such a despicable person.” He smiled, but his eyes are dull. “No wonder she likes him, not me.”