Chapter Forty: A Chance Encounter on the Street

Strolling down the main street of the city, Maya and Su Yi drew the attention of many passersby. One was the dream of every man in the city, the other a cripple whose battle qi vortex had been destroyed—either presence would be enough to arouse curiosity.

Maya rarely appeared in public, and Su Yi was often secluded within the auction house. Both were elusive figures, their comings and goings shrouded in mystery, so to see them together now, side by side, brought a sense of wonderment to those who witnessed it.

This was the busy season for the city’s marketplaces. Though not as bustling as the morning’s peak, the crowds were still considerable. Stalls lined both sides of the street; some vendors shouted energetically to promote their wares, while others sat in silence, waiting patiently for customers.

Yet no matter whether they were buying or selling, everyone couldn’t help but glance at Maya and Su Yi as they passed by—though most eyes lingered on Maya, with Su Yi merely swept up in her wake.

Many men stole furtive glances at Maya’s alluring figure—the curves accentuated by her fitted cheongsam, the roundness of her hips, and the flashes of pale thigh revealed by each step through the dress’s side slit. Inwardly, they cursed her as a temptress, yet also found themselves wondering how long it had been since they’d seen such a breathtaking sight.

Among the throngs, there were those who wished to approach and strike up conversation, but any such attempts were discreetly thwarted by Di Yuan and his companions trailing behind. Even though Duan Shi, who was nearly as strong as Di Yuan, was absent due to other responsibilities, Di Yuan’s group was more than capable of handling these would-be suitors.

Unperturbed by the attention, Maya glanced around with a gentle smile and said to Su Yi, “I haven’t been out in some time—it really does look a bit different now.”

“It certainly does,” Su Yi replied, a small smile playing at his lips as he pointed to a nearby marketplace. “Take that market over there—for days it belonged to the Lie family, but now, for some reason, the sign bears the Qina family name.”

“Oh?” Maya followed his gaze and smiled faintly. “It seems things aren’t going well for the Lie family lately, selling even such an important marketplace. Still, a centipede doesn’t die easily—with their many holdings and the quiet way they handled this sale, there’s been no public uproar. It goes to show their power and control remain undiminished—it’s just their funds that are lacking.”

Su Yi couldn’t help but admire her keen insight; with just a few words, she pierced through appearances to the heart of the matter, making the Lie family’s situation clear as day.

“But the Lie family has truly been unlucky this time, struck by two calamities for no apparent reason—I wonder whom they’ve offended,” Maya added, covering her mouth with a soft laugh.

Su Yi nodded inwardly; considering the events he had witnessed, the one who stole the battle technique “Heaven and Earth Shift” from Lie Chen, the patriarch, must have been that mysterious old man. Yet, curiously, the technique was taken but not Lie Chen’s storage ring. Was it deemed worthless and discarded? Or perhaps Lie Chen hadn’t placed the technique in the ring at all?

Since there were few witnesses and the Lie family had issued a gag order, the truth remained unknown to outsiders.

As for the previous robbery during the night, Su Yi was less certain. Perhaps it was the same enigmatic elder, though there were inconsistencies. Then again, Su Yi harbored an evil soul within himself. After several strange “side effects,” he suspected the Blood Emperor exerted control over him, compelling him to do misdeeds.

Yet this might be the one instance where he didn’t mind such control—after all, the Lie family had always been so arrogant, Su Yi thought to himself.

Maya and Su Yi continued their relaxed stroll, chatting and laughing. Behind them, Di Yuan’s face grew increasingly sullen, his gaze cold and venomous as he stared at Su Yi’s back. If looks could kill, Su Yi would have died a thousand deaths by now.

A guard, noticing Di Yuan’s expression, sidled up and muttered, stoking the fire, “Captain, that useless Su Yi dares compete with you for a woman. You must teach him a lesson when we return!”

Di Yuan had already planned as much—he’d given Su Yi a mild warning a few days ago, but clearly Su Yi hadn’t taken it to heart. Well, he’d soon see. Back then Su Yi was no match for him; just a few days later, that couldn’t have changed.

Another guard interrupted Di Yuan’s thoughts. “Hey, Captain, isn’t that Auben Yu, the son of Auben Shan, the head of the Auben family?”

Di Yuan followed the direction indicated and saw a young man of about twenty-three, striding forward with a haughty air and several followers in tow.

“Captain, I hear Auben Yu is now a fifth-level Fighter. Should we stop him?” the guard asked.

“No need, let’s wait and see. Auben Yu and Su Yi have never gotten along. Let him deal with Su Yi first,” Di Yuan replied, his eyes glinting coldly as he watched Su Yi.

The other guards exchanged looks, grinning maliciously as they turned to watch the impending scene.

Auben Yu had come out today to observe the Lie family’s movements. After learning from their spies that the Lie family had sold off a prime marketplace, his father, Auben Shan, had convened the elders for a lengthy discussion. As the only son, Auben Yu, who had already begun handling clan affairs, attended as well.

By all accounts, Auben Yu’s talent was impressive, and he had reason to be proud. Now, at twenty-three, he was a fifth-level Fighter—a leading figure among the city’s youth. With solid strength and the family’s formidable techniques, he could even challenge sixth- or seventh-level Fighters.

In Auben Yu’s eyes, among those under twenty-seven in Changling City, only Su Yi—once an extraordinary prodigy—could have rivaled him, but now the strongest were merely eighth-level Fighters. Auben Yu was confident he would place in the top five at the upcoming tournament.

As for other so-called geniuses like Lie Zhi, Lie Feifei, or Geli, he dismissed them out of hand. No matter how talented, they were still too inexperienced. Actual strength was far more important than some vague potential. Should the Lie family fall, those “geniuses”—well, he could only laugh at the thought.

With the Lie family’s recent misfortunes, Auben Yu was in high spirits. The Lie family had always been the Auben family’s chief rival. Among his peers, only Lie Yan, now studying at the Dou Qi Academy, had ever concerned him. His second brother, Lie Ren, was a notorious wastrel, and his third sister, Lie Feifei, didn’t even appear to be a Fighter.

In good humor, Auben Yu scanned the crowd and suddenly caught sight of Maya’s lovely figure. Overjoyed, he quickened his pace to catch up, calling out, “Miss Maya! What a happy coincidence!”

Maya, conversing with Su Yi, arched a delicate brow at the interruption, then masked it with a smile. She turned to see Auben Yu approaching, surrounded by his entourage, his eyes burning with both passion and admiration.

Maya’s gaze flickered mischievously as she covered her mouth and laughed. “Young Master Auben, you jest. We live in the same city; it’s hardly coincidence to run into each other.”

Auben Yu’s heart raced as he admired Maya’s figure, perfectly outlined by her cheongsam and accompanied by that captivating smile. She was about his age, yet, for reasons unknown, possessed a maturity beyond her years—far more alluring than any woman he’d known.

Her youthful beauty combined with her mature charm was a deadly poison for any man.

To possess such a woman, to press that body beneath his—what bliss it would be! He’d gladly trade years of his life for it, Auben Yu fantasized.

Steadying himself, Auben Yu noticed another figure beside Maya—his most detested rival.

“Su Yi, what are you doing here?” Auben Yu’s tone instantly turned icy as he glared at Su Yi.

Su Yi shrugged nonchalantly. “Isn’t that a question you already know the answer to?”

Seeing how close Su Yi and Maya were, Auben Yu’s expression darkened. Their intimacy was no secret—everyone at the auction house, indeed all of Changling City, was aware. In the past, Su Yi’s brilliance had overshadowed all the city’s prodigies, Auben Yu himself included, so he could only accept it. But now, Su Yi was a cripple—how was he worthy to remain beside a beauty like Maya?

Resentment and envy simmered in Auben Yu’s gaze as he looked at Su Yi, already plotting how to make him face reality and, with luck, disappear from Maya’s side forever.

Turning back to Maya, Auben Yu’s eyes regained their fervor and tenderness. With a slight bow, he spoke gently: “Miss Maya, if you wish to stroll the market, allow me to accompany you. I can ensure your safety as well. As for Su Yi, I fear he may already be exhausted.”

Though Auben Yu’s words were courteous, the contempt for Su Yi was plain for all to hear. Laughter quickly broke out among Auben Yu’s companions and the surrounding crowd.

Su Yi’s expression remained unchanged as he replied with a faint smile, “Whether I’m exhausted or not, Miss Maya knows better than anyone. No need for you to trouble yourself.” Inwardly, though, he seethed: Idiot—picking a fight with me for no reason. I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to restrain that murderous urge again!

Martial Peak, Chapter 40: Encounter on the Street—End.