Book 4: Chapter 75: Catch and Release Chang Ming
Book 4: Chapter 75: Catch and Release Chang Ming
Mo Residence:
A multitude of bats surrounded the Mo Residence. Chang Ming stood among them, showing a ferocious expression as he looked at the cold-faced Mo Yike.
“Mo Yike, where is Gu Hai? Get him to come out!” Chang Ming said coldly.
Streams of energy flowed around the Mo Residence, blocking the countless bats outside.
Mo Yike stood at a nearby door, looking back at Chang Ming coldly.
“Chang Ming? What are you doing?” Mo Yike asked.
“Humph! Gu Hai harmed my father. I want to take revenge. Move aside. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being ruthless!” Chang Ming said coldly.
“Oh? Your father? Grand Duke Chang Sheng? The Bat Ancestor is the one who injured him, right?” Mo Yike’s expression changed when he figured out the rough situation.
“Humph! It is all Gu Hai’s fault. Move aside, and I won’t harm you!” Chang Ming said coldly.
“Harm me? Chang Ming, you are overthinking. I’m guessing that Grand Duke Chang Sheng does not know you came to cause trouble at my Mo Residence, right?” Mo Yike smiled faintly.
“So what if he does not know? What does my taking revenge for my father have to do with you?” Chang Ming demanded coldly.
“Taking revenge? Hahahahaha! Who is the one who injured your father? It’s the Bat Ancestor. Do you dare to seek him out to take revenge?” Mo Yike asked coldly.
“You!” Chang Ming glared.
Take revenge on the Bat Ancestor? What a joke! He was the one who created the vampires. There was a fear towards him ingrained into every vampire’s soul.
“Alright. Chang Ming, it’s time to stop. Go back. Otherwise, you won’t be able to account for it when your father knows.” Mo Yike shook his head.
“Humph! Mo Yike, although my father keeps praising you, I’m still not convinced by you. Even if you block me today, I will still go in to capture Gu Hai. Keep blocking me, and I will be ruthless!” Chang Ming shouted while glaring.
Mo Yike’s expression turned cold.
“Hah!”
Chang Ming suddenly roared. Then, the countless bats immediately charged at the Mo Residence’s ritual array.
Rumble…!
The ritual array resisted.
“Chang Ming, are you going to withdraw or not?” Mo Yike shouted coldly again.
“You are the one who should withdraw. Humph!” Chang Ming glared. Then, his body shone with a bright, crimson light as he charged into the ritual array.
Mo Yike merely narrowed his eyes and suddenly waved.
Boom!
Fog erupted from the Mo Residence, instantly encasing Chang Ming and all the bats.
Not a single sound could be heard from the surging fog. This situation confused the many Major Metropolitan City citizens outside. What ritual array is this?
——
At a distant manor, Gu Hai narrowed his eyes slightly and said, “The Twenty-Nine Line-Pair World Ritual Array?”
This was the ritual array that Gu Hai used to manifest Dugu Qiubai at the Heptagold Sect. At that time, he needed to use a sea of spirit stones to lay it. This was that ritual array?
While others saw only the fog, Gu Hai could see the frame of the ritual array.
“Mo Yike? Ha! You actually managed to digest the twenty-nine line pairs?” Gu Hai revealed a faint smile.
When Gu Hai last met Mo Yike in Ying Province, he had accompanied Mo Yike in a game of Go. Eventually, Mo Yike unraveled the Twenty-Nine Line-Pair World Go Puzzle. Unexpectedly, Mo Yike could already lay a ritual array using it.
How could the Twenty-Nine Line-Pair World Ritual Array be easy to lay? While others were waiting to see the results of the ritual array, Gu Hai already determined Chang Ming’s fate.
——
Indeed, the Twenty-Nine Line-Pair World Ritual Array was a huge drain on spirit stones. Hence, Mo Yike did not dare to maintain it for too long. He activated it for only a while before stopping it. All the bats in the ritual array had already disappeared. Everything was peaceful again.
Not far away, Chang Ming’s second uncle, third uncle, and the other vampires were paying close attention to the Mo Residence. When everything suddenly turned calm and quiet, the vampires felt startled.
“What happened? Where’s Chang Ming?”
“Why is there no commotion at all?”
“Let’s go and take a look!”
The vampires rushed to the Mo Residence.
Mo Yike waited at the entrance as though expecting them.
The group of vampires arrived before Mo Yike in the blink of an eye.
“Haha! What’s the occasion today? Another batch is here?” Mo Yike said with a cold smile.
“Mo Yike, where’s Chang Ming?” Chang Ming’s second uncle shouted.
Whoosh!
Mo Yike waved, and Chang Ming suddenly appeared before everyone, bound in chains.
“Mo Yike, let go of me!” Chang Ming shouted in a rage from embarrassment.
Given his accomplishment in his divine technique and Mo Yike’s low cultivation, he had been prepared to let Mo Yike go. However, he ended up getting captured by the other party in the blink of an eye. Why am I so unlucky? Why do I always embarrass myself whenever I encounter Gu Hai?
“Lord Mo, Young Ming is ignorant. Please let him go. We will take him in hand,” Chang Ming’s second uncle called out.
“Indeed. It’s good that Chang Ming is fine. Lord Mo, sorry for the interruption,” Chang Ming’s third uncle said politely.
Mo Yike merely showed a cold smile. “After attacking the official residence of a court official? Ha! You want me to release him after just a few words?”
“What do you want, then?” Chang Ming shouted.
The expressions of Chang Ming’s second uncle and third uncle turned sullen.
“Mo Yike, back then, your father spoke on equal terms with us. What is this tone you are taking?” Chang Ming’s second uncle yelled.
However, Mo Yike maintained his faint smile. “The Chang Clan’s second brother, third brother, fourth brother, and fifth brother? Haha! If you have the capability, you can try barging into my Mo Residence.”
“Huh?” The vampires’ expressions changed.
“Chang Sheng forbade it, right?” Mo Yike said coldly.
“How did you know?” Chang Ming’s third uncle asked with a glare.
However, Mo Yike showed a cold expression as he said, “His Reverence instructed me to receive the Qian Nation envoys. If anything happens to them, who would be blamed? You or me? As long as I’m around, you can forget about messing around. Humph!”
The vampires’ faces sank.
Mo Yike turned his head and looked at Chang Ming. “As for Chang Ming, you ignored His Reverence’s orders and dared to barge into my Mo Residence. As fellow officials, I won’t put you on the spot. Either get His Reverence to issue an edict to pardon you, or get your father, Chang Sheng, to take you away. Choose one of the two. I’ll release you after that.”
“What?!” The vampires’ expressions changed.
Chang Ming’s expression turned stiff.
Get the emperor to issue an edict? That is practically impossible. If His Reverence learns of this, it will already be pretty good if he does not punish me for disobeying. What more getting an edict to release me?
Get Chang Sheng to collect Chang Ming? The Chang Clan members’ expressions changed.
Chang Ming’s earlier words still lingered in their ears. He would flay whoever dared to act against the Qian Nation envoys and then chase them out of the Chang Clan.
As for Chang Ming, this was essentially calling up his parents.
What was Chang Ming to say to his father? He disobeyed his father, came to seek trouble with the Qian Nation envoys, and even got captured.
The prideful Chang Ming would rather die.
“Lord Mo, can we discuss this further? Chang Ming is ignorant,” Chang Ming’s third uncle said with a bitter smile.
“Everyone, please return. You can choose one of these two options. How about you tell Chang Sheng?” Mo Yike shook his head.
“No, no, no!” Chang Ming’s third uncle immediately shook his head.
Go seek trouble on my own? What a joke!
“Alright, Chang Clan elders, who is going to report this to Chang Sheng?” Mo Yike asked with a cold smile as he looked at these vampires.
All the vampires stepped back.
Report to Chang Sheng? What a joke! What if Chang Sheng gets angry with us?
Chang Ming watched as his uncles kept retreating.
They would rather leave me here to embarrass myself than report this to Father?
More importantly, they spoke with righteous indignation earlier, saying that I only came out of rashness. Now, they are shrinking back?
“Alright. Everyone, please return!” Mo Yike said, sending everyone off.
The many vampires avoided Chang Ming’s pleading gaze, apparently wanting to back away. Only his second uncle spoke—saying something that made him want to vomit blood. “Chang Ming, rest assured. Mo Yike won’t do anything to you. Just peacefully stay at the Mo Residence.”
After saying that, the vampires all left.
Chang Ming: “…”
“Haha! Young Master Chang, it looks like they are not concerned about your life and death at all. Should I send someone to deliver a letter to Chang Sheng to come and pick you up?” Mo Yike smiled.
“Don’t!” Chang Ming shouted, feeling depressed.
Call my father over? He would just whip me to death. I might as well remain a captive at your residence.
——
When evening approached, Gu Hai’s group returned.
Accompanied by Mo Yike, Gu Hai and Long Wanyu went to where Chang Ming was restrained.
“Mister Mo, will imprisoning Chang Ming affect you?” Gu Hai asked out of curiosity.
“Chang Ming barged into my residence. I have the right to detain him. Furthermore, his actions violate His Reverence’s orders. Imprisoning him here is just teaching him a lesson.” Mo Yike shook his head.
“Humph! Gu Hai!” Chang Ming glared at Gu Hai, feeling depressed.
How many times has it been? The first time I went to Chaoge City, I suffered at the hands of Gu Hai. He captured my five hundred thousand soldiers and even poisoned me. The second time I went there, I had just become accomplished in my divine technique and wanted to deal with Gu Hai. In the end, I got slapped twice by my own father. The third time I sought him out, I became a prisoner.
Aren’t I a heaven’s favored? Why am I so unlucky every time I meet Gu Hai?
“You have an unlucky face. It serves you right,” Long Wanyu said with a disdainful expression again.
“You!” Chang Ming was speechless, feeling depressed and unable to retort.
“Mo Yike, what does it take for you to release me? When we were young, we were even playmates. Why are you being so unreasonable?” Chang Ming asked as he looked at Mo Yike, still depressed.
“Ha! Young Master Chang, you have never grown up. Or is it that being a heaven’s favored made you forget to use your brains? I recall that you were quite smart when you were young.” Mo Yike shook his head.
“Humph!” Chang Ming glared, refusing to submit.
“What’s wrong? Just think about it. Why did you come here? Someone provoked you into coming, right? They could manipulate you into doing what they wanted with just a few words. No matter how lucky you are, you are just a fool, a tool. Take this as a lesson. You cannot survive on just luck. It will run out one day. Use your brains instead. Just wait for your father to pick you up.” Mo Yike shook his head.
Chang Ming: “…”
After Chang Ming calmed down, he realized that it was true. He got agitated by his second uncle’s and third uncle’s words. Unexpectedly, they just ran far away when they realized something had happened to him.
“Never mind. Mister Mo, let him go,” Gu Hai said with a smile.
“Huh?” Chang Ming looked at Gu Hai, feeling startled.
“Mister Gu, you want to let him go? He wanted to attack you,” Mo Yike protested with a frown.
Is Gu Hai using me to obtain a favor?
“Gu Hai, I don’t need your hypocritical kindness!” Chang Ming immediately rebuffed, feeling depressed.
“Should I pay Chang Sheng a visit?” Gu Hai smiled as he looked at Chang Ming.
Chang Ming’s expression turned stiff. He did not know what to say.
This was something extremely embarrassing. Taking Gu Hai’s previous world as an example, it was like when a teacher called a student’s parents. Remain ignorant of what is good for you, and I will visit your parents. Chang Ming immediately turned listless.
“Mister Mo, is that fine?” Gu Hai smiled.
Mo Yike frowned as he looked at Chang Ming. Eventually, he nodded while smiling. “Mister Gu, your reach extends very far.”
“Hence, I still need to trouble Mister Mo.” Gu Hai smiled back.
“Alright! Chang Ming, you may go,” Mo Yike sighed softly.
Then, Mo Yike waved.
The chains around Chang Ming rattled and promptly disappeared.
Chang Ming’s restraints were removed, and Gu Hai was nearby. Chang Ming could just step forward and grab him; however, he did not. Instead, he showed a complicated expression.
“Gu Hai, I don’t appreciate your kindness. Humph!” Chang Ming snorted coldly, stomped out of the Mo Residence, and disappeared into the distance in the blink of an eye.
“Chang Ming is rather spoiled. Hah…,” Mo Yike sighed softly.
“Indeed. However, his nature is not bad.” Gu Hai nodded.
“Brother-in-Law, what if Chang Ming pounced on you just now?” Long Wanyu asked worriedly.
“Did you not see the Go stone in Mister Mo’s hand? This is Mister Mo’s territory; he can summon the ritual array any time he wants. Who can hurt me?” Gu Hai replied with a smile.
At the side, Mo Yike said with a faint, bitter smile, “It is thanks to Mister Gu’s teaching.”