Chapter Twenty-One: Ambushed

"Hey, what do you think of this?"
A group of people paused in front of a small vendor’s stall. Liu Ji picked up a red string necklace set with a rhombus-shaped sapphire and asked Mu Wanjun.
Mu Wanjun had no intention of responding to such an insufferable scoundrel.
But Liu Ji kept staring at her, clearly determined not to let her go until she answered. With no choice, she nodded and replied,
"It looks nice."
"I think so too."
With that, Liu Ji continued, "So, do you like this necklace?"
Mu Wanjun shot him a surprised glance. What was he playing at? He had been cold and dismissive before, and now he was asking whether she liked this necklace. Was he planning to buy it for her?
Or had his earlier indifference been a calculated act—designed to provoke her, so that now a gift would win her favor and bring them closer?
Ha, so many tricks up his sleeve!
But such ploys were wasted on her. She was not so shallow as to yield over a trivial gift. How could Mu Wanjun be swayed by something so petty?
So she replied, "I do."
The necklace was indeed rather charming...
Liu Ji turned to Liu Yuqing. "Do you like it?"
"I do!"
"Then it’s yours." With that, Liu Ji placed the sapphire necklace around Liu Yuqing’s fair neck. He stepped back to admire the effect and nodded. "Yes, it looks quite good on you."
"Thank you, Second Brother!" Liu Yuqing grinned broadly.
Mu Wanjun, on the other hand, stood dumbfounded, her lips parted in astonishment. So it wasn’t for her after all?
Then why ask if she liked it?
She took a deep breath, silently reminding herself not to stoop to his level. She must be magnanimous—for in the end, it was her own health that would suffer from anger.
Liu Ji turned and noticed the thundercloud on Mu Wanjun’s face.
He asked, "Why are you so angry?"
Mu Wanjun thought for a moment, then smiled. "There’s something I truly don’t understand. Since you asked whether I liked the necklace, shouldn’t you have bought it for me? Why did you give it to Miss Liu instead?"
"What good does it do if you like it?"
Before she could finish, Liu Ji interrupted her. "If you like it, buy it yourself. Are you really expecting me to get it for you? You sure are brazen!"
Mu Wanjun was so furious she was at a loss for words. Regaining her composure, she fumed, "Fine, I’ll buy it! Do you think I’m short of money? Hmph!"
Turning to Xiaoqing, she ordered, "Xiaoqing, pay!"
"Understood..." Xiaoqing, indignant on her mistress’s behalf, took out an embroidered pouch from her waist and was about to pay when Liu Ji called out generously, "Shopkeeper, I’ll take everything here. Send it all to my residence later!"
"Excellent! Right away!"
The shopkeeper beamed with joy.
Xiaoqing stood frozen on the spot.
Liu Ji picked up a red string bell and, smiling, placed it in Mu Wanjun’s hand. "You look so pitiful. I’ll give you this one."
With that, he left with his maid and Xiaoya.
Watching Liu Ji’s retreating figure, Mu Wanjun’s face flushed red with anger. She raised her hand, tempted to hurl the bell to the ground.
But her hand hovered in the air, unable to let go.
Liu Ji was the heir of the Prince of Zhennan’s household, and this bell was a gift from him. If she threw it away in public, wouldn’t that be an open insult to Liu Ji? Wouldn’t that be a slap in the face to the Prince of Zhennan’s entire family?
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
Endure!
Small affronts must be borne for greater plans!
Liu Ji, just you wait!
If I ever get the chance, I’ll make you pay dearly!
"Hmph! Xiaoqing, let’s go!"
Although she had suffered much humiliation and anger from that wretch tonight, Mu Wanjun gritted her teeth and resolved to see the evening through.
Thus, Liu Ji, Mu Wanjun, and their party wandered the streets of Southern King City. After this lesson, Mu Wanjun simply ignored Liu Ji altogether—
—lest she be provoked by him again!
How had she never noticed before how detestable Liu Ji was? In just a few days, his talent for infuriating others had grown by leaps and bounds!
As Mu Wanjun walked beside him, her face cold and distant, Liu Ji suddenly threw an arm around her shoulders. He grinned, "Miss Mu, let me ask you something."
He could feel her body tense up, the softness suddenly rigid, struggling to break free but unable to.
Without waiting for her reply, Liu Ji asked, "Do you actually hate me?"
Mu Wanjun gave him a faint smile, her meaning obvious enough. At least he had some self-awareness—anyone who liked him must be out of their mind!
She realized now that Liu Ji probably didn’t like her at all.
So be it. They could go their separate ways. She didn’t like this scoundrel either. He was just a bully, using his status as heir to oppress people day after day!
Liu Ji, however, took no offense.
He chuckled, "That’s just as well. Sometimes, a person you hate ends up occupying more of your thoughts than someone you love."
Mu Wanjun’s eyes widened. Did he mean she would remember this bastard her whole life? Would she be angry every single day?
Before she could retort, Liu Ji suddenly shoved her aside. His right hand, claw-like, gathered a burst of celestial energy in his palm.
In the next instant, he struck behind him with a mighty blow.
Bang!
His palm collided with another, and a shockwave exploded outward, sending Liu Ji staggering back several steps before he could steady himself.
The sudden violence sent the nearby crowd fleeing in terror, shrieking as chaos erupted all around.
Through the panicked throng, Liu Ji spotted a man in servant’s garb standing motionless, his gaze fixed on Liu Ji—a stare that made Liu Ji’s hair stand on end.
Just moments before, he had sensed a chilling aura rushing at him from behind. Fortunately, his own vital energy was strong enough to alert him in time, or he might have fallen prey here tonight!
"Roar!"
The servant suddenly let out a bestial howl and charged at Liu Ji, a cold wind swirling as his shriveled claws slashed toward Liu Ji.
There was even the faint whistle of air being torn apart!
Liu Ji’s face was grim. His body tensed, sweat beading on his brow, his heart pounding as he strained to keep calm.
This was his first true combat—and the foe was a man possessed by a vengeful spirit, strange and deadly. He dared not be careless, or the consequences would be dire.
The man was fast. In the blink of an eye, he crossed seven or eight meters, claws slashing at Liu Ji’s throat, intent on tearing it apart!
Liu Ji countered with a palm strike, his celestial energy condensed into a spinning force, formidable in both strength and momentum.
Bang!
At the moment their hands met, the servant howled in pain and staggered back. Blood streamed from his palm, the white of bone faintly visible.
Seeing this, Liu Ji was overjoyed to discover the destructive power of his celestial energy. Confidence surged within him.
Whoosh!
He sprang forward, blood and vigor surging, pouncing on the man like a leopard. In a mere breath, he was upon him.
"Die!"
With a cold shout, Liu Ji gathered celestial energy in his palm and struck for the man’s head, showing no mercy.
The fight was now a matter of life and death.
He had no desire to die!
Liu Ji was swift, and the servant, unable to dodge, could only block the blow with his wounded arm. At the moment of impact, the man screamed again.
Celestial energy was pure force—unyielding, sharp, and utterly destructive. Even possessed by a vengeful spirit, the man’s body was still flesh and blood.
How could such mortal flesh withstand celestial power?
As Liu Ji’s strike landed, blood spurted and flesh flew; the man reeled back, shrieking in agony.
Seizing the advantage, Liu Ji pressed the attack, giving his foe no chance to recover. Though lacking skill in martial techniques, the sheer force of celestial energy and his wild, unorthodox fighting style left the man unable to defend himself.
Ugly as his moves were, they were brutally effective.
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