“The result of the Golden Dragon Election was totally out of everyone’s expectations. Your Majesty, did you expect this outcome at all?” Yu Yinyi asked as he looked at the emperor curiously.

In front of them was a board that listed the names of the top ten participants of the Golden Dragon Election. On top of that list was none other than Yun Yi’s name— the dark horse in this Golden Dragon Election.

1. Yun Yi

2. Yun Ling

3. Ash Wood

4. Jin Zhen

5. Yu Shan

6. Oliver Lorenzi

7. Leo Lorenzi

8. Luo Yutong

9. Jing Man

10. He Yin

The emperor shook his head with a smile.

“I didn’t expect that the Golden Dragon Election would end that way at all,” the emperor said. “Originally, I thought Yun Ling would get the first place, followed right after by either my son or your son, Jin Zhen and Yu Shan. Truly, this result came out as a surprise.”

Yu Yinyi raised a brow at him.

“Then why does His Majesty seem to be happy even though everything didn’t go as expected?”

The emperor smiled at him.

“If everything went as I had expected, life would be boring. Besides, I’m not all-seeing so it isn’t something to be surprised about if my expectations are wrong.”

“Haah, still, I wonder what the world is going to do once they finally know that one of the Divine Being in this generation is in this empire. I’m sure Yun Ling’s information is being spread like wildfire to the various sects all over the world,” Yu Yinyi mused as he thought of the consequences now that Yun Ling’s Divine Being status had finally come to light. “I’ll have to prepare the army just in case.”

“You have to prepare it but not for the reasons you think of,” the emperor said with a frown on his face. “The information regarding the immortal inside the Thousand Mountain Valley will reach the ears of the big sects sooner or later— no, it might have already reached their ears by now. The whole world will probably be involved in some kind of war just to deal with that immortal.”

Yu Yinyi let out a sigh.

“War, huh? I can’t say I’m keen on participating in one against an immortal.”

“Neither am I. But… we will have to prepare just in case.”

…

“Yun Yi, can I talk to you for a moment?” Yun Ling asked after entering his cousin’s room.

It had been a week since the Golden Dragon Election was finished. This was the first time Yun Ling saw his cousin, Yun Yi, after their fight.

Yun Yi moved his head so he could look at Yun Ling.

“Sure…” he answered.

Yun Ling took that as a cue and sat down on the chair just beside Yun Yi’s bed.

Yun Yi moved his head as he followed Yun Ling’s figure. He was recovering with each passing day though he was still far from full recovery. Nonetheless, he could finally move his head without hurting himself too much. That was something he was glad about. At least, it was much better than just staying still for days without moving even a single inch.

“You look like shit,” Yun Ling said with a dull look on his face upon seeing Yun Yi’s state.

The latter let out a snort.

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

Yun Yi smiled at him in amusement.

“Well, I was joking. I just came here to talk to you.”

“About what?”

“About nothing in particular.”

Yun Yi gave him an unimpressed gaze.

“Is that so? Don’t you have something better to do?”

“I do,” Yun Ling replied instantly.

“Then you should do that instead of wasting your time here like this,” Yun Yi said as he frowned at Yun Ling.

Yun Ling just gave him a smile.

“I am already doing it,” Yun Ling said. “Talking to you, that is…”

Yun Yi stared at him for a few seconds before letting out a sigh.

“You know, I really hate you,” Yun Yi told him that without any change of his facial expression. Not that Yun Ling could see that because of the bandages wrapped around his face and all over his body. Though with his Divine Eyes, he probably could.

“I know,” Yun Ling continued smiling while saying that.

“Since we were kids, you could easily do things I couldn’t. I would have to work harder than anyone else just to get the same achievements you easily got without any effort at all. At first, I was just jealous… but years upon years of experiencing that, I started hating you,” Yun Yi said the true feelings in his heart regarding Yun Ling. “I couldn’t help but ask the heaven, why were you born? Why in the Yun Clan? Why did you have to be born in the same generation as me? Yun Ling, do you know what it feels to be constantly compared to anyone much better than you?”

Yun Ling was stunned.

“Compared? You do know that uncle and father, our mothers, even grandfather and grandmother never compared us to each other, right?”

Yun Yi merely smiled bitterly.

“Just because they never compared us doesn’t mean the other clan members don’t…” he let out a sigh after saying that. “Those clan members didn’t really compare us to each other verbally but I could see it in their eyes. I could see them thinking and being disappointed in me since I am far inferior to you. I know that you knew it. If someone like me could see that, then surely the Divine Being who possessed the Divine Eyes could see it too, right?”

Yun Ling stayed silent at that. He would be lying if he said that he didn’t notice the looks some of his clansmen were giving to Yun Yi. When he caught them looking at him like that, he would always give them a look, but he really couldn’t punish them since they didn’t do anything. They were just looking after all.

If it were any outsider though, he would’ve long slapped them silly and put them in their place. But when it comes to matters regarding his clansmen, his hands were tied.

Maybe this was one of the disadvantages of him, valuing his clan, and his family. Because of that, his options were limited when it comes to situations like these.