Chapter 34: The Fierce Beast (Rewritten Version)

Shi Nian had been under house arrest for eight full days, living in constant fear. Just as she was on the verge of a breakdown, a maid in yellow robes said, "Madam, the Emperor requests your presence."

Shi Nian was overjoyed and immediately boarded the sedan chair sent for her. This time, they took her to the east side of the Leopard House. Ascending a long flight of stairs, she discovered a circular high platform with seating on all sides and a hollowed-out center, resembling a miniature arena.

Zhu Houzhao sat at the south end, flanked by Liu Jin, Qian Ning, and several other officials and attendants. He had been laughing heartily, but his expression faltered the moment he saw her. "You're here," he said, his tone indifferent.

Although Shi Nian had cursed him a thousand times in her heart during her confinement, she remained cautious upon seeing him. She bowed formally, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

With her head lowered, she could not read his expression. She only caught sight of his slender fingers picking up a wine cup; he took a sip and remained silent.

What did this attitude mean? Shi Nian felt nervous. The memories of that night came flooding back; they had parted on such bitter terms that she no longer knew how to interact with him.

As she remained silent and the Emperor said nothing, the previously harmonious atmosphere turned awkward. Just as everyone felt uneasy, a roar erupted from the arena—so powerful it sounded like a beast unleashed!

Shi Nian turned in surprise, realizing the hollowed center was a flat arena. A leopard was currently pacing, claws bared and roaring. Above, a long pole dangled a piece of fresh, bloody meat. As the pole swayed, the meat followed, and the leopard leaped repeatedly to reach it, falling short every time.

The winter sun shone on the leopard, its mottled fur and sharp claws glistening. Accompanied by its roars, the sight was breathtaking.

This was the leopard kept by Zhu Houzhao! The famous leopard from the legendary Leopard House! She had finally seen it!

Shi Nian was instantly excited, her eyes glued to the center of the arena. It really was an arena, and the leopard, despite being captive, still possessed an untamed wildness that made it appear all the more majestic and vigorous. She was so tempted to pull out her phone to take a picture!

"Do you like this?" someone asked beside her.

Shi Nian turned to find Zhu Houzhao looking at her with a strange expression. She realized she had been too absorbed and stammered, "Ah, I... I do like it. The leopard is beautiful, Your Majesty. You keep it very well..."

Zhu Houzhao’s expression grew even stranger. He stared at her for a moment before turning his gaze back to the arena. In the past, he had brought other women to see Ah Hua, but regardless of how boldly they boasted beforehand, they would turn pale and weak-kneed at the sight of the beast, too terrified to even approach, proving themselves to be disappointing cowards.

She, however, was bold. He curled his lips slightly; he hadn't realized this only today. She was indeed different from those common, vapid beauties.

He coughed lightly and lowered his voice, "Sit beside me."

Shi Nian, unsure why his mood had suddenly improved, obediently sat on a slightly lower seat next to him. He draped an arm loosely over her shoulder and whispered, "Her name is Ah Hua. I’ve raised her for over a year, feeding her and bathing her myself. In my heart, she is no different from my own child."

Shi Nian nodded, though she was thinking that since he seemed less angry, could she ask about Nie Cheng now? Would he answer?

Zhu Houzhao spoke for a while before realizing the girl wasn't listening, as if she were preoccupied. His expression darkened, and Shi Nian felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. "What are you doing!" she cried.

Zhu Houzhao released her, his face expressionless. Shi Nian rubbed her shoulder, daring not to voice her anger, which only made him more displeased. Suddenly, he said, "Enough. Send him out."

Shi Nian was stunned. A small door at the bottom of the arena opened, and a man walked out. He was dressed in white, tall and straight, his expression as calm as water. Seeing that familiar face, Shi Nian gasped, "Nie Cheng?!"

Joy surged in her heart—thank goodness, he was alive! She had been terrified that Zhu Houzhao might have already harmed him.

But a second later, she snapped back to reality. Wait! What were they doing? What was Nie Cheng doing? He had entered the arena!

A terrifying realization struck her. "Your Majesty?!" she exclaimed, her heart racing. Could it be? Liu Jin had said earlier that Lu Zhiyao was to fight the leopard, and now that Lu Zhiyao had fled, they were making Nie Cheng do it?!

Just then, another roar echoed through the arena. The crowd gasped; the leopard had finally bitten the meat, tearing it away and dragging the bamboo pole with it. Because of the force, the young eunuch holding the pole almost fell in as well, but was grabbed by someone nearby. The young eunuch collapsed, trembling in terror.

He had escaped, but someone was still inside.

Shi Nian turned deathly pale and grabbed Zhu Houzhao. "Your Majesty, tell him to come back... there's still time!"

Zhu Houzhao remained silent. "You did this on purpose, didn't you?" she shouted. "You just want to kill him, right? Zhu Houzhao!"

Calling the Emperor by his name was a grave offense, and those nearby were shocked. Zhu Houzhao was about to speak when Liu Jin chimed in, "Madam, you have wronged His Majesty. It was the warrior Nie himself who said that as the sworn brother of Master Lu, he would shoulder the responsibility. This task of fighting the leopard fell to him. His Majesty did not force him."

Shi Nian looked at the old man's smiling face with disgust and ignored him, keeping her eyes fixed on Zhu Houzhao. Liu Jin, having been cold-shouldered, grew sullen.

Zhu Houzhao remained silent for a moment before saying, "It is true that he agreed to it himself."

***

He was not lying. Even now, he found the matter surprising. When he had first proposed the demand, it was intended to intimidate Nie Cheng into backing down and giving up on Shi Nian, but he never imagined that after a brief moment of thought, Nie Cheng would actually agree.

In the dark prison, the man, covered in wounds, had smiled and said, "If I win against the leopard, will Your Majesty grant a request for me and my sworn brother?"

At that moment, Zhu Houzhao had been speechless. He was a man who loved valor and combat, and Nie Cheng’s arrogance had stirred his own blood. "If you win against the leopard, not just Liu Jin—I will let you deal with whatever you wish."

Upon hearing this, Shi Nian was stunned. Was Nie Cheng trying to bring down Liu Jin this way? Did he really have the confidence to defeat the leopard?

She rushed to the railing. The leopard was crouching down, tearing at the meat, and not far behind it stood Nie Cheng. The bright sunlight shone on his face; he raised a hand to shield his eyes and looked up, spotting Shi Nian on the platform.

Their eyes met, and Shi Nian cried, "What are you doing!"

The distance was too great for her to know if he heard her. The man curled his lips, gave her a smile, and mouthed, "Don't worry."

The next second, the leopard turned its head, finally noticing the intruder in its territory!

Shi Nian’s gasp caught in her throat as she watched it spring up. It stood with front legs straight and body low, staring intensely at Nie Cheng in a defensive posture. Nie Cheng also grew solemn, standing motionless in a standoff.

The entire arena fell into an involuntary silence. Everyone had only heard rumors that Eunuch Liu had arranged for a man to fight the leopard, but they never expected it to truly happen. They were so nervous and excited that they dared not breathe. The arena, which could hold hundreds of people, was so quiet that one could hear the leopard's breathing.

Once. And again.

Suddenly—

The leopard roared and lunged at Nie Cheng! The crowd screamed, and just as the leopard’s claws were about to strike, Nie Cheng leaped aside at the very last moment, narrowly avoiding the attack!

The leopard pursued him again. Nie Cheng remained calm, dodging around the arena, avoiding every strike at the last possible second, drawing cries of amazement from the crowd.

Shi Nian felt like she was on a roller coaster. The leopard’s strength, agility, and jumping ability were immense, making her feel like Nie Cheng was doomed dozens of times, yet he always escaped. When he dodged the leopard again, causing it to crash into the wall, she finally couldn't help but laugh.

It seemed she had been overly worried. Nie Cheng wouldn't seek death; he clearly had full confidence.

Seeing her smile, Qian Ning said, "See, His Majesty didn't lie to you, did he? Because warrior Nie said he would fight the leopard, His Majesty even ordered the imperial physicians to treat his wounds and let him rest for several days!"

He intended to speak well of Zhu Houzhao, but Shi Nian caught another detail: Wait, Nie Cheng had been injured?

She grew nervous again. Beside her, Liu Jin remarked coldly, "Is warrior Nie planning to run around the whole time to tire the leopard to death?"

Before Shi Nian could react, the eunuch raised his voice: "Warrior Nie, you must be quick. There is only half an hour. If it ends in a draw, you cannot be considered the winner."

Shi Nian glared at him, but Liu Jin pretended not to notice, sneering internally. This Nie Cheng had made such a bet with the Emperor right in front of him—he clearly didn't hold him in any regard! He hadn't managed to kill him in prison, but he wouldn't let him survive this arena! As for Lu Zhiyao and this woman, he would ensure they were wiped out later!

In the arena, Nie Cheng seemed to hear Liu Jin. When the leopard lunged again, he did not dodge. Instead, he closed the distance, evaded its claws, and punched it in the abdomen!

The leopard’s belly was soft, and in its pain, it clawed fiercely at the wall, causing bricks and stones to fly!

"My thanks to Eunuch Liu for the reminder!" Nie Cheng shouted.

That sentence was like a signal. Nie Cheng stopped dodging and truly began to fight the leopard. The atmosphere in the arena shifted entirely.

Shi Nian had seen Nie Cheng fight twice before—once at the Weiyang Palace training grounds, and once on Canglong Mountain. Both times, he had held back. Today, she finally saw another side of him.

He was fast as lightning, fierce and ruthless. Every move was aimed at a lethal point. Even without blades or blood, the chilling murderous intent was palpable. This was the fighting style of a man who had stared death in the face. Many skilled fighters in the crowd looked at each other, realizing that anyone with such combat skills had been forged in a life-and-death crucible.

What had this man done in the past?

Shi Nian didn't understand the technicalities, but every contact between Nie Cheng and the leopard made her heart skip a beat. When the leopard's fangs grazed his face, she couldn't take it anymore. "Your Majesty, I lied to you! He is not my husband, I don't have a husband! I'll be your concubine, I'll be your woman! Just get someone to save him—we can discuss anything!"

Zhu Houzhao had also stood up, eyes fixed on the arena. He was so surprised by Shi Nian's words he barely reacted. After a pause, he said, "I know you're trying to save him, you don't need to lie to me."

*I'm not lying!* Shi Nian wanted to cry.

Zhu Houzhao continued, "Don't worry, I don't want him dead either. I have the Imperial Guards stationed below; they will intervene if necessary. But for now, as long as he doesn't call for help, I won't send anyone."

"Why!"

A strange glint flashed in Zhu Houzhao’s dark eyes. "This is a man's gamble; you wouldn't understand. I believe Nie Cheng would definitely not want me to intervene right now."

Shi Nian looked at the figure struggling with the leopard, filled with doubt. Was that really true?

Nie Cheng felt as if he were in a dream. He hadn't hesitated when making this decision, but now that he was fighting, he felt some regret. It was simply too exhausting. He remembered, an age ago—perhaps back in the Song Dynasty—when he had encountered a tiger on a frozen, snow-covered plain. They had fought just like this, locked in an inseparable struggle.

But back then, he hadn't felt this tired.

A sharp pain suddenly flared in his abdomen, and his movements faltered. It felt as if something had torn open. He vaguely remembered the wounds from the prison torture; they had been carefully tended, but not enough time had passed for them to heal.

The leopard smelled the blood, roared in excitement, and attacked. This time, Nie Cheng didn't dodge in time and was slashed across several wounds!

The crowd gasped!

As he was struck, Nie Cheng dropped to the ground to soften the impact, but the leopard's grip was powerful, and he felt his skin and flesh torn away. Before he could recover, the leopard was upon him, pinning him down!

With the fierce beast pressing down on him, it roared in triumph, its fangs descending toward his neck. Nie Cheng caught its throat with both hands. Man and beast abandoned technique, relying solely on brute force as they grappled.

Shi Nian grabbed Zhu Houzhao’s arm. "Are you still not sending anyone? Your Majesty!"

Zhu Houzhao hesitated, then said, "Qian Ning, send them in!"

Qian Ning immediately went to give the order, but returned quickly, "Your Majesty, there is no one below! The Imperial Guards stationed there have been moved!"

Zhu Houzhao was shocked, and glancing at Liu Jin’s expression, he instantly realized what had happened. "What have you done? You dog, you dare to defy my orders? Are you trying to rebel?"

Liu Jin panicked, "Sire, the servant..."

Shi Nian had no time to listen to his excuses. She looked around and snatched the Xiuchun sword from Qian Ning’s waist. She had realized earlier that damn it, Nie Cheng didn't even have a weapon! She would have given him a fruit knife if she could!

"Nie Cheng! Catch!"

Using all her strength, she threw the sword. It traced an arc through the air, heading straight toward the man in the arena.

Nie Cheng’s veins bulged as he held off the leopard; his wounds were tearing open one after another, blood flowing freely. The smell of blood filled the air, driving the leopard into a frenzy, but strangely, Nie Cheng felt a sudden surge of excitement.

He remembered. It had been like this before, too—bright red blood staining the white snow. He had been lying there, dying, pinned under a tiger's claws, thinking he was finished.

But no. He couldn't die. It wasn't his time yet.

"Ah—"

The man roared from the depths of his chest and flipped the leopard over! Hearing Shi Nian’s voice, he saw the sword flying toward him, leaped into the air, and caught it!

The leopard was furious, lunging toward him. Nie Cheng lunged back, his sword aimed straight at the beast!

"Ah Hua!" Zhu Houzhao cried.

Liu Jin was delighted. The leopard was the Emperor's favorite pet, and they hadn't given Nie Cheng a weapon specifically to ensure the beast wouldn't be killed. If it were killed now, the Emperor’s fury would render the victory meaningless.

In the blink of an eye, the sword spun in Nie Cheng's hand, flashing coldly. He struck the leopard’s neck with the hilt of the sword.

As their bodies collided in mid-air, the leopard’s fangs sank into Nie Cheng’s shoulder but did not push further.

The next second, the leopard’s body slammed into the ground with a force that seemed to shake the earth.

Then, it lay there, motionless.

Nie Cheng landed, panting, his white clothes stained with blood. After a long moment, he stood up and gave a faint smile to the stunned Shi Nian, Zhu Houzhao, Liu Jin, Qian Ning, and the crowd. "I won."