Chapter 48: You Can't Afford Me

Wu Yange sent searing azure flame, cannonball sized, into the tree Wu Fan was currently nestling at and yelled, "Bring him back now when you still have a chance to save your skin because we both know what will happen when l lay my hands on you," in an imposingly grim tone that would normally petrify Wu Fan into submission but today though frightening, he wasn't said scared because he had an ace up his sleeve making him brazen.

"Boohoo, I am scared," replied Wu Fan dodging the attack with such ill-advised mockery escaping his mouth, "for once cousin, I have you in a tight corner with no way out but to yield to me. Hand it over and we both get what we want. This is what we call in business, a win-win scenario, don't you think so?"

He didn't get a response except for a string of fireballs following him where ever he landed. If Rong Zian was conscious he would say Wu Fan was like Super Mario being controlled by a pro player, hopping from branch to branch evading the high-speed blazing fireballs.

If we say he came out of it unscathed, it would be a lie. Though not fatal, Wu Fan looked like a person who just had his eyebrows burnt off after lighting up a gas grill but he didn't seem to mind because, for the first time, he had an upper hand over his cousin and enjoyed watching him like this.

Wu Yange's desperation was fuelling WuFan's bravery. Of course, he was concerned about what his cousin will do to him next time they meet but brushed it off as his victim wasn't important enough for Wu Yange to pursue him later on. Who would be more important than blood relation?

When the attacks seized, Wu Fan heaved a sigh of relief huffing and puffing trying to catch his breath, he came into eye contact with Ying Tie who was staring at him with a deadly glare that would touch Rong Zian into thinking the brawny man cared for him. Ying Tie couldn't care less for Rong Zian but the man was the only one who could get his hands on the fragments so of course, he would stare down at Wu Fan though he can do absolutely nothing to him.

"Ying Tie I know I am good looking but stop glaring at me, you can't afford me," said Wu Fan with a sly grin all over his face while flicking his loose strand of hair in a kittenish manner.

Ying Tie frowned in disgust and spat out, "You….," but that's all he could really say as he was stunned speechless and didn't feel like joining Rong Zian in his demise.

Sensing Ying Tie's uneasiness, Wu Yange shot out a dozen fireballs at Wu Fan causing him to lose his footing in the tree he was currently harbouring in. Wu Fan fell down from a great height crashing to the ground with a loud thud, his face eating dirt like a pig and didn't look pretty either. Wu Yange reached him at light speed and picked him by the collar. It's sad to say, the guy lost a molar in the fall with a little blood sipping at the corner of his torn lip.

Wu Fan spat out the molar that had dislodged from his gum during the fall meanwhile preparing himself to face his enraged cousin. "Wu Fan I am not in the mood for games, bring him back otherwise there will be hell to pay," said Wu Yange in such an ominous tone terrifying enough to make Wu Fan's blood run cold.

Knowing fully well this fun game was now KO for him, the not so smart Wu Fan tried to negotiate. "Cousin how about we reconsider our options huh? Wouldn't that be reasonable? I mean, you can just give me the stupid fragment and that bastard Wu Wúqíng won't kill me and you, on the other hand, will be rid of this tedious journey. How about tha- Ahhhh!" The man didn't even get to finish speaking before Wu Yange burnt his index finger that had dared touch Rong Zian's forehead.

Loud screams filled the forest scaring all wildlife into hiding as Wu Yange torched his cousin into yielding but the prince underestimated Wu Fan. He began to think his cousin was a bit of a masochist, the man wouldn't budge regardless of how many boils he had. Maybe he was more terrified of Wu Wúqíng than Wu Yange.

Frustrated, the prince tossed Wu Fan on the ground and placed his hand on his own forehead expressing his anxiety. At this juncture, he would give that amulet to him and worry about the consequences later as long as he could get Rong Zian. The thought of never kissing those plump like cherry lips made his heartache painfully, he wanted him back.

"Tsk, Tsk, Wu Yange why do you want me to be this boy back when his obliviously in his own seventh heaven, look! HAHAHAHA," said Wu Fan pointing at something that had Wu Yange scarlet red both embarrassed and angry. Unfortunately for an unconscious Rong Zian, it seemed his body was responding to whatever shameless things happening where ever he was. His comrade in arms was standing in attention, rhythmically twitching like a drinking bird toy under the not so restrictive fabric.

Whether it was simply to torture Wu Fan into bringing back Rong Zian or simply venting out his frustrations, Wu Yange resorted to using his bare fists to avoid accidentally killing his cousin. Punches poured down on Wu Fan's pretty face like rain on a stormy day. The prince desperately wanted to drag his horrible cousin to the river nearby and waterboard him till he complies. With none of his sapphire flames in his punches, Ying Tie got the courage to hold back the infuriated prince lest he kills the rascal.

During their uneventful tug of war, they didn't notice a staggering Rong Zian rising from the ground in a drunken stupor. Rong Zian had somehow woken up with an unforgiving hangover suddenly regretting drinking all those cocktails. Like a deer in the headlights, he stumbled a few times trying to regain his footing but failed miserably taking a tumbled on to the ground hitting his head against the carriage wheel on the way down.

The loud thud finally grasped the attention of the three gentlemen currently participating in a brawl. "I am fine! Ssss…ouch, what the fuck," he hissed in pain as he sobered up.

Seeing Rong Zian back, Wu Yange instantly let go of his cousin dropping him like a hot potato and reached the fallen man in two strides anxious to the core. With a pained expression, he examined every inch of Rong Zian like an overbearing medical practitioner and only stopped when he was satisfied.

He was enveloped in his own bubble of concern that he never took note of Rong Zian's reaction. The man had been fondled by Wu Yange though the prince was innocently checking on him that couldn't stop Rong Zian from reacting to it as the memory of the dream was still fresh in his mind. The poor guy was stiff all over, wide-eyed with his face gradually going scarlet red.

Wu Fan didn't waste any time, once his cousin let him go he ran for his life through the bushes. He couldn't believe someone other than Wu Yange could come back on their own just like that. It meant that Rong Zian wasn't as simple as he had been made to believe, the bastard Wu Wúqíng had left that important detail out. He had to go in hiding otherwise that Rong Zian might come after him for vengeance.