A Dish Best Served Cold (The Man In Rage)
Chapter 1151 Finale

Ye Fan did not turn down the offer this time.

Honestly, he could do without the title. It wasn't going to bring him much material benefits and would, in fact, only bring him more responsibilities.

After all, honor came with its own set of responsibilities and burden.

The country had bestowed the title upon Ye Fan not simply because it recognized his abilities and status. Its motive was to burden Ye Fan with the obligation of lending a hand should danger befall the nation in the future.

Now that Ye Fan had accepted this title, he had the duty to protect China.

The young man was a free spirit who hated being bound by rules and duty.

He had accepted the title with great reluctance.

His reluctance had nothing to do with his love or patriotism for the country. He simply abhorred being made a hostage of moral and ethical obligations and duty.

Should danger truly befall China, Ye Fan would act to save his country, but he wouldn't be doing it out of duty. Instead, he would be doing it because he wanted to.

Besides, Lu Cang-Qiong and the others had tried to put him through hell. The interactions that he had had with these members of the nation had nearly compelled him to turn down the offer of a title. He had been ready to say no.

Ye Fan had changed his mind because of Li Hong-Ze's sincerity.

He took the documents from Li Hong-Ze's hands, then nodded.

"I accept the title," he said coolly. "But I'm going to be honest with you. I'm used to the freedom I have now and I don't like being ordered around by other people. I may accept the title, but I won't do anything that I don't want to do. If there's anything I do want to do, no rules or laws are going to stop me either. I believe you know what I'm trying to tell you."

Ye Fan looked Li Hong-Ze in the eye and told him his honest feelings.

Li Hong-Ze wasn't surprised at all.

This wasn't his first time dealing with a supreme grandmaster. Other powerful martial artists like Ye Qing-Tian and Mo Gu-Cheng had displayed a similar arrogance.

He didn't find anything wrong with their arrogance.

A man who had no pride wasn't going to amount to much in life.

This was exactly why the Chinese government had washed their hands off the martial arts circle and allowed the latter complete autonomy when it came to governance.

They gave the average martial artist complete autonomy. Powerful martial artists like Ye Fan were naturally bestowed greater freedom.

"Don't worry, Mr Chu. We're not going to order you around. We don't have the power to do so. We only hope that you will offer your assistance when the nation is in trouble and contribute your abilities to protect our country."

Ye Fan nodded.

"Of course. Jiangdong is my home and China my homeland. I won't let any outsider destroy my home or dishonor my home country. I won't stand by and do nothing if my country is in trouble. I will protect China and the land's peace and stability," said Ye Fan solemnly.

He spoke firmly and with a determination that belied the mildness of his tone.

Li Hong-Ze was comforted and overjoyed by his words.

"The sages used to say, one should align their heart with the heaven and earth, their cause with their people's, and that they should strive for an education that befits a sage and peace for the greater good of all people. Mr Chu's heart is aligned with our people and his thoughts with the safety and peace of our country. With men like you, China has no worries. We will rise again and achieve glory on the global stage," said Li Hong-Ze confidently as his heart soared with happiness.

The joy he felt was for his country and his people.

Another great man and talent had arisen in their country.

It had been years since Chu Sect had brought a calamity upon the country and forced their nation onto the brink of near destruction. After the six supreme grandmasters had emerged back then, the country had not seen another martial artist who could rival a supreme grandmaster.

Today, they had bestowed the title of supreme grandmaster onto Ye Fan. The seventh pillar of the nation had emerged. This was joyous news to the country and to the martial arts circle. It marked the beginning of a new age.

There should have been a grand ceremony and a nationwide celebration.

But Ye Qing-Tian, out of his desire to protect Ye Fan, had decided to delay the ceremony.

The young sapling that stood apart from the forest had to brave the cruel storms alone and would inevitably be brought down.

Chu Tian-Fan's fate was a testament to that saying.

The world might seem at peace but underneath that veneer of calm and stability were undercurrents of chaos and turmoil.

Each age came with its conspiracies, plots and fights for power.

Where there were men, there would be war and death.

The drama that had caused such a commotion in Jiangdong had finally came to an end. Ye Fan had accepted the official documents conferring upon him the title of a supreme grandmaster. Wu Wei-Tao had been taken away by the authorities for questioning.

He Lan-Shan had been dragged down his pedestal and banished to the countryside.

Under Han Dong-Min's watch, the police officers who had rushed from every corner of Yunzhou and amassed at Haiyuan Restaurant were dispersed in an orderly manner.

The 3,000 soldiers from the Jiangdong military camp fled the scene and disappeared with their tails between their legs as Wang Dong-Sheng led them away.

Xur Jun-Lin and Xur He lay on the ground, still and cold like the bodies of wild dogs left to rot in the open.

No one bothered with them. The thought of sending them to the hospital did not occur to anyone at all.

Wang Dong-Sheng, who had been part of the military force that Xur He had led, had not spared a single glance at the two generals before he had fled the area. Xur He and his father had nearly gotten all of them killed. Wang Dong-Sheng and his men had half a mind to kill them. Why would they bother to save them? Han Dong-Min was the only one who felt sorry enough for the both of them and got his men to have them brought to the hospital.

Lu Cang-Qiong, too, was taken away by Li Hong-Ze's men.

The actors had left the stage and the farce had come to an end.

But this was but the opening act. The play had just begun.

Han Dong-Min's investigation and its outcomes would surely lead to repercussions that would spread all the way to Yanjing.

The Lu and Xur families had caused too big a commotion and gotten themselves into too much trouble. Their illegal deployment of military troops had made things worse.

Offending Ye Fan was sufficient reason to earn them a heavy punishment from the government.

Yet, these were matters that would slowly be dealt with in the future.

At the moment, the crowd had dispersed and peace had resumed outside Haiyuan Restaurant.

Yet overwhelming emotions continued to assail Li Er and the others like a terrible tsunami that threatened to pull them under.

A deathly silence permeated the air long after Li Hong-Ze and the others had left.

Everyone remained quiet. One could hear a pin drop.

Ye Fan was the only one who was smiling.

He reached out and pulled his lovely wife

into his arms.

Then, he folded his hands behind his back. The warm smile on his face turned cold and joyless.

He gazed upon them like a king who had his queen in his arms and his empire at his feet.