Chapter 168: Eastern Continent Champion vs. Western Continent Champion
Inside the bedroom, Niu Yuanshanâs face immediately showed a look of extreme excitement upon hearing His Highness the Heirâs question.
This made the Heir of Prince Rui feel somewhat strange just watching his expression.
âCould this Huo Dingyi really surprise me?â
Old Niuâs weathered face flushed red, his tone involuntarily rising a few notches, even carrying a hint of tremor in his voice.
âReporting to His Highness, Huo Dingyi is Chu Huaixu!â
Even someone as composed as the Heir of Prince Rui couldnât sit still upon hearing this.
âWhat!?â
Chu Huaixu, Champion of the Eastern Continent, is actually one of our Moon Countryâs spies?
In that instant, the young manâs first reaction was a tingling scalp!
His right hand, which had been resting flat on the table, clenched into a fist.
This could no longer be described as merely astonishing.
He swallowed hard, trying to maintain his imperial demeanor.
The Heir of Prince Rui spoke in a lowered tone, feigning calmness, with a faintly forced smile on his lips:
âSo, in a few days, Iâll be facing off against Huo Dingyi?â
âThis so-called Eastern and Western Continentsâ Grand Competitionâwas it just an internal struggle within our Moon Country all along?â
The so-called ăOrganizationă members were nothing more than dogs of the royal family, hounds of the court.
Brainwashed this thoroughly, they were raised to be sacrificed.
They would offer everything, including their lives.
His father had always taught himâto view the world as a chessboard, and all beings as chess pieces.
To have a top-down perspective, overseeing the grand picture.
People like those from the ăOrganizationă, from a royal viewpoint, were the best chess piecesâones that could be abandoned at any time.
The more loyal they were, the easier it was to discard them without fear of backlash.
How could the Heir of Prince Rui not realize that his future opponent, once merely a chess piece on the board, was now challenging him?
Niu Yuanshan, of course, had no idea what he was thinking. He only spoke with enthusiasm:
âYour Highness, youâre absolutely right. The upcoming Championâs Duel between the Eastern and Western Continents, regardless of who wins, will be a victory for our Moon Country!â
But as soon as he said that, he realized his wording was off. He quickly corrected himself and added:
âThough Chu Huaixu appears flamboyant in his actions, heâs actually someone who knows how to handle matters with propriety.â
Old Niuâs implication was already quite clear.
How could someone trained by the ăOrganizationă possibly tarnish the royal familyâs image in a match being watched by the entire Xuanhuang Realm?
We were raised by the court as its hounds.
If anyone truly acted out in such a situation, it would be a capital offense!
Those deeply brainwashed had long since had their thoughts solidified.
The Heir of Prince Rui also knew well the behavioral tendencies of those from the ăOrganizationă.
He had witnessed firsthand someone obeying a single command from his father and slitting their own throat on the spotâno different from a deathsworn.
So how could he not understand what Niu Yuanshan was implying?
But as a prince of noble blood and the Champion of the Western Continent, he had to maintain his poise.
âNo need for such words.â
âIf he truly defeats this prince, I will be glad. After all, are we not all citizens of the Moon Country?â he said with a faint smile.
However, there was one thing he couldnât comprehend.
Why would such a Heavenâs Mandated One not be nurtured in the Moon Country, but instead sent to the Dao Gate?
Wasnât that equivalent to placing the top-tier genius of the Xuanhuang Realm into the most dangerous position? It was far too easy to die.
No matter how he thought about it, it seemed unnecessary.
But the matter was already settled. The Heir of Prince Rui had no intention of revealing Chu Huaixuâs identity.
Not even to Eunuch Li, who came from the palace.
âItâs about time I start building a reliable faction of my own,â he thought to himself.
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Time passed, and soon it was the night before the Championâs Duel between the Eastern and Western Continents.
Chu Huaixu received the jade pendant, personally delivered by Elder Nangong.
This artifact-refining grandmaster even gave him a thorough introduction.
âIts greatest function is that it nourishes the body day and night. As long as you wear it, it's equivalent to constantly tempering your body.â
âIn the short term, the effects wonât be too noticeable, but the value lies in gradual accumulation.â
âIn addition, it was originally a defense-type magical treasure, though its effect wasnât particularly outstanding.â
âAfter I reforged it, and the Enforcement Elder added seven more formations to it, its defensive ability nearly doubled.â
âAlso, I noticed earlier that the defensive technique youâre currently learning is ăInk Splashă, correct?â
Chu Huaixu nodded at once.
âSo youâre probably planning to learn the advanced technique ăStained by Inkă next?â Nangong Yue asked.
âYes, thatâs indeed the plan,â Chu Huaixu replied.
âGood. So when the First Senior Brother inscribed the formations, I specifically asked him to follow that style, allowing the aura to manifest as air currents. This way, it can integrate with your protective technique for a seamless effect,â Nangong Yue said with a smile.
He more or less understood now.
As a female artifact-refining grandmaster, she even took aesthetics into account!
Simply put, the jade pendantâs special effect could integrate with his technique without looking messy, thus preserving visual elegance.
ââNangong Elder, love it, love it.
She truly considered everything; it was tailored just for him!
âDisciple thanks Elder Nangong and the Enforcement Elder,â Chu Huaixu said at once.
âAs long as you like it.â She gave a gentle smile, her voice soft and melodious with a Jiangnan accent.
Since the duel was tomorrow, Nangong Yue didnât linger, not wanting to take up more of Chu Huaixuâs time.
Watching her full, curvy figure gradually fly off and disappear into the night, Chu Huaixu held the jade pendant, gently rubbing it with his fingers to feel its texture.
Oddly enough, it didnât have the usual coolness of jade but carried a trace of warmth.
It truly fit the phrase âwarm and soft like jadeâ used to describe a womanâs body.
Chu Huaixu attached it to his waist. Dressed in black robes, the white jade pendant served as a striking contrast.
âSenior Sister Han, come out quick! I want to show you my treasure!â
Dead Fox shouted, immediately seeking out his Little Housekeeper to show off.
Two days ago, Han Shuangjiang had gone to the Scripture Pavilion and exchanged for a suitable Second Realm Heaven-rank Cultivation Method.
Today, she directly broke through to the Second Realmâher efficiency was absurd, breaking through as easily as breathing.
She was obedient enough and came out right away, knowing full well he was about to flaunt something again.
âNow that Junior Brother Xu still hasnât returned, Iâm the only one left to humor him with these antics. He probably finds it not thrilling enough,â Big Ice Block thought with mixed feelings.
Chu Huaixu took a few steps toward her, skipped all pretense and foreplay, and got straight to the show-off act:
âWatch closely!â
He began to channel his divine sense into the jade pendant at his waist, then cast ăInk Splashă.
Just like Nangong Yue had said, the pendantâs defensive effect instantly merged with the techniqueâs air currents.
The ink-colored air currents didnât become thicker or more viscousâon the contrary, they even grew lighter, more elegant in form!
Han Shuangjiang, being a young girl, found herself a bit envious.
âIt does look rather pretty.â
Then she heard Dead Fox again:
âSo? Doesnât it make me look even better?â
âItâs alright,â Big Ice Block replied.
Chu Huaixu immediately felt bored, missing the days when Little Xu was around.
âTch! Itâs still better when Little Xuâs here. Heâd rack his brains to come up with all sorts of four-character idioms.â He sighed in front of the girl, discontent with her lack of cooperation.
Big Ice Block didnât mind, instead saying:
âRight. I still wonder whatâs up with Junior Brother Xuâwhy hasnât he come back?â
âMaybe someone just couldnât handle losing and is already preparing for next yearâs Third Realm Grand Competition, getting a head start on special training,â Chu Huaixu muttered softly.
That damned old manâhow dare he steal away my laundry assistant!
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Back in his bedroom, Chu Huaixu sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion.
Tomorrow, he would face off against the Heir of Prince Rui.
With his many years of playing ăBorrowed Swordă, he had some understanding of this Western Continentâs World Protagonist.
The Heir of Prince Rui was named Qin Xuanxiao.
Players described him as having the bearing of a hawk-hearted overlord.
Many people, upon seeing those words, might immediately think of Boss Cao.
But in truth, whether in Records of the Three Kingdoms or Romance of the Three Kingdoms, this term was more often used to describe Liu Bei.
âââLiu Bei has the bearing of a hawk-hearted overlord, and men like Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, tiger-like generals, will not be content to serve another for long.â
As previously mentioned, the four World Protagonists in ăBorrowed Swordă had distinct roles.
Qin Xuanxiao could be understood as the domineering CEO typeâwealthy, powerful, and handsome, passionately in love with his consort behind the scenes.
However, this man was resolute, decisive, far-sighted, and capable of ruthless action.
After all, he was born of royal blood.
Overall, in the protagonist team, if everyone had too kind a nature, it would be hard to accomplish great things.
There had to be someone ruthless!
Qin Xuanxiao filled that role.
He was actually the one who oversaw the grand scheme within the team.
What he was willing to sacrifice far exceeded what Han Shuangjiang or Xu Ziqing could give up!
âWith money, power, and resources, plus an innate aura of royal dominanceâhe truly was the pillar of the team in the early and middle stages.â
In that four-man team, both Little Xu and Big Ice Block revolved around him.
Chu Huaixu, who considered himself the head of the household, although different in personality from Qin Xuanxiao, suddenly felt they were somewhat alike.
âThen, as a royal from the Moon Country, does he know my hidden identity?â Chu Huaixu thought, eyes narrowing.
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The next day, the highly anticipated Championâs Duel between the Eastern and Western Continents commenced in the Martial Arena.
Xiang Yan, Jiang Zhi, and others were all seated on the elevated platform, and even Situ Cheng and his group hadnât leftâthey remained at the Dao Gate, waiting for this day.
Today, the final candidate to enter the first layer of the ăOrigin Spirit Realmă would be decided.
This yearâs circumstances were unusualâthe interior was especially dangerous.
But in previous years, this match was effectively the declaration of who would claim the ăFragment of Xuanhuang Origină!
Even Jiang Zhi, who normally couldnât stand Chu Huaixu, must have been rooting for him deep down today.
He had come today just to see how this kid would handle the Champion of the Western Continent.
Chu Huaixu, as the Eastern Continent Champion, made his appearance on home turf, welcomed by a sea of admirersâutterly grand.
Across from him, the Heir of Prince Rui was facing such a scene for the first time.
As a prince of royal blood, there were hardly any followers by his side, while the other was surrounded by a crowd.
He felt slightly out of placeâas if the roles from his usual stage had suddenly reversed.
What made it even more interesting was that the one opposite him was a royal deathsworn, a hound of the courtâwhile he was the true imperial scion!
Moreover, these two young men, meeting for the first time, both showed a trace of surprise in their eyes.
Because the Heir of Prince Rui, Qin Xuanxiao, was also wearing black robesârobes embroidered with golden thread.
They were, surprisingly, dressed nearly the same.
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