Chapter 35: The Genius Tournament
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“Wherever my armies advance shall become Han territory. The Wei kingdom’s destiny is exhausted; this is the perfect opportunity for me to expand my borders.”
Emperor Han, Cao Ying, dropped all pretense and laid his intentions bare: he meant to seize it by force.
Drawing the Son of Heaven Sword, he pointed it toward the sky. Space behind him was torn apart, and countless terracotta warriors, weapons in hand, plunged from the heavens like an avalanche of soldiers.
The ministers and soldiers, possessing no cultivation whatsoever, were so terrified by the sight that they collapsed to the ground. A few ministers even felt a sudden warmth spread through their trousers.
The Left and Right Chancellors had never imagined that Emperor Han would directly unleash a national guardian artifact to crush and annihilate them.
The Crown Prince of Song and the cultivators standing atop the Golden-Winged Roc merely watched the spectacle, showing no intention of intervening.
“Chancellor Ji, which do you think is stronger—the Han Emperor’s Son of Heaven Sword or the Sage of Literature’s Bamboo Slips in my hands?”
Crown Prince Song’s question made Chancellor Ji’s aged face twitch.
“Your Highness, do not entertain such a dangerous thought. The national guardian artifact of every kingdom is tied to its destiny. For the Han Emperor to use his so openly means he is absolutely confident that he can swallow the Wei kingdom whole.”
“For now, we need only sit back and watch the tigers fight. It would be best if both kingdoms exhausted all their hidden reserves and summoned their sacrificial spirits.”
Crown Prince Song, Zhao Jie, suddenly turned his head suspiciously toward Chancellor Ji.
“Chancellor Ji, do you think Wei’s revered sacrificial spirit can still awaken? I heard that when it revealed its true form, the Master and a mysterious powerhouse struck it down by an entire realm and severed one of its shadow bodies.”
“Your Highness, you need only keep watching to have your doubts answered.”
More and more terracotta warriors appeared in the sky, relentlessly charging and slaughtering every living being on the ground without the slightest fear of death.
The sacrificial grounds had long since been dyed red with blood. Only a handful of core figures and cultivators remained within the arena.
“Right Chancellor, can your Bronze Bell hold them back for a while? I want to employ a forbidden technique.”
Hearing Zhao Yuan’s mad proposal, Zhang Cang hurriedly rejected it.
“Your method is far too ruthless. If you truly unleash it, will there be any living people left in Wei?”
“Then tell me what we should do!” Zhao Yuan roared, frantic with desperation.
“We can issue a national-destiny challenge.”
“Very well. We shall do as you say.”
“King Yan, swear an oath to Heaven and challenge the kingdoms of Han and Song to a war of national destiny.”
Ji Huai, who was surrounded and protected by numerous cultivators, immediately raised his head and swore to Heaven.
“I, the new sovereign of Wei, swear before Heaven that I challenge the kingdoms of Song and Han to a war of national destiny.”
He waited for a long while, but nothing happened.
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“This is bad. The King of Yan cannot yet be considered an emperor. He is neither the rightful heir nor in possession of a national guardian artifact. What are we to do?”
Just as Zhao Yuan and Zhang Cang were at a loss, an aged figure within a courtyard summoned the last scrap of strength in his body. Protected by three palace attendants, he initiated the war of national destiny.
The moment the words left his lips, Emperor Wei, Ji Jingshuo, breathed his last.
At that instant, a pair of enormous eyes appeared in the sky, as though bearing witness to the proceedings. An ancient voice resounded throughout Heaven and Earth.
“Granted.”
“Damn that old bastard! How dare he ruin my plans!”
Emperor Han’s expression darkened. He slowly lowered his arm, and the terracotta warriors that had emerged from the ruptured space behind him all turned to dust and vanished into nothingness.
The Crown Prince of Song, standing atop the Golden-Winged Roc, was not pleased either.
Zhao Jie ordered the Golden-Winged Roc to approach the flying vessel of Emperor Han so that he could speak with him.
“This junior, Zhao Jie, pays his respects to Emperor Wu of Han.”
The Crown Prince of Song bowed with great courtesy.
“You little brat. Wasn’t watching from a distance enough? Why meddle in this for no reason?”
Emperor Han, Cao Ying, looked at Zhao Jie impatiently.
Zhao Jie replied with an aggrieved expression, “I beg Your Majesty to understand. We merely came to watch the spectacle. Who could have expected such a turn of events?”
“Stop putting on an act in front of me. Our two kingdoms will cooperate to destroy Wei first. Afterward, your people may surrender and withdraw.”
Emperor Han declared the terms of their cooperation without leaving room for dispute.
Hearing such an overbearing statement from Cao Ying, Zhao Jie did not dare contradict him.
“Our paths are different, so we cannot work together. Let each of us rely on our own abilities.”
With that, Crown Prince Song Zhao Jie ordered the Golden-Winged Roc to depart, widening the distance between itself and Emperor Han’s flying vessel.
On the ground, the surviving members of Wei waited in terror, scarcely daring to breathe as they awaited whatever was coming.
“Go and summon the finest descendants of your clans. And stop holding anything back. Ordinary civilians may be spared, but as ministers of Wei, you have nowhere to retreat. You can only fight to the death.”
The Right Chancellor’s icy voice spread through the area like an icicle driven mercilessly into their hearts.
“Yes, Chancellor!”
The surviving ministers hurriedly ordered their cultivators to return to their clans and request reinforcements.
A quarter of an hour later, the Wei sacrificial grounds were packed with cultivators.
Those who had come were the finest experts of every clan. Several families had even brought out ancient treasures:
a straw figure, an incense stick, and a tortoise shell.
“Clang! Clang! Clang!”
A golden ancient bell suddenly appeared in the sky and began to toll.
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“The war between nations has begun.”
An ancient voice rang out in the present age.
“Father, I shall go first.”
A youthful boy flew into the sky.
“That is Zhang Peng, the Right Chancellor of Wei’s son. I heard that he cultivates the Way of Yin and Yang and learned the Kunpeng techniques after visiting the Kunpeng Nest. He has already reached the Fourth Realm.”
Several young people of Wei’s generation recognized the proud youth at once.
“Which of you two kingdoms dares to fight me?”
Zhang Peng stood proudly beneath the heavens, gazing at the leaders of the two kingdoms.
Emperor Han could not help praising him.
“This boy is impressive. He suits my tastes perfectly. What a pity he cannot serve me.”
“War Bear, go tear him apart and break his spirit.”
Emperor Han gave the order.
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
A bald, broad-shouldered man built like an iron tower leaped from the deck of the flying vessel.
Boom!
The instant War Bear landed, the earth collapsed into a deep crater.
“Boy, you are very arrogant. I will stand here without moving. Do you dare attack me?”
War Bear issued his challenge.
At that moment, the Crown Prince of Song turned to a woman behind him and spoke gently.
“Azure Charm, do not fight recklessly. Your safety comes first.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
A barefoot woman dressed in gauzy robes stepped into the air, countless butterflies of every color fluttering around her.
Azure Charm held a lute in her arms. She plucked its strings twice with her fingertips, the corners of her lips curling into an enchanting smile.
“Gentlemen, you must show this humble girl some mercy.”
She plucked the lute twice more.
At once, War Bear and Zhang Peng grew dazed and their eyes turned hazy, desire blazing within their hearts.
Zhang Peng reacted faster than War Bear. He was the first to regain consciousness and slapped his own cheeks.
“Demoness, how dare you bewitch my mind? You truly are despicable!”
His aura suddenly surged. He unleashed his ultimate speed, creating countless afterimages that made it impossible to tell which was his true body and which were illusions.
“Two rats who know nothing but running away and using despicable tricks—how dare you look down on me!”
War Bear bent his legs, gathered his strength, and launched himself violently into the air.
A massive golden axe materialized in his hands.
He brought it crashing down in a single blow. A bottomless ravine split open in the earth, but the strongest cultivators soon repaired and reinforced the ground with their supreme arts.
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