Chapter 343: Chapter 337: Provocation
"The strongest academy on the continent!"
"On the Extreme Martial Continent today, more than forty percent of all Martial Venerables graduated from Holy Tomb Mountain, and that includes no small number of Saint-level Great Powers!"
"In terms of both martial strength and influence, it stands completely above the Four Great Dynasties!"
Di Cang’s words were powerful and resonant. They carried a faint, majestic air that instinctively led everyone to classify Holy Tomb Mountain among the continent’s peak powers.
His speech left the crowd looking at each other in shock. But on second thought, it made sense. The title of "the strongest academy on the continent" alone implied that Holy Tomb Mountain must have a resounding reputation across the land. They simply hadn’t heard of it due to their limited experience.
’Mind-bogglingly impressive!’
Qing Lei took a deep breath to calm his racing heart. In his eyes, the Four Great Dynasties were already the pinnacle of existence. He had never imagined that something like Holy Tomb Mountain stood even above them.
"I’m sure there are many, many Empires that don’t know of Holy Tomb Mountain’s existence. Ultimately, it’s because they simply aren’t qualified to know such information... and neither were we."
Mu Bingling spoke slowly, a flicker of determination in her beautiful eyes. "If we aren’t qualified, then let’s earn our qualification..."
A glint flashed in Di Cang’s eyes. ’This girl seems to have even higher goals,’ he thought to himself. ’But do circumstances truly permit it?’
As the group advanced at a steady pace, the Peak of the Holy Mark was now just ahead. Stepping onto the final stair, they were greeted by the sight of an unprecedentedly vast, flat plateau.
To their surprise, the so-called peak looked as if it had been sliced clean off by a sword—it was perfectly flat and smooth, without a single rough edge. Thanks to continuous enhancements and decorations by the Sacas Dynasty, the area had been transformed into a massive, open-air tournament plaza. Countless arenas of varying sizes rose from the ground, their peripheries carved with bizarre and fantastical Magical Beast patterns. This added an air of grim, martial slaughter to the otherwise scenic mountain vista, causing one’s fighting spirit to involuntarily ignite!
"It doesn’t look like there are any spectator seats here."
Mo Qing glanced around and was puzzled to find not a single seat for spectators. The others seemed to have noticed this as well, their eyes filled with the same confusion.
Di Cang smiled faintly and tilted his head up. "Look over there."
"Over there?"
At his words, the five of them looked up in unison. The sight was truly staggering. Hundreds of feet in the air, countless pale golden chairs formed from Primordial Power hovered in place. Those seats were already seventy percent full. The occupants chatted and joked with those beside them, some occasionally glancing down below. Their expressions varied, but they all shared a sense of anticipation.
"Void Seats."
Di Cang said calmly. After nodding to the group, he pushed off the ground and rose slowly into the air. Within a few breaths, he had reached an empty seat. Next to this pale golden seat were six other empty ones. Clearly, these were for the participating students. Seeing Di Cang leap up, the five exchanged a look and jumped up to follow him...
"Dean Di Cang, you’re a little late."
The moment they arrived, they heard a familiar voice. Who else could it be but Qin Garden of the Holy Hall? She was currently sitting in the row of seats behind Di Cang. Strictly speaking, both rows were designated for the Xuanling Empire.
"Ah, we were held up on the way. As long as we’re not late, it’s fine." Di Cang replied with a faint smile, looking at the five students who had just landed.
The view was certainly different from up here. After settling into their seats, the group didn’t spare the Holy Hall Squad more than a glance. Instead, they sized up the students from the other competing Empires. There were many who looked arrogant or nervous. In contrast, Qing Lei and his companions all appeared calm and composed.
"There don’t seem to be that many people," Ye Shuangshuang remarked, looking at the scattered empty seats around them.
Di Cang nodded. "This is a good turnout, actually. Outsiders aren’t allowed to watch the Empire Competition. Aside from the bigwigs from Holy Tomb Mountain and the judges from the Four Great Dynasties, everyone else here is a participant. This is a battle between the elites of the Empires."
’So that’s how it is!’ The group realized. But just then, a very jarring, contemptuous voice came from Di Cang’s side.
"Aha? Who do we have here? You look awfully familiar."
Di Cang’s expression darkened. He stroked his beard but didn’t respond. Instead, Mu Bingling and the others all turned to look at the source of the voice. Their eyes fell upon a skinny old man with his hands clasped behind his back. He had small eyes, a slightly flat forehead, but a very prominent, upturned chin, making his entire face look as jarringly disproportionate as an inverted ladle. As if that weren’t enough, what was even harder to look at was an exaggerated blue mark on the man’s left cheek. At first glance, it looked just like a footprint, and it was bizarre no matter how you looked at it.
’Hideous!’
This was the group’s unanimous mental critique of the old man’s face.
"Oh? Unwilling to acknowledge this old man? Are you suggesting our Red Sun Empire isn’t worthy of your attention?"
Seeing Di Cang remain silent, the ugly old man launched directly into grating taunts. Qing Lei and the others were secretly furious, but since Dean Di Cang hadn’t said anything, they couldn’t lash out. They could only glare at him in anger.
Suddenly, six arrogant-looking students appeared beside the old man. A short-haired young man who seemed to be their captain stepped forward. Facing the group’s angry glares, he sneered contemptuously, "Just a Low-level Lower Empire. I really don’t know how you have the face to be so arrogant. With guys like you in the Flame Dragon Empire, it’d be hard *not* to come in last. Oh, that’s right. I heard the Xuanling Empire’s ranking has been steadily dropping every year. Your best was around 800th, then it was the 900s, then over 1000, and now you’re past 1200th. Haha, are you planning to steal the spot from some other tiny speck of a country and secure dead last on the continent this year?!"
"Brother Qin Shou~ Let’s not talk to people from this last-place Empire. We might catch their failure~"
The one who chimed in was a flamboyant woman next to the short-haired man. She was called "flamboyant" only because of her heavy, gaudy makeup. As for her actual looks... hehe, she truly showed signs of surpassing the ugliness of that old man. Moreover, her deliberately coquettish, whiny voice was enough to make one feel nauseous.
These few sentences made all the students from the Xuanling Empire burn with a desire to retaliate, with the Holy Hall students having the most intense reaction.
"Fuck!"
One Holy Hall Squad stood up in unison, ready to fight on the spot.
"What do you all think you’re doing?"
Suddenly, a voice that was both bone-chillingly cold and exceptionally pleasant to hear came from beside Di Cang. Tinged by this icy tone, the agitated Holy Hall Students paused and gradually calmed down.
Of course, it wasn’t just the Holy Hall Students who heard this voice. The group from the Red Sun Empire who had been taunting them heard it as well. The pleasing sound gave Qin Shou’s spirit a jolt. He slowly turned his head, and a woman of ultimate beauty entered his vision. Who else could it be but Mu Bingling?
’A beauty that could topple nations!’
The phrase instantly surfaced in Qin Shou’s mind. His lecherous gaze roamed wantonly over Mu Bingling’s chest and waist, a frivolous smile playing on his lips. What he was thinking was self-evident.
"Hey beautiful, staring at our Brother Qin like that, you interested in him? Makes sense. A debonair man like Brother Qin is naturally loved by all. I bet there aren’t any men in your trash Empire who can satisfy you. How about you consider following our Brother Qin? He’s the son of our Empire’s Prince—the Emperor is his uncle. With just one word from him, you could immediately become a citizen of the Red Sun Empire and completely shed your lowly status from the Xuanling Empire. If you serve Brother Qin well, he might even make you a concubine. How about it?"
The one speaking was a fat man behind Qin Shou. He had a fawning expression on his face, and his words laid out Qin Shou’s status and position in excruciating detail. He was truly a master of flattery.
Mu Bingling didn’t say a word. After stopping the Holy Hall Students, she merely shot the other party a glance. She never expected them to spout such vulgar and disgusting words. It was impossible not to be furious, but she had her own principles and temperament. This was the tournament plaza. If they started a fight here and were reported, they would be the ones to be judged and punished. So, she could only endure.
’Chen’Er, where are you... I miss you so much...’
A mist formed in her eyes, carrying a trace of her grievance, but she had to be strong. She couldn’t let herself show weakness in front of anyone but him. Mo Qing, at her side, tightly gripped Mu Bingling’s delicate fingers. She could feel Mu Bingling’s current emotions, but they had to wait. They had to wait for the pillar of their hearts. As long as he came, they believed everything would be different...
"Qin Shou, is it? What a fitting name," Qing Lei said, suddenly standing up.
Hearing this, Qin Shou shot a sidelong glance at Qing Lei and said indifferently, "Are you talking to me? Oh, I’m not interested in men."
As he spoke, his gaze shifted back to Ye Shuangshuang, Mo Qing, and Mu Bingling, lingering especially long on the latter two. He smirked lewdly. "Your Empire’s strength may be low-class, but you’ve got quite a few beauties. If you can persuade those three lovely ladies over there to follow me, I might be happy enough to take you with me out of the Xuanling Empire. Isn’t that a tempting offer?"
"Heh... so tempting."
Qing Lei was so furious he began to laugh. He shook his head and looked at Qin Shou with pity, as if looking at a dead man. "You animal. You’d better watch yourself. I’ll remember what you said just now. I’ll see you in the arena. And by the way, your parents really know how to pick a name."
"Heh..." Qin Shou laughed with contempt, completely ignoring Qing Lei’s threat and mockery. In his eyes, Martial Artists from the Xuanling Empire weren’t worthy of his attention. "Ladies, you’d better think it over. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If I change my mind later, you’ll be branded as trash for the rest of your lives."
With that, his group turned to leave. Only the flamboyant woman gave Qing Lei a coquettish smile and a wink. "Don’t you worry, handsome. If you can serve me, I could also take you back to the Red Sun Empire."
Qing Lei glanced at the woman out of the corner of his eye and spat out a single, cold word.
"Scram!"
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