Chapter 140: Choosing Battle Platforms
Li Futian tried not to laugh when he saw Jiang Yue’s reaction, but Xuan Ke wasn’t so polite. He laughed out loud, and the mood between the four lightened.
"No matter what happens, keeping your life is the most important." Li Futian insisted.
"Don’t worry. I will immediately surrender and jump out of the battle platform if I can’t defeat the opponent." Xuan Ke said proudly.
"Why are you so proud about being unable to beat an opponent?" Jiang Yue sneered.
"What do you know? Can a dead body meet any beauties?"
Although Xuan Ke was powerful and arrogant, he didn’t have any psychological resistance to surrendering when he couldn’t defeat an enemy.
In his mind, it was always better to keep his life than to needlessly persist to save face.
"It’s good you have figured it out." Li Futian nodded in approval.
After that, the four turned their eyes to their opponents.
Although there were hundreds of possible opponents, it was easy to estimate their strengths by the qi presence.
"Zhu Bing seems to have chosen his battle platform." Jiang Yue suddenly said.
When they first arrived, the cultivators from the Great Zhu empire gathered a little further from everyone else.
However, as time passed, they moved and positioned themselves in front of a battle platform.
"Others are also making their move," said Yu Nianzhen.
The eighteen battle platforms were arranged in a straight line with a distance of five metres between adjacent battle platforms.
At the moment, several cultivators had already moved to stand close to the platforms. No doubt preparing to occupy the battle platform as soon as the battle started.
"We should also make our choices." Li Futian said.
The others looked around and took in the situation.
Young emperor Zhu Bing was standing in front of the ninth battle platform from the right.
He was surrounded by cultivators from the Great Zhu empire, and no others dared to stand beside him.
However, there were several black-robed cultivators on either side and across the battle platform.
Although the number of challengers was small compared to other platforms, their presence showed that the young emperor wasn’t so powerful that others didn’t dare to challenge him.
"Who is so brave?" Xuan Ke couldn’t help but wonder.
"They are no match." Yu Nianzhen said.
From comparing Zhu Bing’s qi presence to those of the black-masked cultivators, he could tell they were no match.
If those cultivators truly dared to challenge the young emperor, they would be crushed without any suspense.
However, he didn’t care about any of this.
"I will target the first battle platform from the left." He said.
"I will take the second from the left." Said Jiang Yue, and Xuan Ke rolled his eyes.
’Who would dare to fight for the second after brother Yu targeted the first?’ He thought.
"Then I will target the third, while brother Li targets the fourth."
After that, the four people began to walk towards the general direction of their chosen battle platforms.
As they walked, they examined the opponents who had already gathered around their platforms and began to plan for the upcoming battles.
"Brother Yu, change with me." Xuan Ke suddenly said.
"Why?"
Yu Nianzhen had chosen his battle platform randomly, but since he had chosen, he was a little reluctant to change.
"Look at the people gathered on the third battle platform."
Yu Nianzhen did so, and a silver light flashed in his eyes a moment later.
"What do you say? I am your best brother, aren’t I?" Xuan Ke asked for praise, but Yu Nianzhen wasn’t listening.
All his attention was placed on one of the opponents on the third battle platform.
"Brother Ke has done well." Jiang Yue praised and chuckled.
From the qi presence of the opponents surrounding the third platform, Jiang Yue could make out several swordsmen.
He didn’t know if this outcome was intentional, but he knew that among them, Yu Nianzhen was the most suitable for that platform.
It was especially so because Jiang Yue could make out a sharp sword presence that was incomparably stronger than the rest.
’A swordsman from the Sword sect?’ He wondered and was almost certain.
’Nianzhen will most likely improve again after fighting the person.’
When he thought this, Jiang Yue was dejected and immediately wanted to take out his bad mood on someone.
He snaked his hand to the other’s waist and twisted the soft skin.
Yu Nianzhen, who was mercilessly pinched, turned to look at Jiang Yue and seemed to understand the situation. His eyes softened, but he could only sigh in helplessness as his waist was molested.
’What can I do? XiaoYue is like this...’
"This is a good opportunity." Jiang Yue said after he had pinched enough.
"Mmm." Yu Nianzhen agreed.
It wouldn’t be the first time he fought a sword wielder, but it would be the first time he fought a swordsman who understood sword intent.
This opportunity to learn from each other was something he wanted to cherish.
"What about your opponents? What do you feel about them?" He asked.
Jiang Yue studied the cultivators surrounding the second platform and frowned a little.
All the cultivators that wanted to occupy platforms at the beginning of the battle were powerful.
Getting ahead of them was incredibly difficult, and he didn’t dare to underestimate them.
"It won’t be easy." He answered.
Yu Nianzhen also studied Jiang Yue’s opponents and understood.
"Don’t take reckless risks." He warned.
"I know it."
However, Li Futian was the most difficult.
"...or brother Li will choose another platform." Xuan Ke suggested.
In front of the fourth platform, two young ladies were already standing several metres from each other.
One of the women was Meng Zihua, and the other was Shen Ru.
They looked ready to go, and Xuan Ke worried that Li Futian couldn’t occupy the platform even if he wanted to.
"Do they have a conflict?" Jiang Yue asked.
In this situation, it didn’t make sense that Shen Ru and Meng Zihua had chosen to face each other.
"I have not heard of any conflicts. However, female cultivators are often compared to each other. They are very competitive." Li Futian informed and frowned.
"The battle should be interesting enough."
Jiang Yue still remembered when Meng Zihua fought the young leader of the Death Flower Ascension Front.
At that time, her purple flower gave her the upper hand, and he couldn’t help but wonder how it would compare to Shen Ru’s violence.
"Who do you think will win?" He asked.
"No doubt Shen Ru will win." Xuan Ke said with absolute confidence.
"Their qi presence is about the same." Yu Nianzhen said.
A similar qi presence meant their cultivation realm was the same and the quality of qi cultivated was about the same.
Although the personality of their qi was different, their power was almost the same.
"I agree. Their fight should come down to martial arts." Li Futian added.
"Shen Ru practices one of the divine fists of her Divine Fist sect. She should have some accomplishments in that."
"Meng Zihua’s purple flower is no joke." Jiang Yue said.
After saying that much, they couldn’t come to a conclusion, and they turned to Li Futian.
"Brother Li, can you defeat them?" Xuan Ke inquired.
"It’s not easy." He said.
At this time, the sun finally rose above their heads, and a loud gong resounded in the valley.
Everyone turned to look at where the sound came from and saw a group of people.
"The rules are simple." One of the persons said.
Although he spoke normally, his voice echoed around the valley, and everyone could hear it.
"Only two people can enter a platform at any given time. After the fight, the winner will remain to accept more challenges while the loser will leave the platform."
"The loser can challenge other opponents, but they cannot challenge the same opponent within twenty-four hours of losing."
"As for the winners, they can rest for an incense stick after each fight before accepting the next challenge."
"On the evening of the thirtieth day, those occupying the battle platforms will be declared winners."
After saying that, the announcer paused for a moment before he continued.
"The two halves of the map will be placed there." The person pointed at a small altar that was surrounded by formations.
"If ten or more of the eighteen winners are from the Death Flower Ascension Front, the map belonging to the BlueStar Treasure pavilion will be given to the Front. If ten or more belong to the orthodox, the map belonging to the Front will be given to the orthodox."
"If the orthodox side is the winner, the half of the map belonging to the BlueStar Treasure pavilion will revert to the pavilion. After the map is completed, a copy of the complete map will be given to the winners. Also, the new half from the Front will be divided into equal parts and given to the winners."
These were the conditions agreed upon after various discussions, and no one objected when the speaker announced them.
