Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Dragon Vein Trial
On the summit of Desolate Mountain.
"Shen? Shen?"
Shen Daoxing and the others were thoroughly enjoying their meal.
Suddenly, the voice of the Ninth Princess, Gu Yawei, drifted up from the base of the mountain.
Everyone jumped in fright, hastily swallowing the meat in their mouths. They quickly packed away the large pot, looking as guilty as thieves with something to hide.
After all, news of them secretly eating someone’s mount wouldn’t reflect well on the Sword Institute’s reputation.
Before long, the Ninth Princess arrived at the summit.
"Your Highness."
The group stepped forward and cupped their fists in a salute.
The Ninth Princess returned the gesture to them as well.
"Ninth Princess, what brings you here?"
Shen Daoxing asked.
"Today, I come at the behest of my eldest and seventh brothers. There was a misunderstanding between you and them at the Celestial Joy Tower. They’ve sent me to invite you to a gathering there, where they wish to apologize to you in person,"
the Ninth Princess said slowly.
’The Eldest Prince? The Seventh Prince? Celestial Joy Tower?’
Shen Daoxing was taken aback for a moment before he recalled the incident at the Celestial Joy Tower shortly after he’d first arrived in the imperial city.
If the Ninth Princess hadn’t reminded him today, he would have already forgotten all about it.
Shen Daoxing nodded and accepted.
After the battle on Celestial City Mountain, the Emperor of the Martial Kingdom had clearly taken their side.
Now that the Eldest and Seventh Princes were extending an olive branch, he naturally had no reason to refuse.
Afterward, Shen Daoxing and the Ninth Princess descended Desolate Mountain together.
When they reached the base, he noticed the figures of several Celestial City Academy disciples lurking about.
Evidently, Celestial City Academy wasn’t going to let things go so easily and was still monitoring their every move.
However, after Shen Daoxing had displayed his terrifying power on Celestial City Mountain, there was no longer a large crowd of Celestial City Disciples surrounding him, demanding a duel to the death, as there had been when he first joined the Sword Institute.
Shen Daoxing took a heavy step forward, and the few Celestial City Academy disciples at the side were so frightened they scrambled to hide.
It was a stark contrast to their previous arrogance.
Shen Daoxing shook his head in disappointment and followed the Ninth Princess toward the Celestial Joy Tower.
’He was actually hoping some fool who didn’t know any better would jump out and challenge him to a life-and-death duel. It would be a good chance to see how much his strength had progressed these past few days.’
Today, the streets of the imperial city seemed even more crowded and lively than usual. Every so often, people would glance toward the city gate.
Shen Daoxing was a little puzzled.
"The Second Prince is back! The Second Prince is back!"
Suddenly, a loud shout rang out.
Then, Shen Daoxing saw a handsome man with a dignified air, sharp eyebrows, and bright eyes emerge from the city gate, riding a tall warhorse.
Behind him, row after row of imposing Black Armored Warriors, radiating a thick killing intent, escorted the young man at the forefront into the imperial city.
"It’s my second brother, he’s back!"
the Ninth Princess exclaimed with delight. "My second brother is stationed year-round on the Martial Kingdom’s Northern Border, fighting against the Li Kingdom. He has repeatedly stopped their Barbarian Iron Cavalry from invading the south and harassing our people, ensuring the peace of the entire Northern Border. You could say that without him, the Martial Kingdom wouldn’t be as stable as it is today."
A look of adoration appeared on the Ninth Princess’s small face. Usually a girl of few words, she suddenly became quite talkative.
Her admiration for the Second Prince was clear to see.
As soon as the Second Prince entered the imperial city, he was met with a warm welcome from the citizens. Among all the Princes, he had the most support to become Crown Prince and was the most favored by the court officials.
"Since the Second Prince is tasked with guarding the Martial Kingdom’s Northern Border, why has he returned to the imperial city today?"
Shen Daoxing asked curiously.
"Because our Martial Kingdom’s Dragon Vein is about to open soon. Every young disciple of the Royal Family can participate in the Dragon Vein Trial,"
the Ninth Princess explained.
"The Dragon Vein?" Shen Daoxing repeated.
The Ninth Princess nodded. "The Dragon Vein is the very foundation upon which the Martial Kingdom was built, the source of our national destiny. For every generation of Royal Family disciples, only by passing the Dragon Vein’s trial can they awaken the power within their bloodline. The person who earns the Dragon Vein’s acknowledgment and obtains Dragon Vein Power will be the next emperor of our Martial Kingdom."
The Ninth Princess paused for a moment before continuing, "At the same time, when a member of the Royal Family enters the trial, they can bring one outsider of the same generation to assist them. This is why every royal disciple is always trying to win over young geniuses at the Celestial Joy Tower."
"You’re going to enter as well, Ninth Princess?"
Shen Daoxing remembered how Gu Yawei had given him a bronze pearl when they first met at the Celestial Joy Tower.
The Ninth Princess lowered her head, biting her lip with a sorrowful expression.
"Because I don’t want to be a useless member of the Royal Family, like my fourth sister. She was sent to the Li Kingdom as a political bride for those Barbarians, treated as a pawn. Only by passing the Dragon Vein Trial can I truly awaken the power of my royal bloodline. Then I can go to the battlefield, and one day, I’ll be able to crush the Li Kingdom and rescue my sister."
As she spoke, the Ninth Princess looked up, her eyes filled with determination. "So I must pass this trial. Shen, you’ll help me, right?"
She gazed into Shen Daoxing’s eyes with utmost sincerity.
’He thought back to the battle on Celestial City Mountain. The Ninth Princess had done a great deal for him, genuinely treating him as a friend. Without her timely warning, Dean Lin would very likely have met a tragic end at the hands of Celestial City Academy.’
Shen Daoxing was a bit surprised. He hadn’t expected the Ninth Princess to have such lofty ambitions.
"I will."
Shen Daoxing looked into the Ninth Princess’s eyes, gave a faint smile, and said just those two words.
"Thank you, Shen!"
The Ninth Princess thanked him sincerely. Then she bit her lip and lowered her head, lost in thought.
While the two of them were talking, the Second Prince’s procession had fully entered the imperial city.
Shen Daoxing noticed another magnificently dressed young nobleman riding alongside the Second Prince. A faint, almost imperceptible smile played on his lips.
’He seems to be held in high regard by the Second Prince.’
At that moment, the Ninth Princess followed Shen Daoxing’s gaze and saw the man as well. She said with a hint of surprise:
"That’s Xia Junze! It’s said that he was training in some secret realm in the Celestial Awakening Kingdom. I didn’t expect him to be with my second brother."
Shen Daoxing was surprised and studied the man carefully.
’So this is Xia Junze? The most talented disciple of Celestial City Academy? Someone who made it onto the Martial Arts Ranking? His strength has long since surpassed that of the stewards and teachers at the academy. If nothing unexpected happens, he’s the undisputed successor to the deanship.’
Shen Daoxing couldn’t help but take another look, memorizing the face of the man he was fated to fight in a duel to the death.
The Second Prince’s procession continued forward.
Among the Black Armored Warriors farther back, there was unexpectedly a prisoner cart. Inside sat a disheveled prisoner with a vicious gaze. One look was enough to tell he was not to be trifled with.
"It’s the Li Kingdom’s ’Tiger General,’ Wang Ben! They say he’s incredibly cruel and bloodthirsty. Every time he invaded a part of our Martial Kingdom, he would burn, kill, and plunder with extreme brutality. Countless people from our kingdom have died at his hands! He’s a master at the Eighth Layer of the Grotto Heaven realm. I can’t believe the Second Prince captured him! This is fantastic!"
Someone in the crowd recognized the prisoner, and the people around them immediately erupted in cheers. To vent their anger, they continuously threw things at the prisoner.
The prisoner in the cart looked ferocious and malevolent, yet his temper seemed surprisingly good. No matter what the surrounding commoners threw at him, he didn’t react at all, showing no sign of anger.
Comments