Chapter 334: Fixed Price!
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The Seventh Princess was surprised, her mouth slightly agape. Xu Que, who had been scolding people since the moment he had first opened his mouth, had now unexpectedly made a comment praising her for her beautiful voice!
Buttface was not satisfied and howled at Xu Que, "this deity's voice is also silvery and crisp, yet you chase me around and want to kill me! This is gender discrimination!"
"Bullsh*t, you sound like a duck! And you've got cheek to claim that your voice is silvery and crisp! For goodness' sake, your voice is like the sound of barbell dropping onto the ground!"
Xu Que glared at Buttface.
"Owww, shameless!" Buttface immediately howled in frustration.
Xu Que couldn't be bothered with him. He looked at the Seventh Princess and instantly become gentlemanly. With a light smile, he said, "my beautiful princess, how about I treat you to some spicy hot pot? The type that costs six dollars!"
"Oh? Spicy hot pot… what is that?" The Seventh Princess was puzzled.
"It's a magical dish. After eating it, you will be wanting to come back for more at least thirteen times in one night!" Xu Que said with a graceful bearing.
The Seventh Princess was bewildered. She could not understand at all!
Buttface sprang out again when he heard the phrase 'spicy hot pot'. He felt that it must be the most delicious dish in the whole world. He immediately shouted, "spicy hot pot! Boy, this deity wants to eat spicy hot pot!"
"This is none of your business, so go away! Can't you see that this Act Tough King is talking to a girl?"
Xu Que's expression was full of displeasure. Are you kidding me? he thought. This Act Tough King isn't going to ask a dog out. Why would I treat you to spicy hot pot?
The Seventh Princess chuckled and her eyes flashed slightly. She felt that the young man and the dog were rather interesting.
However, she wanted to know more information in order to determine the background of Xu Que, so she did not leave the place. "Young Master Xu Que has superb culinary skills!" the princess said with a smiled. "Does Young Master Xu Que have some spare time to go to a teahouse to talk for a while?"
"Oh? Young lady, you're actually a straightforward and emotionally honest person. But unfortunately, I'm a gentleman and I don't like to rush. I hope that you won't be too anxious! Love is something that needs to be nurtured. As the saying goes, reluctance will never produce the desired results… however, since you have invited me, it will be disrespectful to decline. I just need to finish selling the stinky tofu first. It's a small business and integrity is very important!"
Xu Que made a gesture of respect by cupping one hand in the other before his chest.
His choice of words may have appeared elegant on the surface, but they somehow didn't feel right!
What 'gentleman'? 'Don't like to rush'? And 'won't be too anxious'?!
And 'disrespectful to decline'? All these over-the-top, flirtatious phrases… could there be a more shameless man in this world?
The crowd was appalled and shocked after thinking through what Xu Que had said!
This… this boy is too shameless. He is daring to flirt with the Seventh Princess!
This is totally outrageous!
These kinds of words are usually heard in the brothels. How dare he utter such words in such a situation?
Who do you take the Seventh Princess for?
...
The Seventh Princess was taken aback. She had been totally caught off guard as Xu Que was not behaving the way a gentleman should by saying such indecent things!
Several princes were furious upon hearing his words. They couldn't control their anger and shouted fiercely, "atrocious!"
"You're too daring, how dare you make such impertinent remarks to my sister!"
"Hurry up and kneel down to ask for forgiveness!"
The Second Prince also stood up for his sister and commanded in an icy tone, "men! Arrest this pompous scoundrel!"
The guards immediately swarmed towards Xu Que!
"Good job! Hurry up and take this away boy!" Buttface commented happily as he nearly jumped for joy!
"Wait a moment!"
Xu Que raised one arm and said seriously, "are you trying to create trouble? And you, Second Fatty, how many times have you yelled at your guards to arrest me? You can't afford to lose, right? Or are you actually jealous because I'm too good-looking and too cool?"
The Second Prince's mouth twitched. "You humiliated my sister. This is an offence punishable by death!"
"Damn, don't accuse me of ridiculous things. When did I humiliate your sister?"
Xu Que was immediately unhappy. He turned to the Seventh Princess and put on a charming smile. "My beautiful princess, may I ask you if I humiliated you earlier? Ah, don't rush to talk. Look, you must be hungry, come, eat something first!"
As he spoke, Xu Que prepared a bowl of stinky tofu and turned to the Seventh Princess.
At that moment, nobody noticed that Buttface had sneakily gone up to the oil pot, pulled out a bag and poured its contents into the oil pot.
As one looked carefully, the contents were similar in shape to sausages, but they were dark-colored and floated in the pot. And they really did look like sh*t!
...
Fortunately, the bowl of stinky tofu that Xu Que was now holding had not been contaminated. He picked up a piece of tofu with chopsticks and offered it to the Seventh Princess.
Perhaps because he was really good-looking, or perhaps because of the added charisma points, but he appeared extra charming in that moment.
The Seventh Princess exhibited no signs of anger. Not only that, but when she looked at Xu Que's gentle and charming smile, her heartbeat accelerated slightly, and she felt somewhat nervous!
"Come, be good, open your mouth first. Yes, that's right. Then gently put it in!"
As she was in a daze, she opened her small mouth and listened to Xu Que.
She could not understand why, but at that moment, she sensed so much sincerity from Xu Que that she was unable to reject him. What was the reason for this?
The Seventh Princess herself had met many of the five nations' talents. Even in the Imperial City of Metal Nation, there was a man who was reputed to be the most beautiful man of the five nations.
However, even in the face of that famous, beautiful and charming man, the Seventh Princess had never felt as mesmerized as she felt now. Facing Xu Que, who was such a shameless person, why was she unable to keep her heart from fluttering?
Xu Que had held the smelly sh*t to her face, yet she had obediently opened up her mouth…
When the slightly smooth and rather hot stinky tofu touched her lips, the Seventh Princess felt that she must have gone crazy or been possessed by an evil spirit.
But in the next moment when she bit down on the tofu, the fresh and tender juices filled her mouth—and she was dumbfounded.
Why did this foul-smelling thing have such a unique taste?
Foul-smelling?
No!
It's wonderful!
It smells good, too delicious!
Wait… what is this?
Tofu?
No, since when was this tofu so fragrant and flavorful?
The taste and flavor, it's simply amazing! To think that such a delicious thing actually exists in the world!
Boom!
Suddenly, the Seventh Princess's shivered. Her Soul Strength had increased slightly.
Although the difference was only small, she could clearly feel the change in her Soul Strength. She stared at Xu Que with big eyes, wearing a look of amazement.
Xu Que laughed cheekily. "How is it? It's delicious, right?"
"Mm!" The Seventh Princess nodded.
Xu Que continued to laugh. "Your Soul Strength has improved quite a bit, right?"
"Mm!"
"Do you want some more?"
"Yes!"
"Thank you. 10,000 taels a bowl, fixed price!"
...
Chapter 335: A Condition Is a Condition
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
One bowl for 10,000 taels?
Everyone nearly fainted upon hearing Xu Que's words.
It had been 1,000 taels earlier on, but now he had increased it tenfold to 10,000 a bowl?
Damn it, if this is the case, how can you still have the cheek to talk about business ethics?
One must be cursed if they believe you!
But then again… what's up with the Seventh Princess?
Why does she look so blown away? Is this thing really that delicious?
…
Seventh Princess stood rooted on the spot as she looked at Xu Que, unable to react.
What is wrong with this person?
Didn't he say that if it was good, I could have it for free and eat as much as I wanted?
But after taking just one bite, it has become 10,000 taels for one bowl?
"Master Xu…Xu Que, what is this for?"
Seventh Princess was a little flustered and confusion was written all over her face.
Xu Que laughed. "Look at your scared expression. I was just joking with you! As I said, one is one and two is two. Honesty is the most important thing. Come, come, come, the whole bowl is for you!"
With that, he gave the Seventh Princess the entire bowl of stinky tofu.
Mostly, he was still thinking of how he could teach the Second Prince a lesson. He couldn't be bothered with earning taels.
The Second Prince was shocked too. He couldn't understand what secrets this black-looking sh*t held. Why had the Seventh Princess worn such a euphoric expression after eating it? Could it really be that delicious?
"Seventh Sister, are you sure this is delicious?" the Second Prince asked as he looked at the Seventh Princess.
She nodded her head with a bitter laugh. "Second Brother, this is amazing… after eating it, it seems like my Soul Strength has increased!"
With that, all the princes' expressions changed!
Increasing Soul Strength!
No wonder the Eighth Elder had regarded this with so much respect. It was a precious concoction!
All of them finally understood as they looked at the pot of stinky tofu again, a passionate expression in their eyes.
"Second Fatty, what's up now? Now that your sister has tried it for herself, do you still not admit defeat? Are you trying to go back on your word? Can you really be that shameless?" Xu Que said smugly as he looked at the Second Prince.
The prince's face muscles twitched as he opened his mouth and said, "since when did I say I wanted to go back—"
Before he could finish, Xu Que interrupted him. "One must be honest! Look at how I used my words earlier on. I didn't take a single cent from your sister and even offered her a bowl of delicacies worth 10,000 taels for free. Are you not ashamed in the face of my gratitude?"
The Second Prince rolled his eyes. He had had no intention of going back on his words. "I…"
Xu Que interrupted him again, shaking his head. "Stop finding excuses. You've already lost this bet, if you're a man then admit defeat! Don't be wishy-washy!"
"I…"
"Just announce if you have lost! Yes or no, yes or no?"
"Yes…"
"Yes what? Look at your reluctant face, you obviously do not accept the outcome. That won't do. If you do not speak with honesty, how will you be Emperor in future?"
Second Prince was shocked, his face filled with disbelief.
He had had no intention of going back on his words at all, especially in front of so many commoners. He wanted to establish an image of someone who would fit the Crown Prince position, someone who would act according to their words and follow through with promises.
However, he had had no idea that before he could say anything, Xu Que would portray him as a dishonest person.
With Xu Que's words, the commoners thought that the prince really wanted to go back on his own words. The Second Prince could see for himself why they would think that way.
After a while, Second Prince finally got a grip of himself and said angrily, "I have never said I am going to go back on my words, stop spouting rubbish!"
"Alright, alright, since you've realized your mistake and admitted defeat, it shows my words hadn't fallen on deaf ears. You need to take note in future, do not wait for others to remind you!" Xu Que nodded in sincerity, almost as if the Second Prince was a worthy student and he himself a gratified teacher.
The Second Prince almost spat out blood out as he stared angrily at Xu Que.
Before he could say anything, Xu Que cut in again. "Here, it is now time to discuss the residence you owe me!"
The Second Prince opened his eyes wide. "Since when do I owe you a residence?"
Xu Que blinked and said with a grin, "didn't you promise me something if you lost? My condition is a residence, 3,000 beautiful women and countless treasures, that is all!"
Vulgar, too vulgar!
All the princes wore of a look of contempt upon hearing that.
They had expected him to ask for some treasures for his cultivation—but they hadn't expected him to ask for a house, women and money.
As a cultivator, how could his mind be filled with such vulgar thoughts?
Of course, these were only the thoughts of the princes. For the commoners, Xu Que's request was perfectly reasonable.
A residence, many beautiful women and countless wealth… what difference was there between that and an Emperor? They were filled with envy!
Without anyone noticing, Buttface had taken over the oil pot and grabbed hold of a pair of huge chopsticks. As he fiddled with the oil pot, he said smugly, "brat, you are too shameless! Coming up with such terms, you have no foresight at all… you should have just asked him for the whole Metal Nation!"
Everyone's mouths twitched upon hearing Buttface's words. They looked at him in disgust, but no one was willing to criticize him.
Second Prince ignored Buttface's words as he stared coldly at Xu Que. "I promised you one condition," he said in a bantering voice, "but you have stated three conditions!"
"Oh, you're right, that is my mistake indeed. A condition is a condition. Allow me to rephrase!" Xu Que accepted his mistake modestly.
"Sure!" The Second Prince nodded.
Xu Que said, "then I want a residence that is filled with many beautiful women and countless riches!"
Everyone was silent.
What damn difference was there?
Hadn't he just combined a few sentences into one?
This works too? F*ck, brother you are good!
Everyone had assumed that Xu Que would change his condition or reduce it, but they hadn't expected him to be this smart!
Second Prince squinted and said with a cold laugh, "since you insist on such requests, then I can satisfy you for sure!"
To him, Xu Que's request wasn't too much. In fact, he could easily follow through with it.
Xu Que smiled and asked, "what if you can't?"
"I will definitely do it!" The Second Prince was incredibly confident.
"No, I don't really believe you unless you write a written agreement and promise that if you cannot do it, you will bequeath all your wealth to me!"
"Hehe, you really are a petty person. It is but a written agreement, I shall satisfy you!"
Second Prince gave another cold laugh as he looked at Xu Que with hatred in his eyes.
He then waved his hand and a man brought over some paper, pen and ink. He immediately wrote down the agreement.
…
Chapter 336: Buttface's 10,000-Year-Old Collection
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the Second Prince wrote an IOU on the spot for Xu Que.
The Second Prince needed to prepare a harem of 3,000 beauties and a mansion full of gold and silver. If he was unable to comply, all assets under him would have to be transferred to Xu Que as compensation.
Xu Que was very satisfied and accepted the IOU, grinning from ear to ear. "Do your best, Second Fatty!" he said emphatically. "I'll wait for the good news tomorrow!"
After that, he turned and walked away.
Since he had already finished acting tough, he had to leave in a cool manner so as to leave an unforgettable impression and draw the respect of others.
But when Xu Que turned to leave, he saw Buttface standing beside the pot of oil and working with the stinky tofu, similar to what Xu Que had been doing when cooking them. Butfface wore a smug look and seemed to be in a good mood!
"Buttface, what are you doing? You're going to steal food again, right?" Xu Que immediately furrowed his brows and walked over.
Buttface had a clear conscience this time and was now bold and confident. He was irritated by Xu Que's accusation and replied confidently, "this deity doesn't need to steal! I've a part in this thing too!"
"What do you mean?" Xu Que was startled and lowered his head to look at the pot. Immediately, his eyes stared hard at what was inside.
There were pieces of dark, sausage-shaped things floating in the pot. And after being fried, they had become black and hard. They were not stinky tofu at all. Moreover, they exuded a stinkier odor than before.
That sausage shaped thing was dark and long. Xu Que thought that maybe it had been freshly created.
Xu Que wanted to scream and swear. It looked like f*cking authentic dog poop!
Xu Que instantly stared at Buttface. "What the hell did you put inside?"
Buttface replied smugly, "this deity has put something inside that your original concoction cannot compare to! It is my treasured collection that has lasted at least 10,000 years. It has a strong smell and definitely tastes good! Anyway, this deity has decided that from now onwards, you have to give me 20 percent of the profits for every bowl you sell."
Xu Que's lips twitched. Buttface had really thought that Xu Que was making a pot of sh*t!
This f*cking stupid dog is really an idiot! he cussed in his head.
This is too sick! Buttface's 10,000-year-old poop is now inside the pot, no wonder the original smell has suddenly become more nauseating!
Looking at Buttface frying the poop with a complacent expression, Xu Que was tongue-tied for a moment as he was at a complete loss as to what to say.
"It's alright, it's alright, since you went to such lengths as to take out your 10,000-year-old collection, it would be too shameless of me to fight with you for the taels of silver," said Xu Que, waving his hand. "You can have them all. The money's all yours!"
"Yo, I didn't realise that you were actually quite a reasonable boy. Fine then, since you don't want a share in the profits, this deity won't force you."
Buttface was thrilled. He turned to the crowd and started selling his stinky poop. "Come, come, come, everybody come and take a look! Exploding Heavens Faction delicacy, 10,000 taels per bowl—an authentic, genuine and honest price for everyone!"
When the commoners heard that, their interest in the stinky tofu instantly diminished.
10,000 taels for a bowl? This dog is too evil!
The princes could not stay still now. So what if it was 10,000 taels a bowl for such an amazing thing? Even if it cost 100,000 taels, they would still buy it!
Although this thing was foul-smelling, they were convinced that this was a rare treasure. According to what the Seventh Princess had said and the strange behavior of the Elder from Sky Incense Valley, the stinky tofu tasted good and could increase their Soul Strength!
There were hardly any treasures that could increase Soul Strength now. Anything that could increase Soul Strength, even by a tiny bit, had an exorbitant price. It had reached a state where cultivators were willing to pay, but there was simply no supply.
Therefore, when they found out that the dish could increase their Soul Strength, even if it tasted like shit, they would not hesitate to eat it in big mouthfuls.
"This prince wants a bowl!"
"Give this prince a bowl too!"
"And this prince as well, one bowl!"
The princes walked over to Buttface. The Second Prince even rushed over to be the first in line.
...
Xu Que was trying very hard to suppress his laughter, so he looked as if he was smiling away. This was because he knew that Buttface would definitely be beaten up very soon!
Finally he managed to control his smile and walked over to the woman who was the stall owner. "Lady, the money's all yours. In future, you can take care of your child at home without worrying about money. There's going to be a fight here soon so you can stop doing business now, just hurry up and go back home!"
As the woman listened to him speak, she noticed a couple of gold ingots in her money bag. She was so frightened that she kept shaking her head to refuse Xu Que's offer.
Xu Que unveiled his captivating smile once again and said, "just take them, I still have the gold and silver that the Second Prince promised me. These few ingots of gold are nothing. Hurry and go now!"
"Thank… thank you, young master!" The woman suddenly looked shy and nodded lightly. Then, after a pause, she spoke softly, "young master, tonight… if you have time, you can come to the east of the city. At the end of the Vermillion Bird Street, the fourth house, you will find me!"
When she finished speaking, her face was flushed red. She carried her child and ran away. It was as if she was extremely shy and embarrassed!
In fact, she had never thought that she would be so bold as to say such a thing to a young man that she had just met. However, she had been unable to hold back the feelings that she felt in her heart. When she saw Xu Que's smiling face, she could not stop her heart from fluttering!
After her husband had passed away a few years ago, she had been all alone whilst caring for her son wholeheartedly.
In short, she was only a mortal, an ordinary woman. Since Xu Que had all the added charm effects switched on and had also treated her so nicely, how would she ever be able to resist him?
Xu Que was dumbfounded as well. Looking at the woman who had disappeared into the maze of streets, he could not help but touch his face and exclaim in his heart—wow, I'm actually so good-looking that my every gesture and movement can drive girls crazy. Even young married women throw themselves at me…
"So Young Master Xu is such a romantic, carefree and cool person!"
At this time, a crisp voice was heard—the Seventh Princess.
With a veil covering her face, she smiled and looked at Xu Que. Apparently, she had heard what the woman had said to Xu Que earlier!
"Seventh Princess, you've misunderstood," replied Xu Que in a righteous manner with a wave of his hand. "I've a pure heart and few desires. The mother and son looked pitiful, so I helped them out and harbor no other thoughts."
"Oh, so that's how it is… seems like I thought too much about it. Young Master Xu, I hope you are not offended!" The Seventh Princess smiled apologetically. She now had a better impression of Xu Que!
She was intelligent and could tell that the mother and son did not have an easy life. Xu Que had helped them by teaching the woman how to grill chicken wings. In future, that woman would be able to use her grilling skills to earn money herself!
'Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime'. She understood this saying very well.
"It's fine, I'm already used to it. After all, to love the world and love all beings is not an easy thing. I even composed a song on this: Love really needs courage to face all the gossips and lies, if you… eh, eh…" She coughed. "My apologies, I went out of tune!"
"Pfft!"
The Seventh Princess chuckled and looked at Xu Que with her beautiful eyes. "Young Master Xu seems to be a witty person," said the princess softly. "Why don't we go to a teahouse for a cup of tea and talk for a while?"
"Uh, drink tea? Forget it, I still have more important things to do, I don't really have time for tea!"
"Oh? What's the matter, Young Master Xu? Is there anything I can help with?"
"Come to think of it, I really do need your help. May I know how to get to the east of the city and reach the fourth house at the end of the Vermillion Bird Street?"
Chapter 337: Master is Smart!
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"Ah?"
The Seventh Princess was stunned and took a moment to react.
The fourth house at the end of Vermillion Bird Street?
Wasn't that the address of the lady and her son from earlier?
Come to think about it, that woman was quite pretty… if she left her address before leaving, she must have positive feelings towards Xu Que. She must be feeling grateful too.
But didn't this fellow just say that he wouldn't go?
Didn't he say that he wasn't that kind of person?
Why is he asking me this now, then?
I asked him to drink tea with me—but do I not compare to a common woman? Are all men really such hypocritical beasts?
The more the Seventh Princess thought about it, the angrier she got and the colder her expression became.
The Seventh Princess had stayed in the Palace for a long time and she hated people who were hypocritical and lustful. None of the princes that she had ever interacted with had ever caught her attention.
However, she had not expected Xu Que to be this kind of person either. She felt incredibly disappointed.
Xu Que said in a serious tone, "actually, I just realised that I had forgotten to give the cumin and the chili powder to the woman. Even though she has tens of thousands of silvers to survive on, life needs to be interesting. Whenever they want to eat a snack, they can barbeque some chicken wings to eat, you know?"
"Ah?"
The Seventh Princess was stunned again and didn't react in time. She couldn't follow Xu Que's ever-changing though process.
It seemed that he wasn't about to take advantage of the lady. Instead, he wanted to help her by giving her some ingredients for the chicken wings!
I have misunderstood him!
As she thought this, she couldn't help but blame herself.
"Why did you… ah, you look terrible, are you sick?"…" Xu Que asked in concern. "Do you need me to check your body? I am not exaggerating but my skills are not limited to making chicken wings and stinky tofu. I am also… a gynaecologist! Do you understand? They say a gynaecologist's precious hands are at the bottom…"
The Seventh Princess shook her head and said a little apologetically, "Master Xu, I… I am not sick. Earlier on… I misunderstood you. I am truly sorry! Master you are very upright and honourable, I have cast you in a poor light!"
"It's alright. As I said before, I have travelled around for several years to uphold justice, and I have long gotten used to misunderstandings! I am a genius! I will make use of others' misunderstandings to go further and reach the pinnacle of this world, enjoying the solitude at the top! Solitude!"
Xu Que waved his hand, his expression stoic as he suddenly looked up 45 degrees into the night sky. His gaze was filled with determination as he said sonorously, "however, all these desires cannot slow my pace. I will save this world, and I will get stronger. Because… even if I am hit by a thousand adversities, I will not be knocked down by them!"
Even if I am hit by a thousand adversities, I will not be knocked down by them!
With these two sentences of poetry, the Seventh Princess opened her mouth in shock. She was blown away.
These two sentences, they were astounding!
How much determination and vision must one have to create such poetry!
Who would have thought that under this quirky façade lay someone so mighty!
He wanted to save the world. He was not afraid of malicious rumours or misunderstandings—he was respectable!
"Master Xu… you are a genius indeed. This world is lucky to have someone like you!" Seventh Princess said sincerely, looking at Xu Que.
A vague image sprung into her mind of Xu Que standing upright and unwavering under the lashing of the wild winds, helping the commoners despite everything!
In that moment, feelings exploded within her heart. Her positivity towards him increased tremendously.
After all, in this Cultivation World where everyone was a cultivator and one would sacrifice their friend than oneself, to have someone who would give for the commoners, he was one of a kind.
Ding! "Congratulations to host 'Xu Que' for successfully acting tough. The reward is 200 Acting Tough Points!"
Ding! "Congratulations to host 'Xu Que' for acting tough shamelessly. The reward is 500 Acting Tough Points!"
Hearing the continued ringing of system notifications, Xu Que maintained the humble look on his face as he waved his hands plainly. He turned around, putting both hands behind his back.
The next moment, he said, "the road ahead will be long, but I will search!"
The Seventh Princess was shaken to her core as she said, "that is beautiful poetry. Master is indeed smart!"
Ding! "Congratulations to host 'Xu Que' for successfully acting tough. The reward is 200 Acting Tough Points!"
Xu Que moved his body slightly to face the other side of the night sky. "There will be hard times, but one must power through them!"
"Master Xu is so talented and ambitious, I am full of respect!"
"A sword only becomes sharp if one sharpens it at the whetstone, the smell of spring comes after a cold winter!"
"Master, bravo!"
"Even old age cannot stop one from pursuing one's passion!"
"Master… that is lovely!"
"If one does not grasp opportunities when they are young, they will regret it when they are old!"
"Master is indeed… ah?"
Her face was filled with confusion.
She was a little scared now. All these poetic verses that Xu Que had recited were things that she had never heard before.
To her, they were astounding.
It had reached a point where she didn't know what to say to compliment him. She felt a little numb from doing so.
However, his final, unusual line had left her confused.
If one doesn't grasp opportunities when one is young, one will regret it when one is old? What does this mean? Does it have anything to do with Xu Que's determination to save the world?
Xu Que was like a mystery to her. She was captivated by him, with a curiosity that was difficult to express in words.
She really wanted to know what this youth had gone through to be able to mature at such a respectable and astounding pace.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Just as she was recovering from her shock, a few ear-piercing noises split the night sky.
Everyone turned their heads to look. The Eighth Elder from Sky Incense Valley had returned.
This time, he wasn't alone. He had brought with him seven or eight young male and female disciples. They landed on the ground, looking worn out.
Everyone stared at them in shock. The Eighth Elder looked incredibly anxious as he led his disciples through the crowd and shouted, "young warrior, I have returned to ask you to sell some more of this delicacy. Please give each disciple of mine one bowl…"
With that, the Eighth Elder saw that the person in front of the oil pot was no longer Xu Que. It was a dog with a black and white body who was fiddling with the stinky tofu inside!
Beside him were a few princes. They each had their own bowls of stinky tofu and were in the process of placing it into their mouths.
What shocked them most of all was the fact that the unidentified objects that they were picking up from their bowls were black and hard. They were incredibly smelly and they were being lifted right into their mouths…
…
Chapter 338: I'll Give You A Chance!
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"Strange, wasn't the stinky tofu square-shaped? Why are there sausage-shaped ones as well?" The Eighth Elder paused and pondered. He was also wondering if these pieces of 'stinky tofu' had just been made.
Slurp!
The Second Prince sucked the black thing into his mouth, closed his eyes and started to chew.
Immediately, he gave a frown and asked, "Uh? Isn't it supposed to be tasty and flavorful? Why do I feel like it is dry, hard and still smells fetid?"
"That's really strange. Mine tastes exactly as you described it, your royal highness!" the old eunuch beside the Second Prince concurred, puzzled as well.
A prince who was opposite them disagreed, "no, I personally fel that this is really delicious, especially the texture. It's crispy outside and tender inside. When chewed, the tofu bursts inside the mouth together with its juices, and it actually starts to smell good!"
"This prince also has the same opinion. This is really tasty. It feels like tofu, but also a hundred times better than tofu!"
"Yes, and it increases our Soul Strength! This is too amazing!"
"Ah? You sure? Why is mine dry and hard and so hard to chew? It is unusually bad-smelling and I feel disgusted by the stinky smell!"
"Exactly! Not only that, but I feel like puking already. What is going on?"
...
The princes were baffled. Some had tasted the real stinky tofu but others had had a taste of Buttface's stinky poop!
Xu Que and the Seventh Princess stood a little away from the crowd.
When he saw the scene play out, he tried very hard to control himself from breaking into laughter. He was on the verge of collapsing on the ground and laughing all he wanted.
These people sure are into strong flavors, they actually ate Buttface's poop, he thought.
Kudos to all of you! Buttface has been sealed in the stone wall for ten thousand years and has never pooped since then. It is most unexpected… that his fresh poop is now eaten by these princes!
"This is not right!"
The Eighth Elder of the Sky Incense Valley felt something amiss and quickly went over to the pot of oil. Instantly, he had a weird expression on his face. He pointed to the pot where there were now only a few pieces of the sausage-like thing left, and asked Buttface, "little dog, I would like to know what this thing is?"
"Bah, damn! You are the dog, your whole family are dogs! This deity is clearly a wolf! Just look at how great and domineering this deity is!" declared Butfface, proud and aloof. "As for this thing, heheh, it has a great history!"
"A great history? I'm willing to hear about it."
The Eighth Elder looked grim. He didn't flare up on account of Xu Que, having seen that Buttface knew Xu Que.
The rest of the people looked towards Buttface, especially the princes. When they heard Buttface claim proudly that the black thing had a great history, they couldn't help but feel excited, and thought that they might have gained much more from eating that thing!
"I had never imagined that after ten thousand years that the world would have changed so much. Humans have started to eat sh*t, and it can actually sell so well!"
Buttface was filled with emotion. He felt the world had changed greatly. However, he still wore an aloof expression and continued, "fortunately, this deity has acted for the greater good and has released my 10,000-year-old wolf poop so as to sell it to all of you, as much as it pains me. It's 10,000 taels a bowl, too worthwhile!"
Poof!
A few princes instantly puked out everything that had been inside their mouths. Their faces were pale and greenish from hearing what they had just heard, and they almost puked out blood.
Wolf poop?
Fuck! This dog actually 'released' its own poop inside the pot?
This is f*cking genuine sh*t?
...
The Eighth Elder from Sky Incense Valley was dumbstruck, wearing a disbelieving expression.
Soon, he flew into a rage. Shaking in anger, he pointed at Butfface, voice trembling. "You… you've ruined this! What a waste! This is a pot of priceless stinky tofu. And you actually threw dog poop inside it?"
"Crap, this is wolf poop! Wait… what did you say? That boy made stinky tofu? It was not… sh*t?" Buttface suddenly realised what was going on and stared upwards with his big round eyes.
The Seventh Princess was horrified when she recalled that she had also eaten stinky tofu earlier. Her face changed abruptly from an expression of calm to one of fear. She felt like vomiting.
Fortunately, she remembered that Xu Que had prepared her bowl before Buttface had poured dog poop into the pot of oil, and her bowl had therefore been uncontaminated.
She heaved a sigh of relief.
"Princess, don't you want to drink tea? Go, go, go, let's go for a walk!" Xu Que could sense that a fight was about to break out soon. He held the dainty hand of the Seventh Princess and ran away from the scene.
"Eh… Young Master Xu, this… this…"
The Seventh Princess was about to ask Xu Que if he knew what had happened. But when he held her hand, she became flustered and her head immediately went blank!
Having been born as a princess, she always watched her behavior and was often reserved. She hardly even talked to a man more than required, let alone let one hold her hand!
Now that Xu Que was holding her hand, for a conservative princess like her, she could not believe what was happening and felt very nervous.
"Owww!"
At this time, Buttface's howling was heard.
It was followed by the angry voices of the princes berating the dog. Soon, the crowd became infuriated and the situation spiralled out of control.
"Xu Que! You actually dared to deceive this deity? You're finished… ahh, ow, ow, ow, ouch! Why are all of you hitting me? Do you have the guts for a one-on-one? This deity is invincible and is raring to go for a one-on-one challenge… Oww! Outrageous, this is outright bullying! How can you call yourselves heroes when all of you have come at me together? Don't force this deity to fight, otherwise you'll regret it for life! This deity has killed people before! Damn it! Still bashing me? Do you know that if this deity gives a command, there'll be millions of wolves surrounding this Imperial City in an instant? Besides, what's wrong with eating this deity's poop? It has been my treasured collection for 10,000 years and the ingredients are fresh! Oww… ow, ow, ow, ouch!"
...
As they ran into the street, Xu Que could vaguely hear Buttface's angry snarls, and felt elated.
Although he knew very well that the people definitely wouldn't be able to hurt Buttface, Xu Que was still glad to see Buttface getting bashed and chased around.
However, right now, he didn't want to be a part of the crowd, and had fled the scene with the Seventh Princess!
Running away after acting tough was definitely exciting.
But running away with the most beautiful girl there after acting tough… that was undeniably cool!
Whenever such scenes appeared in movies, it would be a most dashing scene for the protagonist!
Xu Que didn't have any thoughts other than purely wanting to gain more Acting Tough Points. So he was very dedicated, always making sure to act coolly in front of others!
As they ran, they passed by a tavern that had yet to close for the day.
Xu Que stopped for a moment as he suddenly felt like drinking some wine.
This was because he had just eaten the chicken wings and stinky tofu, and having some wine would cleanse his palate.
"Princess, why don't we have some wine instead of tea?" he suggested to the Seventh Princess, who had not yet recovered from her shock.
The princess tried to calm herself down and although her veil covered half her face, Xu Que could tell that she was nervous and shy.
"Young… Young Master Xu, it's getting late, why don't we…" She pondered for a while, deciding to meet up tomorrow.
But Xu Que quickly interrupted her. "Princess, that's not right. As the saying goes, 'if you don't drink at night, you've lived your life in vain'! Come on, let's have a bottle of wine. Didn't you want to find out about my identity? I'll give you a chance, let's go!"
Xu Que stepped into the tavern.
...
Chapter 339: Xu Que's Sob Story
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The Seventh Princess stood rooted to the ground, hesitating.
Perhaps because she found Xu Que very mesmerising and lucky, or perhaps because the few lines of poetry he had recited tonight had given her warm feelings…
But in that moment, she did something that she never would have done before. She quickly followed Xu Que into tavern!
If the other princes or anyone else from the palace had seen this, they would have been shocked!
The Seventh Princess was usually seen as very gentle and smart—it was difficult to imagine her going into a tavern, especially with a youth whom she had just met!
However, no one saw her. When she entered, she asked for a private room to drink with Xu Que!
After she drank a shot, she began to calm down. Looking at Xu Que, she asked, "Young Master Xu knows my intentions then. Can you tell me your story?"
Xu Que laughed and raised his glass. He cocked his head and drank a mouthful before sighing. "My story is very simple, just like me—I am an incredibly simple person. Others are the ones who complicate things!"
"Oh? If it is so simple, then why did Young Master Xu use the name Takumi Fujiwara at the Sword Catacomb today?" Seventh Princess asked.
"Because… my story is different! I was born with a curse!" Xu Que's face was filled with depression as he spoke. "Actually, my real name is Naruto Fujiwara. I was born in a village known as the Hidden Leaf Village. My parents were the strongest people in the village, but a demonic beast came and wreaked havoc, killing countless villagers. My parents sacrificed their lives and sealed the demonic beast within my body."
"What?"
The princess was shocked and couldn't help but cover her mouth, staring at him in disbelief.
Even though she hadn't heard of a Hidden Leaf Village before, or of sealing a demonic beast within someone's body, the dismayed expression on his face led her to slowly believing him!
Xu Que continued speaking in a very depressing tone. "I only found out afterwards that the demonic beast knew that my family bloodline was special and had the Sharingan, so it wanted to take it away and caused the disaster as a consequence! Afterwards, I escaped alone with my weak body, but swallowed a demon fruit by accident. I boarded a boat and swore to become a pirate!"
"What happened afterwards?" she asked.
"Things went south, I was seasick and could only go to shore at a place known as Mount Akina. I changed my name to Takumi Fujiwara and threw away my past, relocating there with my new name. I even opened a tofu shop there and became the Mount Akina Speed Star!" Xu Que said with a sob.
After hearing this, the Seventh Princess turned silent.
Even though Xu Que's story was a little unusual, his sobbing was too convincing.
She didn't think too much as she said in a low voice, "who would have known that Young Master Xu has experienced such a rough life! It is no wonder that you can make such special stinky tofu, you used to have a tofu shop!"
"No, no! All these were in the past. Nowadays I am barely anything. I have changed my name to Xu Que, and I might even change it to Tony Ooki, soon and go to a mysterious island and film some AV films."
"What is an AV film?" The Seventh Princess was suspicious.
"It is a fun art form. Don't worry, if there is a chance, I will invite you to be the female lead!" Xu Que said, eyes clear.
She couldn't understand what he was saying but nodded and said laughingly, "thank you, Young Master Xu. If the day does come, I will definitely be there!"
"That is good, very good! Cheers!" Xu Que smiled in satisfaction as he raised the glass and clinked it against her own!
After drinking another mouthful, the atmosphere calmed down.
After a while, she opened her mouth again to speak. "Actually, I have something to ask of Young Master Xu tonight!"
"Princess please tell me whatever you need. If there is anything I can help you with, even if it means following you into hell, I will be willing!" Xu Que tapped his chest and spoke with a tone of moral conviction.
"Really?" Her eyes lit up in an instant and she was overjoyed.
His heart started thumping immediately and he mouthed a swearword. She wouldn't really ask me to follow her into hell, would she? Please don't, I was just joking, don't take it seriously, girl!
However, as an expert Act Tough King, Xu Que wouldn't admit to being incapable of anything.
If anything, he would brag about it first. After all, getting drunk could solve the situation as as everyone would forget about it the next morning!
"Of course! Whenever I, Xu Que, say something, I mean it!" With that, he tapped his chest.
She immediately said with joy, "actually, I know that you have a powerful divine chariot and that you can manoeuvre it incredibly well, and that it is one of the best in Metal Nation. Hence, I want to ask for your help in representing my Third Brother at the Imperial Tombs Contest two days from now. I want you to take part in the first round of the contest. If you succeed, we will then be able to enter the Imperial Tombs!"
"Ah? Is that all?"
Xu Que was stunned. He had thought that she would ask for something huge. He hadn't expected it to be about the Imperial Tombs Contest.
However, this was quite simple. After all, he had come for the Imperial Tombs anyway. This was a great opportunity to wreak havoc!
"Young Master Xu, you cannot underestimate the Imperial Tombs Contest. It affects the future of the Metal Nation and the future Crown Prince!" Seventh Princess said seriously.
"How can the contest affect the future of the Metal Nation?" Xu Que was perplexed and a little confused.
It's just a contest. Can it make Metal Nation stronger in any way? That doesn't seem logical!
"Actually… well, there is no harm in saying it, this isn't any secret… but my father and all the masters in the Spirit Treasures Pavilion and the Godly Treasures Pavilion have created a magical weapon. It can produce even more metal element spiritual Qi that will let cultivators continue cultivating for hundreds of generations. However, to start using this magical weapon, one needs to fill it with boundless metal element spiritual Qi. Hence my father wants to dig out the Dragon Veins!"
"Dig out the Dragon Veins to provide metal element spiritual Qi for the magical weapon? F*ck! He is betting so much on it. When he becomes tough, he won't let the Dragon Veins go!" Xu Que was a little shocked.
Back in Fire Country, the Fire Emperor had placed much significance on the Dragon Veins, as they concerned the fate of the Ji family's imperial power. Hence they had protected it at all costs. They did not dare to waste the spiritual Qi.
However, the Metal Nation was going down the opposite route. They wanted to dig out the Dragon Veins and use them. That was a great idea!
"The Dragon Veins concern the fate of the nation. This is something we know. But my father has also believed for a long time that as we increase their powers, the power of the country will increase naturally as well. We won't need to count on destiny to maintain the prominence of the Metal Nation. We won't hide such immense metal element spiritual Qi but instead, we will mine it and make use of it in reasonable ways to develop resources and make the Metal Nation even stronger!"
Xu Que inhaled deeply upon hearing her words. He opened his eyes wide and made a surprised exclamation.
He couldn't help but give a thumbs up upon hearing her words. "Indeed," he said in a tone of sincere wonderment. "Your father is superb!"
Chapter 340: Professional Grave Robber
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The Emperor of the Metal Nation was supposedly a visionary man!
If he were an earthling, he would totally be an innovator!
He actually wanted to abolish feudal superstition by making full use of the resources that resided deep within the Imperial Tombs. This kind of thinking on Earth was commonplace, but in the World of Cultivators, it was completely avant-garde.
In addition, the Metal Emperor also strongly supported Spirit Treasures Pavilion's research and development of divine chariots which were used to train the Soul Strength of their cultivators. This was also impressive as such activities were somewhat similar to the Industrial Revolution.
As a great leader had once said, 'no matter if it's a black cat or a white cat, if it can catch mice, it's a good cat'!
Other relevant sayings that sprung to mind included: 'if you want to be rich, you must build roads first', 'emancipate the mind', 'science is the number one force of production'!
Xu Que however felt that the Emperor of the Metal Nation was someone who could be taught greater things!
He decided that one fine day, he should look the Emperor up to talk about life, and especially discuss the possibility of Xu Que reluctantly taking up the position of Chief Engineer of Reforms. He would be able to develop love action art films, also known as AV, to make their lives colourful and interesting…
"Sigh, it's a pity that the Dragon Veins are so well-protected by the ancestors." The princess puffed a sigh and shook her head. "We can hardly get inside there. Over the years, my father has been holding the Imperial Tombs Contest, hoping that someone would be able to enter, dig up and break the seal of the Dragon Veins. Alas, success is hard to achieve!"
When Xu Que heard that, he was surprised and exhilarated!
This is totally like someone giving you a pillow when you want to sleep! he thought.
Dig up the Dragon Veins?
This is simple, for I'm a professional grave robber! I'm the one who dug up the Dragon Veins in the Imperial Tombs of Fire Country. It is most unfortunate that you, the Metal Nation, are unable to handle your Imperial Tombs. Looks like this Act Tough King needs to lend a helping hand!
Xu Que's lips curled upwards as he thought this.
To him, this was really a good thing!
The Metal Emperor wanted to dig out the Dragon Veins in order to make full use of the Metal Element Spiritual Qi to strengthen the Metal Nation. And Xu Que wanted to dig up the Dragon Veins because he wanted the Genesis Metal Herbs!
These two goals did not conflict; both parties would be satisfied as it would be a win-win situation!
Xu Que even felt like going to volunteer himself to the Emperor and say, don't worry, Dog Emperor, if you want to dig up your ancestral tomb you should get help from the Exploding Heavens Faction! We specialise in grave robbing with a 10,000 year history of experience in the area!
"Rest assured princess, the people of our generation are full of justice and sincerity!" promised Xu Que as he slapped his chest confidently. "What's more, I've already promised you that I will definitely help. So, leave it to me!"
He thought, raiding the Imperial Tombs by imperial decree, this is too fucking interesting!
The Seventh Princess had however, underestimated the help that Xu Que had in mind. She had thought that he had only agreed to help pass the first checkpoint of the trial in order to help the Third Prince secure a position that would allow him enter the Imperial Tombs.
But just this alone was enough to make her feel contented.
"Thank you, Young Master Xu. No matter the result, Third Brother and I owe you a favor," said the Seventh Princess, raising her wine cup. "If you meet any difficulties in future, we'll certainly help you out however we can!"
"You're too polite, this is only what I should be doing!" said Xu Que modestly.
...
The two of them continued to drink together.
The Seventh Princess might have come across as quiet and reserved, but her alcohol tolerance was not bad at all. She was able to explain clearly some of the checkpoints in the Imperial Tombs Trial.
The checkpoints were not intended to daunt them but had been set up based on the restrictive spells of the Imperial Tombs!
For example, the first checkpoint was the Divine Chariot Contest!
From Xu Que's point of view, this was practically drag racing!
However, driving a divine chariot was a test of Soul Strength and mastery of the rune inscriptions. These two abilities were the crux to breaking the seal of the Dragon Veins!
If one could not meet these two basic requirements, entering the Imperial Tombs would solely be for the purpose of joining in on the fun, something that was absolutely unnecessary.
As a result, the first checkpoint had been designed to screen out the weak so that the elites would be able to enter the Imperial Tombs and fight against what was within!
However, the rules for this year's Imperial Tombs Contest had changed, for now it involved vying for the position of the Crown Prince.
The Metal Emperor had allowed the princes to form their own teams. If one member cleared the checkpoint, the whole team would pass that round successfully.
The Seventh Princess said that although the Third Prince had a talented team, they were not confident that they would clear the first checkpoint, so they need Xu Que's help with that.
That night, Xu Que slapped his chest and promised that he would clear the first round as he was the Speed Star of Mount Akina, the renowned Old Driver!
Because of this, he specially toasted the Seventh Princess with a few cups of wine.
However, the results were disappointing as the alcohol tolerance of the Seventh Princess was too high. She was not tipsy at all. After they finished talking, they got up and said their goodbyes.
Xu Que found an inn and stayed there for the night. He fell asleep the moment he hit the bed!
There was no news of Buttface for the whole night, and Xu Que had no intention of looking for him.
Poor Buttface had had a miserable night!
The princes had taken turns blasting their spells at him. Although the level of their spells and attacks could not hurt him at all, every part of him was being attacked and bombed all over.
Several teams of palace guards rotated watch duties in the streets in order to catch him. They would ask every person they saw if anyone had seen a talking dog.
"Fuck! This deity has said so many times that this deity is a wolf with noble blood, not the lowly dog! Damn it! That thick-skinned shameless boy! Too outrageous! This must be a big conspiracy against this deity. The stinky tofu was deliberately disguised as sh*t so that this deity would be deceived! Luckily, this deity is gifted and intelligent and managed to leave early, otherwise this deity would not have gotten away now!"
Buttface muttered to himself throughout the night and sneaked his way back to the stall.
At this time, the crowds were long gone. There was nobody in the street and it felt completely deserted.
Yet Buttface laughed coldly. "The most dangerous place is the safest place! If you want to catch this deity, dream on! Wait… eh?"
Buttface suddenly paused as he had found the pot that contained his very own poop. It was still in the same place!
After hesitating for a moment, Buttface picked up a stick and picked out the real stinky tofu from the pot. He inspected the stinky tofu left and right…
"What kind of shit is this stinky tofu? Does it really taste delicious?"
Buttface stared at the black stinky tofu for a long time. Ultimately he made up his mind and swallowed the not-so-pure stinky tofu.
Glub!
Glub…
When Buttface felt the tasty flavor of the stinky tofu burst in his mouth, he was instantly dumbfounded…
"How… how can this be so delicious? And the Soul Strength of this deity has actually increased so much?"
Buttface could not believe what was happening. He disregarded the fact that the pot still contained his own poop, and rapidly picked out the remaining cubes of stinky tofu from the pot. After that, his eyes immediately darted around his surroundings vigilantly, fearing that someone would rob the tofu from him. Buttface carefully kept the remaining pieces of tofu…
...
On the other hand, Xu Que had had a peaceful night. When he woke up, the sun was already high up in the sky. He was awakened by someone knocking on his door.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
"Young Master Xu, please come out for a little bit!"
"Who's that? Don't ask me to get up!" Xu Que was lazy to open the door. He lay on his bed and shouted his reply.
"Young Master Xu, the Second Prince has sent me over to inform you that your mansion and the 3,000 beauties you requested have been prepared for you!" said the man outside.
Swoosh!
Xu Que suddenly sat up in bed, narrowed his eyes, looked at the door and smiled.
F*cking idiot. This Act Tough King has finally gotten some sleep and here you are forcing me to go out, act tough and smack you in the face!
In that case, all right then. This Act Tough King will reluctantly teach the asshole Second Prince a lesson… or else this Act Tough King won't be able to call himself the Act Tough King anymore!