Chapter 341: Harem Of Three Thousand Beauties
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
After a while, Xu Que changed his clothes and left the inn. He followed the manservant and got inside a horse-drawn carriage!
After driving past several streets, the carriage stopped abruptly in front of a rather remote mansion.
The mansion before him was situated at a rather remote location, but its furnishings and decorations seemed brand new.
It was actually a great coincidence as the Second Prince had previously wanted to keep some pit bulls in a mansion, and he had thus ordered for a mansion to be built. The mansion happened to have been completed by then and hence, the prince had decided to give it to Xu Que.
Outside the mansion, the Second Prince was present, along with his guards as well.
Behind him, there were 3,000 delicate and reserved-looking young women standing carefully to one side!
All these women wore somewhat tense and worried expressions. Xu Que was able to tell with just one glance that the Second Prince must have gathered these women from the people.
In order to fulfil the terms of the bet with Xu Que, the Second Prince had abused his authority and had forcefully gathered 3,000 women in a short time.
"Your Royal Highness, Young Master Xu is here!"
The manservant who was also the driver of the carriage got down and paid respects to the Second Prince!
"Hmph!"
The Second Prince responded indifferently. He was certainly not in a good mood and did not say a word.
He just wanted to quickly hand these things to Xu Que, tear the IOU up, make some sarcastic remarks, and finally go back to the Palace to make preparations for the Imperial Tombs Contest!
But would Xu Que let him off so easily?
This guy was here to create trouble for the Second Prince.
"Young Master Xu, we've arrived!"
As the manservant spoke, Xu Que pulled back the drape to look at his surroundings, leaning his body forward slightly.
He acted like someone of noble status, glancing at the Second Prince and his men nonchalantly then furrowing his eyebrows.
"You're giving me this shabby mansion? I don't want it. Take me back to the inn, I'm going back to sleep!" Xu Que released the drape and sat back inside the carriage.
It was obvious Xu Que had not looked at the mansion properly at all. He had only taken one quick glance and retreated back into the carriage.
The Second Prince frowned with a hint of anger. "Xu Que, don't be too much! This mansion was only built recently. How can it have anything to do with the word 'shabby'?"
Whiz!
Xu Que pulled open the drape and revealed his face to the Second Prince with a smirk. "Can't you even take a joke? Tsk, tsk, Second Fatty, you have no sense of humor!"
"I've completed all your requests. Where's the IOU?" said the Second Prince with an unhappy face, ignoring what Xu Que had said.
"Nah, it's not up to you to decide if you've completed my requests. In accordance with formalities, I will need to conduct a check!"
Xu Que hopped down from the horse-drawn carriage and strutted over to the Second Prince.
He looked at the large group of women behind the Second Prince.
"Ladies," he said, "is there a girl called 'San Qian' amongst you?"
Who is San Qian?
When the 3,000 women heard that, they looked at each other with confusion.
The Second Prince had not expected that either. He was stunned for a while, before his expression changed. He guessed what Xu Que was trying to do.
"Xu Que, you want to play word games with me? Isn't that too childish?"
The Second Prince looked gloomy.
Xu Que gave a laugh and took out the IOU. "Second Fatty, I'm not playing word games with you," he shook his head. "This paper here states the terms clearly! Hou Gong which means harem, Jia Li which means beauty or beauties, and San Qian!"
When he declared that, everyone's mouths twitched!
Isn't it clear enough that you're playing word games?
'San Qian' means 3,000. Therefore 'Jia Li San Qian' clearly means 3,000 beauties, is that not?
Who would have known that you are looking for a beauty with the name 'San Qian' instead? How in the world am I going to find her? the Second Prince cursed in his head.
"Atrocious!" retorted the Second Prince angrily. "Last night, you didn't specify clearly that you wanted a girl called 'San Qian'. This prince will not be held responsible for this!"
Xu Que shrugged his shoulders. "Fine, it is true that I didn't specify it clearly enough!"
"Eh?"
The Second Prince was taken aback with Xu Que's unexpected reply.
Everyone there was stunned too:
With that shameless character of his, will he really concede on this matter?
It can't be, right?
This is so totally not that guy's style!
...
"Since you've agreed, then it's settled!" said the Second Prince coldly. "The 3,000 beauties are here. If you don't believe me, you can count them personally yourself!"
"There is no need to count!"
Xu Que dismissed that by waving his hand magnanimously. However, the next moment, he pointed at the IOU. "But then again, although I did not specify clearly I wanted a beauty by the name of 'San Qian', gathering 3,000 beauties out of nowhere is not right of you either, alright?"
"What do you mean?" said the Second Prince who furrowed his eyebrows. "These women are the good-looking ones in the Imperial City. Are you still not satisfied with them?" He thought that Xu Que wanted to find fault with him by picking on the looks of the women!
Once again, Xu Que pointed at the words in the IOU. "The focus is the word 'harem'," said Xu Que seriously. "Do you dare to say that all these beautiful women are from the harem?"
Harem?
When everyone there heard that, their expressions changed so abruptly that they nearly coughed out blood!
Nobody would have thought that just these six simple Chinese characters could be played like that by Xu Que.
Earlier on, he had asked for a beauty by the name of 'San Qian' (which also means three thousand). Then luckily for the Second Prince, he had relented. But now he was claiming that the 3,000 beauties should be from the actual Royal Harem!
F*ck! Brother, are you going to start a rebellion or something?
The 3,000 beauties in the Royal Harem belonged to the Emperor. Are you saying you want to snatch the Emperor's women?
You dare to speak such words in front of the Second Prince? You're asking to get killed!
"Xu Que, you're audacious!" snapped the Second Prince with murderous intent!
Xu Que's words were enough to land himself punishment by death.
"Yo, yo, yo, don't be angry! If you're feeling bitter about this, you can bring your father here. In all regards, the IOU was not written by me."
Xu Que was grinning cheekily. He had nothing to fear!
The Second Prince had just been on the verge of ordering his men to apprehend Xu Que. When he heard that, he went pale and quickly gave up the idea.
Yes, the IOU had been written by himself.
If he went to his father, the Emperor, he would get punished.
If it was not for the fact that the heir would be chosen during this sensitive period of time, he would not have felt so bothered. To boot, he could not go to the Emperor now as it would greatly affect his image!
Therefore, the Second Prince could only swallow this up as he did not want the Emperor to know of such a scandal.
As the prince thought this, he started to get wary.
Gritting his teeth, he took a deep breath and stared at Xu Que coldly. "What do you want?"
"Not much. Everyone knows that I'm a handsome man with principles," said Xu Que, who behaved as if he was a generous man. "Since Your Royal Highness is unable to complete my requests, then you'll have to compensate me by bequeathing me all of your wealth. Then I'll be merciful and treat this as if it had never happened!"
Everyone's eyelids twitched.
What? All the Second Prince's wealth to you?
Godd*mn! You have a f*cking big appetite, don't you?
You're not afraid of dying?
However, the Second Prince appeared to be very calm. "All of my valuable items are inside this storage ring," said the prince with a faint smile. "Wealth is a worldly possession itself. Since you want it, I'll give it to you!"
With that, under the shocked gazes of the people around them, he removed the storage ring on his finger and flung it towards Xu Que.
Chapter 342: You Want To Play The Scheming Game?
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The Second Prince threw the storage ring that he was wearing to Xu Que without any hesitation!
The truth was, the real precious treasures were all hidden in his own chamber, inside his treasure vault, so he did not in the least feel any heartache for the loss of the storage ring!
But this was Xu Que, who was a very astute guy. The moment the prince handed over the storage ring without any fuss, he knew that the storage ring would not contain much good stuff.
Cut the crap!
All you gave me was a storage ring yet you think you can slip away easily?
Second Fatty!
You're too stupid and naïve!
But… Xu Que accepted it nonetheless.
Well, a mosquito's leg was still meat as well. To achieve great things, one should not be bothered about small matters. For him, he would gladly accept all the small petty gains he could get!
Next, Xu Que touched the storage ring and checked the contents using his Soul Strength.
Sure enough, the treasures inside there were only slightly better than the bulk of the storage rings that he had seen so far.
There were tons of spirit stones in there,and also all kinds of magical weapons. However, they were relatively low grade.
There was some fine wine inside that seemed to be of good quality.
As for secret skill manuals and any higher grade treasures that Xu Que would have liked to get, there was hardly anything of the sort inside the storage ring.
It looked like the Second Fatty had come prepared as well!
Or... one could guess that he had not brought the good stuff with him and had kept that stuff elsewhere, such as a treasure vault!
...
"Hand over the IOU!"
The Second Prince knew that Xu Que was not too satisfied with the storage ring as he had spent quite some time checking its contents. Nevertheless his expression was still grim as he demanded the IOU.
In any case, the prince needed to take back the IOU!
"What's the hurry?" said Xu Que. "How do I know if the things in this storage ring are all of your possessions? Maybe you've hidden a lot of treasure somewhere else!"
The Second Prince narrowed his eyes and he replied in cold tone. "The Second Prince has no need to stoop to the level of deceiving you. Everything is inside the storage ring. What more do you want?"
"It's simple. I want to go to your house and see for myself!"
Xu Que grinned cheekily.
Everyone present who heard his words inhaled a breath of cold air!
Tsk… This fellow's guts must have gotten too fat!
You want to go to the Second Prince's house for a look?
There's no f*cking difference between that and confiscation of property!
What's more crucial is.. the Second Prince's home… is inside the Palace!
The Second Prince was about to explode from anger… but because of the IOU, he dared not flare up at Xu Que.
After taking a deep breath, the Second Prince gritted his teeth and said resentfully, "of course this prince does not mind that. The problem is, will you dare to go there?"
"What's there to be afraid of? Go, go, go, the timing is just right as I haven't taken my lunch yet. I'll see how good the culinary skills of the Metal Nation's Imperial Kitchen are!"
Xu Que got into the horse carriage after saying that.
Everyone's mouths twitched.
You bastard! Besides wanting to confiscate other's property, you also want to get a free meal as well?
A cold glint flashed past the Second Prince's now narrowed eyes.
He blinked at the old eunuch beside him while staying calm and collected. The old eunuch grasped what the prince wanted to express, and left quietly.
The Second Prince had a lot of trusted aides beside the old eunuch, with several others in the Palace!
The old eunuch immediately found a deserted corner, took out a blank talisman and wrote something on it. Then he cast a spell. The Prince's secret order was sent out.
This method was similar to passing information along via messenger pigeons, but with far more speed!
...
As the old eunuch issued the secret order, several eunuchs who were the prince's trusted aides were sitting in the main hall of his quarters inside the Palace. They seemed to detect something.
The next moment, a talisman appeared in front of them. There were some words written on it!
"The Second Prince has ordered us to quickly put all of his most valuable treasures in his chamber and treasure vault!"
The eunuchs were shocked. They looked each other in the eye before quickly hurrying to obey!
Simultaneously, Xu Que's carriage started to move, along with the Second Prince and his men. The whole team headed towards the Palace, but their speed was very slow, as if they were patrolling a street!
Unexpectedly, there were no objections from the carriage.
The Second Prince rode on a fine horse. From time to time, he would turn around and steal a glance at the carriage!
Well, he did not know that the carriage was already empty.
When Xu Que had gotten on, he had used a Divine Escape Emblem to get away.
"Haha! This idiotic prince wants to play the scheming game with this Act Tough King. But you're no match for me! Since you've promised to give me all of your assets, I'll help myself to them!"
With a smile, Xu Que was randomly teleported to a spot outside the Palace. Then he used a movement skill to get to the Palace faster.
With his methods, entering the Palace was an easy feat.
Moreover, it seemed that it would be easy to find out the location of the Second Prince's chamber even if Xu Que was not familiar with the structure of the Imperial Palace. There were so many eunuchs in the Palace, there was bound to be one who would know the location.
Therefore, Xu Que kidnapped a eunuch in a friendly way by smiling at the eunuch and threatening him. "Don't move! Hands up, surrender your gun or die! Ah… no, please excuse me, I forgot that you're a eunuch and you don't have a gun… at least not anymore! Answer my questions honestly or I'll send you to heaven…"
"Young hero, please spare my life!"
The eunuch was startled as he looked at the dagger that had suddenly appeared beside his neck. He instantly begged for mercy.
"Hurry up! You people from the Palace really like to play mind games. The paths are so complicated and every chamber practically looks the same! Tell me the truth, where is the chamber of the Second Prince?"
Just the threat of Xu Que was enough for the eunuch to disclose the location of all the princes' chambers.
At the same time, he also revealed the location of the chambers of the Seventh Princess, the Metal Empress and even the Empress Dowager's chamber was divulged to Xu Que.
"Is the Empress Dowager beautiful?" asked Xu Que.
In the cultivation world, there were people who were several hundred years old but were skilled in maintaining their youth. They looked exactly the same as they had when they were young.
The eunuch's whole body trembled and he hurriedly replied, "the Empress Dowager is as beautiful as a fairy, she is lovely enough to cause the fall of a city or a state!"
"So what? Do you think that I'll be interested in your Empress Dowager? How could a handsome man like me contemplate such a thing? You're insulting my personality, watch it!"
Xu Que hit the eunuch on the back of his head to knock him out in a friendly way. He quickly left that spot.
Not long after, he arrived in front of the main entrance to the Second Prince's chamber. He entered with an exaggerated swagger.
The eunuchs were acting on the Second Prince's orders very anxiously.
The Second Prince had too many treasures. Just the treasure vault itself contained all kinds of precious and rare items. They were the result of the Second Prince's painstaking effort to collect them over the years.
He had an ambition. If he were to fail in vying for the position of the Crown Prince, he might make decide instead to usurp the throne.
The contents of the treasure vault would be the foundation of the Second Prince's future plan to raise a rebellion to usurp the throne. With only a few eunuchs, it was tough for them to store everything away in such a short period of time. Moreover, they did not have storage rings but only storage bags, which could not contain many things.
"What should we do? There's still so much… hurry, hurry up… faster, everyone!"
"Are there more storage bags? Get a few more for us! At this rate, we'll need two hours to clear out everything!"
"This can't work! Hurry up… the treasures over there are the most important! Hide them fast, the rest can wait…"
...
The eunuchs were very tensed up as they hurriedly cleared out the valuable items, nerves tight!
Although they did not know the reason they had been ordered to put away the treasures, they knew that it was important as the secret order had stated it was very urgent. If they could not complete the task in time, they would definitely be in big trouble.
Knock! Knock!
Just as the eunuchs were burning with anxiety, there was a knock at the door.
The eunuchs jumped at the sound, looking slightly ashen.
The Second Prince had gone out early this morning. Who would come looking for the Second Prince at this time?
One of them quickly asked, "who's that?"
Xu Que spoke in a deep voice, replying from the other side of the door, "water meter check!"
Chapter 343: His Royal Highness Sent Me Here!
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
What the hell is a water meter check?
The eunuchs were stunned for a while, and soon gained their composure as they calmed down. They knew very well that people from the Palace did not talk like that!
"This is the chamber of the Second Prince. Unauthorised personnel should not be trespassing and loitering around this place, so hurry and go away!"
The eunuch who had solemnly replied seemed like the leader of the group with the highest rank amongst them.
Xu Que stood outside the door with a slightly raised eyebrow. "I was sent by the Second Prince, His Royal Highness, to assist you in packing up the things!"
"What?"
The eunuchs were stunned once again.
His Royal Highness actually sent an outsider to assist us?
No, there's something fishy about this!
Immediately, the leader of the small group of eunuchs, who was also the eldest of them, asked suspiciously, "His Royal Highness did not order us to pack anything up. Who are you?"
Xu Que was laughing inside his head!
Oh? He didn't order all of you to pack up the valuables?
You're lying through your teeth. This Act Tough King heard everything clearly from outside!
He spoke in a low tone, suppressing the urge to chuckle, "I've brought the storage ring of his Royal Highness to keep the valuables. If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do, except to report back to His Royal Highness… but I don't know what will happen next!"
The moment the eunuchs heard the threat, they were immediately intimidated.
Is it really true that he was sent by His Royal Highness?
"Steward Liu, what shall we do now?"
The eunuchs looked at each other, not knowing what to do.
Steward Liu was the leader of the eunuchs and was the more experienced amongst them. "What this person has said doesn't seem to be false!" commented Steward Liu after pondering for a short moment. "His Royal Highness should know that just the few of us alone are unable to put so much stuff away. Thus, for His Royal Highness to send someone over with a storage ring... that is highly possible!"
"Oh yes, we can verify the storage ring that he brought over first. And if it really is genuine, we can conclude that he was really sent by His Royal Highness!"
"All of you go ahead and keep removing the things first, I'll get the door!"
The few of them discussed amongst themselves and decided to look at Xu Que's storage ring first.
Squeak!
A eunuch opened the door warily and saw Xu Que. He was surprised to see a young man outside the door.
Xu Que stretched out his hand, offering out the storage ring with a serious expression. "This is the Second Prince's, His Royal Highness's, storage ring. It can't be an imitation as there are even some clothes inside that His Royal Highness usually wears. If you don't believe me, all of you can go ahead and verify it!"
The other eunuchs looked over at the storage ring as well and their facial expressions changed.
"This is really the storage ring of His Royal Highness!"
"The obsidian ring is engraved with His Royal Highness's name!"
"It also contains His Royal Highness's aura. This ring is genuine; it's really the ring that His Royal Highness carries with him all the time!"
The doubts of the eunuchs towards Xu Que were now cleared and all of them clasped their fists in salutation towards him. "Young lad, we're sorry for the offence earlier. Our apologies!"
"No harm done. All of us are working for His Royal Highness, I can understand your worries! Seeing how all of you carry out your task in such a cautious manner, I feel gratified for His Royal Highness as well!"
Xu Que smiled and clasped his fists in salutation as well. In an instant, his comment had narrowed the distance between him and the eunuchs!
Then afterwards, he rambled on with some nonsense, saying that the Emperor had found out that the Second Prince had hidden some treasures and would be sending men to conduct a search at the chamber. Hence, all the treasures had to be put away.
The eunuchs got worried when they heard that
No wonder His Royal Highness issued such an urgent order. It is because the Emperor wants to send men over to search the chamber!
"Quick, move it!"
"But His Royal Highness's storage ring will not be able to contain all of the treasures. Just the secret vault alone will require several storage rings!"
The two eunuchs remarked with a frown.
Xu Que waved his hands. "Don't worry," he reassured them, "His Royal Highness has given me a lot of storage rings. Everyone just move and stack the items together. We must create a scene for the Emperor to show that His Royal Highness only lives with the necessities!"
"So His Royal Highness has gotten everything ready? That's a relief!" The eunuchs were thrilled and were full of energy again. They started to stack and move the treasures in the chamber!
Xu Que also helped give instructions.
"Move it here, over here, yes! We have to move all the valuable things away! Move that blue and white porcelain over! Eh? What is this? A potty? A potty made of jade? Nah, forget it. The stench is too suffocating! Remove those flowers as well. Yes, keep all of them. We have to let the Emperor know that His Royal Highness has been living a truly simplistic life with only the bare necessities… he could not even afford to have flowers. He is very thrifty and is a good example of patriotism and love for the people!"
And so, Xu Que busily provided instructions to the eunuchs in order to plunder everything he wanted in the chamber!
At this time, a eunuch came out from the secret treasure vault carrying a box with great care. He was trying to hold it behind him so that he seemed like he did not want Xu Que to notice.
But Xu Que's furtive eyes immediately fixated on the eunuch when he emerged.
This eunuch looks so worried. That box must contain something good, he thought. If it's something good, of course I can't miss it…
"Hold up, what's in your hand? I want to take a look! Don't hide it from me. Since His Royal Highness has entrusted me with the storage rings, surely you can trust me? Rest assured, we're all in the same boat, there's no need to be secretive around me!"
As Xu Que tried to convince the eunuch, he managed to grab hold of the box.
But when he opened the box, he was shocked!
Inside the box was a colorful pile of small pieces of cloth, exuding a faint fragrance.
"D*mn, what is this? Women's undergarments? Why are there so many women's undergarments here? What did you say?! These belonged to the Empress Dowager?"
Cough! Cough!
"Store them, store them. Yes, in this storage ring here!"
Xu Que had discovered a piece of explosive news that had nearly blasted his 'Three Outlooks' away! One's 'Three Outlooks' referred to a person's attitude towards the world, life and values.
This Second Prince is a f*cking pervert, he thought. He actually has such a gross hobby… he secretly collects the Empress Dowager's undergarments.
If this silly eunuch hadn't taken them out from the secret vault, he would never have found out this big secret!
"This is going to be fun!" he muttered under his breath.
The corners of Xu Que's lips rose and he continued to plunder the treasures!
Xu Que did not feel guilty at all for this 'confiscating' operation.
Although acting tough and breathing were important and had come to occur naturally to him, Xu Que would never act tough rashly nor would he recklessly abuse a good man.
He had solicited public opinion on the Second Prince and realised that this prince had always been unpopular. The Second Prince had constantly been trying ways and means to obtain money, valuables and so on from the people. It seemed that he had hoarded a large amount of wealth and treasures, and was aiming for the throne.
Sure enough, Xu Que could see that the Second Prince had really hoarded many good items in his chamber.
Hence, for such a scheming, unkind prince, Xu Que would not be courteous with him. Since he had arrived at the Second Prince's lair of treasures, he har decided that he would 'move all', 'scam all' and 'loot all', by abiding to his 'The Three All' policy.
...
The eunuchs were terribly busy with the moving. When Xu Que finished filling a storage ring, he called out the System and moved all the items into his system inventory!
Ever since System had upgraded to version 3.0, the system inventory space had become so huge that the entire chamber could fit inside, not just the treasures themselves!
However, Xu Que felt that there should a bottom line with regards to everything. Moving an entire chamber could cause too much unnecessary attention, so he had decided that he would not move the actual chamber for now!
Yes, for now...
Chapter 344: Thank You So Much, Young Lad!
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The few of them worked together!
By the end of it all, Xu Que had successfully cleared out all the treasures in the chamber.
However, the treasure vault had not been cleared yet. Even though the eunuchs had been busy moving treasure, it didn't appear that anything had really been moved out of the vault at all.
Xu Que stepped out, patted his chest and valiantly declared, "don't worry, all of you! This kind of dirty work should be handed over to me!"
With that, he entered the treasure vault.
The next moment, Xu Que stared wide-eyed at the sight before him. He was blown away!
This is called a f*cking treasure vault?
This is a gigantic treasure cave!
He looked around in awe. The treasure vault was at least the size of a football field, and every inch of it was covered in treasure.
Gold, silver and gemstones were scattered everywhere, gleaming bright enough to dazzle the eyes of many.
However what surprised Xu Que most was the sheer number of chests in a corner of the vault. There had to be over a hundred. Most of them were open to reveal countless suits of armour made of black gold, all dark and shining. Just one look was enough to tell these were no ordinary items!
On the other wall, there were rows and rows of neatly placed swords, halberds, spears, clubs and so on, hanging on the wall. It was practically an armory!
There was also another stone door deeper within the treasure vault. The door was ajar. At one glance, there were tables and chairs, as well as a bookshelf, all painted over with gold leaf!
On the bookshelf, there were many ancient books, manuals, jade scrolls and pills. These were all objects that would be very hard to come by!
Obviously, the Second Prince would have read the skill manuals there and used that room for solitude.
"There's so much here that it's hard to move everything out in a short time!" The old eunuch, Steward Liu, expressed his concerns. He stared in dismay at the amount of treasures that lay inside the treasure vault!
Xu Que raised his eyebrows, unhappy.
Are you kidding me? You're worried that you can't clear all of this out when the Act Tough King is right beside you? he thought.
Come, come, come, I'll clear them all out for all of you now!
With a wave of his hand, Xu Que spoke honorably, "all of you need not worry, his Royal Highness has already thought of this. That's the reason I'm here."
"Oh? Young lad, you have a solution?" Steward Liu was thrilled when he heard Xu Que's words!
Xu Que returned his smile. "You're right. I have a skill that is related to Soul Strength. This skill enables me to store an enormous amount of things in a storage ring in one go!"
"What? Young lad, you actually have such a fantastic skill!"
"No wonder his Royal Highness trusts you so much. You're really extraordinary, young lad!"
The eunuchs were impressed with Xu Que and started to show him more respect!
Xu Que responded by bowing low with his hands folded in front of his chest. He replied modestly, "lay low, lay low, and the whole world will know!"
The eunuchs were baffled for a moment, then they covered their mouths and chuckled. Their posture and the sounds of their laughter resembled those of women who loved to doll up and dress gorgeously.
"Young lad, you sure are humorous!"
Steward Liu threw Xu Que a flirtatious wink!
"There's not much time left," Xu Que said. "Everyone move aside as I need to start work now!"
As he spoke, he headed to the stone door that was situated farthest away from the entrance.
Good things had to be taken first.
Xu Que walked to the bookshelf covered in gold leaf. Without any hesitation, he waved his hand and stored everything into his system inventory —the manuals, jade scrolls, pills and everything else! Even the bookshelf was whipped inside!
"Wow… what a powerful skill this is!"
"With just one move, everything has been stored inside the storage ring!"
"The young lad is no ordinary person. No wonder his Royal Highness sent him over."
"He'll definitely achieve great things in future. We need to get into his good books!"
The eunuchs watched in awe and gasped in wonderment like Xu Que's biggest fans!
However, Xu Que did not pay any attention to these people as he continued working hard to 'confiscate' everything in sight!
He cleaned out everything without restraint in the treasure vault, leaving nothing behind. Anything he fancied was taken away.
To put it simply, there was nothing that he did not like in the treasure vault. And thus, in just a few minutes, Xu Que had emptied out the entire treasure vault. It was now spotless…
The eunuchs were transfixed by what was happening. They were floored!
This was a task that would have required more than two hours, yet this young lad had finished the job within minutes. Such speed was simply remarkable!
"Ahh, finally cleared everything out!" Xu Que heaved a long sigh of relief, swiping his forehead as if wiping off non-existent beads of perspiration.
Property confiscation sure is exhausting! he thought.
The eunuchs were smart. They quickly came up to Xu Que and started to wipe his forehead with a clean handkerchief, all fawning over him!
"Young lad, you've worked hard!"
"We really don't know how to thank you enough!"
"Exactly, it's so fortunate that you're here. Otherwise, we would never have been able to complete this task. And if we had failed, we would have been punished by the Second Prince, his Royal Highness!"
...
Xu Que laughed and waved his hands dismissively. "All of you are too polite. This is what I should be doing. Don't be so courteous with me, getting a little tired is nothing!"
"Young lad, you're so modest. That explains why his Royal Highness trusts you so much. Young lad, we hope that you'll take care of us in future!" Steward Liu smiled meaningfully, hinting at Xu Que to help him out in future.
Xu Que patted his chest in a show of humility. He also asked, "oh right, do you have any valuables with you? Better leave them with me. Later the Emperor might get people to conduct a body search on all of you. After all, this is quite a significant matter!"
After hearing Xu Que, the eunuchs instantly slapped their own heads.
"I almost forgot that I have a four-star magic weapon with me!"
"Aiya, I've got a lot of stuff in my storage bag as well!"
"Fortunately you reminded us in time, young lad, otherwise we would be in big trouble!"
"Yes, we can't let his Royal Highness fall into utter destitution whilst the few of us remain affluent. The Emperor might fly into a rage and we'll all be finished!"
"Thank you so much, young lad!"
...
The eunuchs were moved and gratefully handed all of their storage bags to Xu Que.
They were not in the least bit suspicious of Xu Que. They even thought that Xu Que seemed like a conscientious and considerate person.
"All of you are too polite. I'm just doing what I should be doing, there's no need to say all these words! We'll have tea together in future if time allows. I'll need to report back to the Second Prince, his Royal Highness now!"
Xu Que humbly threw the storage bags into his system inventory and turned around to leave.
The eunuchs were deeply touched as they watched his figure become smaller in the distance.
What a nice young lad!
He's modest, very powerful and so efficient. He doesn't throw his weight about.
He really is good young man!
"Oh right… young lad, we're sorry that we were so flustered just now and forgot to ask for your name," said Steward Liu hastily, as he had just remembered that they didn't know the boy's name. "How should we address you?"
Xu Que looked back, wearing an innocent smile. "My name is Red Scarf!"
Chapter 345: We Have Completed The Task
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Xu Que left the Second Prince's chamber, using his movement skill to quietly leave the palace. He reappeared near a main street.
Just as he tried to return to the inn, he stopped abruptly as if he had just thought of something. He slapped himself on the head, face full of regret.
"Damn, I acted too fast… I forgot to pay a visit to the Empress Dowager's chamber!"
Xu Que furrowed his eyebrows, then turned around, intending to go back to the palace again. He wanted to grab whatever other treasures he could find as well as have a look at the beauty of the Empress Dowager.
If she was as beautiful as a fairy, then he would really give her a tongue-lashing!
How do you teach your grandchildren?
Do you know that your grandson is secretly collecting something that belongs to you?
Do you know that you're poisoning a young man? Those things should be given to me for safe-keeping…
Xu Que decided how he should go about closing in on his imminent target. He was now ready to go back to the palace!
But just as he was about to execute his movement skill, he saw several horses, a group of guards and a horse carriage emerge in the distance. It was the Second Prince and his men.
Ha, this cunning Second Fatty actually took so long to get to the palace in order to buy time… he really is out to fool this Act Tough King!
Heheh!
Didn't you lie to me about being in a state of poverty?
How can this Act Tough King let you go back on your word? Just you wait and see what's waiting for you!
Xu Que felt amused. He concealed his presence as he quietly sneaked to the rear of the group and entered the horse carriage within the blink of an eye.
The carriage driver seemed to feel something and hurriedly turned around. With a suspicious and confused look, he asked, "Young Master Xu, are you okay?"
"No, I'm not okay! Stop the carriage!" Xu Que shouted from the carriage.
As he had spoken rather loudly, even the Second Prince who was in front of them heard his exclamation as well. He frowned immediately, but raised a hand. The slow-moving team stopped in their tracks.
All of them turned to look at the horse carriage, waiting to see what Xu Que was up to now.
"Young Master Xu, what's wrong?" the carriage driver asked, quickly stopping the carriage by pulling on the reins..
Xu Que lifted the curtain on the horse carriage and hopped down. "You're moving so slowly that it's boring. Forget it, I don't want the mansion or the silver and gold. As for the 3,000 beauties, let them go back to where they belong. Goodbye!"
With that, Xu Que turned and walked away.
The Second Prince was startled by his actions and looked astonished:
What the hell is this guy doing?
Why is he suddenly saying that he isn't going to come anymore? Why doesn't he want the mansion or the 3,000 beauties?
Is this a sudden discovery of his conscience?
It's strange. It's too abnormal!
"Xu Que, what exactly are you up to?" shouted the Second Prince, thinking of the IOU that had yet to be returned to him.
"Am I the kind of person who likes to play tricks?" shouted Xu Que. "You think you can fool me… by moving so slowly, you must be concealing some motive or conspiracy. If I can't get anything out of this trip, why should I waste my time? Come, here's the IOU!"
Xu Que waved his hand, crumpled the IOU and threw the ball of paper towards the Second Prince.
"Don't thank me, I need to go back and write in my diary now, goodbye!"
And Xu Que strode away.
The Second Prince was puzzled. He could not understand Xu Que's motives. He caught the ball of paper and hurriedly unfolded it to check.
He was surprised and stunned for moment. It really was the IOU, written in his own handwriting:
Why is this happening?
Why did Xu Que's temperament change so drastically? It's as if he has become a good person!
He just handed over the IOU so easily…
Could it be that he has undergone some kind of enlightenment during the ride inside the horse carriage?
"Your Royal Highness, this old servant feels that this rascal must have gotten frightened, as we are about to enter the palace!" said the old eunuch beside the Second Prince, smiling as he spoke in a low voice.
Hearing this, the Second Prince immediately responded with a smirk. "So that's how it is! At first, I was perplexed at his courage in daring to enter the palace with this prince. Seems like it was all a pretense!"
"Your Royal Highness is wise!" The old eunuch immediately flattered the Second Prince.
The Second Prince gave a cold smile as he stared at Xu Que's back disappearing into the distance. "The Imperial Palace has many skilled people protecting the royal family," sneered the prince. "It is natural that he will feel scared. However… this doesn't mean that I will let him off. Go and make the necessary arrangements. I want to see his corpse before the Imperial Tombs Contest ends!"
"Yes, Your Royal Highness!" the old eunuch quickly responded.
The group of people entered the palace, holding their heads high and forming an impressive formation.
Meanwhile, the Imperial Palace was in a chaos. Many palace guards were conducting a search everywhere. Many of the major chambers were now being heavily guarded.
When the Second Prince entered the palace, he noticed that something was not quite right. He swiftly stopped a guard and asked, "what happened in the palace?"
When the guard noticed that it was the Second Prince, he hurriedly got down on one knee down and replied, "Your Royal Highness, about an hour ago, an assassin appeared in the palace. He knocked out a eunuch from Seeping Fragrance Palace!"
"Seeping Fragrance Palace? Isn't that the Empress Dowager's chamber?"
The Second Prince furrowed his brows, his eyes flashing slightly.
The guard nodded his head. "Yes, it was said that the assassin had inquired about the positions of several chambers from the little eunuch. According to the eunuch, he suspected that the assassin has come for the Empress Dowager. We have deployed more guards to protect the various major chambers."
The Second Prince's face was grim when he heard that. His fists clenched tightly and he spoke in a low, serious tone. "These despicable people are really bold! Do send more guards to the Empress Dowager's place. I will come later to protect the Empress Dowager personally!"
"Yes, Your Royal Highness!"
The guard hurriedly went away to execute the new order.
Somehow the Second Prince felt that there was something amiss. He rushed to his own chambers with his group of men.
However, when the Second Prince arrived at the entrance of his chamber, both he and the old eunuch paused for a while when they stepped inside. Then both of them stepped out at the same time.
"Presumptuous!" cried the Second Prince. "Where did you lead us? Can't you even remember the way to my chamber?"
This chamber was too unfamiliar. There was nothing inside it, and it looked uninhabited and completely empty!
The abundance of sweet viburnum shrubs on the front porch; the agate and other precious ornaments that were displayed inside… they were all absent..
Not to mention the various random treasures that were conducive for cultivation, accumulated by the prince over the years. For example, the foreign ambergris incense burner that had a calming and relaxing effect; the foreign fragrant rosewood chair and the thousand year cold jade that had been made into the cold jade bed…
These were all the treasures that the Second Prince had collected through various means over the years. Now… he did not even see a single one of them in this chamber.
That was why when the Second Prince entered the room, he was unable to recognise it.
The old eunuch was also stumped by the sight. He hurriedly kneeled on the ground and kowtowed. "This old servant is wrong! Your Royal Highness, please be appeased!"
Just then, the eunuchs inside the chamber heard sounds and ran out to receive the Second Prince. They had joyous expressions and were prepared to claim credit from the prince. "Greetings, Your Royal Highness, we have completed the task that you ordered us to do!"
"The task that I ordered?"
The Second Prince was confused for a moment.
"Yes, didn't Your Royal Highness issue a secret order to put away all the treasures in the chamber?" replied the eunuchs.
The old eunuch who was kneeling on the ground suddenly remembered that he had sent out the secret order earlier!
But… isn't this too f*cking clean?
No…
Can this even be called clean?
This is a total wipe-out of all the items!
Chapter 346: A Bumper Harvest!
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The Second Prince frowned, looking dismayed when he saw his now impoverished-looking chamber.
After all, it really was too clean. Nothing had been left behind. Even basic items like the tables and teacups were gone. Everything was gone.
However, on second thought, this was not really a bad thing. At least it had proven that he had chosen the correct people to be his trusted aides, as they had all been able to complete the difficult task.
In such a short time, they had put everything away and left the room so clean as well!
"All of you blockheads, what are you waiting for? Everything's fine now, hurry up and put all the things back in their original positions!"
At this time, the old eunuch beside the Second Prince hurriedly got up. He a glare and reprimanded the eunuchs.
In fact, he also had not expected these young eunuchs to be able to put everything away to such an extent. He didn't know if he should praise them for carrying out the orders so thoroughly or to scold them for being blockheads.
The young eunuchs were startled when they saw the Second Prince's gloomy expression. They were so frightened that they immediately kneeled on the ground and yelled loudly, "we're in the wrong, we're in the wrong!"
"What's that for?" scoffed the Second Prince with a frown. "Hurry up and put all my things back in their places."
In the Second Prince's mind, since Xu Que had not followed him to the Imperial Palace, he would only have lost the contents inside his storage ring, which meant nothing to him.
The treasures that really mattered to him were the treasures hidden inside the treasure vault. They were considered the foundation of his life, as well as necessary for him to vie for the throne!
"Yes, your Royal Highness!" The eunuchs gave a uniform reply then raised their heads.
And then the eunuchs just looked helplessly at the Second Prince.
The Second Prince was instantly vexed by that sight. "The audacity! What are all of you still kneeling here for? Are you not obeying my orders anymore? Hurry up and put everything back in their original spots. Or… do all of you want me to continue standing here, yelling orders?"
The eunuchs were scared stiff and held out their hands, trembling with fear. "Your Royal Highness, the items… do give us the items."
The Second Prince flared up on the spot. If these eunuchs hadn't been his trusted aides, he would have killed all of them with just his bare hands.
"Have all of you gone insane?" roared the Second Prince. "You're the ones who took my things, yet you're asking me for them?"
The eunuchs were instantly bewildered. "Your Royal Highness, didn't you send a young hero called Red Scarf to help us put away all those things? He also took out the storage ring that you've always worn on your body to prove his identity!"
The facial expressions of the Second Prince and the old eunuch immediately froze!
The storage ring… that I've always worn?
Red Scarf?
Who the f*cking hell is Red Scarf?
When he heard the strange name and the mention of his storage ring, he knew what had happened.
The only one who would give a weird name like Red Scarf, and who had his storage ring... he was 99 percent sure that it could only be Xu Que.
At that moment, even if the Second Prince and the old eunuch were idiots, they would have known that things had gotten out of hand!
That guy, Xu Que, had already visited his chamber!
F*ck! If that was the case, then the one who had kidnapped the eunuch to find out the location of his chamber would have been him!
Linking up all the incidents he had been notified of upon entering the Palace, the Second Prince's fury burned even more aggressively than before.
"That atrocious scoundrel!" cried a wrathful Second Prince. "No wonder he left so suddenly… he had already visited my chamber! He is a truly sinister and cunning person…"
The old eunuch quickly tried to console the prince. "Please be appeased, Your Royal Highness! That little bastard will not live for long! Fortunately only some valuable furniture were lost. Your loyal servant will go buy some new ones for you now!"
"Hmm…"
The Second Prince nodded.
But the next moment, he stopped talking even though he had barely begun his sentence. His eyes had happened to catch sight of a door which had been left ajar. It was the entrance to the treasure vault!
His pupils contracted rapidly. A strong feeling of uneasiness and apprehension suddenly hit him all over!
Shoosh!
The Second Prince instantaneously turned into a shadow headed right to the entrance of the treasure vault.
Boom! The next moment a loud muffled sound was heard, as the Second Prince had fallen to the ground.
Poof!
A mouthful of blood abruptly spurted out of his mouth.
He looked at the scene in disbelief.
The treasure vault—which had been filled with all sorts of valuables and treasures—was now empty. There were absolutely nothing left. It had been reduced to a humble room made of stone.
The jade and pearls!
The rare and exotic items!
The secret manuals and skill scrolls…
They were all gone!
Even the black gold armor that he had spent a great deal of effort searching for. He had engaged numerous master craftsmen to forge it… and it was all gone!
He had intended to build an elite troop of soldiers who would wear the black gold armor… it was meant to be his hidden trump card for the future if he needed to start a rebellion to usurp the throne…
"What… what the hell has happened? Where are my treasures? Where is my black gold armor?"
The Second Prince could not accept what he saw before him.
All the treasures he had kept in the vault were not things that others could replace or provide. All of them were resources and reserves for his bid for the throne, as well as world domination!
But in such a short period of time, everything had been taken away from him, just like that?
"Xu Que, this prince will fight you right to the end, till one of us dies!"
At that moment, an earth-shattering roar reverberated through the whole chamber!
...
Far away, Xu Que had decided to stay at another inn and was now lying on the bed with his legs crossed leisurely. He was checking out all the items that he had harvested from the Second Prince in his system inventory. This was f*cking amazing!
"Hahaha! This is a bumper harvest! Looks like I only ever need to target the rich and influential if I ever need money! Just look at that Second Fatty's treasure vault. It can compare to the vault of a sect that has been around for a few hundred years!"
As Xu Que checked through the items, the smile on his face became wider.
He recycled some basic and unimportant skills, pills and magical weapons for a variety of essences!
All the essences could be used to upgrade his weapon forging and pill refining skills to increase his success rate.
As for some of the treasures, Xu Que could not bear to recycle them to System and so he left them inside his system inventory. He had decided that if there was to be an opportunity in future, he wanted to own a valiant troop and act tough by bringing them out for a stroll in the streets!
After that, he called out System to check on his Acting Tough Points as well as his Experience Points.
After all the events and incidents in the Metal Nation so far, his Acting Tough Points had accumulated to over 20,000. He had once again broken his highest record.
Of course, this amount did not take into consideration the fact that he owed 8,000 Acting Tough Points to the System. Anyway, Xu Que had no intention of returning the points!
As for Experience Points, he was not too far away from levelling up either!
Having killed so many people at the Trial of the Sword Catacomb, his Experience Points were now around six million. Levelling up would require ten million more, which meant he was still short by four million!
"Looks like the Imperial Tombs Contest is a great opportunity for me to level up to Level Ten of the Original Infant Stage!" Xu Que closed his eyes and laughed.
He knew that the Imperial Tombs Contest this time would not be an easy ride. There was bound to be someone who would stir up trouble. After all, the few princes who were vying for the position of the Crown Prince would most probably cause all kinds of conflicts!
Furthermore, he had just cleaned out the Second Prince's chamber and treasure vault. The Second Prince would certainly not let the matter rest!
Xu Que murmured to himself, "tsk, tsk, tsk. I'd better prepare myself well for the contest to welcome what will be coming for me!"
With that, he put down his legs, took a deep breath, covered his head with the quilt, and slept.
His way of preparing himself well was getting a good night's sleep—also known as 'recharging'!
Chapter 347: To The Imperial Tombs
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
When Xu Que got out of bed, two days had passed. He woke up on the third morning.
Sunlight shone into the room from the windows and danced on his eyelids, rousing him from sleep.
Xu Que had slept for two days and two nights—it was incredible.
However, after Xu Que woke up, the first thing he did was close his eyes and continue sleeping!
This was due to the ultimate dream he had cherished in his previous life of sleeping until he awoke naturally. Another dream was counting money until his hand got cramps.
However, this was not the day that he would fulfil this wish. In no time, a commotion began outside the door.
"Quick, the Imperial Tombs Contest will be starting very soon!"
"The cultivators have set off for the tombs. We need to hurry over so we don't miss the show!"
"The first round is the Divine Chariot Contest. That is going to be very exciting. I heard that many talented cultivators are participating in this year's contest!"
"But unfortunately, we won't be able to see the Legendary Swordsman!"
"Yeah… I heard he was killed a few days ago in the Trial of the Sword Catacomb by a young man called Xu Que. And there's also a dog who was an accomplice too!"
"Ah? Isn't that the young man who was grilling chicken wings two nights ago?"
"Yes, that's him. But he seems to have disappeared these past few days!"
"I heard that the Seventh Princess and the Third Prince have been looking for him. They even suppressed the Jade Sword Sect to protect that young man!"
"This is going to get interesting. Will that young man appear at the Imperial Tombs today?"
"That's why we'd better get going. Let's not miss out on the contest today!"
...
The voices of people speaking got further away, but Xu Que could still hear their discussion clearly.
He suddenly sat up in his bed, his eyebrows raised in slight surprise!
"The Seventh Princess and the Third Prince dared to suppress the Jade Sword Sect? Ah, this is really interesting that they think so highly of me! They have good taste!"
Xu Que couldn't help but smile.
However, he also knew that the Seventh Princess and her group had done such a thing because they had bet their hopes on him. They were gambling on the possibility that he had an influential backing that would help the Third Prince secure the position of Crown Prince!
"Well, since I've promised to help them, I'll do just that. I need to get inside the Imperial Tombs anyway!" Xu Que shook his head, got up from bed and changed his clothes!
He had been resting in the inn for two days. He had disguised himself and booked the room to avoid being disturbed. No one had been able to find him!
But now he made up his mind to go to the Imperial Tombs. There was no longer any need to wear disguises!
With his current strength, he would not need to fear anyone from the five nations. He did not need to worry about anybody!
Squeak!
He opened the door and strutted out.
However, before anyone in the inn could see him clearly, Xu Que executed Three Thousand Volts Lightning, a skill that made him move like a flash of lightning, speeding straight for the Imperial Tombs!
Although Buttface had repeatedly claimed that he was indispensable for the trip to the Imperial Tombs, Xu Que did not want to spend any time looking for him. He knew very well Buttface's character. The dog would definitely join in the fun.
However, as soon as Xu Que was out in the streets, he heard some rumors about Buttface.
"Oh, I heard Xu Que has a demonic beast who swaggered into the Imperial City. This is something that has not happened for a long time. It's so rare to see a demonic beast in the city!"
"Huh? A demonic beast has entered the Imperial City? Are you kidding me? We have so many experts guarding the city, as well as the Emperor's mighty aura that can suppress evil beasts! What kind of demonic beast would dare to enter the city? Wouldn't it just be asking to die?"
"I'm not clear how it happened. Anyway Xu Que brought it with him, it's a dog! An incredible dog…"
"What? What kind of dog is a demonic beast! I keep more than ten dogs back in my home! I'm keeping them as food for the family during winter…"
"Of course a normal dog would not be a demonic beast! The problem is, this dog can talk… and no matter how you attack it, it just can't get hurt! Over the past two days with Xu Que missing, this dog has created trouble everywhere. Now all the Imperial City guards have specially formed a dogcatcher unit!"
...
Xu Que's lip twitched uncontrollably upon hearing this. He knew that Buttface would not have simply stayed quietly in the city and would surely have created trouble.
Woof, woof, woof...
At this time, sounds of dogs barking were heard from ahead. Xu Que could make out something that seemed like a big commotion. It looked like there were a lot of dogs ahead!
"Stop! Quick… catch that dog demon! We received orders that the dog demon is from the Exploding Heavens Faction, Xu Que's pet! We need to catch it and make it tell us the whereabouts of Xu Que. Those who can catch it will be rewarded handsomely…"
The barking noises were immediately followed by the yelling of guards. Xu Que quickly hid himself on one side. He saw Buttface leading a huge pack of seventy to eight dogs, as if they were all rebelling against the Imperial City guards.
"Why are all of you chasing after me? F*ck! You bunch of ants, who are you calling that scammer's pet?! He's not even fit to be my human pet! How many times do I need to tell you puny pawns that this deity is a wolf! A wolf… do you f*cking know that now? Wolf! The ones that howl…"
Amongst the pack of dogs, only Buttface was using his two hind legs to run. Whilst he ran, he also turned around to hurl abuse at the guards chasing after him, saliva splattering everywhere.
"If this deity had not reached the crucial moment of cultivation at which I can no longer take lives, all of you would have died hundreds of times already! Do you know that?" Buttface clamored as he stood amongst the pack of dogs, looking very intimidating.
"Cut the crap! Today we'll take your dog life! Men, surround this pack of dogs! Kill them all! Dog demon, watch this attack…"
The guards were led by a captain with a Level One Infant Transformation Stage cultivation. He executed a metal attribute skill art. Soon, countless numbers of swords appeared and hurtled straight at Buttface.
"Owww!"
Buttface had been hit, and he was enraged. He knew that the situation was not optimistic and he shouted to his dog sidekicks, "my little dogs! Protect this deity from attacks! Protect… me… this deity still needs to go to the Imperial Tombs to save the world! That godd*mn scammer boy, if this deity sees you, I'm going to fight you 900 times…"
Woof, woof, woof...
And suddenly, after hearing the command, the dogs from all around the city gathered by Buttface and started to run towards the guards and bite them. Buttface quickly slipped away during the chaotic situation.
"Tsk, tsk… this Buttface!" muttered Xu Que to himself. "He's so weak. He's always being beaten up and doesn't retaliate. He still has the nerve to say that he cannot take lives, when just a few days back he snatched my kill! Buttface, why didn't you say you cannot take lives then?"
After witnessing Buttface's pathetic plight in secret, Xu Que couldn't help but sneak a laugh. He felt ashamed by the character of Buttface—he was cowardly, yet still wanted to act tough!
Buttface was definitely a powerful being who had a strong body. No matter how hard he was hit, he just wouldn't die. Yet he was scared of pain and that was shameful!
"This is enough for me! The Imperial Tombs Contest is starting. I need to rush over and act tough…"
Shoosh!
Xu Que was too lazy to bother with Buttface. He leaped up into the sky with his movement skill.
Boom!
Under the astonished eyes of numerous people, Xu Que executed the Eight Waste Destruction Flame in mid-air, forming a pair of black-flamed wings that extended over a hundred feet from his back.
The wings spread far and wide and in just a moment, he was already far away.
The people watching him from below were awed by his dashing act and the powerful aura!
...
Faraway, Buttface, who had just snuck into an alley suddenly looked up into the sky and was stupefied. "F*ck! Boy, don't be scared! Bring this deity along! 666! 666! Hey!"
Chapter 348: Gathering Of The Elites!
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"Heavens, what kind of skill is that?"
"That is too powerful! His wings are made of black flames, totally terrifying!"
"Is that person from Fire Country?"
"Looking at where he's headed, he should be attending the Imperial Tombs Contest!"
"Let's hurry up and go there as well to check out who that powerful man is."
"The back view of that man is eerily similar to the young man who was grilling the chicken wings that night…"
"Come, we should go and take a look…"
Many cultivators sped up. Some were travelling on flying swords, some driving divine chariots, but all were headed towards the Imperial Tombs!
...
At the same time, the entrance of the Imperial Tombs was already packed with people!
Besides the cultivators who had come to participate in the contest, there were others who had come here to spectate. There were also countless guards guarding the Imperial Tombs and maintaining law and order.
Obviously, the Imperial Tombs Contest was a very important event!
Everyone knew that this contest would matter greatly for the princes who were vying for the position of Crown Prince. No doubt the competition would be heated, and accidents might occur. More guards had therefore been sent to the Imperial Tombs in the hopes of avoiding or reducing the number of casualties!
The Imperial Tombs Contest for the princes this year might even be the most exciting one ever in history!
The princes who were competing for the position had expended great effort or paid a tremendous price to invite renowned elite cultivators to join their teams and attempt the contest together!
According to the rules, as long as one person in the team passed a checkpoint, that meant the whole team would have passed that round of the contest!
And so, in every team, there were basically one to two people who had skills suitable for specific checkpoints!
Some were highly proficient in driving divine chariots whereas some were good at weapon forging. There were even elites in the event whose names were well-known but were hardly ever seen by the public. This was, in a way, a gathering of the elites!
"Look! That's Zhang Lin who is reputed to be the World's Greatest Chariot King. Everybody calls him Chariot King Zhang. His skill at controlling divine chariots is pretty much right at the top!"
"Heavens! Even Chariot King Zhang is here, and he's standing together with the Second Prince. He must be here to help him!"
"Wait, look at the Eighth Prince's team!"
"Woah, it's the Ghost of Divine Chariot, Qi Yun Fei. He's here too?"
"This guy's Soul Strength is very powerful. I've heard that his skills are not in any way inferior to Chariot King Zhang!"
"That's not all! Look over there at the Eldest Prince, there's also someone strong!"
"Tsk… it's Gao Qiao Jie! The Number One Genius from Spirit Treasures Pavilion!"
"That guy's divine chariot is the best in Metal Nation. It is said to be the most valuable treasure of the Spirit Treasures Pavilion. If he's here, how will anyone else win the race against him?"
"It's only the first round of the contest and there are already so many talented elites and geniuses. I can't wait for the contest to begin!"
As the crowd discovered the identities of the famous elites and geniuses, they became filled with enthusiasm!
But soon, some people noticed the Third Prince's predicament and were puzzled.
"Hey, look at the Third Prince's team, there isn't any expert with him who seems suited for handling the first round!"
"I heard that the Third Prince has sought help from Xu Que from the Exploding Heavens Faction. Apparently that guy is very strong and efficient at controlling his divine chariot. I hear he owns a divine chariot that can even transform!"
"But didn't that guy go missing? For the past two days, the Third Prince and the Seventh Princess have been searching for him, but to no avail!"
"Looks like the Third Prince is at a disadvantage this time!"
"Yeah, although there is a fixed quota for entering the Imperial Tombs, the contest this time is really about the fight for the position of Crown Prince. The teams will accumulate points according to their ranking at every checkpoint. The prince whose team has the most points will become Crown Prince!"
"Sigh, it looks like the Third Prince has lost without a fight!"
Many people were shaking their heads with regret.
If the team missed getting a good ranking this round, it would be difficult to close the gap with the winning teams later on. That would mean that the Third Prince would lose his chance at the title!
At that very moment, the Third Prince and the Seventh Princess were burning with anxiety.
For two days, they had been searching for Xu Que. But nobody knew his whereabouts.
From what they had gathered, Xu Que's last appearance had been in the Palace where he had kidnapped a eunuch, but there had been no trace of him subsequently.
"This guy… where on earth did he go?" commented a troubled Third Prince.
He had listened to the Seventh Princess's suggestions over the past two days and placed his hopes on Xu Que. He had also used his authority to oppose the Jade Sword Sect.
That was the reason why Jade Sword Sect's wanted notice for Xu Que had not reached the Imperial City yet!
However, Xu Que had disappeared. This made him very jittery and stressful. He had a feeling that he had suffered a double loss!
The Seventh Princess's brows were furrowed, her eyes full of unease.
"According to our spies," the princess spoke in soft tone, "Young Master Xu seemed to have entered the Palace and made second brother so angry that a lot of people heard his angry roar! Unfortunately, information is being blocked, and nobody knows what exactly happened!"
"Could it be that… Xu Que has already been brutally killed by our second brother?" exclaimed a prince.
The Seventh Princess shook her head lightly. "That should not be possible. With Young Master Xu's strength, he would never be taken down so easily without creating an uproar!"
"Where would he have gone then?" another prince asked in doubt. "Could it be that someone else offered something else to him in exchange for a no-show today?"
The hearts of the princes immediately sank upon hearing that. This was what they were most worried about.
The Seventh Princess, however, was very calm. She responded seriously, "with my understanding of Young Master Xu, he is not that kind of person!"
"Seventh Sister, you only talked with him a few times. How can you trust him so easily?"
"Exactly, it is impossible to judge a man's heart from his face. Xu Que is certainly not as simple as you think he is!"
"Just look at his dog and you'll know. If his pet's like that, the owner won't be too different. That dog has been creating a lot of trouble over the past two days. And every time that dog achieved what it wanted, it just ran away! The whole Imperial City is in a mess now!"
The princes refuted the princess's words and shook their heads. They felt that asking Xu Que for help had been a mistake.
The Third Prince puffed a sigh. If Xu Que didn't come for the contest, he would really lose big time.
The Seventh Princess was left speechless at her brothers' words as she was also perturbed by Xu Que's disappearance.
Even though she believed in Xu Que, there were many things in the world that relied on results. If Xu Que stood her up today, that would be tantamount to crushing her Third Brother's hopes for Crown Prince!
Boom!
However, just then, a sudden, muffled clap of thunder was heard from the sky, alerting everyone at the scene.
Everyone looked up at the sky. They saw a figure with an enormous pair of flaming wings which stretched over ten feet in length. Lightning flashed at the person's feet. They were headed to the Imperial Tombs.
It was Xu Que!
His magnificent, suave, heroic and cool figure instantly won the hearts of numerous female cultivators present.
The Seventh Princess was slightly startled. She then dismissed all of the negative emotions she had been experiencing and smiled, completely relieved.
She was still wearing a veil so nobody could see her face, but they could make out a gentle smile. "He's finally here!"
Bang!
A loud sound was heard. Xu Que looked like a shooting star falling from the sky as he zoomed down to earth, hitting the ground heavily.
Everyone was stunned!
To make an appearance like this was a strong show of his prowess. It was too astounding!
If one were to sum it up in one word, the word would be—dashing!
Chapter 349: The Empress Dowager Arrives!
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"Young Master Xu, you're finally here!"
The Seventh Princess was thrilled and excited that Xu Que had finally appeared!
Xu Que had one knee on the ground. His head was lowered and one of his hands was clenched in a fist, with his forehead resting on it. Xu Que had landed in one of his act tough poses!
"Yes, I'm here!"
The corners of Xu Que's lips curled up. His head lifted slightly to look at the Seventh Princess.
A gust of wind blew against Xu Que, brushing against his fringe and revealing his dashingly coquettish smile.
The Seventh Princess was slightly stunned by that smile. Her beautiful face beneath her veil changed into a smile as well. "Young Master Xu, I knew that you would definitely come!"
"As the Speed Star of Mount Akina, the famous Old Driver, how could I not appear for a contest like this?"
Xu Que stood up as he smiled, and glanced at the entrance of the Imperial Tombs.
A pathway stretched out from the entrance to a winding mountain path that could lead to the foot of the mountain.
Both sides of the path were full of onlookers and rows of guards standing perfectly upright!
It was evident that the mountain path was the racing course for the Divine Chariot Contest!
Xu Que took a quick look at the path and he was instantly delighted to see that it had consecutive curves in the road. This was too suitable for an Old Driver like him and a great chance to act tough. He could enjoy the feeling of dashing through the consecutive curves by drifting with his car!
"Hmm? I feel that I might be being stared at by someone gay..."
Suddenly, Xu Que sensed murderous intent not too far away. He turned around and saw the gloomy face of the Second Prince.
Ever since Xu Que had emptied everything inside his treasure vault, the Second Prince had dared not publicize it. He could only secretly engage assassins to find Xu Que, but the assassins had not been able to locate him for the past two days as well.
Now that Xu Que had appeared, the Second Prince could not contain his urge to have him killed. He almost could not hold back from dealing Xu Que a killing blow!
"Hey, Second Fatty, you're here too?" Xu Que immediately greeted the Second Prince warmly. "Have you been sleeping well the past few days? Oh dear, you look thinner now. Have you not had a good appetite? Are you so poor that you don't have enough to eat? Maybe… I'll help you apply for some social aid? How does five accounts sound for you? So every month you'll get a minimum amount of a few taels of silver?"
These words nearly made the Second Prince spit out a mouthful of blood!
What the heck?
You emptied out my treasure vault and ransacked my chamber. How can I still eat and sleep well?
Hello, I'm a prince. Why would I need social aid?
Do you think that what you did is something that a few taels of silver can settle?
D*mn it, just you wait!
I won't rest till you're dead!
The Second Prince stared at Xu Que so ferociously that veins started to appear on his forehead. He looked livid.
"Are you Xu Que?" A man near the Second Prince stepped forward and looked at Xu Que expressionlessly.
Xu Que's eyebrow worked. Where did this idiot come from? he thought. He looks like he has a grudge against me.
"Young Master Xu, this man is the World's Greatest Chariot King, Zhang Lin. You'll need to be wary of him later!" the Seventh Princess walked over to Xu Que and informed him with a serious expression.
Obviously, the title of Chariot King was not some unearned reputation that could just be given to anyone. Even the Seventh Princess dared not belittle him!
Nevertheless, Xu Que was not in the least affected. "When I drive, I only pay attention to two things. That is, fast movements and dashing postures. As for the rest, I don't care about them!"
Confidence, this is confidence! the Seventh Princess thought as her eyes flashed slightly. What she valued was Xu Que's great level of confidence.
She believed that only people with outstanding strength would have such a confident demeanour!
Xu Que looked towards Zhang Lin and replied in a cold tone, "whether I am Xu Que or not is none of your business, alright?"
Zhang Lin's expression darkened. Originally, he had heard that Xu Que had extraordinary skill in driving divine chariots and wanted to taunt him. But he had not expected this guy to be so rude. He was now infuriated and spat, "I'm Zhang Lin!"
"None of my business!" Xu Que replied rudely again.
Those words 'none of my business' not only almost drove Zhang Lin crazy with anger, but they also made everyone present feel annoyed yet amused at the sight!
"This fellow has a sharp tongue. Anyone talking to him might die of anger!"
"But he angered Chariot King Zhang. Guess he won't have an easy time later!"
"That's for sure. Chariot King Zhang's driving skill has peaked and is breathtakingly splendid. How can Xu Que compare to him?"
"Haha, this is called 'he who knows nothing fears nothing'!"
Many people were shaking their heads and thought that Xu Que was very ill-informed!
Even the Third Prince and his group standing behind the Seventh Princess wore dubious expressions on their faces…
"Is this fellow really reliable?"
"Somehow I feel that he's rather unreliable. Why don't we send more people out for the first round? Just in case!" suggested the princes who supported their Third Brother.
The Third Prince was deep in thought for a moment. Then he opened his mouth, about to speak...
Booom!
A sudden roaring sound was heard from a distance, followed by a sharp and clear voice that pierced through the sky. It could be heard all throughout the surroundings of the Imperial Tombs.
"The… Emperor… arrives!"
When everyone heard this, they stiffened up and instantly looked formal and serious.
Swoosh!
All the guards kneeled on the ground. All the cultivators paid their respects by cupping one hand in the other in front of their chests and bowing!
"Long live the Metal Emperor!"
The deafening shout of the crowd resounded to the skies!
The Imperial Tombs Contest not only involved the excavation of the Dragon Veins, but also the fight for the position of Crown Prince. The Metal Emperor had to be there personally to preside over the event.
However, the Emperor's majestic appearance actually gave Xu Que some thoughts of becoming an Emperor. This was because he would gain a lot of Acting Tough Points if he appeared like that as an Emperor!
Boom!
With another loud sound, more than ten divine chariots were seen speeding around the foot of the hill. One of them was golden, gleaming and dignified.
Soon, all the divine chariots stopped at the foot of the mountain. A middle-aged man stepped out of the golden chariot. He had a gentle and elegant face yet there was a dignified and imposing air about him that felt natural!
Xu Que was also able to feel a natural majestic aura from the Metal Emperor.
The Emperor had a square face. He wore a golden crown and his gown was embroidered with dragons. Many people dared not look at the Emperor directly in the eye because of his stately aura.
Moreover, the Metal Emperor exuded an unfading feeling that he had lived for many years, despite having a rather youthful appearance. That made people feel an involuntary surge of respect for him. It was as if he was a solemn Buddha who had experienced many vicissitudes of life.
His eyes were also full of wisdom and seemingly possessed profound knowledge.
Xu Que only had brief eye contact with him. In just that moment, he felt as if he was being seen right through. A sense of guilt rose within him.
Undoubtedly, that was the Emperor of the Metal Nation... a man with modern, advanced thinking!
After looking at the Emperor a few more times, Xu Que gave a pleasant smile.
In contrast to the Fire Emperor, the first impression the Metal Emperor gave Xu Que was that he was a much, much better ruler! This is what an Emperor should be! he thought.
Boom!
At that moment, a few more loud sounds were heard.
Another group of several divine chariots were seen from the foot of the mountain. That sharp, clear and loud voice was heard once more!
"The… Empress.... Dowager… arrives!"