Chapter 1215 to Chapter 1222

Chapter 1215: Morale Up and Down

The manifestation of a true dragon made an unforgettable impression in everyone's hearts. It was a scene to be remembered for a lifetime. They all found it difficult to recover from their state of utter shock.

In the arena opposite of Jiang Chen's side, Emperor Shura was the most astonished of all. His face was as dark as the night sky as he watched the fight between the true dragon and his black winged drake.

The drake was slightly superior in terms of level of cultivation, but every other characteristic was inferior. Whether it was aura, demeanor, or any other attribute, the drake couldn't claim pre-eminence before the dragon. It was as if it had met its long-lost ancestor, before whom it couldn't exert a tenth of its natural ferocity.

The true dragon race had a natural mighty presence. It was a trait passed down through its bloodline, demanding mandatory respect from all lesser relatives. The black winged drake had very little vestigial dragon bloodline to speak of. Though it was a crossbreed between a dragon and a fanged beast, it was significantly more bestial than draconic.

Still, the dragon part's existence could not be denied. Before a member of the true dragon race such as Long Xiaoxuan, it couldn't act out at all. This wasn't done not out of will, but out of natural instinct.

As long as it couldn't unleash its nature, its fighting abilities were kept in check. Though Long Xiaoxuan was only initial emperor realm, all of his racial methods combined allowed him to fight on an even footing with advance emperor realm entities. Moreover, the dragon had learned many fighting techniques from Jiang Chen during their time together. In particular, he knew how to abuse the unique advantages available to a dragon.

In less than fifteen minutes, the black winged drake whimpered, on the edge of being beaten.

Its fleeing form delivered a thousand cuts to Emperor Shura's heart. Self-esteem bled out with every passing second. He'd had the drake as a pet for a hundred years or so, and had seen it bully many other spirit creatures during that time.

This embarrassing performance, however, was a first. The panic with which the drake moved was like a child's, attempting to avoid a disciplinary lashing from his parent. Emperor Shura had never seen such behavior before. It felt like Jiang Chen was delivering a series of deliberate slaps to his face.

Before the true dragon had made its power evident, he'd shamelessly proclaimed that his opponent didn't have a chance. But things were different in the blink of an eye! Young lord Zhen had called him a frog at the bottom of a well. Well, he really did fit that description now.

The true dragon race… Emperor Shura's face was pale. He wanted more than anything to dive into a fissure in the ground. He was anxious, envious, reluctant, even a little afraid.

The conversations below were audible to him. The words "heir of the dragons" severely wounded his dignity.

Heir of the dragons? So what if young lord Zhen had a true dragon? He didn't believe a word of it. He had to win no matter what! Madness filled his eyes as the emperor stared Jiang Chen down. "I'd really like to know where you're from, Zhen!"

Jiang Chen saw what Shura was getting at very easily. He wanted to dump another bucket of dirty water on the young lord. But the emperor was foolish to do so at such a breathtaking moment. Everyone was enthralled by the true dragon's performance. Even if he admitted that he wasn't a native of the city, people would flock to make excuses on his behalf.

Who actually cared about his origins? As long as he wasn't a demon or traitor, most wouldn't mind if he even came from another plane. The show that Long Xiaoxuan had put on shook the audience to their cores. The sheer splendor of it all was enough to brainwash them on the spot, leaving an indelible mark in their collective hearts. In that instant, Jiang Chen gained a crowd of staunch followers. Emperor Shura couldn't do anything even if he shouted himself hoarse.

The beasts' fight didn't last very long. Under Long Xiaoxuan's 'discipline', the black winged drake fell over in pretend death, unwilling and unable to get back up. Luckily for the creature, Long Xiaoxuan didn't pursue his victory. Instead, he soared into the air, proudly holding his head high while circling the firmaments. He was fueling Jiang Chen's momentum.

"That's enough, Brother Dragon!" Jiang Chen waved to his scaly friend. Instantly, the dragon turned itself into a ray of light. He shot toward Jiang Chen for only a moment before disappearing into thin air, little evidence of his presence and parting. There was another wave of surprised cries at the superb display of wondrous concealment.

Jiang Chen had expected all of this to happen. True dragons had almost never appeared in this world before. Thus, their exaggerated reactions and more were understandable. When someone's expectations were entirely overturned, no matter who that person was, they tended to experience a period of blankness. A few moments were required to take in all that they'd seen.

"Does this need to continue, Shura?" The young lord of Veluriyam looked over at the emperor with a half-smile.

Emperor Shura looked agape at the black winged drake on the ground. He could see as well as anyone else that it hadn't sustained injuries anywhere close to being life-threatening. Rather, it had been scared witless. It'd been traumatized and it no longer had the will to fight. The black winged drake was normally a ferocious beast. But the appearance of a true dragon was enough to terrorize it into playing dead on the ground, preferring that to actually fighting. His loss was as plain as day.

Emperor Shura was red in the face. The most he could do was gnash his teeth. "You've brainwashed everyone, Zhen. Still, I maintain my previous statement. Your origins are unknown. Who knows why you've come to Veluriyam Capital? Who knows if you have ulterior motives?"

Jiang Chen roared with laughter. "Your magnanimity knows no bounds, Shura. No wonder Emperor Peafowl always said you had poor vision and a tiny heart. This is only round four, and yet you're already angry at losing. Do you want to continue? Do we need to?"

"Your tricks have led to you winning this round," harrumphed Emperor Shura. "You're getting too full of yourself, kid! The results so far are two wins, two losses, and a tie each. You have no advantage over me."

"Tsk tsk, you make it sound like you're the one that does, huh?" Jiang Chen retorted. It was true. The two sides had identical scores. By now, Emperor Petalpluck had recovered himself from his bewilderment. He examined Jiang Chen with a meaningful look.

"The fifth round goes to young lord Zhen, of Sacred Peafowl Mountain!" The kindly emperor announced.

There was instantly thunderous applause from all around. Not only did young lord Zhen's initial voters clap, but many of the neutrals and a few Shura supporters as well. The participants did so with great passion, awed by Jiang Chen's impressive demonstration.

A young genius from Sacred Peafowl Mountain had beaten Emperor Shura soundly in both pill dao and beast taming! This alone was enough to leave his name in history. It certainly earned more than sufficient respect from the entire crowd. Now that the bet was at this point, what did it mean if Emperor Shura won? He had the advantage with regard to martial dao, but there was serious suspicion that none of his other skill sets matched.

Even if the excuse was made that young lord Zhen had fame-making levels of expertise in pill dao, he had still differentiated himself with his beast taming prowess. Taming a true dragon wasn't something that could be chalked down to dumb luck. The young man's exceptional control over his companion was living evidence of that.

The dragon had come and gone at the smallest beck and call. This was real unity between man and beast. Meanwhile, Emperor Shura's black winged drake was splayed on the ground in a poor imitation of death. Anyone with half a brain could tell whose mastery was superior. Thus, the two beast taming rounds ended again with one win and one loss.

The two sides were still tied after these rounds. Neither had the advantage. Still, the atmosphere was filled with dragon-related euphoria. It took a long while for the crowd to recover from their reverie. The stupefaction was simply a bit too much. The people looked at Jiang Chen now with different gazes.

Even those on Sacred Peafowl Mountain's side beheld him with respect, admiration and whole-hearted reverence, the four monarchs included. They all looked at Jiang Chen with the same look they gave the Emperor Peafowl of yesteryear. It was at this moment that they began to worship him.

The shock that Jiang Chen had delivered to them today surpassed Emperor Peafowl's many times over. They had known for a long time of the emperor's supreme planning skills and methodologies. But even so, His Majesty had never brought them so many moments of epiphany and amazement.

That young lord Zhen was able to do so again and again distinguished him even more in the Sacred Peafowl Mountain supporters' eyes. It enkindled their hearts like never before.

Over with Emperor Shura, there was a significant drop in morale. Emperor Vastsea, previously the most active man present, lost much of his interest and energy. His eyes became turbulent.

But the show had to go on. It was time for the next round in the competition. Emperor Shura was stuck between a rock and a hard place. There was no getting out of this sticky situation.

After pill dao and beast taming were done, the next round belonged to formations. This, too, was an area of excellence for Jiang Chen.

As there were two rounds, Emperor Peerless volunteered for the other spot. He didn't specialize in them per se, but as the strongest cultivator present, he had the largest wealth of martial dao experience. Therefore, he had a better chance than almost everyone else.

On the other side of things, Emperor Shura brought out Pill King Ce.

Chapter 1216: Three Victories Out of Three Battles for Young Lord Zhen

Jiang Chen wasn't at all scared of Emperor Shura. When it came to formations, he held countless within his grasp. His understanding and insight far surpassed any that his opponent claim. Even without his inheritance from the Ancient Crimson Heavens Sect, Jiang Chen had learned a great deal in his past life. Though he lacked any systematic knowledge of formation, the sheer quality of his information overcame that problem.

In this lifetime, he had received an ancient sect's heritage and received its rival's treasure, the Earth Bodhisattva Orb. This meant that he had absolutely astounding proficiency with formations in general. On the other hand, Jiang Chen had no plans to help Emperor Peerless cheat. Indeed, he had no time to do so. It was difficult to learn the intricacies of formations in a day. To cram now would mean very little.

"Old Brother Mo, just try your best. We'll have a very good chance of winning the competition as long as you win one of the martial dao rounds." The young man tried to alleviate some of his sworn brother's pressure.

Emperor Peerless chuckled in response. "Don't worry, I'll give it my all."

That much was never in question. Jiang Chen had simply wanted to console the emperor ahead of time. That would lessen any embarrassment from a loss. It wasn't that he thought little of his sworn brother. Rather, he considered it quite strange that the two followers Emperor Shura sent out were relatively unknown, yet had performed extremely well in two different areas.

At the end of the day, Emperor Peerless was a wandering cultivator. Besides his astounding martial dao talent, he wasn't an expert at much else. This was the prime weakness of wandering great emperors. They lacked support and resources from their sect. Even if they wanted to learn several subjects at a time, they had no access to the necessary tutelage.

"For the sixth round, Emperor Peerless from Sacred Peafowl Mountain… versus Pill King Ce, from Shura Retreat!"

There were many ways to compete with formations, but the randomly decided method for Emperor Peerless's match was quite insane. Both sides were to set up formations for the other until one went unrecognized. The time limit was still four hours.

This required a significant amount of expertise out of the competing parties. If one had insufficient foundational knowledge, the chance of losing at this kind of competition drastically went up.

Emperor Peerless hadn't expected to draw the method he was most unwilling to compete with. For him, to do so was its own kind of suffering. The emperor hadn't systematically learned about formations. Though he had some experience with them, he didn't have the requisite knowledge to win the match before him.

He'd intended to use his immense martial prowess to break through his opponent's formation, not go head to head in a contest of knowledge. But he was already embroiled here, and could only half-heartedly fumble forward.

Jiang Chen knew that there would be trouble as soon as the method of competition was decided. As expected, Pill King Ce was remarkably skilled with formations as well; certainly more so than Emperor Peerless. The emperor tried his best, but eventually lost.

"Ay, young lord Zhen. I've embarrassed Sacred Peafowl Mountain." Emperor Peerless looked chagrined. After all, he had offered to come forward of his own volition.

"What is there to be sad about, Old Brother Mo? You're no formation expert," smiled Jiang Chen.

The emperor sighed softly upon hearing his young brother's reply. "Still, young lord Zhen, you should be cautious," he advised. "I didn't think all of us would lose so handily. We're relying on you to win all the rounds right now."

Until now, Jiang Chen had been the only one to win at pill dao as well as beast taming. So it was true with formations as well, the young lord needed to win a round here to even things out. Both Emperor Peerless and Cloudsoar Monarch were mildly flustered at the thought of it.

"Don't blame yourselves," Jiang Chen grinned. "Shura Retreat has prepared for this in advance. They probably calculated these results ahead of time. We were caught somewhat unprepared, so it's no wonder that we're at a disadvantage."

Six rounds had elapsed. Sacred Peafowl Mountain had won two, drawn one, and lost three. The situation was a bit precipitous.

"Don't worry, I'll take this one home for sure too." Leaving a confident smile behind him, Jiang Chen flew out from his faction.

His multiple losses sustained at Jiang Chen's hand taught Emperor Shura to brag no longer. He'd heard just as well as anyone else about the rumors of young lord Zhen's prowess with formations. He didn't have high hopes for this round, either.

Though Emperor Shura wasn't completely clueless about formations, he wasn't going to take home any prizes against a real expert. Instead, he was staking everything on the talisman and martial dao rounds. He only needed a tie this round. A tie would be more than enough. Winning would sweeten the deal. It was very hard, but he could dream.

He was a little depressed by the prospect of losing again. He'd already lost twice at pill dao and beast taming. If he went for three losses in a row, where would his dignity be?

"Those who accomplish great things should not mind small details," the emperor encouraged himself. "As long as I win this gauntlet, I won't care about temporary appearances. In this world, martial dao alone reigns supreme."

"The seventh round. Sacred Peafowl Mountain's young lord Zhen versus the Shura Retreat's Emperor Shura!" Yet another proclamation from Emperor Petalpluck kicked off the ensuing round.

The round's format was somewhat uncommon as well. It tested the parties' formation-setting methods. Each person was given the same three formations and a ready supply of resources. Both sides began at the same time, and the first to finish was declared the winner. None of the three formations were particularly high rank, but the challenge was still tough. It pushed the formation-setter to his limits.

Emperor Shura wasn't satisfied with the format of the battle. Just like Emperor Peerless before him, he'd hoped to roll something that involved breaking through formations rather than setting them up. He too wanted to exploit the situation via his cultivation strength. Unfortunately, the round wasn't going to pan out as he had hoped.

To Jiang Chen, there was nothing wrong with the format. He had spent a modest amount of time over the recent years on formations, acquiring many insights about them in the process. Even large-scale formations were no problem for him, given his wealth of past experience with them. These low rank formations had no technical issues associated with them whatsoever.

He gleaned the three formations' mysteries in only a few passing moments. After he understood the diagram, the next things to do were etching the formation, setting the base, and using the most efficient methodologies to carry everything out. Jiang Chen was very skilled at all of these things.

As a man focused on martial dao, Emperor Shura had a partial investment in formations as well. But he didn't have the comprehensive education that Jiang Chen did on the subject. The round was therefore decided before it even began.

Jiang Chen completed all three when two-thirds of the alloted time had passed. Beside him, Emperor Shura had done only one and a half. The winner was crystal clear.

"The seventh round goes to young lord Zhen, of Sacred Peafowl Mountain!" Emperor Petalpluck marveled at the formations that Jiang Chen had set up. That youth's genius was absolutely monstrous. He was proficient in pill dao, indeed; but he showed off remarkable blessing with beast taming as well. And now the formation skills he was displaying rivaled a true master's. There wasn't a great deal of advanced technique involved with those three formations, but anyone who got them done so quickly was definitely an expert. That much was obvious to anyone watching. Emperor Shura was only half done!

The kindly emperor tossed Jiang Chen a few extra glances. Thunderous cheering erupted from the audience. Jiang Chen had won over the vassals with his incredible performance yet again.

It was essentially a one-man show at this point. Almost no one cared what Emperor Shura was doing. The only thing that emperor seemed to know how to do was lose. It was the same round after round.

Emperor Shura was purple in the face. He was flustered, angry, and spiteful. The poison of jealousy wormed about in his heart like a viper.

"You're amazing, young lord Zhen!"

"You're unbeatable, young lord Zhen!" Several slogans popped out from below. Only a few said them at first, but their voices were quickly swept up in a harmonious river. Hundreds of people, even thousands were shouting their hearts out in a frenzy.

The sound reverberated for at least a mile; the city's temperature visibly increased. Words of praise for Sacred Peafowl Mountain's young lord echoed through streets big and small. Like a pot of water, Veluriyam Capital was bursting with steam. The results just now had pushed it over its boiling point.

Young lord Zhen had more than his fair share of supporters in Veluriyam Capital before this. However, the news of the battle's results spread rapidly through the streets like wildfire. How could the city not be driven into a fever, given the results? His worship was enhanced by his triple victory over Emperor Shura. His opponent was completely humiliated.

The delirium in the city washed in wave after wave. Emperor Petalpluck and Mountaincrush traded glances, their expressions thoughtful. The sheer extent of young lord Zhen's popularity was stunning. Could Emperor Shura really bully someone like that into submission? Their opinions of the man began to fall.

Chapter 1217: Li Jianchengs Flirtatious Ways

Emperor Vastsea and Emperor Skysplitter had serious looks on their faces as well. Emperor Vastsea especially was a diehard supporter of Emperor Shura. He had done so many things to help Emperor Shura seize power that he was surely one of the most dedicated here. That was why he couldn't accept the great emperor's defeat. Emperor Shura must hold on, because his fate was tied to the great emperor's.

If Emperor Shura succeeded, he succeeded. But if Emperor Shura failed, he failed as well. On that note, if Sacred Peafowl Mountain successfully stabilized their rule over Veluriyam Capital, then a fall from grace for both Emperor Shura and him was only a matter of time. Meanwhile, although Emperor Skysplitter had chosen to follow Emperor Shura, he wasn't that close to Emperor Shura.

"Daoist Vastsea, these people are just bewitched by that boy for the moment. Veluriyam Capital will still be ours to rule if we take this round by force, won't it? In the end, the strong dictates what happens in this world. If we win the martial dao matches, there's nothing they can do to change things."

Seven matches had taken place, but both sides were pretty even considering that the score was three victories, three losses and one draw each. Emperor Shura would be lying if he said that the mountain of cheers didn't affect his mind. However, it would also be a lie if he said that his morale was shaken as a result. It was true that he felt humiliated by the current scores, but he felt that Shura Retreat's chances of winning were growing bigger and bigger.

They could win at least one talisman round. It didn't matter if they lose or tied for the other. Both were acceptable outcomes. The key here was the martial dao match-up. Emperor Shura was absolutely certain that he could win, and he believed the same for Li Jiangcheng when it came to that pretty little doll.

Pill King Ce or Pill King Hui would certainly lose to Emperor Peerless. It didn't matter if Cloudsoar Monarch managed a tie for the last round because Shura Retreat would have already claimed six rounds of victory. As long as Pill King Hui fought Cloudsoar Monarch to a draw, the score would become six victories and two draws in favor of Shura Retreat. No matter how well Sacred Peafowl Mountain performed after that, they could only manage five wins at best.

That also meant that Shura Retreat would win the entire competition. Even better, this was just a conservative estimate. Emperor Shura was very confident in his skill with talismans, and he was certain that he could win his match.

Meanwhile on Sacred Peafowl Mountain's side, Jiang Chen decided to bring Huang'er with him again. Emperor Peerless wasn't absolutely certain that he could win with talismans, not to mention that Jiang Chen didn't wish to send him up to the arena a second time.

"Brother Mo, your ultimate mission is to claim a victory for Sacred Peafowl Mountain in martial dao." Jiang Chen gave Emperor Peerless a reminder because he was afraid that the great emperor would have doubts.

Emperor Peerless understood that Jiang Chen was saving his face in doing this, so he nodded. "Don't worry. I'll bring you my own head if I fail to take a match there."

Emperor Peerless was planning to go all in. As a representative of Veluriyam Capital, it would be humiliating if he couldn't take a single match off the enemy. Frankly, not even Emperor Shura might be able to beat Emperor Peerless. But since the rules stated that the leaders must fight one another, Emperor Shura's opponent had to be young lord Zhen. Therefore, it would be most humiliating if he couldn't win over a pill king!

Unfortunately, Huang'er's attainment in talismans was so-so at best. Worse, talismans seemed to be Shura Retreat's area of proficiency according to the intelligence they'd gotten. It was the main reason Jiang Chen had decided not to gamble everything on the upcoming subject.

"Huang'er, we're at three wins, three losses, and one draw. We still have a chance even if we lose every round in this subject. The situation is even better for us if we manage a draw and a loss."

Huang'er smiled and responded silently. "I know what your plan is, Brother Chen. We'll do our best no matter what. If we can claim a victory and a loss here, Sacred Peafowl Mountain will have the ultimate victory."

If they managed a victory and a loss in the talisman match, the score would become four-four-one on both sides. This meant that the fights would decide everything. When it came to that, Emperor Peerless was absolutely going to take a match off Shura Retreat.

As for the duel between Huang'er and Li Jiancheng, Emperor Shura probably believed that Li Jiancheng would be the indisputable victor of this round. Jiang Chen knew that that was absolutely not the case. That match would be his "gift" to Emperor Shura and his trump card to win the entire thing. Li Jiancheng might be Emperor Shura's greatest young genius, but he still was inferior to Huang'er of Myriad Abyss Island, especially a Huang'er who was freed from the Generation Binding Curse.

A win in the talisman subject or a draw in the worst case scenario. Of course, two draws are even better. When it came to talismans, Jiang Chen understood that even a draw was a good result for Sacred Peafowl Mountain. If he could claim two draws, then the competition would be completely in favor of Sacred Peafowl Mountain. Two draws or a win and a loss meant the exact same in this scenario.

There were many ways a talisman match could be conducted. The most primitive way would be to see who could make the better talisman or who could control their talisman better.

Talismans were actually Jiang Chen's weakness. He had theoretical knowledge thanks to his past memories, but lacked the ability to control them. Pill dao had interested him the most in the past. Although he had researched talismans, he didn't spend too much effort in the subject. He might have millions of years in his lifespan, but he didn't possess limitless mental and physical energy.

It was wondrous enough that he'd been able to achieve what he did in pill dao. He just couldn't pull off the same thing with talismans as well. He had used many talismans since arriving in this world, but he almost never dabbled in talisman creation before. He wasn't lacking in the foundations. On the contrary, his basics in this area were pretty solid, but he was unsure if the basics were enough to win him a match.

Surprisingly, Emperor Shura didn't bring Pill King Hui or Pill King Ce with him this time. Just like the last time, Emperor Shura and his personal disciple, Li Jiancheng, would be attending the match. This lineup surprised Jiang Chen. The young man shot an indifferent glance at the former number one genius of the Ranking of Young Lords.

Li Jiancheng met Jiang Chen's look with complicated feelings. Young lord Zhen had been far inferior to him at the Veluriyam Pagoda gathering. But just a few years later, his opponent had climbed so high that he was on equal footing as his own master. Worse, this bastard was looking at him like how a senior would judge a junior! It made him feel as uncomfortable as having swallowed a fly.

Emperor Shura had personally suffered Jiang Chen's psychological attacks before, so he quickly sent a message to Li Jiancheng. "Ignore him no matter how hard he tries to taunt you, Jiancheng. Solidify your heart and dao."

The warning made Li Jiancheng feel apprehensive. He nodded in response. However, he was quickly engulfed in a flare of jealousy when he moved his gaze to Huang'er. The young woman's temperament astounded him to say the least.

What's so good about that guy? Why is a beauty like her willing to follow him? Li Jiancheng had seen plenty of beautiful women before. In fact, one might say that beautiful women were everywhere in the world of martial dao. However, he had never seen one with a temperament like Huang'er's.

His jealousy was raging like a pyre. Young lord Zhen had taken everything that was good! He had been chosen as the young lord of Sacred Peafowl Mountain at a young age, and was the number one idol in Veluriyam Capital. Now, he even had a partner who looked like a living goddess.

For a time, Li Jiancheng felt like murdering Jiang Chen and robbing him of his partner.

He's a lucky guy, that bastard! My master will be fighting him, and this Miss Huang'er will be fighting me in a moment. I must put on a good performance and dominate her utterly in both strength and heart. Li Jiancheng's eyes burned with desire and possessiveness as he stared at Huang'er's amazing body and divinely posture.

"The eighth match is Miss Huang'er of Sacred Peafowl Mountain versus young lord Li Jiancheng of Shura Retreat."

Li Jiancheng worked hard to adjust his feelings so he would be at an optimal state for battle. Walking up the arena steps, the young lord bowed politely at Huang'er and clasped his hands. "How often do you leave Sacred Peafowl Mountain, Miss Huang'er? To think that a beauty like you lives in Veluriyam Capital, and I am somehow unaware of it! Are you actually a descended immortal from the upper realms?"

His statement wasn't really facetious, but it was also a great feat of flattery. He thought that all woman in the world loved praise no matter how extraordinary they were. Unfortunately for him, this was completely useless on Huang'er. She shot him an indifferent glance. "Come at me."

Li Jiancheng wasn't thwarted by a minor failure. He chuckled. "Miss Huang'er, Veluriyam Capital may be in a chaotic state right now, but Shura Retreat is certain to replace Sacred Peafowl Mountain. I truly feel sorry for you, Miss Huang'er."

"Sorry for what?" Huang'er responded indifferently. She was going to ignore his impolite words, but Li Jiancheng had refused to shut his mouth. It displeased her.

"Miss Huang'er, you are an amazing person, but you are being used by that Zhen fellow like a pawn! What a mood killer, he doesn't know how to treat a lady at all! I just can't bear to see you fall from grace along with Sacred Peafowl Mountain." Li Jiancheng pretended to be generous.

Huang'er's forehead wrinkled. "Just say what you want to say. Stop beating around the bush."

The young woman had seen plenty of men who put on a mysterious front like Li Jiancheng. And in fact, she'd seen countless men on Myriad Abyss Island far superior to him in every way. She was completely immune to people like him.

Li Jiancheng was surprisingly patient. He smiled leisurely. "Since that is your command, I shall comply to your wishes. Sacred Peafowl's destiny is at its end, and it is simply unwise to stay in that place any longer. There is a saying that goes 'a talented person chooses a patron of integrity'. There is just no reason for you to decline alongside Sacred Peafowl Mountain when you're such an amazing person yourself. But don't worry, Miss Huang'er. I will protect you in Veluriyam Capital even after Sacred Peafowl Mountain has become history." Li Jiancheng puffed his chest when he said this most confidently.

Chapter 1218: Cant Lose Another Round

Li Jiancheng was a truly conceited person. He'd always been unparalleled among the younger generation in Veluriyam Capital and didn't think that he was in any form or manner inferior to young lord Fan.

He remained unconvinced of his inferiority to young lord Zhen as well, even though there was sense of defeat. He didn't care that the young lord was unrivalled in pill dao and that he'd comprehended all nine Veluriyam Obelisks. To Li Jiancheng, martial dao ruled the world. He believed that his cultivation was much superior to the young lord.

It was why he refused to admit inferiority, even though he was very jealous of the young lord. After seeing how beautiful Huang'er was, he couldn't resist the urge to take her from the young lord. To him, young lord Zhen was incredibly heaven-defying, but the young lord wasn't going to have a future in the capital. Therefore, he had no issues with trying to snatch her away. It'd be a waste to bury this unrivalled beauty with young lord Zhen. He'd much rather have her by his side instead.

"Miss Huang, I'm not exaggerating in the slightest. If it'd been anyone else, I wouldn't have told you this. I simply can't let someone as charming as Miss Huang'er jump into the fire pit."

Huang'er smiled wryle to herself. She knew that Li Jiancheng a very conceited person, but where on earth was he getting his confidence from?

"Li Jiancheng, is it?" She was well-cultured and would never overtly express her annoyance. "I don't know where you get your confidence from, nor can I see any fortunes in Shura Retreat. In listening to you, I gather that you feel an overwhelming sense of superiority to young lord Zhen?"

Li Jiancheng laughed arrogantly. "I admit that young lord Zhen has great talent in pill dao, but this is a world where martial dao is most respected after all…"

Huang'er smiled blandly. "You can spare me your words. What I'm about to say might hurt your feelings, but I feel obligated to inform you this. You might be vastly stronger than your peers, but comparing yourself to young lord Zhen is something that can only be described with three words."

"What three words?" Li Jiancheng was taken aback.

"Asking for humiliation."

Li Jiancheng's face darkened when he heard that and his tone grew ugly. "Miss Huang'er, I don't know what lies young lord Zhen are feeding you, but I can assure you that his legend will be smashed into pieces after this competition."

"You have a very strong imagination." Huang'er smiled blandly. "Alright, I see little reason to speak about this any further. No matter how superior you think you are, compared to him, you're nothing but a mere bug. You may take pride in your talents, but he's in a completely different league."

Li Jiancheng almost flew into a rage.

"Impossible!" He yelled furiously. "Soon we'll see which one of us is correct! I will make him bow in front of me like a dog, and you shall know which young lord is most superior in Veluriyam Capital!"

Huang'er smiled nonchalantly and said nothing else. However, it was obvious that she thought him an idiot.

Li Jiancheng also knew that any words were useless now. The best thing he could do now was dominate her in the talisman duel. Yes. I'll focus on conquering her!

As usual, there were multiple ways one could compete with talismans. The topic for Li Jiancheng and Huang'er's duel was the most basic of them all, talisman making. It was a duel with heavy emphasis on one's foundation.

Huang'er was sufficiently learned in talismans, but she hadn't spent a lot of time mastering the subject. The Shura Retreat however, was one of the best in this subject. Li Jiancheng in particular had a great affinity for talismans. Thus, she was disadvantaged from the very start. Eager to show off, Li Jiancheng also performed beyond his normal capabilities. It was only natural that he won the matchup.

"Brother Chen, Shura Retreat has very deep knowledge of talisman dao. Huang'er has let you down." Huang'er was a little depressed.

Jiang Chen laughed. "I already predicted the worst in the talisman duels."

Huang'er nodded gently. "Li Jiancheng was incredibly rude and impudent. In the coming martial battle, I'll show him just how big the world is and take him down a notch."

Even someone as meek and reserved as her was enraged. This proved how much of a scumbag Li Jiancheng was.

"For the ninth round, young lord Zhen will be competing against Emperor Shura!"

The competition had moved into the ninth round, with the remaining duels extremely crucial. Crowds that sided with Sacred Peafowl Mountain were very solemn as Jiang Chen walked into the arena.

The four monarchs were especially anxious. Out of eight rounds, Sacred Peafowl Mountain had brought home four losses, three wins, and one draw. They were in a very precarious position. If they lost the ninth round as well, that would be five losses total. The consequences of that would be brought over to the four martial dao duels.

Even though everybody had a lot of faith in young lord Zhen, the four monarchs didn't believe that their young lord would be able to defeat Emperor Shura. To the four monarchs, that duel was a definite loss and would raise the total number of losses to six. Moreover, they didn't know much about Miss Huang'er's battle prowess. She didn't seem like she'd be able to defeat Li Jiancheng in the martial dao duel.

Adding up all these factors, Sacred Peafowl Mountain really did seem to be in a tough spot. The only thing they knew for certain was Emperor Peerless' victory in the martial dao duel. There was little chance that the rest of the duelists, including Cloudsoar Monarch, would win.

If Cloudsoar Monarch fought hard, there might be a chance that he'd end up in a draw. But a draw wouldn't be enough to significantly affect the results. Sacred Peafowl Mountain was in a great disadvantage no matter how one looked at things.

Don't lose this match! The crowd from Sacred Peafowl Mountain quietly prayed. However, could young lord Zhen really defeat a talisman master like Emperor Shura? No one knew for certain.

Everyone would have more confidence in young lord Zhen if the duel was related to pill dao or formations. However, they really didn't have much faith when the duel was related to talismans.

Jiang Chen was as calm as ever. His goal was clear. He'd make this round a draw. But even if he failed, it still wouldn't be the end of the world.

Emperor Shura was extremely confident this time as well. He was rather well-learned in talismans.

"Young lord Zhen, has it occured to you yet that if you lose this round, Sacred Peafowl Mountain's loss will essentially be guaranteed?" Emperor Shura's words hadn't come out of nowhere. If Jiang Chen lost this duel, his faction would possess five losses, three victories, and one draw. There would be a lot of pressure in the successive martial duels.

Of course, Jiang Chen was the kind of person that performed his best in stressful situations. He kept a straight face despite Emperor Shura's provocations and mocked back without reservation. "You should keep your mouth shut until you finally win. You've been boasting again and again, but if I remember correctly, you haven't won a single round against me yet, have you?"

Emperor Shura's face darkened. Indeed, he hadn't won in either pill dao, beast taming, or formations. He'd been certain of his victory in beast taming, but an unexpected turn of events had blindsided him. He no longer dared to be too confident of his victory.

The topic for the next duel was drawn, revealing itself to be etching of talisman runes. They had to draw ten talisman runes within a given timeframe. This was a pleasant surprise for Jiang Chen.

"Remember, the party who completes the most runes within the given time is the winner. If both parties are able to complete the task, the first to finish is the winner. If both parties finish at the same time, it shall be a draw." Emperor Petalpluck announced the rules.

Jiang Chen felt a great boost in confidence when he heard the topic. Rune etching was the most fundamental part of creating talismans. The runes etched onto talismans were very similar to the ones found in formations. These runes formed the backbone of talismans and provided large amounts of energy.

There were some differences between a talisman rune and a formation one, but some similarities as well. Rune etching was part of constructing a formation and took up only one tiny segment in the layout. But for talismans, rune etching was the most essential step.

In order to create a powerful talisman, one had to draw the runes before they could transfer their energy into it. The process was the same for any talisman. If the runes were drawn incorrectly, the entire talisman would be nothing but a waste of paper.

Jiang Chen already possessed some knowledge on talismans and was extremely knowledgeable in formations. A competition in rune drawing was definitely most advantageous for him.

He went into a state of deep concentration as soon as the duel began. He was a little rusty at the beginning, but grew better after completing the first two talismans. By his third talisman, he'd found his groove and temporarily entered a trance. As though aided by a deity, he grew faster and more skilled as he went on. The knowledge from his previous life soon came into play. Inspiration flooded endlessly into his mind.

The crowd from Sacred Peafowl Mountain kept their eyes glued to the arena. They were so incredibly nervous that their hearts had leaped into their throats. There was no room for any error. The enormous stone weighing down on their hearts grew heavier and heavier with the passage of time. The stress was almost debilitating. Jiang Chen was the only one immune from all of this. He was so focused that he'd completely forgotten that the fate of the entire capital was in his hands.

Chapter 1219: The Martial Dao Rounds Begin

Emperor Shura had invested countless years in studying talismans, so rune etching was just the basics to him. He was angry that his side had suffered three consecutive losses at the hands of Sacred Peafowl Mountain and wanted to turn things around here.

The great emperor was very intimidating when he was bent on revenge. He injected one hundred percent of his concentration into the task at hand. So far, everything was progressing smoothly. He could practically see the flag of victory waving at him as he completed the final strokes of his talisman.

Emperor Shura inspected his talisman carefully to make sure that he hadn't committed any mistakes. After a long sigh of relief, pride surged. He was certain that he was going to claim victory this round. He shot a mocking glance in Jiang Chen's direction.

However, the sight nearly caused him to jump from fright. The repulsive Pill King Zhen was actually rising to his feet! What does this mean? Has he finished as well? As the terrifying thought flashed through his mind, Emperor Shura subconsciously rose to his feet as well and declared at nearly the same time as Pill King Zhen, "I'm done."

The scene stunned everyone who was present. They'd completed their task at the same time? Wasn't that a bit too much of a coincidence? Also, was it just them, or had young lord Zhen risen first despite speaking at nearly the same time?

If both sides had completed their tasks, then their completion time was identical. Was it to be another draw? Was it even possible to tie in a talisman match? The vassals watching beneath the arena were stupefied by this turn of events. Talisman etching was a complicated process, and someone was always slower than the other. It was an unbelievable coincidence for this round to end in a draw.

Meanwhile, Emperor Shura was feeling a little faint. How did young lord Zhen finish so quickly? Impossible. He couldn't have! I've also never heard that he was exceptionally talented in talismans. He must have made his declaration in haste!

He had every intention to win this round and was extremely annoyed by the turn of events. He reminded, "Daoist Petalpluck, please inspect the talismans thoroughly. An inferior talisman can't be allowed to pass the round."

Emperor Shura thought that young lord Zhen must have sacrificed quality for speed.

Unfortunately, Emperor Petalpluck gave a disappointing answer when he finished the inspection. "I've inspected the talismans and judge that both entries are completely eligible. I didn't find any flaws in either one of the talismans."

"What?" Emperor Shura's expression changed so drastically, it was as if a heavy hammer had struck him. He was filled with regret and self-blame. "Why, why did I waste time on inspecting my work? I could've won if I hadn't done that!"

Emperor Shura had purposely double-checked his etchings. Although the confirmation didn't take too much time, time was still inevitably lost during the process. Who could've known that a tiny delay like this was all it took to turn a victory into a draw?

He was green with regret. If he'd lost because of less skill, then that was that. A bit depressing, but a fair loss was a fair loss. This time however, victory had slipped right through his fingers! He'd allowed the opponent to turn his victory into a draw! But the result was already set in stone. He couldn't change this no matter how regretful he felt.

Emperor Petalpluck declared. "The ninth round is a draw!"

The word "draw" hurt Emperor Shura deeply. He didn't understand what'd possessed him to inspect his work earlier. Talisman etching wasn't a difficult task, and he hadn't found any flaws after double checking. So why had he lost confidence in that crucial instant? Had the three consecutive losses really cause a crack to appear in his dao heart? He had to admit that that was exactly the case, no matter how much he loathed to admit it.

"Don't be discouraged, master. We are at four wins, two draws and three losses right now. Victory will still be hours as long as we win two rounds in martial dao." Li Jiancheng was actually comforting Emperor Shura instead.

The great emperor knew that the situation was still under control. He was just annoyed that he'd thrown away a victory just like that. His annoyance at his own cowardice far exceeded his disappointment.

Meanwhile, at the side of Sacred Peafowl Mountain, everyone except Jiang Chen and Huang'er had low morale. The score was three wins, two draws and four losses for Sacred Peafowl Mountain. They were now teetering in a precarious position. The remaining four rounds had to do with martial dao, and no one felt like Sacred Peafowl Mountain had much of a shot at victory.

Jiang Chen and Huang'er immediately noticed the heavy atmosphere enveloping their camp the moment they returned.

"What's wrong? Why're you all looking so dejected?" Jiang Chen asked with a light tone. He didn't want to see his people in low spirits.

"Young lord, we're at a severe disadvantage right now." Cloudsoar Monarch was a participant himself, and sounded very guilty right now. "It's all my fault. My poor skill dragged everyone down."

Beside him, Emperor Peerless piped in, "You absolutely mustn't say that, Cloudsoar. None of us except young lord Zhen and Miss Huang'er were able to produce good results either. You aren't the only one who's at fault. We all are."

Jiang Chen hurriedly consoled them. "The competition isn't over yet, is it? Don't you think we'll be able to turn things around in the last four rounds?"

Of course everyone wanted to turn things around, but their chances were low to say the least. In fact, it would be more appropriate to call it a near impossible task.

"Chin up, everyone. We're at a disadvantage only because we're unprepared, and they are. They even recruited outside help for this. Is there anyone who seriously believes that Pill King Ce and Pill King Hui are Emperor Shura's subordinates?"

Personally, Jiang Chen didn't believe this at all. If Shura Retreat had challenged Sacred Peafowl Mountain fair and square, talismans would've been the one and only area they had an advantage in. Pill King Ce and Pill King Hui were the main reasons Sacred Peafowl Mountain was pushed to the edge of defeat right now. Emperor Shura himself was doing poorly.

Plumscore Monarch muttered hatefully, "Emperor Shura lost three out of four rounds and tied one round against our young lord. Where does he find the courage and face to keep up this farce? Suppose we lose the competition, does he really have the face to rule Veluriyam Capital? Does he really think himself qualified after this is all over?"

Emperor Shura had lost three rounds in a row at the hands of a young genius. They were undoubtedly major blemishes in the great emperor's life history. Even if he managed to take control of Veluriyam Capital in the future, it would be very difficult for him to convince the masses to obey him.

But Jiang Chen smiled and pressed downward with his hands. He looked at Emperor Peerless with determination. "Old Brother Mo, you absolutely must win a round in the martial dao match, alright?"

"I guarantee it." Emperor Peerless was very firm.

"Cloudsoar Monarch, you'll be facing Pill King Ce or Pill King Hui. Neither of them are great emperors yet. It'll be nice if you can beat them, but if you can't, do you think you can get a tie for us?"

Cloudsoar Monarch slapped his chest and declared, "I won't have the face to stay in Sacred Peafowl Mountain if I fail to claim even a tie, young lord!"

"Good. This means that we still have a chance."

Jiang Chen shot a glance at Huang'er. He was absolutely certain that his partner was going to claim victory. Li Jiancheng's head might be in the clouds, but he was absolutely inferior to Huang'er when it came to martial dao.

He didn't have anymore time to explain things because Emperor Petapluck was already declaring, "The next rounds are the climax everyone's looking forward to. Both sides, please send out your participants of the martial dao match. Remember, the leader will fight the leader, the follower will fight the follower, and the true disciple will fight the true disciple. You are not allowed to switch up the order."

The rule was set to prevent either faction from playing petty tricks and scoring a cheap victory.

The first person to emerge from Emperor Shura's faction was Pill King Hui. Pill King Hui was slightly stronger than Pill King Ce.

Shura Retreat was obviously making a small gamble here. They were hoping that Sacred Peafowl Mountain would send out Cloudsoar Monarch first. However, Jiang Chen declared with a smile on his face. "Go take this first round for us, Old Brother Mo."

Sacred Peafowl Mountain needed a morale boost because of their disadvantage. Jiang Chen hoped that the great emperor would be able to take the first round by storm and get Sacred Peafowl Mountain off to a good start.

Emperor Peerless was also the participant with the highest chance of victory out of all of them. Although he hadn't refined the Kunpeng bloodline yet, the great emperor should have no problems defeating a peak emperor expert.

"For the tenth round, Emperor Peerless from Sacred Peafowl Mountain versus Pill King Hui from Shura Retreat!" Emperor Petalpluck declared loudly. "In the arena, the heavens decide your fate, so I'll serve you all a reminder. Surrender if you find your strength lacking, or you may not have a chance in the heat of the battle."

Emperor Petalpluck hoped that the participants would be able to keep their cool. He didn't wish to see any casualties after the match was done.

Pill King Hui was very annoyed when he saw that Emperor Peerless was Sacred Peafowl Mountain's first choice. He was hoping to take a round off Cloudsoar Monarch, but Emperor Peerless? He would be very lucky to survive this fight with his pride.

Emperor Peerless had felt humiliated ever since losing the formation match. He was going to do everything in his power to claim a victory here.

"Come at me." Emperor Peerless declared with a deep look. He mercilessly pressured his opponent with his great emperor aura.

Pill King Hui was a peak emperor expert, so he barely managed to retain his composure as he clasped his hands together. "Please be merciful."

His opponent was already showing weakness before they even started fighting, but Emperor Peerless didn't allow himself to be moved by Pill King Hui. As the saying went, all was fair in the martial dao world. Pill King Hui could just be trying to distract him.

Chapter 1220: Clawing Back Forcefully

Sure, dark horses arose occasionally in martial bouts. There were examples of peak emperor realm cultivators defeating great emperors. The rarity didn't make it impossible. There were always some unique geniuses that conquered in the face of adversity. Some even performed reverse sweeps.

However, such occurrences were fairly rare as a whole. Whenever an instance of this did occur, it would be widely publicized as a story to encourage the weak. They were usually labeled miracles, and rightly so.

Pill King Hui was a master of many subjects, but he was no miracle-maker when it came to martial dao. More importantly, Emperor Peerless wasn't a great emperor fresh into his power. His fame was long-standing and well documented. The great emperor distinguished himself even amongst his peers. How could a man who led the wandering cultivator community be so easily defeated?

Pill King Hui had perhaps entertained delusions of grandeur before the fight began. But when he engaged in combat against the great emperor, he sadly realized his deluded naivete. They were not on the same level.

Emperor Shura had given him an Imperial Advent Defense Talisman and Onslaught Talisman as temporary boosts to his strength. But in the heat of the fight, he hesitated. The talismans he had received were extremely precious. He'd planned on using them, but was there really a need to?

Given the state of things, he could maybe last two hours more even with them. Unfortunately, the time limit for these rounds was four hours. Even if he wanted to struggle towards a tie, he had to last two more hours. Could he hold out for that long?

Obviously not.

His body wasn't necessarily even able to maintain both talismans at the same time. Moreover, they only lasted two hours each. He had absolutely nothing for the two remaining hours. Was he going to struggle against a thousand-year great emperor with ninth level emperor realm?

That was simply absurd!

Pill King Hui was reasonably talented, but he had no supernatural gifts with martial dao. He didn't have the capital to fight someone so much stronger than him. He didn't have any confidence for doing so against Emperor Peerless especially.

Emperor Shura saw it too. Before Emperor Peerless, the moderately capable Pill King Hui had no chance whatsoever. It was a luxury of luxuries to hope for four hours of resistance, unless the pill king had some trump card up his sleeve.

The battle yet continued.

Though Emperor Peerless didn't go for the throat right away, he nevertheless attacked with tremendous ferocity. His emperor domain took the initiative immediately, and within several exchanges, he had full control of the flow of battle. The emperor's display of strength comforted the four monarchs a little and astounded them as well.

"As expected of a great emperor! Pill King Hui is like a child before him."

"How could it be any other way? It's always been said that Emperor Peerless is one of the forerunners of the wandering cultivators. I didn't expect his cultivation to be this impenetrable. He hasn't used any of his signature moves yet, but I don't think he's very much worse than Emperor Peafowl himself."

Emperor Peafowl was one of the strongest great emperors in the Upper Eight Regions. If Emperor Peerless was comparable to him, that made the wandering emperor's abilities notable indeed.

"Emperor Peerless can definitely win this one," confirmed Plumscore Monarch.

"Yes. If Emperor Peerless wins this one, then we will be tied once more. Four wins, four losses, four ties," smiled Chronobalance Monarch.

Wildfox Monarch smiled wryly. "I'm not worried at all about Emperor Peerless, but I'm not sure about the three other rounds. Even Brother Cloudsoar can't guarantee he'll win his bout. As amazing of a genius as young lord Zhen is, against Emperor Shura, he'll still…"

He cut off mid-sentence. The score was even, but things weren't looking good for Sacred Peafowl Mountain.

"Let's not be too down," said Chronobalance. "Young lord Zhen is very composed. Perhaps he has a plan up his sleeve… a few unplayed aces, maybe? Or what if Miss Huang'er defeats Li Jiancheng? Everything is possible in the world of martial dao!"

Miss Huang'er, defeat Li Jiancheng?

Wildfox Monarch glanced between the two in puzzlement. He couldn't see how the girl had the ability to defeat Shura's top disciple. He was uncertain if young lord Zhen himself would be able to, in fact.

Not that they were intentionally belittling him, but the young lord had obtained only eighth in the Ranking of Young Lords. Li Jiancheng had ranked first! That in itself wasn't a decider, but young lord Zhen was much younger than Li Jiancheng as well. They hadn't made their way in the world for nearly the same amount of time. It was quite likely that young lord Zhen wasn't as mature in martial dao as Shura's young lord.

Over at the opposing side, Li Jiancheng's eyebrows were knotted into a frown. "Master, didn't you give two Imperial Advent talismans to Pill King Hui? Why isn't he using them?"

Emperor Shura smiled faintly, but said nothing. He understood what the pill king was thinking. If there was no victory to be had regardless, then the man was probably reluctant to use the talismans so wastefully.

A few moments more scarcely passed before Pill King Hui proclaimed loudly, "Hold on, Emperor Peerless. I'm not as skilled as you. I admit defeat!"

The pill king had enough self-awareness to know that he would die in another fifteen minutes if the fight continued. Emperor Peerless showed no signs of pulling his punches. He could even feel the older man's murderous intent. If not for the fact that the emperor cared about his reputation, he would have used his signature moves immediately to cut the pill king down on the spot. But that was no longer possible, given the surrender.

"Turning tail and running, hmm? Did Emperor Shura tell you to do that? Or maybe it was Emperor Pillzenith?" Emperor Peerless smiled coldly. He'd heard Jiang Chen say that Pill King Hui and Ce were exceptionally likely to be Emperor Pillzenith's proteges, sent to assist Emperor Shura. The emperor spared no niceties for the subordinates of his mortal enemy.

Pill King Hui gasped for breath. His hair was caked with sweat, and he was in quite bad shape. He felt like he'd just survived a brush with death. Not daring to fire back any witty retorts at Emperor Peerless's mockery, he made a straightforward cupped fist salute in surrender.

Emperor Peerless no longer had an outlet to vent his frustration. Still, he was a man who cared about decorum. He wasn't going to hunt a man down after his opponent's voluntary retreat. He represented Sacred Peafowl Mountain, and had to mind his manners in light of his faction.

"The tenth round goes to Sacred Peafowl Mountain's Emperor Peerless," announced Emperor Petalpluck.

Emperor Peerless nodded. His victory today was matter-of-fact; there was nothing worth celebrating. A faint smile was the extent of his expression. He stepped off the arena without further ceremony.

"I succeeded, young lord. Too bad I couldn't cut him down on the spot." Emperor Peerless sounded mildly displeased about allowing his opponent the chance to surrender.

Jiang Chen didn't mind, though. "Winning in the first martial dao round will help morale. Thank you for your valuable contribution, Old Brother Mo."

The 'help' to morale was just a consolation prize at best. Real strength was necessary in the martial dao arena. No matter how high morale was, it wouldn't matter without sufficient strength to match.

Still, Cloudsoar felt a bit more confidence creep into his heart. "Pill King Hui seems to be a bit stronger than Pill King Ce," he heard Jiang Chen say to him. "Maybe they thought we would send you out first. Your second opponent has already been decided. It's the other pill king."

"Don't worry, young lord," Cloudsoar nodded. "I will at least tie this round. Of course, I will also try my best to win."

The monarch didn't dare boast about ensuring victory. After all, nobody knew what Pill King Ce had up his sleeve either. It was better to maintain a confident tie, then attempt to break through a standstill after that was assured. Having decided on his strategy, Cloudsoar Monarch strode toward the arena with large steps.

"Eleventh round, Sacred Peafowl Mountain's Cloudsoar Monarch versus the Shura Retreat's Pill King Ce!" declared Emperor Petalpluck.

Cloudsoar Monarch had some supporters amongst the vassals. He had been at Emperor Peafowl's side for a very long time, a kind of steward at Sacred Peafowl Mountain. Many visiting vassals had gone through him on their visits to Emperor Peafowl. Therefore, it was natural for them to harbor a healthy amount of respect for him. Plenty of passionate applause could be heard as he made his way forward. This gave him extra confidence.

"Sacred Peafowl Mountain has really run out of talent, huh? They're sending out someone like you?" Pill King Ce looked over his opponent derisively, his expression snide.

Cloudsoar was a worldly veteran, and easily saw through his opponent's provocative ruse. "I'm one of Sacred Peafowl Mountain's four monarchs," he sneered back. "It's my right and responsibility to represent my faction here. On the contrary, I'd like to know where you crawled out from, my questionable opponent!"

"Hmph. Right and responsibility, eh? Then let me show you how weak you four monarchs really are!" Though Pill King Ce was weaker than Pill King Hui, he was no slouch at psychological warfare.

Chapter 1221: The Proud Shura Retreat

Pill King Ce was a smart man. His prior investigation had informed him that Cloudsoar Monarch was the best of Sacred Peafowl Mountain's four. Though he himself wasn't weak, it was unrealistic to claim that the pill king could beat one of Peafowl's monarchs. At most, they were roughly comparable.

When that was the case, a duel between two cultivators depended heavily on their moods and mindset. Pill King Ce wanted to attack him psychologically to create an opening. If one appeared, no matter how small, he would be sure to latch onto it.

Pill King Ce wasn't necessarily the strongest cultivator, but as a pill dao genius, he had instinct and sensitivity superior to most others when it came to sensing battle openings. They were senses reserved for the elite.

However, Cloudsoar Monarch was wholly unaffected by his provocation. He'd already heard from Jiang Chen that Pill King Ce was a bit weaker than Pill King Hui. Though he wasn't sure where young lord Zhen had gotten that information from, he trusted Jiang Chen enough to take it at face value. Therefore, Pill King Ce's intimidation tactics did nothing whatsoever to the monarch mentally.

He had a strategy, and he was sticking to it. Not losing was his priority, based on which he could then attempt to eke out an eventual victory. It was a conservative plan, but that fit the monarch's personality just fine. Cloudsoar had no fondness for impudence and brashness. His line of thought was both simple and potent and countered Pill King Ce's perfectly.

The pill king knew that he had no advantage whatsoever based on martial dao alone. Thus, he planned on overwhelming his opponent with sheer ferocity. It was an approach that sacrificed stamina, but that was an acceptable trade-off. If Cloudsoar Monarch didn't already have a plan, he might be browbeaten into submission through initial hesitance.

That too was what the monarch realized after his shock from the beginning fierceness wore off. Still, understanding his opponent's weakness wasn't the same as exploiting it. Pill King Ce might not be the strongest of cultivators, but he had keen martial senses. Cloudsoar Monarch's every move was predicted.

There was a flurry of experimental attacks from both sides. The back-and-forth was instructive for both combatants of their opponent's abilities. In terms of raw strength, Cloudsoar Monarch was slightly superior. In terms of experience and instinct, the same was true for Pill King Ce. The two were evenly matched. None of their maneuvers seemed to gain any ground for either man.

Noticing that the battle had come to a standstill, Sacred Peafowl Mountain's Plumscore Monarch sighed softly. "If it goes on like this, I don't think Cloudsoar will have an easy time winning."

Chronobalance Monarch smashed a fist against the armrest of his chair. "I don't believe that Shura Retreat has someone that strong besides Sun, Moon, and Star!"

"It's no use saying that now," lamented Wildfox Monarch. "If we win this round, we'll at least have some hope. If we can't, even if it's a tie… it'll be a disaster."

Yes, though Sacred Peafowl Mountain seemed to be tied with Shura Retreat currently with a score of four-two-four, there was no chance the remaining two rounds could be won. Therefore, Cloudsoar Monarch's round was the last ray of hope for Sacred Peafowl Mountain. In the monarchs' eyes at least, this fight was key.

Everyone with Shura Retreat looked a lot more relaxed. Though Pill King Hui had lost to Emperor Peerless last round, there was no other possible outcome. There was no dissatisfaction whatsoever on Emperor Shura's and Li Jiancheng's faces. They'd planned around losing the prior round. It seemed that Pill King Ce's was probably going to end in a tie as well.

"Master, the situation is very good for us now. If Pill King Ce can win this round, then we'll triumph for sure. You'll handily crush that Zhen kid, and I can take down the pretty girl over there with no problem. That will be a convincing victory over Sacred Peafowl Mountain with six wins, three draws, and four losses. Veluriyam Capital's throne is as good as yours."

Li Jiancheng's eyes flared with fervor and he couldn't help glancing over at Huang'er. He was almost champing at the bit for the current fight to be over, for a chance to show off his martial dao skills before the regal beauty who was to be his opponent next round. He wanted to conquer her with his display of talent.

He had faced rejection from her once before but wasn't discouraged by the past. In his opinion, he only needed to get rid of that Zhen guy's brainwashing. As long as he could demonstrate strength immense enough to crush Sacred Peafowl Mountain's dreams into fine dust, the daintily pretty girl would understand the truth of things. He could do whatever to her then. In fact, she should be throwing herself into his arms.

To Li Jiancheng's perspective, the world of martial dao was a very pragmatic one. Female cultivators especially favored the strongest. Huang'er had extraordinary presence and grace, but she was surely no exception. Wasn't her reliance on Zhen because of her enthrallment with his embellished exploits?

Li Jiancheng wasn't satisfied with this. He swore in his heart that he would prevail over Huang'er utterly with martial dao. He wanted her wholehearted devotion.

Emperor Shura saw through his disciple's thoughts. "Jiancheng, I know what you're thinking," he instructed seriously. "It's normal for youngsters to think and act with some salaciousness. Still, in your fight a short while from now, you can't lose your cool or underestimate your enemy. That girl looks soft, but she's no pushover. If you lose because of a miscalculation, I will punish you severely. It is possible that your young lord status will be removed, and you will be exiled from Shura Retreat!"

Young people needed to be disciplined. Emperor Shura was immovable upon this point. He was quite concerned that Li Jiancheng would rush headlong into the battle out of a desire to impress.

Li Jiancheng felt a chill pass over his heart. Cold beads of sweat formed on his neck. He had really gotten carried away a bit too much with his daydreams and fantasies. Emperor Shura's harsh words helped him regain his composure. That's right, this wasn't the time to underestimate his opponent or get carried away. He had to use absolute force to seize the girl's heart!

"Don't worry, master. I won't bring you shame on this day. We'll win the competition for sure!" Shura Retreat's chief disciple guaranteed.

Emperor Shura nodded. Li Jiancheng's reaction assured him that his disciple had shaken free of his prior reverie. As long as Li Jiancheng took the battle seriously, the emperor was very confident that he would do very well against that so-called 'Miss Huang'er'. The girl was mysterious in her own right, but surely she couldn't be stronger than young lord Zhen? Li Jiancheng isn't exactly weaker than the young lord either.

The battle between Pill King Ce and Cloudsoar Monarch was nearing its end. The two were still going at it without much result, the balance of victory not tipping toward either side. It seemed that the battle was about to end in yet another tie.

That was no problem if Li Jiancheng couldn't beat Huang'er. The score would be four wins, two draws, and four losses. Even if Pill King Ce and Li Jiancheng both tied, the score would settle at four wins, four draws, and four losses.

Emperor Shura almost wanted something like that to happen. Only then could his final battle with young lord Zhen be called decisive! It would enhance his victory's value tremendously.

The final fight as the one deciding win or loss… if Emperor Shura won such a fight, it would be a much more forceful hit to Sacred Peafowl Mountain. He was perfectly confident in his martial dao prowess, even more so than he had been with his talismans. With talismans, there had been a small chance of defeat. But with martial dao, there should be absolutely zero.

There were rumors that the kid was half-step emperor realm. Even if he broke through to emperor realm recently, then what?

A youth in initial emperor realm competing with a three-thousand-year great emperor? Did that sound realistic?

Not at all!

The world of martial dao was extremely harsh. There was no denying the strength of the strong or the weakness of the weak. Youths were supposed to strive against youths. It was possible to challenge across levels, but how many levels were there between initial emperor realm and great emperor realm?

It was absolutely impossible. The martial dao world had no instances of something like that succeeding whatsoever. Perhaps there were, but Emperor Shura had never heard of it–nor did he believe that it would happen to him.

The Zhen kid was very talented indeed. The emperor had noticed as much during the Ranking of Young Lords. That was why he was certain about the outcome of their fight. Zhen was strong enough to duel Li Jiancheng at most. He would fall like an ant before the might of Emperor Shura.

The emperor had every belief that the fight would be over in minutes. He was in fact, planning to cut the youth down where he stood. There was no shame in nipping a problem in the bud.

Wasn't he supposed to be a genius? The young lord of Sacred Peafowl Mountain?

An accidental death in the arena would only elicit gossip in the short term. Who would remember a dead person in the long run? Plus, he'd have control over the entire Veluriyam Capital at that point. Who would dare speak out against him? The four monarchs of Sacred Peafowl Mountain? Whether they'd still be able to stick around was still up in the air.

Emperor Coiling Dragon? Emperor Void?

If they were tactful, they'd best pretend to be unmoving statues; fit only for show rather than power. If they weren't, then he would do his best to eliminate them. Failing that, they'd definitely have to be sent elsewhere.

Veluriyam Capital would be entirely his then! He barely finished his last thought before the fight on the arena concluded. The four hours were up, and the drawn conclusion was official; neither party had won the fight.

Chapter 1222: Go Teach Him A Lesson, Huanger

A draw. The fight had ended in yet another draw! This draw meant very different things to both parties. Over on Sacred Peafowl Mountain's side, everyone except the three monarchs couldn't help but sigh with disappointment.

They'd all seen that Cloudsoar Monarch was slightly stronger than the enemy. Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to gain a big enough lead to turn it into a decisive victory. It was a round they could've taken off Shura Retreat's hands, but after it'd ended in a draw, Sacred Peafowl Mountain's position was more precarious than ever.

On the surface, their score was four wins, three draws and four losses. Both parties were still at a stalemate. However, anyone with their wits about them would know Shura Retreat was the clear favorite to win the competition. First, there was no way young lord Zhen could beat Emperor Shura. Second, Miss Huang'er was a stranger to most. Although she had participated in a couple of matches and claimed a draw for Sacred Peafowl Mountain in pill dao, her performance thus far hadn't exactly been eye-catching. That was why no one thought well of her chances.

First impressions were important for humans. Huang'er had outstanding temperament, but she was completely lacking in killing intent and forcefulness. In fact, many thought that she was uncompetitive, and that Sacred Peafowl Mountain had picked her because they had no other choice. This impression was also encouraged by the fact that young lord Zhen himself was an incredibly young person. He could hardly show off a worthy true disciple when he himself was young enough to be one.

On Shura Retreat's side, the atmosphere was completely different. It was clear from the joyous looks on their faces that they could see the flag of victory waving at them already. There were only two rounds left in the thirteen-round competition. The remaining rounds and the ultimate victory was theirs to take!

"Congratulations, Daoist Shura." Emperor Vastsea beamed as he congratulated Emperor Shura in advance. "It's been a wild ride, but Shura Retreat's foundation is ultimately deeper than Sacred Peafowl Mountain's. I so look forward to hear their excuses after their defeat."

In reality, Emperor Vastsea had been afraid that Shura Retreat would lose. His fear had been especially profound when Jiang Chen had showed off his contracted beast, a true dragon. At the time, the sense of defeat was so strong that he even regretted taking the fight to Sacred Peafowl Mountain. But the ominous feeling had finally departed. He felt a lot more relaxed now that victory was in sight.

Emperor Skysplitter was also smiling as he made his way towards Emperor Shura. He didn't congratulate the great emperor in advance, but was looking pretty optimistic himself. "Daoist Shura, the next two rounds are most likely in the bag."

Emperor Shura nodded and looked at Li Jiancheng. "Jiancheng, I'm going to say this again. Don't underestimate your enemy, and do your best."

Li Jiancheng's eyes gleamed sharply as he nodded thoughtfully in response. He promised, "Don't worry, master. I won't disappoint you."

Emperor Vastsea laughed. "That girl is most likely just a stopgap, not to mention that young lord Zhen himself is no match for you if you perform up to your normal standard, nephew. Victory will be yours!"

"I wish you luck, young lord Jiancheng!"

Li Jiancheng clasped his hands in obeisance before he flew elegantly to the arena. On the way, he called out to Huang'er solemnly. "Miss Huang'er, I'll be waiting for you on the arena."

Li Jiancheng wanted to dominate Huang'er, so the actions he took were very deliberately planned. Meanwhile, the air was tense on Sacred Peafowl Mountain's side.

Cloudsoar Monarch couldn't stop blaming himself, "Young lord, my friends, Cloudsoar is sorry for being useless. I have failed to claim victory for Sacred Peafowl Mountain and pushed us into a most unfavourable situation. I am guilty."

Despite Cloudsoar Monarch's claims, they all knew that it wasn't his fault. None of them were at fault because they had done their best. If someone had to shoulder the blame, then it would be shameless Shura Retreat who'd hired two reinforcements of dubious origins and ambushed them while they were unprepared.

"Daoist Cloudsoar, this really isn't your fault, or anyone's fault for the matter." Plumscore Monarch was normally aloof, but she sounded astoundingly comforting during a critical moment like this. "You've done your best. Everyone has done their best. Frankly, the outcome may have been worse than it is now if we were in your place instead."

"Yes, you don't need to blame yourself." Chronobalance Monarch sighed. "There's no way these bastards could've win anything if His Majesty was still at Veluriyam Capital."

"Yes. If His Majesty was still around, he would've suppressed these savages already." Wildfox Monarch also sighed.

Emperor Peafowl had incredible talents. His skill with talismans was easily the greatest in the entire Veluriyam Capital. The Imperial Advent Defense Talisman and Onslaught Talisman he made were the best around. While Emperor Peafowl's pill dao wasn't exceptionally good, he was still the topmost out of all seven great emperors of Veluriyam Capital, not to mention when it came to formations.

Emperor Peafowl was superior to Emperor Shura in every way. If he was present, Shura Retreat would be lucky to win three to four rounds out of thirteen. The rest would be won by Sacred Peafowl Mountain because Emperor Peafowl alone could take four to five rounds off Emperor Shura's hands. Even young lord Zhen was capable of winning three to four rounds on his own. The rest of them only needed to stand by and put on appearances.Emperor Peerless was powerful, but he was only powerful in the area of martial dao. As a wandering cultivator, the great emperor simply couldn't afford to study the other fields even if he felt like it. However, Jiang Chen was a little displeased by the four monarchs' attitude.

"The fight isn't over yet, so why are you all acting like we've lost already? Emperor Peafowl elected you all as his aides because he trusted in your abilities. But why do I feel that your mental fortitude is extremely questionable?"

He was fine with them missing Emperor Peafowl, but the monarchs kept spouting pessimistic nonsense before the competition was even over. Naturally, as the young lord of Sacred Peafowl Mountain, he was displeased with their attitude.

The four monarchs realized that they had made a terrible mistake. They hurriedly apologized to Jiang Chen for their slip of the tongue.

"We are sorry, young lord Zhen. We have said something we shouldn't."

"Yeah. Please tell us your punishment, young lord."

Jiang Chen snorted coldly and kept quiet. Although the four monarchs had expressed their loyalty to him multiple times already, they couldn't help but doubt him because of his young age. It was a subconscious reaction that they had no control over. Although Jiang Chen could understand their feelings, he didn't want to see Sacred Peafowl Mountain crumbling internally before they even finished the fight. If they lost, they would at least lose with dignity. Laments and sighs from the four monarchs before everything was done was absolutely not the kind of reaction a member of Sacred Peafowl Mountain should display, or the atmosphere that should be fostered.

It was at this moment Huang'er spoke up with a smile. "That Li Jiancheng has his head in the clouds. I'll meet him in the arena."

Huang'er was feeling a little angry herself. One, Li Jiancheng's arrogance and frivolous remarks had enraged her. Two, the monarchs' despondency made her feel slighted. While Huang'er didn't mind being scorned, it was a different story when the target of their scorn was Jiang Chen. Even if they weren't doing it on purpose, Huang'er wanted to show the entire Veluriyam Capital that young lord Zhen was capable of holding Sacred Peafowl Mountain together even after Emperor Peafowl was gone.

Jiang Chen nodded. "Go teach him a lesson, Huang'er. He's been way too arrogant. If he goes overboard, feel free to cripple him."

Cripple him?

Everyone on Sacred Peafowl Mountain's side felt surprised when they heard this. But Huang'er simply nodded and flew into the arena with one quick motion.

"The twelve round is Miss Huang'er from Sacred Peafowl Mountain versus young lord Li Jiancheng from Shura Retreat."

Li Jiancheng's true strength was a mystery to most people in Veluriyam Capital. In the past, Sacred Peafowl Mountain had a young lord Fan who was famed as the greatest young lord of Veluriyam Capital. Li Jiancheng hadn't been able to overcome young lord Fan at the time. But when young lord Fan passed away, Li Jiancheng naturally became the greatest youth of his generation.

However, it was rumored that Li Jiancheng had been cultivating an extremely powerful and deep secret art of the Shura slaughter dao. Supposedly, not even a reborn young lord Fan would be able to defeat him after his cultivation was complete.

The rumor couldn't be verified because young lord Fan had passed away first. Later on, a few young cultivators, including Sacred Peafowl Mountain's Zhou Yan, had tried to defeat Li Jiancheng during the Ranking of Young Lords, but everyone who'd challenged him had fallen short of beating him. Moreover, Li Jiancheng had fought them regularly without using any secret arts. As a result, he seemed shrouded in mystery.

"Will Li Jiancheng use his secret arts this time? Li Jiancheng's techniques are forceful and domineering. Will this sweet Miss Huang'er be able to hold out for more than a couple of exchanges?"

Everyone who'd fought Li Jiancheng before knew that his fighting style and technique was incredibly forceful and oppressive. It was painful experience to fight against Li Jiancheng to say the least. In fact, many geniuses who challenged Li Jiancheng to battle wasn't able to launch a single counter attack before they were struck down first.

Even Sacred Peafowl Mountain was feeling afraid for Huang'er's sake as they looked back and forth between Li Jiancheng and her. Not everyone was feeling as pessimistic though. Emperor Peerless looked thoughtful as he stared at Huang'er's elegant and lithe figure.

"We meet again, Miss Huang'er." Li Jiancheng chuckled in the arena. "Last time, my skill with talismans was slightly better than yours. This time, I would suggest that you watch out for yourself. Jiancheng doesn't want to hurt a delicate flower like you, but accidents do happen in a martial battle. Please give me a warning if you find yourself in a pickle. Jiancheng will do his very best to preserve your dignity."

Obviously, he was telling Huang'er that he would give her the chance to surrender any time she wanted. He wouldn't force her to the point where surrender was impossible. He was very conceited to say the least.