Free Web NovelChapter 677: Chapter 677: All In
"Haha, Xiao Xiao, it’s fine. Those guys just wanted to throw their weight around, but they didn’t expect me to be so strong. None of them were a match for me."
Ye Qingchen casually explained what had happened. The glow on Xiao Xiao’s face grew brighter and brighter.
"Young Master! I knew you could do it. I just didn’t want to see you wronged, so I called for Elder Chen."
Ye Qingchen smiled and ruffled her head. "I know, I know. Xiao Xiao is always looking out for me."
At that moment, Ye Qingchen felt extremely relieved that he had sent Xiao Xiao away. Otherwise, she would have been incredibly worried.
"Alright, Young Master, we haven’t started today’s treatment yet. Let’s get to it!"
***
「The next day」
Ye Qingchen was pondering how to find Wu Chang when he suddenly saw the spiky-haired guy from yesterday appear at his door.
"Heh, kid, you actually dare to show your face again!" Ye Qingchen’s eyes narrowed, his expression murderous.
The spiky-haired guy quickly covered his head, crying out in terror, "Don’t, please don’t kill me! I didn’t come to cause trouble today!"
He nervously shook the object in his hand.
Ye Qingchen frowned. "What’s this? An apology letter?"
The spiky-haired guy started to speak, but the memory of yesterday’s scene made him shudder with fear. "Th-that’s not an apology letter. This is... a letter of challenge from our Saint Heir."
"Two days from now is our Wuji Immortal Palace’s tournament. Once on the stage, life and death are decided by fate," he continued. "Our Saint Heir wishes to challenge you, so he sent this special challenge."
The spiky-haired guy wore an agonized expression. He had felt a pit in his stomach the moment he received this task. The Saint Heir of the Wuji Immortal Palace issuing a challenge to a foreigner? What kind of fool would readily accept? Crucially, the Saint Heir had declared that if Ye Qingchen didn’t accept, he’d be the one facing the consequences upon his return. The man was truly suffering in silence.
However, to his surprise, Ye Qingchen nonchalantly took the letter of challenge.
"Once on the stage... does that mean if I kill your Saint Heir, no one from your Wuji Immortal Palace will interfere?"
The spiky-haired guy nodded vigorously. "Right, right, right! That’s exactly it!"
Ye Qingchen, you’re my grandfather. Please, I’m begging you, accept it! the spiky-haired guy prayed internally.
Ye Qingchen smiled faintly. "Alright! Since you’re begging me so earnestly, then I, your grandfather, will accept!"
The spiky-haired guy’s eyes instantly widened.
Wait, what? How does he know what I’m thinking? No, no! It must be a coincidence!
The joy of Ye Qingchen accepting the challenge overwhelmed his doubts, so he didn’t dwell on it. "I-I didn’t hear you wrong, did I? You’re really willing to accept?" he asked again, finding it hard to believe.
Ye Qingchen shot him a sideways glance. "If you don’t believe me, I can just refuse."
The spiky-haired guy hurriedly bowed and scraped. "I believe you, I believe you! How could we not believe you, Great Hero Ye! See, I was just a little too excited!"
"Well, since you’ve accepted, we’ll see each other again in two days!"
With that, the spiky-haired guy vanished from the spot in a flash.
By now, a large crowd had gathered outside Ye Qingchen’s door. Having witnessed him accept their Saint Heir’s challenge with their own eyes, they all began to buzz with astonishment. "No way, this guy has some serious guts, actually accepting a challenge from our Saint Heir! This year’s tournament just got interesting. I have to go see this! Tsk, I’m telling you, this guy just doesn’t want to live! I heard he came to get treated by Elder Chen. My guess is his illness is incurable, so he wants to make a name for himself before he dies! Exactly. I have no idea what our Saint Heir was thinking, issuing a challenge to this guy. This year, I’m definitely betting on our Saint Heir to win. I’m going to make a killing! Me too, me too! I’m putting all my savings on him! Hey, if you’re all betting on the Saint Heir, then I’m going to bet on this new guy! Hahaha, if you want to throw your money away, just say so! Betting on that guy? You might as well just give the money to me!"
***
The chatter outside woke Xiao Xiao from a deep sleep.
For some reason, ever since absorbing the Demonic Qi for Ye Qingchen, she had become increasingly sleepy. Ye Qingchen assumed she was just overexerted, so after reminding her to get more rest, he didn’t think much of it.
"Young Master, what’s going on outside? Why is it so noisy?" Xiao Xiao asked, rubbing her eyes and yawning as she walked into the courtyard.
Ye Qingchen sat down and poured her a cup of water. "The Saint Heir of the Wuji Immortal Palace has challenged me. In two days, I have to face him in the arena."
He briefly explained the situation.
Xiao Xiao’s eyes widened. "Young Master, what did you say? A match against the Saint Heir? You’re in a critical period of your treatment! How can you fight him now?"
Her face was filled with worry, as she was unaware of what Elder Chen had told Ye Qingchen the night before. Ye Qingchen quickly repeated the elder’s words.
Only then did Xiao Xiao relax. "No wonder! Well then, Young Master, I’ve heard that participants in the Wuji Immortal Palace’s tournaments have to sign a life-and-death waiver. When the time comes, you must protect yourself, no matter what!"
Ye Qingchen nodded. "Don’t worry, Xiao Xiao. Do you not trust your own Young Master’s strength?"
Xiao Xiao couldn’t help but burst out laughing. "Of course I do! Don’t worry, Young Master. When the time comes, I’ll be in the crowd cheering you on!"
「Soon, the tournament began.」
This year’s event was especially lively because the Saint Heir of the Wuji Immortal Palace was participating. By the time Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao arrived, the venue was already a sea of people.
Walking through the crowd, Ye Qingchen could clearly hear the discussions around them. "Hey, how come I’ve never heard of this Ye Qingchen fellow? Of course you haven’t. He’s a foreigner! What? A foreigner? Does that mean he’s incredibly strong? Strong or not, I have no idea. But I heard he’s only at the third tier of the Martial Emperor Realm! What? Isn’t he just asking to be killed? Heavens! I have to admire his courage! Man, I feel like I shouldn’t have come today. There’s absolutely no suspense in this match! Now, you can’t say that! We’re here to observe the Saint Heir’s Cultivation Technique. We might learn a thing or two. You’re right. I guess we should be thanking that foreigner! I just hope that Ye Qingchen can last for more than a few seconds!"
The incident with the spiky-haired guy hadn’t spread throughout the Wuji Immortal Palace, thanks to the Third Elder. Only the ten or twenty people who were present knew about it. They were aware of Ye Qingchen’s strength, so they had come today as well. However, their reaction was the same as everyone else’s: Ye Qingchen facing their Saint Heir was a death sentence.
