Free Web NovelChapter 27: Chapter 27: On the Brink
A powerful wave of energy blasted outward, and the faces of the surrounding crowd changed.
Primordial Energy surged rapidly within Shen Daoxing’s body, and he stomped his foot.
A tyrannical force erupted and met Xia Chen’s attack head-on.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The moment the two forces collided, the Primordial Energy formed a tide that spread out toward the surroundings.
"You think this is over?"
Xia Chen’s gaze was incomparably cold. He extended his palm, and in an instant, violent Primordial Energy coalesced into a ferocious beast that charged at Shen Daoxing.
ROAR!
The beast carried an unrivaled might, so oppressive that it made one’s knees feel weak.
"Hundred Beasts Fist! It’s the high-grade Profound Tier Martial Technique that Xia Junze obtained in the True Dragon Secret Realm!"
"What terrifying power!"
...
The surrounding crowd retreated again and again, afraid of being caught in the aftershocks of the battle.
Shen Daoxing narrowed his eyes, brought two fingers together, and swiped forward.
SWISH!
A streak of cyan sword light shot out, moving with incredible speed.
CRACK!
The sword light flashed past, and the giant beast was split in two, dissipating into nothing but Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.
Someone cried out in shock, "This person has comprehended Sword Intent!"
A wave of discussion rose and fell among the crowd.
No one had expected Shen Daoxing to be a Swordsman, let alone one who had comprehended Sword Intent.
"So what if you’ve comprehended Sword Intent?"
A cold sneer formed on Xia Chen’s lips. "I’ll let you know that in the face of absolute power, everything else is futile."
As he spoke, the Primordial Energy in Xia Chen’s body gathered once more.
"Private duels are forbidden here!"
Just then, a cold shout rang out.
The one who spoke was none other than Gu Yawei.
The surrounding crowd looked over and recognized her, and an uproar immediately ensued.
"The Ninth Princess! She’s the Ninth Princess, Gu Yawei."
"So she’s that ugly freak!"
"My god, I can’t believe I’m seeing the ugliest woman in the Martial Kingdom today!"
"I must have stepped in dog shit on my way out today!"
"She’s called a princess, but who in the imperial city doesn’t know she’s just the daughter of a palace maid?"
...
Shen Daoxing was rather surprised. He hadn’t expected this woman to be the Ninth Princess of the Martial Kingdom.
There were some scandalous rumors about the Martial Kingdom’s Royal Family back in Baiyun City.
The Ninth Princess was born after the current emperor had relations with a palace maid while drunk. It was said that she was so hideously ugly it was nauseating, and she was even known as the ugliest woman in the Martial Kingdom.
Everyone in the Martial Kingdom, from top to bottom, detested this Ninth Princess. The Royal Family also made things difficult for the mother and daughter in every possible way, constantly suppressing them.
It was said that even His Majesty was extremely disgusted and repulsed by the mother and daughter. If not for the Royal Family’s reputation, he might have thrown them out long ago.
"What rotten luck today!"
Zhao Ziqi said with a cold expression, "Are you really going to offend my Zhao Family to protect this brat?"
Gu Yawei bit her lip and said softly, "It is better to resolve grievances than to create them. Why not give me some face..."
Zhao Ziqi retorted impolitely, "Give you face? Why should I give you any face?"
Gu Yawei’s elegant brows furrowed. "You don’t have to give me face, but will you not even give face to the Royal Family?"
"Hahahaha!"
Zhao Ziqi burst out laughing. "The Royal Family? Are you even worthy of uttering that name? Who doesn’t know about your origins?"
"You!"
Gu Yawei bit her lip so hard it bled.
Xia Chen also said coldly, "Princess, please step aside!"
Gu Yawei took a deep breath and said, "I have already given him my Bronze Pearl. He is now considered a talent I have recruited."
To recruit and win over geniuses, the Royal Family of the Martial Kingdom would give tokens to talents who had not yet fully developed.
Obtaining this token allowed one to exchange it for resources and privileges.
The Bronze Pearl was one such token.
Shen Daoxing touched the Bronze Pearl in his sleeve. He hadn’t expected the pearl Gu Yawei had given him to be a Bronze Pearl.
Zhao Ziqi sneered, "A Bronze Pearl is extremely precious. How could you possibly have one?"
Not only did Zhao Ziqi not believe it, but no one in the crowd did either.
’How could Gu Yawei possibly have a Bronze Pearl!?’
Gu Yawei bit her lip and said with a trembling voice, "My father, the Emperor, bestowed it upon me when I was born!"
Not many people knew that the emperor had gifted Gu Yawei a Bronze Pearl at her birth, and she had treasured it ever since.
Shen Daoxing’s heart also trembled, and he clenched the Bronze Pearl.
At that moment, a voice spoke up. "What’s a Bronze Pearl? I have a Golden Pearl right here."
A young man wearing a Python Robe walked out, holding a golden-colored pearl in his hand.
"The Seventh Prince!"
Seeing who it was, everyone present quickly bowed.
The newcomer was none other than the Seventh Prince of the Martial Kingdom. His mother, Noble Princess Consort Rong, came from a powerful military and political family in the Martial Kingdom. With his immense background and financial resources, he was the prince most likely to contend for the position of Crown Prince.
Xia Chen also cupped his fist. "Seventh Prince."
"When I came of age at sixteen, my father, the Emperor, gave me a Gold Pearl."
The Seventh Prince smiled. "Today, I will bestow it upon you."
The Royal Family’s recruitment of geniuses also had tiers, represented by the Golden Pearl, Silver Pearl, and Bronze Pearl.
The Golden Pearl was the highest-grade token, while the Bronze Pearl was the lowest.
"Wait a moment!"
Just then, another Prince in a Python Robe walked over quickly. "Xia, I also have a Golden Pearl here. If you want it, you can take it as well!"
Seeing the newcomer, the Seventh Prince said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, "So it’s my Eldest Brother!"
"Seventh Brother!"
The Eldest Prince smiled breezily. "You’re as quick as ever. But I’m not our Third or Fourth Brother."
’Bastard!’
The Seventh Prince cursed inwardly but his expression remained unchanged.
Two Golden Pearls shone brilliantly at the banquet, and all the talented young prodigies were filled with envy.
Golden Pearls were not something an ordinary member of the Royal Family could obtain. It required a powerful background and strength to request one from His Majesty.
In previous years at the Celestial Joy Tower, geniuses who received a Golden Pearl were already few, and those who received two were even rarer.
"Thank you, Seventh Prince, Eldest Prince."
Xia Chen accepted the two Golden Pearls, a look of delight appearing in his eyes.
"A Bronze Pearl?"
Zhao Ziqi looked at Gu Yawei and Shen Daoxing, a mocking sneer on her lips, as if to say, "A Bronze Pearl? What a fucking joke!"
The Eldest Prince said expressionlessly, "The Bronze Pearl is just something my father, the Emperor, gives out to save face, like tossing a coin to a beggar. You actually treat it like a treasure?"
His words served two purposes: to show off his status before his father, the Emperor, and to humiliate and mock Gu Yawei.
The Seventh Prince then looked at Gu Yawei and barked, "You ugly thing, get the hell out of the way! Haven’t you embarrassed yourself enough?"
"Hahahaha!"
The surrounding crowd laughed mockingly without restraint.
"I..."
The color instantly drained from Gu Yawei’s face, and her body swayed as if about to collapse.
Although she had endured cold shoulders and contempt in the palace since she was a child, this was the first time she had been humiliated so publicly.
The Eldest Prince also looked at Shen Daoxing and said coldly, "You rely on your meager strength to bully others and cause trouble. Now that I, a Prince, am here, I will not turn a blind eye. If you kneel and apologize now, it’s not too late."
The two Princes were stopping at nothing to win over Xia Chen.
After all, not only was Xia Chen’s own talent astonishing, but he also had Xia Junze of the Martial Arts Ranking backing him.
Shen Daoxing laughed. "The two Princes have truly played their hand well. Winning someone over like this kills many birds with one stone."
"Winning someone over?"
The Seventh Prince frowned. "Justice is in the hearts of the people. Are you still not going to kneel and apologize?"
At this point, several armored, sword-wielding guards appeared, all of them staring at Shen Daoxing and He Ku with ice-cold expressions.
He Ku’s heart was about to leap out of his chest, and his mind went blank. He stammered, "Wh... what do we do now?"
’That He Ku really is an idiot,’ Qin Xiaoyue thought, shaking her head at the scene. ’Looks like he’ll be buried alongside Shen Daoxing today. Good thing I’m smart.’
Shen Daoxing’s expression was impassive. "Fight our way out. Do you dare?"
’Fight our way out!?’
He Ku couldn’t believe his ears when he heard that.
It wasn’t just He Ku; everyone in the crowd was looking at Shen Daoxing as if he were an idiot.
The Eldest Prince shouted, "This man bullies others and causes trouble! He is a vicious criminal of our Martial Kingdom! To prevent him from causing disaster in the future, we will execute him and his accomplice here and now as a warning to others!"
Hearing this, the surrounding guards, fierce as wolves and tigers, all charged toward Shen Daoxing and He Ku.
"Hold on!"
Just then, a cold shout rang out.
