Two days later, Huang Xiaolong and the Fortune Emperor Palace’s group stepped out from the compet.i.tion’s transmission array.
“Huang Xiaolong!”
“Huang Xiaolong’s here!”
The moment Huang Xiaolong appeared, the whole plaza was in a hoo-ha. Experts from several Emperor Palaces, sects, and families looked in Huang Xiaolong"s direction.
Roughly a month ago, when Huang Xiaolong had stepped out from the transmission array to partic.i.p.ate in the preliminary round, people had greeted him with mocking jeers and ridiculing expressions. But now, there was apprehension, fear, astonishment, and even burning admiration!
That’s right! Female disciples from countless families, sects, and Emperor Palaces had locked their burning gaze on Huang Xiaolong. And within their sparkling, burning eyes was a hint of hungry green glint.
“These wenches!” Fang Xuanxuan suddenly cursed under her breath.
Huang Xiaolong was dumbfounded. He, Zhao Lei, as well, as Li Shan shuddered inexplicably.
Huang Xiaolong had discovered long ago that Fang Xuanxuan, as the daughter of an Emperor Palace’s Emperor, Fang Gan, had quite a st.u.r.dy personality.
“My Eldest Miss, please lower your voice. Didn’t you see the expressions on their faces? They looked like they would swallow Huang Xiaolong if they could. If they hear you—can you fight them all?” Peng Xiao spoke with a helpless smile.
Fang Xuanxuan returned with a sheepish smile and retorted, “When I can’t fight them all, isn’t my Xiaolong here to help me?” She deliberately looked in Huang Xiaolong’s direction.
Peng Xiao couldn’t help laughing, “Right, right, your family’s Xiaolong is invincible.”
Fang Xuanxuan’s face blushed irresistibly.
Huang Xiaolong continued to walk forward as if he couldn’t hear a word.
Leading the Fortune Emperor Palace’s group, Huang Xiaolong, Zhao Lei, and the others headed straight to zone sixty-one.
This time, they did not see Gudu Wuyi’s Solitude Emperor Palace’s group monopolizing the waiting zone sixty-one.
“Uncle!”
“Young Master Huang!”
Bei Xiaomei, Mo Xiao, Peng Yi, and the others quickly greeted Huang Xiaolong when they saw him arrive.
Huang Xiaolong smiled and nodded at Bei Xiaomei. Seeing this girl always puts him in a good mood.
However, this time, apart from Bei Xiaomei, Peng Yi, and the usual Emperor Palaces and sects’ Ancestors, Emperor’s Disciples, and Patriarchs smiled and greeted Huang Xiaolong as his group pa.s.sed by zone sixty-one.
These Emperor Palaces’ Ancestors, Emperor’s Disciples, and family Patriarchs unanimously projected goodwill.
Huang Xiaolong had never interacted with these Emperor Palaces’ Ancestors, Emperor’s Disciples, and Patriarchs, but since they took the initiative to show goodwill, Huang Xiaolong would never scorn them. He nodded at each party that greeted him.
From the transmission array until zone sixty-one, Huang Xiaolong’s neck felt stiff from nodding his head at the various forces’ Emperor Palaces, Patriarchs, and sects. He inwardly heaved in relief as he stepped into zone sixty-one.
“Are you alright?” Fang Xuanxuan asked with concern, but there was a gleam of gloating in her beautiful eyes.
Huang Xiaolong twisted his neck around and smiled in reply, “I have the True Dragon Physique. Moreover, it"s a variant type. How could I not be alright?” He blinked mischievously at Fang Xuanxuan.
Fang Xuanxuan curled her lips and snorted, “Sweet-talker.”
Zhao Lei interjected from the side, “I say, can you two converge your lovey-doveyness a little, and stop showering your affection in public.”
Both Huang Xiaolong and Fang Xuanxuan turned red in embarra.s.sment for a second.
Peng Xiao was laughing silently on the side.
“Uncle Zhao, you’re being mean to me.” Fang Xuanxuan glared at Zhao Lei, “What lovey-dovey?!”
Zhao Lei let out hearty laughter, “Alright, Alright, I won’t say anything anymore. I will just let Xiaolong bully you in the future.”
Fang Xuanxuan was red-faced as she gave Zhao Lei another fierce glare, fuming till her cheeks were puffed up, but did not say another word. If she said another world, Zhao Lei would probably say something that would make her want to run away.
At this time, in the Grandmist Emperor Palace’s waiting area not far away, Han Qing’s venomous frosty gaze was fixed on Huang Xiaolong like a poisonous viper.
After a month of healing using many of the Grandmist Emperor Palace’s rare and precious herbs, Han Qing’s injuries had recovered well on the surface, but it was only on the surface. There was terrifying darkness energy inside her body wreaking havoc. Based on her judgment, as well as Zhang Renjie and other Ancestors’ judgment, only an existence that had surpa.s.sed the Emperor Realm could expel the darkness energy from her body.
Only by expelling that darkness energy could her injuries heal genuinely.
Otherwise, in this lifetime, she would never truly recover.
“Li Junhua.” Han Qing suddenly called out.
“Li Junhua is present. What order does Ancestor Han Qing have?” An impressive looking young man stepped out from the side and asked respectfully. He was the Grandmist Emperor Palace’s disciple Li Junhua.
Li Junhua, the strongest amongst the Grandmist Emperor Palace’s partic.i.p.ating disciples, was ranked sixth in the preliminary round.
“On the battle stage, if you come across Huang Xiaolong, you must do your best, and use every method you can think of to kill Huang Xiaolong!” Han Qing ordered icily. “As long as you successfully kill Huang Xiaolong, the Grandmist Emperor Palace’s five million low-grade chaos spirit stones bounty is yours!”
Li Junhua opened his mouth, and his expression looked troubled as he tried to say, “Ancestor Han Qing, this…!”
“This what? This is an order!” Han Qing’s piercing gaze fell on Li Junhua, “Are you going to defy my order?”
Li Junhua lowered his head and replied, “Disciple wouldn’t dare.”
“That’s good then. Go, I know that you did not exert your full force during the preliminary round. That is not the extent of your true strength. As long as you kill Huang Xiaolong, you would have performed a meritorious deed for the Grandmist Emperor Palace. Apart from the Grandmist Emperor Palace’s five million low-grade chaos spirit stones bounty, this Ancestor will give you an additional reward!” Han Qing’s tone was irrefutable.
Li Junhua could only comply respectfully and stepped back to his position.
But Zhang Renjie, who watched everything, hesitated at this point, “Ancestor Han Qing, that does not seem to be a good idea… What if our Emperor finds out about this, would he…?”
Han Qing sneered, “Huang Xiaolong killed two of our Grandmist Emperor Palace’s Heavenly Monarch Realm core disciples. Hence Li Junhua killing him on the battle stage is like avenging Grandmist Emperor Palace’s disciples. This is right and just. My order is also right and just. Not to mention, our Grandmist Emperor has no relations.h.i.+p with Huang Xiaolong. Do we still need to think twice and consider so many things to avenge our disciples? Is our Grandmist Emperor going to protect Huang Xiaolong after all of this?”
Zhang Renjie’s mouth opened and closed silently.
Other Ancestors exchanged a silent glance, and none of them utter a word.
Han Qing was in charge of the Grandmist Emperor Palace’s Task Hall, so issuing task orders was under her jurisdiction, and it was inappropriate for others to stop her. Moreover, Han Qing’s arguments seemed sound and concrete, and Huang Xiaolong had admitted to killing two Grandmist Emperor Palace’s disciples.
Han Qing looked in Huang Xiaolong’s direction again. Her gaze fixed on Peng Xiao beside Huang Xiaolong, and an idea came to her mind. She sneered coldly then walked towards several Grandmist Emperor Palace’s disciples, and ordered, “Later, on the battle stage, if you come across the Fortune Emperor Palace’s Peng Xiao, use your full force, kill her if possible. If you succeed, I will heavily reward you.”
“This is an order, do you all understand me?”
“Yes, Ancestor Han Qing.”
Han Qing nodded with satisfaction. Another cold sneer curved at the corners of her mouth as she thought inwardly, ‘I want you to watch your woman die right before your eyes so that you can enjoy the pain!’
These disciples’ rankings were much higher than Peng Xiao, and there was a high chance they would encounter Peng Xiao on the battle stage.
Killing Huang Xiaolong could be difficult for them, but these disciples were likely to kill Peng Xiao.
“The Heavenly Emperor arrives—!”
As everyone waited for the semi-finals to begin, a Heavenly Court’s Marshal suddenly announced in a loud voice.
On the horizon, celestial maidens sprinkled petals in the air. Petals floated down as a group of experts, who flew towards the Terrace of Heaven and surrounded a chariot pulled by nine dragons. On the dragon chariot sat a middle-aged man clad in a brocade robe embroidered with nine flying dragons.
He was the Heavenly Emperor! This person had finally appeared.
The Heavenly Emperor was going to watch the semi-finals in person.