Chapter 665: Forfeiting with Frankness
The silence was deafening. Not a word was uttered; people couldn’t even begin to form a reaction to what their eyes told them. Jiang Chen’s never-ending series of trump cards had brought everyone’s minds to a stuttering halt.
Exactly who is this person?
Setting aside everything he’d displayed when he’d beaten w.a.n.g Han, this child also had a dragon bloodline as well? Not only that, he also had the Solder Rosary Beads with the six mortal sage realm warriors that everyone had seen before. By itself, that was incredible enough already. But he could then also summon three earth sage realm warriors, and when that wasn’t enough, he had more!
The limits of everyone’s common sense had been tested again and again, and they were almost numb by now. But when Mu Gaoqi summoned the sky sage realm warrior, they’d been instantly petrified. They no longer had words to describe him. When had such a heaven defying genius appeared in the Myriad Domain? Just what was Mu Gaoqi’s background?
The heavyweights over on the Great Cathedral’s side were all wearing rueful smiles. There were no words to express how much the Great Cathedral valued Xiang Qin, as they’d even lent him the personal totems of the other geniuses. However, the opponent’s moves were blatant evidence of even greater wealth. This gave them a completely helpless feeling. At this point, Xiang Qin also had a wry expression on his face as well. He may have been ambitious, but he was an honest and generous fellow. He was full of confidence about the totem’s power, but that didn’t mean he would stoop to lying.
When he saw that Jiang Chen summon a sky sage realm warrior, his heart sank, but a ma.s.sive feeling of relief flooded his body in the next moment. He suddenly felt that the burden on his shoulders had been completely lifted. He had indeed come in pursuit of the champions.h.i.+p, and he’d borne the pressure of his sect with equanimity, but he now felt that pressure to be meaningless. What was the point of pressuring oneself to become the champion in front of such an outstanding opponent? There was nothing about his loss that he couldn’t accept. He shook his head, a rueful taste in his mouth, and sighed, “I forfeit.”
No one there was surprised by his words. The forefathers of the Great Cathedral all shook their heads wryly as well. They didn’t feel downcast at all about their loss. What they’d seen today had been simply too, too amazing.
Xiang Qin raised his hands in a cupped fist salute to Mu Gaoqi. “Brother Gaoqi, I’ve never bowed before anyone, but I truly accept my defeat to the Regal Pill Palace today. You first have a Jiang Chen, and now a Mu Gaoqi. I, Xiang Qin, have only known today that our Myriad Domain lacks not for geniuses!”
Jiang Chen chuckled, rather liking Xiang Qin’s att.i.tude. After all, this fellow clearly delineated his grudges from his debts of grat.i.tude. He was someone who was able to put down his high emotions just as easily as he could pick them up. This kind of att.i.tude was necessary for a genius to rise. To grow jealous after losing one match and be unable to recover from it, well, that was a fake genius.
Thunderous applause sounded from beneath the stage in unrehea.r.s.ed accordance. All of the geniuses who were present started clapping. They had been conquered by this match, and felt genuine admiration for both partic.i.p.ants. Almost everyone in the audience, with the exception of the Regal Pill Palace, was applauding loudly. It didn’t look like they were going to stop anytime soon either. Although they hadn’t witnessed the power of Xiang Qin’s totem, and didn’t see the ultimate battle, this match that hadn’t happened had left a deep impression in everyone’s minds.
Xiang Wentian of the Great Cathedral sighed, “What need do we have to worry about the Myriad Domain not achieving anything great with such geniuses? When our geniuses are so, what right does Great Scarlet have to live with their noses in the air? Why must we fear them and live in terror after our kin have been slaughtered?”
“Palace Head Dan Chi, will you possibly let go of someone as beloved as Mu Gaoqi given that he has a dragon bloodline?” Xiang Wentian asked probingly. “Just let me know what your conditions are.”
Palace Head Dan Chi smiled, “Ole brother Xiang, this isn’t someone you can steal.”
Xiang Wentian scratched his head, “Dan Chi, I’m really not speaking out of personal desire right now. I just feel that it’s a bit of a pity for Mu Gaoqi to be in the Regal Pill Palace. He seems to be more suited to my Great Cathedral?”
Dan Chi looked at Jiang Chen and saw the latter nod at him. Dan Chi knew what Jiang Chen was thinking of, “Ole brother Xiang, you already tried stealing him away at the Pill Battles. Didn’t he turn you down then?”
w.a.n.g Jianyu of the Sacred Sword Palace walked over before Xiang Wentian had a chance to respond. “Dan Chi, the martial compet.i.tions are over now. I’m curious just what kind of fortune Mu Gaoqi has run into? I don’t think he’s a simple character, is he?”
“So what if he isn’t?” Dan Chi said faintly when he saw w.a.n.g Jianyu.
“Hmph. who knows what ambitions and scheme your Regal Pill Palace has in hiding Mu Gaoqi for all this time? In my opinion, we need to investigate Mu Gaoqi’s background and see if the Regal Pill Palace has colluded with any outside influences. We already have the example of the Tristar Sect, who’s to say that you weren’t involved as well?” w.a.n.g Jianyu was absolutely eaten away by jealousy at the moment. He could see that the Sacred Sword Palace was mere moments away from being crushed underfoot by the Regal Pill Palace, so he chose to step forward and muddy the waters at this moment. He had to, no matter how chaotic the situation was.
“I say, w.a.n.g Jianyu, you’ve lost your mind, haven’t you?” Dan Chi laughed coldly. “My Regal Pill Palace collude with external enemies? Show us your evidence, and shut up if you don’t have any!”
Xiang Wentian also rolled his eyes. “w.a.n.g Jianyu, now’s not the time for personal grudges. Set aside your personal goals in the face of the greater picture of the Myriad Domain.”
w.a.n.g Jianyu responded without a trace of emotion in his voice, “Ole brother Xiang, I know you treasure talent, but you need to think carefully as well. What if Mu Gaoqi is actually a p.a.w.n of the enemy? Wouldn’t we be sleeping with wolves?”
These words were quite blatantly pointed. Even Elder Lian Cheng from the Regal Pill Palace grew enraged. Although he didn’t wish to see Elder Yun Nie’s disciple be so extraordinary, it was all too clear that Mu Gaoqi would be able to change the fortunes of the Regal Pill Palace. He would lead the Regal Pill Palace into a new age of glory. Therefore, the sect would suffer the greatest loss if he were targeted. And so, Elder Lian Cheng suppressed the jealousy in his heart and finally spoke up, “w.a.n.g Jianyu, at the end of the day, you’re an esteemed sect head. How do you have the face to act so ridiculously shameless? You lost, deal with it. A genius like Xiang Qin forfeited as well! Your words are no different than the resentful baying of a rabid dog!”
Elder Lian Cheng had a bad temper as well as a foul mouth, a fact well known by all. w.a.n.g Jianyu was enraged by these insults from Elder Lian Cheng. “What, can I not take a loss? Which of your eyes has seen that? Can’t I be thinking for the greater picture of the Myriad Domain as well?”
“Greater picture? And are you worthy of talking about the greater picture?! You’re a typical case of tras.h.i.+ng something just because you’re jealous! You can point to anyone here and say that they’re an enemy p.a.w.n. Even you yourself wouldn’t be able to prove your own innocence! Bring out your evidence if you want to slander others. Otherwise, stop running your mouth. If you can accuse others, so can they accuse you. If that’s what you want, let’s just all do nothing and spend our days running our mouths off at each other!”
One had to say, in spite of his foul mouth, Elder Lian Cheng was very eloquent. Many were nodding in agreement after all of this.
Honored Master Tian Ming also walked up. “Ole brother w.a.n.g, I feel like we can’t speak of something like this so easily. Everyone has proof that the Tristar Sect betrayed us. All the rest of the sects are all sitting here, and it’s difficult for anyone to prove their innocence. After all, it’s difficult to explain what happens in private.”
“Honored Master Tian Ming is right, if the Regal Pill Palace and Ninesuns Sky Sect really are in cahoots, then that Sky Sect true disciple wouldn’t have gone to attack the Regal Pill Palace!”
Everyone started speaking up, and it was apparent that no one was on w.a.n.g Jianyu’s side. The facts were clear. The Great Cathedral had lost the finals and hadn’t complained, nor had they taken the chance to make any trouble. It was apparent from this that w.a.n.g Jianyu wouldn’t be successful in stirring up any trouble at this time.
Xiang Wentian chuckled and looked at Dan Chi, “Old brother Dan Chi, I did try to lure someone away from you at the Pill Battles, but that was Jiang Chen. This time it’s Mu Gaoqi. Don’t be in a hurry to reject me; we promise to not make use of his pill dao at all. That’s still the resource of the Regal Pill Palace. I just feel that with his dragon bloodline…”
Dan Chi waved his hand. “Ole brother Xiang, you’d have to ask him about this.”
Xiang Wentian looked at Jiang Chen, “Sage nephew Gaoqi, my proposal…”
Jiang Chen smiled faintly and raised a cupped fist salute, “Family Head Xiang, I am a disciple of the Regal Pill Palace and don’t have any thoughts of joining any other sects for now. Besides, the Great Cathedral has an enormous amount of geniuses. Brother Xiang Qin, Yue Baize, Lang Jiunling, and Yuan Yuan will all certainly be pillars of the sect in the future.” He paused here, “And to be honest, there’s something I must come clean about. I’m actually not Mu Gaoqi.”
“What?”
Everyone was taken by surprise when he said this, and even w.a.n.g Jianyu was first stunned before quickly turning overjoyed. “What did I say? I said this kid was a bit strange! Well now? I was right wasn’t I?”
The others were all looking on with faces of stunned astonishment. Even the Regal Pill Palace folks were at a loss as they stared dumbly at Jiang Chen, not knowing what his words meant. If you aren’t Mu Gaoqi, then who are you? Can it be that after all this time and winning the champions.h.i.+p, you’re not a Regal Pill Palace disciple?! Then all our rejoicing was pointless!
Only Dan Chi still had a smile on his face. He was exchanging looks with Jiang Chen and knew very well what was on his mind. There was no need to keep concealing the matter anymore. After all, the aftereffects of this battle were too great. If they still didn’t reveal the truth, then Mu Gaoqi would be in for a world of trouble. Besides, now that the match was over, Jiang Chen had fewer concerns about everything. He’d pretended to be Mu Gaoqi before so that he wouldn’t be discriminated against along the way, and to avoid the inevitable interrogation from affecting his partic.i.p.ation in the Grand Ceremony. Now that it was over, he didn’t need to worry about that anymore. He’d shown his strength and sufficiently awed everyone present. Even the leaders of the sects would have to think first before questioning him. And so, there was no need to continue to keep his ident.i.ty a secret.
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