73 - Investing in the Reborn Empress, She Actually Calls Me ‘Husband’

## Chapter 73: The Elders Question, "Why Is Shang Wu So Confident?" The First Battle of the Ice Blockhead "Slash Wind!" A fierce shout resounded. In a critical moment, Xiao Qin, controlling the remnants of a sword, managed to block his opponent's blade, and his internal energy suddenly surged. A pale green aura burst forth from the broken sword, sweeping forward in a fan shape. External release of internal energy! Many hearts skipped a beat at the thought of this term. Clearly, Xiao Qin had only recently broken through, achieving a feat that many internal qi martial artists only manage upon reaching the Jade Liquid realm. A series of surprised gasps erupted within the crowd. From the high platform: "This Xiao Qin is quite promising, though his realm is a bit lacking." "He must be one of the most outstanding disciples of this generation from the Qingyuan Sect," said Fen Yulin, the arrogant young man, casually. "Eighteen or nineteen and already at the internal qi condensation realm; that's indeed quite a talent." "Of course, Yu'er, he's still far from reaching your level." A middle-aged man in scholarly attire smiled slightly at him. Among Fen Yulin’s disciples, there was some surprise, but it wasn’t overwhelming. The entourage accompanying them to the Qingyuan Sect mostly came from prestigious backgrounds, and for them, Xiao Qin’s notable only for his combat talent. The members of the Red Whale Sect, however, seemed rather excited. Many of them, coming from a more rugged background, appreciated Xiao Qin's aggressiveness, and some even cheered for him. “He was an outer disciple before?” Qian Bufan recalled vaguely. “Yes, another rising star, possibly due to some fortuitous encounter.” “He seems to get along well with my apprentice Li Mo,” Xue Jing chuckled, stroking his beard. The elders nodded slightly. Given Xiao Qin's performance, regardless of the fight's outcome, he had the makings of a true disciple. The battle in the arena continued. Li Mo was no longer a novice in martial arts. Thanks to his interactions with Ying Bing and Princess Xiao Jiang, along with being around a beautiful master who enjoyed sharing tales of those she had defeated when tipsy, he had sharpened his perceptive skills. Watching the two figures dueling on the stage, Li Mo shook his head slightly and commented: "Old Xiao winning won't be easy." Old Xiao was only matching his higher-realm opponent because of the external release of his internal energy, but such a tactic consumed a lot. Xie Lani was clearly no amateur and had already realized this, beginning to use her extraordinary footwork to her advantage. Ying Bing withdrew her gaze, lowered her eyes to sip her tea, and said: "Three breaths." Just as the words left her lips. No more, no less. Exactly three breaths later. Xiao Qin dropped his guard and, pale-faced, cupped his hands: "Senior Sister, I have lost." Xie Lani halted, leaving the stage without sparing him a glance, heading off to calm herself silently. Qian Bufan's resonant voice echoed through the venue: "Xie Lani, wins!" "Xiao Qin, enters the losers' bracket! Lose the next match, and you're eliminated." To ensure fairness, losing once in the Nine Peaks Martial Meet didn't mean elimination. One had to lose twice consecutively, ensuring a relatively fair outcome. Of course, if one repeatedly faced far superior opponents, it came down to plain bad luck. With such an exciting first match, the venue's atmosphere grew even more vibrant. Qian Bufan tapped the bronze beast again, from whose mouth emerged two waist tokens. "The next match." "Inner disciple Lu Bai, vs...." "Ruyi Peak Lin Jiang!" ... This was a battle with little suspense. To describe this match would be to highlight the blatant disparity between inner disciples and true disciples. Lin Jiang, with spear in hand, fought like a dragon, his vigor overwhelming. Though his opponent used similar techniques, he was swept off the stage in fewer than ten exchanges by Lin Jiang. After paying his respects to his opponent, he didn’t look towards the high platform but instead to the area where the disciples were seated. Seeing that familiar figure, he smiled. “Old Lin’s been making significant strides lately.” Li Mo, meeting his gaze, returned the smile. He occasionally encountered Lin Jiang, and they’d discuss martial arts. Li Mo suddenly felt a bit nostalgic. Seeing those he supported shine brightly... there was a sort of sense of accomplishment akin to nurturing a champion in a game. "Lin Jiang wins!" "The next match..." ... An hour passed. During this period, Murong Xiao graced the stage once, securing a major victory and a lot of attention and praise. "Is he the most exceptional talent of this generation?" Fen Yulin's proud young disciple was eager to face an opponent, poised as if ready to leap into battle, had it not been for the rules restraining him. "After the Nine Peaks Martial Meet, you can seek him for a spar," said the middle-aged man in scholarly robes. The Red Whale Sect’s Blood-clothed Prince's eyes sparkled with intrigue. "The body of a dragon? The demonic nature is so well controlled?" His body, with its pale gold hue, exuded a peaceful air reminiscent of Buddhist martial arts. "Fascinating..." The Purple Sun Prefecture Lord, noticing his interest, lowered his voice and said: "Sir, that child is from the Murong family and will likely return to the prefectural city." "Understood." The Blood-clothed Prince nodded nonchalantly. It was quite odd; despite belonging to the Red Whale Sect, he treated a prefecture lord with such casualness. “Han He taught an excellent disciple.” “Yes, Murong Xiao's talent is unparalleled, a prime candidate for body forging. If he's skilled in weapon casting, our Qingyuan Sect might produce another grandmaster.” "His unique physique will become even more potent at the Spirit-Observing Realm, where he’ll truly shine." Listening to his colleagues’ praises, Elder Han He wore a rare smile on his weathered face. Murong Xiao indeed had the best chance to carry on his legacy. He was lucky, indeed... "Murong Xiao..." "That boy who always shadows my dear apprentice, calling him Brother Li?" The untimely curiosity from a master of Qunyu Peak broke through. "Yes, he does get along well with my apprentice," Xue Jing replied with a laugh. All belonged to the Qingyuan Sect, and naturally, the elders preferred seeing harmonious relationships among outstanding disciples, fostering unity in times of adversity. The only one not entirely pleased was... Creak. Elder Han He’s smile froze, his grip almost crushing the chair's armrest. The finest disciple of the Divine Weapon Peak was trailing Li Mo, holding the Divine Weapon of their peak, which Li Mo possessed. Why did this thought make him angrier the more he entertained it? Was it not, in a sense... "Hmph, Niece Shang Wu, your happiness is premature." "Old as I am, even I know you bet on Qunyu Peak to triumph among all. Where did your courage come from?" As the words fell, all elders turned their gaze to Shang Wu, their eyes tinged with doubt, essentially implying: ‘We know you normally act unpredictably, but this is overly so. How dare you?’ ‘What makes you so assured?’ ‘My apprentice is still just a child.’ In truth... Once Shang Wu realized Xiao Bing'er wasn’t from the Qunyu Peak, she went through three stages. First disbelief, then regret, and finally... resignation. Since the results were immutable, she decided to let them be... Shang Wu took a sip of her drink, unfazed, and said: “Because I believe in my treasured apprentice.” The elders: "!" Why is she so confident? That’s so unlike her! Everyone knew Shang Wu was infamously frugal, only investing for guaranteed return. Daring to stake such a hefty bet on her disciple was unheard of. Could it be... did the lone seedling from Qunyu Peak hold some astonishing secret? Elder Han He sank into contemplation. Could that kid possibly... Wield the Divine Weapon now? ... In martial contests between warriors, there’s little room for showiness. Strength disparities determine outcomes swiftly. Moreover, these were sectual sparrings, not life-and-death struggles. Soon, yet another match wrapped up. Qian Bufan tapped the bronze ox again: "The next match." "Luo Xia Peak Xie Lani, versus..." "Qingyuan Main Peak, Ying Bing!" --- PS: To all you lovely readers, if you have a moment, your ratings would be immensely appreciated, thank you orz. I, a humble author, will strive to make each plotline as entertaining as possible. Love to all who've read this far! Mwah!