Chapter 360: A Contest of Height

Chapter 360 -218: A Contest of Height

They were only a few miles from the Demon Court.

By the banks of the Celestial River.

The members of the Da Xuan Envoy stood facing Niu Zhong, Tushan Hanyu, and Lv Lake.

Lv Lake discreetly shifted its feet, creating a subtle distance from Niu Zhong.

‘These three trials are Niu Zhong’s business. They have nothing to do with me, Lv Lake.’

‘You guys can compete all you want. I’ll just watch the show.’

Niu Zhong’s attention was entirely on Su Mu; he couldn’t care less about a small fry like Lv Lake.

“Humans, are you ready?” Niu Zhong said coldly.

“You were lucky in the first two trials, but you have absolutely no chance of winning this third one!”

“There’s no point in talking.”

Xu Chongyuan stepped forward and declared loudly, “Out with it! What is the third trial?”

When it came to talking, Xu Chongyuan was usually the one to step up.

“Listen up. The third trial is a contest of height!” A cunning glint flashed in Niu Zhong’s eyes as he sneered.

“A contest of height?”

Xu Chongyuan frowned. “You want us to see who can climb higher?”

‘The Demon Court had set three trials: the first was crossing a river, the second was moving a mountain. If the third was climbing something high, it seemed to make sense.’

‘If it’s really about climbing, then it’s too easy.’

‘Junior Brother Su can fly, after all.’

‘No matter how high it is, he could just flap his Wind and Thunder Wings and fly straight up.’

‘Isn’t this just a giveaway?’

“Of course it’s not about climbing,” Niu Zhong sneered. “A contest of height means we’re comparing *body* height.”

“Comparing body height?”

Xu Chongyuan was stunned.

Everyone else looked at each other in bewilderment. Comparing body height?

‘Isn’t this fucking bullshit?’

‘What’s there to even compare?’

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Xu Chongyuan said with a frown.

“If you don’t dare to compete, you can always choose to surrender. I won’t force you. Besides, you’ve already won two rounds, so losing one isn’t a big deal,” Niu Zhong said with a wide grin.

‘There’s no way he could possibly lose this trial!’

‘How could humans with their bean sprout-like bodies ever beat him?’

‘His, Niu Zhong’s, true form was over three *zhang* tall.’

‘Humans, on the other hand, were merely seven *chi* tall.’

‘And three *zhang* is equivalent to thirty *chi*!’

Niu Zhong had studied mathematics with the National Preceptor and was quite good at it, instantly calculating the difference between himself and a human.

Xu Chongyuan turned to look at Su Mu, his eyes filled with helplessness.

‘We’ve been had!’

‘I can’t believe the Demon Court is this shameless!’

‘The first two trials were difficult, but at least they were legitimate challenges.’

‘But this third trial is just blatant cheating.’

Demons were enormous. Even the seemingly slender Tushan Hanyu was nearly as tall as two men.

And that might not even have been her true demonic form.

A demon’s true form could easily exceed one *zhang* in height; two or three *zhang* was commonplace.

Among humans, he had never even seen one who was a full *zhang* tall.

‘There’s no point in even competing.’

‘How could a human possibly be taller than a demon?’

“Are you just being shameless?” Xu Chongyuan said through gritted teeth.

“You humans have clever minds. I never said you couldn’t use them,” Niu Zhong said with self-righteous confidence. “It’s your own problem that you can’t grow taller.

You can’t expect us to give up our own strengths just because of that.”

Xu Chongyuan was speechless.

‘What kind of fucking twisted logic is that?’

‘But it seemed he really had no way to refute it.’

‘Humans being clever was a natural talent, and demons being enormous was also a natural talent.’

‘This competition, while a bit shameless, didn’t really seem to have anything wrong with it on the surface.’

‘Are we going to lose just like this?’

Xu Chongyuan realized the gravity of the situation. The Demon Court had come fully prepared.

If they lost, Da Xuan would have to cede A State’s Land to the Demon Court.

This was a consequence Da Xuan could not afford to bear.

If they truly lost A State’s Land, then no matter what was achieved in the subsequent peace talks, Da Xuan would have suffered a complete defeat.

It would also mean that their entire diplomatic mission was a total failure.

Xu Chongyuan looked at Su Mu. He was truly out of ideas.

‘Junior Brother Su, can you still turn the tide this time?’

Xu Chongyuan smiled bitterly to himself. ‘It’s simply impossible.’

“Are you sure this third trial is just a contest of height?” Su Mu’s expression didn’t change as he looked at Niu Zhong and spoke slowly.

“I’m sure,” Niu Zhong said. “As long as one person in your Da Xuan Envoy can surpass me in height, you win.

Otherwise, you lose.”

He was smugly triumphant.

Tushan Hanyu couldn’t help but roll her eyes as she listened. ‘The Saint Venerable and the Teacher really dote on Niu Zhong, to have arranged such a cushy job for him.’

‘A contest of body height? Who couldn’t win that?’

‘Even she, Tushan Hanyu, could win easily.’

“So, for this third trial, the condition is that someone from my Da Xuan Envoy has a body height greater than yours?” Su Mu pressed for confirmation.

“That’s right,” Niu Zhong said proudly. “Watch closely. Today, you are fortunate enough to witness this Crown Prince’s true form.

This Crown Prince will make you accept your defeat wholeheartedly!”

His body trembled.

His human form visibly transformed into the form of a bull.

In an instant, a water buffalo standing three *zhang* tall and over five *zhang* long appeared before them.

The water buffalo snorted white mist from its nostrils. It had a pair of horns on its head, and beneath its black hide, bulging muscles with smooth lines conveyed a sense of immense power.

Standing before Niu Zhong, Su Mu and the others weren’t even as tall as one of his legs.

Niu Zhong snorted through his nose and let out a triumphant laugh.

“Humans, surrender.”

Niu Zhong’s voice was like a clap of thunder. All the frustration from the first two trials was now unleashed.

‘He, Niu Zhong, had earned back all the face he had lost.’

‘By expanding the Demon Court’s territory, I, the eighteenth Crown Prince, have proven myself truly worthy of the title!’

Niu Zhong’s heart swelled with pride. ‘To be able to seize A State’s Land from Da Xuan… he would be number one in the Demon Court!’

“You are indeed very tall,” Su Mu said slowly, sizing up Niu Zhong’s demonic form. “A single pot wouldn’t be big enough to stew you.”