Chapter 169 - 99: I, Zhao Ci, Will Thrash Everyone Present Today (Part 2)

Chapter 169: Chapter 99: I, Zhao Ci, Will Thrash Everyone Present Today (Part 2)

"Gongshu Cuo of Prince Yan’s Mansion, here to challenge your Mansion Official, Yang Mo."

"Zhu Ye of Prince Shu’s Mansion, here to challenge your Mansion Official, Zhu Li."

"I am..."

Zhao Ci’s head was buzzing. ’They’re really just ganging up on the weak, aren’t they?’

He knew from the stone stele outside that his three officials were fully booked with matches for the day.

He gave a soft little cough, a smile on his face. "When it comes to taking advantage of a weakness, you all really know your stuff! You knew the three Mansion Officials of our Tenth Prince’s Mansion were weakened, so you all swarmed over here. If this were a battlefield, you’d all be master strategists."

At his words, everyone looked a little awkward.

Someone immediately retorted, "Your Highness! You can’t say that, we..."

Zhao Ci shot back, "Oh? Are the challenge steles at your mansions as packed as the one for our Tenth Prince’s Mansion?"

Everyone: "..."

They all felt a little ashamed. Although they had all come with the intention of bullying weaker opponents to rack up points, being called out so bluntly was still a little humiliating.

After all, they all came from major clans and placed great importance on appearances.

’I mean, seriously, Tenth Prince, do you even know how to talk to people?’

"Hey, hey, hey! I’m just kidding, don’t take it to heart!"

Seeing that he had set the stage, Zhao Ci waved his hand and smiled. "In the mansion competitions, strength is what matters. There’s no such bullshit as ’taking advantage of a weakness.’ I just feel bad that my Mansion Officials are so tired and want them to get more rest.

Everyone, how about this.

I’ll postpone all their matches until this evening to let them get a good rest.

But I can’t let you all wait for nothing. As it happens, I was delayed in the Northern Three Prefectures today and haven’t gotten to join in on any of the fun.

So... how about all of you here today take this chance to have a few spars with me?"

When they heard this, everyone’s eyes lit up.

To be honest, they also felt that bullying weaklings was rather disgraceful.

But the rules set by the Imperial Clan Court stated that to get more points, one had to complete thirty matches. And with a prize of twenty merit points on the line, they couldn’t afford to be careless.

They had all crowded the Tenth Prince’s Mansion in these first few days, partly just to watch the spectacle.

But they were, after all, young geniuses, and all of them had their pride.

This Tenth Prince had always been known for his mediocrity, but a few days ago, it seemed he had defeated a disciple from a branch family of the Zhu Clan named Bao Longtao in just two moves.

Although they didn’t know Bao Longtao’s skill level, for him to be sent by the Ninth Prince to cause trouble, he couldn’t have been a complete amateur.

Regardless of whether there was something fishy about that fight, the Tenth Prince definitely had something to him.

Besides, bullying weaklings was too boring, and a bit shameful.

"To be able to trade pointers with Your Highness is a truly unexpected pleasure."

Tan Yu was rubbing his hands together in eagerness. He turned to the others. "There are five slots to fight His Highness today. Don’t any of you try to steal one from me!"

"Tan Yu, aren’t you being a bit too overbearing?"

"I’ve also admired His Highness for a long time. I should get one of those spots."

"You guys..."

Zhao Ci clapped his hands. "Stop, stop, stop! No need to fight over it. Everyone who showed up gets a piece. The way you’re all scrambling, it’s as if you think our Tenth Prince’s Mansion has no men in it."

"Huh?"

Everyone froze for a moment.

Tan Yu was a little surprised. "Your Highness! There are a dozen or so people here. You..."

"A real man should be able to go a dozen times a day!"

Zhao Ci waved his hand and took out a sheet of white paper. "Anyone who wants to spar with me, come over and sign your name!"

Everyone exchanged glances, but in the end, they all went up and signed their names on the paper.

A person who has already fought five matches in a day can refuse a challenge.

But if someone was arrogant enough to want to fight fifteen matches in a row, they really didn’t mind obliging him.

Who wouldn’t want free points?

Soon, all of their names were on the sheet.

On the side, Zhu Li was dumbfounded.

’Wait!’

’Boss, are you serious?’

She hurriedly turned to Feng Kucha. "Shouldn’t we stop him? If the Boss gets beaten until he’s paralyzed, we’ll be the ones stuck taking care of him."

Feng Kucha grinned. "I’d like to stop him, but I have a feeling he’s been a bit... unnatural lately. It feels like he’s confident, not like he’s just lost his mind."

"How can you be so unconcerned about our brother’s life or death?"

Zhu Li glared at him, then shifted her gaze to Yang Mo. "Yang Mo, what do you think?"

Yang Mo glanced at Zhao Ci, then solemnly lowered his head. His voice was a mixture of restraint and excitement as he said, "This is how a true man ought to be!"

Zhu Li: "..."

Zhao Ci quickly organized the list, set the match order, and conveniently scheduled the matches for his three officials for later. He held out the white paper to the crowd. "For today’s duels, this is the order. Does anyone have any objections?"

"None!"

"Magnificent, Your Highness!"

"So commanding, Your Highness!"

Everyone was grinning from ear to ear. There was no way they’d raise any objections now.

Tan Yu couldn’t wait any longer and leaped onto the Martial Arts Arena. He excitedly cupped his fist toward Zhao Ci. "Your Highness! Please enlighten me!"

With that, he immediately began forming hand seals.

Instantly, three bulges appeared on the arena platform.

Immediately after, the floorboards splintered, and three ashen corpses clawed their way out.

One was a muscular man wielding a giant hammer, another a dwarf with a dagger, and the third a tall, thin man with chains wrapped around his arms.

The three of them clearly no longer had any signs of life.

But their long-since-clouded eyes were locked firmly on Zhao Ci.

Wisps of True Qi flowed through their acupoints, and the ends of these True Qi threads were remotely connected to Tan Yu’s corresponding acupoints.

This was the Xiangxi Tan Clan’s unique Cultivation Technique—Shared Return!

The Tan Clan had earned its place on the battlefield thanks to this Corpse Control Technique. The longer a battle dragged on, the more ferocious the Tan Clan members’ combat power became.

And this Corpse Control Technique would, in the end, help them send their fallen comrades to be buried in their hometowns. A comrade’s body could continue to fight for the country, but it could never become a mere tool for their own cultivation.