The first Tianjiao champion is born, Wang Hao grants official positions and casually puts on a dog leash

Above the Great Zhou Martial Arena, the suffocating residue of the Red Moon had just been shattered by the united roar of the masses, and the final battle at the center of the arena abruptly erupted!

This was the ultimate battle of the Great Zhou Martial Arts Tournament, a battle destined to be recorded in the annals of the Eastern Wasteland.

Boom!

Holding a black ruler, Xiao Chen resembled an unsheathed, peerless divine weapon. The true qi within his body boiled to the absolute limit, faintly crossing the boundary of the Astral Qi Realm and touching the threshold of the Skysoaring Realm. A hundred-zhang-long azure ruler-light shot into the sky. Within the light, an ancient azure dragon seemed to roar, tearing through the air and emitting an ear-shattering screech.

Opposite him, Ye Guyun's black robes fluttered. His longsword, seemingly forged from ten-thousand-year profound iron, pointed diagonally at the ground. He lacked Xiao Chen's berserk momentum, but his body was surrounded by an aura of solitary, freezing true intent that felt as though it could freeze time itself.

"Xiao Chen, let one sword strike decide the victor," Ye Guyun's voice held no warmth.

"Exactly what I had in mind!" Xiao Chen's eyes were bloodshot. Having just been pumped full of hot blood by Wang Hao's moral kidnapping regarding the common people of the world, he felt an inexhaustible strength surging through his body.

"Azure Dragon Heaven-Piercing Art: Sever the Starry River!"

"Nine Swords of Solitary Cold: Extinguish Life!"

Two world-shocking true intents collided explosively in mid-air!

In that instant, the defensive grand array of the martial arena flickered violently, erupting with blinding light. Berserk astral winds swept out like a meat grinder. Had the Ministry of Works not reinforced the array, the aftershocks alone would have killed or severely injured over half of the million spectators in the front rows.

The light faded, and the entire arena fell dead silent.

In the center of the arena, the incredibly hard profound-black stone slabs had been completely plowed into ruins.

Ye Guyun knelt on one knee. The longsword in his hand was snapped in two. A trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, and his face was as pale as paper.

Ten paces ahead of him, Xiao Chen gasped heavily for air. His clothes hung on his body like shredded rags, covered in fine sword cuts. Yet, his weapon remained steadily pointed at Ye Guyun's throat.

The victor had been decided.

After a brief, dead silence, the martial arena erupted with a frenzied roar that seemed to overturn the heavens!

"Xiao Chen! Xiao Chen won!"

"The number one person of the younger generation! The true number one prodigy of the Eastern Wasteland!"

"Too strong! Skysoaring Realm! These two actually touched the Skysoaring Realm before even reaching twenty years of age, they are simply monsters!"

Listening to the landslide-like cheers echoing in his ears, Xiao Chen slowly retracted his weapon and looked up at the sky. At this moment, he felt an unprecedented glory, as if he were the sole sovereign of heaven and earth.

However, just as he was preparing to strike a cold and profound victor's pose, a black-and-gold figure drifted down onto the ruins of the arena like a great roc spreading its wings.

It was Wang Hao.

The cheers of the entire arena came to a screeching halt. A million pairs of eyes turned in unison toward this Emperor of Great Zhou.

Wang Hao stood with his hands behind his back, a spring-breeze-like smile on his face. That smile was as benevolent as a farmer watching his own sow finally give birth to ten piglets.

"Good! Well fought!"

Wang Hao stepped forward, grabbed Xiao Chen's dust-covered hand, and shook it vigorously. Then, turning to face the million spectators, he circulated the true qi of the peak of the Seventh Martial Realm, his voice ringing out across the entire city like a great bell.

"Everyone! After six days of bloody battles, the number one person of our Eastern Wasteland's younger generation has finally been born!"

"He is Xiao Chen!"

"Roar!" The audience stands boiled over once again.

Holding Wang Hao's hand, Xiao Chen felt a bit awkward, but seeing the Emperor personally vouching for him greatly satisfied his vanity. He thought to himself that although this dog emperor was usually sinister and ruthless, at this very moment, he was quite a decent fellow.

"According to My previous promise," Wang Hao raised his hand, suppressing the cheers of the crowd, and announced loudly, "The top ten decided today may all enter my Great Zhou's highest hall of honor—the Prodigy Pavilion!"

"The top thirty will be directly incorporated into the Great Zhou Demon Suppression Reserve Sequence, enjoying the treatment of orthodox third-rank military officials of the imperial court!"

"The top one hundred will all be officially listed on the Great Zhou Prodigy Roll, their names spread throughout the world. The Great Zhou Times will conduct round-the-clock exclusive interviews and reports, ensuring your names resound in every corner of the Eastern Wasteland!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the top one hundred prodigies healing offstage trembled with excitement.

Fame and fortune! This was simply ascending to heaven in a single step!

Even the elders of major sects and heads of aristocratic families sitting in the VIP seats couldn't help but nod repeatedly, feeling that Great Zhou had truly bled heavily this time.

But Wei Zhongxian, who was familiar with Wang Hao, was currently standing at the edge of the high platform, silently covering his face.

"How is His Majesty giving out rewards? He's putting on dog leashes..." the old eunuch complained frantically in his heart. "Third-rank military official treatment? Isn't this just a new batch of beasts of burden?"

Sure enough, Wang Hao's main event arrived.

He turned his head, looked at the flushed Xiao Chen, and pulled out a glittering golden token from his sleeve. Engraved upon it were six large characters: Chief Envoy of the Prodigy Pavilion.

"Xiao Chen," Wang Hao's tone became incomparably solemn, even carrying a hint of compassionate, divine grace. "This token represents the highest authority of our Eastern Wasteland's younger generation. Holding it, you are my Great Zhou's Chief Envoy of the Prodigy Pavilion and Demon Suppression Envoy."

Xiao Chen excitedly accepted the token, only feeling that this golden medallion was heavy, as if it bore the destiny of the entire world.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Xiao Chen knelt on one knee, his voice loud and clear.

"Mhm, young man, taking on more responsibility is a good thing." Wang Hao patted his shoulder in gratification. "Come, Grand Companion Wei, fetch our Chief Envoy's Duty Manual and Resource Distribution Regulations for Beloved Subject Xiao to review."

Wei Zhongxian immediately trotted over eagerly, holding a booklet as thick as a brick in his hands, and stuffed it into Xiao Chen's hands.

Xiao Chen froze for a moment and opened the first page.

With just one glance, Xiao Chen's face, originally flushed from victory, instantly turned deathly pale.

[Prodigy Pavilion Chief Envoy Duty Manual (Great Zhou Internal Reference Edition)]

Article One: As a role model for the world, the Chief Envoy must provide no less than ten sessions of unpaid cultivation method guidance for Great Zhou's newly established Demon Suppression Army annually.

Article Two: In the event of sudden supernatural incidents, the Chief Envoy must lead the charge and be the first in the vanguard. If significant casualties occur, the Chief Envoy must bear the responsibility for poor management (commonly known as taking the blame).

Article Three: The Chief Envoy must unconditionally cooperate with the promotional work of the Great Zhou Times, including but not limited to: shooting Demon Suppression promotional brochures, attending ribbon-cutting ceremonies for Great Zhou official merchant houses, and endorsing Great Zhou military products, all without demanding endorsement fees.

Article Four: ...

Xiao Chen's hands began to tremble. He swallowed hard and flipped to the back to the [Resource Distribution Regulations].

It read: The massive resources promised to the top ten of the Prodigy Pavilion will be distributed through a three-year installment, performance assessment system. The specific details are as follows: Every month, one must slay two anomalies of the same realm, or complete three high-risk missions assigned by the imperial court, in order to unlock 10% of the resource quota for that month. If the assessment is not met, the resources will be deferred, and credit points will be deducted...

Xiao Chen only felt a buzzing sound in his mind, and the world spun around him.

How the hell was this a reward?!

This was clearly an upgraded version of an indentured servitude contract! Not only did he sell his life to the Great Zhou, but even his portrait rights, reputation rights, and surplus value were all completely exploited!

"Y-Your Majesty..." Xiao Chen trembled as he held up the brick-thick booklet, his eyes turning red. "What... what is the meaning of this?"

Wang Hao put away his smile and looked at him with a serious face: "Xiao Chen, heavy is the head that wears the crown! You have enjoyed the glory of being the number one in the world, shouldn't you bleed and sweat a little for the common people of the world? Just now under the Crimson Moon, you personally agreed to fight against the anomalies! What? Do you want to go back on your word? Do you want to be a sinner of the world?"

A giant moral high hat was ruthlessly slammed down on him!

The millions of spectators below the stage did not know what was written in the booklet. They only saw Xiao Chen's strange expression, and someone immediately shouted: "Prodigy Xiao! His Majesty values you so much, you cannot disappoint the expectations of the world!"

"Yes! Chief Xiao, we support you! Down with the anomalies!"

Xiao Chen's vision went black. This was being roasted over a fire! Did he dare to say the word no? As long as he said he wouldn't do it, tomorrow the Great Zhou Times could turn him from a peerless prodigy into a selfish national traitor!

Beside him, Ye Guyun, Wanyan Gu, Lin Tiechuan, and the other top ten members also received their own job descriptions.

Wanyan Gu looked at his Appointment Letter for Captain of the Great Zhou Heavy Armor Vanguard Suicide Squad, and the muscles in his brain almost couldn't process it. Wasn't he the Grand Prince of the Northern Barbarians? How did he become a frontline grunt of the Great Zhou? He still had a Khan's throne to inherit at home, and his younger brothers were not easy to deal with. He had to find a way to leave first, even if it meant taking out a high-interest loan to pay off this dog Emperor's debt first.

Ye Guyun looked at the Unpaid Instructor Employment Letter for the Great Zhou Brocade Guard Anomaly Suppression Division, the veins on the back of his sword-holding hand bulging.

This group of unruly young prodigies, at this very moment, finally profoundly understood what it meant that the most high-end hunters often appear in the form of handing out trophies.

"Very good, it seems everyone is very satisfied with their new identities." Wang Hao looked at this group of prodigies who dared to be angry but not speak, feeling so aggrieved they were about to vomit blood, and nodded in satisfaction.

Then, Wang Hao's expression turned stern, his gaze sweeping across the entire venue like a knife, including the representatives of the major factions in the VIP seats.

"The Martial Arts Tournament has now come to a successful conclusion!"

"But—" Wang Hao's voice suddenly rose, "The war against the Nightmares has just begun!"

"I announce! In three days, the Great Zhou will hold the Eastern Wasteland's first Demon Suppression Conference at the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Imperial Palace!"

"All the top hundred on the Prodigy Roll must attend and observe!"

"Envoys of all sects in the world, representatives of aristocratic families, array masters and alchemists related to demon suppression, and other major factions must be present to participate! This matter concerns the survival of the human race. Whoever dares to be absent will be making an enemy of the world, and the Great Zhou's iron cavalry will surely execute them!"

These resolute and decisive words exploded like thunder in everyone's hearts.

The big shots who originally thought they could take their respective prodigies back to their sects after the competition ended completely changed their expressions.

They faintly felt that this two-faced, scheming tyrant had already spread open a massive net that could swallow the sky and blot out the sun. The Martial Arts Tournament was merely a beginning, a bait to trick them into the capital!

The three women sat in the stands, complex lights flickering in Shen Xue's beautiful eyes.

"What a ruthless chain of schemes." Shen Xue bit her red lip lightly. "Using the competition to trick people here, using the phenomenon to hype up the atmosphere, using fame and fortune to tie down the prodigies... Next, he is going to swing his butcher's knife at the major factions."

Ren Mingyue sighed, looking at Xiao Chen and the others below the stage with some sympathy. "These children... their whole lives are basically forfeit into Wang Hao's hands."