Seeing this, Dai Xingluo turned to Xu Mu and asked, "Brother, did I get you into trouble?"
"Not really. You did all that just now for my sake. If I thought you were going too far, I would have stepped in to stop you," Xu Mu said softly to Dai Xingluo.
[Affection +10]
Dai Xingluo smiled, not forgetting to glance at Meng Wanyue beside her.
Meng Wanyue's expression remained unchanged. Regarding such matters, she would never take a page from Dai Xingluo's book.
Her creed was simple: everything revolved around Xu Mu. Unless Xu Mu gave an order, she would not make a move.
Xu Mu stepped forward and took the initiative to say, "The Strength Court is one of the Five Great Sects. I believe you are reasonable people. This guy deliberately cut in line, cursed at me, and ultimately proved inferior in skill. If I were him, I would have run away in shame long ago."
"Bullshit! Who said I cut in line? I clearly got here before you!" Zhao Kun roared, pointing at Xu Mu.
Huang Dazhuang raised his hand, signaling Zhao Kun to shut up. "Our Strength Court values fairness the most. My junior brother cursed at you, and you can curse back at him several times over now. But for the injury on my junior brother's leg, I will also return it several times over."
Hearing this, Zhao Kun revealed a cold sneer. "That's right! I am a seeded contestant in this Martial Champion Tournament. You injured my leg, causing me to miss out on heavenly treasures. Can you afford to compensate me?"
"I was the one who injured him. If you have the ability, come and return it!" Dai Xingluo proactively took a step forward.
But Xu Mu grabbed Dai Xingluo's shoulder. He smiled and said, "I remember the Strength Court has a rule: whoever has the bigger fist makes the rules."
Hearing this, the surrounding onlookers all gasped in surprise, not expecting this group of people to dare provoke them in public.
Upon hearing this, Xu Ningbing asked Tong Guoguo beside her in a low voice, "Guoguo, what kind of rule is this?"
"The Strength Court's philosophy is that everything is dictated by strength. For example, if we have a disagreement, we fight. Unless one side admits defeat, it's a battle of life and death. Whoever wins is right."
Tong Guoguo explained softly, "However, this battle has a requirement: you cannot burst forth with Qi."
"Cannot use Qi?"
"It's not that you can't use it, but you can't let it burst out. That means you can only use up to the peak of hidden energy, but you cannot manifest astral Qi."
Tong Guoguo elaborated, "It's a pure contest of physical constitution."
From the very beginning, when she knew the other party was from the Strength Court, she hadn't felt the slightest bit nervous.
No one knew better than her just how formidable Xu Mu's physique was.
The Strength Court often used this rule to coerce other sects because they knew that in a fight relying purely on physical constitution, almost no sect could contend with them.
But when facing Xu Mu, this trick wouldn't work.
"Interesting! In all my years, this is the first time I've encountered someone actively asking to play this game with our Strength Court."
Huang Dazhuang grinned.
Not just him, but the other Strength Court members around them all followed suit with mocking laughter.
The person before them simply didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth, actually wanting to compete in physical constitution against the Strength Court.
Especially challenging Huang Dazhuang, who possessed a top-tier Iron Armor Art. Wasn't this courting death?
"Boy! I'll accept on behalf of my Fourth Senior Brother. Speak! What are the stakes?"
Zhao Kun clamored, pointing at Xu Mu.
"If we win, you kneel and apologize to us, and you compensate for the damaged pavement on the street just now."
Xu Mu didn't want to make things too tense with the Strength Court.
In the storyline, this sect of theirs was overall quite decent.
"Alright! If you lose, give me the woman who hit me just now," Zhao Kun chuckled sinisterly.
"That won't do. My senior sister is an independent person; I don't have that much authority over her."
Even though Xu Mu knew he would win, he couldn't bring himself to use Dai Xingluo as a wager.
Huang Dazhuang glanced at Zhao Kun and said indifferently, "This little brother hasn't made things too difficult; don't push your luck."
"Yes." Zhao Kun shrank his neck and stepped back.
"If we win, you can just use any grade-eight heavenly treasure to compensate for my junior brother's injuries," Huang Dazhuang said, looking at Xu Mu.
Hearing this, Zhao Kun immediately beamed with joy.
The injury on his leg wasn't serious at all, plus their sect possessed very potent healing pills.
It could be said that he was getting a grade-eight heavenly treasure for free this time.
"Alright, I agree." Xu Mu nodded. "Where do we fight?"
Through his perception, he could clearly detect that Wang Hun was watching him from a distance.
He definitely wouldn't wander far from Kunlun Mountain.
Given Wang Hun's character, he would certainly attack him in a deserted place.
"The Kunlun Mountain Martial Arts Arena," Huang Dazhuang said flatly.
"Okay, let's head over there right now."
Xu Mu nodded. Being inside Kunlun Mountain was perfect. No matter how formidable Wang Hun was, he wouldn't dare cause trouble inside Kunlun Mountain.
Thus, this large group of people marched grandly toward the entrance of the Kunlun Mountain ruins.
At the guard post in front of the sect's main gate, Huang Dazhuang explained the situation. As a top expert of the younger generation from one of the Five Great Sects, he naturally possessed privileges.
Not to mention, they were only temporarily using the formation gladiator arena.
As for Xu Mu and the others, they each pressed their fingerprints to identify themselves.
The shared resource database of the Environmental Protection Department contained the information of all ordinary people, as well as the data of many other ancient martial artists.
For example, Meng Wanyue, originally a foreign assassin, had no identity in the Dragon Kingdom.
But last time, under Jiang Huihui's guidance, she specifically went to the Environmental Protection Department to record her information.
Dai Xingluo's information still showed her as a member of the Dai family, with no records regarding the Heavenly Sword Sect.
As for Tong Guoguo, Wang Hun had long arranged a fake identity for her to facilitate her missions.
Xu Mu, Xu Ningbing, Meng Wanyue, Dai Xingluo, and Tong Guoguo all passed smoothly.
Finally, Fu Jinyu also just obtained a temporary pass.
The group of them entered without a hitch.
Led by a middle-aged man, the group proceeded into the ruins.
Stepping into Kunlun Mountain, the world before their eyes was like a fairy palace from a dream.
Even though it was night, the lines drawn by the surrounding formations flickered with a faint light on the mountaintop palaces, gentler and brighter than LED lights.
Fu Jinyu looked around. She had wanted to visit Kunlun Mountain for a long time, and she didn't expect to get her wish today.
She had to admit, it was indeed worthy of being a top sect in the Dragon Kingdom; it looked extraordinary.
It was far beyond what their Heavenly Demon Tribe could compare to.
Xu Ningbing, Meng Wanyue, Dai Xingluo, and the others were also amazed by the surrounding architecture.
Tong Guoguo, however, remained calm. The location for the Martial Champion Tournament was chosen by drawing lots, and she had previously visited Kunlun Mountain with Wang Hun.
Under the guidance of the middle-aged man, they arrived in front of a building.
The building's design was similar to a Taoist temple, and the words Gladiator Arena No. 103 were written on the main door.
"Come in." The middle-aged man opened the door and walked in first.
Zhao Kun sneered at Xu Mu, "Get the grade-eight heavenly treasure ready, and don't play any tricks with me."
Xu Mu smiled and shrugged, "I hope you can keep your promise too."
As they spoke, everyone entered the building.
...
Meanwhile.
Outside the main gate of Kunlun Mountain, a group of women approached the middle-aged man on duty.
Among them was a girl of about fifteen in a green dress, holding a token in her hand.
"We are from the Cold Immortal Sect, and we want to go inside to watch the spectacle."
The middle-aged man looked up and immediately noticed a woman wearing a long blue dress.
She possessed an aloof and ethereal aura, like a green lotus rising pristine and unblemished from the mud.
"Ah, so it is Fairy Qingyuan."
The middle-aged man smiled and said, "Please come in. However, it is getting late, so I hope you will not venture too deep."
"I know."
The woman nodded gently.
to panic—he has a system. As long as an investment target dies, he can claim a reward. And since he is immortal, the one thing he has plenty of is time. ... Countless years later. “Immortal Emperor of Longevity? I invested in him.” “Supreme Celestial Venerable? I invested in him.” “Undying Empress? I invested in her.” “...” “Heh. Once they’ve all died, even the Heavenly Dao will have to kneel and call me Dad.”
his freshman year, Su Bai accidentally bound the "Indulgence Tycoon System." 【Sleeping in? Reward: +$1,000】 【Spent $288 at a street barbecue stall? Cashback: +$2,880】 【Dropped $14,396 on in-game skins? Special reward unlocked: A brand-new Porsche Panamera!】 Luxury cars, penthouses, corporate shares, financial empires… College life was all about living freely and doing whatever he pleased! … When the adorably naive academic genius faced family medical bills and financial struggles, Su Bai waved his hand dismissively: "Your future is on me." "Wuwu~ Big Brother is so good to me! I’ll become a scientist to repay you!" When the genius girl got bullied by a shady professor? Su Bai casually dropped a billion-dollar investment, forcing the university to grovel and beg for her return. A company’s funding chain collapsing? Su Bai smirked—cash was the one thing he’d never run out of. Years later, when people traced the rise of the AI prodigy beauty, who was the man behind her success? Not just that—Su Bai also became the tsundere campus belle’s unattainable dream, the contrast senior’s daily necessity, and the beautiful counselor’s emotional anchor…
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
