High in the coliseum, on the southern side, were the royal family of the Crimson Empire.
“Urghh… this is so boring,” a voice rang out in the group. Nobody even had to look to know who was speaking right now. “Why don’t they make those in the True realm fight. What’s so fun about watching these kids fight?”
“I told you, Uncle, it was going to be boring. It’s not like we didn’t warn you,” the second prince, Fu Yuhan said. He was a thin man with short hair and a clean-shaven face.
“That’s right, Brother. We told you the competition wasn’t for you, why did you even come? You never came before,” Fu Zemin, the second brother of the Emperor said. He looked the eldest of the bunch, despite being the second brother due to his lack of talent in cultivation. Still, he had managed to get where he was thanks to all the resources that came with being a prince to an empire.
“I— I have something to do,” Fu Zexi, the third brother of the Emperor said.
“Well, you can’t blame anyone else then,” the second prince said.
“Tsk. I wish the battles get a little bit better, otherwise, I will die of boredom,” Fu Zexi said.
“Zexi, those down below are the future of this empire. We are not here to watch normal battles. We are here to search for talents that can go on to be the pillar of the empire. So either leave or shut up and watch,” An authoritative voice came from the center.
The Emperor, Fu Zexian had finally decided to speak after listening to his younger brother babble on forever. The Emperor was a man with a cultivation base high enough so that despite being nearly a hundred years old, he looked like he was in his 30s.
His build was the same as his third brother; he had broad shoulders and big muscles. But he did not have a scruffy face and instead had a clean-shaven one. His hair was still all black surprisingly.
“So— sorry brother,” Zexi said in a meek voice.
“Ah, Dear Husband, don’t scold brother-in-law, after spending days in the illegal fighting den for days on end, obviously this would look boring in comparison,” the empress said.
The Empress looked older than the Emperor in general, but even the Empress looked like she was in her 30s at most. Adding on to the fact that she had no wrinkles and could generally be considered a beauty, she was a perfect match for the Emperor.
“Pfft” a few people laughed after seeing the empress not so subtly call out the third brother of the Emperor.
“Tsk. Even sister-in-law is starting to tease me now,” Zexi said.
“Xiaxia, you are hurting Zexi’s feelings now,” the Emperor said.
“Huh? And your scolding doesn’t hurt his feelings?” the Empress asked.
“Uhh… that’s different. He is used to my scolding since he was a child, so it’s fine,” the Emperor said.
“Hmph, you scolding him is fine, but me teasing him is not? Why do I feel like you are choosing your brother over me,” the Empress said.
“How can you say that, Xiaxia. You know I love you very dearly. I even refused all those concubines for you,” the Emperor said.
“Right kids. Tell your mother how much I love her,” the Emperor asked his children.
“Yes, Father. You love mother very dearly,” the second prince said in a monotone voice as if that was a daily thing for him.
“Wuying? Are you not going to say anything?” the Emperor asked.
The princess was currently focused down below, but her eyes didn’t seem to match the direction of the fights.
“Where are you looking, Wuying?” the Emperor asked, but the princess did not respond. She didn’t even hear the question.
“Wuying?” he called to her once more.
The second prince nudged his little sister a bit to catch her attention. “What?” she looked at the second prince who just pointed at his father.
The princess turned around and asked, “What is it, father?”
“Where is your head at? Weren’t you listening to anything?” the Emperor asked.
“Uhh… I found someone interesting a few days ago who I think is a disciple of a sect participating in this competition. Except, I can’t find him anywhere,” Wuying said.
“You found someone interesting?” the Empress asked curiously.
“Yes. It was a boy who noticed one of my shadow guards,” Wuying said.
“Someone found your shadow guard? That too a disciple? Impossible. They are the best at hiding. Even I would have a hard time finding them if I wasn’t looking for them,” the Emperor said.
“But that is the truth, Father. Which is why I am searching for him right now,” Wuying said.
“Tell us more about this boy,” the Empress said, and Wuying fully explained everything. They all listened curiously and nodded.
‘Long hair, clean face, moderately tall build… they all match, except for the robe. The one he was wearing looked really bland, so it probably wasn’t even his real robes,’ Zexi thought when he heard the descriptions.
The Emperor made the rest of them search for such a boy, he started searching too. There were a few ones along the way he found, but none matched.
“That robe looks correct,” Wuying said.
“Hm… that’s Hong Wu sect, an Alchemy focused sect. I doubt someone like that is from them. Let’s keep searching,” the emperor said.
‘Alchemy?’ Zexi thought. ‘Alchemy… Spirit Cleansing Lily… it would make sense if he was from there but… the flower showed up in an auction in the capital. Did he leave— where is the Hong Wu sect again? Scarlet City?’ His eyes went wide.
‘Scarlet city has a branch of Pink Cloud auction house as well,’ he thought and immediately started looking through the disciples of Hong Wu sect but couldn’t find any.
Just as he was about to look away, however, he noticed something peculiar. ‘Why is that one disciple staying away from the group?’
