Translator: Zen Translations Editor: Zen Translations
Spasming. Ming Yu’s entire body and heart were convulsing.
“No… impossible… I … I don’t believe it.” Ming Yu stared hard into Zhou Weiqing’s eyes, as if trying to read something within.
Alas, he could not see anything, not even any rheum1.
Currently, Princess Cai Cai’s expression was rather ugly as she led the officials back down into the drilling ground.
Originally, she had thought that when they won this round, she would ‘invite’ Zhou Weiqing up to the stage. Alas, with the current situation, she would have to move down personally.
Ming Yu turned his head back to look at Cai Cai walking in, and he took in a deep breath. In a low tone, he said to Zhou Weiqing: “I’ll look for you later.” After saying that, he walked back to Cai Cai, saying a few lines before turning back with an embarrassed look towards his Personal Guard Battalion. It was not going to be an easy task or a short time for his Personal Guard Battalion to regain combat effectiveness, and more importantly, to regain their morale. For a troop that had always lived with victory, it was a huge blow to them to suffer such a huge loss. Ming Yu had to personally return with them to comfort and console them and also guide them to enlighten them.
Cai Cai stabilized her own emotions before heading towards Zhou Weiqing once more. In her eyes, besides shock and awe, there was a hint of fear. She knew that although there were several thousand Royal Family Cavalry soldiers here with them, if Zhou Weiqing truly wanted to make a move against them, with the power he had displayed, they would have no chance at all.
As an onlooker, perhaps Princess Cai Cai could see many more things than Ming Yu. Even though he was the commander, he was also deep in the midst of things after all. If she was forced to use a sentence to describe that fight, just a few simple words would suffice: “Just too terrifying!”
Indeed, the only thing that fight brought her was a sense of utter terror.
Cai Cai had never seen such a frightening army in her life. Although she had never actually been on the battlefield to see the WanShou Empire armies with her own eyes, she was certain that even they did not have any such dreadful warriors.
Seven hundred men, just seven hundred men. Yet, when they burst forth with all their strength, the stifling feeling their presence brought was like that of a immense army of a million strong! Their fighting capabilities were just too terrifying.
All of them were Jewel Masters. This one thing was clear in Cai Cai’s heart. Amongst the seven hundred, besides the two hundred heavy cavalry soldiers she had not been able to perceive clearly, the rest of the five hundred cavalry soldiers were definitely Jewel Masters. As for those two hundred she could not see through clearly, the power they unleashed on the battlefield seemed even more terrifying than any Jewel Master held. A crushing victory over the strongest and most elite troop of the entire Fei Li Empire! Facing such absolute chance, there was no chance… just like when Shen Wang faced up against Zhou Weiqing!
Such a troop of seven hundred… if they appeared on any battlefield, it would definitely bring about a sweeping victory. How could the ZhongTian Empire possibly be willing to pass such a troop to Zhou Weiqing? Could it be a direct core troop of the Heaven’s Expanse Palace?
Currently, Cai Cai’s heart was in a mess, and her usual composure had been thrown off. She finally understood why Zhou Weiqing had been so confident as to provoke her so easily. If this seven hundred soldiers truly belonged to the Heavenly Bow Empire, then he definitely had the right to do so.
Although these seven hundred was far from sufficient to allow the Heavenly Bow Empire to restore their Empire, but their existence was tantamount to the Heavenly Bow Empire having a key to do so. Let alone the Kalise Empire, she was confident that even the Bai Da Empire would not have any troop that could block these seven hundred without a massive numeric advantage.
Zhou Weiqing smiled faintly as he received Cai Cai, saying: “Your Highness, this third round should be considered our victory right?”
Cai Cai was quickly brought out of her thoughts. With a complicated look at Zhou Weiqing, she said: “This troop of yours… they will accompany you all the way in reviving your Empire?”
Zhou Weiqing laughed: “Of course, this is my own troop after all. Your Highness, have you forgotten my self introduction? I am the Peerless Regiment’s Regiment Commander, Zhou Weiqing. Brothers, tell Her Highness, what is our motto?”
A deafening roar as a united shout rang out instantly: “PEERLESS IN THE WORLD!”
If it had been before that battle, such a motto would have caused all the Fei Li officials to scoff contemptuously. However, the four words now just sent a shockwave in their hearts.
Peerless in the world. Such proud and arrogant words… yet they truly had the power to back it up. At least, in Cai Cai’s memory, she had never seen such a troop with such terrifying combat prowess.
All of a sudden, Cai Cai’s entire body shuddered slightly. Peerless…Regiment? Could it be…he had an entire Regiment of such warriors? But… If that was true…
Seeing that amused look in Zhou Weiqing’s eyes, Cai Cai forced her breathing to calm down. Finally, she smiled with her usual grace. Although it seemed a tad forced, at least she had not lost her composure.
“If Commander Zhou really has an entire Regiment filled with such warriors, the hopes of revival of your Empire is truly high indeed.”
Zhou Weiqing did not pretend to be modest, nodding his head as he said: “I do think so myself. In any case, since this third round is considered our victory, then may Your Highness please come up with the next round’s topic?”
Cai Cai’s mind went into a whirl. Originally, she had planned that if Ming Yu won the third round, she would invite the Heavenly King Stage powerhouse again to clinch the final round. After all, they had not set any rules previously against re-doing a round’s topic. In that case, she would have been able to clinch the final victory with relative ease. Alas, the current situation did not allow her to use that plan any longer. Even if they won like that, then for the fifth and last round, Zhou Weiqing could also do the same as request for another seven hundred vs seven hundred fight. Who could possibly take on those Peerless Regiment soldiers?
Biting her lip lightly, Cai Cai thought for a while before saying: “Commander Zhou, previously our bet should have some restrictions that I forgot to mention. For those topics that we have already competed in, we shall not repeat them alright?”
Currently, Zhou Weiqing could be said to hold the pearl of wisdom 2. Having won the third round, he had an absolute advantage. Even if he failed in this upcoming fourth round, it was a strong chance he could still win the fifth since he could control the topic. As such, he did not mind Cai Cai’s little tricks like this, nodding his head generously in agreement. Of course, he knew it was because Cai Cai was afraid of his Peerless Regiment soldiers.
Cai Cai secretly heaved a sigh of relief before smiling as she said: “If I remember correctly, Commander Zhou should be a Consolidating Equipment Master right? In that case, shall we set the topic of the fourth round to be creating Consolidating Equipment Scrolls? Just a single piece, and the side who creates the higher quality Scroll will be the victor. What do you think?”
Zhou Weiqing started momentarily, his mouth starting to twitch slightly as his expression grew strange… “Your Highness, could it be the Fei Li Empire has somehow succeeded in recruiting a God Tier Consolidating Equipment Master?”
Cai Cai flushed deeply. She thought that Zhou Weiqing was making a snide remark to mock the fact that she was using the entire resources of an empire to suppress a small diplomatic party. She thought to herself: You are the one who forced this Princess to such a state, what other choice do I have?
“… How could it be so easy to recruit a God Tier Consolidating Equipment Master? Their numbers are extremely limited in the entire Mainland, and though I wish it was so, I’m afraid that our Fei Li Empire does not currently hold such abilities. However, we still do have some Grandmasters in the Royal Palace. Master Han Gao, I will have to trouble you for this round.”
As Cai Cai spoke out, a middle aged man walked out from the group of officials, looking to be around forty years of age. As the man walked to the front to stand beside Cai Cai, Zhou Weiqing’s heart gripped in slight shock.
The man’s gaze was peaceful and calm, as if he had not seen Zhou Weiqing. His eyes seemed to be far off, as if deep in thought, though no one knew what he was thinking about. Even when he was facing Princess Cai Cai, he only gave her a slight nod of greeting.
Towards his looks, Zhou Weiqing did not really pay attention. From this man’s eyes, he could clearly sense… this was one of those stubborn lunatics!
Zhou Weiqing had seen such eyes many times before, and he instantly knew those who held such gazes were extremely stubborn, holding all their faith and belief in a single subject, spending all their lives working towards that single target.
Everything else, they could ignore. Using the phrase ‘stubborn lunatics’ was truly just too apt. This was without question a very talented Consolidating Equipment Master, and his stubbornness and resolve was definitely in that area. In such a case, his abilities in creating Consolidating Equipment Scrolls should not be low.
Although Zhou Weiqing was a Consolidating Equipment Master in his own right, he had not spent much time on it. In the past year and more, he had spent all of his time focusing on his training and cultivation, and any remaining time had been dealing with the matters of the Peerless Battalion. By now, even Yun Li had far surpassed him in terms of Consolidating Equipment Master skills. If he personally tried to face off against this middle aged man in front of him, the result was not going to be pretty. In his heart, he knew it was a sure loss.
Cai Cai looked at Zhou Weiqing and said: “Commander Zhou, will you be personally taking on this fourth round? Or will someone else in your party participate?”
Cai Cai suddenly laughed. The reason he had a strange expression on his face when Cai Cai had come up with this fourth topic was very simple – it had actually been his plan to use this as the fifth topic! In this regard, perhaps it had been a strange wordless linked fate.
“…Your Highness, please wait a moment.” As he said that, Zhou Weiqing turned and walked towards the horse carriage where Princess Difuya was seated.
As he walked to the front of the horse carriage, he bowed respectfully in a full ninety degree bow. “Senior Uncle, could I please trouble you.”
Zhou Weiqing had used his Heavenly Energy voice transference, so Cai Cai could not hear what he was saying. However, as she watched him bow down, she was very curious. Could it be, Zhou Weiqing was asking Princess Difuya to come out? Or was he looking for instructions?”
From the horse carriage, Long Shiya’s exasperated voice rang out in his ears. “You little brat, how could you trouble your Senior Uncle over such a trivial matter?”
Duan Tianlang’s lazy voice rang out right after. “Enough about that Fatty Long, don’t act in front of me. Don’t think I do not know your character so well. If I refuse to help this round, would you go and compete in the next round? Haiz… Weiqing, I have to say, you are after all the heir to our Legacy of Strength Sect, the sole legacy carrier of the ‘Hate Ground no Handle’ Legendary Set. Your Senior Uncle’s ‘Hate Sky no Handle’ Legendary Set designs I also plan to impart to you in the future. I can help you now, but I hope that you can put some time to focus on your Consolidating Equipment skills.”
Indeed, in the large horse carriage, it was not just Princess Difuya seated within. Long Shiya and Duan Tianlang had also come along. Zhou Weiqing was only bringing a few hundred soldiers to the Fei Li Empire, and Long Shiya was a little worried. Since he did not have anything else to do, he decided to just come along, even dragging Duan Tianlang along with him. Although on the surface he had insisted that he would not intervene in the revival of Heavenly Bow Empire, with him along, it was tantamount to Zhou Weiqing having a god bodyguard with him. This was also the reason why Zhou Weiqing had acted so arrogantly… that little rascal had absolute confidence!
