https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-197-Snow-Great-Huangting-and-the-Layout-of-the-World-s-Second-Part-2-/12964128/
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Chapter 198: Sword Nine Huang, the Second Strongest in the World, the Sword of the Mortal Realm! (Pa
Chapter 198: Sword Nine Huang, the Second Strongest in the World, the Sword of the Mortal Realm! (Part 1)
Generally speaking, when a son meets his father, it is like a mouse encountering a cat.
However, Xu Fenglai and King Xu were the complete opposite.
Xu Fenglai was like a cat, while King Xu, the father, was more like a mouse, and not just any mouse, but one that desperately tried to please Xu Fenglai, his son. Moreover, King Xu had a deep understanding of Xu Fenglai.
He even followed Xu Fenglai's every word.
Therefore, when Sword Nine Huang, representing Xu Fenglai, contacted him and informed him of two matters consecutively, King Xu readily agreed.
"Allying with the Qin Royal Manor is no problem."
"Qin Wang has been impatiently waiting. As long as I speak up, he will be more than willing."
"As for the battle in Martial Emperor City, forget it. This boy has always had his own opinions, and his wisdom is no less than mine. There must be a reason for his arrangements."
"Tell him that."
"Your Majesty, I will!"
After the conversation with Sword Nine Huang ended, King Xu did not rest. He immediately turned to his trusted aide and said, "Take some men and secretly go to Martial Emperor City. Wait for the right moment to act."
The aide clenched his fist and asked, "May I ask, what is our goal?"
"Of course, we must ensure the safety of the prince at all costs." King Xu glared, "Do I need to spell it out?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Then I will take the Nine Sword Slaves..."
"Nonsense! The Nine Sword Slaves are enough to deal with ordinary experts. In Martial Emperor City, especially under those circumstances, if a conflict truly breaks out, who can they protect?"
"Take all the guest advisors from the royal manor, every single one of them. As long as they are available, bring them all."
"Remember, ensure the prince's safety at all costs!"
"But..."
"Yes, sir!"
The aide left.
However, King Xu still felt uneasy, thinking that these arrangements were far from enough. He began pacing back and forth, and after a moment, he clapped his hands lightly, "I've got it!"
"Assemble ten thousand Northern Liang cavalry..."
"..."
...
The Four Directions Immortal Kingdom was neither particularly large nor small.
It was small for the extremely powerful cultivators.
But for ordinary people and small cultivators, it was vast.
For ordinary people, it would take decades to travel from one end to the other on foot.
However, for powerful cultivators, a few long-distance teleportations would be enough to leave the kingdom.
The Xu Royal Manor was a renowned existence in the Four Directions Immortal Kingdom, and its influence was well-known. Once the Xu Royal Manor made the news public, it quickly spread throughout the entire kingdom.
In the vast world of cultivators, discussions arose.
"Sword Nine Huang? After disappearing for so many years, he dares to show up again?"
"Back then, when he challenged the second strongest in the world at his peak, everyone thought he was amazing and cheered for him. But who would have thought that in the end, he would flee with his tail between his legs, becoming a laughingstock."
"As a sword cultivator, he doesn't even have the backbone of a sword cultivator. Such a coward, afraid of death."
"Indeed, he is a coward, but after so many years, he dares to challenge the second strongest in the world again so boldly. This is rather strange."
"It is strange, but it's not incomprehensible. After all, Sword Nine Huang is one of the most famous figures in our Four Directions Immortal Kingdom. He has just been in seclusion these past years. It's not surprising that he wants to complete the challenge from before, right?"
"That's true!"
"Hmph, he lost back then, and for so many years, he hasn't dared to show his face. After all this time, does he still think he can defeat the second strongest in the world? It's a guaranteed defeat! How dare he challenge so boldly, isn't that a joke?"
"What are you?" The person who scoffed was soon surrounded by a group of people.
"What do you want?"
The man's face changed, but he still stubbornly replied, "Am I wrong?"
"You're not wrong, but you have no shame!"
Someone coldly snorted, "Sword Nine Huang did make a fool of himself back then, and this battle will likely end in failure. But he has the courage to challenge the second strongest in the world! He has the qualifications!"
"Even if he was scared away and developed a heart demon back then, after so many years, he has successfully suppressed his heart demon and is ready to find himself again."
"And you, what are you?"
"Not only do you lack the courage, but even if you had it, do you have the qualifications to challenge the second strongest in the world?"
"You..."
The man clenched his teeth, but he was refuted until his face turned red, leaving him speechless.
"A person who dares not even climb a mountain, how dare he mock a god who has descended from the mountain!"
"..."
...
In the royal palace, Empress Zhou and her trusted aides looked at the intelligence report, perplexed.
"What do you all think about this? I'm a bit confused myself."
Empress Zhou was hesitant and speechless.
Currently, they were in the midst of a heated campaign against the Qin Royal Manor, and their original intention was not to provoke the Xu Royal Manor at this time. However, Xu Fenglai had suddenly stopped hiding and revealed his extraordinary talents, even obtaining the Great Yellow Court inheritance.
They were discussing how to deal with Xu Fenglai and the Xu Royal Manor.
But suddenly, they received this news, leaving them astonished.
"This... is indeed strange."
"Who would have thought that Sword Nine Huang would hide his identity and become Xu Fenglai's servant, and even more so, who would have thought that he would challenge the second strongest in the world again, and in such a high-profile manner!"
"There must be a reason for this!"
"You're just stating the obvious! Who doesn't know that?"
"What we should discuss is why they are doing this! What is their purpose for being so high-profile?"
They argued fiercely.
However, no matter how much they debated, they couldn't come up with a conclusion that everyone could agree on.
Everyone knew that Xu Fenglai must have his reasons for doing this, and he must have his own plans! It might even be directed at them.
They weren't naive enough to think that everyone in the Xu Royal Manor was clueless, nor would they believe that the Xu Royal Manor wouldn't 'resist'.
King Xu had his concerns and cared about the people of Northern Liang.
That was why they dared to take such drastic actions against the Qin Royal Manor.
Xu Fenglai, who had been a spoiled young master for many years, suddenly stepped forward, and as soon as he took action, it was like thunder, swift and unstoppable. They couldn't help but take his actions seriously.
They believed they understood King Xu thoroughly, knowing how he would act and his concerns. They thought they could control him by appealing to his sense of 'righteousness.'
But Xu Fenglai was different.
They didn't know him well enough.
Moreover, who knew what a young man like him would think or how he would act? No one knew if he had any concerns.
Even...
As a young man, if he found out about the events of that year, he would surely go crazy, right?
Once he starts acting crazy, it won't be good news.
"We must be cautious!"
Empress Zhou interrupted the group's argument and said thoughtfully, "Although we don't know Xu Fenglai's true intentions, it's likely related to us. In the end, he will undoubtedly target us."
"So, we must prepare in advance."
"Also, I propose..."
"We can't wait any longer!"
"Although facing both Qin Royal Manor and Xu Royal Manor at the same time will be troublesome, we don't have a choice now."
"Xu Fenglai is an unstable factor and must die."
"Indeed!"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Xu Fenglai has already shown his true colors and bared his fangs. If we wait any longer, it will only be a matter of time before another King Xu emerges!"
"Moreover, it's the Xu Royal Manor that acts without restraint that is truly troublesome."
"Then it's settled. We'll assassinate Xu Fenglai!"
"Even if it means facing both Qin Royal Manor and Xu Royal Manor after this!"
"Should we stop this battle?"
"All options are open!"
"I believe the sooner, the better."
"Then... let's make thorough preparations."
"Yes!"
Qin Royal Manor.
Recently, King Qin had been feeling much less pressure.
After Lin Fan's guidance in identifying the internal traitor, using him to gather intelligence, and temporarily alleviating the urgent crisis, King Qin could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
When the news of Xu Fenglai and Jian Jiuhuang's challenge to the second powerhouse in the world reached him, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"So, Xu Fenglai is no longer pretending?"
"King Xu..."
"You've been through a lot these past years."
"However, hiding is not a long-term solution. You care about the people of the world, and you don't want another war in North Liang. But if you keep retreating, they will only become more aggressive. In the end, unless the entire Xu Royal Manor, including all its members, is eliminated, there's no way to avoid it."
"You let Xu Fenglai pretend to be a spoiled young master for so many years, making the whole world believe that the Xu Royal Manor had no successor, and that you, King Xu, were too old and feeble to make a difference. You didn't care."
"This directly made my Qin Royal Manor their primary target, hmph."
"It's because of this that my Qin Royal Manor has suffered so much over the years. I couldn't even express my love for my children openly, fearing they would become targets."
"You're such a 'lovable' old fox."
"Even when I sought an alliance with you, you had countless reasons to refuse..."
At this moment, King Qin's lips trembled, and he felt like cursing.
This was too much!
It was simply outrageous!
Just as he calmed down and was about to call someone to analyze Xu Fenglai's intentions, one of his subordinates suddenly reported, "Your Highness, someone from the Xu Royal Manor has arrived. They claim to be a close confidant of King Xu and will only reveal their purpose to you personally."
"Oh?"
King Qin narrowed his eyes slightly.
Then, he smiled.
"Good."
"Bring the person here."
Overseas.
A scholarly middle-aged man, wearing a long robe and leading a small donkey, had a bag slung across the donkey's back. Inside the bag, a peach blossom bloomed exceptionally brightly. They walked step by step, leaving their footprints in the sand, content and at ease.
As he passed through a town, he couldn't help but smile at the bustling crowd and the sound of their conversations.
"The smoke and fire of the mortal world, most soothing to the heart."
Suddenly, he stopped and pricked up his ears.
"Did you hear?"
"Xu Royal Manor's Prince Xu Fenglai will accompany Jian Jiuhuang to Martial Emperor City, and after that, Jian Jiuhuang will challenge the second powerhouse in the world again!"
"Hiss!!!"
"Is this true?"
"..."
The middle-aged man was slightly surprised but then smiled wryly, "So many years have passed, from black hair to white, and from white hair to gray, generation after generation has come and gone, yet the second powerhouse in the world has always been him."
"There has never been a first powerhouse."
"Jian Jiuhuang has regained his confidence. We sword cultivators should follow his example."
"But..."
"Xu Fenglai must not come to harm."
"I owe your mother a debt, and it's time to repay it."
He turned and led the small donkey back the way they came.
"Old friend, let's... go home."
In a tavern.
There was an old man with a missing arm, unkempt, and disheveled.
He didn't care about being despised, scorned, or the cold words thrown at him.
Until...
He heard people talking about Jian Jiuhuang and Xu Fenglai's challenge to the second powerhouse in the world.
Suddenly, he smiled.
"Join in the fun?"
"Then let's join in the fun."
He stood up, slightly drunk, his empty sleeves fluttering in the wind, but he didn't care.
Martial Emperor City.
The second powerhouse in the world had gray hair and a gray beard.
It wasn't that he was about to die, but after so many years, he felt it was time to change his appearance.
Although his hair and beard were gray, his face was rosy, and he had the bearing of an immortal!
It seemed that even if the heavens collapsed, he wouldn't change his expression.
"Jian Jiuhuang?"
"Not bad."
He chuckled, "It's a pity that during our battle years ago, I didn't get to see all his sword techniques. This time, I should be able to witness them all."
"He showed no signs of panic.
Nor did he have any distracting thoughts.
A battle? Then so be it.
As for announcing it to the world, or the reasons behind it, whether there were any conspiracies or ulterior motives, he didn't care.
The only reason was that this place was the Martial Emperor City.
The only reason was that he was the second strongest in the world.
And the final reason was that this place was, after all, the Immortal Martial Continent.
In the end, it was still a place where strength reigned supreme.
"Sword cultivation is one of the branches within the cultivation system."
"The current Immortal Path is indeed dazzling and unparalleled, and it continues to flourish day by day."
"But my martial arts..."
The second strongest in the world sighed softly.
He was a top powerhouse, the second strongest in the Four Directions Immortal Kingdom, but he was not a cultivator; he was a martial arts expert. And because of this, this place was known as the Martial Emperor City!
"..."
"The matter with Old Xu has been settled."
Upon receiving the news, Xu Fenglai smiled, "Old Huang, let's go. We're heading to the Martial Emperor City."
Jian Jiuhuang hesitated, "Prince, maybe... it's better to forget about it. I can go alone. This trip to the Martial Emperor City is still within the territory of Prince Zhu's Mansion."
"Moreover, you have already exposed yourself. You are no longer the previous playboy prince. You've laid everything out in the open, and with the Great Yellow Hall inheritance, the Empress Dowager will no longer be as 'cooperative' as before."
"Once we start fighting..."
"Old Huang."
Xu Fenglai chuckled, "I know you're worried about me, but haven't you forgotten that I'm no longer the previous prince without any cultivation?"
"Now, I've already reached the Sixth Realm!"
"With the Moon Swallowing Immortal Art, the empowerment of the Great Yellow Hall, the Ethereal Sword Technique by my side, and you here, how could anything go wrong so easily?"
"Moreover, I have to go."
"Otherwise, if I die, how can I learn your sword techniques?"
"This..."
Jian Jiuhuang was speechless, "Prince, what you're saying is as if I'm already doomed, with a knife to my throat!"
"Haha, just kidding." Xu Fenglai grinned.
Jian Jiuhuang was speechless and decided not to say more.
The two of them set off, heading towards the Martial Emperor City.
However, shortly after entering the territory of Prince Zhu's Mansion, they were stopped.
"Armored Symbolic Army!"
Jian Jiuhuang frowned slightly, "One of the strongest troops of Prince Zhu's Mansion. They are all at least Fourth Realm cultivators, and all their armor is enhanced with special talismans. They also cultivate a special secret technique, allowing their combat power to merge and share perfectly."
"Within a certain range, even facing just one of them is like facing the entire army."
"Here, there are more than thirty-six thousand Armored Symbolic Army soldiers."
"Most of them are rushing towards us, while a small number are hiding in the shadows..."
"I'm not afraid, but Prince, please be careful."
Xu Fenglai nodded slightly, "As expected, they've come."
"I already knew this would happen, so it's not entirely unexpected."
"Old Huang, what about you?"
"Although I'm not as smart as the Prince, I did guess something in advance. It seems our journey won't be too easy."
"Of course, it won't be easy."
At this moment, an old man with a severed arm suddenly appeared.
Jian Jiuhuang's expression changed instantly, but upon seeing the other party's nonchalant demeanor, he slightly relaxed.
"Eighth Realm."
"The gap between him and me might not be that big!"
Sensing that the other party had reached the Eighth Realm, Jian Jiuhuang felt that he could still engage in a battle with him. Even if he couldn't win, he could at least delay him for a while, right?
"Why are you staring at me?"
The one-armed old man glared at Jian Jiuhuang and then said, "I'm not from Prince Zhu's Mansion."
"They're not worthy."
"But kid, I want to ask you a question."
He looked at Xu Fenglai, as if the Armored Symbolic Army, which was charging towards them, had no presence in his eyes.
"If you answer well, I'll escort you to the Martial Emperor City."
"If you don't answer well~~~the result is hard to say."
Xu Fenglai remained calm and replied without showing weakness, "Senior, please speak."
"If it were you, facing..."
"This kind of choice, what would you choose?"
"Would you choose the one you love, or the opposite?"
He shared his past experiences with a sigh, "Kid, let me tell you, this is a difficult choice. No matter what you choose, you'll be disappointed, and no matter what you choose, you'll regret it in the end."
"But you have to choose, which means you're destined to regret it!"
"So."
"Tell me, what's your choice?"
"Choose?"
At this moment, even if Xu Fenglai hadn't read the 'guide' and didn't know who the person in front of him was, his answer would remain unchanged, because he was who he was.
Xu Fenglai!
"Why is there a need to choose?"
"If I were facing this situation."
"I would only have one thought!"
"What thought?"
"I want it all!"
"I want the one I love, and I want the rest too!"
"If you're not convinced, I'll fight until you're convinced!"
"Even if I can't win, I'll still fight."
"If I can win, I'll fight even harder!"
"I'll fight until they're afraid, until they're convinced!"
The one-armed old man grinned widely.
Xu Fenglai was stunned.
He really hadn't expected Xu Fenglai to answer like that.
After a long while, the Armored Symbolic Army was getting closer, and he finally snapped out of his daze, "So, a person can be so shameless. It's a pity that I didn't meet you earlier. No, if you were born earlier, perhaps my ending would have been different."
"You kid, you're interesting."
"Good!"
"I'll ensure your safety on the way to the Martial Emperor City."
As they talked and laughed, he waved his hand.
A tree branch flew towards him and landed in his hand.
"The Armored Symbolic Army? They are a bit tricky. They can instantly combine the power of everyone, so fighting one of them is like fighting the entire army, including their treasures and secret techniques.
"However, if you attack everyone simultaneously, they'll be overwhelmed."
Sword Nine Huang's lips twitched.
I just want to say, you're really good at boasting! With so many people scattered and some hiding in the distance, providing energy, it's impossible to attack everyone at once.
(End of Chapter)
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