Chapter 1082: See You on the Battlefield!
Chapter 1082: See You on the Battlefield!
"Very well. In that case, tomorrow shall be the final battle of this Battle for the Throne, and also the ultimate match of the matchmaking tournament. After the match, the spouse selection will commence. That is all for today."
The match had ended. But in the spectator stands, no one dared chant "Amethystine Warrior!" anymore.
Jin Miaolin's performance today was far beyond what such a title could ever explain.
Xu An'yu approached Tang San, his gaze filled with complexity. "Brother Jin, all this time, I believed I had the deepest foundations. I never expected you to be hiding so much. You are the true powerhouse."
Tang San offered a light smile. "The feeling is mutual. Brother Xu, you truly surprised me as well. I was lucky today; my advantage came from elemental compatibility."
Xu An'yu sighed. "I won't be attending tomorrow. I must enter seclusion immediately, I need to experiment with the holy energy you left within the Light Sprite and integrate it into my own power. I want to prepare for one final breakthrough. Let me offer you an early wish for success."
"You're not going to choose a partner?" asked Tang San.
Xu An'yu shrugged. "There's no rush. Before I inherit the title of Lord of Crystal City, none of that matters. I mean, it would have been great if things had worked out, but the one I originally wanted to choose… Well, I doubt I still have a chance."
Tang San's mouth twitched slightly. Why didn't I finish him off earlier? Still daring to covet my wife?
Of course, he wasn't about to start a fight right now. Even if just on account of Crystalline, he had to give Xu An'yu some face.
Suddenly, Xu An'yu shot Tang San a wink, then said, "I'll be going now." With that, he turned and strode off quickly.
Tang San was rather taken aback, but a moment later, he realized why he had been left alone. Mei Gongzi was right behind him.
"Clan Leader Jin, do you have a moment?"
Tang San turned toward her. At this moment, his heart was somewhat at ease. For him, winning the Battle for the Throne wasn't all that difficult. The true challenge was winning the tournament and gaining the recognition of the Emperors, all while hiding his true strength.
Everything had gone according to his plan. Even having Xu An'yu win the Light Sprite at the auction had been part of his setup. Now, everything was in place. He would finally face his beloved in the championship match.
Defeating Xu An'yu twice—this had always been Tang San's goal. Even if Xu An'yu hadn't forfeited earlier, the outcome would've been the same. Only by doing this could Mei Gongzi avoid clashing with Xu An'yu. Given her current strength, she still couldn't defeat someone of his caliber.
"Of course." Tang San smiled.
Mei Gongzi said, "Clan Leader Jin, if you promise not to choose me after tomorrow's match, I'll surrender and let you have the championship."
But Tang San shook his head. "That won't do. City Lord Mei, I don't know if you'll believe me, but from the moment I first saw you, I've been deeply in love. It was love at first sight. To me, this matchmaking tournament is even more important than the Battle for the Throne. Why won't you give me a chance? I'm willing to offer the Lifebond Necklace as my betrothal gift and propose to you."
Mei Gongzi's expression instantly darkened. She let out a cold snort. "See you on the battlefield tomorrow."
With that, she turned and swept away.
Watching her leave, Tang San felt a bit helpless. Right now, everything was under the scrutiny of the Emperors' divine consciousness. Naturally, he didn't dare reveal anything. Not because of any flaws on his part, but because he feared Mei Gongzi might show emotional fluctuations if she suddenly realized his true identity, fluctuations that would arouse the Emperors' suspicion.
Still, the time would inevitably come to let her know. Otherwise, what if she went all out against him tomorrow? Or worse… what if she found out by herself and murdered him in cold blood afterward?
He turned toward the arena, at the slowly departing audience, and then at the towering Council Mountain.
He let out a long breath. A wave of powerful energy surged within his chest, and everything began to feel beautiful.
In this realm, he could finally start taking charge of his own fate. Though he had not taken the final step, everything was within control.
A faint divine radiance appeared on Tang San's face as he gazed toward the distant sky.
That battle in the skies, visible not just to the audience, but to all of the Ancestral Court, had etched the name "Jin Miaolin" into the minds of the people.
Crown Prince Jin Miaolin—or perhaps, Emperor-to-be Jin Miaolin. Even though one final match remained, anyone with discerning eyes could see that Mei Gongzi would struggle to stop him.
And somewhere else, another quiet wind had begun to stir…
***
At the Sunborne Palace.
The Sunborne Nymph Emperor sat on his high throne. Standing at the base of the steps below was a young woman—the fourth-place finisher in the tournament, Jiang Chenchou.
"What are your thoughts on today's battle?" the Sunborne Nymph Emperor asked coolly.
Jiang Chenchou raised her head to look at him, her eyes filled with frustration. "A battle between two schemers. They were both far too cunning."
A faint twitch appeared at the corner of the Sunborne Nymph Emperor's mouth. "You're just too naïve. Well, being forthright isn't necessarily a bad thing, but nobody achieved anything great by being one hundred percent honest all the time. Really, I don't know what you expected."
Jiang Chenchou lowered her head. "I've disappointed you."
The Sunborne Nymph Emperor waved his hand. "You did your best. Your opponents were simply too powerful. But let's set that aside for now. Chenchou, what do you think of Jin Miaolin?"
She blinked. "Jin Miaolin? You mean…?"
The Sunborne Nymph Emperor looked at her meaningfully. "Don't forget, this is a matchmaking tournament. Jin Miaolin's future is limitless. Now that the Blue Gold Tree clan is neutral, under his leadership they'll surely prosper, and they could even become one of the most important clans on the continent. As for the man himself, he is practically guaranteed to become an Emperor. The Crystal Demon Emperor's legacy fully compensates for his only weakness."
Jiang Chenchou wasn't stupid. She immediately grasped the implication. Indeed, she was the proud daughter of the prime nymph clan, and Jin Miaolin was a Crown Prince destined for the throne. Though she hadn't won a place in the Battle for the Throne, she was more than qualified to be his spouse.
Her cheeks turned slightly pink. She lowered her head and softly said, "I leave it all in your hands, Your Majesty."
The Sunborne Nymph Emperor shook his head and said, "Happiness is something you must seize for yourself. The tournament isn't over yet, so I can't approach him now. But tomorrow, before the match, I'll create an opportunity for you…"