Chapter 1087: Dear, Choose Me~
Chapter 1087: Dear, Choose Me~
At Council Mountain.
Today's audience had arrived even earlier than usual. The seats were packed, and laughter filled the air; the atmosphere was more relaxed than ever before.
On the final day of the Battle for the Throne, the actual outcome of the match no longer really mattered to the spectators. Whether it was first or second place, both contestants would become Emperors. It was just a matter of who got there first.
Thus, with one finalist from among nymphs and one from among demons, both immensely popular and clearly destined to ascend, the audience was far more focused on something else: This final match also happened to be the grand finale of the matchmaking tournament.
Mei Gongzi was not only a Crown Princess, but the very reason the matchmaking tournament was being held in the first place.
The top six contestants in the finals all had the right to choose a spouse.
Ning Chen'en and Lan Moqian were already married, and they'd had their emotional moment earlier, so there was no drama there. But they were at the tail end of the top six, and the other four—Mei Gongzi, Jin Miaolin, Xu An'yu, and Jiang Chenchou—were all single. And among them, the three Crown Princes had become the talk of the Ancestral Court.
Who would they choose?
This was what the crowd was buzzing about: predicting who would pair with whom.
Those with higher rankings had priority, and once a choice was made, the chosen could not refuse; this was the ironclad rule of the matchmaking tournament.
All the contestants were the best of the best from Daemon Continent. But currently, the most desired of all was Jin Miaolin. With his grand status and overwhelming strength, which promised a limitless future, he had become the unrivaled favorite. Today, many female spectators dressed to the nines… just in case. They knew they had no chance, yet they were unwilling to miss even the slimmest possibility.
Tang San finally arrived at the arena. Before entering, he had the Blue Gold Tree elders tightly surround him, hiding him from view to avoid another "battlefield of love."
The two roads leading into the arena were lined with female nymphs and demons. They were not as strong as those that had surrounded him earlier, and they didn't dare break through the Ancestral Court guards' defense line, but they still called his name loudly from outside.
Only after entering the tunnel leading to the platform holding the Crown Prince thrones did Tang San finally exhale in relief.
This matchmaking tournament… is really starting to feel like it was set up for me…
As he walked out of the tunnel and approached the waiting area, a figure suddenly appeared before him.
Tang San blinked in surprise. It was none other than the fourth-place finisher in the Battle for the Throne, Jiang Chenchou. She wore a pale apricot dress, and her long hair was flowing loosely behind her. Gone was the fierceness of the warrior who once burned her blood in battle; now she looked calm and gentle.
Why am I even surprised…. Since the others came, how could she not show up? If the Nethermoon Flower clan's Shen Xiao knocked on my door, why not Jiang Chenchou from the Scorching Sunflower clan?
"Deputy City Lord Jiang, is something the matter?" Tang San asked, feigning ignorance. Jiang Chenchou was the deputy city lord of Solar City, so he addressed her formally, as he had never met her before.
She hesitated; her cheeks flushed, and she lowered her gaze, not daring to meet his eyes. Gone was the overwhelming aura she had once displayed on the battlefield.
"His Majesty the Sunborne asked me to tell you that… if we were to become one family, the Undying Golden Body would be my dowry. And in the future, I could assist you in becoming the ruler of the Ancestral Court."
Tang San's eyes widened slightly. Now that's a big move, Sunborne Nymph Emperor...
The Undying Golden Body was one thing, but becoming the Ancestral Court's ruler? That was an offer few could ignore.
Had this come from any other Emperor, it might have been an empty promise. But this was the Sunborne Nymph Emperor, currently the strongest individual in the Ancestral Court and undisputed ruler of the Solstice Empire. His words carried immense weight.
It was a bold declaration. First, it meant he believed Tang San had the potential to become the Ancestral Court's leader. Second, he hoped to solidify their alliance through marriage.
Jiang Chenchou's status within the Scorching Sunflower clan was unquestionable. Her achievements in this tournament alone placed her just below the Emperor seeds—much higher than even the Scorching King, who was technically her superior. She was clearly favored by the Sunborne Nymph Emperor, otherwise she wouldn't be entrusted with the Undying Golden Body.
"Please thank His Majesty on my behalf. Whenever he has need, Jin Miaolin will not hesitate to charge into fire or water on his behalf," Tang San replied with a polite nod.
Jiang Chenchou finally looked up. Just as she opened her mouth to respond, a cold voice rang out from behind Tang San.
"Move. You're in the way."
Tang San's eyes widened. He quickly stepped aside, an awkward smile spreading across his face.
Mei Gongzi strode past him without even a glance, head held high.
Dead… I'm so dead ♪
Tang San's heart clenched. This life's beloved… was far more assertive than the one in his previous life. Explaining this later was going to be rough, and that was in the best case scenario.
Jiang Chenchou whispered, "Th-then… think about it. Good luck in the match."
"Thank you," Tang San replied with a nod. Given the Sunborne Nymph Emperor's involvement, he had to at least show courtesy.
Jiang Chenchou added, "And... you can just call me Chenchou from now on." Her face blushing, she turned and hurried away.
Tang San stood there for a moment, then rolled his eyes skyward and walked toward the waiting area.
The arena erupted in cheers.
Naturally, this was for Mei Gongzi, who had just entered the waiting area.
Tang San quickly followed. The cheering from Mei Gongzi hadn't yet faded when his own arrival triggered an even louder wave of excitement.
This time, the female voices drowned out the male ones completely.
Smiling, Tang San waved toward the crowd. But just as he was walking up to his throne, a sudden, deafening shout erupted from the stands—
"DEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAR—CHOOOOOOSE—MEEEEEE!"
Tang San tripped on the stairs.
The entire arena exploded in laughter and cheers.
Clearly, the female audience had rehearsed this. They'd waited for the perfect moment to shout in unison, each hoping, even playfully, to grab his attention.
Tang San glanced toward Mei Gongzi's throne.
She sat there with a perfectly plain expression as though she'd heard nothing at all.
Good, Tang San thought. Let's hope she didn't notice.
Then, the voice of the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor rang out across the arena.
"It seems our Crown Prince Jin is quite popular! But don't get too excited, everyone. If he loses today's match, the right to choose first won't be his."
That snapped the crowd's attention to Mei Gongzi.
Indeed, she had never lost a match until now. So if she won this final match, she would have the right to choose.
Mei Gongzi stood and turned toward Council Mountain, and her voice rang out clearly, "Your Majesty, may we begin?"
The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor paused briefly, then nodded. "This is the final match of the Battle for the Throne, and the final match of the matchmaking tournament as well. Jin Miaolin, champion of the losers' bracket, challenges Mei Gongzi, champion of the winners' bracket. Contestants, ascend."
He stopped for a moment, then added, "If either of you would like to concede, there's still time."
Tang San rose and walked over to Mei Gongzi, intending to say a few words to appease the tigress before the battle, but she didn't spare him a glance. Without a word, she took to the skies.
Tang San quickly followed, soaring upward after her.