Lantern Festival Concludes

"Hiss"

An arrow grazed Long Chen's waist. Had he been a step slower, he would have been pierced through.

Long Chen rolled a few times in a sorry state before looking up. After he dodged the arrow, it flew straight into Huang Shang's thigh.

At this moment, Huang Shang's mouth hung open, his eyes vacant, like those of a dead fish, staring blankly at the sky.

A strong, fishy odor spread from Huang Shang's thigh. Although Long Chen controlled his breathing immediately, he still felt dizzy and nauseous, his chest tight.

Such potent poison.

Long Chen was horrified. The arrow was clearly coated in a potent poison. Though he couldn't identify the exact poison by smell alone, its intensity indicated it was derived from the venom of a Rank 3 or higher magical beast. Anyone below the Blood Condensation Realm would die instantly.

"Shameless!"

Master Yun Qi let out an angry roar. He extended his hand, and a flaming spear, over ten feet long, shot towards Wei Cang.

Wei Cang was shocked that Long Chen had dodged his attack. Seeing Yun Qi charging at him, he quickly retracted the lightweight hand crossbow from which the poisoned arrow had been fired.

"Boom!"

Wei Cang also summoned a flaming longsword, which met Wei Cang's spear with a heavy clash. A burst of sparks flew, and waves of heat surged outwards.

Long Chen, being the closest at only a dozen yards away, was already weak and was immediately thrown back by the blast wave.

Just as Long Chen thought he would be sent tumbling like a ball, a soft, fragrant body suddenly pressed against his back. His nose filled with the scent of a maiden.

"Chu Yao!"

Long Chen looked back and saw Chu Yao looking at him with concern. He was lying in her embrace.

"Long Chen... I'm sorry, I've brought this upon you..."

Chu Yao whispered, tears streaming down her face like pearls from a broken string. She knew that Long Chen's current predicament was largely her fault.

If she hadn't acted the way she did today, perhaps Long Chen wouldn't be in this situation. Thinking of how he had nearly lost his life several times, her heart ached.

"What are you talking about? That scoundrel Xia Changfeng always had it out for me. This has nothing to do with you," Long Chen comforted her.

He tried to stand up, but he had no strength left in his body. Leaning against Chu Yao, Long Chen's heart pounded.

"Long Chen, thank you." Chu Yao knew Long Chen was just trying to comfort her. She felt both touched and ashamed.

"Boom!"

Another explosion shattered the lingering tender feelings in Long Chen's heart. He quickly looked towards the source of the sound.

Master Yun Qi now wielded a spear formed from Pill Fire, over thirty feet long. It glowed crimson, radiating intense heat and immense power.

This was an ability only attainable by Pill Masters – the manifestation of Pill Fire. Pill Masters might not favor combat, but that didn't mean they weren't strong fighters.

A Pill Master's lifelong cultivation was concentrated in their Pill Fire, which could not only be used for alchemy but also for combat, possessing far greater power than their peers.

Wei Cang's expression was grave. Long Chen could see that although Wei Cang was also a Pill Master with powerful Pill Fire, in terms of purity, he was far inferior to Master Yun Qi.

Long Chen wanted to mock Wei Cang a few times, but the exhaustion from the battle and the last strike had depleted nearly all his strength. He didn't even have the energy to shout.

Each time the flaming weapons in Yun Qi and Wei Cang's hands clashed, an explosion would resound, shaking the very ground. The rolling waves of energy forced everyone to retreat.

Both were Guild Masters of the Alchemist Guild, holding esteemed positions. Such a display of power was something that not only the younger generation but even the royalty had never witnessed. Everyone watched with rapt attention.

"Wei Cang, after all these years, you've still made no progress. Begone – Flame Dragon Stab!"

Yun Qi shouted, thrusting his spear forward. The whistling gale tore through the void, shattering the ground as a dragon-shaped flame burst forth.

Seeing this, Wei Cang also roared. His longsword transformed into a giant shield, which he firmly planted in front of him.

"Bang!"

The explosion shook the heavens, dust and flames billowed, as if the very air had ignited, making it impossible to breathe.

"Yun Qi, you just wait!"

Suddenly, a figure shot out from the flames. It was Wei Cang, fleeing in a disheveled state. With those parting words, he vanished into the night.

As if he had anticipated this outcome, Master Yun Qi cast a cold glance in the direction Wei Cang had fled before slowly turning back to his seat.

A moment of silence fell over the entire venue. People looked at Long Chen, supported by Chu Yao, and then at Xia Changfeng, whose face was ashen. No one could speak.

The Empress Dowager's expression was also grim. Today's events had completely exceeded her expectations. She, the ruler of the Phoenix Cry Empire, had been relegated to a supporting role.

"Long Chen wins. This year's Lantern Festival concludes now."

As the Empress Dowager's voice fell, the entire scene erupted in a frenzy. The young girls in the crowd surged towards Long Chen like a tide.

Long Chen was startled. Before he could even comprehend what was happening, a girl was the first to place a flower crown on his head.

Long Chen blinked. Just as he was about to say something, seven or eight more girls rushed forward. Regardless of whether Long Chen was willing, they tied the flower crowns they had made themselves onto his head, like tethering a bull.

Chu Yao watched from the side with a playful smile, her beautiful eyes filled with amusement, though her pretty face also held a touch of pride.

"Hey..."

Long Chen was already covered in flower crowns, with nowhere left to hang them. He was about to tell the enthusiastic girls this when the sky suddenly darkened. A torrent of flower crowns rained down from above, obscuring the sky.

Some girls, unable to push through the crowd, had become impatient and simply threw the flower crowns they held towards Long Chen.

One person took the lead, and the other women suddenly understood and followed suit. In an instant, hundreds of flower garlands flew over. When the crowd dispersed, Long Chen had disappeared, buried by the flower garlands.

The Phoenix Cry Empire valued martial arts, and women expressed their love very directly. Even though they knew Long Chen had already expressed his affection for Chu Yao, it didn't diminish their admiration for him.

Handsome, powerful, loyal, and righteous. For the one he loved, for his brothers, he dared to fight against Blood Condensation experts, disregarding life and death. What kind of spirit was that? It could be said that Long Chen's performance touched the innocent hearts of most young girls.

When Long Chen struggled to climb out of the pile of flowers, the surrounding people had already dispersed, and Chu Yao was also gone. Only Fatty Yu and the others came over and pulled Long Chen out.

"Brother Long, you are simply my idol," Fatty Yu said excitedly.

The others were much the same. Long Chen's performance today had awed everyone. Long Chen was like a reincarnation of the God of War, making them incredibly proud.

Long Chen smiled slightly and looked around. He noticed that the Empress Dowager, along with a group of princes and ministers, the princes, and Master Yun Qi had already left. Even Chu Yao was gone.

"Brother Long, when you were being buried, the Third Princess was called away by the Empress Dowager. I saw the Empress Dowager's expression was very grim. I'm afraid the Third Princess's future days won't be easy," Monkey said worriedly.

Normally, they wouldn't dare to comment on royal affairs, but Long Chen's performance today had ignited their ambition, and they no longer held back.

The Great Xia prince, Xia Changfeng, had come to Phoenix Cry primarily to propose to the Third Princess. Although no definitive news had been released, it was rumored that the Empress Dowager had already agreed.

Now, the Third Princess openly showing favor to Long Chen at the Lantern Festival was equivalent to slapping the Empress Dowager and Xia Changfeng in the face. It was no wonder the Empress Dowager's expression was so unpleasant.

Here, they had Master Yun Qi's backing. However, Master Yun Qi was from the Alchemist Guild, a neutral force that would never interfere in imperial matters, let alone family affairs.

Therefore, Monkey and the others' worries were understandable. Hearing this, the joy of Long Chen's recent victory diminished significantly.

However, Long Chen had no regrets. For someone who confessed to him regardless of the cost, he would never betray her, even if it meant death.

Seeing that everyone had left the entire square, leaving only some soldiers dismantling the surrounding decorations and clearing away broken garbage, Huang Shang's body had long since been moved away.

"Let's go, we'll talk about it when we get back. Shi Feng, how's your injury?" Long Chen asked as he stood up with Monkey's support.

"I'm fine, Long Chen, I..." Shi Feng felt ashamed. If it weren't for him today, Long Chen wouldn't have fallen into this trap and almost lost his life.

"We're brothers, no need for useless words. If you're my brother, heal your wounds, improve your cultivation, and get revenge," Long Chen waved his hand.

"Revenge? Isn't Huang Shang dead?" Fatty Yu asked in surprise.

Long Chen smiled slightly and remained silent. Everyone couldn't help but be startled. Did Long Chen intend to...?

"Alright, you guys take me and Shi Feng back. We need to recuperate. Honestly, I feel like my bones are about to fall apart right now," Long Chen chuckled.

Everyone hurried forward to support Long Chen. His injuries weren't actually that severe; the key was exhaustion. He had no strength left in his body.

After everyone slowly left, a person slowly appeared in a dark corner. He watched the direction in which Long Chen and the others disappeared and murmured to himself:

"I never imagined Long Chen would grow to this extent. Could it be that he was hiding his strength all along?"

This person was none other than the Fourth Prince. Long Chen's performance today had exceeded everyone's expectations, including his own.

"If that's true, then this young man has a deep mind," the Fourth Prince couldn't help but sigh.

"My lord, should we eliminate him secretly?"

Behind the Fourth Prince, a shadow lingered in the darkness. If he hadn't spoken, no one would have noticed him.

"No rush. Although he surprised me today, his weaknesses are also exposed. No matter how strong someone is, with weaknesses, they are nothing to fear.

Although there was a slight change, this change might not be a bad thing. If we can utilize it well, it will bring us unexpected gains," the Fourth Prince's face showed a faint smile.

Long Chen did not go home that day. Instead, he asked Monkey to send a message home, saying he was studying with Master Yun Qi at the Alchemist Guild.

The incident today had caused too much of a stir. He didn't want to face his mother immediately upon returning home, especially with his injuries. His mother would be heartbroken to see him.

That evening, Long Chen went to Shi Feng's house. Shi Feng only had a few fractures. As for internal injuries, they were no longer a problem thanks to Long Chen's pills.

The fractures would heal in a few days with rest. Although Shi Feng had suffered a heavy defeat this time, it was beneficial rather than harmful to his growth. A strong person needs tempering.

That evening, Shi Feng's father arranged a quiet room for Long Chen. When he returned to Shi Feng's house, Long Chen's strength had already recovered somewhat.

Everyone else was sent away. Long Chen slowly took out a jade bottle from his ring. A faint, hot fluctuation emanated from it.

Heh heh, I can't wait for morning to get my hands on this good stuff!