"I lost." Shevchenko was clearly aware of his dual personality. He glanced at the black sword that had crashed twenty meters away and openly conceded defeat. "Your Majesty is a complete idiot, the number one expert in the vassal state!"
As Shevchenko turned around and lightly flicked his toes, lifting the massive black sword and sheathing it behind his back, he leaped off the Number One Sword-Testing Platform. Before the referee, who had retreated to the side to avoid the aftermath of the intense battle, could announce the result, the entire training ground and even the twenty-mile-long affiliated state-owned district erupted in thunderous cheers. The earth trembled, and the crowd surrounding the testing platform instantly transformed into a surging, furious tide. Everyone began to shout, witnessing the birth of a new martial arts king.
In the rest area of Chambord City, Drogba, Pierce, Robben, and others jumped up, soaring more than ten feet into the air, the burly men shouting excitedly incoherently.
Angela's pretty face flushed with excitement, and her beautiful eyes sparkled with a fluorescent light.
The girl's heart was filled with mixed emotions at that moment. Thinking about how, just six months from now, she would still have to protect Alexander from the humiliation of the messenger Bazel and his men every day, and worry about the unpredictable and tragic fate that awaited him, while now that cowardly and foolish Alexander was standing gloriously on the stage of the Empire Ranking Competition champions, receiving the worship of thousands of people like a tidal wave. The earth-shattering change of fate and the beauty of rise and fall made this pure and bright girl suddenly feel an urge to cry.
Beside Angela, Lampard, who carried a black greatsword, also showed a relieved smile on his usually silent and unchanging face.
He looked up at the rising sun, suppressing the volcanic excitement in his heart. Before his eyes appeared the resolute and handsome face of his old friend Old Alexander, and that unforgettable figure. The wish that had been buried deep in his heart, which he dared not to wrong, now seemed attainable, like a seed that had been withered for decades finally encountering sunlight and rain and beginning to slowly sprout and grow.
Seeing the towering, majestic figure on the sword-testing platform, everyone in the VIP viewing area stood up in unison. Princess Tanasha and the Alluring Witch Paris stood side by side, leading the applause in unison. The Second Prince Dominguez stood quietly, holding his crippled puppy named Oka in his arms, a smile playing on his lips. Other experts in the seats, including the pale-faced Magic Princess Xindi of the Bulan Kingdom, and the barbarian warriors Kanute and Wind and Fire Dual Supreme Staff from the Kingdom of Kingdom of Gudong, Hulk applauded and cheered. At this moment, even those powerful figures in the capital who were not particularly fond of King of Chambord had to acknowledge this young king who was about to become the leader of the new legion.
Only the fourth prince Christo, had a gloomy expression. Beside him, Big Beyoncé, the "prodigy" of the Big Family, had her beautiful eyes filled with an unreadable expression.
The azure water curtain on the sword-testing platform rustled softly as it receded, making Sun Fei's figure even clearer in the eyes of thousands.
In the distance, a luxurious convoy parted the surging crowd, and soldiers from the temporary Military Department escorted the convoy to the foot of the sword-testing platform. At the front, an open-top magic carriage, entirely golden and carved with dragon patterns, stood quietly beneath a white, tasseled, trailing canopy—the throne belonging to the number one expert.
In the VIP viewing area, the Eldest Princess, the Second Prince, and others had already gone to the general's platform in the center of the training ground to present awards to the winners of this Martial Combat Competition.
Sun Fei will sit on the throne of the golden magic carriage, first traveling around the twenty-mile-long state-owned district, and then achieving the predetermined Glory of parading through the streets of the capital.
This was to allow everyone to witness the prowess of the top master; although it was just a routine parade, it was a great Glory.
Sun Fei set off from the center of the training ground in a magic carriage, and under the escort of the Imperial Capital Public Security Office and the Imperial Guard, he slowly made his way along the twenty-mile-long affiliated state-owned area.
Behind the procession followed tens of thousands of imperial citizens.
The convoy entered the capital through the south gate. The wide white streets were already packed with people. Young girls carrying flower baskets threw flowers at Sun Fei. The air was filled with fallen petals and a faint fragrance in the cold winter. Men and women threw herbs and branches across the ranks of soldiers on the convoy's path. The tall stone palaces and pavilions on both sides of the street were crowded with people. Even the giant stone statues and the trunks of withered trees were covered with children who wanted to catch a glimpse of the number one master!
All that could be heard in Sun Fei's ears were screams and cheers. Even with his formidable strength, he felt dizzy and disoriented under such a massive wave of sound.
The carriage traveled along the main road of the capital to the Imperial Palace Square. There, Sun Fei received the golden armor bestowed upon him by the ailing Emperor Yassin. In the center of the Imperial Palace Square, beneath the hundred-meter- God of War bronze statue of the God of War, he was helped by beautiful imperial palace maids who had been prepared to put on the luxurious magical armor. Only then Emperor Yassin for his generous gift and board the magical carriage to return home.
In the past, the champions of each Imperial Martial Combat Competition enjoyed the Glory of being paraded through the streets in carriages, but they were not awarded the golden armor. This was a new addition to the imperial decree issued by Emperor Yassin a month ago. Originally, Emperor Yassin intended to personally bestow the golden armor upon Sun Fei to boost the morale of the empire's subjects. Unfortunately, it is said that the emperor's condition suddenly worsened more than ten days ago, rendering him unable to move freely. Therefore, he could only send someone to bestow the armor at the last minute.
Clad in golden magical armor jointly crafted by the Imperial Royal Alchemists and Royal Court Magicians, and draped in a wide cloak that fluttered like crimson flames, Sun Fei sat atop the throne of masters, listening to the cheers of thousands and surveying the worship of the masses. Flowers and herbs carpeted the road, and the screams of young girls and the salutes of warriors made it seem as if the whole world revolved around Sun Fei.
This scene gave Sun Fei a sense of being a big winner in life.
Of course, Sun Fei was not completely lost in such Glory. As he sat in the carriage and traveled along the way, Sun Fei constantly felt the powerful auras within the capital.
The aura of a martial artist is like a series of colorful flames shooting into the sky, varying in size. Ordinary people cannot detect it at all; only true masters can sense it with their keen seventh sense.
In [ Barbarian Mode ], Sun Fei was most sensitive to the aura of martial artists. He discovered that among the eleven towering black towers in the westernmost part of the capital, there were six auras ranging from Six-Star Class to Seven-Star Class. Some of these auras were very familiar to Sun Fei; they were the power fluctuations of the Judgment Knight. Clearly, that was the location of the Imperial Knights' Hall. Besides the direction of the Knights' Hall, there were also some five- or six -Star Class experts among the hundreds of large and small magic towers standing in the capital. Other major powers in the capital, such as the Soros Chamber of Commerce branch and the headquarters of various noble residences, also had experts of varying strengths stationed there.
Of course, there are also some mysterious places that seem to be protected by some kind of mysterious barrier, which can block all perception.
The first of these imperceptible places was the Imperial Palace in the center of the capital. With Sun Fei's strength, his Spiritual Power couldn't penetrate it at all. There seemed to be a faint, invisible membrane of power around the palace walls, which repelled Sun Fei's Spiritual Power perception. Apart from the Imperial Palace, Sun Fei also couldn't perceive the four tallest magic towers in the capital and the tallest black tower in the Knights' Hall.
The carriage had traveled more than halfway through the journey and passed through the Official Courier Station District of the capital.
"Huh? How come there's a restriction here too?" Sun Fei's expression changed slightly. He discovered that in a rather inconspicuous courtyard in Official Courier Station District, there was also some kind of powerful restriction that completely blocked his perception.
Official Courier Station District is not a key area of the capital. Even if there are soldiers stationed there, it shouldn't be so mysterious that Sun Fei's current strength is unable to find out about it.
Sun Fei turned his head and saw that at that moment, several arrogant young men walked out of the mysterious courtyard. These men were rather thin and slender, far less robust and strong than the Zenit people. They were dressed in gorgeous clothes, all in dark blue outfits, with inverted triangular brass headbands and their hair tied up in a ponytail.
Judging from his clothing and appearance, he was clearly not from the Zenit Empire.
Sun Fei's mind raced, and connecting it to the upcoming Martial Saint Battle, he immediately understood a few things.
These people must be the Spartacus warriors who escorted the enemy warrior Iaquinta to St. Petersburg.
It turns out that this unassuming roadside inn courtyard was actually the residence of the Spartacus Martial Saint, Aquinta. No wonder Sun Fei, with his strength, couldn't sense the situation inside the courtyard despite repeated attempts. Since Aquinta could become the guardian Martial Saint of a great empire, he must have long since stepped into the ranks of Moon-level experts, with strength far exceeding Sun Fei's. It's likely that there are only a handful of people in the entire capital who can truly surpass him.
Sun Fei didn't feel the same deep hatred for these Spartak as ordinary Zenit citizens. After all, as a transmigrator, although he had become accustomed to his identity as the King of Chambord City and accepted the people of Chambord City, he hadn't fully adapted to and integrated into the iron-blooded history of the empire. He looked at these enemy warriors with a touch of curiosity.
The young people who came out of the courtyard looked at this side from afar with undisguised hostility in their eyes.
The leader seemed to have suddenly thought of something funny, and whispered something to his companions. Immediately, the group burst into laughter from afar, pointing and gesturing at Sun Fei, who was wearing golden armor and receiving cheers from thousands. Then, the leader looked at Sun Fei with a mocking gaze and suddenly raised his hand in their direction.
Whoosh!
A gust of wind whistled through the air, but it was drowned out by the cheers of thousands.
First update.
Thank you all for coming. The noisy holiday is over, and it's time to work hard for a better life in the new year.