Taking on eight alone: What gave Xiao Chen such confidence?

"Greetings, Your Highness."

Xiao Chen and the others all bowed.

Huai'an gave Gu Yuan a slight glare, then put on a dignified manner. "You may dispense with the formalities."

Gu Yuan: ...

Why was she glaring at him when everything had been fine?

He hadn't provoked her recently, had he?

"Gu Yuan."

"At your service."

"Come here."

"..."

Gu Yuan left Lu Yunshu's side and walked over to Huai'an.

Lu Yunshu raised her delicate brows slightly, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.

"What are your orders, Your Highness?"

"I hear the heirs from every province are highly skilled in martial arts. I would very much like to see for myself. What do you think?"

??

What do you mean, what do I think?

You're the princess here, big sis!

"I suggest we wait until all the heirs have arrived, then let them spar with one another so we can see what each province has to offer."

"Mm, good. We'll wait a little, then."

"Hahaha, there's no need to wait. We've been here for some time!"

A rough voice boomed like thunder.

Six figures descended from the sky. They were the heirs from the other six provinces.

Gu Yuan wasn't surprised.

Heirs like these kept in touch in private, so it was hardly unusual for them to agree on a time to arrive together.

They probably hadn't shown themselves just now because they wanted Lu Zhaoming and Xiao Chen to fight, so they could gauge their strength.

Lu Yunshu must have stopped Lu Zhaoming because she'd thought of that... No, not must have. She had definitely thought of it.

After all, she was known as the female Zhuge.

"Heir to the King of Jiaozhou, Long Ye."

"Heir to the King of Yunzhou, Yun Luo."

"Liangzhou, Chu Tianxiao."

"Ganzhou, Liu Wushang."

"Dianzhou, Bai Yu."

"Ruzhou, Shangguan Ling."

"Greetings, Your Highness."

Their voices carried a release of true qi that made Huai'an's heart race and left her struggling to breathe.

Gu Yuan tapped the ground with the tip of his foot, and his true qi formed an invisible sword and shield at Huai'an's side.

In an instant, the true qi surrounding Huai'an was completely annihilated.

Huai'an's nerves settled.

"You may all dispense with the formalities."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Surprise flashed in Hong Ni's eyes. She turned to Lü Luo and transmitted her voice with true essence:

"Did you see that?"

Lü Luo said in shock, "I saw it. True Essence Weapon Manifestation... That's a power only First Grade experts can master. How can he do it?"

Hong Ni said, "I once read in an ancient text that there is a physique called the true essence martial physique. It can perfectly contain true essence from birth, without the need for a cultivation technique.

"Gu Yuan likely possesses the true essence martial physique. That's the only explanation for how he can use True Essence Weapon Manifestation without reaching First Grade."

Lü Luo nodded. "No wonder everyone in the Qi Capital is saying that the empress wants to take Gu Yuan as her disciple."

"If the prince encountered someone like him, he would surely recruit him as well."

"However, rare as the true essence martial physique is, it still can't compare to the young lord's heavenly martial physique."

Hong Ni agreed wholeheartedly. "Naturally. The last recorded person to possess the heavenly martial physique was the founding emperor of the previous dynasty, Great Li."

"Even the current empress can't match the young lord's talent."

"At the same cultivation level, no one can defeat the heavenly martial physique!"

Gu Yuan's heart stirred, and he subconsciously looked at Hong Ni and Lü Luo.

Senior Sister said it's difficult for anyone below Third Grade to detect True Essence Weapon Manifestation. Their strength is comparable to Third Grade, so they should have noticed it by now...

Still, it didn't matter if they had noticed. It wouldn't affect anything.

Huai'an removed the jade pendant from her waist and spoke slowly.

"I hear that all of you possess extraordinary abilities. Why don't you spar with one another and broaden my horizons?"

"I will give the victor this jade pendant, which my imperial sister personally bestowed upon me."

As soon as she finished speaking, Huai'an secretly winked at Gu Yuan.

Gu Yuan: ???

"I agree!" Lu Zhaoming's spear had long been itching for action.

"Xiao Chen, do you dare fight me?"

Xiao Chen smiled faintly.

He had come to the Qi Capital to make a name for himself.

He would fight this battle for the princess to see, for the empress to see, and, above all, for all of Great Qi to see. He had to outshine everyone.

"I told you, you're no match for me."

"Tch, arrogant bastard." Lu Zhaoming snorted coldly.

"Your Highness, Xiao Chen has a request. I hope you will grant it."

"Please, speak, Young Lord Xiao."

Huai'an was polite on the surface, but deeply displeased inwardly.

This man's so troublesome. Why does he have so many requests? He's holding Gu Yuan up from getting my jade pendant.

The corners of Xiao Chen's lips lifted slightly.

"All of you are outstanding talents. If I could spar with only one of you, I would inevitably have regrets."

"I have learned a few rudimentary techniques and would like to exchange pointers with all of you at once."

Huai'an asked in surprise, "You want to fight seven at once?"

"Exactly!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, everyone's expressions changed.

"Xiao Chen, do you really think reaching Fifth Grade makes you invincible?"

"How arrogant!"

"It seems we're being looked down on."

The heirs all looked displeased.

"Gu Yuan, what do you think?" Huai'an asked.

"Your Highness, please decide for yourself."

Xiao Chen frowned and gave Gu Yuan a casual glance. "I've heard that Heir Gu is a martial arts prodigy. I wouldn't want to miss the chance either. Why don't you join in?"

"Xiao Chen can take on eight at once!"

Everyone present was astonished. He was so confident-just how strong was the heir to the King of Qingzhou?

"..."

Gu Yuan's heart went cold.

Using those seven as stepping stones was one thing, but now he wants to drag me into it too?

Do you just feel awful all over if nobody puts you in your place?

The more Gu Yuan looked at Xiao Chen, the more irritating he found him.

"Why have you gone quiet, Young Lord Gu?" Xiao Chen's lips curved upward. "If you don't think it's appropriate, that's fine. We can spar another time when the opportunity arises."

It sounded as though he was giving Gu Yuan a choice, but in truth, he had backed him into a corner.

Everyone in the Qi Capital knew that Gu Yuan was the empress's favored minister, and his every action represented her.

If Gu Yuan refused, it would mean he was afraid. He wouldn't be the only one disgraced; the reigning empress and even the entire Qi Capital would lose face.

If he agreed, a victory with eight against one would be expected and bring no benefit. If they lost, Xiao Chen's fame would soar, and he would make his might known throughout Great Qi.

What a clever scheme!

Gu Yuan sneered inwardly.

How had he never noticed before that this idiot protagonist was so scheming?

By comparison, the empress was much better...

At that thought, Gu Yuan slowly spoke.

"As a Fourth Grade imperial commandant, my every word and action reflects on Her Majesty's honor."

"For me to join the other seven heirs in beating you alone would damage Her Majesty's dignity."

Xiao Chen chuckled. "So, Heir Gu doesn't want to participate?"

"That's fine too. After all, blades have no eyes. If I were to injure Heir Gu, I truly wouldn't be able to forgive myself."

Huai'an gritted her teeth.

For some reason, she found Xiao Chen increasingly annoying.

Gu Yuan smiled faintly.

"When did I say I wouldn't participate?"

Everyone froze.

Gu Yuan stepped forward. True qi surged, forming a long sword that rose into the air.

"This is the Qi Capital, a place of great importance, beneath the empress's very feet."

"You're nothing more than the heir of a single province, yet you dare boast here that you can fight eight at once?"

"Where did you get that confidence?"

When the onlookers saw the long sword formed from true essence, they immediately cried out in alarm.

"True Essence Weapon Manifestation! Isn't that something only a First Grade expert can do?"

"Has Lord Gu already reached First Grade...?"

Xiao Chen and the heirs from the various provinces were even more shocked, their faces filled with disbelief.

Hong Ni spoke up to explain.

"Young Lord, he isn't at First Grade. He has the true essence martial physique and was born able to control true essence perfectly. That's why he can use True Essence Weapon Manifestation."

"His actual cultivation level is only Sixth Grade."

So that was it...

Xiao Chen felt somewhat relieved.

"It seems Heir Gu wants to fight me using True Essence Weapon Manifestation?"

"In that case, I'll spar with Heir Gu first, then fight the other seven!"

Gu Yuan smiled.

"You've misunderstood."

"What I mean is, you're too weak. You aren't worthy of fighting eight at once."

"I'm the one who's going to fight eight at once!!"