Chapter 39 – Betting & Competing (IV)

Chapter 39

Betting & Competing (IV)

Long Tao barely stopped himself from yawning as he heard his name being called out. He’d paid some attention at the start, but all of these kids were… well, kids. They didn’t know how to fight, they didn’t know any special martial arts, and only a few of them were even, technically speaking, cultivators.

Thus, he grew bored and meditated on what the ‘Antechamber’ was. He presumed it was likely a holy cultivation site, or perhaps a unique array that forcibly inserted Qi into one’s meridians, or perhaps a method to enlarge meridians… whatever it was, he was kind of looking forward to it.

This body’s talents, after all, were abysmal, and though he did manage to reconstruct them a decent amount, they still weren’t even half as good as they were in his previous life. If there was something to accelerate the progress, he wouldn’t say no to it.

That was when his name was called out and he lazily walked up to the stage.

Opposite him was a relatively tall kid, about a year or two older than ‘him’, with an unsurprisingly vicious look on his face. Beyond that, however, lay a ruined foundation of a hapless talent–he seemed purposefully ‘bred’ for this competition and nothing else, as the furthest he’d ever advance was the second stage of the Qi Condensation.

Perhaps he knew and took the gamble, or perhaps he was blind, truly believing his talents had awakened; regardless, he was a blunt instrument used to try and win this thing.

He glanced over at the viewing area, where he saw his Master engaged in a rather tense conversation. Despite being able to do it, he didn’t actually dare listen in on them; for all the shortcomings of this place, they still had a Void Transformation Realm cultivator, someone capable of sensing Qi vibrations in the air.

Whatever the conversation was, it brought up an expression he’d never seen on his Master’s face: anger. Pure, unmitigated anger.

He’d seen plenty of frustration and annoyance and even bouts of exasperation, but no matter how much Long Tao pushed, he never actually saw his Master get angry.

Chances were that it had something to do with him, though as for what… well, he could venture a guess or two.

“Hey kid, just surrender quickly,” the boy opposite him spoke out. “Hm? Hey, aren’t you that moron that chose that stupid cripple as a Master? Ha ha ha, lucky me~ maybe you shouldn’t surrender so I can have some fun!”

“…” The conversation at the viewing area stopped, likely because of the stupid kid’s words. Even if the words were true, they were not to be spoken by a mere disciple. Not even Core Disciples would utter them publicly, let alone some irrelevant dreg.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Are you ignoring me, you bastard? Hah! Some courage you have! That’s it! I won’t let you surrender! I will break every bone in your body, and I will…”

Long Tao tuned out the voice, shifting his gaze over to the stalwart figure. He’d been pent up for a while now with so many things: the betrayal, the death, the resurrection… He’d remained mostly unmoving the past six months or so of his return and would have ordinarily glided through this tournament without much fanfare.

He’d do what his Master asked him to do–pretend.

But…

His lips curled up into a smile, a strange and curiously childlike smile, as he waited for the judging elder to announce the start of the fight.

**

No!