This so-called first place really had its benefits.
However, while such benefits for a first cla.s.s empire's favored talent were indeed practical, this wasn't necessarily so for someone of a third cla.s.s empire.
Unlike many of the young martial artists and some aristocratic elders whom couldn't conceal their heart's desires, the team leader, the Prince Beside the Emperor Cang He, definitely wasn't one who didn't complete his calculations. On the contrary, after he heard these words, he didn't look regretful at all.
At first, Gu Zuo's first impression was one of pity, but very quickly, his reaction changed.
Once he glimpsed at the Prince Beside the Emperor's expression, he couldn't help transmitting to Tianheng: Big brother, this first place…
Tianheng laughed, and answered his question for him: It's not good.
Afterwards, Tianheng explained to Gu Zuo: He Chengfeng originates from the Qingcang Empire, which is one of the three empires of the Qingyun Continent. Since the connection between the them and the Qingyun Sect must certainly be close, they must've spent many years engaging in business. So, there should be many Qingcang Empire operatives doing business in the Qingyun Sect.
He continued: Although He Chengfeng is very talented, compared to others in the Qingcang Empire, he isn't one who could reliably enter the Qingyun Inner Sect. As a result, they had to partic.i.p.ate in the Hundred Countries Tournament to plunder the only placement to enter the inner sect from us “country b.u.mpkins”.
Gu Zuo got it: So, for us, “first place” is a hot potato.
Tianheng corrected: With regards to the people of third cla.s.s empires, and even second cla.s.s empires, it's just like so.
Of course, if Tianheng really destroyed the Qingcang Empire's scheme to enter the inner sect, it wasn't like he didn't have the chance to survive. Were the three great empires of the Qingyun Continent able to come together seamlessly? They would certainly be at odds with one another. As for the Qingcang Empire, they'd treat Tianheng as a thorn in their side. If he showed enough value, there'd be an extremely high probability of people from the other two empires arriving to rope him in.
But with Tianheng's ambitions, how could he be willing to turn himself into another person's chess piece to charge and break through enemy lines? Naturally, he would take a small step back in order to gain a stabler position to control the overall situation more easily.
Even if it were after arriving in the sect, there still might be someone who'd try to rope him in. He would also have room for socializing — Because his life wouldn't be at risk, at least he wouldn't be forced to quickly “make friends” with others.
Gu Zuo heard him loud and clear, and was naturally aware of his dear big brother's thoughts. Hence, he didn't think about it any longer. He glanced at He Chengfeng again and saw that he really had an expression like his dream came true. Gu Zuo curled his lips, and didn't look at him any more.
That fool. There was nothing else to say.
Besides, Zou Qingyue had just given the order to depart, so these people that had remained began to leave.
This time, the Cangyun Empire had gotten a huge harvest. The Prince Beside the Emperor Cang He, whose heart was br.i.m.m.i.n.g with joy, led everyone away.
Once outside, the Prince Beside the Emperor gave a shrill whistle and that Cirrus-Cloud Eagle proudly descended from the sky. When the crowd of martial artists got on, it soared up with a gale sweeping past as it hurtled back from whence they came.
More than ten days later, they returned to the Cangyun Empire.
The Cangyun Emperor was waiting for them at the palace. Because the distance was vast, he couldn't obtain any news about the situation of this iteration of the Hundred Countries Tournament. Naturally, he had his concerns.
Right now, his frame of mind was very eager.
Once the Cirrus-Cloud Eagle carrying its pa.s.sengers entered the limits of the palace's inner halls, the Cangyun Emperor stood up with his hands clasped behind his back. He sized up the expression of his younger brother.
With this one look, he discovered that although there were some aristocratic family members who had complicated facial expressions, overall, everyone was jubilant and their spirited appearances were very good.
In other words, surely their achievements this time weren't bad?
Even though the Prince Beside the Emperor was steady, their performances were really too good. He didn't dare be too brash while in the Qingyun Boundary, but now that he'd come back and saw his elder brother, he let loose a peal of clear laughter: “Hahahaha! Congratulations, Imperial Elder Brother! This time, our Cangyun Empire has obtained exceptionally grand achievements. Imperial Elder Brother, let's go inside, so you can listen to this younger brother's detailed report!”
Although the Cangyun Emperor didn't know how good their achievements were, he clearly understood his younger brother's temperament. He was in no way a person who exaggerated. As a result, he took a deep breath and restrained his own impatience. He said in a clear voice: “Everyone has worked hard. A banquet has already been prepared, so may my beloved subjects [1] please enter for your welcoming reception!”
All the martial artists jumped off the Cirrus-Cloud Eagle.
Everyone entered the main hall together with pride in their steps, and quickly took their seats.
The Cangyun Emperor first toasted and gave a speech about everyone working hard and so on. Then, with some expectation, he looked towards the Prince Beside the Emperor.
The Prince Beside the Emperor, who was unable to conceal his cheerful looks: “Reporting to Imperial Elder Brother. This time, our Cangyun Empire had Gongyi Tianheng taking second place in the finals, Huangfu Zhanghao taking third place, and Cang Yu taking fifth place. They even challenged many talents from a second cla.s.s empire and seized its rank. So now, our Cangyun Empire has already become a second cla.s.s empire!”
No matter how calm the Cangyun Emperor was normally, at this time he almost spilled the wine in his cup: “Virtuous younger brother's words are true?”
The Prince Beside the Emperor laughed heartily: “It isn't the least bit fake!”
One couldn't tell if what flashed in the Cangyun Emperor's eyes was happiness or some other emotion, but they surged for some time before gradually turning tranquil again. His qi energy also stabilized.
He composed himself, and started inquiring about the details.
The Prince Beside the Emperor didn't hesitate as he carefully told the Cangyun Emperor about the entirety of the trip to the Hundred Countries Tournament. Princess Yaomin chatted in a soft voice to clarify a few points the Prince Beside the Emperor missed.
Off to the side, the members of the great Clans didn't have much of an impression of the situation at the time. Hearing the others speaking this way now, their moods became complicated and it was indeed hard to talk about it.
Gu Zuo sat next to Tianheng, eating his food with his head lowered. He was listening with keen interest.
In any case, the star of the show here… Okay. It wasn't his dear big brother, but rather that lucky b.a.s.t.a.r.d Huangfu Zhanghao. But actually, there wasn't anything wrong with that.
Yet…
Gu Zuo recalled that excessively lucky b.a.s.t.a.r.d and his heart still felt very baffled.
Seeing that there was still something to talk about, he secretly started a personal chat with Tianheng in his mind: Big brother, in the end, what did you say was going on with Huangfu Zhanghao's luck?
Tianheng paused.
Gu Zuo: ?
Tianheng muttered to himself: As far as the matter of luck, I haven't come across anything relevant in ancient books, and I'm unable to give a reason why. But I think that the people from the Qingyun Sect seem to have some understanding. Once we get there, I'll make some proper inquiries. Then I probably can give an explanation.
Gu Zuo got it.
In short, the Cangyun Empire was still too small. As a result, no matter how intelligent his big brother was, he couldn't create something from nothing. So, he also didn't know.
But very quickly, Tianheng transmitted his voice with a slight hesitation: However, Ah Zuo, maybe…you can ask the system. Since it's attached to you, there's a huge chance that it's an object of inheritance from an almighty era. It might give a response.
Gu Zuo understood in a flash.
Right! He could ask the system!
Speaking of, because he could refine medicine and leisurely collect thirty strands of medicinal qi now, it had been a long time already since he'd heard the system's voice. He followed a daily routine of medicine refinement and cultivation, and followed his big brother here and there. He quickly forgot he still had a system hiding in his head.
Although it was the system that previously took the initiative to announce missions, he now had a question. Why not give it a try?
After thinking it over, Gu Zuo just directly asked in his brain: System, do you know what's going on with Huangfu Zhanghao's unexpected luck? He's very unusual.
After that, the system unexpectedly responded.
[Insufficient authority. Unable to check.]
Gu Zuo: …
It might as well say it didn't know just like him!
But this time, Gu Zuo was truly too curious and didn't give up. Instead, he continued to investigate in detail: Then, how can I get the authority to make inquiries?
[You can use medicinal qi to redeem it.]
Gu Zuo: …Does this apply to my questions in the past?
[Yes.]
Gu Zuo was a little mad: Then, why didn't you tell me earlier!?
At that time, he actually had a huge surplus of medicinal qi!
[The host needs to explore the system's functions on his own.]
Gu Zuo wilted slightly.
After calming himself for a few seconds, he relayed the entire matter to Tianheng.
No good. He felt that he didn't have enough brains when it came to the system's words. It was better to ask his big brother…
After Tianheng listened, he gave a rare look of befuddlement.
Of course, he quickly reacted and started to ponder over the mysterious points within that explanation. But once he carefully thought it over, he still couldn't infer what kind of thing the system was in the end. While he guessed that this was an almighty inheritance, things like why it have another consciousness that conveyed requirements, the pros and cons of that consciousness, as well as whether the system's so-called usefulness and needs for development were harmful… They were all things that he couldn't determine in the short-term.
But right now, he could still keep probing it out.
Perhaps the question they were asking now was a turning point.
Tianheng immediately transmitted to Gu Zuo: Ah Zuo, how much medicinal qi do you have left over?
Gu Zuo heard him and had his awareness explore inside the storage s.p.a.ce and “counted” the stored medicinal qi in that “black hole”.
Inside, there were still plenty of milky-white small snakes moving about like streams of air. Decorated across that pitch-black tunnel, it looked particularly beautiful.
Since he followed Tianheng to the location of the Hundred Countries Tournament, he hadn't refined medicine for a long time. However, he'd already collected this month's thirty strands of medicinal qi before going, so he wasn't worried about not completing this long-term mission. Previously, he'd stored a relatively large amount of medicinal qi, enough to be used for cultivating for a period of time… Thanks to the good fortune of working against the clock and refining loads of medicinal pills, he had more than one thousand strands at the very least.
Gu Zuo said: One thousand two hundred fifty three.
Tianheng looked pensive: Ah Zuo, your system probably needs the medicinal qi.
Gu Zuo quivered.
He recalled that, in the very beginning, the system said it needed medicinal qi to function. In that case, could it be that the current surplus of medicinal qi was being stockpiled? Or rather, the system needed…to upgrade? Or was there another reason?
After getting Tianheng's reminder, Gu Zuo's crisis awareness flared up. He took a deep breath and started communicating with the system: What do you do with this medicinal qi?
He was already prepared to hear the system say he didn't have enough authority.
However, this time, the system was unexpectedly forthright.
[The system suffered an injury, and my rank has returned to zero. If I am to upgrade, I need large quant.i.ties of medicinal qi.]
[After the system upgrade, the host's authority will also upgrade and will have access to even more functions.]
Immediately after that, there was a mission prompt that suddenly appeared in Gu Zuo's mind.
[Upgrading mission: Supply ten thousand strands of medicinal qi to complete the system's initial upgrade.]
[Mission props: Lifting the restrictions to the long-term mission of submitting thirty strands of medicinal qi each month. Medicinal qi can be acc.u.mulated to be submitted all at once or in parts.]
[Completion method: Unrestricted.]
[Completion time: Unrestricted.]
[Failure penalty: None.]
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[1] 爱卿 - Ai qing, a term of endearment from a monarch to their subjects.
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T/N: Attention, I have an announcement.
This translation will be moving over to , a site dedicated to BL web novels. I'll still be the translator. Though, this move will take some time. Keep an eye out.
In other news, the author has used the same chapter t.i.tle as Chapter 24. This won't be the last time this happens.
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