Chapter 198: The Xuanwu god Son Forcefully Intervenes, but the Imperial Prince is Absent!
‘He is… the Imperial Prince of Beiyang, Lin Qi’an!’
Lu Ming covered his mouth, eyes wide with shock as he watched the two figures walk away. Waves of disbelief crashed in his heart.
‘The Imperial Prince… had really come? I actually called the Imperial Prince my brother and even mocked him… ‘
Without thinking, Lu Ming slapped himself across the face. The sudden act caught the attention of several passersby, who pointed and whispered about the madman smacking himself in the street.
“If the Imperial Prince of Beiyang came to Tianhai Dao Domain, why didn’t he participate in the martial tournament?”
“If he entered, who could possibly compete against him? Strange…” Lu Ming couldn’t figure it out.
‘Then again… maybe I can pretend I don’t know and become his loyal follower. If I curry favor with him, I might even gain his recognition.’
The final day of the tournament had arrived.
Lin Qi’an’s seven-day kidnapping mission was also complete, meaning he could now release the Dragon Saintess.
At first, Qing Youling had cried and struggled, but after a while, she simply focused on cultivating. After all, she could cultivate far faster here than anywhere else.
Today was the final match and the crowd had grown even larger. Initially, most of the spectators were from Canglan Dao Domain, but now, many from Tianhai Dao Domain had come as well.
After all, the Azure Dragon Saintess was an unparalleled beauty—who wouldn’t want to witness the outcome of the tournament?
Unfortunately, those who arrived late could only spectate, as the competition was already at its conclusion.
The island was packed with people, forming layer upon layer of onlookers.
“I never expected this tournament to be so secretive. By the time I heard the news and rushed over, it was already the finals!”
“Yeah, if I had known earlier, I would have joined for sure!”
“But why haven’t we seen the Azure Dragon Saintess? She’s the main reason we came, yet she hasn’t appeared at all!”
“Exactly! I wanted to see who would win her hand, but if she’s not here, what’s the point?”
As more people arrived, the pressure on the Azure Dragon Clan increased.
They had drawn an enormous crowd, yet their Saintess was still missing. And the Imperial Prince of Beiyang was nowhere to be seen, but the tournament had to continue.
Lin Qi’an, as usual, was here to enjoy the show. Once the tournament ended, it would be about time to send the Dragon Saintess back.
“Brother An!” Lu Ming found Lin Qi’an and enthusiastically ran over, “I brought some snacks. Try them!”
Lin Qi’an gave him a strange look, ‘Why is this guy acting so fawning, like some palace eunuch?’
“Sigh, honestly, even if these guys win, it won’t mean much. If the Imperial Prince of Beiyang were here, he would undoubtedly claim the Dragon Saintess.”
‘Why is he suddenly praising me?’ Lin Qi’an had a bad feeling. ’Did this guy figure out my identity? No way… The fox’s illusion techniques shouldn’t be something he can see through.’
At that moment, the finals began.
Chen Yan, the Destined Child, remained unstoppable. The War God Technique allowed him to grow stronger with each battle, and his Undying Ghost Blood granted incredible regenerative abilities. The two complemented each other perfectly, making him seem almost invincible.
Without Lin Qi’an making a move, the Destined Child was practically unbeatable.
Finally, he secured victory.
Chen Yan had been the Azure Dragon Clan’s backup plan all along, meant to hold the championship in case the Imperial Prince of Beiyang didn’t show up.
If the Imperial Prince participated, Chen Yan was expected to lose to him. Since the Imperial Prince never came, Chen Yan was allowed to win.
But even though he was the champion, the Azure Dragon Clan had never intended to actually marry their Saintess to him as he wasn’t worthy.
However, Chen Yan had no intention of playing along. He stood tall, his voice ringing through the arena.
“Today, I, Chen Yan, have won the martial tournament. I shall now marry the Azure Dragon Saintess!”
‘That bastard actually wants to marry my daughter?’ The Azure Dragon Emperor was furious but didn’t dare to show it.
After all, Chen Yan had indeed won the tournament. His eyes flickered with a blue glow, and suddenly, a phantom azure dragon shot forward, piercing into Chen Yan’s forehead.
The Azure Dragon Emperor had forcefully entered Chen Yan’s consciousness! Within the mindscape, their spiritual projections faced each other.
“Chen Yan, do you understand what you are saying?!”
“Of course I do!” Chen Yan’s expression was firm. “The Azure Dragon Clan has shown me great kindness, and I am forever grateful. More importantly, I genuinely love Qing’er. If I marry her, I will devote my life to serving the Azure Dragon Clan.”
“Ridiculous!” The Azure Dragon Emperor waved his sleeve, sending a powerful shockwave through Chen Yan’s consciousness.
“Heh, what makes me any less worthy than the Imperial Prince of Beiyang? Why should I have to lose if he arrives?”
“Why can’t I win?” Chen Yan’s voice was filled with determination, his blood boiling.
“To tell you the truth, Qing’er has been missing for several days. She has yet to return. The Azure Dragon Clan’s strongest members are searching for her as we speak.”
“What?” Chen Yan was stunned. Then his expression darkened. “If the Azure Dragon Clan looks down on me, just say so! There’s no need to make excuses like this!”
“Believe what you will. I’ve said all I need to say.”
Just then, a subordinate led Qing Youling into the hall, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Bai Jiuli had already released the Dragon Saintess, as the seven-day period had ended. The moment the Azure Dragon Clan saw her, they immediately brought her forward.
“Finally! The Dragon Saintess has appeared!” The crowd erupted with awe and admiration.
“She’s truly stunning! Those dragon scales and horns… I love them!”
“Heh, she’s one of the rarest beauties among the myriad races. So many people traveled here just for a chance to see her.”
“Now that I’ve seen her in person, this trip was well worth it!”
The Azure Dragon Emperor quickly withdrew from Chen Yan’s consciousness and stepped forward. Seeing his daughter unharmed, he finally let out a sigh of relief.
“Where have you been all these days?” he asked urgently.
“I… I can’t explain it clearly right now.” Qing Youling was still confused. She had been inexplicably kidnapped, locked up for several days, and then released just as suddenly.
She hadn’t been harmed, had food and drink, and now she was back like nothing had happened. It was bizarre.
“Qing’er!” Chen Yan quickly approached. “I won the martial tournament today! I can finally marry you!”
“Huh?” Qing Youling bit her lip, clearly rejecting the idea.
She had agreed to the martial tournament because she had hoped that the Imperial Prince of Beiyang would participate—not for someone else to claim her.
Though Chen Yan was strong, he was nothing compared to the prince. She had no feelings for him at all. In fact, she was starting to find him annoying.
> Ding! Chen Yan has been rejected by the Azure Dragon Clan. Luck value -300.
The commotion in the crowd suddenly shifted.
“Look! Who is that, arriving with such grandeur?”
“It looks like the Xuanwu God Son!”
On the ocean’s surface, a grand white jade carriage glided across the waves. Beneath the carriage, white foam swirled like dancing maidens, creating a mesmerizing spectacle.
A massive black serpent slithered ahead, leading the way. Around it, dozens of Xuanwu Guards in black armor formed an impenetrable phalanx.
The sheer might of their arrival sent waves of astonishment through the crowd.
“Step aside! Do not block the God Son’s path!”
“Be careful! Those are Xuanwu Guards in black armor—they kill without hesitation!”
“There’s even a Saint-level powerhouse among them…”
The gathering crowd instinctively parted, creating a wide pathway. No one dared to stand in their way, a testament to the Xuanwu Clan’s dominance.
The Azure Dragon Emperor’s expression darkened. The two clans were never on good terms, and now they were showing up uninvited.
From the carriage, a man dressed in a flowing cyan robe and wearing a golden crown stepped out.
With his hands behind his back, he calmly surveyed the entire gathering before letting out a faint chuckle.
“I came here today for one simple reason. The Azure Dragon Saintess is mine. This martial tournament is over.” A deafening silence followed his words. “In this crowd, not a single one of you is worthy.”
The sheer arrogance in his voice instantly infuriated the tournament participants. Was he saying that none of them were worthy of even competing?
Most of the competitors were cultivators from Canglan Dao Domain. Being insulted like this by a Tianhai Dao Domain noble only made their rage burn hotter.
Yet, no one dared to speak up. After all, this was his territory, and his clan was too powerful. If they dared to offend him, they might be killed on the spot.
“You’re talking nonsense! I have absolutely no interest in you!” Qing Youling clenched her fists, her voice trembling with anger.
“That doesn’t matter. You are my woman. It’s not up for discussion.” Xuan Tian’s lips curled into a smug smile.
“You—!” Qing Youling was fuming, but at least her father was still standing beside her.
The Azure Dragon Emperor’s gaze turned icy. “Xuanwu Clan, don’t you think you’re overstepping? Do you take us for nothing?”
Xuan Tian sneered. “I bring word from my father.”
“If I take the Dragon Saintess back with me, the Xuanwu Clan will grant you full mining rights over the Tianwu Sea Spirit Mines. No interference. No disputes.”
A long silence followed.
The Azure Dragon Emperor did not speak. For years, countless conflicts and battles had been fought over that massive spirit mine. Many had died in the struggle between the two clans.
Yet now, the Xuanwu Clan was willing to hand it over. If they controlled the Tianwu Sea Spirit Mine, the Azure Dragon Clan’s entire cultivation resources would double.
It was an unbelievable offer.
“Father…” Qing Youling’s eyes turned red.
She understood the reality of the situation. The Azure Dragon Clan had been declining for years, and they were no match for the Xuanwu Clan’s strength.
That was precisely why they had hoped to forge an alliance with Tianjian City. But not only had that failed—now the Xuanwu Clan had stepped in, forcefully claiming her as their own.
Among the crowd, many cultivators sighed.
“If only this was Canglan Dao Domain… This kind of arrogance wouldn’t be tolerated.”
“Yeah… If only the Imperial Prince of Beiyang were here. Things would be different.”
“Forget it. We don’t have the power to change anything.”