132: A divine eye? A blind man? (Seventeen)

Heaven-Grade!

A dead silence fell over the Training Ground.

A Mortal Body.

A floor-sweeping waste.

A joke they had bullied and humiliated for over a decade.

His Heart-Nature test result was actually Heaven-Grade?

Ghost Tiger's expression was extremely unsightly.

The Grade A+ score he was so proud of had become a complete joke in the face of this "Heaven-Grade."

On the high platform, the big shots from the Imperial Clan Court, who had remained calm until now, could no longer sit still.

They whispered among themselves, their eyes fixed intently on You Chen.

"This boy... is he truly just a Mortal Body?"

"The Heart-Questioning Stone cannot be wrong. Such a Heart-Nature, pure and flawless, is a natural dao seed!"

"A pity, what a pity. If only he could cultivate..."

The red-robed Deacon took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart, and announced loudly.

"The Heart-Nature assessment is over!"

"Next, the second item: Practical Combat Duel!"

His voice broke the eerie atmosphere on the field.

Everyone's thoughts were pulled back to reality.

Right.

There was still the practical combat.

What use was a good Heart-Nature?

If he couldn't cultivate, he was still a waste.

Once on the arena stage, wouldn't he just be punched to death?

At this thought, the playful mockery returned to many people's eyes.

"For the practical combat duel, opponents will be decided by drawing lots!"

The Deacon brought out a lot-drawing cylinder.

You Chen's palms began to sweat again.

He knew that this was the real test.

"Don't panic."

Big Brother Jun's voice rang in his mind, calm as ever.

"It doesn't matter who you draw."

"After all, they are all just a bunch of clay chickens and pottery dogs."

You Chen: "..."

Big Brother Jun, can we please show a little respect to the opponents?

Soon, the results of the draw were out.

The Deacon glanced at the list in his hand, his brow furrowing imperceptibly before he called out loudly.

"Ghost Tiger versus You Lin!"

..."You Chen versus You Jie!"

As soon as this matchup was announced, a wave of gloating whispers erupted from the crowd.

You Jie.

The biological son of King Youye, at the second level of the Spirit King Realm.

He was one of Ghost Tiger's most loyal lackeys, known for his ruthlessness.

With him facing You Chen, the outcome was predictable.

Ghost Tiger wore a cruel smile as he patted You Jie on the shoulder.

"Don't let him lose too quickly. I want him on his knees, picking up the face I just lost, bit by bit."

"Don't worry, Brother Hu."

..."You Chen, You Jie, to the arena!"

The Deacon's voice rang out.

You Chen took a deep breath and stepped onto the massive arena stage.

This was his first time standing here.

What greeted him was not glory, but a mountain-shaking tide of ridicule.

"Waste, get down from there!"

"Hahaha, his legs are actually shaking!"

You Jie swaggered onto the stage and stood before You Chen, looking down at him as if looking at an ant.

"Nineteenth Highness, if you kneel and kowtow three times now, then crawl off the stage yourself, I might consider only breaking one of your legs."

You Chen remained silent.

He simply followed Jun Yun's instructions, adjusting his breathing and circulating the Hibernating Dragon Breathing Technique to its limit.

That warm current surged through his body, bringing an unprecedented sense of power.

"Begin!"

The Deacon gave the order.

"You're looking for death!"

You Jie barked angrily, his figure blurring as he brought a foul wind with him, throwing a punch straight at You Chen's face.

How terrifying was the power of a second-level Spirit King Realm?

This punch was enough to shatter stone tablets.

Everyone thought they were about to see the bloody scene of You Chen's head exploding.

However.

At the very moment the punch was about to connect.

"Step back with your right foot, lower your head."

Jun Yun's voice rang out.

You Chen instinctively obeyed.

Whoosh!

The fierce wind of the punch grazed his scalp, sending his hair flying wildly.

He... he dodged it?

You Jie was stunned, clearly not expecting this waste to have such fast reactions.

The crowd below was also stunned.

"Was it Luck?" someone asked uncertainly.

"Again!"

You Jie felt humiliated, and his assault became even more violent.

His fists rained down like raindrops, sealing off all of You Chen's paths of retreat.

"Three steps to the left, turn, raise your elbow."

"Half step forward, turn sideways."

"Retreat, keep retreating to the edge of the arena."

Jun Yun's voice continuously issued precise commands in You Chen's mind.

You Chen stopped thinking and followed the instructions completely.

To everyone else, he looked like he was scurrying away with his head down, looking pathetic to the extreme.

But the strange thing was that You Jie's fierce attacks never actually managed to touch him once.

Every time, at the most perilous moment, he would narrowly dodge in an extremely clumsy-looking posture.

Sometimes rolling like a donkey, sometimes ducking his head.

The movements were as ugly as could be.

But he just couldn't be hit.

The Training Ground gradually grew quiet.

Everyone could see that something was wrong.

This could no longer be explained by Luck.

"This... what kind of movement technique is this? Why have I never seen it before?"

"That's not a movement technique, isn't he just running blindly?"

"But how does he always manage to dodge?"

On the high platform, an Elder of the Imperial Clan Court stroked his beard, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.

"No, look at his footwork. Every step lands in the gaps of You Jie's power delivery. Every dodge occurs exactly when You Jie's old strength is spent and his new strength has yet to arise."

"This isn't Luck; this is anticipation of the battle, a Grandmaster-level combat instinct!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd erupted in an uproar.

Grandmaster-level?

From this waste?

On the arena stage.

You Jie was already panting, his face flushed red.

He felt like he was punching a ball of cotton, unable to use his strength.

This waste was as slippery as a loach.

"I don't believe it!"

You Jie roared, channeling all his Qi, preparing to deliver a fatal blow.

"Now."

Jun Yun's voice rang out.

"He's about to charge."

"Don't move until he's within three steps of you."

"Then, stick out your right foot."

You Jie's figure turned into an afterimage as he charged straight ahead.

You Chen closed his eyes and stuck out his right foot as instructed.

Thud!

A muffled sound.

Under everyone's astonished gaze.

The menacing You Jie was tripped up by that foot, just like an ordinary person being tripped.

He lost his balance entirely and, under his massive momentum, flew forward.

Then... with a splash, he fell off the arena stage.

The entire area was silent.

Everyone was dumbfounded.

He won?

By tripping him?

Standing on the stage, You Chen looked at You Jie, who was sprawled on the ground below and hadn't gotten up for a long time, and he was stunned as well.

The red-robed Deacon was also dazed for a good while before announcing.

"The winner... You Chen!"

In Jingxin Hall.

Jun Yun withdrew his focus and smiled slightly.

"Clay chickens and pottery dogs, they can't even take a single hit."

This battle completely set the entire palace ablaze with talk.

The Nineteenth Prince, You Chen, was no longer a waste.

He became the focus of everyone's conversation in the palace.

Some said he had been hiding his strength.

Some said he had obtained a miraculous encounter.

Still others began to re-evaluate this prince who had always been ignored.

At the celebratory banquet after the assessment.

You Chen became the most peculiar presence.

No one spoke to him, but everyone's gaze fell on him, whether intentionally or not.

He stood awkwardly in a corner, not knowing what to do.

"Go pour a cup of wine."

Jun Yun's voice rang out.

"Then 'accidentally' spill it on that Seventh Princess wearing the silver clothes."

You Chen was stunned.

Seventh Princess You Ruo was one of the God Lord's most beloved daughters, always known for being cold and aloof.

Spilling wine on her, wasn't that seeking death?

But out of trust, he did it anyway.

Holding the wine cup, he lowered his head and walked over with staggering steps.

Sure enough.

With a "clatter."

A cup of fruit wine was completely spilled onto the Seventh Princess's magnificent skirt.

"I'm... I'm sorry!"

You Chen was pale with fright.

The maid beside the Seventh Princess was furious and was about to lash out.

However, You Ruo waved her hand. She looked down at her dress, then at the terrified You Chen. There was no trace of anger in her eyes; instead, she seemed somewhat curious.

"It's fine," she said faintly. "You must be the Nineteenth Brother? Heaven-Grade Heart-Nature, and your combat... was also very interesting."

With just one sentence, she had resolved the situation for You Chen.

The way the people around looked at You Chen changed again.

Next.

Under Jun Yun's guidance, You Chen "happened" to chat about ancient texts with the Fourth Prince, who was in charge of the imperial archives.

"Inadvertently," he helped the Third Princess, who commanded the Imperial Guard, pick up a dropped hairpin.

By the end of the banquet.

The name You Chen had been remembered by several influential princes and princesses.

Whether they admired him, were curious, or had other motives, they all extended olive branches to him.

Within Jun Yun's Minds Eye.

Several strands of green or golden Luck were slowly converging toward You Chen from all directions.

However.

Jun Yun's gaze looked past these and toward the deeper reaches of the imperial palace.

There.

A thick, bloody black malice was rapidly condensing.

That malice was firmly locked onto You Chen.

"It seems someone can't sit still anymore."

Jun Yun sneered.

"Then let me see what kind of death trap you have prepared."