Get Rewards by Fulfilling Others' Wishes

Chapter 90: Chapter 74: Zhao Ci’s First Move

”I told you to stop. Are you deaf?”

At Zhao Ci’s roar, everyone fell silent, staring at him in disbelief.

It wasn’t just because of the spear’s stable, precise, and vicious throw.

The key was... the timing of the interception!

Just now, the speed was too fast. Everything happened in a flash. After all, a master twisting and swinging his sword takes but half a breath of time.

Even the audience below hadn’t had time to cry out in alarm at that moment.

But Zhao Ci.

He had shouted for it to stop!

But no matter how fast he reacted, a thrown spear couldn’t possibly intercept the Long Sword!

So there was only one possibility: the moment he shouted ”Stop,” the spear had already left his hand—perhaps even before the word was out of his mouth.

This meant that Zhao Ci had likely seen from the very beginning that Bao Longtao was feigning an opening and harbored malicious intent.

And then he had also accurately predicted the trajectory of his sword strike.

But...

Wasn’t that a bit too incredible?

This Tenth Prince, who had been relatively unknown before the Gongdan Conference.

Did he really possess such skill?

Of course...

...there was another explanation.

That it was... a lucky shot. That Zhao Ci had lost his cool and thrown the spear rashly.

Comparatively, this explanation was more convincing.

But now was not the time to dwell on this.

Because it was obvious that Zhao Ci was angry.

”Your Highness!”

Although Bao Longtao also found the spear throw strange, he remained quite calm.

He first gave a respectful bow and presented his prepared excuse. ”Blades have no eyes! Brother Xiao’s Emei Needle technique is simply divine. If I hadn’t given it my all, I’m afraid I would have already become another soul claimed by his needles.

A lion uses its full strength even to catch a rabbit, so how could I do any less against a master like Brother Xiao?

However, that was a truly perilous moment. If Your Highness hadn’t intervened, I would have made a terrible mistake!”

With that, he first explained himself, then followed it up with some flattery for Zhao Ci.

His speech was quite perfect.

Had it been a normal person, the matter would have surely been dropped.

But Zhao Ci clearly had no intention of being normal. He sneered and said, ”If you were counter-attacking defensively, you could perhaps say ’blades have no eyes.’ But you deliberately feigned an opening to strike his right hand, a blow so powerful that not even my command to stop could halt it. Your sword strike carries quite some force, doesn’t it? Was it that hard to pull back?”

Bao Longtao choked. He truly hadn’t expected Zhao Ci to see through his trick.

After all, he had rehearsed that feigned opening in his mind countless times and believed that many masters of the Martial Dao wouldn’t be able to see through it.

”Your Highness...”

”Xiao Shenke! Let everyone see your hand!”

Zhao Ci shouted sharply.

Xiao Shenke finally composed himself and held up his right hand. On it was a bloody gash, neither deep nor shallow, from which blood was trickling steadily.

A wound like this, even a little deeper, would have damaged the tendons in his hand.

If the tendons were severed, it would be a fatal blow to a master who wields such delicate weapons, even if they were reattached later.

Unless they were treated with some top-tier medicinal salve.

The crowd felt a growing sense of uncertainty.

It seemed this Bao Longtao truly did harbor ill intentions.

Zhao Ci had been right. Only someone on the defensive could claim that blades have no eyes. Aside from that one ”opening,” Bao Longtao had been flawless from start to finish. Even his final, seemingly corrective strike was aimed from an extremely vicious angle.

This person... was probably doing it on purpose.

For a moment, Bao Longtao’s expression turned ugly. He forced a smile and said, ”Your Highness, you think too highly of me! That truly wasn’t me feigning an opening. I really made a mistake and, in my panic, executed a desperate, risky move. If I truly had that kind of skill, how could I still be a mere Martial Scholar?”

At his words, the crowd couldn’t help but break into whispers.

If that was Bao Longtao’s explanation, it did seem plausible.

After all, Xiao Shenke was visibly powerful. If Bao Longtao could truly feign such an opening at will, he would be considered a rare master even among the great families.

Zhao Ci curled his lip. ”Oh? So you’re saying that when you sparred with those other masters earlier and used hidden techniques to ensure their humiliating defeat, that was also you panicking and making a risky move?”

WHOA!

Upon hearing this, the venue immediately erupted.

”That’s right!”

”Those few who sparred with Bao Longtao earlier were quite impressive in their previous matches. But after facing him, it was like they were cursed.”

”Right! Bao Longtao’s performance also looked terrible, but it turns out his real strength is this high.”

”But why would he do that?”

”So you’re saying, even against Xiao Shenke, it wasn’t a back-and-forth exchange, but an absolute rout?”

”Where did this monster come from?”

Listening to the crowd’s whispers, the expressions of Zhao Yong and Zhu Yan on the high platform changed. They stared at Zhao Ci as if they were seeing a ghost.

Although Bao Longtao’s raw power was inferior to theirs, his martial techniques were by no means lacking. His performance in the earlier matches had been practically perfect; even they had found it difficult to spot any flaws.

They had originally planned to extend an olive branch to him after the banquet. Even if they didn’t make him a Mansion Official, they had to at least keep him on the hook and, at a minimum, prevent him from joining the Tenth Prince’s Mansion.

But they never imagined Zhao Ci would see through it all.

’So he was... exposed?’

’This is trouble!’

Zhu Li was also stunned. Her large eyes blinked as she looked at Zhao Ci, thinking, ’My boss really did put all his talent points into perception. No wonder he could tell I was a hidden gem at a single glance.’

Zhao Ci glanced sideways at the silent Bao Longtao. ”Today’s banquet was meant for friends to cross blades. It was repeatedly stressed that duels should stop at first blood. Yet you harbored ill intent and deliberately suppressed the other participants! Speak, who sent you?”

Zhu Yan: ”...”

Zhao Yong: ”...”

He had a faint, ominous feeling, as if he was about to get stuck dealing with this pest again.

Fortunately, Bao Longtao was sharp enough to play along. Steeling himself, he said, ”I don’t understand what Your Highness is saying! I have always acted alone. When have I ever taken orders from anyone?”

”You don’t understand?”

Zhao Ci snorted coldly. ”Then I’ll help you understand.”

With that, he leaped directly down from the high platform.

He walked to the spear embedded in the stone slabs, grasped the shaft, and with a light tug, pulled it free into his hand.

Then he kicked the Long Sword over to Bao Longtao.

Bao Longtao scrambled to catch the sword, his face having already changed color. His voice rose an octave. ”Your Highness! If you are determined to find me guilty, I will have nothing to say even if you execute me. But I am a Scholar about to participate in the Prefecture Examination. If word of this gets out, I’m afraid for Your Highness’s reputation...”

”Who said I was going to execute you?”

Zhao Ci scoffed. ”I want to spar with you. To see for myself if blades truly have no eyes. Is that not allowed?”

Bao Longtao: ”...”

”Huh?”

”Huh?”

”Huh?”

Cries of shocked disbelief echoed through the venue.

It wasn’t just the other Scholars attending the banquet; Zhu Li, Feng Kucha, and the others were also dumbfounded. They never expected Zhao Ci to choose to enter the ring himself.

The question was... could he actually beat him?

Although they didn’t know Bao Longtao, it was clear at a glance that he was someone who had been raised with abundant resources and taught by a famous master. Even if he wasn’t from a great clan, he was no less impressive than their geniuses.

No matter where you put him, he was no pushover!

Even the rather combat-capable Zhu Li would have to go all out with her flames just for a slim chance of winning.

As for Feng Kucha, he only needed three moves to make Bao Longtao get on his knees and beg him to please not die.

Zhao Ci...

...although that spear throw earlier was cool and seemed to show some skill, saying he could defeat Bao Longtao was a bit too absurd, wasn’t it?

Feng Kucha was about to piss himself from anxiety. ’Big bro! We grew up being useless together, how could you forget?’

But all he could do was worry helplessly.

In this kind of situation, he couldn’t afford to make Zhao Ci lose face.

[Feng Kucha’s Current Wish]: Zhao Ci, don’t you fucking get hurt! I’m still counting on him! Wish Fulfillment Reward: Insight +10, Peace Talisman x1.

[Zhu Li’s Current Wish]: I hope this foolish boss, Zhao Ci, can retreat in one piece. Wish Fulfillment Reward: Insight +10, Peace Talisman x1.

In contrast, Zhao Yong and Zhu Yan breathed a sigh of relief. They already understood Zhao Ci’s intention: it was nothing more than to win back some face for his Mansion Officials and build a sense of belonging.

They had actually been afraid that Zhao Ci would use his status to bully him and simply chop off Bao Longtao’s hand.

If that had happened, although they could have used the opportunity to have someone attack him for it and make him suffer the consequences...

...Bao Longtao was a rare genius of the Bao Family’s younger generation. If his hand were truly cut off, it would be very difficult to explain things to the Bao Family.

A simple spar was fine.

With Bao Longtao’s skill, he was perfectly capable of letting Zhao Ci win gracefully while he himself lost happily.

Speaking of which, this Zhao Ci was really cunning.

He gave Bao Longtao a way out.

Earned face for himself.

A happy ending for everyone.

Only then did Zhao Yong relax a little. The main thing was that he truly hadn’t expected Zhao Ci’s eye for the Martial Dao to be so sharp.

As long as things could be concluded smoothly!

Bao Longtao was also a smart man. He quickly guessed Zhao Ci’s intentions and hurriedly said, ”Since Your Highness wishes to spar, I will naturally accompany you!”

As he spoke, he raised his sword horizontally before him, having already assumed an opening stance.

However, this opening stance was purely defensive, completely different from his previous matches.

There was a certain attitude implicit in it.

Zhao Ci, however, showed no intention of starting immediately. ”A spar we shall have, but I’m a natural-born gambler. Without some stakes, I really don’t have the motivation to fight.”

Bao Longtao’s expression tensed. ”What stakes does Your Highness desire?”

Zhao Ci lightly brandished his spear and pointed it at the man’s right hand. ”If you lose, I want your right hand!”

Bao Longtao: ”???”

The crowd: ”HISS!!!”

Zhao Yong and Zhu Yan: ”???”

They were all dumbfounded.

They hadn’t expected Zhao Ci to be so aggressive.

But faintly, they also felt a surge of excitement, because they all knew that Zhao Ci had proposed these stakes to get justice for Xiao Shenke.

Because just a moment ago, Xiao Shenke’s right hand had almost been severed by Bao Longtao.

Xiao Shenke, in particular, now looked at Zhao Ci with eyes full of gratitude.

[Xiao Shenke’s Current Wish]: I hope His Highness remains safe. Wish Fulfillment Reward: Insight +10, Peace Talisman x1.

Zhao Yong’s face, however, had grown so dark it looked like water could drip from it.

’There was a way out for everyone. Does he have to play it so ruthlessly?’

’But what makes you think you can win?’

’Is it too naive to think you can take Bao Longtao’s right hand just like this?’

Bao Longtao’s face also turned ugly. He decided to throw caution to the wind. ”Your Highness! Aren’t you putting me in an impossible position? If I defeat you, there will surely be consequences for me. And if I lose... If you want to take my right hand, then just come and cut it off. Why humiliate me under the guise of a spar?”

’Since Zhao Ci refuses to be reasonable, I’ll just drag the issue back to where it was.’

’Mutual destruction for everyone!’

’I can’t let you have your cake and eat it too!’

’Once word of this gets out today, regardless of whether Zhao Ci is punished, the infamous reputation of using his power to forcibly cut off someone’s hand will stick with him for life.’

’The Imperial Clan Court won’t let him off lightly either.’

’I hear this Prince wants to fight for the throne. If I can use my right hand to drag him down, I’ll be considered a great contributor to the Crown Prince’s side.’

But Zhao Ci just sneered. ”So you’re not sparring?”

”I’m not!”

Bao Longtao nodded, brazenly holding out his right hand. ”My right hand is here. If Your Highness wants it, just come and take it!”

Zhao Ci smiled and retorted, ”Aren’t you going to hear what my stakes are?”

Bao Longtao looked surprised and suspicious, but remained silent.

But Zhao Ci called out loudly, ”Cuiyun!”

”Coming, Your Highness!”

Following Cuiyun’s response, two teams of servants soon carried a square, bronze-cast shell and placed it below the stage.

The shell was three feet square, but it didn’t seem to be solid.

Bao Longtao was hesitant, not knowing what trick Zhao Ci had up his sleeve.

Zhao Ci smiled, his voice suddenly growing louder. ”This here is the divine wine-making artifact I used to crush the Various Pill Workshops at the Gongdan Conference! If you win, you can take this divine artifact back to your master! You don’t want to spar with me? Perhaps you should first ask the master behind you.”

As he spoke, he lifted a corner of the square shell and tilted it slightly, letting a stream of liquor flow onto the ground.

A rich, fragrant aroma of wine instantly filled the entire venue.

Bao Longtao: ”!!!”

’This... he really couldn’t resist this.’

His eyes uncontrollably darted toward Zhao Yong on the high platform.

Zhao Yong: ”!!!”

Zhu Yan: ”!!!”