Chapter 475: Clear Shallows King
“Everyone, let’s follow the usual rules. We shall decide by drawing lots,” said a cold, female voice. Long Chen had seen a lady in her thirties among the seven Demon Kings when he arrived. She had a curvy figure and a pretty face, while her expression and voice were endlessly cold. The person who had spoken was that lady.
Women usually took better care of their looks, so Long Chen guessed that the Clear Shallows King was in her forties.
“Fine! I don’t want us to waste time fighting again. These seven people have varying levels of talent; there are good and bad candidates. If we don’t draw lots, will we ever be willing to accept the outcome?” said another Demon King.
“Typhoon, bring the stuff here. I know you guys have already prepared it,” said another one.
Demon General Typhoon nodded hurriedly. Then he walked up to the Demon Kings and took out a small box from his Universe Pouch. In sequence, the seven Demon Kings each took out a folded piece of paper. It was a very old-fashioned method, but it was effective.
“All seven stages have one finalist each. The number you pick will match each disciple. Do you all agree?” Demon General Typhoon asked respectfully.
“Of course. Everyone, let’s open our pieces of paper,” said the Clear Shallows King, who was also the only lady present.
Everyone nodded and opened their papers at the same time. All of their faces changed instantly.
“You seven! Look up so the Demon Kings can see your faces!” Demon General Typhoon said. Long Chen and the rest all looked up. They were already standing in sequence, so it was clear which Demon King had gotten which candidate. The Clear Shallows King smiled.
“Little girl, your name is Huangfu Qi, right? See, out of us seven, I’m the only girl. Out of you seven, you’re the only girl too. And you’re going to be my disciple! Don’t you think it’s a great coincidence?”
The Clear Shallows King’s expression was usually cold, but when she opened the paper, she gave a rare smile. It was clear just how happy she was.
Although Huangfu Qi had only won second place, the Demon Kings opined that she was the most talented out of the seven, so she was the one that they most wanted. Now that she belonged to the Clear Shallows King, they looked at her with envy and admiration.
“Congratulations, Clear Shallows King! It’s too bad I got number three. Fourteen years old, Fourth Passage Stage. Same as last year.”
“Me too. I got five.”
“I got four.”
“Six.”
“Seven.”
The other Demon Kings announced their numbers. When numbers two to seven were announced, only number one remained. Everyone froze and turned to the Red Ghost King. They realized that frustration was written all over his face, with traces of rage. Then he burned the piece of paper!
“Motherfucker! Why am I always unlucky?! Last time, I got a Third Passage Stage guy and thought he was quite talented for being able to make it into the top seven. One year later, he was still at the Third Passage Stage! Even the normal disciples had surpassed him! This time, I’m even unluckier! Now I get a First Passage Stage kid, and he’s already seventeen! Why do you all get prodigies while I get trash?!”
He started to curse, showing just how angry he was. He had already had a faceoff with Long Chen, but Long Chen had managed to defeat him with reason. He hated Long Chen for that, but now, Long Chen had become his direct disciple.
All top seven candidates had to become the direct disciples of Demon Kings. This was the rule set by the Domain Lord many generations ago. That was why the Red Ghost King had no choice but to accept his fate! However, although it looked like he agreed, if Long Chen went with him, he would suffer.
“Who said my Big Brother was trash? He beat that bad person Zhao Wuji and was even the three-time champion! He’s number one! Is that considered trash?” Huangfu Qi was upset when she heard him. The newborn calf was never afraid of the tiger, so she spoke to the Red Ghost King indignantly.
“How dare you speak to me like that, girl?!” roared the Red Ghost King.
“Red Ghost King, don’t scare my disciple! If you have a problem, talk to me instead!” The Clear Shallows King was in a very good mood. Huangfu Qi was the treasure of her heart, so she would do everything to protect her.
“You got a good disciple, and now you’re showboating in front of me? Clear Shallows King, everyone, today I will go on the record to say that I refuse to take this Jiang Cheng guy in. Anyone who wants him can have him. Give me that eliminated guy, Zhao Wuji. I will take him as my direct disciple. I guarantee that in less than a year, Jiang Cheng will be defeated by him in just one strike!” the Red Ghost King said sternly.
He had made his firm decision.
The Red Ghost King had a terrible temper and often did things without thinking. The other six Demon Kings were a little embarrassed to be standing with him, but since they had their own disciples already, they were too lazy to bother with the Red Ghost King’s tantrum. When the Domain Lord returned, it would be none of their business if he wanted to punish the Red Ghost King for refusing to take in Long Chen.
Of course, Zhao Wuji indeed held great potential too, and the other Demon Kings were also eyeing him. Now that the Red Ghost King had announced that he would take Zhao Wuji, the others let him have Zhao Wuji as they were not willing to argue over a disciple.
“Zhao Wuji, come here. I, the Red Ghost King, will take you in as my direct disciple!”
Zhao Wuji was utterly stunned at first, then he was overjoyed and quickly ran over.
“Not bad. The kid is smart. From today onwards, I, the Red Ghost King, will be your master. I guarantee that in one year, you will be one of the best disciples of the Ancient Demon Domain! As for Jiang Cheng, I don’t want him. Anyone who wants him can have him. He’s so old, yet he’s still at the First Passage Stage. Who knows when he’ll reach the Sixth Passage Stage? In ten years?”
No one had objected to his decision to take Zhao Wuji in, so his mood lifted. Looking at Zhao Wuji, he grew more and more pleased. He grabbed Zhao Wuji’s clothes, then flew up into the sky, declaring, “Typhoon, send the other nine disciples to the Red Ghost Pavilion later. I’ll take Zhao Wuji away first.”
Worried that other people would fight him for Zhao Wuji, he left instantly.
After the Red Ghost King said that, Zhao Wuji felt like there was hope again. Long Chen had won first place, but in the end, he had gotten the spot instead!
He was the ultimate winner in the end.
Zhao Wuji thought that he was fated to be nothing after he lost to Long Chen, but he didn’t expect to end up as the final winner. As long as the Red Ghost King did his best to mentor him, he could definitely surpass Long Chen by a long shot. Soon, Long Chen would be dead beneath his lance.
Before he left, Zhao Wuji shot Long Chen a smug look. He thought Long Chen would be devastated, but he saw no change in Long Chen’s expression.
In truth, Long Chen had never planned to be the Red Ghost King’s disciple. Since the Red Ghost King hated him, Long Chen would surely be killed one day. His most important objective was to get the Emperor Flame Pearl and train himself. He did not really need a master like that.
From the outside, it was a true tragedy to Long Chen …
He had entered the top ten with great effort, yet he had been abandoned to become the joke of the crowd.
The remaining six Demon Kings looked at each other, then at Long Chen. To their surprise, Long Chen didn’t seem to react. Had he gone stupid with shock?
“Does anybody want Jiang Cheng?” the Clear Shallows King asked gently.
Huangfu Qi pulled Long Chen’s hand and cried angrily, “Big Brother, we don’t want that red toad anyway! Will you follow me instead? Master, I want to be with Big Brother.”
Huangfu Qi looked at the Clear Shallows King hopefully with tears in her eyes.
This was her killer move, and when she used it on the Clear Shallows King, the Clear Shallows King’s heart softened. She said, “Alright, Jiang Cheng, come to the Clear Shallows Pavilion. However, I can only take in one direct disciple per year due to the rules. You’ll only be able to be a regular disciple there. Are you willing?”
This was just as Long Chen wished.
“Thank you, Clear Shallows King. I am willing, of course,” said Long Chen, nodding. He did not speak in an ingratiating manner.
His response made it clear that he had not gone stupid with shock, but rather, he didn't even care in the first place. The other Demon Kings looked at each other again and faintly sensed that Long Chen was impressive in terms of both attitude and strength.
If he was simple-minded, would he have been the three-time champion?
The seventy new disciples were evenly distributed to the seven pavilions. The seven Demon Kings led their disciples to their pavilions, bringing the qualifiers to an end.
Demon General Typhoon quickly gave Long Chen the sixty thousand Heavenly Passage Pills. Long Chen had successfully received a hundred thousand Heavenly Passage Pills today, which would last him a very long time.
The details of the qualifiers spread like wildfire.
Long Chen became a popular topic. It was just too soap-opera-like, with Long Chen becoming the dark horse by winning three times, only to be abandoned by the Red Ghost King in the end. And the one he had defeated ended up becoming the Red Ghost King’s disciple …
In everyone’s eyes, Long Chen’s situation was utterly tragic.
Of course, Long Chen also knew that this was a humiliation.
I’ve only just arrived, so I must lay low for a while. When I am stronger, that damn Zhao Wuji and the Red Ghost King will be easy to kill. Along the way to the Clear Shallows Pavilion, Long Chen looked ahead with a small smile on his face.
Doge & Chacha's Thoughts
Someone smack some sense into the Red Ghost King.
Also Huangfu Qi the MVP! Along with the Clear Shallows King of course