Chapter 350: Need To Make Some Preparations!
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
All of the people there were surprised!
Even the Empress Dowager is here?
Indeed, this year's Imperial Tombs Contest is not that simple!
The Empress Dowager had lived in the Palace for a long time. Generally, besides major ceremonies such as the ancestral rites, she almost never left the Palace.
That was precisely her appearance indicated the the grand importance of the Imperial Tombs Contest.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Everyone greeted her loudly and bowed in unison to show their respect!
However, when the Empress Dowager's divine chariot arrived at the foot of the mountain, she did not come out of her divine chariot.
Everyone was stiff and dared not move or talk.
After a couple of breaths, a clear, mature and majestic female voice was heard. "You may rise!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Once again, everyone replied loudly in unison and at the same time. They also arrived at the conclusion that someone as noble as the Empress Dowager would not show her face easily in public!
But Xu Que was not happy about it. Originally when he had heard that the Empress Dowager of the Metal Nation had arrived, he had been instantly curious about her.
This was because that eunuch had revealed that the Empress Dowager was as beautiful as a fairy, and lovely enough to cause the fall of a city or a state. Xu Que had wanted to find out if this was really true. Otherwise, why would the Second Prince be so… perverted as to secretly collect that old woman's bellyband!
But now, the Empress Dowager was sitting inside a completely enclosed divine chariot, and not coming out.
Darn, you're flaunting your seniority too much, deplored Xu Que in his head. You must be so ugly that you're simply unpresentable!
His eyes were fixed on the divine chariot, as if he was trying to see through the walls to what was inside!
Nevertheless it was a pity as the Empress Dowager's divine chariot was completely protected from peeps. Even when Xu Que tried to use his Soul Strength to try look inside the divine chariot, he was blocked by a special kind of power that was surrounding the chariot.
...
Over inside the divine chariot of the Empress Dowager, a graceful and sexy woman, also wearing a veil like the Seventh Princess, was watching what was going on outside.
From the exterior of the divine chariot, everything seemed to be completely enclosed; nobody could see what was inside.
Yet from the inside of the chariot, everything outside could clearly be seen.
Apparently, this woman was the Empress Dowager of the Metal Nation!
Although she was wearing a veil and one could not distinguish her facial features, the disposition in her eyes revealed a mature, charming and gorgeous woman!
Beneath her veil, her lips were moving softly, seemingly communicating with someone in her mind via Soul Strength!
Outside the divine chariot, there were a couple of eunuchs that followed the whole Imperial procession. There was one eunuch who stood in one corner stiffly and reservedly. His mouth was moving lightly as well, as he was communicating in his mind. "Your Majesty, this humble servant has arrived!"
"Keep your eyes wide open and find that man! I want to see who is so bold that he dared to barge into the Palace alone, tried to find out the location of my chamber and asked about my appearance!"
The eunuch shivered as he heard the chilly tone of the voice sounding in his head. He quickly replied "yes" and started to search for man among the huge crowd, one by one.
A lot of cultivators had come to watch the event. There were many participants in the Imperial Tombs Contest who had formed their own teams. This eunuch had a low stage of cultivation, so he could only slowly observe the cultivators one by one, and started to get a little dazzled and confused. Therefore, he was unable to find Xu Que in a short period of time.
...
At the same time, the Metal Nation's Emperor had moved to a designated area at the foot of the mountain. He sat down upright where his royal chair had been placed.
He inspected the area, then looked at the old eunuch beside him and nodded slightly. This meant that the contest could start now.
The old eunuch took a step forward and in his high-pitched voice, he shouted, "the Emperor has ordered that the Imperial Tombs Contest has officially started! All contestants please assemble quickly at the foot of the mountain and make necessary preparations!"
"The first round is the Divine Chariot Contest. Every team can only send three members to participate!"
"The first fifty people to complete the race will advance to the next round!"
"Anyone who exceeds the time limit of a burning stick of incense, or is not amongst the top fifty, will be eliminated!"
...
Shoosh! Shoosh! Shoosh!
The moment the old eunuch finished his sentence, around ten flashes of lights dashed down from the top to the foot of the mountain.
No doubt, these flashes of light were the contestants for the first round.
The strength and cultivation level of these contestants were not weak. The one with the lowest cultivation was a Level Five Original Infant Stage cultivator. Many of these contestants had strong Soul Strength as well, which meant that they were good at controlling divine chariots via spiritual enchantments.
These people moved quickly and were very smart. They wanted to seize a favorable starting position so that they would have an advantage in the race. Every second counted!
However, there were quite a number of people who were calm and collected. They had their own plans and such an advantage was too meager and rushing for it was beneath their dignity!
One such example was Chariot King Zhang from the Second Prince's team. He executed a movement skill leisurely, and with his hands behind his back, he drifted slowly to the foot of the hill.
He had an aura of vigor and great confidence. Clearly, he thought that he would achieve victory for sure. He took a fleeting glimpse at the surrounding competitors. There was no one whom he needed to pay attention to.
Over at the Eighth Prince's team, Ghost of the Divine Chariot, Qi Yun Fei, was still leisurely chatting with the Eighth Prince!
He looked comfortable, relaxed and natural. He looked at the competitors who had rushed to the foot of the mountain with contempt and disregard.
As for the Number One Genius from Spirit Treasures Pavilion, Gao Qiao Jie, who was in the Eldest Prince's team, he was slowly flying towards the foot of the mountain. He took out some paper and a pen and started drawing something thoughtfully.
Those with sharp eyes could see what was on the paper with one glance. "Heavens, Gao Qiao Jie is still so calm at this time! He is actually thinking of new designs for a divine chariot!"
"Wow!" many spectators exclaimed in surprise.
"That's childish, so childish!" sneered Xu Que. "They are Act Tough Criminals! These are all childish act tough methods that I stopped using when I was three years old."
Xu Que stood on top of the hill, shaking his head and full of disdain.
"Why do you say that, Young Master Xu?"
The Seventh Princess turned to face Xu Que. Her beautiful eyes looked at him inquiringly.
"You see, these people are too pretentious. Every one of them is trying to appear super cool-headed. Obviously, they want everybody to look at them, and are therefore trying to be in the spotlight! This type of attention-seeking behavior is absolutely despicable. Let us mock them together!"
Xu Que looked totally serious and was condemning the 'attention seekers' using a stern and just tone!
The Seventh Princess paused for a moment, then chuckled. "Young Master Xu has a unique insight!"
But the princes were trying to suppress an uncontrollable twitch in the corner of their mouths. Some of them couldn't bear to watch or listen to the conversation.
Wanted everybody to look at them?
Trying to be in the spotlight?
Attention-seeking behavior?
Brother, the one who loves the spotlight most seems to be you, right?
You made so much noise and impact about your arrival just now. Those who don't know about cultivators might have thought that a god had descended!
"Young Hero Xu, if you feel that they're not doing things right," a prince couldn't help asking, "then why didn't you hurry down the mountain yourself?"
Xu Que waved his hand lightly and replied, "I value this contest a great deal. I must make some preparations first!"
Then he called the System Store and bought something from the miscellaneous category.
The next moment, under the confused and stunned expressions of the crowd, Xu Que sat on the ground and started to remove his short boots. He was holding his newly-redeemed nail clippers and his feet were now exposed in front of everyone.
"Wait a while okay? I'll cut my toenails first. Otherwise they're going to affect my performance!"
Chapter 351: Your Majesty, Look! That's Him!
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
You want to cut your toenails? What do you mean?
The crowd was puzzled as they could understand what he meant.
But the next moment, they saw Xu Que holding a tiny gadget. Click! A small part of his toenail was snipped off. Everyone stared in shock!
D*mn, he's really clipping his toenails!
Brother! You're really daring. You're cutting your toenails at a time like this? You should see what kind of occasion this is!
This is the Imperial Tombs Contest which the Emperor and the Empress Dowager value seriously. And you're actually cutting your toenails right now?
The Seventh Princess was dumbstruck as well.
Just a while ago, Xu Que had been condemning those who were acting too pretentious. But the next second, he was doing the same by cutting his toenails in public!
Fortunately, most of the people were rushing down the mountain, and the Emperor's attention was focused on the foot of the mountain. He was looking at the contestants in the race, and did not srr what was happening at the Third Prince's area. Otherwise, if the crowd and the Emperor had seen what Xu Que was doing, they would have all been enraged.
"Xu… Young Master Xu, this is uncomely!" exclaimed the Seventh Princess anxiously, moving a step forward to block him from the view of others.
The Third Prince and his group also gathered around Xu Que to help obstruct the view. While doing so, their mouths twitched repeatedly.
After all, this had really been considered an improper act since ancient times. If the Emperor saw that, it was possible that he would get angry and have a bad impression of the whole group. That would affect the Third Prince's bid for the position of Crown Prince!
"Xu Que, could you not do this?"
"How could you cut your toenails in public?"
"This is unsightly!"
"Quick, put it away and put on your shoes. After the contest is over, this prince will arrange for a few women to help you trim your nails!" promised the Third Prince solemnly.
Xu Que raised an eyebrow, seemingly interested. "Besides trimming nails, are there any other special services included?"
"Special services? What do you mean?" The Third Prince was confounded.
"We're all men, you should know!" Xu Que gave a wink and a knowing smile.
The princes were all baffled and at a loss. They thought, if you don't tell us directly, how would we know?
"Sigh, forget it, all of you are too young. Anyway, I've finished cutting them. Just have a good look at my performance!"
Xu Que smiled and shook his head. He got up and put away the nail clipper. At the same time he saw that his Acting Tough Points had increased by quite a lot.
The Third Prince, Seventh Princess and the rest were relieved to see that Xu Que had stopped the nail clipping.
"Young Master Xu, what kind of divine chariot will you be using this time?" asked the Seventh Princess who seemed to be looking forward to seeing his divine chariot.
She had just received news that Xu Que had driven a bright yellow divine chariot during the Trial of the Sword Catacomb. That chariot could transform into something that was similar to their ancient armored puppet, and was very powerful. She wanted to seize the opportunity to see it for herself.
However, Xu Que's Bumblebee had expired!
When he had first opened up the Big Act Tough King Bag, the countdown timer of three days for Bumblebee had already started. The Imperial Tombs Contest was happening on the fourth day, so Xu Que could not use it anymore!
Although Xu Que felt that it was a pity, nevertheless, there was nothing he could do. The System was destined to be a scheming one!
So now… which car should he use then?
Xu Que instantly sank into deep contemplation. He called out the System Store and began to choose from the wide variety of vehicles available. His facial expressions showed his conflict.
There were a lot of bends in this racing course, and so the number of sports cars or racing cars that could perform well in such conditions was pretty limited. After all, there were many factors that needed to be considered. The best choice would be a modified car.
Soon, the Third Prince saw that Xu Que was remaining quiet and seemed to be struggling to make a decision. He decided to offer some assistance. "Xu Que, if your divine chariot cannot be used, this prince can give you a high-level divine chariot as a gift!"
"No need for that! I'm not used to using your country's divine chariots!" Xu Que waved his hands and continued to browse the store interface page by page in his head.
The Third Prince was tongue-tied and looked at the princess and his younger brothers!
By now, all the other contestants had gathered at the foot of the mountain. Almost all of them had prepared their own divine chariots and had lined up accordingly. Many eunuchs and guards were responsible for making sure that everything was in order!
Seeing that the contest was about to start soon, the Seventh Princess, the Third Prince and their group were getting increasingly tense.
"Young Master Xu, are you ready?" asked the Seventh Princess softly.
Xu Que suddenly looked serious. He was staring at the System interface and his eyes seemed to be shining in delight!
"Finally found it, the upgraded version of AE86!"
The corners of his mouth curled up, revealing a full smile. He looked at the princess and laughed casually. "Rest assured, princess! The first place for this race shall belong to this Speed Star!"
With that, Xu Que suddenly turned and with a wisp of lightning, dashed towards the foot of the mountain!
"Eh…"
The Seventh Princess was slightly stunned and couldn't quite digest what Xu Que had just said.
The princes were confused as well.
"Did he just say… that he's going to take first place for the race?
"No way, he's joking, right?"
"Where did his confidence come from? If there hadn't been Chariot King Zhang, Qi Yun Fei and the rest of the elites, maybe there would still be hope, but unfortunately…"
"Never mind, I just hope that he can perform well and steadily. I won't ask for the top three positions, I just hope he can get into the top five!"
"Yes, as long as he can get into the top five and we work hard in the second round, there will be much hope for the bid for Crown Prince!"
As the princes finished expressing their opinions, they nodded their heads slightly.
The Seventh Princess remained silent. Although she believed that Xu Que was definitely strong, she had yet to witness it herself. Thus, she could not say anything.
Plus, the people who had come to participate in the contest today were too strong. She hadn't expected that the other contending princes would be capable enough to invite Chariot King Zhang and reputable divine chariot masters like Qi Yun Fei and the like!
This situation was far beyond their expectations!
Therefore, they had revised their expectations and only hoped that Xu Que would be able to get into the top five position so that the Third Prince could have a shot.
By now, Xu Que had arrived at the foot of the mountain, but did not attract much attention!
Boom!
The next moment, he revealed the brand new car that he had rented from the System Store. Everyone turned their attention on him.
The appearance of a sleek and exquisite car amongst the divine chariots was indeed very sudden and showy!
Xu Que had chosen to rent the AE86, Takumi Fujiwara's racing car. It was white and black in color and certainly looked cool!
However, the AE86 that Xu Que had was a modified version whereby the engine had been replaced and the front hood was painted black!
This car would definitely be enough to dominate!
Many people were looking on curiously at the strange-looking but beautiful chariot in their modst, discussing amongst themselves.
Even the Metal Emperor was alerted and was astonished. He looked at Xu Que with interest, as well as his AE86!
Not far away, a eunuch also looked at Xu Que. When he saw the face of Xu Que clearly, he was shocked!
It's him! It's absolutely him!
This handsome face, even if it turned to ashes, I would still be able to recognise it! the eunuch thought.
Immediately, the eunuch communicated to the Empress Dowager using soul strength, "Your Majesty, this lowly servant has found that lewd and extremely daring scum!"
"Oh? Where is he?" The mature and commanding voice of the Empress Dowager resounded in the eunuch's head.
The eunuch wasted no time and replied, "Your Majesty, look, that's him! It's the handsome young man who is standing beside the weird-looking black and white divine chariot!"
Chapter 352: Car Show Model Xu Que
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The Empress Dowager immediately locked her sights on Xu Que after hearing what the eunuch had said!
It could not be helped—his AE86 was too conspicuous. Almost everyone was focusing their attention on him and his AE86. Even if the eunuch had not said a word, the Empress Dowager would have noticed him anyway!
But as the eunuch had communicated to her via Soul Strength that Xu Que had been the one who had kidnapped him, a sudden trace of contemplative amusement flashed in the Empress Dowager's eyes. She looked at Xu Que calmly without saying another word!
Ding! "Congratulations to host 'Xu Que' for successfully acting tough. The reward is 230 Acting Tough Points!"
Ding! "Congratulations to host 'Xu Que' for successfully acting tough. The reward is 260 Acting Tough Points!"
Ding!
At the same time, several notifications rang inside Xu Que's head!
The rental costs of an AE86 were instantly recovered. He also received additional bonuses that made him feel very satisfied!
He was full of confidence and welcomed the attention with a smile!
At that moment, he was the most dazzling star on the stage.
Only the other geniuses and elites did not appear to be impressed by Xu Que's AE86!
Chariot King Zhang wore an indifferent expression, eyes filled with disdain and mockery. He shook his head and snorted. "Those are just some flashy tactics. I'm going to make sure he'll lose face later on!"
Ghost of the Divine Chariot, Qi Yun Fei, did not view Xu Que as a strong opponent either. "Winning this round depends on Soul Strength and one's control of the divine chariot via spiritual enchantments," said Qi Yun Fei nonchalantly. "The one who laughs last will be the real winner!"
Gao Qiao Jie, the Number One Genius from Spirit Treasures Pavilion gave a calm laugh after a few glances at the AE86.
Someone asked him why he had laughed. "This divine chariot only has a nice appearance," said Gao Qiao Jie, shaking his head. "The materials used are very ordinary and it would be unable to withstand a hit from the divine chariots of Spirit Treasures Pavilion!"
"But there are rumors that Xu Que's divine chariot has the ability of transformation," said someone seriously. "Although this is not the rumored yellow divine chariot, it is very likely that it is able to transform as well!"
Gao Qiao Jie replied coolly, "so what if it can transform? Don't forget that this is a Divine Chariot Contest. If he transforms his divine chariot, that will be tantamount to cheating and no different from riding on a flying sword or something else just as ludicrous!"
"That makes sense! Looks like there's no need to worry about him," someone sniggered. "If I encounter him later, I'll definitely smash his divine chariot!"
...
At this moment, the Emperor of the Metal Nation turned slightly to the old eunuch beside. They communicated in their minds via Soul Strength. When the Emperor heard that Xu Que belonged to the Third Prince's team, he was slightly stunned.
"So this is the young man that my third and seventh child are trying to protect, on behalf of whom they offended the Jade Sword Sect!" muttered the Emperor. "His Soul Strength and cultivation seem good. But is his unusual divine chariot really as strong as they say?"
...
Not long after, all the elite cultivators participating in the first round finished their preparations and sat inside their divine chariots!
In order to prevent cheating, the participating divine chariots could not be fully enclosed, so everyone could see the contestants clearly and know what was happening!
Thus, the spectators could clearly see the fighting spirit, vigor and aggressiveness in each of the contestants' eyes!
"This is only the first round and the atmosphere is already so intense!"
"Everyone wants to win. Even if they can't be first, they still want to get a good ranking!"
"In my opinion, the champion for this round will be Chariot King Zhang!"
"I beg to differ. This racing track has many bends which will force them to decelerate. In my opinion, such a track is more advantageous for the Ghost of the Divine Chariot, Qi Yun Fei, who possesses very powerful Soul Strength. The champion for this round will be him!"
"No, you're both wrong! The one who will benefit from the terrain the most is the Number One Genius from Spirit Treasures Pavilion, Gao Qiao Jie. His divine chariot is currently the strongest one that they have, and it was made to adapt to all kinds of terrain, especially land with many bumps and bends!"
Everyone gave their own opinions on the race. Their discussions mainly revolved around Chariot King Zhang and the other two hot favorites.
Although the crowd supported different contestants, nobody was optimistic about Xu Que either. The only opinion that the crowd shared was that was the champion would be one of the three favorite contenders!
Suddenly, someone exclaimed loudly in a puzzled tone, "everyone, look! Xu Que has not entered his divine chariot! Doesn't he need to prepare?"
That exclamation instantly drew everyone's eyes to Xu Que once more!
It was true that all the contestants had already entered their divine chariots. They had begun preparations for their inscriptions and released their Soul Strength.
Xu Que was the only one who still stood beside his AE86. His body leaned on the car and he struck a pose, as if he was a car show model!
"Come, come, come, if you meant to come here or if you're just passing by, if you're lying down, sitting down or standing up… don't miss this! Hey! Friends at the top of the mountain, hurry up… turn around and look at me… Yes! Me, look at me…"
Xu Que was now posing as a car show model wearing a proud but warm expression. He yelled heartily for attention. "Come and look! Take a look! This is this season's latest car model AE86. It comes equipped with the most luxurious configuration and interior set-up. It has a powerful engine and is especially good at corners, overtaking and drifting. Look at the overall luster of the car—it's an elegant combination of black and white! Do you know what this elegant black and white symbolises? It is a combination which symbolises low-key luxury and elegance, signifying the match of a boy and girl…"
Nobody had expected that instead of preparing the divine chariot for the race by releasing his Soul Strength earlier for easier control, Xu Que would actually spend his time introducing his AE86.
However, Xu Que could not care less. His dashing pose and his 'sales pitch' earlier had reaped many rewards, as he could hear the constant ringing of system notifications in his head. He started to grow more enthusiastic in his enterprise of acting tough. "See this? This seat is made of true leather, and on the control screen panel, you can play a short AV video! So you can drive and enjoy… huh? Are you asking what an AV video is? Well, that is a profound skill that you can only understand through experiencing it yourself, and not from being told by others!"
The other cultivators were using their Soul Strength and making sure that their inscriptions worked perfectly and could maximise effective control of their chariots. Yet Xu Que was still busy introducing his chariot! Everyone was dumbstruck once again!
"Is this guy going to give up the race by not racing after all?"
"This shouldn't be. He's been invited by the Third Prince… or maybe this is a conspiracy to make the Third Prince lose here?"
"I've said before that this young man is not reliable. The Third Prince is going to get implicated this time!"
"Ah, it seems like the rumors about what had happened in the Sword Catacomb might have been fake!"
"When Xu Que introduced his divine chariot, even though I could not understand much of what he said, I got the feeling that his divine chariot really seems especially powerful!"
"Powerful my foot! I can't even locate the inscriptions control panel in his chariot. Moreover, he isn't even preparing his chariot by releasing his Soul Strength, and is wasting his time introducing all this unimportant stuff. How can he win like this? He has lost before the race has even begun…"
Chapter 353: Has Anyone Brought Water?
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
At the top of the mountain, the Third Prince and Seventh Princess were bewildered!
"What the hell is this fellow doing? Is he trying to act cool at a time like this?" a prince asked, his eyes wide open.
"Seventh Sister, what is he trying to do?" The Third Prince turned to look at the Seventh Princess.
The Seventh Princess wore a bemused expression. She could not understand what Xu Que was trying to achieve.
The race was about to start. Yet he had not gotten into his divine chariot to make preparations like the others had. He might not be able to control the divine chariot as smoothly as the rest!
Amidst all the consternation and confusion, an old eunuch who was presiding over the first round of the contest finally stepped out and asked, "young man, what do you mean? Is there a problem with your divine chariot or are you thinking of pulling out of the competition?"
"Not at all!"
Xu Que shook his head and touched his chin. "I just wanted to ask, has anyone brought tofu? If not, a glass of water is fine too!"
Everyone was flabbergasted by Xu Que's sudden demands!
Tofu?
Water?
What are you doing? You're actually thinking of eating at a time like this?
The old eunuch was also stunned by his words.
He had presided over the Imperial Tombs Contest for many years, and never before had he encountered a request like this. The race was almost starting, yet this young man was asking for food and water?
Who is this person exactly?
Reluctantly, the old eunuch turned to look at the Metal Emperor as he needed to get the Emperor's decision on this matter.
Contrary to his expectations, the Metal Emperor nodded slightly, indicating that the old eunuch could go ahead and meet the demands of Xu Que. The Emperor's attention was on Xu Que again!
In a divine chariot from a distance away, the Empress Dowager was also staring at Xu Que, the contemplation and interest in her eyes deepening!
...
"Young man, you can have this glass of water!"
The old eunuch had acceded to Xu Que's request and handed him a glass of water.
Everyone looked at Xu Que with disdain. To them, such behaviour was shameful!
Furthermore, Xu Que was already in the Original Infant Stage, cultivators by now could already survive perfectly without eating or drinking. To ask for a glass of water at this time… in their opinion, Xu Que might be up to some tricks!
However, when Xu Que took the glass of water, he shook his head and smiled. "I asked for a glass of water not because I wanted to drink it!"
Eh? You don't want to drink it?
Then what's the water for?
Everyone was full of questions about what Xu Que had said!
The old eunuch was somewhat surprised and inquired, "then what will you be using it for?"
Xu Que's lips curled up. Holding the glass of water, he sat inside his car and placed the glass of water aside. Bang! At the same time, he closed the car door!
In no time, he wound down the car window and answered the old eunuch. "Actually, I just feel like this competition is too easy for me. It's boring. So I have decided to increase the difficulty level. All of you please look over here—look at the glass of water. If I spill even a bit of the water, I'll admit defeat!" remarked Xu Que, giving himself a slap on the chest. His tone was unusually firm and full of confidence.
The crowd was instantly taken aback by that claim!
The competition is too easy?
It's boring?
You'll admit defeat if you spill even a bit of the water?
Darn, is this fellow crazy?
Why is he acting so incredibly arrogant in front of so many divine chariot masters?
Or does he know that he will lose for sure, so he's trying to fight the awkwardness that will come later?
Many people were confused and mystified!
The Third Prince, the Seventh Princess and the rest of their group were stunned and worried by Xu Que's remark. What was the difference between making that remark and surrendering?
"What is this guy thinking?" A prince clenched his fists in anger.
"This is equivalent to letting Third Brother lose without properly competing! Would he have been bribed by others to betray Third Brother?"
"No, Young Master Xu is not that kind of person!" defended the Seventh Princess. She firmly believed in Xu Que!
However, she was perplexed as well by Xu Que's unnecessary request and subsequent remark. His intentions were too elusive for her!
The Metal Emperor, who was also at the foot of the mountain, was somewhat stunned and looked at Xu Que in bewilderment.
Even the Empress Dowager inside her divine chariot was slightly bemused!
Nobody could understand what Xu Que was trying to do. Even if they racked their brains to figure out his intentions, they would not be able to guess correctly. This was because Xu Que had done this purely for the sake of acting tough!
Putting a glass of water inside the car and not allowing the water to spill?
Was this some sort of bad joke? Although Xu Que had some nice driving skills, it would be impossible to attain the acme of perfection that was promote in anime series.
However, this fellow had already consulted the System and enabled the automatic hosting function, whereby System would use some of Xu Que's Soul Strength to keep the water stable!
And it only cost one Acting Tough Point for every period of two hours!
Once successful, he was sure that he would reap a lot of Acting Tough Points. This was certainly a good chance to get rich in terms of Acting Tough Points. Xu Que knew that he couldn't pass up this golden opportunity!
"Are you sure you want to increase the level of difficulty for yourself?" The Metal Emperor, who had been silent all this time, spoke to Xu Que.
The Emperor's calm and majestic voice was heard by everyone.
The crowd was astonished. The Metal Emperor has actually taken the initiative to ask this young fellow a question?
Does this guy know how privileged he is?
Xu Que behaved appropriately, acting neither arrogant nor servile. He responded with a light smile. "Yes, I keep my word. If a single drop of water spills, I'll admit defeat right away!
"Alright. I'll agree to your terms!" the Metal Emperor nodded his head.
The faces of the Third Prince, Seventh Princess and the rest of their group were ashen white. It was too late to stop Xu Que!
The Second Prince and the rest of princes who were fighting to be Crown Prince took pleasure in their Third Brother's misfortune!
"Third Brother, looks like you've been betrayed by your own team member! I've already told you before that Xu Que is insidious, cunning, despicable and shameless. Yet you have treated him like such an important person. You really shouldn't have done that!"
The Second Prince shook his head and pretended to be sorry, but his eyes were full of sarcasm and derision!
Not too far away, the Eldest Prince and his group were also looking at the Third Prince and smiling strangely at him.
The Third Prince clenched his fists tightly. His body trembled slightly but he chose to remain silent!
The Seventh Princess dared not open her mouth to speak either. She was unable to guess what Xu Que wanted to achieve. She also did not know know if Xu Que was truly confident or not. She could only look at him with worry.
"The time has come. The first round of the Imperial Tombs Contest is about to begin. All contestants, please get ready!"
The old eunuch who was presiding over the first round of the contest made the announcement with his sharp voice.
He was holding a small yellow flag. When he waved the flag downwards, it would mean the race would officially start!
All the participating elite cultivators looked somber and focused. They were ready to go!
Vroom! Vrroom! Vrrooomm!
Xu Que put one foot on the brakes and the other foot leg on the accelerator, warming up the car. The sound of AE86's engine was loud as thunder when it started up, resonating around the Imperial Tombs!
Many people were startled by the sudden powerful sound of the engine and turned their sights on Xu Que.
"The first round of the Imperial Tombs Contest will now… start!"
The old eunuch thrust the small yellow flag down!
Swoosh!
In an instant, Xu Que's AE86 dashed out like an arrow flying into the distance, taking the lead!
Chapter 354: Stirring Up Trouble?
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
His speed and his acting tough needed to go hand in hand!
Vrroomm!
Whilst all the other divine chariots started to slowly gain speed on the road, Xu Que's AE86 was immediately taking the lead and speeding off into a distance!
That scene instantly left everyone in a daze!
"How… how is this possible?"
"His divine chariot is too amazing! It can actually achieve such a shocking speed right after powering up!"
"It doesn't seem right. The speed of a divine chariot is dependent on Soul Strength. A burst in Soul Strength will increase the speed of the chariot. But even the one with the most powerful Soul Strength, the Ghost of the Divine Chariot, Qi Yun Fei, is unable to attain this level of speed!"
"Aside from Qi Yun Fei, even a cultivator who is at the peak of the Infant Transformation Stage wouldn't be able to achieve this!"
"Has Xu Que's Soul Strength reached a devilish state?"
Many people were flabbergasted.
Xu Que had gained everyone's attention before when he had flaunted his AE86. Now that the race started, he was in the spotlight again!
As divine chariots were originally invented to strengthen a cultivator's Soul Strength and refine their mental fortitudes, a cultivator needed to 'power up' a divine chariot with Soul Strength before they could take it to the road!
The stronger the Soul Strength of the cultivator, the greater their burst of power would be at the beginning. That burst was vital for allowing the divine chariot to attain speed!
However, since Xu Que was driving a car instead of a real divine chariot, he did not need to use his Soul Strength at all. Besides, his AE86 was the modified, improved version that came with a racing engine. His AE86 could totally win hands down against all the other divine chariots!
And since the appearance of his car was similar to that of the divine chariot, nobody would question whether he was really driving a divine chariot or not!
After witnessing his initial burst of speed, many people automatically looked at Xu Que's car with bewilderment and awe!
"This guy's divine chariot must be so much stronger than the rest!"
"I agree. With his cultivation level, there is no way that his Soul Strength would be greater than that of a cultivator at the peak of the Infant Transformation Stage. There must be something wrong with this boy's divine chariot!"
"If that's the case, is this considered cheating?"
"I don't think so? There isn't any rule that states that contestants must use the same divine chariot. Don't forget that Gao Qiao Jie from Spirit Treasures Pavilion has a stronger divine chariot himself!"
"Yeah, having a mightier divine chariot is a show of strength in itself as well. This is not considered cheating!"
As the crowd was busy sharing their views, the old eunuch who was presiding over the Divine Chariot Contest did not say a word. He was also the judge of this round as well!
From his point of view, Xu Que's divine chariot was definitely more powerful than the others, but that did not constitute cheating, as a powerful divine chariot also required a high amount of Soul Strength to control as well!
Swoosh!
But suddenly, a flash of light descended from the sky and hit Xu Que's car!
A stifled bang was heard. Immediately, that light formed a barrier shaped like a hemisphere and enveloped Xu Que's car.
"Damn! Is this a fucking obstacle course?" Xu Que immediately started to swear and promptly stepped on the brakes.
Despite his efforts, everyone had happened in a split-second, and coupled with the barrier, Xu Que's AE86 instantly skidded a short distance and crashed into the barrier!
Booomm!
The front of the car was instantly dented. Plumes of white smoke rose from the AE86. Inside the car, the airbag activated and sprang out to cushion Xu Que after the crash!
Obviously, the crash was very serious!
After all, the car's quality could not compare to the quality of real divine chariots. The car would not be able to handle crashes as well as them!
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
At this time, one by one, the divine chariots surpassed Xu Que!
His 'accident' had resulted in other contestants like the Chariot King Zhang, Qi Yun Fei and the rest of the contestants catching up to him, one by one.
Chariot King Zhang looked at Xu Que disdainfully and sniggered when he drove past!
Qi Yun Fei and the others shot Xu Que a cold glance as if they were scrutinising him. In no time, they drove past him well in a flash!
Xu Que was enraged. He got out of the car and started to curse. "F*ck! Who is the coward? Stirring up trouble by plotting against me? Come out right now!"
His voice reverberated in the quiet, echoing surroundings of the Imperial Tombs!
Everyone looked at Xu Que strangely as if they had seen a ghost. Subsequently… their gazes fell on the Second Prince standing at the top of the mountain!
"Second Brother, what are you doing?"
Just then, the Third Prince stepped out and confronted the Second Prince.
It was now evident that the culprit had been the Second Prince!
When Xu Que flung out the word 'coward', the Second Prince looked offended.
Xu Que was the representative of the Third Prince's team for this round. Earlier on when he had been the first to zoom into the distance and take the lead, the Third Prince, and his team members were astonished. They had thought that a miracle was about to happen!
But before they had time to be happy about it, the Second Prince had actually played dirty and thrown out a barrier that had destroyed Xu Que's AE86. Naturally, the Third Prince would be angry!
The Second Prince was not in the least bit panicked and answered with a steely face. "I have reason to suspect that Xu Que was not driving a genuine divine chariot! That is why I stopped him! It was for an investigation. I did not expect his divine chariot to be so weak that just a slight bump would be enough to damage it. You can't put the blame on me!"
"Everything has its strong points and weak points," said the Third Prince in anger, gritting his teeth. "The divine chariot of Young Hero Xu is certainly stronger in terms of speed, but it is of a poorer quality. What's the fuss about that? Even father and grandmother did not question him, so what gives you the right to do that?"
The Second Prince shook his head. "I just wanted to ensure that the contest is fair. I did not expect Xu Que's divine chariot to be so weak that it would be destroyed by such a gentle collision!"
Xu Que was irritated by his reply and sneered, "ensure that the contest is fair right? No problem!"
Upon saying that, Xu Que suddenly leaped into the air.
With a wave of his hand, Xu Que retrieved a heavy buster sword from his system inventory and mercilessly launched an attack at Chariot King Zhang, who was currently in the leading position!
Chariot King Zhang was representing the Second Prince's team for the first round of contest. The Second Prince was panic-stricken. "Stop!" he roared.
"F*ck off!" cursed Xu Que.
The tremendous power of his Soul Strength suddenly erupted. The buster sword accelerated rapidly and turned into a dark shadow!
Bang!
A deafening crash was heard; the buster sword hit the front of Chariot King Zhang's divine chariot. The divine chariot instantly suffered a huge dent. It skidded and crashed right into the mountain along the path!
"Well, I have reason to suspect that guy is not driving a divine chariot!" jeered Xu Que who was floating in mid-air!
The Second Prince was fuming in anger. He pointed at Xu Que and bawled, "presumptuous! Men, get this treacherous person!"
Get me?
Xu Que sneered and thought in his mind, ha do you think I'm afraid of you?
"Enough!"
Just then, a majestic voice rumbled like a clap of thunder!
The Metal Emperor, who had kept silent all this while, finally spoke!
"Do all of you still have respect for myself and the Empress Dowager? I've clearly stated that nobody is allowed to intervene in the contest. Are you going to break your promise to me?" The Emperor stared at the Second Prince.
The crowd fell into silence.
The Emperor was annoyed. Nobody dared to speak or whisper. Even the Second Prince paled.
As for Xu Que, he shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "Your Majesty, I didn't want to do this! This fellow clearly doesn't hold you in high regard! If I were you, I would deliver a killing blow to him!"
Gasp!
The crowd gasped when they heard what Xu Que had said!
Is this fellow crazy?
How dare he say such words at a time like this?
You're telling the Emperor to kill the Second Prince? What's the matter with you?
However, the Metal Emperor was not bothered by his words. He looked at Xu Que coldly. "The Second Prince was in the wrong first," he said solemnly. "You can request for a rematch again. However, as you also disregard the rules by attacking another chariot, both you and the Second Prince need to receive 100 strokes of the stick!"
One hundred strokes of the stick?
Rematch?
The Third Prince and the Seventh Princess heaved a sigh of relief when they heard that.
A hundred strokes of the stick would have indeed been unbearable to a commoner. But for the cultivators, it would be no different from tickling!
The Emperor had dealt a symbolic reward and punishment in order to restore fairness to the contest!
In this way, the Third Prince and the Second Prince would regain their chances to compete for the position of the Crown Prince!
However, Xu Que waved his hand dismissively, seeming unsatisfied. "Don't do that! Why should there be a rematch? I don't agree, in fact, I strongly disagree. I request to continue this contest!"
Chapter 355: We Owe Young Hero Xu An Apology!
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Continue the race?
When everyone heard Xu Que's request, they were dumbfounded!
Is this guy stupid or what?
Everyone present thought that either they had heard incorrectly, or that Xu Que had gone crazy!
The Emperor had offered the opportunity for a rematch. If anyone else had received such an offer, they would have been deeply honoured and exhilarated. Yet Xu Que had actually rejected that?
"He's a goner. That boy must have been knocked out of his wits earlier!"
"No, he's not stupid. He's smart!"
"Ah? Why do you say that?"
"Don't you understand? This guy obviously doesn't think he can win. So he is making use of this opportunity to lose honorably!"
"Damn, that's so scheming of him!"
...
Many people were shocked as they loudly discussed their views. Finally, they seemed to think that Xu Que was trying to lose the race by chance, and looked at Xu Que with contempt.
The Third Prince and the Seventh Princess were nonplussed as well!
Originally, the Emperor had offered a rematch for the sake of Xu Que. The condition was only a symbolic 100 strokes of the stick.
But this fellow had to reject this offer and wanted to continue with the race!
Brother, the other contestants are already close to the halfway point on the mountain path. Why do you want to continue the race?
"What does this boy want to do?"
"He's finished. I think he doesn't want to bear 100 strokes of stick. He would rather lose than receive the punishment!"
"This fellow is a coward. 100 strokes to him is just a tickle, what's there to be scared of?"
The princes in the Third Prince's group were full of anxiety. They were closest to their Third Brother and had been supporting him all along. They really hoped that their Third Brother could become the Crown Prince!
But this was just the first round, and Xu Que was already creating trouble. If their team could not get a place within the top 10... even if they placed first in the subsequent rounds, they might lose their chance to win the title of Crown Prince!
"Seventh Sister, what do you think he is trying to do? Could he have other plans?" the Third Prince asked, rather calm.
When the race started, he could tell that Xu Que wanted to win. If the Second Prince had not cast a barrier spell, he would totally have had a shot at first place.
However, the situation now seemed dire. Xu Que wanted to continue with the race. It would be amazing if he could finish the race within two hours, let alone win first place!
"I… I don't know either!"
The Seventh Princess looked bewildered. She could not tell what Xu Que was thinking!
The Third Prince paused for a while and shook his head. "So be it, we'll see how it goes then. Our Second Brother's chariot master had his chariot destroyed too. He'll definitely request a rematch!"
...
Sure enough, when the Second Prince heard that the race would continue, he was flustered and shouted, "father, I realised my mistake. I hope for a rematch. I promise I won't interfere again!"
"To hell with a rematch! Is it fair to the others when you do this?" reprimanded Xu Que, his eyes fixed on the prince. "This is such an important contest," declared Xu Que in an upright manner. "How can you ask for a rematch so easily? Do you know you're disregarding the rest of the contestants? Since this is a contest, we need to be fair and impartial. You don't have special rights just because you're a prince!"
And then, Xu Que looked towards the Metal Emperor and said chivalrously, "Your Majesty, I strongly condemn the Second Prince's selfish request. The race must continue." He gestured down the track. "Just look, the contestants are doing their best!" Xu Que said earnestly. "They are clenching their teeth and pushing themselves to move forward. The spirit of holding on to their dreams and never giving up is so touching! How bitterly disappointed will they be if you declare a rematch? The rematch should not take place!"
At that moment, it seemed as if he was exuding a holy light that could envelop the world!
Everyone was blown away:
It turns out that this guy… is just worried that a rematch will be unfair to the other contestants!
His words make sense. A rematch at this point in time is indeed unfair to them.
After all, it's been a while since the race started. Many cultivators have expended a fair amount of Soul Strength. A rematch would not be appropriate.
But… since when did this fellow become such a nice person?
This is not his style!
"Have we misunderstood Young Hero Xu all this while?"
"I used to think that he was a shameless person. But now, why do I suddenly feel that he is actually really a good person?"
"You're right. Such selfless generosity, who else here thinks like that?"
"Looks like we were wrong about Young Hero Xu. He is actually a truly good man!"
"Just now, we were laughing at him. We really shouldn't have done that!"
"Yes, we owe Young Hero Xu an apology again… Eh? Why did I say 'again'?"
"Young Hero Xu, I'm sorry!"
"Young Hero Xu, I'm really sorry!"
At that moment, many cultivators shouted their apologies to Xu Que sincerely and earnestly.
They were in awe of Xu Que's righteousness and selfless behavior!
In this cold, ruthless World of Cultivators, it was rare to see a good person. Therefore, they were truly moved!
The crowd suddenly felt that Xu Que was very different from them as he had not been contaminated by the selfishness and ruthlessness that had infected most other cultivators!
...
Ding! "Congratulations to host 'Xu Que' for successfully acting tough. The reward is 230 Acting Tough Points!"
Ding! "Congratulations to host 'Xu Que' for successfully acting tough. The reward is 260 Acting Tough Points!"
Ding! "Congratulations to host 'Xu Que' for acting tough shamelessly. A special reward of 800 Acting Tough Points is being rewarded!"
...
By this time, a series of system notifications echoed through Xu Que's mind.
He was full of joy, but his face still wore a solemn, gentlemanly expression. He clasped his hands together in a salute and thanked the crowd. "Everyone, you are too polite. I'm just doing what I should be doing. There is no need for apologies!"
"Young Master Xu! Why… why are you doing this? This race is of utmost importance to my Third Brother. His bid for Crown Prince depends on this! When my father offered the option of a rematch, it was such a good opportunity. How could you…"
Finally, the Seventh Princess had not been able to take it any longer and was now communicating with Xu Que via Soul Strength. She was hoping to persuade Xu Que to accept the rematch before the Metal Emperor made his final decision.
However, Xu Que did not respond to her and pretended that he had not heard her at all. He smiled at the princess teasingly in a pesky way and even made a peace sign with his fingers.
"Young Master Xu…"
"Young Master Xu! Are you listening? Will you hear me out?"
"Young Master Xu! You can't fool around on this matter…"
...
Xu Que's silence made the Seventh Princess feel deeply unsettled. She started communicating a flurry of thoughts to Xu Que.
Finally, Xu Que could not take it anymore. He responded when the princess sent her 27th message via Soul Strength.
"Sorry…"
That was Xu Que's voice!
The moment the princess received a response, she was thrilled. However, when she heard his voice clearly, her heart sank.
Sorry?
Why did he need to say sorry? Could it be…
Before the Seventh Princess could start pondering it, Xu Que's voice was heard once again in her head.
"Sorry! The target that you are communicating with is not located in the service area. Please try again later…"
Chapter 356: The Comeback Of AE86
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The target that you are communicating with is not located in the service area?
What the hell did that mean?
After hearing these words, the Seventh Princess was so angry that she nearly fell apart.
You did this deliberately, right?
Aren't you just standing there?
That voice I heard is your voice!
Why did you pretend not to hear me? You'll be the death of me!
"Young Master Xu! Young Master Xu, just listen to me..." The Seventh Princess did not give up and continued to communicate with him via Soul Strength. But Xu Que immediately responded with another sentence.
"Sorry, you have reached the maximum number of times that you can contact the user. Contact has failed. Please recharge and try again later…"
Once again, it was that cheapskate's voice! Xu Que!
The Seventh Princess felt completely defeated by him, especially as Xu Que had even winked at her. She was really at her wits' end.
At the same time, the Metal Emperor was also surprised as he had not expected Xu Que to be so incredibly determined to continue the contest.
"Xu Que," the Emperor said with doubt. "I ask you one more time. Are you sure you want to continue with the contest?"
"Yes, it has to continue!" Xu Que patted his chest righteously.
The Metal Emperor nodded his head slightly. "Alright, I will grant you your request! And I will exempt you from the punishment of 100 strokes of the stick as well!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Xu Que said reverently. "But… Your Majesty, the 100 strokes for the Second Prince should not be exempted. Otherwise, everyone would lose faith in the country's rules and regulations!"
"Of course!" The Metal Emperor did not hesitate to reply. He waved his hand and declared, "I declare that the Divine Chariot Contest will continue now. Men! Bring the Second Prince to me to receive his 100 strokes!"
Evidently, the Metal Emperor was a just and impartial person. He would not take the side of any prince.
Frankly, the 100 strokes were nothing to the Second Prince!
But the continuation of the Divine Chariot Contest was a big blow to him.
Chariot King Zhang's divine chariot had been destroyed and he was lagging behind now. There was no way that he would catch up. If the contest continued, he would not be the champion of this round.
The Emperor had already declared that the race would continue. This was a fact that could not be changed anymore!
The Second Prince felt bitter indignation inside, yet he could do nothing about it.
He threw an icy glare at Xu Que and communicated to him via Soul Strength. "Xu Que, don't think that I will be helpless against you even though you've destroyed Zhang Lin's divine chariot. I still have other contestants in this round. Even if being champion is out of my reach, my team will secure a top ten ranking!"
"So what? It's none of my business!" Xu Que replied indifferently with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Hmph, the price that this prince will pay is not just being champion," thought the Second Prince, smirking. "But you, you're representing the Third Prince's team. He has sent incompetent people to represent him. If you can't get a ranking, he'll lose the right to fight for the position of Crown Prince. This time, you're the loser!"
Xu Que shrugged his shoulders again. This time, he didn't communicate via Soul Strength, but grinned and spoke loudly. "Your Royal Highness, the Second Prince, who told you I won't be able to get a ranking? You'd better hurry up and receive your punishment. I've no time to communicate with you through Soul Strength. Goodbye!"
Xu Que turned away as he finished talking and summoned the System Store!
So what if this AE86 is destroyed?
This Act Tough King has a countless AE86s!
With the System on hand, I have the whole world at my fingertips!
"System, I want to rent another AE86. It's just a mere 500 Acting Tough Points. I earned back that amount long ago!"
Xu Que shouted for System in his head!
Shoosh!
Instantly, a brand new AE86 appeared once again!
"Wow!"
The crowd was in an uproar!
This fellow actually had another divine that was identical to the one that had crashed!
But… what was the point?
The others were almost halfway up the mountain. Even if he started racing now, he wouldn't be able to catch up… right?
...
The Third Prince, Seventh Princess and the rest of their team were listless. Their faces were white as sheets!
The Emperor had given his order to continue with the contest.
From their point of view, that was equivalent to announcing that the Third Prince had lost the right to compete for Crown Prince!
"Third Brother, I'm sorry! I trusted my instincts too much!" said an extremely remorseful Seventh Princess.
Xu Que had totally ignored her when she had communicated with him via Soul Strength. That made her feel helpless and full of self-reproach, as she had been the one who had highly recommended Xu Que!
The Third Prince gave a mild sigh. "Forget it! Perhaps this is my destiny! The Heavens do not want me to become Crown Prince, so there's no point insisting on it!"
Sigh!
So the position of the Crown Prince will be given to one of the other princes, just like that?
The princes on the Third Prince's side sighed bitterly!
"Everyone, this Old Driver is going to start racing again! Does anyone have another cup of water? Oh, the glass of water from earlier has not spilled yet, I'll just use that!"
Just then, Xu Que's loud voice was heard and he was seen running fast towards his crashed car and taking out the glass of water. Then he hurriedly placed the glass of water inside his new AE86.
Boom!
The car door slammed shut and he quickly fastened his seat belt!
Xu Que stepped on the clutch pedal, geared up, eased off the brakes and stepped on the accelerator!
All his movements were executed smoothly without any break!
Vrooommm!
The AE86's racing engine gave off a loud but muffled sound that everyone could hear.
Immediately, Xu Que's car zoomed into the distance like an arrow released from a bow.
The crowd was rather stunned.
They had not thought that at a time like this, Xu Que would be able to face the contest positively and aggressively!
From the transparent car windows and windscreen of the AE86, everyone could clearly see that Xu Que's lips were curled up, forming a faint smile!
That is a smile of self-confidence!
That is his determination to win the contest!
...
"Heh, so what if I let all of you have a ten minute advantage? This Act Tough King can still be champion since we're driving on this type of mountain road!"
Xu Que's eyes lit up and his hands busily changed gears!
In just a moment, he had already shifted into fifth gear, the highest one!
The car's speed accelerated to over 200 kilometers per hour, swiftly covering the gap between him and the divine chariots ahead like lightning!
At first, no one thought anything of it!
But as time passed, as Xu Que's car grew closer and closer to the divine chariots, some of the crowd started to notice. They exclaimed in surprise.
"Look! Young Hero Xu seems to be catching up!"
"Heavens, his divine chariot is so fast!"
"Maybe there is still a chance for him?"
"It doesn't seem right, though, look! There's a curve in the road ahead but the speed of Young Hero Xu's chariot is still increasing!"
Everyone was shocked by his speed.
Xu Que was driving a car; he did not have to use Soul Strength or spiritual enchantments to control it. His car was like a runaway horse, sprinting forward without any pressure. He definitely had it easier than the other cultivators!
However, the first curve had appeared in the road ahead!
This curve was very tricky and steep, as the angle was less than ninety degrees. Both cars and divine chariots would have to slow down.
Nonetheless, Xu Que did not slow down. He continued to step on the accelerator. His speed increased and increased and increased!
"Damn! He's reaching the curve and he's still picking up speed!"
"This is crazy!"
Immediately, the crowd started to gasp. They stared intensely at Xu Que's rapidly accelerating AE86!
Chapter 357: The Drifting Technique
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Looking right ahead, the divine chariots that were lagging behind the frontrunners were starting to decelerate!
The importance of slowing down before a bend in the road was common knowledge for drivers of both cars and divine chariots!
Otherwise, if one was careless, an accident could happen at any time. Even the Old Driver might accidentally overturn his car.
However, Xu Que did not slow down. Instead, he continued to let his AE86 consume fuel as he accelerated. The sound of his engine reverberated throughout the Imperial Tombs!
"This guy is absolutely crazy!"
"He's too impatient. At this rate, he will careen off the mountain path!"
All the spectators were frightened and exclaiming.
The Third Prince looked worried and murmured, "this is bad. Xu Que will certainly lose control of the divine chariot and will not be able to reduce his speed!"
"Young Master Xu, be careful!" the Seventh Princess could not help but shout. Her face was full of worry and anxiety.
The Metal Emperor sitting on his throne was slightly taken aback as well.
The Empress Dowager inside her divine chariot narrowed her eyes and continued to stare closely at Xu Que's car.
At the top of the mountain, the Second Prince commented in a mocking tone, "ultimately, you'll still lose!"
Zhang Lin, who had withdrawn from the race due to his damaged divine chariot, was standing beside the mountain path. With a face full of disdain, he shook his head. "He's too young to fully realise and grasp what it means to be a divine chariot master."
"Chariot King Zhang, why isn't he slowing down?" asked someone curiously.
"This is normal. That boy's a simpleton. He thinks that he can win with frenzied acceleration. But that will actually cause him to lose control of the divine chariot due to his high speed. In any case, it's too late now even if he realises his mistake!"
"So that's how it is!" Those who heard that were nodding their heads.
...
Everyone's sights were focused on the curve that Xu Que was about to reach!
At this point, Xu Que's AE86 had begun to overtake the other divine chariots due to his tremendous speed. Even as he was closing in towards the curve, he did not attempt to slow down.
Through the car windows, everyone could see the perseverance and brimming confidence in Xu Que's eyes.
"What's going on?"
"He seems to have so much self-confidence. I think he hasn't given up!"
"It can't be. Does he think that under such speed, he can still maneuver past the curve?"
Many people who had seen Xu Que's facial expression were loudly discussing their thoughts.
Under everyone's nervous gazes, Xu Que's car finally reached the curve!
Suddenly, Xu Que made his move.
His limbs worked amazingly fast; his hand quickly adjusted the gear, his right leg stepped on the brakes while the other leg stepped on the accelerator, kicking the pedals in and out interchangeably!
Just as the front of the car neared the curve, Xu Que's hand turned the steering wheel rapidly.
Scrreeech!
Suddenly, the sharp sound of the car braking resonated everywhere in the area.
Under the shocked gazes of the crowd, Xu Que's car tires seemed to have lost control and under the inertial force, the whole car tilted and drifted through the bending curve.
Swoosh!
In the bat of an eyelid, the car drifted through the curve at a whopping speed. After drifting through the curve steadily and smoothly, Xu Que rapidly changed gear when the path straightened out and stepped on the accelerator. The car sped up once more and sprang forward like an arrow!
Drifting, it's just that simple!
Xu Que had completed the whole process smoothly and in one attempt, from entering the curve to leaving the curve. It was natural and smooth, like flowing water!
The entire audience fell silent!
Everyone looked at the beautiful skid marks left by the AE86, and was stumped for a long time.
These traces were indisputably the marks left by the tires during the drifting. The marks were very conspicuous and impactful!
"He… he passed through the curve?"
"He didn't lose control? How… how is that possible?"
"Heavens! How did he do it?"
"What happened just now? How did he pass through the curve in such a fantastic way?"
Many people's mouths were agape with disbelief. They didn't even know what had just happened!
Such a dramatic display of technique!
Such spectacular drifting!
This was a scene that none of the cultivators of the Metal Nation had ever seen!
All cultivators in the Metal Nation would automatically decelerate their divine chariots when they needed to maneuver through a curve. It was the most basic knowledge in their country for driving a divine chariot.
Nobody would have thought that one could pass through a curve like Xu Que!
Besides Xu Que, the rest of the contestants were completely incapable of performing such an eye-catching drift. Everyone had watched the scene incredulously, feeling that they must be dreaming…
The Metal Emperor was staring with his eye wide open as well. He was very surprised that Xu Que could maneuver through a curve like that!
In a divine chariot further away, a glimmer of surprise flashed past the Empress Dowager's face.
The Second Prince stood frozen in his position over at the top of the mountain.
"How is this possible? How did he do it?"
Zhang Lin, who was standing with the audience, went pale with horror. "No, this can't be true. How can anyone be able to control a divine chariot so well?"
The Third Prince, Seventh Princess and the rest of their group were startled and amazed at the same time.
"He's too good! I didn't expect that at such a high speed, he could tilt the car so strangely and drift through the curve so smoothly!"
"Heavens, his Soul Strength must be immensely strong for him to perform that technique!"
"Seems like we've underestimated Young Master Xu's ability right from the start! Seventh Sister really didn't misjudge him!"
"As long as he maintains such a speed, he can still get a position within the top ten. Our Third Brother still has hope!"
The princes were really thrilled as they expressed their thoughts to the Third Prince.
The Third Prince heaved a sigh of relief and nodded lightly. He looked towards the Seventh Princess. "Seventh Sister, it seems that you were right about Xu Que. He's really extraordinary!"
"Third Brother, you think too highly of me. Actually… I didn't expect him to be so strong in terms of driving a divine chariot!" smiled the Seventh Princess, with a hint of bitterness hidden beneath her veil.
Earlier on, she had been desperately trying to communicate privately with Xu Que via Soul Strength. She hadn't expected Xu Que to be so good with divine chariots…
Swoosh!
Meanwhile, Xu Que's AE86 was catching up from behind. As he didn't need to reduce his speed too much when he maneuvered through the curve, the time he saved enabled him to overtake more than half the divine chariots.
"Tsk, tsk, another harvest of Acting Tough Points! Everyone, hats off to my drifting technique right?"
Xu Que gripped the steering wheel with a jubilant face!
Obviously, this drifting technique had been executed so successfully that not only he was in the spotlight, but he had also earned a ton of Acting Tough Points!
In addition, seeing each and every one of the divine chariots that he overtook, Xu Que knew that first place was still within his grasp!
With that realisation, the smile on his face deepened!
The Empress Dowager inside her divine chariot caught his smile.
"This young man definitely did not come from simple origins," muttered the Empress Dowager to herself thoughtfully. "Having come here to participate in the Imperial Tombs Contest… I'm afraid his motives won't be simple either…"
Chapter 358: Five Consecutive Curves
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
No matter how much the crowd was gasping in amazement, the contest was not going to stop here. It was still in progress!
Currently in the lead were Qi Yun Fei, Ghost of the Divine Chariot, who was representing the Eighth Prince's team, and Gao Qiao Jie, the Number One Talent from Spirit Treasures Pavilion, who represented the Eldest Prince's team!
Both contestants had their own strong points. Qi Yun Fei had effective Soul Strength and control while Gao Qiao Jie's advantage was his superior divine chariot that could be controlled with greater ease compared to those of other contestants.
The two of them were therefore leading the race and fiercely fighting over the first position, leaving many divine chariots far behind them.
But Xu Que was more aggressive. With a racing engine installed in the AE86, it moved at an astounding speed on the mountain road!
When Xu Que stepped on the accelerator, the car's speed increased so rapidly that it hit the maximum of 300 kilometers per hour, which even exceeded the limit of the speedometer!
Swish, swish, swish…
Acting tough is just like a breeze to me!
Xu Que's car moved as if it was piercing through air and slicing the wind. It was a magnificent sight to behold.
He chased the leaders from behind, agilely maneuvering left and right on the narrow mountain path, constantly catching up and overtaking the divine chariots in front of him.
The audience exclaimed repeatedly at Xu Que's performance, obviously enjoying this splendid entertainment!
"Fuck, look at the glass of water in Xu Que's divine chariot!" someone cried out in consternation all of a sudden.
Everyone turned to look upon hearing that...
The crowd was made up of cultivators, and it was easy for them to see clearly what was happening inside each and every contestant's divine chariot just by using their Soul Strength. And so, when they looked at the glass of water inside Xu Que's AE86, they couldn't help but inhale a mouthful of cold air!
"Tsk!"
"How... how is this possible?"
"Just now this divine chariot was drifting at such a high speed, yet not a single water droplet has spilled out of the glass!"
"How does this guy do it?"
"This is too appalling. He is moving at such a great speed, yet there isn't even any jolting or shaking in the glass. There are only some slight ripples at times, but totally no sign of spilling at all!"
"He's so good at this!"
Many people could not believe their eyes and were filled with astonishment. Some of the crowd were completely impressed!
They believed that the divine chariot of Xu Que was so formidable that it could make them feel like they were suffocating just by looking at it!
The Third Prince, Seventh Princess and the rest of their group now wore joyful smiles as they saw the hope of securing a good position in the race.
On the other hand, the Eldest Prince, the Eighth Prince and their supporters looked grim and gloomy. Right then, they didn't think that Xu Que would threaten their teams in the fight for being first, but they were alarmed by Xu Que's ability in controlling his divine chariot!
They knew that if the Second Prince had not cast a barrier spell and wasted Xu Que's precious time, the first place of the Divine Chariot Contest would have easily been taken by him.
"Damn it!"
The Second Prince and Zhang Lin clenched their fists. Their veins were showing clearly, indicating their raging fury!
Originally they had wanted to make use of this opportunity to destroy the Third Prince's chance at the position of Crown Prince. But Xu Que's current performance had shown that he would have no problem in securing a position among the top ten!
This filled the Second Prince with resentment. He had worked hard and paid a huge sum to invite Zhang Lin to his team. He hadn't expected that in the end, his team would be unable to secure a spot in the top three. Not only that, but he would have to receive 100 strokes of the stick!
The 100 strokes meant nothing, but losing face was a big problem!
After the end of the contest, I want this rascal to die without a proper place of burial!
The Second Prince emitted fierce killing intent as he cursed Xu Que in his heart!
...
At the same time, the large group of divine chariots had passed through half the mountain and were moving rapidly towards the top!
Both Qi Yun Fei and Gao Qiao Jie were still in the lead, but soon enough, both of them slowed down at the same time!
This was because they were now facing the five, consecutive U-shaped curves in the road. The angles were trickier. This would surely be a spine-tingling challenge that would test the ability of the contestants!
Even powerful chariot drivers like Qi Yun Fei would have to slow down and drive steadily through the five consecutive curves.
"The most difficult part is coming!"
"I'm looking forward to it! Perhaps this part of the track will be the key that will determine who will win the race!"
"Precisely, passing the five consecutive curves is a huge test for a contestant's Soul Strength as well as their control of the spiritual enchantments. Only the strongest can win first place!"
"After all, the first round was set up by the Metal Emperor to differentiate the ones with immense Soul Strength and the ones with strong control of their enchantments!"
"Yes, only cultivators who are strong in both these areas will be able to do well when they enter the Imperial Tombs!"
"The first round of the contest is so important. Cultivators who are strong in both aspects have higher chances of getting to the Dragon Veins, although so far there isn't anyone who can reach that far!"
"So far we can't tell who the champion will be. I can't wait to find out!"
"It's not hard to guess. First of all, Chariot King Zhang is now out of the race. Secondly, although Xu Que is catching up fast, too much time had been wasted earlier; he won't be able to take first place. So, the one who will be first will either be Qi Yun Fei or Gao Qiao Jie!"
"I agree. It should be one of them!"
Everyone started to analyse who would be the winner.
In actual fact, nobody doubted Xu Que's ability. Nevertheless, the incident with the Second Prince earlier on had taken up so much time that no one felt that he would be able to catch up to either Qi Yun Fei and Gao Qiao Jie before they reached the finishing line!
Even the Third Prince and the Seventh Princess were praying that Xu Que would keep up with this performance and simply obtain a position within the top ten! That would be good enough for them!
However, in Xu Que's eyes, he only wanted first place!
As the Act Tough King, if he could not win and be champion, how would he be able to act tough?
Vroom!
Xu Que stepped onto the accelerator. The car instantly experienced another burst of speed. It moved through the racing course like black and white lightning!
"Darn, why isn't Young Hero Xu slowing down?" someone exclaimed, seeing Xu Que speeding up again.
The crowd started to make a commotion at the sight.
"Come on, he actually wants to use that method from earlier to continuously drift through the five curves?"
"But it's impossible! These curves are much trickier than the one from before. If he drifts like that for all five curves, he's going to end up crashing onto the mountain!"
"Maybe he isn't familiar with the terrain here. He's going to suffer from that disadvantage!"
Many people were shaking their heads.
However, Xu Que was getting more excited. He started to shake his body in a rhythm as he was boiling with excitement!
"Haha, the five consecutive curves, I'm coming! Come on, everybody, get high!"
He gave a loud cackle, wound down the window and pressed the button to play a DVD from inside the car! Click!
Instantly, a piece of lively and upbeat music began to blare. It emanated from the car window and resonated through the Imperial Tombs!
"In my name, drifting in my youth,
The accurate calculation of winning and losing,
I stepped on the wheels of fire, drifting in my youth,
The story we're in, we're acting out our lives…
Drift, drift, drifting,
I go round the mountain where the raindrops fell,
Drift, drift, drifting,
Went inside a tunnel again piercing through the wind…"
Jay Chou's song, Drift, was playing at the Imperial Tombs!
Xu Que swayed along melodically in the driver's seat. As he passed by the divine chariots one by one, the corners of his mouth formed a faint smile. He looked straight ahead at the upcoming five consecutive curves!
"Heheh, in my BGM, nobody will be able to beat me!"
Chapter 359: The Legendary Ditch Drifting!
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"Drift, drift, drifting,
"Drift, drift, drifting…"
Music played from the car speakers and echoed through the mountains.
All the people in the crowd were staring with their eyes wide open and their faces glazed over with shock...
He's still in the mood to play music?
"This divine chariot… has a lot of functions!" someone chuckled awkwardly.
"It can actually play music! That's incredible!"
"But this piece of music sounds weird to me. I can't clearly hear the lyrics but I can feel the emotions!"
Many of the contestants were smiling bitterly as they wiped beads of perspiration from their foreheads.
This was the first time that they had encountered such an incident, especially when this event was the Imperial Tombs Contest where everyone was focusing their soul strength on controlling their divine chariots.
And this fellow, Xu Que, still had the energy to enjoy listening to music. They did not know whether to laugh or cry. Some were jealous of him, others wanted to be him and others hated him as well!
Swoosh!
Suddenly, a divine chariot lost control and flew off the track from a curve ahead. It slid off the track and went tumbling down the mountain!
The entire audience immediately stared at the fallen divine chariot!
Boom!
With a loud crash, the divine chariot that flown off the tracks now fell to the foot of the mountain. It was now deformed from the crash.
It was fortunate that the cultivator inside had been well-prepared and had executed a protective spell to protect himself. He had not suffered much damage, but he had nevertheless failed this round of the contest!
"This person was too careless!"
"Exactly, he was nearing the curve but he did not decrease his speed to something that he could control. He overestimated himself!"
"This curve is much more difficult that the earlier one. There is no way that he could ever pass through it with that speed. That's asking for trouble!"
"Look at Qi Yun Fei and Gao Qiao Jie, they are very careful. They decreased their speed by a lot and still barely passed through that third curve!"
"D*mn, that Xu Que is still increasing his speed!"
"Heavens, is he going to try and continue using that technique to maneuver through all the curves?"
"That would be impossible to achieve. With that speed, even if he did use that technique from earlier, he will certainly lose control and end up like that earlier contestant."
"This guy is going to be in trouble!"
Everyone was exclaiming as they focused their attention on Xu Que's AE86.
Due to the earlier instance of the divine chariot going off track and crashing, the other contestants were now being extra vigilant and paying more attention to controlling their speed.
Xu Que was the only one who was still accelerating. He swayed to the music and had a hand out of the car window as if he was enjoying the speed.
Everyone looked at him as if he was a lunatic. They disapproved of his actions in their hearts.
Driving with such speed… an accident could happen very soon!
The Second Prince and Zhang Lin wore eager expressions as they stared at Xu Que in anticipation. They seemed like they were waiting for him to go off track, fly off the mountain tracks and crash with all four wheels facing the sky!
On the other hand, the Third Prince, Seventh Princess and the rest of their group couldn't help but feel very tense.
In no time, Xu Que's car began to near the curve.
He had overtaken numerous divine chariots already and now, he was in the sixth position. He had been very fast at catching up!
In front of him, there were only five more divine chariots. All of them were now driving through the five consecutive curves very carefully and very slowly.
Swoosh!
At that moment, Xu Que suddenly turned the steering wheel inwards. In a flash, the vehicle came very close to the mountain!
The crowd was shocked beyond words.
That position… although he was on the inner side of the track, his speed would still cause him to get thrown off the tracks!
Bang!
Immediately, Xu Que's car tires started to make muffled sounds.
It was not the sound of a burst tire… instead, two of the car tires had actually gone onto the grass beside the mountain!
The grass patch was lower than the racing track by a few centimeters, forming a natural ditch.
When the row of tires sank into the 'natural ditch', everyone looked on with worry.
"Oh no, something happened!"
"He must have thought of closing in, and got closer to the mountain to use his earlier technique to run through the curve and avoid being thrown off course. But this is too close!"
"Now his divine chariot is like half trapped… half of his chariot is outside the track as well. Well, he can't use that method to cross the curve!"
The crowd exclaimed.
Zhang started to cackle loudly as if he had foreseen Xu Que's 'misfortune'. "Haha, this method is too stupid…"
However, in the next moment, everyone fell silent!
Screech!
Harsh, piercing sounds of the brakes cutting through the air echoed through the entire area. It was jarring to the ears!
Xu Que's car had actually drifted through the curve steadily, with his rear wheels sliding in a perfect arc on the ground; in that instant, the car moved like a windscreen wiper that had been switched on for a flash of a second. His car was steady and fast and moved through the curve smoothly like a bolt of lightning!
Gasp!
Everyone gasped, then fell silent. Only the sounds of their breathing could be heard!
They were astonished, for that scene really seemed unbelievable to them!
"How… how is this possible?"
"How did he pass through the curve so smoothly, and at such a speed?"
"It was even smoother than when he was crossing the earlier curve. Why is this so?"
"Precisely, part of his divine chariot was already off track on the grass patch. How did he drift past it so steadily?"
"That's not all. Did you see the glass of water in his divine chariot? Not even a drop of it spilled!"
"D*mn, this is going against the heavens!"
Many of them were appalled. They could not believe what they had just witnessed.
Xu Que's car was still progressing very well on the road. He wore a light smile as his head rang with system notifications about his Acting Tough Points rewards!
"Heheh, this is the legendary style of ditch drifting! It's not something that you noobs can understand! This Act Tough King has grown up watching Initial D. I'm not Mount Akina Speed Star for nothing, alright?"
Xu Que smiled proudly and continued to step on the accelerator, heading towards the second bend in the five consecutive curves!
Bang!
When nearing the curve, once again, he went off track by resting the front tires onto the grass patch just beside the mountain. This was immediately followed by swiftly turning the steering wheel as well as stepping on the brake and the accelerator to and fro, interchangeably. He was using ditch drifting again!
Screech!
The sharp, shrill sound of the tires were heard again as the car conquered another curve successfully. Xu Que overtook another two divine chariots, making him the fourth divine chariot from the finishing line!
By this time, besides feeling shocked, the crowd started to realise something!
"No, he did it on purpose!" exclaimed someone.
"This guy deliberately went off track with the front of his divine chariot so as to take advantage of the natural ditch to control the chariot!"
"This is totally awesome! There's actually such a method for crossing a curve. How did he do that?"
"With his speed, he's going to take first place!"
...
The crowd started to discuss amongst themselves.
The three contestants who were currently leading the race were perturbed.
They had just passed through the fourth curve, but at a rather slow speed!
On the other hand, Xu Que could maneuver through two curves with ease in just the blink of an eye and was now drifting through the third bend. In no time, he would surely catch up to them!
"Speed up, use the method that he used earlier to pass through the curve!" The Eighth Prince sent the order to Qi Yun Fei with his mind using Soul Strength, from the top of the mountain.
The Eldest Prince also communicated using soul strength with the Number One Genius from Spirit Treasures, Gao Qiao Jie as well!
Currently the divine chariot in front of Xu Que happened to be the other elite cultivator in the Second Prince's team. He had actually outdone himself at this race by coming in third place for now. If Zhang Lin had not been ousted from the race, he might have been fourth instead!
"You saw how he maneuvered through the curve right?" the Second Prince instructed his team member via Soul Strength. "Hurry up and accelerate and use his method to cross the curve. You must not let him overtake you!" The prince did not want to lose the third position!
The princes had forgotten that the reason Xu Que could drift was because of the cooperation of the steering wheel as well as the brakes and the accelerator. Most importantly of all, his tired were made of rubber and were full of elasticity!
The divine chariots of all these contestants had wheels made of metal. If they were to attempt to drift, it would be tantamount to suicide!
Regrettably, the contestant in the current third position was flabbergasted and dreading the idea of Xu Que overtaking him. With the Second Prince's instructions in his head, he decided to take a risk!
Boom!
With a muffled sound, the contestant sped up with a burst of Soul Strength!
He tried to control his divine chariot by resting the front part of the chariot on the grass!
However, in the next moment, the impact and friction of the metallic wheels instantly destroyed the grass as well as the ditch.
Bang!
Pieces of gravel started to splatter around. The contestant started to lose control. The chariot suddenly bounced through the air. It had been flung off the track.
The audience was horrified and their faces were aghast with shock.
The Second Prince also stood up in fright. He stared in disbelief with his eyes wide, shocked at what was happening!
Why?
Why did this happen?
Why is it that the scoundrel can achieve it?
But this contestant has been thrown off the mountain track?
Why?
Swoosh!
At this time, Xu Que's car arrived at the curve. Although part of the track was destroyed, that did not stop the Old Driver from performing his stunt!
Xu Que used his Soul Strength to mend the destroyed parts of the ditch and also to support the car in order to drift through the curve smoothly!
At the same time, he popped his head out of the car window as he drifted and looked at the divine chariot that had been sent flying off the track. "Hey brother," he shouted, "are you going to heaven? Please send my regards to the sun!"