Ultimate Scheming System

"Everyone, please enter the training grounds. The teleportation spells will send you to the respective stages and place you with an appropriate opponent!" The eunuch stood before the throne room and shouted out and his voice echoed around half the entire area of the palace.

"The stage requires the candidates to defeat three opponents and would only emerge victorious after satisfying these three conditions." The eunuch spoke as he waved his hands.

A wisp of white energy ascended into the air from his hands as they transformed into the imperial edict. Golden words started to form as the crowd gawked in amazement.

One: In three battles, a candidate mustn’t lose a single round. If he does, he faces elimination.

Two: Each round requires the candidates to wield different weapons.

Three: Opponents must not hurt or kill each other.

Everyone broke out in discussion as soon as they read the requirements. These were rather unique.

Apart from the third condition, the first two posed a certain level of difficulty.

Three rounds of fighting without using the same weapon and a candidate mustn’t lose a single round. This required a great deal of skill to emerge victorious.

Most of the people present were trained in sword fighting. Apart from sword fighting techniques, they might have a small grasp of knife techniques. But other than knives and swords, the only thing they were proficient in were probably with bare knuckles.

As for those who specialized in cultivating in spears or in polearms only, they were stumped by this requirement. It was extremely difficult for them to survive three rounds using different weapons each round.

However, when some of the students and several disciples of the great sects heard this, they were elated and were filled with confidence.

There were many options open to students. They could use their pens, a sword, or even a scroll as weapons.

The disciples from these great sects were also well versed in many weapons. These disciples were often trained in the basics of sword techniques, knife techniques, rod techniques, as well as many other weapons. After all, these formed the foundations of learning for these disciples and thus, they’re not flustered by these rules at all.

"Hehe... it seems like these conditions were set in place to eliminate those rogue cultivators who had only trained in a single weapon." Xu Que laughed coldly within his heart. He too, knew that these rules were implemented to weed out those rogue cultivators with poor foundations in other weapons and eliminate them.

However, when it came to martial arts foundations, Xu Que was probably had the worst foundation and was utter rubbish. He had never learnt any sword techniques or knife techniques. Additionally, his skills like the Flame Devouring Wave and Six Corporeal Forms all required core energy to activate.

In simple terms, without his core energy and ignoring his physical strengths, he had no other areas of strengths.

"Sire, may I ask if you’ve seen Li Bai of the Heavenly Explosion Faction?" At this point, a familiar voice rang out a distance away.

When he turned his head, he saw Tang Liu Feng asking another student a question.

The student shook his head and replied, "Many people are looking for him today. But it’s a pity I haven’t seen or heard about him. I’m afraid he isn’t showing up today."

"Ai, many thanks." Tang Liu Feng sighed as he walked away.

When Xu Que saw him, he was somewhat glad but wondered why he was looking for him.

At this point, he took a step forward and stood in Tang Liu Feng’s way. He then spoke, "Brother, may I ask, why are you searching for my faction’s brother?"

Tang Liu Feng paused as he looked up at Xu Que and was unable to recognize him because his black robes had disguised his identity. He then replied curiously, "I wonder who this sire is?"

"I am Ye Liang Chen of the Heavenly Explosion Faction. Li Bai and I are brothers." Xu Que replied as he lowered his voice to sound different. He wanted to trick Tang Liu Feng for fun. When he registered his name earlier, he randomly chose a name for himself, which was what he told Tang Liu Feng.

When Tang Liu Feng heard this, he revealed an expression of utmost reverence as he replied, "That’s great, brother Liang Chen. Can I ask if you have a way to contact brother Li Bai? I have something urgent I wish to tell him."

"What urgent matter?"

"It’s regarding Madam Ya. Wait a second. Can I ask if there’s any way to prove that you know brother Li? If not, this humble subject cannot divulge the information." Tang Liu Feng spoke halfway before realizing that this person could be lying. He thus looked up at Xu Que warily.

When Xu Que heard that this matter involved Madam Ya, he looked up at Tang Liu Feng and realized that he did look rather anxious. His heart started to beat faster. Could something bad have happened to Madam Ya?

"Tang Ho Bu, look clearly and see who I really am!" Xu Que then lowered his hood before putting back on hurriedly.

Just a glance was enough for Tang Liu Feng to see Xu Que’s appearance and recognize him. His eyes opened wide, "Brother Li, how did you..."

"There’s no time. Quick, even though there’s nowhere we can go and have a quiet conversation, don’t beat around the bush. Tell me what’s going on." Xu Que interrupted him.

Tang Liu Feng’s expression froze in his face as he looked around suspiciously before creeping up closer to Xu Que and whispered, "It’s been said that the Fire Emperor found out about you and personally paid Madam Ya a visit. Soon after, several highly proficient fighters from the Imperial Palace sealed up the entire area around the lake. Madam Ya and several other young students are being locked up within the area."

"Oh, then how did you find out about it?" Xu Que frowned and asked. Why would the Fire Emperor lock Madam Ya up because of this? Could it be because he heard the words ‘Heavenly Explosion Faction’?

Tang Liu Feng lowered his voice and spoke, "One of the students manage to swim under the sealing spell by the lake. He carried Madam Ya’s message and went to the inn looking for you, but you weren’t around. It was coincidental that we bumped into each other, since we were friends. Hence, I came to find you and deliver the message."

"What did Madam Ya say?" Xu Que’s expression froze as he asked.

Tang Liu Feng gave a strange expression as he spoke two words, "Save me."

Xu Que was astonished.

"Madam Ya was being locked up and she actually looked for me to rescue her. Could there be more hidden layers of unknown conspiracies beneath?"

"Brother Li, you have to be careful. I have to be blunt with you. That day during the banquet, this humble subject noticed the way Madam Ya looked at you and realized that it was rather strange. I’m afraid that the Fire Emperor might have realized that Madam Ya had feelings for you and thus decided to seal her up. Don’t be too complacent!" Tang Liu Feng reminded him once more.

A white ray of light flashed across Xu Que’s mind as he recalled the memory of Madam Ya looking at him. After hearing what Tang Liu Feng had to say, he then understood everything that was going on.

Madam Ya was a noble and sacred royalty. She was supposed to remain faithful to the Fire God and thus had to preserve her virginity for life. Once she loses it to a man, it was said that the entire Fire Nation would lose its protection from the Fire God.

The Fire Emperor was worried that Madam Ya would fall too deeply in love with him and thus decided to lock her up.

Hence, there were more than just students looking for Xu Que now. It seemed like there would probably be highly skilled assassins searching for him too.

Thinking up to this point, Xu Que’s lips parted to reveal a cold grin. He wasn’t surprised by the Fire Emperor’s tactics.

This were the decisions made by the Emperor and thus Xu Que didn’t wish to read too much into it. And yet, he felt a certain compulsion to exact revenge, since he was being plotted against by the Fire Emperor.

"Gulp, brother Li, I hope you’re not thinking about saving her and being rash. You mustn’t ever go there." Tang Liu Feng realized that Xu Que wasn’t replying him and hurriedly coaxed him.

A gleam flashed past Xu Que’s eyes as he laughed, "How could I be rash? Madam Ya was only being sealed up. Her life is not in danger and there’s no urgent need for her to be rescued. Today, I shall have my fun."

"Fun?" Tang Liu Feng paused in shock.

Even before he could regain his senses, Xu Que had already strode off towards the training grounds.

Tang Liu Feng’s eyes remained wide open in shock.

Fuck! You... You’re going to participate in this contest?