Nine Star Hegemon Body Art

Chapter 5838: Seeing the Third Princess Again

Huai Yushan immediately halted upon hearing Long Chen’s voice. At that moment, a figure silently materialized on the martial stage. As soon as he appeared, cheers erupted from the Undying Willow race’s camp, signifying his high status among them.

His arrival was eerie, as if he had phased into existence rather than stepped onto the stage. His form flickered between reality and illusion. He was a tall and icy-faced man.

“A grafting substitution technique?”

Long Chen was shocked. This method of movement was beyond bizarre, but the immense wood element energy radiating from the man allowed Long Chen to deduce how it was done. If his guess was correct, then this was even more astonishing. It seemed that this man could absorb the power of the martial stage for his own use.

Since the stage was essentially an extension of a powerful expert’s will, wouldn’t that be considered cheating?

“In front of the Undying race, you aren’t qualified to be arrogant. Hmph, trash that stains itself also dares to act wildly in front of the Undying race?” sneered that man.

“Big words. What is your name?” asked Aguta coldly.

“The Undying Willow race’s Liu Chi.”

Aguta smirked. “Judging by your people’s reaction, you must be fairly high-ranked. But you’re no Sovereign sprout. Lan Yin’s defeat only fuels my desire to take down a true Sovereign sprout. I will shatter the myth of their invincibility and show the Undying race what true power is. You’re not worth my time. I want to fight a Sovereign sprout.”

“Whether or not I’m qualified is something you’ll know in a bit. Are you really set on fighting me? Or can it be that other than Liu Ruyan, the Undying race doesn’t have any other Sovereign sprouts?” mocked Aguta.

“You really are—”

“Cough, cough!”

A loud, deliberate coughing fit interrupted Liu Chi.

Huai Yushan, the culprit, looked slightly confused, but she had acted instinctively under Long Chen’s unspoken guidance.

This coughing fit was naturally because of Long Chen. Their spiritual connection had never been interrupted.

Liu Chi froze for a moment before realization dawned on him. He glanced at Huai Yushan and gave a subtle nod of understanding.

Aguta was baiting them—trying to extract information about the Undying race’s power structure. The Undying race, though powerful, wasn’t known for their intelligence, making them susceptible to such tricks.

Staring at Huai Yushan angrily, he sinisterly said, “A Heaven Saint disciple standing at the forefront of such a grand spectacle… Does that mean you’re the strongest disciple of the Undying race?”

Huai Yushan’s lips curled into a smile, and she answered, “I am Huai Yushan of the Undying Dragon Tree race, ranked sixth among my generation. But within the entire Undying race’s young disciples, I’m only ranked 9527th. The reason I’m at the very front is very simple: my skin is thick. I wanted to get a better look from the front.”

Long Chen had started spouting nonsense. Though he still didn’t know what they were up to, he had to interrupt their tempo. He couldn’t let the Undying race’s disciples be led by the nose.

Aguta’s eyes narrowed. “Do you take me for a fool? That excuse is absurd. Or are you simply looking down on me and refusing to fight me?”

Before Huai Yushan could respond, a sinister voice echoed from the Devil Eye Water Lily camp.

“It’s not that she’s looking down on you. She’s simply afraid to lose!”

A white-robed man with deathly pale skin and flowing white hair emerged from their camp. His aged appearance resembled that of a wizened elder.

Stepping onto the stage, he swept his gaze over the Undying race’s experts. “I’ll fight in the third match. My target is a Sovereign sprout as well. Why don’t we decide on our opponents now?”

Long Chen’s eyes flashed as he instantly saw through their ploy.

They’re trying to force the Undying race into revealing their true power.

But before he could react, a powerful, melodious voice rang through the air—gentle yet commanding, filled with natural dignity and unwavering strength.

“I’ll fight the third match.”

That voice struck Long Chen like a bolt of lightning. His heart trembled as he turned toward the source.

Standing beside Liu Ruyan was a figure he had longed to see again.

Chu Yao.

She was as breathtaking as ever, yet time had transformed her. The naivete and immaturity of youth had faded, making her appear more mature and steady.

The former third princess of the Phoenix Cry Empire was no longer the naive girl who once dreamed of a peaceful life. Now, she was a warrior.

Gone was the softness in her gaze; in its place was the resolve of someone who had clawed her way to power through struggle. When Long Chen saw that, he felt a wave of bitterness.

Chu Yao would have been content with a peaceful life. But because of his powerlessness, she had no choice but to grow stronger.

In the Phoenix Cry Empire, she had been alone. In the Skywood Palace, she had stood alone against countless heavenly geniuses. However, she had never voiced any complaints.

The cultivation world was indeed merciless. No one could get stronger without any suffering, especially not someone like Chu Yao who lacked any background or status. The stronger she grew, the more suffering she had to endure.

Her presence left the battlefield stunned.

Even Aguta and the others felt a creeping unease.

What unsettled them the most was that Chu Yao’s aura was eerily similar to Liu Ruyan’s. Even their spiritual fluctuations mirrored one another.

Aguta and the others instantly had a bad feeling. If their guess was correct, Chu Yao’s power was very likely on par with Liu Ruyan’s.

Although she didn’t emit any Sovereign sprout fluctuations, she did have a powerful force field around her. This ephemeral pressure made them uneasy, causing them to think that she was an exceedingly terrifying foe.

The white-haired man’s expression twitched before he sneered. “A human? Has the great Undying race fallen so far that it now needs the human race’s help to maintain its dignity?”

Liu Ruyan’s face darkened. That one sentence—whether intentional or not—made it so that Chu Yao could no longer fight under the Undying race’s banner.

Before anyone could react, Huai Yushan stepped forward, her voice firm.

“Leave the third battle to me!”