Chapter 393: Liang Emperor

"Please, teach me!"

He Pingsheng bowed to Princess Qinghe.

"No need for formalities!" Princess Qinghe stepped down hard and rose from the ground.

She wore a purple robe today, accentuating her slender figure and elegant bearing; paired with her peerless beauty, she truly lived up to the imperial ancestor's words: "modest charm."

In fact, she surpassed it.

"Holy shit…"

The two had barely exchanged greetings when whispers broke out below—loud, unmistakable, and widespread.

"No way, this is the guy who looked down on Princess Qinghe?"

"I thought he was some prodigy—how did he end up looking like this?"

"Not ugly, but he's just… ordinary."

"Yeah, he's utterly unworthy of Princess Qinghe!"

"I heard he's just a plain third-nine Tribulation Golden Core?"

"Don't worry—once the princess strikes, she'll blast him into eighteen pieces!"

"Hehe… even if the princess holds back, I'll climb up later and challenge him—I'll kill him!"

"Exactly…"

"No one dares insult our eldest princess!"

He Pingsheng shifted his gaze slightly, looking down at the crowd.

It wasn't so bad.

Though everyone was murmuring, most kept their heads down and voices low.

Only four or five people shouted as if afraid no one would notice.

Clearly trying to stir up the crowd.

People with ulterior motives.

"That… you… yes, you…" He Pingsheng pointed directly at the loudest man and said coldly: "I can delay my match with the princess—aren't you the one who wants to kill me?"

"Come on—let's fight first!"

As he spoke, He Pingsheng's spiritual sense swept over the man without restraint.

His cultivation was decent—already at Golden Core Level Ten.

The man froze under He Pingsheng's finger, face flushed with embarrassment.

Should he climb up?

No way—he didn't know He Pingsheng's combat strength, but his master did. His master had warned him: He Pingsheng was a Golden Core Passage cultivator.

Even though He Pingsheng was only Level Five, he was still beyond comparison.

The man shrank back, forcing a nervous smile: "Hehe… brother, misunderstanding, misunderstanding… you two fight, you two fight… I wish you victory…"

After speaking, the fellow completely pulled his head in.

With that, the murmuring crowd fell silent, as if afraid He Pingsheng would point at them next.

"Alright, Princess, we may begin!" He Pingsheng took a deep breath.

Princess Qinghe replied: "No rush—I've waited this long, a few more moments won't matter."

"Before we start, let's clarify the rules."

"To ensure fairness, no talismans, magic treasures, or elixirs are permitted…"

"In short—no external aids!"

"Only your own spells and abilities may be used. You have no objections?"

Liang Huaqiu's moon-white face tilted slightly upward, her sharp chin aimed at He Pingsheng.

Her swan-like neck was long; the beauty vein above her collarbone formed a graceful curve.

He Pingsheng said: "Fairness is fine, but I'm only Level Five, while you're Level Twelve—is that fair?"

Liang Huaqiu sneered: "That's your own fault for being weak—what does it have to do with me?"

He Pingsheng said: "Fine—I was just born too late."

"Damn it…" Liang Huaqiu erupted in fury: "Are you implying I'm old?"

"Hmph…"

"Boom…"

In a rage, Liang Huaqiu flicked her sleeve—a cold blade of light shot out toward He Pingsheng.

She used no magic treasure or artifact—just a casual wave, yet blade qi pierced the air.

This must be a spell or divine technique.

He Pingsheng didn't dare underestimate it.

His metallic spiritual power surged, instantly forming a golden shield around his body.

Spell: Golden Shield!

And for this defense, He Pingsheng did not use the Five Elements Unified Force.

He relied solely on his own pure metallic spiritual energy.

He wanted to test Princess Qinghe's true strength—and avoid revealing his own cards too soon.

Especially under so many eyes.

But he hadn't expected her ice-element blade technique to be so sharp.

The blade qi struck the golden shield—then came a sharp *crack*.

Cracks split the shield.

He Pingsheng was stunned—he stepped back, activating the Three Thousand Thundering Steps.

The technique instantly quintupled his speed; with it, he shifted sideways three zhang in an instant.

The next moment, the blade qi shattered the shield entirely, then pierced through a block of seemingly unbreakable blue stone.

The stone shattered.

"Psst…"

A chorus of hisses rose from below.

He Pingsheng frowned.

Rule-force.

Yes—Princess Qinghe's first strike carried rule-force.

His Golden Shield wasn't weak—he'd defended with pure spiritual energy, not rule-force.

Naturally, it couldn't hold.

"You run fast!" Liang Huaqiu's anger remained: "Again!"

*Swoosh…*

Another blade of light flew forth.

Again, ice-element.

This time, He Pingsheng didn't use Golden Shield.

Instead, a layer of earth-yellow light flared around his body.

Spell: Earth Armor!

And this time, he infused it with a thread of Dao.

Defending rule-force with rule-force.

Besides, earth overcomes water.

Let's see if you can still pierce it.

*Puch!

Indeed, the blue blade qi sank into the Earth Armor and vanished completely.

The armor's glow dimmed only slightly.

"Break Wood…"

Princess Qinghe didn't pause after her failed strike.

As the blade qi faded, a massive wooden spike erupted from the ground beneath him.

The Earth Armor dimmed another fifth, then shattered with a *pop*.

*Chit-chit-chit…*

More spikes surged from all directions, piercing through empty air toward He Pingsheng.

Each spike dripped thick green poison.

"Golden Shield…"

Metal overcomes wood!

Golden Shield was the perfect counter to Break Wood.

And this time, He Pingsheng infused it with rule-force.

The Break Wood spikes couldn't pierce it.

Liang Huaqiu clenched her silver teeth: "Are you a turtle? Even if you are, I'll crack your damn shell today!"

"Liang Emperor's Heavenly Gang..."

"Gather!"

The next moment, Princess Qinghe stepped forward and stood in empty space, and suddenly countless invisible golden energies appeared around her, all converging toward her body.