Chapter 293

In his past life, Li Fei had heard a story while working within the system:

A colleague was just one step away from a promotion, thinking it was a sure thing, but ended up failing in the end.

Later, after much inquiry, he found out it had been vetoed by a high-ranking leader above.

The colleague felt very aggrieved, wondering how he could have offended the other party when he had barely even met them a few times, and couldn't understand why.

It was only after a long time, by sheer coincidence, that he learned the reason:

A few years prior, he had attended a meeting and happened to run into that high-ranking leader, but because he was distracted at the time, he hadn't greeted the other party.

It was precisely because of this reason that his promotion was vetoed by the other party.

When Li Fei first heard this story, his immediate reaction was that it felt unreal; it was hard for a normal person to hold onto such a small matter for several years, let alone a leader of such high status.

How could someone who reached such a high position be so petty?

How could a big shot act in such a way?

Even novels wouldn't dare write it like that!

But the reality was that this story had actually happened to a colleague in his past life.

Previously, the Third Imperial Prince had told Li Fei that the reason the First Imperial Prince targeted him, besides his recruitment by the Crown Prince, was because the First Imperial Prince was jealous of his talent.

Li Fei had found that unbelievable as well.

A dignified imperial prince would actually target someone for such a reason?

Having struggled against the Crown Prince and the Third Imperial Prince for so many years, how could the First Imperial Prince be so capricious?

But now, seeing the First Imperial Prince "chasing" him out of the imperial palace, Li Fei had to admit—

Reality is far more absurd than fiction!

"Imperial princes are people too."

Li Fei now deeply understood the Third Imperial Prince's words.

Swish—

The surrounding pedestrians knelt down upon seeing the First Imperial Prince step out of the car.

They did not recognize the First Imperial Prince, but as "residents of the capital," they at least knew that anyone riding in a "Golden Dragon" must be a member of the imperial family, so they knelt quite naturally.

Along the long street, pedestrians knelt everywhere, with only Li Fei remaining standing.

The First Imperial Prince, dressed in his golden martial arts uniform with red trim, exuded an overbearing aura as he strode forward:

"Li Fei!"

"Your Highness, we meet again."

This time, Li Fei did not bow; he stepped out from in front of the black sedan and replied calmly.

The First Imperial Prince raised a finger and pointed it at Li Fei through the air:

"It has been a long time since anyone dared to speak to me like that."

Li Fei smiled: "Is Your Highness here to ask me for an apology?"

"Ha? Hahahahaha—"

The First Imperial Prince's laughter was like the galloping of iron cavalry, filled with murderous intent!

He looked into Li Fei's eyes, his gaze burning:

"I don't like nonsense. There happens to be a dueling platform right here; let me see how much weight you, the champion of the Wu Gong Tournament, really have!"

He wanted to duel Li Fei personally!

The Third Imperial Prince said he was a martial arts prodigy, and that was no exaggeration.

The First Imperial Prince, Qin Zihong, was 37 years old, a powerhouse at the Dao Foundation stage, and had already integrated four implants.

He had broken through to the Dao Foundation stage at 28; although he was still some distance from the "peerless prodigy" rating in the "Chronicles of Prodigies," he had broken through before 30, which already qualified him as a prodigy.

As an imperial prince, daring to experience life and death time and again to constantly hone himself, he was indeed outstanding among the imperial family!

Of course, in terms of talent, the First Imperial Prince could not compare to Li Fei at all.

However, what he wanted to compete with Li Fei on now was not talent.

In his view, Li Fei, the champion of the Wu Gong Exchange Tournament, was nothing but a fraud!

He had studied Li Fei's championship journey in detail:

In the round of 16 and the round of 8, the opponents he defeated were only third-tier Dao Foundation stage cultivators.

In the semi-finals against Gan Jingcheng, it was because he had taken medicine beforehand, and later Gan Jingcheng had let Li Fei fully unleash his shadow clones and set up a grand formation, which was the only reason he won.

As for the finals, there was no need to even mention it; Ming Qi simply forfeited, and Li Fei won without a fight.

Therefore, the First Imperial Prince did not think Li Fei was all that impressive.

Today, he would defeat him in front of everyone and seize his reputation as champion!

This year's Wu Gong Exchange Tournament was already known nationwide and had become a grand event.

The Crown Prince had first let the Pudu Temple join the tournament, then set the venue, and finally returned to Lanling City with two of the "Firsts in History" in high profile, stealing all the limelight!

The First Imperial Prince did not want the Crown Prince to take all the benefits, so he ran over to fight Li Fei, intending to use this heat to make a name for himself.

And to vent some anger while he was at it, teaching Li Fei a lesson.

As for jealousy or anything of the sort, he would never admit to it.

"Your Highness wants to spar with me?"

Li Fei asked calmly.

"You and I are at the same stage, and my cultivation is not even as good as Gan Jingcheng, whom you defeated in the Wu Gong Exchange Tournament. Today, I won't use my status to suppress you; I'll just spar with you alone. That shouldn't be considered bullying you, the champion, right?"

The First Imperial Prince looked playful.

"Fine, as you wish."

Li Fei walked quite decisively toward the dueling platform not far away.

The First Imperial Prince revealed a ferocious smile and strode over as well.

By this time, the guards he had brought had already "cleared the area" around the dueling platform and were standing guard.

The two of them leaped onto the dueling platform separately.

Seeing this scene, the pedestrians kneeling on the ground around them revealed looks of anticipation.

They hadn't expected to encounter such excitement while out for a stroll, seeing an imperial prince sparring with someone!

Li Fei held his Ghost-Slaying Blade in one hand, looking at the First Imperial Prince opposite him:

"How does Your Highness intend to decide the winner?"

One of them was an imperial prince, and the other was an imperial envoy just appointed by the Emperor; naturally, they could not fight to the death.

"Simple: falling to the ground and unable to rise, falling off the platform, or voluntarily admitting defeat—all count as a loss."

The First Imperial Prince stood on the platform, leaning on his blade, and said calmly.

Just at this moment, a dozen reporters carrying cameras appeared at the street corner and quickly aimed their cameras at the dueling platform.

These people were naturally brought by the First Imperial Prince, and even the news headline had already been prepared—

"First Imperial Prince Tramples Wu Gong Tournament Champion"!

Imperial princes also need prestige, and the bigger, the better.

"We can begin."

The First Imperial Prince said.

Li Fei stood in place; another version of him walked to the left, followed by a third walking to the right.

Then a fourth Li Fei appeared, and a fifth.

After the tempering of the Wu Gong Exchange Tournament, Li Fei had become increasingly proficient in the use of "Shadows," and after breaking through his third implant, 【Flame Core】, to the Qi Transformation stage, the speed at which he created clones had also become faster.

The First Imperial Prince sneered; he did not sit idly by and watch Li Fei continue to create clones, but violently drew his own sword.

Clang—

A flash of bright blade light lit up on the platform.

As an imperial prince, the equipment he used naturally could not be poor.

The sword in the First Imperial Prince's hand was a level-six exotic weapon custom-made for him by a master blacksmith, capable of maximizing his combat power!

The First Imperial Prince held his blade in one hand and vanished from his spot, instantly crossing over ten meters, swinging his blade from top to bottom at one of the "Li Feis."

Li Fei also drew his Ghost-Slaying Blade, meeting the attack from bottom to top.

Bang!!!

A thunderous sound rang out on the long street.

Li Fei was knocked back several steps, leaving footprints in the stone floor beneath his feet as gravel flew.

This Li Fei was the real body!

He looked up at the First Imperial Prince, only to see the other party's eyes were golden, filled with majesty.

The founding Emperor of the Great Lan Dynasty was a human Martial Saint who had reached the pinnacle of martial arts.

After ascending the throne, he collected martial arts from all over the world and personally built a Royal Library.

During his reign of over two hundred years, the founding Emperor integrated hundreds of the top martial arts, combined with his own realm and experience, and finally created a peerless martial art—the Seven True Dragon Wu Gong!

Later, this martial art became the exclusive secret skill of the imperial family.

It was just a pity that this martial art was too profound; since the founding Emperor, few imperial family members had managed to master it.

At this moment, what the First Imperial Prince was using was the Seven True Dragon Wu Gong: Red Gold Pupils!

This was an extremely rare ocular technique, and the prerequisite for practicing it was the possession of an extraordinary ability related to ocular techniques.

Afterward, one could use this ocular technique to gradually change and strengthen one's extraordinary ability.

Even if it wasn't a core-level extraordinary ability at the start, once the ocular technique was mastered, it could be turned into a core-level extraordinary ability!

The First Imperial Prince had integrated four types of implants and had practiced all of them to produce innate Qi.

He had triggered three core-level extraordinary abilities, and his paper combat power was at the 5.5-tier Dao Foundation stage.

But he used the best implants, took the best elixirs, practiced the strongest martial arts, and had been guided in his cultivation by Grandmasters and even Martial Saints since he was a child!

With such a background, his combat power far exceeded that of other cultivators at the same stage.

Plus, the "Red Gold Pupils" he practiced were a perfect counter to Li Fei's "Shadows," so he was full of confidence in this battle.

How could he lose with the True Dragon riding in his face?

Having forced Li Fei's real body back with one strike, the First Imperial Prince stepped forward and continued to strike, a streak of red-gold blade Qi rolling rapidly across the platform, crushing toward Li Fei.

Rolling blade like thunder!

Li Fei's figure expanded, first entering the "Tyrant Body" state, then unleashing the Jin Gang Seal: Dragon-Elephant, cutting horizontally from left to right with one blade.

A blade Qi, equally brilliant with golden light, bloomed.

Boom!!!

The two streaks of blade Qi were like two heavy iron cavalries colliding head-on, crashing with a rainbow-like momentum before shattering into pieces.

At the moment the blade Qi collided, Li Fei's mind shook, and he felt an extremely overbearing mental force that seemed to have transformed into a heavy iron cavalry, killing its way into his consciousness!

In a trance, he seemed to be suddenly placed on a battlefield of thousands of troops, and he was alone facing the charging iron cavalry, about to be crushed into meat paste!

This was a type of mental attack similar to Dao force, but it was not fused with physical force or blood Qi.

Combined with the blade Qi the First Imperial Prince had unleashed, it was like a duet.

This was also the power of the "Red Gold Pupils"!

Although this "heavy iron cavalry" formed by mental force was perfectly ambushed, it still alerted Li Fei before it was launched.

Under the warning of "Danger Perception," Li Fei unleashed his blade while internally visualizing the "Red-Sound Fire Jin Gang Image":

On the battlefield, a Jin Gang Dharma image over a hundred meters tall suddenly appeared in front of the charging heavy iron cavalry.

This Jin Gang Dharma image had angry eyes, was protected by a Heavenly Dragon, and was surrounded by Heavenly Fire, standing motionless even as the iron cavalry crashed into it.

Everything that happened in the conscious world seemed complex, but it actually only took an instant.

On the dueling platform, the First Imperial Prince and Li Fei traded a blow and each took a step back.

As they retreated, two shadow clones happened to appear behind the First Imperial Prince, striking at him together.

Bang! Bang!

Two explosions rang out; the two clones each exploded after striking, the Origin Sha Qi inside rushing toward the First Imperial Prince.

The First Imperial Prince was enveloped in a layer of red-gold force, as if he had donned a suit of extremely majestic armor.

There were even dragon scales on this armor.

The rushing Origin Sha Qi dissipated rapidly upon contacting this dragon-scale armor, like snow under the scorching sun.

Seven True Dragon Wu Gong: True Dragon Martial Body!

This was another secret skill from the "Seven True Dragon Wu Gong."

At the same time, Li Fei was also clad in a golden armor of sun, moon, and stars, equally imposing and not losing to the First Imperial Prince in the slightest!

The two of them killed their way toward each other again.

(End of this chapter)