I Don't Want to Get Hurt, So I'll Max Out My Defense

Chapter 763 -764: Finale: Hellfire!

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“This is our clan’s treasured Thousand-Year Fire Lingzhi, I urge the old master to take a look!”

“This is the Wang Family’s birthday gift, a Rainbow Glazed Longevity Peach, with floral carvings and a hollow interior, crafted to perfection. Moreover, it has been nurtured in a cold spring, and its artistic value is such that it could be placed in the most cultured of halls. One could say that apart from not being edible, this longevity peach is exceptional in every other aspect!”

“Hahaha, our clan’s offered treasure is rather different, we are more straightforward, five hundred flying sword Magic Treasures, uniform in quality for Disciples in the Human Immortal Realm. We hope they will shine brilliantly in the hands of the talented youth of the Great Flame Dynasty!”

One by one, the masters from the sects and noble clans presented their gifts, followed by those from the younger generation.

The variety of birthday gifts were dazzling, with every conceivable thing being gifted, and none left undelivered. The Grand Emperor seated in the highest place laughed so wide he could barely close his mouth; receiving gifts truly was a joyful affair.

It was clear that everyone present took his birthday to heart, without the slightest hint of neglect, which filled him with great satisfaction indeed.

“Hehe, very good, very good, this old man has taken note of everyone’s kindness. If you ever face difficulties, the Great Flame Dynasty will not stand idly by,”

said the Grand Emperor with a beaming smile.

“Grand Emperor, don’t be in a hurry, there’s still one person who hasn’t given their birthday gift yet. In my opinion, the courage to present the final offering must signify that it is the most special gift among all the birthday gifts today!”

The Ninth Prince said this with a smile on his face that was as refreshing as a spring breeze, cheerfully speaking to the Grand Emperor.

“Haha, exactly, exactly, I didn’t expect Ninth Brother to notice such a fine detail. Indeed, you are worthy of being the Princely Heir of the Great Flame Dynasty, I too believe that the final act will surely astound everyone!”

The Seventh Prince also said with a smile, agreeing with the Ninth Prince’s words.

However, the meaning within his words was much more colorful; if Li Xiaobai could present a valuable birthday gift, then naturally there would be no problem at all.

But if he couldn’t produce one, or could only present something of inferior quality, then the words just spoken would become the spark that ignites conflict, drawing the dissatisfaction of everyone present directly towards Li Xiaobai, and could even humiliate the entire Great Flame Dynasty because of him.

Moreover, the Ninth Prince, who first brought Li Xiaobai into the spotlight, would naturally also be implicated, noticing such a “detail” might even be said to be deliberate troublemaking.

And he, the Seventh Prince, could almost entirely absolve himself of responsibility, killing two birds with one stone, how splendid!

“Oh?”

“Among the Great Flame Dynasty, there is such a person?”

“Who are they? Hurry up and bring them out!”

Upon hearing the two of them speak this way, the Grand Emperor too became interested, his face still full of smiles.

At that moment, the looks in the eyes of the various Princely Heirs of the Great Flame Dynasty were somewhat strange, and even the sovereign sitting next to the Grand Emperor had an unpleasant look on his face, evidently they all guessed who this last person would be.

Originally, they all intended to selectively ignore this Eighteenth Prince, to let him be transparent, for with so many cultivators giving gifts, accidentally missing one would not be noticed.

But to their utter surprise, the Ninth Prince and Seventh Prince had gone ahead and directly called out for him.

What were they up to? Was this a deliberate disturbance of the birthday celebration for the sake of a momentary squabble among the Princely Heirs?

In order to suppress the eighteenth Princely Heir, would you really cause the Great Flame Dynasty to be publicly disgraced?

At this moment, His Majesty’s displeasure reached its peak. He had never held any expectations for the eighteenth Princely Heir; instead, he felt extreme dissatisfaction with both the ninth and seventh Princely Heirs. Such family heirs who disregarded the bigger picture were unfit for significant responsibilities!

“Ninth Brother, who is this final person you mentioned? Bring him out quickly!”

“Everyone here is very much looking forward to this final showpiece treasure. Given Ninth Brother’s personal recommendation, it would seem you are already well aware of its significance.”

The seventh Princely Heir said with a smile, his demeanor quite genial, yet in the ears of the ninth Princely Heir, it sounded so grating.

It was only now that he realized how foolish he had been—why would he put himself forward at such a time? Not only was he setting up someone else, but he had also shot himself in the foot.

Most crucially, the seventh Princely Heir had actually come forward to kick him while he was down. He was aiming to bring down both him and the eighteenth Princely Heir in one fell swoop!

However, it was useless to regret at this point, as the words had already been spoken. With so many eyes watching, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and said, “Reporting to Grand Emperor, the last person is none other than the eighteenth Princely Heir of the present Great Flame Dynasty, Yan Zhaotian. I have observed him sitting upright and composed, calm and collected. He has long prepared a gift for Grand Emperor, just waiting for your inquiry.”

The ninth Princely Heir bowed and clasped his hands together, speaking with great respect.

As soon as these words were spoken, silence fell over the great hall.

Every cultivator present had widened their eyes. They all knew the situation with Yan Zhaotian—news of yesterday’s murder in the streets had spread faster than a virus. The citizens of Yan City had been gleefully discussing how the eighteenth Princely Heir suddenly changed his ways, not only murdering someone on the streets but also changing his name, which was considered quite the curious anecdote. novelbuddy.cσ๓

But this eighteenth Princely Heir had always been considered inept. Even if his temperament had changed now, what good would it do? He was destined to amount to nothing.

How could such a person possibly have a worthy longevity gift? Could this be a plot of mutual entrapment among the heirs?

For a time, rather than paying too much attention to Li Xiaobai, many cultivators turned their gazes to the ninth and seventh Princely Heirs, the atmosphere growing tense and eerie.

“Seventh Brother, Ninth Brother, you have made a poor move. You’re too hasty; this will not turn out well.”

The Crown Prince poured himself a drink and murmured to himself.

He was not concerned about the farce unfolding; he could guess the outcome. Li Xiaobai would be expelled for failing to produce a longevity gift, the Great Flame Dynasty would become a laughingstock, and he would then take this opportunity to dispose of the seventh and ninth, eliminating three rivals at once with ease.

“Are you referring to the eighteenth, Yan Liang?”

“Why do you call him Yan Zhaotian?”

The Grand Emperor was puzzled, not understanding what these youngsters were up to, but he also felt that something was amiss. He had heard quite a few rumors about the eighteenth Princely Heir and had a bad feeling about this.

“Reporting to Grand Emperor, your grandson only had a given name but no courtesy name. From now on, my surname will be Yan, my given name Liang, and my courtesy name Zhaotian. The younger generation today all follow the Heavenly Dao as blindly as pigs, horses, cattle, and sheep. I have a dream, which is to cut down all enemies in this world, slaying gods if they obstruct me. And if heaven stands in my way, then I shall blow a hole through it; hence the name Zhaotian!”

“Seventh Brother and Ninth Brother are correct. Today is Grand Emperor’s birthday, and I dare not be negligent. Having narrowly escaped death a few days ago, I retrieved a naturally-formed treasure from relics outside the city for Grand Emperor’s birthday celebration!”

“Its name is Hellfire!”