Douluo: A Century-old Legend I Am the Second Uncle Chenxin

Chapter 1529 Challenge

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……

When Chen Xiaojun and his party returned to the Chen family mansion, the setting sun had already lost its last rays, and dusk had fallen.

Old Master Shi had already made all the arrangements; the spacious dining room was filled with the rich aroma of food.

The delicacies and nourishing medicinal dishes, meticulously prepared by chefs surnamed Xin, Tao, and Jiao, were neatly arranged on the long table, steaming and exuding a refreshing aroma of herbs and medicinal ingredients, ready for the weary team members to enjoy.

The game has entered a fierce and brutal mid-game phase.

Looking back at the recently concluded rounds of the semi-finals, the competition was far more intense than expected.

The list of seriously injured already includes He Qiang, Chu Youwei, Ji Boda, and Liu Ruyan, and today's match added Ma Liang to the list.

Those who sustained less severe injuries, such as Zhu Wuneng, Chen Ze, and Shen Youchu, also bore the marks of the battle.

Of the eighteen official team members, eight were injured.

The "Golden Generation," except for Gu Wuyan, who was a support-type Soul Master, was almost entirely wiped out in the fierce battle.

On the field today, every team faces Chang'an Academy with a fierce, do-or-die attitude.

Just like Yuzuru Hanyu of the Tianshui team today, he was willing to sacrifice his own life essence to defeat Chang'an Academy.

Chang'an Academy, with its dual status as a favorite to win this competition and the top team in Fasno Province, has clearly become the target of all capable challengers.

At this moment, including Chen Xiaojun, Xiaoyi, and a few others who were still in relatively good condition, there were only ten combatants left who could be used.

This directly led to a significant reduction in the options available for subsequent troop deployment.

Over the next two days, they will face two other top teams, Jiutian and Tianshan, both of whom are tough opponents.

From Moon Bay yesterday, to Tianshui today, to Jiutian tomorrow, and Tianshan the day after, it's a grueling schedule with no time to breathe.

The medical team leader, Pu Shuirou, had said that they had prepared a lot of high-grade elixirs to deal with the injuries.

The condition of those seriously injured, such as He, Chu, Ji, and Liu, is relatively stable. If they can rest and recuperate with the help of precious elixirs, they are expected to regain their fighting strength in about ten days.

Therefore, it is not yet time to immediately use the injured player quota to replace them from the official list.

Ma Liang, who was newly injured today, has been deeply eroded by that extremely cold soul power, and his situation is the most troublesome. His injury needs to be observed for another two days before a decision can be made.

Under such circumstances, fielding a reserve team seems to be the only option.

Fortunately, after more than 20 days of intense competition in the provincial and semi-final rounds, the substitute players have significantly improved their strength and mentality, and have adapted to the high-pressure rhythm of the semi-final rounds.

What is particularly gratifying is that Chen Shurui and Chen Bin, who were previously injured, are recovering well and their injuries have basically healed. Gao Cuilan's breathing techniques, which she has been practicing diligently for two months, are also gradually improving.

These three are already capable of stepping in at any time. They are just waiting for Chen Xiaojun's approval to be included in the official team using the injury roster to fill the vacancies.

……

In the inner chamber of the Haotian Sect's residence in Lankai City, the candlelight was dim, and sandalwood incense burned in a bronze censer, sending straight plumes of blue smoke.

Tang Potian closed his eyes and sat cross-legged on the futon like a stone sculpture, with only his knuckles tapping a certain obscure rhythm on his knees.

Footsteps broke the silence, and a guard bowed as he entered: "Reporting to Seventh Master,"

The voice echoed in the empty room, "Our two iron material delivery points in Jiangjiafang, west of the city... have been raided."

He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing, "They said the product was found to be 'insufficient in quality' and ordered the business to cease operations pending further investigation. The person in charge of the Jiang family was summoned to the government office this afternoon and hasn't returned yet..."

Jiangjiafang.

Upon hearing those three words, Tang Potian's tapping rhythm abruptly halted.

That was one of the clan's secret locations in Lancashire, specializing in collecting scattered iron materials, forming an iron flow, and hiding beneath the surface of the city.

Now, a corner has been ruthlessly pried open, and the blade is precisely pressed against the root.

Tang Potian's eyelids suddenly lifted a crack, and in the dim candlelight, a cold light, like icicles, pierced deep within his pupils.

Jiangjiafang in the west of the city was by no means an accidental mishap!

Before the air could even settle, another figure stumbled in, his voice tight and hoarse: "Seventh Master, south of the city! Something's happened at 'Fengyuan' rice shop!"

The man who arrived was panting heavily. "The county government's inspection team sealed off the premises and conducted a thorough search. They confiscated all the account books! The clerk, the accountant, the clerk... all seven of them were arrested and taken away! The charge is 'hoarding and price gouging'!"

Fengyuan Rice Shop.

Another heavy name has fallen to the ground.

On the surface, they were rice merchants, but in secret, they were the eyes and ears of the clan to monitor grain conditions and infiltrate people's lives.

Within a single day, two carefully concealed spies were uprooted, the operation swift and ruthless, leaving no room for retreat.

With clean, efficient movements, like a skilled butcher dissecting an ox, he precisely removed the bones and joints that Haotian Sect had embedded in Lankai County.

Tang Potian slowly stood up, turned his back to the guard who had reported, and walked towards the worn bronze mirror in the room.

His tall yet blurry figure was reflected in the mirror, his outline slightly distorted in the flickering candlelight.

In the depths of those eyes reflected in the mirror, a storm seemed to be silently surging and crashing.

Who was behind this? The prefectural government?

Nonsense.

Who else but the Xuanhuang Tang family and the Chen family could be wielding such a powerful hand to drive the government to such "swift and decisive" actions?
Dust Chapter!

The name silently rolled between my teeth.

This was a response to the several obstacles he had taken in the previous two days, such as setting up roadblocks to hinder the Xuanhuang Tang family's acquisition and recruitment efforts.

A decisive and swift strike.

Instead of countering or resolving the attack, they directly pulled out the teeth that Haotian Sect had buried deep in this place!
The long-term contract between the Chen family and the Xuanhuang Tang family has been signed and sealed, and the two million deposit has been steadily deposited into the Tang family. The craftsmen and managers from both sides have been shuttling back and forth for the past ten days or so, and communication has been in full swing.

The efficiency and potential of the Chen family are already clearly visible.

His tentative probe, undertaken on the orders of his uncle Tang Yue, has now stirred up such a rapid and intense upheaval.

In the past ten days or so, the Chen family has been more than just "buddies" with the Xuanhuang Tang family.

Through the Tang family, they have quietly infiltrated the corners of the Lancashire government.

A massive, fully integrated medicinal herb market, with its monopolistic profits flowing like gold dust, is enough to make any local government official's blood boil and keep them up at night with longing.

Moreover, it is of great benefit to local Soul Masters and can create jobs for tens of thousands of people, as has already been proven by more than a dozen chain markets across the mainland.

In the Gao Ying Competition, the number of Soul Kings far exceeded the level of previous years. In addition to the golden age bringing a surge of geniuses, the influx of a large number of high-grade spiritual medicines into the market also brought benefits.

Otherwise, how could the Chen family have earned hundreds of millions?

The influence of the medicinal herb chain market established by the Chen family is evident.

A smooth road with green lights all the way? No, it's a wide, open road where even the red paint has been scraped off.

For the prefectural government, this was an incredibly impressive achievement and source of revenue (a 10% share plus taxes), not to mention that the Tang family, who recommended and promoted this matter, would certainly choose government officials who were biased towards them.

Going with the flow and helping to remove a few troublesome obstacles is, in the face of such tremendous combined political and business power, a truly insignificant price to pay.

……

"Very good! Very good!"

The sound Tang Potian squeezed out from deep in his throat was like the grinding of sand and gravel. His teeth were clenched tightly, crushing the burning anger that was about to burst out of his chest inch by inch between his internal organs.

The sound of another guard's footsteps broke the heavy atmosphere in the room.

He slightly lifted his eyelids, staring at the newcomer with a sinister gaze: "What bad news is it this time?"

The guard bowed even more deeply, presenting a note with both hands: "Reporting to Seventh Master, it's not bad news, someone has delivered this."

Tang Potian frowned as he accepted it.

The moment his fingertips touched the hard-covered name card, his breath hitched.

As the post unfolded, his gaze fell upon the words, and his aura suddenly turned as cold as a well—this was a challenge!
The signature is Tang Yuchen.

Between the lines, the frost and snow of twenty years rush towards you.

Mentioning his defeat in the Gao Ying competition back then, now that he has broken through to the Soul Saint realm, he is determined to avenge that humiliation and fulfill his long-cherished wish.

The time is set for the day after tomorrow.

"Good, good, good..." Tang Potian's knuckles turned white as he gripped the invitation, as if he wanted to crush the thin paper to pieces. "A discarded son of the clan, now he has climbed up the Chen family's branch, just broke through to Soul Saint, and thinks he has the right to act arrogantly in front of me?"

His words were chillingly cold, almost frosty. "Do you think I, Tang Potian, am some soft persimmon made of mud?"

The guard's Adam's apple bobbed as he tentatively asked, "Seventh Master, could this... be explosive?"

"Nonsense!" Tang Potian's eyes were dark and unfathomable. "If I win, my level is higher than his, and the Haotian Hammer is more famous than the Xuanhuang Hammer. Naturally, it won't have much impact on their Xuanhuang Tang family. But if I lose..."

His voice suddenly dropped even lower, chillingly cold, "In this territory of Lankai City, my face, the Haotian Sect's reputation, and even the fortune that will one day clash with the Xuanhuang Tang family, will all be trampled into the mud by him."

The guard's spine tightened from the chill: "Then...why not just ignore it?"

"Ignore it?" Tang Potian turned his head abruptly, his eyes blazing with sarcasm like a poisoned blade. "In Lan Kai City right now, everyone's eyes are on this game between the Haotian Sect and the Xuanhuang Tang Family! If I don't take it,"

He practically ground ice from between his teeth, “The world will immediately say—Tang Potian is afraid, afraid of a defeated opponent from twenty years ago!”

"This reputation for cowardice, this disgrace of loss, will be worse than defeat."

"Believe it or not, as long as I don't accept the battle, even before tomorrow, the rumor that 'Master Tang is afraid of battle' will spread like wildfire tonight, tearing apart the illustrious reputation of the Haotian Sect."

"Damn it, this is undoubtedly Chen Zhang's doing. What a fine Minister of External Relations for the Chen family. He really knows how to play dirty tricks."

"They've put me on the fire to roast, and I still can't get down."

He slammed the challenge letter he was holding onto the table, making the candlelight flicker violently: "Give them a reply—"

Each word was as heavy as a stone: "I, Tang Potian, accept this battle!"

In the dim candlelight, the three characters "Tang Yuchen" on the post seemed to be burning.

Tang Potian's silhouette was frozen in the shadow of the bronze mirror, like a ferocious beast bound by chains, knowing that the ground beneath his feet was ice, yet he could only shatter it and move forward.

(End of this chapter)