Before the judges could even refute her, Luo Zhiheng smiled and said, "Miss Bai has good eloquence, but please be mindful of your words! You're not married yet, are you? For an unmarried woman to speak so inappropriately, how proper are you? Or, how could a girl from a respectable family know the word 'inappropriate'? Do you even know what 'inappropriate' means?"
"Luo Zhiheng, don't give me that sharp tongue. No matter what, you're still not following the rules! Your grotesque performance can't be used as an entry in the Grand Competition!" Bai Mingzhu said angrily, almost pointing at Luo Zhiheng.
Instead of being angry, Luo Zhiheng laughed, casually spinning around on the spot, her magnificent golden dress unfurling. She spoke in a nonchalant tone, her words sending chills down one's spine: "Unruly? What are the rules? The competition judges are here, hundreds of thousands of eyes are here, even His Highness the Prince is here, His Majesty the Emperor is here! They haven't even said anything about me being unruly yet. Who are you to represent them, or to judge me beyond their authority? Or is it that in your heart, Bai Mingzhu's eyes, these people are not as noble and esteemed as you? You, Bai Mingzhu, or the Bai family behind you, what great power and prestige you wield!"
Upon hearing this, Mingzhu's pretty face turned deathly pale. She wasn't stupid; if she didn't handle this situation well, the Bai family would be destroyed today!
Luo Zhiheng is too ruthless! She actually said such suspicious and malicious things in front of the whole world and the emperor of the Southern Dynasty. Isn't she driving the Bai family to their doom?
"Luo Zhiheng, you've gone too far! How dare you slander the Bai family! You're utterly vicious! The Bai family's loyalty to the Southern Dynasty is evident to all. The Bai family members have always been polite and law-abiding, often helping the poor and donating grain. By slandering the Bai family, aren't you afraid of retribution?" Bai Mingzhu roared righteously.
"They're really something else." Luo Zhiheng suddenly burst into laughter. It was an absolute joke. A family that had repeatedly sent assassins to kill others dared to act like a great philanthropist. Wasn't that ridiculous?
After she finished laughing, a chilling look appeared on her delicate face: "Retribution? I'm afraid those who will suffer retribution are the bastard families who wear masks of hypocrisy but secretly do despicable things, are vicious and ruthless, and have killed countless people! The ones who will truly suffer retribution are those who are always scheming to frame others, pretending to be benevolent, innocent, and pitiful, but then turning around and accusing others of bullying them! Bai Mingzhu, do you dare to represent your Bai family, in front of the whole world, in front of your emperor, swear a solemn oath to the heavens that your Bai family has always been upright and has never indiscriminately killed a single person, never done anything wrong, and never committed any immoral or depraved acts? Do you dare?!"
She took a sudden step forward, her cold, sharp eyes revealing a hint of bloodthirsty murderous intent, and shouted, "If you, Bai Mingzhu, dare to swear this poisonous oath, that you can say with a clear conscience that the Bai family is more innocent than your surname, and that you are not afraid of going to hell even after death, then I, Luo Zhiheng, will voluntarily forfeit all the competitions today, and offer my head as a reward, to be slaughtered at your mercy. If I, Luo Zhiheng, utter a sound, I am your adopted son!"
Her bandit-like spirit returned, her domineering aura was unmatched!
Her questioning was so sharp and cold, and her angry shout, full of rage, stunned the entire room!
How could she possibly suppress the fear of almost dying alongside Mu Yunhe? How could she possibly hide her hatred for the Bai family? That day, if she hadn't been ruthless and decisive enough to injure herself, she and Mu Yunhe might already be dead at the hands of Bai family assassins! The Bai family members still dared to provoke her; they were simply courting death!
Bai Mingzhu's face shifted rapidly, but she was ultimately rendered speechless by Luo Zhiheng's questioning, unable to utter a single word. How could she dare say such a thing? The Bai family was innocent? There was probably no family more bloodthirsty than the Bai family! Therefore, she dared not make a solemn oath; she feared she had truly offended the gods and the retribution would fall upon her!
Luo Zhiheng didn't even bother with a cold laugh, and instead reprimanded her domineeringly, "Speechless now? Then shut up and get out of here!"
Bai Mingzhu's face flushed crimson, but she truly couldn't utter a word of her plan. She was ultimately no match for Luo Zhiheng; Luo Zhiheng was a female bandit, and no one could expect to be spared a merciful fate from a bandit's initial ferocity. Daring to offend a bandit, daring to challenge a bandit, was either asking for trouble or a beating!
The goddess truly lives up to her name; even her reprimands are delivered in such a beautiful, powerful, and refreshing way! People love her; they don't find her rude or offensive at all, but rather find her genuinely cheerful and unpretentious.
The zither master's lips twitched. He thought to himself, "You, Luo Zhiheng, are even more arrogant than me!" Originally intending to declare Luo Zhiheng the winner immediately, the zither master decided to make things difficult for her. So, he pretended to be mysterious and said, "Luo Zhiheng, this old man thinks what the young lady from the Bai family said is also correct. Your performance was neither dance nor song. Although it was wonderful and beautiful, you should also let us know what it is called, what its name is?"
Luo Zhiheng's expression had changed imperceptibly. She was that charming and adorable girl again. As soon as she spoke, the crowd's enthusiastic voices quickly quieted down amidst the stunned expressions of Madam Song and the judges.
"I call this dance 'song and dance'! Nothing and no one should be the same; innovation is the only way to progress! I think the reason why the World's Number One Talent Competition has been able to thrive for so many years is entirely because it is constantly evolving with the times, innovating and changing. If the competition can't even accept new formats and new ideas, how many talents would it bury?" Luo Zhiheng wasn't nervous at all; instead, she spoke eloquently.
"This dance is dedicated to all lovers in the world. I hope that every man and woman can boldly pursue their love, that every love can come to fruition, and that every couple can be together for life, never to be apart! This dance is called—Desert Beauty!"
The zither master squinted, muttering the words "desert beauty" to himself, finding them extremely fitting. He marveled at his own good judgment in finding such a talented disciple, while also pretending to ponder, "Hmm, not bad. But Miss Bai's performance was also quite good."
That one sentence gave Bai Mingzhu hope. Bai Mingzhu looked at Qin Sheng expectantly, just waiting for Qin Sheng to rule that the nude photo was the loser.
But then the zither master changed the subject, smiling sweetly, and said, "But today, Luo Zhiheng's song and dance performance has truly amazed this old man. If you ask me, Luo Zhiheng is undoubtedly the winner of this competition!"
The scene was bewildering due to the old man's erratic tone and train of thought, but the next moment, the crowd erupted in a deafening cheer, celebrating Luo Zhiheng's victory. 178.
Bai Mingzhu was dumbfounded, and suddenly became dejected.
Luo Zhiheng defeated two strong opponents in two consecutive matches, truly bringing honor to the Mu Dynasty. It was worth it for the Mu Dynasty's top figures to come out and support her. The old guys thought, how could this child be so popular?
This result shouldn't have excited Luo Zhiheng too much, but when she held Mu Yunhe's hand, she couldn't help but want to cry. She said, "Mu Yunhe, we're finally one step closer to success. Aren't you going to praise me?"
Mu Yunhe felt a bitter taste in his mouth, but his face wore the clearest and gentlest smile: "Yes, my Aheng is the best."
A low, husky voice flowed between the two, evoking a strange sense of sadness.
The two didn't have much time for sentimentality before Madam Song's voice rang out: "The third match is also the pinnacle showdown of the World Tournament. Luo Zhiheng will challenge Zhuge Hualuan!"
Second update! There's an extra chapter today! We're almost at our goal of 1200 monthly votes, so please give us your support! Love you all! Please vote, leave comments, and give us your monthly votes!
Chapter 216: An enticing reward! (Bonus chapter for 28,000 recommendation votes)
Updated: 2013-07-29 17:36:01 Word Count: 3445
challenge!
The final match was actually described as a challenge! This means that if Luo Zhiheng defeats Zhuge Hualuan, she will become the new world champion after Zhuge Hualuan; conversely, if Luo Zhiheng loses, then Zhuge Hualuan will retain her title as champion!
This is the highlight of the Grand Tournament. Because the participants are all champions from various powerful nations, the number of participants is quite small, so the competition can be completed in one day. Therefore, Luo Zhiheng doesn't have much time to rest and must immediately throw herself into the third and most important final match.
With the help of Murong Qianxue and Princess Yu, Mu Yunhe returned to his seat. Xiao Xizi hurriedly came up to serve tea and water, and massage his shoulders and legs, fearing that his master might overreact and cause a disaster.
"Please welcome the previous champion, Zhuge Hualuan, to the stage," Madam Song announced according to procedure.
The battle was unexpected. Zhuge Hualuan glanced at the mysterious Mu Yunhe with complicated emotions, feeling strangely drawn to him. Why did she feel this way about him? Was it because he always ignored her? But she was also very curious—was there something wrong with Mu Yunhe's eyes? She was clearly much prettier than Luo Zhiheng, so why wasn't his gaze on her? It was said that Mu Yunjin was the most handsome man in the Mu Dynasty, and it was said that Mu Yunhe was even more handsome than Mu Yunjin. Could that be true?
Zhuge Hualuan was a very proud and successful woman. She had a powerful family background that made her stand out from the crowd, a loving ancestor, and outstanding talents. She was undoubtedly a talented woman and the most beautiful woman in the world.
This record has remained unbroken for a long time!
I still remember when she said she wanted to participate in the Southern Dynasty's First Talent Competition, and the ancestor agreed. In truth, given her status and family background, few could rival her prestige even without participating in this competition. But she participated simply for the novelty and to showcase herself. She came and easily passed through each round, first winning the Southern Dynasty regional championship, then the World Challenge championship—both were hers for the taking. She considered them all perfectly natural.
She has never valued the title of champion of the World Tournament, nor has she ever taken those challengers seriously. Even Bai Mingzhu, who has a very powerful background, is not taken seriously by Zhuge Hualuan.
But then Luo Zhiheng appeared.
A woman whom Zhuge Hualuan could neither fathom nor understand, one shock after another came at her, leaving her overwhelmed and utterly horrified!
Could there really be such an outstanding woman in the world?! She was already outstanding enough, but Luo Zhiheng put immense pressure on her. She wouldn't look down on Luo Zhiheng because she had a good upbringing that taught her pride was acceptable, but never to underestimate her opponents. So, upon learning how formidable Luo Zhiheng was, Zhuge Hualuan's competitive spirit was actually aroused.
She absolutely had to defeat Luo Zhiheng! The stronger and more powerful Luo Zhiheng was, the more excited she became. Because she could prove herself by defeating Luo Zhiheng, and let the world, these ancestors who praised Luo Zhiheng endlessly, and even Mu Yunhe who had always ignored her like air, see for themselves that she was the strongest, the epitome of womanhood!
She rose gracefully and walked out with an air of elegance. Every step and every smile was the result of training by a noble family. She was beautiful and charming, but in Luo Zhiheng's eyes, she lacked a certain wit and charm.
"Today's battle between the two of you is the final battle of this year's World Tournament. You are already entitled to know the rewards for winning, but before you know the rewards, you must pay your respects to each other!" Madam Song said solemnly.
The greeting is a formality. One of Luo Zhiheng and Zhuge Hualuan will undoubtedly be the final winner today. This greeting is simply a gesture of goodwill. During the competition, it's a friendly exchange to avoid harm; afterwards, it's to maintain good relations and avoid becoming enemies. This is the rule of the competition. It's to prevent the final champion from suffering any misfortune, or for the losers from secretly harming others. Because those who reach this pinnacle all have powerful connections. Throughout its century-long history, without exception!
The two bowed to each other politely and smiled at one another, appearing to be amicable.
But Luo Zhiheng knew her smile wasn't genuine. This woman was hostile towards her, even though she was all smiles; Zhuge Hualuan was definitely not simple. Moreover, this woman had dared to hug Mu Yunhe earlier, and just now she had been staring at Mu Yunhe with those repulsive eyes. Luo Zhiheng felt extremely uncomfortable. It was as if something that belonged to her had been defiled by someone's filthy gaze; she wished she could destroy the person in front of her.
"The prize for this year's champion is two, but the champion can only receive one, choosing one of the two. One is a gift consisting of various rare items, and the other is..." Madam Song paused deliberately, looking at the two of them. Seeing Luo Zhiheng looking at her with shining eyes, she found it amusing. If she hadn't already known that Luo Zhiheng was working so hard to save Mu Yunhe, she would have looked down on Luo Zhiheng for being so greedy.
She said slowly and clearly, "The other reward is that if you voluntarily give up the previous reward and offer up thirty years of your life to be controlled by the Silvermoon Kingdom, then the winner can travel to the Silvermoon Kingdom for a year!"
Rumble!
The seemingly calm words of Madam Song instantly stirred up a storm in the hearts of the important figures! Even the usually composed Elder Tong couldn't help but shrink his pupils at this moment!
A year in the Silvermoon Kingdom?! What does that mean? It means power, status, wealth, life, even everything!!
No one knows where Silvermoon Kingdom is, no one fully understands it, but everyone knows it's a paradise on earth. And the powerful know even more. Silvermoon Kingdom possesses countless peerless masters, inexhaustible wealth of gold and silver, and power surpassing even worldly imperial authority! Furthermore, the people of Silvermoon Kingdom have a miraculous legend of granting immortality and prolonging life. 16478465
Just by looking at the King, no one knows how old he is, but the older folks know that this handsome man, who looks no more than twenty or thirty, is definitely no less than sixty! Yet, the King possesses an unparalleled youthful appearance; the mystery of eternal youth is the most direct and provocative evidence in his case!
What could be more alluring, more seductive? Even a group of centenarians could not glimpse even a fraction of the Silver Moon Kingdom, and for a century, no one knew anything about it. The mystery of the Silver Moon Kingdom was captivating. Some said that the Silver Moon Kingdom was actually heaven, inhabited not by humans, but by immortal gods, thus surpassing imperial power and controlling all nations! Therefore, they were eternally young and incredibly wealthy!
But who knows what the truth is? The Silver Moon Kingdom has never given anyone the opportunity to enter that mysterious country.
This move today is absolutely astonishing! It is an unprecedented honor and achievement, and an irresistible temptation.
But what exactly led Silvermoon Kingdom to make such a special and significant decision?
As expected of centenarians, Elder Tong and the others instantly calmed down from their initial excitement, joy, and shock. They exchanged glances and were astonished to find a strange sense of horror in each other's eyes. Their gazes simultaneously fell upon the still oblivious Luo Zhiheng, and what they saw there was truly breathtaking.
In that instant, they finally understood and confirmed one idea: the Silver Moon Kingdom was after Luo Zhiheng!
Luo Zhiheng overcame numerous obstacles and triumphed over all odds, relying not only on her genuine skills but also on her astonishing and admirable wisdom. Without her meticulous planning and scheming, she could not have reached this point. And today, Luo Zhiheng's performance was more stunning and beautiful than ever before, demonstrating immense creativity and charm. 178.
If anything could change the minds of the Silver Moon Kingdom and make them willing to send someone into that mysterious place, it would undoubtedly be Luo Zhiheng, the biggest variable in this competition. Clearly, the Silver Moon Kingdom has laid a huge bait; they have their eyes on Luo Zhiheng and are very optimistic that she can defeat Zhuge Hualuan. They want Luo Zhiheng; this enormous temptation today could even be said to be prepared solely for Luo Zhiheng!
This is undoubtedly an honor, but who knows if it's not a huge trap? Thirty years! How many thirty years does a person have? Once she leaves the secular world, will she really have a chance to come back? Or will she completely hand over her thirty years to the Silver Moon Kingdom? If the Silver Moon Kingdom makes Luo Zhiheng a slave and sell herself, will Luo Zhiheng go too? Even so, I'm afraid there will still be some people who are not clear-headed and rush in.
The elderly men instantly broke out in a cold sweat, looking nervously at Luo Zhiheng, as if they would rush up and snatch the man back if Luo Zhiheng agreed.
Absolutely, we cannot ruin this child's bright future just to win glory for the country!
"Zhuge Hualuan, you need to work harder," Madam Song said arrogantly.
Zhuge Hualuan knew far more than Luo Zhiheng. She was already excited. The benefits of entering the Silver Moon Kingdom were countless. Even the usually reserved Zhuge Hualuan couldn't help but nod hurriedly: "I will definitely do my best!" To enter the Silver Moon Kingdom, she had to defeat Luo Zhiheng!
"Luo Zhiheng, you also want to..." Madam Song looked at Luo Zhiheng with a half-smile, but Luo Zhiheng interrupted her.
"Excuse me for interrupting, I will do my best in the competition," she said with a smile. The judges and Madam Song laughed immediately, but Luo Zhiheng then said very solemnly, "But I will not sell myself!"
What kind of reward is this? Thirty years for one year? And sacrificing so many prizes? Isn't that just crazy? She's not stupid, she won't sell herself!
The judges' expressions changed drastically, and Madam Song's face instantly darkened. She couldn't help but glance at the distant horizon, her eyes filled with anxiety.
That silly girl, Luo Zhiheng, she's already gotten herself into trouble with just one sentence! I wonder if that person heard it? If they did, Luo Zhiheng probably won't even have a whole corpse left!
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217 The third match! How to have a baby? (Calling for monthly votes)
Updated: 2013-07-30 12:12:37 Word Count: 7929
Faced with such an alluring reward, Luo Zhiheng casually uttered the words "I won't sell myself," which was undoubtedly a refusal. Was Luo Zhiheng truly magnanimous and unconcerned about the mysterious Silver Moon Kingdom? Or was she so naive as to have no idea what a year in the Silver Moon Kingdom represented?
"Luo Zhiheng, you'd better think this through carefully. I don't need your answer now; your final answer will depend on the final competition results." Madam Song didn't want Luo Zhiheng to speak anymore. If she said anything outrageous and angered the newly arrived official, Luo Zhiheng would be in real trouble. Unbeknownst to her, Luo Zhiheng had won over many people with her strength and charm, including the proud Madam Song.
Luo Zhiheng smiled faintly and remained silent, completely unmoved by any external allure.
Zhuge Hualuan sneered inwardly. Luo Zhiheng would need to have the strength to defeat her, but it seemed she would have to use her true abilities this time. She absolutely could not lose, because she desperately wanted to enter the Silver Moon Kingdom. Once she entered the Silver Moon Kingdom and obtained the secret to immortality there, what did thirty years matter? She could then have countless thirty years to squander.
The King narrowed his eyes, his expression finally changing slightly. Like the other princes, he was also shocked and surprised; none of them knew about this reward. The Silver Moon Kingdom has a strict rule: mortals are absolutely forbidden from entering the kingdom, and even more so, people of the Silver Moon Kingdom are forbidden from falling in love with mortals, regardless of gender. Anyone who falls in love with a mortal or enters the Silver Moon Kingdom will be hunted down by the Silver Moon King until that person is annihilated!
But why is there such a reward suddenly being given today? Isn't this contrary to the national precepts? And they are also very clear that although Madam Song has some status, she is definitely not the kind of person who can issue such a reward on her own initiative. In the entire Silver Moon Kingdom, there are probably no more than three people who have the qualifications and strength to do so!
And one of these three people was right in the middle of them—it was King Shi! The others looked at King Shi with unpredictable expressions. Could it be that King Shi really wanted to invite Luo Zhiheng to Silver Moon Kingdom? But how could he be so confident that Luo Zhiheng could definitely defeat Zhuge Hualuan?
The King was even more shocked than the other princes. It was not a promise he had made, and he had never thought of sending Luo Zhiheng to the Silver Moon Kingdom. So who could it be? In the entire world and the entire Silver Moon Kingdom, there were probably only three people who could command Madam Song and make her obey.