Hearing her words, Wu Wei said with a smile, “Brightmoon Duke, are you going to question the verdict of our three judges?”
Chu Zhongtian was reluctant to let this matter rest, but he felt utterly helpless here. It was as if everyone here was down to get them. For the first time, he started wondering if he had erred in his decision. However, the Chu clan had survived throughout the generations by maintaining a neutral stance. With this in mind, he decided to grit his teeth and persevere.
“Fine, let’s move on to the next round then!”
It was a huge loss for the Chu clan to lose the arms market, but it was not a crippling blow to them. The Chu clan was more reliant on the salt trade in the end.
Furthermore, they had a lot of connections and supply routes that they had built up over the years. It was not something that the Yuan clan could hope to subvert within a short period of time.
“Father, don’t be too pessimistic. It’s not certain that Huanzhao might lose. Even if she fights to a draw, we’ll still stand a chance.”
Chu Chuyan forced herself to maintain her poise despite feeling a surge of blood gushing up her throat. Taking a deep breath, she consoled her father silently.
Currently, the Chu clan was leading by 4:3. The best-case scenario was for Chu Huanzhao to win the battle, but even if she fought it down to a draw, the Chu clan would still stand a chance. If the eventual result was a tie, they would determine the final winner through having each side elect a fighter onto the dueling ring. If it came down to that, it would be the Chu clan’s victory.
Of course, both Chu Chuyan and Chu Zhongtian were treating Zu An’s match to already be a loss.
“You’re right!” Chu Zhongtian perked up his spirit. He walked over to Chu Huanzhao’s side and began giving her some pointers, hoping that this last minute cramming could do some good.
Chu Huanzhao was still in a daze at the moment. She never thought that she would carry the fate of the Chu clan on her shoulders. Feeling deeply unconfident, she said, “I think my opponent is likely to have a higher cultivation rank than me.”
“He’s stronger than you, but it’s a gap that can be bridged. As long as you use the ability of your Wailing Whip well, you would still stand a good chance.”
Zu An also nodded in agreement. He had tasted the prowess of Chu Huanzhao’s whip himself. The electrifying sensation as the whip struck down on my body… Ah, it’s an experience never to be forgotten.
Chu Huanzhao was still panicking. “But… what if I fail to hit the enemy? Big sister, you also know the limitations of my strength! Even though I’ve been abusing my strength to bully Zu An, still, to fight on a dueling ring is…”
She was starting to regret just how she had idled her time away. She should have paid more focus to her training.
On the other hand, Zu An was left utterly speechless as well. Why do arrows still fly my way even when I’m not doing or saying anything at al?!
Qin Wanru grabbed her hand and said grimly, “Huanzhao, this battle concerns the future of the Chu clan. No matter what, you must try your best!”
Due to how serious the matter was, her voice was also much sterner than usual.
Chu Huanzhao vehemently nodded her head. Her tenacity had been spurred by those words. She bit her lips a little anxiously as she replied firmly, “Yes, I’ll definitely win the match. I won’t let father or mother down.”
Zu An was a little shocked to see the determined look on Chu Huanzhao’s face. Wait a moment, will this lass try to desperately hold on during the fight later on? This matter concerns the Chu clan’s future, so Chu Zhongtian and Qin Wanru won’t intervene until the very final moment. What if she gets afflicted with some irrecoverable injuries or traumas?
Seeing the humongous amount of pressure being heaped on Chu Huanzhao, Zu An stepped forward and said, “Huanzhao, don’t feel too pressured here. If you feel like things are going awry, just admit defeat. Don’t worry, I’m here.”
“No one will think of you as mute if you don’t speak!” Qin Wanru raged at Zu An. It wasn’t easy for her to spur her younger daughter’s motivation, but this fellow was actually trying to undo her efforts!
You have successfully trolled Qin Wanru for +404 Rage!
Chu Zhongtian also frowned as well. “Zu An, it’s a good thing for you if Huanzhao wins too. You don’t stand much of a chance against Yuan Wendong.”
Zu An was utterly frustrated by the lack of trust in him. “But I really do think that I can win the match.”