Chapter 394: Provocation!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Xu Qiqin's charming face went deathly white and her lungs felt like they were bursting with rage. She was a proud daughter of Heaven from the majestic Longwei Training Camp. Upon seeing her, many scions of noble clans would lower their heads and deferentially call her 'Lady Qin', but she couldn't even be bothered to reject them.
These loathsome men were seekers of pleasure, of mediocre aptitude. They were not even worth a glance from Xu Qiqin.
Who said that women were inferior to men? She, Xu Qiqin, wanted to stomp on all the men of the world.
She had gotten used to being haughty, gotten used to viewing those men with contempt. Xu Qiqin had never imagined that in this trifling Deflecting Blade Manor, she would be humiliated by Wang Chong.
"What are you up to?"
In a flash of light, a white figure instantly interposed itself between Wang Chong and Xu Qiqin: Huang Qian-er, with a large silver sword on her back. She seemed like a glacier that would not melt for eons as she icily stared at Xu Qiqin.
She had certainly not been able to tell that Xu Qiqin was a woman masquerading as a man. In this aspect, women seemed to innately lack the ability to make such distinctions. At this time, Huang Qian-er only knew that if anyone dared to threaten Wang Chong, she would sent that person flying out the window.
The handsome young man across from her looked rather strong, but he was absolutely no match for her!
Xu Qiqin didn't even see Huang Qian-er. Her eyes were red and her entire person was about to explode from rage.
"Wang Chong, your bullying has gone too far!"
Xu Qiqin's chest rapidly rose and fell. She had never felt so wronged before. If Wang Chong did not give her an explanation, she couldn't be blamed for beating him black and blue and hanging him from the flagpole.
"Haha!"
The sight of Xu Qiqin's infuriated appearance caused Wang Chong's lips to curl into an almost undetectable smile. Xu Qiqin was right on the mark.
He truly had intentionally failed her.
And he had also kept her completely in the dark. Wang Chong had intentionally provoked her into a great fury, goaded her into lashing out.
As one of the greatest geniuses in all of the Great Tang and the most formidable 'Proud Daughter of Heaven' in the field of logistics, Xu Qiqin was assuredly an entire level above everyone else.
There was practically no one in the Great Tang that could compare to her.
Anyone who could gain the help of Xu Qiqin and the Xu Clan would be a tiger with wings. At least in the field of logistics, they would be able to rest easy.
'Before the troops and horses can be mobilized, the rations and fodder must be prepared.' A war lasting for two months would need to begin preparations for logistics and supplies two years in advance.
The importance of logistics went without saying.
In the other world that Wang Chong came from, that fellow called 'Napoleon' had ultimately suffered defeat on the verge of victory because of his poor logistics. He had squandered away his great undertaking, destroying the work of decades.
Logistics was far too tedious a field, and touched upon every other field. It required intelligence, but not only that! In this aspect, one could be stronger than the heavens and they would still be useless.
Wang Chong knew that he had no talent in this field. In his last life, in the final phase of his defeat, he had essentially been running on no provisions or logistics.
He truly required a formidable logistics master like Xu Qiqin. With someone like her, he would not have lost so quickly.
Such a chance was hard to come by. The talented daughter of the Xu Clan, Xu Qiqin, had disguised herself as the young man Xu Chong and come to the Deflecting Blade Manor of her own volition to challenge him.
If Wang Chong let go of this opportunity that had fallen into his hand, he wouldn't be Wang Chong!
"Xu Chong, you seemed very unconvinced?" Wang Chong asked, utterly unmoved.
"Convinced? Convinced about what? There's not a single person who's a match for me here. I would batter everyone here so badly that they would cast off their helmets and armor and return home in utter defeat. Besides you, who else here is more formidable than me? Him, him, him… or him?"
Xu Qiqin jabbed her finger at the surrounding examinees, her entire person fuming with anger.
Those weaker had passed while the stronger had failed. Where in the world did such reasoning exist? She had sensed by now that Wang Chong was intentionally making things difficult for her!
Even if she had to risk revealing her identity, she would teach this bastard a harsh lesson.
"Haha, do you think that they're weak? Or do you think that you're very strong?"
Wang Chong looked at Xu Qiqin, the smile on his face capable of making anyone furious.
"Do you think I'm not?" Xu Qiqin shot back. She was no three-year-old child. Wang Chong's excuses couldn't fool her!
"Haha, let me ask you, how long have you been playing chess? And how long have they been playing chess?"
Wang Chong spoke in an easygoing manner. He seemed unaware of the anger on Xu Qiqin's face.
"What are you trying to say?"
This sudden question from Wang Chong caused Xu Qiqin's temper to instantly cool.
"If my guess isn't wrong, Xu Chong, you've probably been in touch with the Way of Chess since you were a child. Probably more than ten years now? But these people…"
Wang Chong turned his body, his gaze sweeping over the students.
"At the longest, they've been playing chess for two years, and at the shortest, only one or two months. Although their chess skills are currently very lacking, they have huge potential."
"Potential? What do you mean?" Xu Qiqin asked.
Even Huang Qian-er was paying attention now. Although she hadn't taken part in the chess matches, she had been standing at the entrance of the Chess Hall, allowing her to clearly see everything going on inside.
Wang Chong truly had been somewhat targeting this fellow called 'Xu Chong'; even she could see this. But this fellow truly had been too arrogant.
Huang Qian-er had originally thought that Wang Chong would randomly come up with a reason to deal with him, perhaps even ordering him out using his status as owner of Deflecting Blade Manor.
But it now seemed like Wang Chong was not simply messing around.
"It's very simple. Think about it. One is a mature shrub while the other is the seed of Phoebe Zhennan tree. If you wanted to build a house, would you want a shrub or the seed of a Phoebe Zhennan tree?" Wang Chong asked, staring at Xu Qiqin.
"What are you saying? Are you telling me that I'm the shrub?"
Fires began to blaze in Xu Qiqin's eyes once more.
"Haha, although it's just a metaphor, that's basically what I mean. The students I have chosen might be lacking in chess skills, but they're all Phoebe Zhennan seeds. As long as I raise them well, they will have limitless possibilities. As for you… although you are very good at chess, you've basically reached your limit. All your potential has been unearthed. There's no more room for you to grow. This is the reason you were eliminated!" Wang Chong calmly said.
"Bastard!"
Xu Qiqin finally exploded. Wang Chong had said so much, but he basically meant only one thing: 'This is all your strength amounts to; this is how far you'll go; there's no more room for you to improve.'
How could Xu Qiqin's arrogant personality possibly endure this?
"I'll kill you!"
Xu Qiqin had gone crazy from anger. Without even thinking, she snatched at Wang Chong, Stellar Energy surging through her body. This simple snatch actually let out a thunderous boom. Even Wang Chong couldn't stop his eyelids from jumping.
Boom!
But in the next moment, with another massive boom, a slim palm, gleaming with the luster of white jade, cut in and accurately struck Xu Qiqin's arm. The air rumbled as shockwaves of energy shot out. Xu Qiqin's furious strike had actually been completely blocked in a very restrained fashion by Huang Qian-er.
"Young Master, I advise you to conduct yourself with dignity!" Huang Qian-er coldly rebuked, her eyes brimming with danger. Even now, she still did not know that the person she was facing was a girl just like her.
As if someone had poured a jar of cold water on her, Xu Qiqin suddenly calmed down.
"Who are you… hmph, I thought it was somebody, but it was actually you, Fairy of Dainty Hands. When did you decide to become someone else's lackey?"
Xu Qiqin had not recognized her at the start. When she finally realized that the icy beauty at Wang Chong's side was the Fairy of Dainty Hands famed throughout the capital, her entire look changed.
Many people believed that all beautiful girls got along, but the truth was actually the exact opposite. What beautiful women hated the most was other women, especially women who were just as beautiful as they were!
"Who are you? You recognize me? Hmph, I don't care who you are. If you dare to attack him, don't blame me for being rude… even though I also don't like him!" Huang Qian-er coldly returned.
"…"
Behind her, Wang Chong speechlessly rolled his eyes. Why had she added that last part? Wouldn't it be fine if she didn't? He really couldn't understand these women.
"Xu Chong, it's useless. You can't touch me here. And besides, as I said, your potential has reached its limit, so that's that. If you're not convinced, you can leave now!"
Wang Chong wasted no time in adding oil to the fire.
"You… bastard, you want me to leave, so I won't!"
It would have been fine if Wang Chong said nothing, but now that he had, Xu Qiqin no longer wanted to leave. Her personality would never allow herself to be led away by Wang Chong.
Moreover, with Huang Qian-er here, Xu Qiqin knew that she wouldn't be able to make any trouble. If one ranked the female descendants of the capital's noble clans, Huang Qian-er would be in third place.
Although Xu Qiqin was still unconvinced, she had to admit that Huang Qian-er was probably stronger than her. If they were to fight, she probably wouldn't have any advantage.
"Hmph, don't get too complacent? You want me to say that I really do only have this much skill and can't beat you? Just wait and see. I will definitely crush you under my feet, returning today's humiliation one hundred times over!"
After saying this, Xu Qiqin turned and left, not staying a moment longer.
Wei Anfang suddenly walked up from the side and whispered to Wang Chong, "Young Master, we should drive him out. Is there a need for a person like that to stay here?"
Wang Chong couldn't help but smile. Wei Anfang really was a blockhead who knew nothing of grace. Why should he drive away a great beauty like Xu Qiqin?
He didn't even have time to stop her.
"There's no need to worry about him. Someone come over and tidy this place up. Also, arrange for someone to send those students who just passed to the spirit vein."
"Yes, Young Master!"
Wei Anfang nodded and affirmed his orders.
Upon leaving the Chess Hall, Wang Chong ran to the training camp. After so long, it was about time for him to meet his instructor, Zhao Qianqiu.
……
After passing through most of Kunwu Training Camp, Wang Chong saw Zhao Qianqiu at the main peak.
"Haha, you've finally come back!"
Seeing Wang Chong come in from outside, the armored Zhao Qianqiu immediately stood up, his eyes glimmering as he strode toward Wang Chong.
Wang Chong felt very emotional as he saw Zhao Qianqiu.
Not so long ago, Wang Chong had only run off to Zhao Qianqiu based on his knowledge from his past life of Zhao Qianqiu's fame and the Halo of Dusk Stallion that he possessed. Unwittingly, however, the two had established a very deep connection.
This time, if it hadn't been for Zhao Qianqiu's 'Thousand Li Fragrance', he really might have died in that forest.
"Hmph!"
After taking in a deep breath, the instant Zhao Qianqiu was about to reach him, Wang Chong dropped to the ground, one of his knees driving into the ground and his waist bending. With great reverence, he kneeled on the ground, bowing to Zhao Qianqiu using the most solemn military etiquette.
"Teacher, thank you!"
Wang Chong's voice echoed through the hall.
From this moment, both nominally and mentally, Wang Chong truly regarded Zhao Qianqiu as his teacher, a teacher for the rest of his life.
Perhaps Zhao Qianqiu was not some great master of military strategy, and perhaps his future achievements would not match up to those from his previous life, but none of that mattered to Wang Chong.