C4 Nuclear Power Station!!!!

The first round of the King's Gauntlet was set to last three hours, beginning at dawn. Now, with just the final stick of incense burning away, time was running out. Yet, only one person had managed to reach the summit of Godsbane Peak. And it was someone no one could have predicted—Shen Wuyou.

What was truly astonishing was that upon reaching the peak, Shen Wuyou pulled out a stand from his backpack, lit a charcoal fire, and with a mysterious long pipe, shot down two birds to roast. Tens of thousands of spectators, including members of the royal family, civil and military officials, watched through the Skyglass as he casually prepared his meal.

The royal family's mood had soured throughout the day, their faces now so dark it seemed they could drip ink. Shen Wuyou had single-handedly turned the King's Gauntlet into a farce.

If no second contender reached the peak by the time the incense burned out, Shen Wuyou would be the sole participant advancing to the next round. What would be the point of the competition then? Never before had the King's Gauntlet witnessed such a scenario: ninety-nine promising youths ousted by a fool with no spiritual cultivation. The scandal of it would surely make them the butt of jokes across the land, bringing shame upon them all the way to the realms of the Demon and Spiritual Clans.

The murmurs weren't just among the common folk; the officials were abuzz with commentary as well.

"The King of Dawnward may have repelled the devil tide, but teaching his son... How did he end up raising such a disgrace to the royal family?" one whispered.

"This is no fool; this is an oddity!" another remarked.

"Such a shame... If only the King of Dawnward had a worthy son, the Emperor might not favor the King of Mistward as much," lamented a third.

As the last bit of the incense stick smoldered and the ashes threatened to fall, the state preceptor, feeling resigned, was about to declare the outcome of the first round. It was at that moment that a figure finally emerged on the path to Godsbane Peak. The commoners, who had braced themselves for an anticlimactic end to the King's Gauntlet, suddenly found a glimmer of hope.

"That's the Crown Prince of Mistward, Shen Wushang!"

"Shen Wushang has arrived!"

"Despite Shen Wuyou's despicable tactics, he scaled the mountain with sheer physical strength. Truly, he is the foremost among the young generation!"

After the competition concluded, the people's nickname for Shen Wuyou shifted from 'fool' to 'scoundrel.'

Shen Wushang approached Shen Wuyou, who was contentedly eating roasted meat. Rage within Wushang swelled to its peak.

He was the premier warrior of his generation, always leading the ascent of Godsbane Peak. He had endured nearly every trap and ploy Shen Wuyou had laid out.

Now, with his clothes in tatters, hair unkempt, and body scarred, Wushang glared at Wuyou with eyes full of resentment and spat out, "In the next round, there will be no limits on immortal force. Your insignificant tricks can't even harm a single hair on my head. I will make you pay..."

Shen Wuyou brushed himself off, stood up, and replied, "As I've said, I'm here for the fief."

...

The two who had reached the summit were swiftly escorted back to the training field's stage by the Imperial Board of Astronomy officials waiting at Godsbane Peak.

This venue was initially the primary stage for the King's Gauntlet, where thirty-two exceptional young talents would compete for advancement tomorrow.

Only the ultimate winner would receive the reward and the fief.

Now, with only two contestants remaining, the preliminary rounds were bypassed, and the final showdown commenced.

Regardless, with both finalists being members of the royal family, the monarchy's reputation remained intact.

Before the finals, there was a delightful interlude of celestial music and dance.

The competitors needed time to recuperate after the initial round, and the audience took the opportunity for an intermission—to stretch their legs, relieve themselves, and grab a bite to eat.

Half an hour later, the climactic battle of the King's Gauntlet officially began.

Shen Wuyou was escorted onto the high platform by the Golden Armored Imperial Guards this time. It would have been far too humiliating for a Crown Prince to awkwardly shimmy up a wooden pole.

As soon as Shen Wuyou ascended the stage, a chorus of jeers erupted from the crowd.

"Shameless scoundrel, you don't deserve to be in the King's Gauntlet!"

"How dare you stand on the same stage as Crown Prince Shen Wushang!"

"Just wait, you'll probably wet yourself with fear at Crown Prince Shen Wushang's first move."

The commoners couldn't contain their outrage, risking the proverbial 'misfortune comes from the mouth' to vehemently denounce Shen Wuyou's disgraceful actions in the first round of the competition.

In addition to the commoners, those competitors who had been eliminated in the first round were entitled to sit at the edge of the stage and continue watching the contest. Their stares bore into Shen Wuyou with an intensity that bordered on terrifying.

Then, Shen Wushang finally made his entrance.

Thanks to the healing powers of the immortal force, his wounds had vanished, and his formerly disheveled appearance was now replaced by a commanding presence. Clad in black dragon armor and wielding a silver spear, he looked every inch the warrior deity incarnate.

As he passed by, the eliminated contestants watched him with eyes full of hope. There are things that commoners might hesitate to voice, but the royal kin had no such reservations.

"Brother Wushang! Give that jerk Shen Wuyou the thrashing he deserves!"

"Brother Wushang, it's all on you now. Don't let that scoundrel Shen Wuyou triumph!"

Shen Wushang halted three paces from Shen Wuyou, his spear aimed directly at Shen Wuyou's nose. His voice was stern as he spoke, "Out of respect for the King of Dawnward, I'm giving you one last chance. Apologize now to everyone you unfairly eliminated in the first round. I might just go easy on you later."

"Apologize?" Shen Wuyou looked over at the group of eliminated contenders, flashing his signature smirk. "Sorry, sorry, my bad, my bad."

He had uttered an apology, yet somehow, it only seemed to infuriate everyone even more.

The state preceptor stepped between them to declare the competition's rules. Victory would be decided when one party conceded or was rendered unconscious and unable to fight. Fatal blows were strictly prohibited; beyond that, there were no holds barred.

"The King's Gauntlet commences!"

Another lotus ascended, blossoming in the sky.

Shen Wushang's presence exploded with such formidable strength that it left everyone in attendance utterly astounded.

"The Nascent Infant realm!"

"My goodness, Crown Prince Shen Wushang, at merely eighteen, to have already attained the Nascent Infant realm... This rivals even the achievements of the King of Dawnward in his youth."

Upon the elevated platform, a smug look briefly crossed the King of Mistward's face. He glanced at the King of Dawnward and let out a light chuckle, "Rest easy, I'm aware you sought out Wushang earlier. You, his uncle, have humbled yourself to ask a favor. For your sake, he'll show restraint."

The King of Dawnward watched his son on the platform, his face etched with gravity.

In that moment, Shen Wuyou, unaffected by Shen Wushang's overwhelming energy, gazed skyward, his young face marked by a depth of solemnity and concern that belied his years.

He broke the silence, "Do you understand why the House of Dawnward experiences explosions periodically? Or why I've been unable to cultivate since birth?"

Electricity suddenly crackled around Shen Wuyou.

"You are all unaware, but I hold the answer."

"Within me there is..."

"There's a damn nuclear power station!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!

An explosion!

A massive explosion rocked the entire training field!