Emperor Nian's brow was knotted with worry.
He was finding this situation increasingly thorny. Both sides stood with swords drawn and bows bent, hurling accusations at each other—it looked as if they might come to blows at the slightest provocation.
This was not a scene Emperor Nian wanted to see.
He pressed down with both hands and counseled patiently: "Everyone, these mutual accusations are all based on nothing but unsubstantiated rumors. Why use them to attack each other?"
"What the Glass Kingdom needs right now is stability, not infighting." Emperor Nian glanced toward the VIP section. "Today we have so many distinguished guests in attendance. If we let things spiral out of control, wouldn't we be losing face for the Glass Kingdom? Making fools of ourselves before our guests?"
At this point, Emperor Nian couldn't care less about dignity. He continued to urge calm with genuine patience.
This did help cool the tempers on both sides.
Emperor Canghai nodded. "Brother Nian is right. Panlong, Jimie—spouting these baseless claims will only make you the laughingstock of everyone here. If you truly have the confidence, why not settle it with an open fight? In the world of martial arts, martial prowess reigns supreme."
A fight!?
Truth be told, while Emperor Canghai wasn't exactly likable, this proposal won considerable applause from the crowd.
Compared to voting or some other procedure, what people really wanted to see was a proper showdown.
"Let them fight!"
"Exactly! The Peacock Sacred Mountain and the Shura Arena have always been the two great pillars of the Glass Kingdom. Which pillar is stronger? We'll only know after they clash. All this choosing and voting—wouldn't it be more straightforward and decisive to just let them fight it out?"
"Fight? How can they fight? How old is Young Master Zhen, and how old is Emperor Shura? Putting them in a ring together—wouldn't Emperor Shura be embarrassed about it himself?"
"Heh, who cares about that. In the world of martial arts, nobody cares about your age. Especially when selecting a ruler—seniority naturally takes precedence. Being young is no excuse. Young people shouldn't be joining this kind of contest in the first place. Young people obsessing over power struggles—that's not necessarily a good thing."
It was twisted logic, but delivered with complete confidence.
Emperor Nian fell into contemplative silence, glancing at Emperor Shura, then at Jiang Chen. He was clearly waiting to gauge the reactions of both parties.
Emperor Shura let out a hearty laugh, his tone brimming with bold assurance: "On my side, no matter what happens, we will see it through to the end."
Emperor Nian looked toward Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen regarded Emperor Shura with a half-smile. "Emperor Shura, I've always been curious—where does all this confidence of yours come from, that you're so dead set on seizing this position? And now, at this point, you want to fight someone from the younger generation? You never once mustered the courage to challenge Emperor Peacock your entire life—I should congratulate you, you've finally found the nerve to issue a challenge to the Peacock Sacred Mountain."
Jiang Chen's sarcasm was merciless. He continued: "But none of us are fools. You've lived for several thousand years, and you want to fight a martial artist who isn't even thirty. Win, and it's an unjust victory. Lose, and you'll have nowhere to hide your shame."
Emperor Shura said coldly: "If it were for personal gain, I wouldn't fight you, nor would I stoop to such a thing. But I act entirely for the public good—for the future of the Glass Kingdom. Since you refuse to see reason, I have no choice but to fight, even if I'm misunderstood. That is of no consequence."
For the public good?
Hearing Emperor Shura's words, Jiang Chen couldn't help but laugh.
He ignored Emperor Shura entirely and addressed Emperor Nian instead: "Emperor Nian, I have just one question. Have any of you ever heard of a Great Emperor several thousand years old fighting a martial artist in his twenties? If such a precedent exists in the Glass Kingdom, then I'll happily fight him. I have no objection."
Emperor Nian could only smile bitterly. Such a precedent—forget the Glass Kingdom, it was unheard of in the entire human domain.
But the situation was clear: Emperor Shura's faction was not going to rest until they got their way. Emperor Shura had practically thrown away every shred of dignity. In a situation like this, the matter was truly thorny and exceedingly difficult to handle.
"Young Master Zhen, today we are selecting the master of the Glass Kingdom. Age and seniority are no longer easy to weigh against each other," Emperor Nian said with a bitter smile.
Jiang Chen nodded slightly, his gaze still calm and composed as he looked around the hall. Then he declared in a clear, carrying voice: "If there's going to be a fight, then it should be a proper one. Martial arts, certainly—but alchemy as well. This is a contest of fortune between the Peacock Sacred Mountain and the Shura Arena. If it's just me and Emperor Shura having a single martial arts duel, that would be far too simplistic. I'm afraid it would only become a laughing matter across the land. The question of which side—the Peacock Sacred Mountain or the Shura Arena—has greater fortune and deeper resources cannot be settled by a single fight between two individuals. I don't oppose a contest, but I insist that if we fight, it should be a grand showdown—to give everyone a real spectacle."
"Hmph, you think everyone has that much time to spare?" Emperor Shura sneered. "In the world of martial arts, martial prowess is supreme. Everything you're talking about is nothing but empty talk."
Jiang Chen smiled with contempt. "This is precisely why you, Emperor Shura, will never ascend to the supreme position. Your vision is far too narrow, far too low. And I can fully foresee that if the Glass Kingdom falls into the hands of someone as shortsighted as you, within a hundred years you'll have squandered every last bit of the inheritance."
Since Emperor Shura was being this shameless, Jiang Chen saw no reason to spare his feelings.
But Emperor Nian now asked: "Young Master Zhen, this 'grand showdown' you speak of—what exactly do you have in mind?"
"A grand showdown is simple. To determine which side—the Peacock Sacred Mountain or the Shura Arena—has greater fortune and deeper resources, a grand showdown is absolutely necessary. Only through a comprehensive competition across multiple disciplines can everyone clearly see the true strength and depth of both sides. Otherwise, with just a single martial arts bout, no one will be able to tell anything meaningful."
It had to be said that even some of the lords who supported Emperor Shura felt that Jiang Chen's proposal was entirely reasonable.