The Shura Great Emperor had immersed himself in the art of talisman inscriptions for countless years. The intricate work of carving talisman patterns was nothing more than basic skill to him.
His three consecutive losses against
A Shura Great Emperor fueled by the flames of vengeance was an absolutely terrifying prospect.
For this reason, he poured a hundred percent of his focus into the task, determined to wash away his earlier humiliations in the art of talisman inscriptions.
Everything was progressing smoothly. The Shura Great Emperor could almost see victory waving at him from afar as the final talisman pattern was completed.
He inspected his work carefully, confirmed there were no issues, and let out a long breath. Pride swelled in his heart—he was certain this round was his.
With a mocking gleam in his eyes, he looked toward Jiang Chen's side.
What he saw nearly gave him a fright. At the very moment he looked over, that detestable Pill King Zhen was just standing up.
What did that mean?
He had finished too?
A terrifying thought flashed through the Shura Great Emperor's mind like a bolt of lightning. Instinctively, he shot to his feet as well. Both of them spoke at almost the exact same time: "I'm done."
The scene left everyone dumbfounded.
Finished at the same time? That was far too coincidental! And from the looks of it, it seemed Young Master Zhen had actually stood up first, even though their declarations came out almost simultaneously.
If both had truly finished, then their completion times were perfectly matched.
Could it be... a draw?
A draw in this round? The various lords and nobles below found it utterly unbelievable. In such a complex inscription process, there was bound to be some difference in speed. If this could truly end in a draw, it had to be an extraordinary coincidence.
The Shura Great Emperor himself was dazed by this sudden turn of events. How had Young Master Zhen finished already?
"No way. How could he possibly be done? I've never heard he had any remarkable talent in talisman inscriptions. He must be bluffing!"
This round, the Shura Great Emperor had come in with absolute certainty of victory.
Fuming inside, he called out, "Fellow Daoist Nian, you must inspect carefully. Don't let any substandard talismans slip through."
He suspected that Young Master Zhen had sacrificed quality for speed.
Unfortunately, after Emperor Nian conducted a thorough inspection, he delivered the disappointing verdict: "After careful examination, both parties' talisman inscriptions are fully up to standard. There are no flaws whatsoever."
"What?" The Shura Great Emperor's face drained of color as if struck by a sledgehammer. Regret and self-reproach flooded through him.
"Why—why did I have to check that one more time? If I hadn't bothered with that check, I could have claimed first place!"
When he had completed his inscriptions, he had taken the extra step of double-checking his work. Though the inspection hadn't taken much time, it had still cost him a precious moment.
Who could have imagined that such a tiny delay would turn a certain victory into a draw?
If he hadn't bothered with that check, the win would have been his!
The Shura Great Emperor nearly choked on his own regret. If it had been a genuine difference in skill, then losing would have been bearable—he could have accepted being outmatched.
But he had clearly been capable of winning, only to have the result snatched away into a draw. Yes, it had absolutely been snatched from his grasp!
It was like having a duck right at his lips, only for it to suddenly take flight.
The result was decided. No matter how much he regretted it, nothing could be done. This iron-clad fact could not be changed.
Emperor Nian announced: "Round nine is a draw!"
The word "draw" pierced the Shura Great Emperor to the core. He simply couldn't understand it. Such a talisman inscription task wasn't even that difficult for him—why had some inexplicable impulse driven him to check it one more time?
And after checking, there had genuinely been no issues.
So why had that brief moment of self-doubt crept in? Could it be that the three consecutive losses before had fractured his Dao heart?
Though the Shura Great Emperor was loath to admit it, he couldn't deny the possibility.
"Master, don't lose heart. Our record stands at four wins, two draws, and three losses. We only need to win two more rounds in the martial battle, and the overall bet is still ours!"
The Shura Great Emperor knew the situation was still within his control, but he felt humiliated. To lose a round he could have won so easily—that humiliation outweighed any sense of disappointment.
On Peacock Sacred Mountain's side, apart from Jiang Chen and Huang'er, who were the two combatants, everyone else was also feeling the weight of low morale.