The mortal audiences are at an all-time high! I just stand there like a champ and take their cheering. they don't know my name so the crowd just shouts whatever they like— immortal, sage, awesome, majestic, power, victory and etcetera.
I caress my long hair as it is getting on my eyes, but my simplest action alone causes the crowd to go haywire. This must be what it feels like to be a superstar.
I have enough of the flexing, however, I would still accept challenges. With my telekinesis, I return to the pedestal beside the King.
Yin Wei whispers to me. "Mentor, you don't have to do that. What if no one challenges me anymore? They will doubt me, and maybe even ignore me… Should I also reward treasures?"
This kid… Yin Wei is so funny sometimes. It is not like you can pull out all kinds of treasures from your vault and reward it, right? It is not like he knows how to manufacture artifacts as I do, right?
I comfort Yin Wei.
"Don't worry, Yin Wei. This is a one-time thing. I won't be attending the following King's Challenge in the future." I don't have that much free time anyway. Even though this King's Challenge only happens every decade, I would still find it annoying.
I am happy enough that with just this one 'King's Challenge', I will be able to achieve my goal.
Before I sit on the throne Yin Wei dedicates to me, I project my telepathy onto the people be they mortal or cultivator, I use my telepathy on them so that they hear my words.
"Greetings, people of the Biron Kingdom! I am the Game Master and a friend to the King! I come bearing gifts! Well, as long as I find you worthy…" I tell them with amusement.
While at it, I spend some of my quintessence raining glittering lights of rejuvenating energy to the mortal audiences. This is the same age reversal that I was able to do with my system.
The mortals in the bleacher yelp in surprise as they feel their bones anew with vigor. They must have at least a year returning to their life span. My god-like feat makes me almost a god… which is scary in its own way.
I hope that this god-like power won't corrupt me. Hmmm… Or was I already corrupted and just don't know it? Bah~
I push the weird thoughts in my head back into the rabbit hole.
Bao Zeming calms the crowd but finds difficulty in doing so this time. After lot of seconds of patiently herding the noise, Bao Zeming sighs in relief as the crowd returns to something that resembles peace and order.
However, just from the chaotic jumping and celebrating alone, anyone can see that the wave of euphoria hasn't calmed down yet.
Gao Heng, sect master of the Void Contentment sect feels the excitement too much he is getting impatient which is rare for a monk like him. Though he is a monk, he is essentially still a cultivator. And for a cultivator, artifacts are great treasures for them
Moreover, it would make Gao Heng more handsome if he does have a weapon at the level of a Superior grade.
He jumps from his pedestal with his pole and descends to the arena. He is topless and showcases his musculature. He does have a handsome figure.
He ignores the Beautiful Berserker Sect's disciples' booing and smoothly takes center stage. The Beautiful Berserker Sect cannot do anything but complain as their sect master is unconcious.
'It should be our turn! Why are you cutting the line!' The sect disciples of Beautiful Berserker sect inwardly complains.
With fire in his eyes, Gao Heng challengingly gazes at me.
In his booming voice, he announces his past placing. "I am Gao Heng of Void Contentment Sect, rank 2 of the King's Challenge survivor at the 11th minute and 22nd second! I challenge the golden pot!"
Golden pot! That's a new nickname. I descend to the arena once more. I ignore the wincing king beside me. "I must tell you, young man… Beware of your greed… Do you understand?"
"Thank you for your concern," Gao Heng politely bows to me with his fists in a cuff like how martial artists would greet each other. "But I can control my greed. Only the ambition to cross nirvana through battle was my wish…"
Contrary to Ru Sying, this Gao Heng is more polite.
I raise my fists in a cuffing manner too and show him the respect he deserves. "Let's do it, young man. Move me in 10 minutes and the superior treasure is yours.
Gao Heng tenses his leg and rushes at me. "Void Art: Empty Path!"
Instantly, Gao Heng vanishes in my sight, which is scarily impressive as my telepathy wasn't able to detect him anymore. I focus my telepathy and increase its output, and detect Gao Heng's presence by my rear.
I calmly look at him with my Mind's Eye.
"Void Art: Hollow Piercing!"
Ripples in space bounce on my barrier. I enforce it with my telekinesis. The attacks persistently continue, and Gao Heng tirelessly attacks me one after another with the same martial arts. I reckon this is his strongest. He also tries to do some variations and even combo martial arts, but nothing seems to penetrate my barrier.
All of Gao Heng's martial arts look plain and simple, but they possess profound theories behind them around the laws of space which impresses me just more.
Old Fu Shi's cultivator memories are making me giddy as emotions bordering on fancy and childishness dance in my mind.
At the tenth minute, I approvingly nod at Gao Heng. "You did excellently! If you survive against me until the 10th second, I will at least gift you an Exceptional grade weapon."
Gao Heng is almost giving up, but my offer immediately rouses him, as his fighting spirit returns to him with several folds more energy and enthusiasm.
An exceptional grade weapon is only a level below a superior grade. Though it is one level lower, an exceptional grade artifact is as just enticing.
I raise my palm, the very same movement that I did before I attack Ru Sying. My palm's movement seems normal and even slow to a cultivator's judgment, but this doesn't fool Gao Heng as he recalls how I toss Ru Swying like a rag doll with a telekinetic slap.
I bring forth my palm summoning those telekinetically conjured invisible slapping force that weighs as heavy as a humongous hammer that would smash a house in one blow.
Gao Heng tenses and ushers his qi, and his muscles to do their best to respond to my aggressive attack.
"Void Art: Empty Path!" He screams at the top of his lungs.
This movement art is very impressive, and even with old Fu Shi's long years of memory, I seem to not find any movement art as equally profound as this one.
I grin enjoying this a little bit too much as I detect where Gao Heng is. "Impressive… But try this…"
I cannot use my deadlier techniques like the drilling telekinetic force or the innards telekinetic bombing as that would kill Gao Heng. I have to treat him with gentleness. Thus, I conjure an invisible telekinetic force of a swatter.
I imagine myself holding a giant swatter. I start swinging my hands like crazy. The power behind each swat is about half of the telekinesis slap, but it makes up with speed.
Gao Heng is sweating badly as he consecutively uses his movement art. "Void Art: Empty Path!" He says almost crying. My right hand is getting tired with all of the swattings, so I use my left hand suddenly change the rhythm.
I rest my right hand, and as my left hand is not my dominant, I am becoming slower.
Seven seconds mercilessly passed like that.
Gao Heng is in disbelief as he feels that it was almost an eternity.
Two seconds later, my right arm is all rest up. I use my right hand to grab an invisible humongous telekinesis-born swatter. "Dual Wielding: Swatter Force!" Yep, I know I suck at naming things, but this is just too much fun.
Gao Heng feels himself slipping into despair.
One microsecond later, the telekinetic swatter grazes him. Two microseconds later, the telekinetic swatter connects to his shoulder disturbing his balance. In the next three microseconds, he soldiers on and endures the onslaught with his all-for-nothing defensive art.
"Void Art: I am Emptiness!"
Gao Heng powers up the last four microseconds as he miraculously was able to perform the next level of his void arts. He becomes ephemeral and translucent. The telekinetic swatters harmlessly pass by him.
'Is that you, Obito?' I start thinking.
At exactly the 11th second, Gao Heng drops down to his knees with tears in his eyes. He raises his arm like he is the champion of the world.
"I did it!" He shouts victoriously. Not that it was really his victory. I let him have this moment s I almost flick him with my telekinesis thinking that the King's Challenge is not done yet.
"Meh~ What is the harm?" I let Gao Heng be.
The mortal audiences are holding their breath all this time. The arena field had cracks all over the place. Squarish cracks as the result of the slapping and swatting are all over the place. The signs of battle are fresh, and the devastation too apparent. The sight of the underdog Gao Heng struggling is a very thrilling sight to watch which explains the mortals rising to his fandom.
I bring my arms up, and with one swift motion, I lower my arms as I urge my telekinesis to fix the arena. I flatten the arena stage and return it to its prior state. The control of my telekinesis is immaculate. I admit being a game developer is fun, but might as well as playing cultivator.
My act amazes the mortal audiences. I receive their reverence. Does the King experience this every ten years? In this second challenge, I realize how addicting attention is… No wonder Yin Wei is very reluctant on sharing the stage with me.
That aside, I find this Gao Heng a very interesting practitioner.
I pry his mind with my telekinesis curious about what is he thinking.
"Oh, my Buddha! I am so handsome…"
Ok? Uuhh… Congratulations?
Well, I kind of understand… I too am feeling all too handsome…