The Three Realms Thief Chapter 48

Every second.

Every frame.

Flashed through his mind.

Xu Yuan was extremely skilled at this.

In past competitions, for some crucial moments of combat, he could lie in bed, close his eyes, and replay the entire night in his mind.

So much so that others would say he was completely obsessed.

Before long.

He found the problem.

The other people who participated in the selection with him had no expressions and no words from beginning to end, as if they “didn’t exist.”

At first.

He thought it was because they were nervous and didn’t want to interact with people.

But—

When searching for the three items, none of them found anything.

Their actions were extremely perfunctory.

So, am I the only one participating in the selection?

How is that possible!

This was clearly a selection by the Archaeological Research Institute, and it was posted on the official website, stamped and publicized!

…It couldn’t be a high-end honeypot trap, could it?

“Website… open quickly…”

Xu Yuan pulled out his phone and quickly opened the Archaeological Research Institute’s website, finding that page.

The document was still there!

But the date had changed!

The application deadline was changed to today!

Speechless…

Could it be a trap specifically set for him?

Who could mobilize an entire Archaeological Bureau, even order its employees, to set up a trap?

Xu Yuan pondered quietly for a few breaths.

“Heh…”

He suddenly laughed.

The agreement with the little boy activated the “Heart of the Witch,” allowing him to conduct training matches.

“…The other party took the initiative.”

In that case—

The little boy must still be alive.

The Border City Battle happened ten years ago.

He probably found out about it now, so he came and set up this trap.

What does he want to do?

As Xu Yuan was thinking, a new message popped up on his phone:

“There is a new deposit in your bank card, 9500 yuan transferred from another bank.”

Alright.

The little boy from the past, keeping all participants in the dark, transferred 9500 to him and taught him a boxing technique.

Generous boss!

Come to think of it, his way of doing things was quite playful.

—The ordinary employees of the Archaeological Bureau were kept in the dark, unaware of the truth about this selection.

—He himself was kept in the dark, unaware that the little boy from the past came to “repay his kindness.”

—The little boy was kept in the dark, unaware that he, by virtue of his “repayment,” directly passed the “Heart of the Witch” test and could now train in the “Difficult Mode” Border City Battle.

Xu Yuan’s brows relaxed, and he felt as though he had suddenly grasped the truth, and his mood instantly improved.

Of course.

There were still some puzzling aspects.

Who was that uncle?

Judging by his age, he didn’t match the little boy.

…Never mind.

I’m not God!

Things I don’t know, we’ll talk about them later.

On the roof of the building.

The uncle stood on the railing, looking at the night view of Jiangbei City while slowly sipping his milk tea.

This kid is interesting.

Cultivators have long lives and great power, standing at the pinnacle of humanity.

When facing life-threatening situations, they naturally have various strategies and tactics to help them turn danger into safety.

The test was also aimed at this kind of talent.

This child went off-topic—

Who told you to care about how the populace escapes?

He immediately took a stand from the perspective of all humanity, concerned about the safety of the populace, and proposed strategies like evacuating the populace and having cultivators confront the enemy.

It was the first time such a foolish person appeared.

However…

This perfectly aligned with her philosophy.

And it was precisely this stance and attitude that made her change her mind at that moment and accept him cheerfully.

As for this child’s swordsmanship…

It was clear.

After that one flying sword move, he obviously still had more in him.

He probably had one more trump card.

That was, relying on the Yan Song Sword Art, he independently comprehended two flying sword techniques.

Two sword techniques could only be considered top-tier among high school students.

But if both of these moves were flying sword techniques—

Then it was extraordinary.

Flying sword techniques are secret arts, never taught outside.

No wonder he could lead the team to break through the blockade and escape all the way, eventually even killing the Human-Faced Demon at the ninth layer of Qi Refining.

If Yi Yi wants to communicate with him, then let her.

He remembered when she was little, her brothers always bullied her, forcing her to sing and dance.

He just took it as child’s play.

Now that this kid can say, “Then he should perform himself,” Yi Yi probably feels even more understood.

Both mother and daughter think he’s good.

Alright.

It’s no big deal.

It just means she gained a suitable guard.

It’s a good thing.

The uncle held the milk tea, walked a few steps, and suddenly overlapping spiritual lights flashed around him.

In an instant.

The teleportation array was completed.

He disappeared from the spot and then reappeared in a fragrant garden filled with flowers.

A gentle breeze wafted by.

The fresh scent was refreshing.

He was in a good mood today, perhaps he could go fishing?

*Crack.*

A soft sound.

A cloud of mist emerged from the milk tea cup, drifting, and forming a “face mask” on the uncle’s face.

The child had bought two cups of milk tea back then.

This cup contained Wonderful Face Fruit.

Wonderful Face is a type of spirit plant; its fruit, after a few minutes in water, bursts open, releasing powdery endosperm, like a layer of mist.

This stuff makes people smile joyfully.

The uncle remained still, even taking a deep breath, inhaling all the mist into his body, not leaving a single bit outside.

—Even a spirit plant twenty levels higher than it couldn’t harm him.

Just play around with it.

A short while later.

A faint smile appeared on his face, and he looked much more amiable and kind.

“Children’s things… hehe…”

He smiled involuntarily, and his thoughts expanded with it.

Initially—

He had only coincidentally remembered the incident from ten years ago, feeling that things had happened too suddenly back then.

—And it seemed to be connected to the current changes in the situation.

So, when the Zhou Tian Instrument was successfully forged, he immediately launched a monthly exam, sending Qi Refining stage students in, and also took the opportunity to observe the general situation.

Now it seems.

This method of exploration, the national monthly exam, should not continue.

—Some students had already died inexplicably.

Continuing the exam would cause unease everywhere, leading to unnecessary troubles and giving opportunities to petty individuals.

It was decided then.

The monthly exam would return to its previous format, and the content would not be so aggressive.

Let bygones be bygones for the events of ten years ago.

Don’t let them affect the current overall situation.

The uncle drank his milk tea, thinking silently, the smile on his face growing wider.

“Hahahaha.”

He burst out laughing.

—He hadn’t tried the effects of such low-grade plants for at least a hundred years, and now it felt fresh again.

Suddenly.

A figure quietly appeared not far behind him, knelt on one knee, and said:

“Reporting to Your Majesty, while guarding the Princess in Jiangbei County, we discovered some Northern territories forces encircling the area.”

“Which organization?” the uncle asked.

“The Myriad Things Return to One Society. We eliminated nine people in total, but it’s unclear if there are any accomplices. We are continuing the investigation.”

What do these guys want to do?

They had been searching for ancient truths and dabbling in shady businesses; after being taught a lesson a few times, they had become very “obedient.”

Therefore—

“A bunch of petty fellows, probably doing something else and just happened to run into you—serves them right,” the uncle said with a hearty laugh.

“We also found some Monster Beasts,” the shadow said.

“Monster Beasts? Why are they also appearing, hahahaha.” The uncle still said with a laugh.

The efficacy of the Wonderful Face fruit had reached its peak.

In reality, he could dispel this effect with a single surge of spiritual power.

But never mind.

A good laugh, wouldn’t it be better to add some human touch to this imperial city?

At this moment.

Another figure flew over, knelt down and saluted:

“This son greets Imperial Father!”

It was a young man with an imposing air.

“Qing Xuan has arrived, what’s up?” the uncle asked with a smile.

“This son handled a political matter somewhat improperly, and my heart is uneasy. I specially came to consult Imperial Father,” the youth said.

“You’ve been overseeing the country for a few months, and I think you’ve done quite well. Your ‘unease’ shows that you are treading on thin ice, which is excellent.”

The uncle said, sipping his milk tea with a smile.

“Imperial Father, I still need your guidance, otherwise, I truly don’t know what to do about this matter,” Lu Qing Xuan said.

“Then tell me,” the uncle said.

“Regarding the North Sea treasure hunt, due to the collapse of the ruins, I dispatched follow-up personnel to provide support.”

“However, the several individuals from Luofu did not come to see me, only followed orders and went. I reproached them for their discourtesy—was this act of mine inappropriate?” Lu Qing Xuan asked.

“It’s a minor matter, no need to be concerned,” the uncle said with a smile, “Once you formally ascend the throne, they will have to come and see you.”

Lu Qing Xuan hastily knelt again, saying repeatedly:

“This son feels that I cannot compare to even one ten-thousandth of Imperial Father, I humbly request Imperial Father to rule the mountains and rivers, shining brightly upon the world, and this son shall merely assist from the side.”

The uncle sighed, helped him up, and laughed loudly:

“Hahahaha, we father and son don’t need to speak such empty words, Qing Xuan, I am old and tired.”

“You must pay more attention to matters of the court.”

“Yes, Imperial Father,” the youth said.

“Alright, if there’s nothing else, go attend to your duties. Your father can finally take a break, haha.” The uncle said with a smile.

Lu Qing Xuan also smiled, then bowed again, stood up, and prepared to leave.

As if he remembered something, he added:

“Oh, by the way, Imperial Father, there’s one more thing I forgot to mention.”

“Oh? What is it?”

“Yi Yi secretly used the Zhou Tian Instrument and ran off to Jiangbei County without a word,” Lu Qing Xuan said.

“You knew?” the uncle found it amusing and said with a smile.

“Please rest assured, Imperial Father,” Lu Qing Xuan said sternly, “The Zhou Tian Instrument is a national treasure. As a princess—”

He paused, cautiously looking at the uncle.

The uncle looked at him with a smiling face, as if encouraging him to continue.

“Carrying a vital artifact and running off without permission, I have, according to your past ‘Palace Instructions,’ ordered the imperial officials to go and personally reprimand her on my behalf, and fine her three months’ salary,” Lu Qing Xuan said.

—It was clearly an amusing matter, so why the punishment?

“Hahahaha.” The uncle stopped laughing, but still smiled.

Seeing him laugh so heartily, Lu Qing Xuan finally relaxed, and respectfully said:

“Then this son takes his leave.”

After saying that, he bowed again, then flew away, quickly disappearing from sight.

Only the uncle remained standing among the flowers, holding a cup of milk tea, his smile still gentle.

This smile… is a bit troublesome…

The uncle picked up the milk tea from the ground and took another sip.

It wasn’t really troublesome.

Just one Wonderful Face fruit.

I wore a smiling face today, and you thought I supported you in doing this.

Even if I supported you—

Where is your brotherly love and harmony?

Eaten by dogs?