I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, So I’ll Max Out My Defense

Chapter 649: Chapter 650 Steady Approach
The Old Dragon King’s expression was exceedingly gloomy; he had intended to cultivate and train the young talents under his command by having Gui Xuan compete with Li Xiaobai.

Regrettably, it turned out this young talent was only half-baked; he was directly ousted by Li Xiaobai from the Illusionary Realm in their first encounter, without any face to speak of. If word spread and overseas cultivators thought the Sea Clan were easy targets, that would be undesirable.

Of course, the civil and military officials of the Imperial Court were well aware of this.

Gui Xuan’s performance was seen by all; at this moment, no matter how much they wanted to support him, they could not deny the fact that he had failed to show competitiveness.

Perhaps this was the proverbial mud that wouldn’t stick to the wall.

Gui Xuan’s face was pale; he had not expected that the Old Dragon King had detected his shenanigans before entering the Illusionary Realm. Now, thinking about it, being privy to a God’s-eye view and still unable to pass the first simple test safely, indeed showed how inadequate he was.

But he did not believe that Li Xiaobai knew everything. The other must have had a momentary epiphany to be able to escape; with such a short time inside the Illusionary Realm, not only did one need to unravel the antecedents and consequences of the event but also find a solution and think ahead for an escape route. How could that kid possibly manage that?

Only when he fully assimilated with the character within the Illusionary Realm World and revealed his true nature, would his moment of vulnerability come!

Gui Xuan felt he still had a chance; as long as Li Xiaobai exposed his dirty and ugly inner world, what would it matter if he had the opportunity to be alone with Long Xue?

The ultimate winner could only be himself!

“Tortoise Prime Minister, what do you have to say?”

“Do you have any objections to the current outcome?”

The Old Dragon King turned to the always silent Tortoise Prime Minister and asked indifferently.

“It is my offspring who is incompetent, I cannot blame others; I am fully convinced and accept the judgment!”

The face of the Tortoise Prime Minister was at the peak of unsightliness. His offspring had lost face, not only for the Sea Clan but also for his Tortoise Clan!

Previously, when the Old Dragon King had stated that he had not made it more difficult for Li Xiaobai, he had been skeptical, but after witnessing the dazzlingly sophisticated display, he was utterly shocked. That young man must have devised his strategy the instant he entered the Illusionary Realm.

His vision and mindset were far beyond what Gui Xuan could compare with; escaping with Long Xue was not by fluke, but genuine skill.

Unfortunately, it seemed his grandson had yet to see through this; indeed, he had been too indulgent with him. He would have to rigorously train him upon their return; otherwise, his successor would be ill-equipped to carry on the family legacy.

“Heh heh, as long as you’re aware. We of the Sea Clan have no need for the useless. My loyal subjects, you must be strict with your descendants from now on. Do not let them be idle or lazy!”

“If we allow a generational gap to appear within the Sea Clan, it would be a disaster for our people!”

The Old Dragon King spoke earnestly. The incident with Gui Xuan showed that the court officials had not placed enough expectations on their descendants. A strength at the fifth level of the Transcendance Tribulation Stage was exceptional even on the whole Immortal Spirit Continent, but such a dull performance with so much filler was truly excessive.

“Understood!”

“We comprehend!”

“Your servant will certainly be strict from now on!”

“Your Majesty, be assured; such a situation only arises with civil officials who are fond of writing and scholastics. As for us military generals, we train our successors to the bone, peeling off a layer of skin every day; they are not comparable to young master Gui Xuan.”

“Should the Sea Clan face a true crisis in the future, we military generals will shoulder the burden and fight on the front lines!”

Long Zhan laughed heartily, his eyes full of disdain for the Tortoise Prime Minister and his ilk.

A cowardice in a soldier spreads to their general, and with Gui Xuan as a negative example, no matter how much rage the civil officials held inside, they dared not show it at this moment.

“Although this is true, we mustn’t let our guard down.”

The Old Dragon King nodded his head, feeling very reassured about the cultivators from the Long Zhan lineage.

With a shadowy glint in his eye, the Tortoise Prime Minister’s gaze was icy as he stared at the vast image in the void, an endless fury erupting within him—all because of Li Xiaobai’s chaos. Without that man, why would his grandson suffer such mockery from the Dragon King?

Watching every single movement of the man in the image, he wished he could immediately use his powers to cut the meditating Li Xiaobai in the mist into pieces.

“Heh, I really want to see what you’re capable of in the Illusionary Realm!”

“The moment you reveal even a trace of your wicked nature, I will ensure you have no grave to lay in!”

The Tortoise Prime Minister stared unblinkingly at the person in the image; deep inside, he was somewhat hopeful that Li Xiaobai would soon reveal his true colors. Left alone with a young woman, if Li Xiaobai lost control and used force, he would be able to denounce him and have him executed on the spot!

The attention of the others was once again drawn to the image above.

At this moment, the scene in the image was rather monotonous; Li Xiaobai had found a deserted village with Long Xue and, after cleaning out two rooms, they had moved in.

From then on, the scene in the image did not vary day to day.

In the morning, Li Xiaobai practiced his martial arts, while Long Xue caught and roasted chickens.

At noon, Li Xiaobai practiced his martial arts, while Long Xue caught and roasted chickens.

In the evening, Li Xiaobai practiced his martial arts, and Long Xue still caught and roasted chickens.

It was incredibly simple and plain, showing no indication of what the two planned to do.

“Forgive my confusion, but what exactly is Li Xiaobai doing, staying in the village all this time?”

“I’m also at a loss. Could he possibly be planning to spend a lifetime with Long Xue in that little village?”

“Sss! It’s possible. If all he wants is to win the princess’s heart, he could simply ignore the affairs of the martial world, find a place for the two to live in seclusion, and declare victory just like that!”

Some ministers asked with bewilderment; it was no wonder they were puzzled, as what Li Xiaobai was doing was extremely dull—repeating the same routine of practicing, eating, and sleeping for several days in a row.

“That’s not right. He should be seeking revenge, looking to cause trouble for the Imperial Court. He must be training now with the desire to strengthen himself.”

One minister suggested.

“But how long will he train? Without fortuitous encounters or resources, wouldn’t he need a lifetime just to seek revenge and settle his grudges?”

Someone immediately rebutted.

If Li Xiaobai were to practice swordplay for ten years, would they not be doomed to watch the same uneventful progression?

A barely detectable smile flickered in the Old Dragon King’s eyes; this too was part of his test, to gauge Li Xiaobai’s nature and ascertain what kind of person he was.

If he were truly arrogant and overweening, someone who overestimated his own importance, he would probably immediately seek out the latter half of the Cultivation Technique and swiftly rise to power through a trail of bloodshed.

But if he were a cautious person, he would, like Li Xiaobai, take the time and effort to steadily build his strength bit by bit, waiting until his power was sufficiently enhanced before descending the mountain to seek the latter half of the Cultivation Technique.

Yet, after all, this was a martial world, and with officials on the hunt, it was unlikely that Li Xiaobai could stay hidden indefinitely. The real drama was soon to begin!