470 The Only Choice (2/2)

The people in front of the imperial city had one by one came up with two different thinkings after recovering from the shock: If Ning Que wasn't crazy, then the only reason for him to challenge General Xia Hou was to seek spiritual comfort.

Looking at Ning Que who was standing in the blizzard and watching his calm expression, the bigwigs did not think that he had gone crazy, hence what was going to happen later should not be too bloody either.

It was impossible for Ning Que to defeat General Xia Hou and even if General Xia Hou was to win the duel, with the Academy and the Headmaster of Academy, it was impossible for him to kill Mr. Thirteen.

Yes, that was how things should be.

However, what was going to happen next had directly destroyed all their imaginations and expectations.

Ning Que took a small knife from Sangsang and cut his left palm with its blade. He then began to move. The blade was moving very slowly on the palm and the sharp blade gradually slit a long hole in the palm. Fresh blood began to seep out from the hole and the white flesh was dyed red instantly.

A loud exclamation sounded in front of the imperial city, as well as the deep breathing sound was heard. As the people watched the blade slowly cutting across his palm, they could felt as if the blade was cutting their own bodies, causing them to feel the pain.

Ning Que wasn't affected by these commotions. His face remained very calm and focused, as if he wasn't cutting his own palm. He seemed to be carving a flower out of his palm.

”Ning Que! Are you crazy?”

Imperial Library Grand Secretary Zeng Jing could no longer remain silent as she walked out of the crowd with a worried looking face. She looked at Sangsang and rebuked, ”Hurry and stop him!”

Sangsang looked down and stared at her boots in the snow.

The prince's face instantly turned exceptionally pale. General Xu Shi suddenly lowered his snowy brows, as though they were loaded with heavy burdens. Everyone in front of the imperial city was looking abnormally unsettled.

Only Xia Hou remained expressionless and quiet. He was calmly and intently looking at Ning Que cutting his palm as he raised his brows gradually.

What caused everyone to be taken aback, or even to the extent of feeling bizarre was not the amount of pain that Ning Que might be feeling from cutting his palm, but what this action actually represented.

The Tangs were good in martial arts and they have a simple and straight-forward temperament. Once they disagreed in opinions, they would often throw their fists at one another. Hence, dueling became a common sight in Chang'an. Two years ago, on an evening during spring, when Ning Que and Sangsang returned from City of Wei to Chang'an, they saw a duel happening on the street that night.

At that time, he explained to the little handmaiden beside him that cutting the sleeves in a duel battle in Chang'an City would represent a challenge and that was what they called a live battle. However, if the challenger was to slit his own left palm, it meant that this duel was a battle to death.

This time, Ning Que had gradually slit his left palm in front of the imperial city in a snowstorm. This meant that the challenge he proposed against Xia Hou was not for spiritual comfort as what the people had previously thought, but it was a battle of life and death.

Though the civil and military officials present at the scene were well-respected people who would never face with a challenge, they were, after all, living in the city of Chang'an and it would be impossible for them to not know this well-known rule.

Thus, they were shocked and their faces went pale.

In their opinions, General Xiahou would inevitably win in today's challenge. However, if this was really a battle to death and if Ning Que died, as a core disciple of the Headmaster of Academy, his death would definitely bring a terrifying impact on the Tang Empire.

Li Peiyan went pale as he stared at Ning Que and said, ”Are you planning to use your life in exchange for the Headmaster's anger? Is that even worth it? Do you know what kind of person the Headmaster is? Do you think you can make use of him?”

The blade had already torn the nerves on his palm. Ning Que stopped his action and raised his head. His expression on the face remained calm and serene, as though the pain on his palm was not affecting him at all.

He gazed at the Prince, his Highness, and said, ”What has this matter got to do with your Highness? Perhaps you are worried that I will challenge you next?”

Xu Shi looked at him blankly and said, ”A battle of life and death requires official permission. I can tell you, for the whole of Tang imperial court, no one will dare to approve this battle.”

”Initially when Daoshi Monk came to challenge me, the Military Ministry approved. When Liu Yiqing came to challenge me, the Military Ministry approved. Today I am challenging General Xia Hou, is the Military Ministry not going to approve?”

Ning Que looked back at him and asked sternly, ”Does our Tang Military still want their reputation?”

Xu Shi's brows knitted and did not speak a word.

Ning Que stared at everyone in front of the imperial city and said, ”All of you keep saying the law of Tang Empire comes first. Great. Then I shall challenge you according to the law of Tang Empire. May I know who can stop me?”

He then glanced at Xia Hou and said, ”Unless you do not accept it.”

Xia Hou slowly rubbed his fingers along the thin piece of challenge slip. He gave a strange-looking expression before he looked at Ning Que and said, ”Your choice is indeed beyond my expectation.”

Ning Que said, ”I usually don't take the common route.”

Xia Hou gently flicked the thin paper and said, ”When I first saw this piece of paper slowly traveling in the snow storm, I knew you have a high Psyche Power sensitivity. It is a pity that your acupoints for Snow Mountain and Ocean of Qi were blocked. This resulted in poor control for your Qi of Heaven and Earth, even worse than what you should have as a Seethrough state cultivator. You are already in such a bad state, yet you dare to daydream about challenging me. I can only say you are digging your own grave.”

Ning Que looked at him and said, ”I do not have other routes, so this is my own choice. Whether it is a route to death, I'll only know if I tried.”

Xiahou said, ”To you, challenging me might be your worst choice.”

Ning Que said, ”Since it is my only choice, it can only be my best choice.”