Absolute Choice
Absolute Choice - Chapter 423: The Battle can be lost, but the Celestial King has to die

Before the life-and-death battle between the three kings, all three sides had sent ambassadors to discuss the details regarding the life-and-death battle. A shocking unanimous decision was that all three kings wanted it as soon as possible. Therefore, the life-and-death battle was immediately decided to be the noon after the day Shi Xiaobai sent out the two letters.

For the life-and-death battle venue, the three ambassadors entered quite an intensive debate. Although the three kings did not care about the venue, the three ambassadors who had the interests of their king, naturally wished to gain the venue with the best advantage. However, none of them could convince the other in the contention. Therefore, it was eventually decided to be held in the middle of the Silent Desolate Lands. It was a spot that was considerably close to the entrances to the three domains.

And the most intense point of debate among the three ambassadors was not about the detail about venue, but...the number of spectators.

The life-and-death battle was held in the Silent Desolate Lands. Although it was vast, it was not adequate for viewing a battle. Furthermore, no one knew how extensive the aftershocks of the battle would be. Hence, the life-and-death battle was not made public to the commoners of the three domains.

There was a need to limit the spectators and distribute them equally for each of the three domains. That way, it could prevent any side from having soldiers in ambush.

However, the number could not be too large or small.

If there were too many people, a sinister possibility of soldiers pretending to be members of the audience could happen.

If there were too few people, it would be a waste of a life-and-death battle that was destined to go down in history. Many commoners looked forward to being able to catch a glimpse of the glorious battle of the three kings.

The three ambassadors even specially made a field trip and after calculations and debate, the number of spectators were limited to ten thousand per faction, for a total of thirty thousand people.

This was already considered a large scale for the audience. The three realms used a night's time in an intense campaign to decide the spectators qualifications.

When Shi Xiaobai learned of this matter, he gave the direct order that the spectator rights were to be issued in a random manner. It prevented corrupt officials to use it for personal gains. It also let the poor Infernal commoners to have a chance to witness the life-and-death battle.

Of course, Shi Xiaobai directly used his authority to give Sunless and company the qualification to view the battle.

At eight in the morning, the Infernal domain quickly gathered ten thousand spectators and set off for the Silent Desolate Lands. In consideration of the spectators being mostly weak and feeble commoners, the group of people proceeded on foot. It would take several hours to trek across the desolate lands in order to reach the central zone of the Silent Desolate Lands.

Shi Xiaobai and Sunless were walking right in front of the group. They completely ignored the group that was accompanying them as they walked extremely fast. Soon, they opened up a distance from the Infernal commoners because their normal walking speed was already much faster than the running speed of commoners. If they had to control their speed to be at the same speed as the commoners, it would be too uncomfortable.

Therefore, they decided to reach the venue of the life-and-death battle first. They were all bold and talented, so they were not worried that the Celestial domain or Transcendence would lay an ambush.

Along the way, Sunless and the silver-haired girl very naturally were by Shi Xiaobai's sides. Pulp Farmer and the other two knowingly fell back by the side. The trio had mixed emotions and only felt that Shi Xiaobai's luck with women was really something enviable to the point of jealousy.

In the past ten days, they would only meet each other during lunch and dinner. They would busy themselves the rest of the time. Other than Feng Yuanlin, who could not extricate himself from the arsenal, the others were in the library reading books.

There were many hidden opportunities in the land of the trials. In the library, there were many books that were just ordinary, but there were a few rare manuals hidden in it. They were hidden prizes prepared for the trial-takers of the land of trials, but they had to be discovered.

Sunless and company experienced a 'gold rush' in the library and benefited greatly from it.

As for Shi Xiaobai, he was the greatest oddity of all. Other than his meals, he would stay all day in the Infernal King's bedroom. And similarly, the beautiful Infernal Queen stayed in the bedroom with Shi Xiaobai to the point of not even coming out for her meals.

Such a situation made people's thoughts run wild. It was not surprising if something shameful happened during the ten days he spent alone in a room with such a beautiful creature. Even if the shameless things happened continuously, it would be completely understandable.

The perfect education in the forbidden room was stimulating just thinking of it.

As normal men, Pulp Farmer and the other two could not help but steer their thoughts towards such things.

However, Sunless and the silver-haired girl were as pure as white paper. They completely did not have their thoughts stray towards such matters. They were only curious as to what Shi Xiaobai was doing while in the bedroom. The two girls believed Shi Xiaobai completely when he said that he had spent ten days playing chess with the Infernal Queen.

This made the male trio feel very uncomfortable, to the point of wanting to denigrate "You are playing a very large game of chess." But after thinking of Shi Xiaobai's terrifying strength, they obediently shut their mouths.

...

Shi Xiaobai and company advanced at a very fast speed. They reached the venue where the life-and-death battle would be held two hours early. There in the bleak and quiet desert, there were a few dozen spectators who had arrived early.

However, the spectators came from the Celestial domain and none of them recognized Shi Xiaobai.

Shi Xiaobai and company found a spot without any person and rested by a boulder.

Liu Yu said, "It's said that Leonis died of an illness, causing the Transcendents to have a new king. Apparently, the new king is even stronger than Leonis. That's really strange. When did the Transcendents have an existence stronger than Leonis? There have been so many incredulous things that have happened on the seventh level. This Penniless Priest is beginning to suspect if he has read fake information."

Shi Xiaobai said with a laugh, "Let's hope it's real. It's best if the new king is really stronger. This King does not wish to win the life-and-death battle between the three kings in such a boring manner."

Liu Yu rolled his eyes and said, "Benefactor Shi Xiaobai, your plan regarding the life-and-death battle between the three kings is indeed wise, but isn't it a little like playing with fire? You could clearly have removed the words 'life-and-death'. Why did you need to take such risks?"

Shi Xiaobai chuckled in his heart. Indeed, he could have removed the words 'life-and-death'. The name battle between the three kings was sufficient, but unfortunately, the Infernal King's mandate was to kill the present Celestial King. A life-and-death battle was the best opportunity.

Pulp Farmer said in a heavy tone, "A three-way battle is very different from a one-on-one duel. Shi Xiaobai, it's best that you be careful. The strongest one might not clinch victory because two that are at a disadvantage can choose to cooperate. Hiding your strength and keeping an appropriate low profile has more benefits than harm."

Feng Yuanlin said as well, "Boss Shi Xiaobai, don't forget the exit command. This is a trial and not a real life-and-death battle. In the event, and I'm saying in the event that the new Transcendent king and the Celestial King shamelessly join forces and cause you to fail to defeat them, you must not persist!"

The male trio gave concerned suggestions that targeted Shi Xiaobai's three flaws—boldness, high-profile posturing, and refusal to give up.

Shi Xiaobai was at a loss whether to laugh or to cry, but he felt his heart turn slightly warm. He nodded gently and expressed that he got it, but it was unknown if it went in one ear and out the other.

At that moment, Sunless's plain and gentle voice sounded from the left, "Be careful."

Shi Xiaobai said with a slight chuckle, "Don't worry. The ones that should be careful are the other two."

His right sleeve was tugged and Shi Xiaobai turned his head to see the silver-haired girl holding up a writing board.

"Brother Xiaobai, I heard the war was instigated by the Celestial King. That Celestial King sure is rotten. It's perfect that the new Transcendent king hates him greatly. Why don't you first ally with the new Transcendent king and finish that baddy Celestial King?"

The silver-haired girl blinked her sparkling eyes, indicating that her proposal was worth heeding.

Shi Xiaobai laughed. Although it was a three-way battle, he did not plan on allying with anyone. However, finishing the Celestial King was his main goal.

The b attle can be lost, but the Celestial King has to die.

That was the thought on Shi Xiaobai's mind.

And at that moment, a familiar voice rang from afar.

"Shi Xiaobai!"

Shi Xiaobai subconsciously turned his head and saw two figures slowly walking from afar.

A girl with short, brown hair was waving at him.

And beside the girl was an ordinary-looking youth who walked over while smiling.

They were none other than Mu Yuesheng and Speechless.

... IChooseDogLeading (我选择狗带) when read in Chinese sounds like I Choose Go Die. It was a meme that resulted from a former member of famous Korean boygroup, EXO, TAO (Huang Zitao). At a concert, there was a part in a rap that where he said "", but due to a mispronunciation, it sounded like he will not easily choose to be led by dogs. This phrase now means 'I'd rather die/I choose death'.