I, the Reborn Villain, After Nine Lifetimes of Simping Over the Empress, Crushed the System and Escaped - Chapter 19:

Chapter 19: Cultivation Plan

When the atmosphere in the arena reached its peak, Shen Zhao and Xia Tounan stepped into the center of the cage at Ding Buer’s call.

“Since this is an entry-level match, it will be fought over three rounds.”

“Each round lasts 120 breaths.”

“There are no rules. As long as one side collapses and cannot rise, the other side is the winner.”

“If neither side falls within the three rounds, the winner will be decided based on overall performance.”

“Of course, if one side admits defeat, they can slap the ground when down. That counts as surrender, and the other side wins immediately.”

“Also, if someone falls and fails to get up within ten breaths, it counts as a loss.”

“Now, do you understand?”

Though Ding Buer explained the rules, his gaze never left Xia Tounan. After all, the rules were set by Shen Zhao—there was no point in wasting words with him.

Xia Tounan’s eyes lit up, and he whispered, “So if I just fall and don’t get up, or slap the ground to surrender, that’s allowed?”

“That won’t do!” Ding Buer said. “There’s one rule above all: no throwing matches. If you do, don’t blame us if you die. That’s everything explained. You may begin.”

Shen Zhao grinned at Xia Tounan, showing his strong physique.

Xia Tounan forced a laugh in return, but his smile looked worse than crying.

Ding-ding!

At the sound of the bell rung by Su Yunyīng outside the cage, the blood-boiling fight officially began.

Shen Zhao raised his guard and danced forward with butterfly steps.

Xia Tounan swallowed his fear, encouraged by the roaring crowd outside the cage, and finally mustered the courage to strike with White Cloud Palm.

BAM!

But Shen Zhao showed no mercy. The moment Xia Tounan stepped in, Shen Zhao’s swing punch smashed him flat.

Stars exploded in Xia Tounan’s vision. He staggered up, only to be met with an uppercut to the chin. His body flew into the cage wall, making it rattle violently.

The direct, brutal exchange ignited the crowd. Their blood boiled as they roared in excitement.

In their hearts, only one thought remained: this was a real man’s fight. Compared to this, those battles of clever tricks and flashy spells were weak and pitiful.

Shen Zhao lunged forward again, landing two more bone-crunching punches.

Crack, crack!

Blood covered Xia Tounan’s face. The only thought in his fading mind was, “So damn thrilling.” Then he collapsed and lost consciousness.

“Ten!”

“Nine!”

“Eight!”

Ding Buer crouched down, slapping the ground as he counted aloud.

Shen Zhao, arms raised high, strutted around the cage, declaring victory in advance.

“Shameless!” Lu Xuanji muttered, unable to bear watching. Shen Zhao’s strength was undeniable, beyond what she had imagined. But what meaning was there in such a one-sided fight?

Yet despite her words, this cage match had opened her eyes. It was indeed passionate, raw, and exhilarating.

Lu Chen and Gu Yunxiao felt the same. They hadn’t sensed the slightest spiritual energy leaking from Shen Zhao during the fight. He had defeated his opponent with sheer physical strength.

Cultivation methods that strengthened the body were many: the Vajra Indestructible Body of the Golden Lotus Sect, the Hidden Thought Dao Body of the Mysterious Sect, the Bodhi Golden Body of the Bodhi Sect, the World-Destroying Demon Source of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

But all of these required spiritual energy leakage to form Dao Rhythms around the body to strengthen it.

Yet Shen Zhao had shown no fluctuation at all. There was only one possibility.

“A Saintly Body? An indestructible, undying physique?!”

Impossible! Such heaven-defying arts had vanished into ancient legend, unseen for tens of thousands of years.

Could Shen Zhao be a descendant of some ancient clan, hiding his strength as he played the pig to eat the tiger?

The cultivators present all speculated about his true identity.

“Three!”

“Two!”

“One!”

“Ladies and gentlemen! The victor—Shen Zhao!”

As Ding Buer raised Shen Zhao’s arm, thunderous cheers shook the hall.

“Boss Shen is invincible!”

“Awesome!”

“I want to join the fights too!”

“This is so exciting!”

“Why cultivate immortality when you can experience this instead?”

The entire venue erupted in passion, fists pounding the cage until it rang with metallic echoes.

…

That afternoon, when the crowd had dispersed and Lu Zhantian and the others reluctantly bid farewell, the group sat in the back room to tally their profits.

“The Guangyuan Auction House agreed to take all 1st to 3rd grade low-level spirit herbs for 150,000 low-grade spirit stones. Also, four Yellow-grade artifacts for 80,000 stones, two Profound-grade artifacts for 150,000 stones. Altogether, 380,000 stones.”

“As for my end, those healing and replenishing pills sold well. Just during today’s match alone, we earned over 20,000 stones. Too bad we didn’t run gambling outside—otherwise, the profit would’ve been far higher.”

Four hundred thousand spirit stones in a day’s profit made everyone beam with joy.

As agreed, Feng Xiunian and He Yishou took 240,000 stones, leaving 160,000 entirely for Shen Zhao.

Ding Buer grinned ear to ear, raised his cup, and said, “Everyone, I have a proposal. For the sake of our business booming, let’s toast together!”

“Cheers!”

They clinked glasses and drained them.

When the wine settled, Su Yunyīng asked, “Boss Shen, with your power, why not consider cultivating a female emperor?”

Shen Zhao frowned, “Why are you still thinking about that? Do you know how much effort and resources it takes to raise an Empress?”

He wasn’t exaggerating. In his past life, it had taken nearly twenty years of his support for Yu Xiyan to reach the Great Emperor Realm.

The threshold was the Supreme Realm. That alone disqualified 90% of ambitious dreamers. The trials along the way were indescribably harsh—even with the system’s aid.

Now, finally free of its chains, he had no patience or willpower left to train another Empress.

If the female emperors of the Immortal Martial Continent heard his words, they would be utterly devastated.

Twenty years to raise a Great Emperor? Did he think it was as easy as growing cabbage?

The renowned Xuantian Empress, celebrated as the greatest talent in history, had taken over a hundred years to rise from the Body Tempering Realm to the Great Emperor Realm. And that was already the fastest in history.

“A female emperor? That’s not a bad idea!” Ding Buer clapped his hands suddenly.

“Lord Shen, I think it’s worth a try!”

“Are you drunk, old Ding? Want me to sober you up with a fight?” Shen Zhao asked coldly.

“Please hear me out! Yes, raising an Empress is troublesome, but the rewards are huge. If it works, we gain fame and fortune. If it fails, we still earn enough along the way to live carefree forever. There’s no way to lose.”

“Oh? Tell me your idea.”

“It’s simple. We first join an organization—one with real prestige.”

“Ding, you’ve lost your mind. I came here to avoid the nonsense of sects, and now you want me to join one?”

“Don’t be hasty. The group I’m talking about isn’t like that. It could even help our business. Are you interested?”

“What group?”

“The Public Adjudication Council!”

At those words, He Yishou rolled his eyes. “Brother-in-law, are you crazy? Even dogs wouldn’t join that pit. And you want Brother Shen to throw himself into it?”

Shen Zhao narrowed his eyes, “You know of the Public Adjudication Council?”

Ding Buer nodded, “It’s recorded in the histories. A sect that maintained order across the Immortal Martial Continent. Ten thousand years ago, when their executors acted, all the three thousand sects trembled. But later, something happened. A new leader rose, obsessed only with dual cultivation. The disciples grew corrupt and useless. Since then, no talent emerged, and the sect lost face.

But I believe, if you became an executor of the council, Lord Shen, you could raise Miss Su into an Empress. Appearing under the council’s banner across the nine domains, we could walk sideways and scoop up fortune.”

Shen Zhao asked, “And what does this council have to do with raising an Empress?”

“A great deal!” Ding Buer widened his eyes. “If we restore its prestige, then whenever we enforce laws among sects and clans, they’ll shower us with bribes to keep their secrets hidden. No sect is clean. If we present their crimes, won’t they obediently pay in spirit stones and herbs? It’s making money lying down!”

Shen Zhao’s lips curled, “Wouldn’t that make me the same as them? What’s the difference?”

“Money is money, no shame in it,” Ding Buer squinted. “The key is, you’d be earning it standing tall, not crawling on your knees. Isn’t that exciting? If I could, I’d sign up right now. Think about it, Lord Shen. Seize this chance to grow strong. Better than rotting away here.”

Shen Zhao turned to Su Yunyīng, “What do you think?”

She smiled softly, “I follow Boss’s lead.”

He looked at Feng Xiunian and He Yishou, “You two agree as well?”

They laughed, “Qingyang City is quiet for now. Brother Shen, you can give it a try. We’ll handle the Fight Club’s business. No rules will be broken.”

Shen Zhao sighed, “True. Better than idling around. It’s settled. In half a month, we set out for the Public Adjudication Council!”

“Thank you, Boss!”

Overjoyed, Su Yunyīng threw herself into Shen Zhao’s arms, her face glowing with excitement.

Soft warmth filled his embrace, a sweet fragrance brushing against his senses. Shen Zhao’s mind went blank for a moment.

Ten lifetimes, and this was the first time a girl had willingly hugged him.

In his past life, he had held Yu Xiyan before, but always out of necessity to save her. She had never once embraced him of her own accord.

Su Yunyīng’s warmth was something he wasn’t used to. For the first time, Shen Zhao found himself shaken.