Chu Chu faced Tuo Ba Hong's strike without the slightest change in her expression.
She let out a soft shout, and suddenly a chilling aura emanated from her body. A mass of extremely cold white mist burst forth instantly, condensing in her right hand before she slapped it toward Tuo Ba Hong.
The extreme cold surged toward the red flame like a silken ribbon, colliding with it in an instant.
Boom!
A violent roar erupted in the Imperial Garden.
The flame blooming on Tuo Ba Hong's right fist was visibly frozen by ice at a speed discernible to the naked eye.
Moreover, the cold air continued to spread, swallowing Tuo Ba Hong's right arm in the blink of an eye. Before anyone could react, Tuo Ba Hong was completely covered by the cold air, transforming into an ice sculpture that stood tall in the Imperial Garden.
Bang!
An instant later, the ice sculpture exploded. Tuo Ba Hong was sent flying as if struck in the chest by a sledgehammer, crashing heavily to the ground. Finally, he spat out a mouthful of scarlet blood, his expression instantly萎靡不振 (listless).
Dead silence fell over the Imperial Garden.
Everyone stood frozen in place, then looked at Chu Chu in disbelief.
No one had expected that even the fifteenth prince, renowned as a genius, was no match for Tuo Ba Hong.
In the end, it was Chu Chu, who had been unable to cultivate since childhood and regarded as a waste, who easily defeated Tuo Ba Hong, turned the tide, and saved the dignity of the Great Han royal family.
"Do you still want to fight?"
Chu Chu looked at Tuo Ba Hong, who was struggling to stand, and asked indifferently.
"Impossible! How could I lose? This is absolutely impossible!"
Tuo Ba Hong covered his chest, his face铁青 (livid), utterly unable to accept the result.
Ever since obtaining the spiritual treasure, he had never lost a battle against peers. He came to the Great Han imperial city to trample the Great Han royal geniuses underfoot, only to find himself powerless against Chu Chu.
He staggered to his feet, his gaze toward Chu Chu filled with hatred.
"I won't forgive you, won't forgive you..."
Tuo Ba Hong murmured, reaching for his waist.
The Great Wizard of the Southern Wilderness changed color drastically, dashing to Tuo Ba Hong's side. Seemingly supporting him, he grabbed Tuo Ba Hong's arm and whispered, "Young Master, no! There are many experts here. Even if you use that treasure, you can't do anything to that girl. Let's plan this carefully!"
Gritting his teeth, Tuo Ba Hong gave Chu Chu a hateful glance but finally chose to swallow his anger.
The Great Wizard chuckled, cupped his hands, and said, "The Great Han royal family truly has a galaxy of talents. We in the Southern Wilderness concede defeat in this battle!"
"Good, Chu Chu, well done!"
The Han Emperor laughed heartily, the earlier depression vanishing. He tossed the jade thumb ring in his hand: "Here, this is my reward!"
Chu Chu caught the jade thumb ring, thanked him happily, then sat back to continue enjoying the imperial feast.
Previously, she had been a mere background figure in the royal family, but after this battle, the princes and princesses around her cast curious glances her way.
Even the Second Prince, Lin Shuo, looked at Chu Chu in surprise, wondering how she had suddenly become so powerful!
"Your Majesty, our Young Master is injured in the battle. We shall take our leave first!"
The Great Wizard of the Southern Wilderness rose to bid farewell.
"Very well. Victory and defeat are common in war. Let none of you take this to heart!"
The Han Emperor was overjoyed, waving for the Southern Wilderness delegation to withdraw. He even agreed to send imperial physicians to the posthouse to treat Tuo Ba Hong, showing the demeanor of a great nation.
After the Southern Wilderness delegation left, the Han Emperor冷哼 (snorted coldly) at the eunuch beside him: "Order the Dark Guards to keep an eye on these people!"
The little eunuch quickly accepted the order and went to inform the royal Dark Guards.
"Chu Chu, come here!"
The Han Emperor beckoned to Chu Chu, who was gnawing on a watermelon.
Chu Chu put down the watermelon and walked to the Han Emperor in confusion.
"Chu Chu, I remember you had cold poison in your body and couldn't cultivate. How did you suddenly become so powerful?"
The Han Emperor asked kindly, smiling at Chu Chu.
Chu Chu had made an agreement with Lin Yu: no matter what, she must not reveal that Lin Yu had cured her cold poison or that Lin Yu had taught her cultivation techniques.
Thus, Chu Chu looked at the Han Emperor with a blank expression: "Grandpa Emperor, I don't know what's going on either. The cold poison stopped attacking two years ago, and I seem able to control the cold in my body. My cultivation has grown rapidly!"
"Is there really such a thing?"
Upon hearing Chu Chu's words, the expressions of everyone present became extremely complex.
Who would have thought that the cold poison that nearly killed Chu Chu could now help her cultivate? Who would believe it?
"Princess Chu Chu, the technique you used to defeat Tuo Ba Hong seems different from the royal family's techniques. Where did you obtain this technique?"
The Elder Xu suddenly spoke up—he was the only one present who had noticed this.
"I don't know! It seems that after the cold poison disappeared, the cold energy in my body can circulate like this. I have no idea why!"
Chu Chu gently shook her head, still feigning ignorance.
"Elder Xu, have you guessed something?"
The Han Emperor looked at Elder Xu.
"Your Majesty, do you remember the sword hum that resounded through the imperial city all those years ago?"
After a moment of silence, Elder Xu stroked his beard and spoke gravely, voicing his speculation: "Back then, we searched the entire imperial city but never found the Sword Dao genius. Your Majesty, could it be that..."
Here, he paused, not continuing.
The Han Emperor's face changed drastically. Although Elder Xu had not finished speaking, he already knew what Elder Xu intended to say.
Although the peerless sword body of the founding emperor had not been inherited, his bloodline still made the Great Han royal family abound with geniuses.
The cold poison in Chu Chu's body had been extremely strange. The Second Prince, Lin Shuo, had once suspected that Chu Chu had been poisoned.
Now that he thought about it, could it be that the Human Emperor Sword responded not to a reincarnated Sword Dao genius but to a talent on par with a Sword Dao genius?
Back then, the entire imperial city had searched for the Sword Dao genius but overlooked the cold poison in Chu Chu's body, which explained why they couldn't find the genius despite searching the entire city.
"No, if that's the case, why is the Human Emperor Sword nowhere to be found?"
The Han Emperor gently shook his head. If Chu Chu were truly the genius responded to by the Human Emperor Sword, the sword should logically be by her side.
"Your Majesty, could it be that Princess Chu Chu's talent was exchanged for the Human Emperor Sword? That's why we can't find the sword!"
Elder Xu was now convinced that Chu Chu was the one they had been seeking, immediately offering a new explanation for the sword's disappearance.
"That must be it!"
The Han Emperor heaved a sigh of relief, gave Chu Chu a deep look, and accepted Elder Xu's statement.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! First, the Prince of Su advanced to the Myriad Manifestations Realm and returned, then the Seventh Princess advanced to the Innate Realm at a young age. Now, Princess Chu Chu is the chosen one. This is heaven's favor upon the Great Han!"
The civil and military officials present suddenly understood and knelt to congratulate him.