Chapter 56: Another One?

Yun Che and Retsu's audacious stunt had spread throughout the New Moon Profound Palace like wildfire. Teachers, elders, and disciples alike were abuzz with the recent events in the recruitment arena. In just a single day, the duo had eclipsed all the other recruits, becoming the primary stars of the palace. While Yun Che hadn't initially planned for this, he recognized that when fate takes its course, one must simply go along with it.

The New Moon Profound Palace sprawled across a vast expanse, dominated by the magnificent Main Hall at its center, with countless structures extending as far as the eye could see. It was no wonder that people often referred to this place as a small city within itself. As Yun Che and Retsu followed Xia Yuanba to his living accommodations and then towards the food hall, they couldn't help but notice the gazes of the palace's disciples, all under the age of twenty, fixed upon them as if they were celebrities. It became evident that rumors had a way of amplifying one's presence, even against their wishes.

Whispers about their refusal of the administrator's offer reached Yun Che's ears, accompanied by comments labeling him as either arrogant or foolish for declining an offer from none other than Qin Wuyou himself. He couldn't help but muse on the irony that in this cultivation world, one could be deemed a nobody if they were weak and a dumbass if they displayed strength. It was a sobering realization of the culture in this realm.

Curious about the palace's size and population, Yun Che consulted the system for information. The reply revealed that there were a total of three thousand disciples within the palace, ranging from the weakest at the Elementary level to the strongest hovering around the Spirit Profound Realm. This served as a training ground for disciples before they embarked on their roles as soldiers or officers in the kingdom.

Yun Che shared this information with Retsu, who was adapting to the palace's culture. Yuanba also chimed in, providing insights into the various factions and notable figures among the disciples, highlighting the need for caution despite their rejection of the administrator's offer. Despite the challenges, their feats in defeating an instructor had cast them as the shining pearls of the palace, ensuring that they wouldn't easily fade into obscurity.

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Yun Che's attention shifted towards Xia Yuanba, who was a rather unique character in this universe. Unlike his Dragonball Z counterpart, Xia Yuanba possessed Tyranical Emperor Profound Veins—remarkable veins with the power of a War God from the Realm of the Gods. These veins required an unusual level of determination or anger to unleash their power and propel the user to greater heights. To Yun Che or Yuuki, these veins were undeniably intriguing.

"Well, your profound veins are quite unique," Yun Che stated matter-of-factly, his hands idly resting behind his head.

"Unique?" Yuanba appeared perplexed.

"In a way, your veins demand more energy for cultivation compared to ordinary cultivators," Yun Che explained. "That's why your progress may seem slower than that of other disciples. However, the fascinating aspect of your veins is that you need to 'jump start' them to accelerate your cultivation."

"Jump start? What's that supposed to mean?" Yuanba inquired, oblivious to Yun Che's modern way of speaking.

"Oh, my apologies for that... Um... It's like you have to trigger something within your veins to stimulate faster cultivation, almost like forcing it awake," Yun Che clarified. Retsu couldn't help but smile beneath her veil, seemingly accustomed to Yun Che's distinctive way of explaining things.

"Trigger?" Yuanba remained curious about his veins.

"Yes, exactly," Yun Che continued. "You require a significant 'trigger' to awaken your veins fully. From what I can suggest, anger might be the best catalyst. Your veins seem to test your willpower as a human. The greater your willpower, the stronger you can become."

"A trigger? So, only a trigger was enough to make me this strong?" Yuanba marveled at his newfound understanding.

"Indeed, but you'll need a more substantial trigger to unlock your full potential," Yun Che replied thoughtfully. "Anger seems to be the most effective way for you to accelerate your cultivation. Who knows, maybe one day you'll even sport golden hair." Yun Che grinned, drawing an amusing parallel to Saiyan Bloodlines from his own world. However, he considered that some modifications might be necessary to refine the analogy.

"Anger? Is there no other way, brother-in-law?" Yuanba inquired, hoping for additional insights that could expedite his cultivation.

Yun Che shook his head. "Nope, your veins are indeed unique, and that's the conclusion I've come to." He shrugged casually. "However, I might explore alternative methods for you in the future."

Curiosity piqued, Yuanba asked, "How do you know all of this, brother-in-law? It's not often you explain such intricate details of cultivation."

Yun Che leaned in, adopting an air of mystery. "Well, I consider myself more of a miracle doctor, and Retsu shares that talent with me. We can easily discern the workings of your veins as if we're reading a book. Trust me, the easiest way for you to trigger them is through anger. The more challenging path involves pushing yourself to the limits and harnessing your determination." Yun Che grinned, and Retsu nodded in agreement.

"Alright, brother-in-law, I'll heed your advice," Yuanba declared, as if he had gained a valuable understanding of his newfound powers.

"That's the spirit," Yun Che encouraged with a hearty pat on Yuanba's back, eliciting a small but surprised reaction from him.

After a leisurely stroll, Yun Che's group finally reached the inner disciples' residence area. Upon presenting their tokens to the astonished person in charge, they were assigned a spacious courtyard, courtesy of the headmaster himself. This unique accommodation set them apart from the other inner disciples, with ample room for two occupants. The headmaster had truly outdone himself, leaving them pleasantly surprised.

After some persuasion, Yuanba agreed to stay with them temporarily, hoping to establish himself without relying solely on Yun Che. Yun Che consented, recognizing it as the best way for Yuanba to cultivate. He secretly resolved to invite Little Fairy to his residence later; otherwise, she might give him a thrashing if she found out they were living comfortably while she stayed in an inn.

"Brother-in-law," Yuanba inquired, recalling the Emperor-like powers Yun Che had displayed during the wedding, "I'm curious. With your strength, you could have joined any sect you desired. Why did you choose to come here?"

Yun Che had anticipated this question and offered a prepared response. "Well, Retsu and I actually have a business arrangement here. We're participating in a banquet three weeks from now. This banquet gathers almost all of New Moon City's top powers in one place. We aim to not just participate, but also gain experience by challenging them."

Young master Xia Yuanba chimed in, "He mentioned it's the best way to broaden our horizons, an opportunity to engage with others on a grand scale. It could be quite enjoyable."

However, Yuanba couldn't help but feel somewhat concerned. "But, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, are you really planning to attend that banquet three weeks from now?"

Yun Che glanced sideways at him, detecting a hint of worry in Yuanba's voice. "Of course, we have to go. Yuanba, it seems like you're not too keen on this banquet. Is there something troubling you?"

"Although it's not exactly a problem, but…" Xia Yuanba hesitated before reluctantly continuing, "some time ago, I heard that when the last generation's Palace Chief was newly appointed, they also hosted a grand banquet. During that event, disciples from other sects used the excuse of 'exchanging pointers' to challenge our disciples of the same age. There were ten matches, and New Moon Profound Palace lost all ten times. It was a humiliating defeat, and it made the old Palace Chief a laughingstock for a long time."

Yun Che chuckled heartily. "Heh-heh, that's their way of reminding the new chief who's really in charge of New Moon City. But don't worry, we'll show them who's boss this time. By the way, how many major powers are there in this city?"

Xia Yuanba took a moment to ponder before responding, "Let me think... There are a total of seven major powers: Profound Heart Sect, Cloudy Sun Sect, Iron Spear Clan, Seven Deadly Sword Pavilion, and Stormy Profound Palace." His voice then lowered, and his tone became cautious. "Their influence far surpasses our New Moon Profound Palace. If not for the support of the Imperial Family, we might have already been suppressed and pushed out. In addition to these five, there are two more giants that not even the Imperial Family dares to provoke: the branches of the Xiao Sect and Burning Heaven Clan here in New Moon City."

"The Xiao Clan in this city? Well, that gives me even more reason to shake things up at the banquet," Yun Che declared with a grin and clenched fists.

"Brother-in-law! You..." Yuanba was taken aback by Yun Che's description of one of the two major powers as "shitty."

"Yes, I have some unfinished business with them. Actually, with all of them," Yun Che said with a hint of malice in his voice.

"Burning Heaven Clan? Are they as weak as the Xiao Clan we encountered before, young master?" Retsu asked, curious since she was unaware of any external powers beyond the Xiao Sect and Frozen Cloud Asgard.

"Now that you mention it, Retsu, I have some unsettled scores with them as well. And yes, they're quite weak," Yun Che replied confidently, revealing his newfound strength.

Retsu giggled mischievously. "Ara, this is becoming quite intriguing."

"Brother-in-law, Sister-in-law, are you crazy? Offending the Xiao Clan and the Burning Heaven Clan is a terrible idea," Yuanba pleaded with Yun Che. He couldn't fathom why they would willingly provoke two major powers in the city.

"Crazy? Not quite, it's more about avoiding future troubles that might come our way," Yun Che replied casually as he continued to walk, chatting with Retsu.

Xia Yuanba was once again taken aback. He hadn't realized just how eager his brother-in-law was to stir up trouble. In this world, the unspoken rule was clear: "If you don't offend others, you'll be fine." It was precisely this cautious approach that had made New Moon Profound Palace appear weak, constantly suppressing themselves to avoid trouble, and ultimately, teetering on the edge of extinction.

As he voiced his concerns, Xia Yuanba abruptly fell silent. Before them, a young man in a pristine white robe and a girl clad in snow-white attire walked side by side in their direction. The man, who appeared to be around eighteen or nineteen, possessed a tall, elegant build and a captivating charm akin to polished jade. In Yun Che and Retsu's eyes, he was the epitome of a "man thot."

However, Yun Che's attention was immediately captured by the girl. In this world, he had encountered various versions of animeverse characters, including Xiao Lingxi, Xia Yuanba, and Little Fairy. Now, yet another one stood before him.

This girl appeared to be around eighteen or nineteen, a more mature version of her anime counterpart who was originally fifteen. Her beautiful, sparkling dark orange eyes were like precious gemstones, and her cherry-colored lips had a smooth, seashell-like luster. Her elegantly shaped eyebrows only added to her beauty, but what truly enchanted him was the faint smile that graced her lips. However, the most captivating aspect of her was her long fuchsia hair cascading down to her waist, with split bangs that reached her chest. Her figure was alluring, and her ample bosom drew his attention.

Yun Che couldn't help but grin as he realized that another animeverse counterpart had appeared before him. This girl shared the same resemblance as the Sakaki Ryoko lookalike from the anime 'Shokugeki No Soma,' which he had watched in his previous world. However, this time, she was even more stunning up close than in the anime. Despite being a minor character in that series, he had always found her incredibly beautiful. Now, seeing her here, he marveled at her real-life beauty. He had noticed that the main characters in this world had been replaced by characters from various anime he had watched.

Her beauty was incomparable to Xia Qingyue's, even though she was a beautiful anime character herself. Yet, the noble aura that enveloped her, like an indistinct haze, set her apart as someone more than just an ordinary woman. It was as if she exuded the presence of a royal noble, which was not surprising given the information he had gleaned from the system's trivia.

Yun Che had somehow discerned a pattern regarding the main characters of this world. Whenever he encountered a familiar counterpart, it signified his proximity to a significant story milestone.

"S-Senior Brother Murong, Senior Sister Xueruo!" Xia Yuanba suddenly shouted, breaking Yun Che from his thoughts.

"Xueruo? Could it be Lan Xueruo?" Yun Che pondered aloud. Seeing her here was one of his main reasons for coming to this palace in the first place. It means this is the next milestone of the story. Originally, he had intended to attend the banquet, but with her presence before him, he realized that this was an opportunity he couldn't pass up.

The man standing beside the girl had his eyes practically bulging out as his gaze fell upon Retsu. He had encountered numerous women in his life, but he had never seen one as breathtakingly beautiful as she was. Her presence exuded a noble aura, and even though her face was veiled, he couldn't help but yearn to unveil it and gaze upon her beauty in its full glory.

As they approached, Xia Yuanba had taken the initiative to pull Yun Che and Retsu forward to greet the newcomers.

"Junior Brother Xia, are you on your way back to rest?" The girl greeted Xia Yuanba with a warm smile, her voice strikingly familiar. Upon hearing her voice, Yun Che couldn't help but think, "I was right; even her voice is the same. I hope she doesn't go 'ufufufu' like the original Ryoko did," he mused inwardly, stifling a chuckle at the thought of encountering yet another familiar character in this world. While the real Yun Che might have gone full-on pervert mode, describing every inch of her body, he had no such inclinations.

At this moment, the girl's gaze shifted toward Yun Che, and a faint blush colored her cheeks, as if she had laid eyes on her long-awaited prince charming. His black pupils, framed by his raven-colored hair and perfectly chiseled face, captivated her attention. Though his attire differed from that of the palace's disciples, it exuded a cool and masculine vibe that far surpassed anyone else in the vicinity, even the man beside her.

Speaking of the man, he lacked the same remarkable aura that Yun Che possessed; the newcomer had a dominant presence that even she, a person of high prestige, couldn't compare to. For some inexplicable reason, she felt a faint shiver run down her spine as she gazed at him. Maintaining her composure, the Ryoko counterpart curiously inquired, "Junior Brother Xia, who is this?"

"Hehe, this is my brother in..." Yuanba began to introduce Yun Che, but before he could finish his sentence, Yun Che's hand clamped over his mouth, eliciting shocked expressions from the man thot, the girl, and even Yuanba himself.

"Brother in arms...Ehem, nice to meet you, Sister Xueruo. I am Yun Che," Yun Che introduced himself smoothly, his glare at Yuanba silently warning him not to utter "brother-in-law" in front of the girl.

"Yun Che?... Do you mean 'The Yun Che'? The one who defeated an instructor with one shot in the arena this morning?" She recalled the rumors circulating throughout the palace. Her curiosity was piqued, as she wondered who possessed the strength to defeat a True Profound Realm master.

"Wow, rumors really spread like wildfire, don't they? Yup, one and only," Yun Che confirmed with a proud grin, basking in the newfound attention and intrigue that surrounded him.

"Then this must be…." She curiously looked at Retsu, who stood beside Yun Che. She had heard about a female with purple dress-like clothing and long braided hair who had defeated one of the palace's top disciples not too long ago. If the description was accurate, this had to be her.

Retsu simply bowed and respectfully cupped her hands in greeting. Before she could reply, the man beside Xueruo, Murong Ye, began introducing himself, making sure to emphasize his status.

"Greetings, junior sister. I am Murong Ye, the son of the governor of New Moon City," he introduced himself with a self-assured air, hoping that by revealing his status, he could capture her interest. He appeared rather eager, like a monkey longing for a mate after a long period of solitude.

"May I know this junior sister's name?" Murong Ye inquired, a hint of delight in his voice.

However, Retsu remained silent, blatantly ignoring him as she turned her attention towards Xueruo, as if she hadn't even noticed his existence.

"…." Murong Ye was taken aback by the complete disregard for his question and his presence. He felt utterly humiliated; not only had she ignored him, the son of the city's governor, but she hadn't even dignified him with a response.

"Well, this is awkward…" Yun Che muttered under his breath while still holding Yuanba's mouth shut with his hand.

"Greetings, Sister Xueruo. I am Unohana Retsu. Perhaps you've heard of me from the rumors," Retsu introduced herself politely and bowed, offering a warm smile.

"Retsu? Then I was right," Xueruo said with a tone of astonishment, finally piecing together the puzzle.

"Retsu, what a beautiful name. This young master is truly pleased to hear such a beautiful name from a maiden like you. Your name must signify the most exquisite of flowers, just like the person herself…" Murong Ye tried to interject once more, attempting to win her favor despite being ignored earlier.

"*Sigh..My name actually means 'violent flower,'" Retsu replied flatly, not bothering to look at him, before calmly walking back to Yun Che's side.

"Awkward..." Yun Che mused.

The atmosphere became increasingly awkward, leaving Murong Ye feeling humiliated and resentful. He had praised Retsu's name without realizing its actual meaning, and now he was being ignored by both Yun Che and Retsu. He felt as if they had disrupted his carefully constructed "two-person world" with Xueruo, which only fueled his dislike for them.

Yun Che decided to break the silence by clearing his throat and gaining Xueruo's attention. "Ahem, as we mentioned earlier, this is Retsu, and I am Yun Che. We recently registered as inner disciples of the palace. However, we've chosen to be in the same class as Yuanba here. We hope you'll take care of us," he said, bowing politely and pointedly ignoring Murong Ye.

Despite his frustration, Murong Ye managed to maintain his composure. He couldn't afford to lose any more face today, especially in front of Lan Xueruo.

"Oh, you've also joined Class One?" Lan Xueruo looked at Yun Che with a playful smile and chuckled. "You appear so young, yet you've already reached the Peak of the Nascent Profound Realm and become an inner disciple. You're stronger than most of the geniuses in this palace. Once the other girls in the class find out that such a handsome junior has joined, they'll be absolutely thrilled. You should be careful, little junior brother."

"Haha, I'll keep that in mind," Yun Che replied casually. In truth, he had no need to worry because Retsu would drive away anyone who tried to get too close to him. Compared to her, the interest of other beauties was of little concern to him.

However, Yun Che's demeanor suddenly changed as he looked at Lan Xueruo with a smile and asked, "I'm guessing, Senior Sister Xueruo, that you're not originally from around here, am I right?"

"Hmm, you can tell, Junior Brother?" Xueruo blinked her beautiful eyes, intrigued by Yun Che's keen observation.

Yun Che's words had caught Lan Xueruo off guard, and she blushed at the unexpected compliments. However, her reaction only served to further fuel Murong Ye's jealousy and frustration. He had tried countless ways to win her affections, but this newcomer had effortlessly stirred her emotions.

"Perhaps, Senior Sister, you are the daughter of a prestigious clan? Or maybe a member of a prominent sect? Or even..." Yun Che trailed off, deliberately leaving the possibilities open, and he watched her reactions closely.

"A Princess of an Empire?"

When Yun Che suggested the possibility of her being a princess of an empire, he noticed a subtle reaction in Lan Xueruo's eyes before she composed herself and smiled at him. "Princess of an Empire? You're overpraising me, Junior Brother Yun. Not only are you good-looking and talented, but you're also quite the smooth talker," she teased, her words laced with a hint of playfulness.

Suddenly, she made a seductive expression and continued, "Maybe this Senior Sister might..."

Although she said this in a playful manner, there was a part of her that was genuinely intrigued by Yun Che. She couldn't quite understand why she felt drawn to him, but the attraction was undeniable.

Murong Ye, on the other hand, was seething with anger. This newcomer had not only disrupted his "two-person world" with Xueruo but was also stealing her attention effortlessly. His jealousy and resentment grew, and he vowed to make Yun Che pay for this perceived humiliation.