Starforce Warriors-Chapter 540: Wedding Announcement (1)

After exchanging contact information, Li Xiaofei turned and walked away.

"What did he say to you?” Tsukiha Yaiba eagerly approached him inside the VIP lounge.

Li Xiaofei casually replied, "He said he hopes we can be friends."

Tsukiha Yaiba asked, "And you agreed?"

Li Xiaofei countered with a question of his own, "Why not?"

Tsukiha Yaiba bit her vividly red lips lightly and let out a soft hum. The Tsukiha Family’s bodyguards and attendants around them immediately lowered their heads in unison.

It was the only way to hide the uncontrollable expressions of infatuation that had surfaced on their faces. No one knew exactly when, but the family head’s charm had become utterly irresistible.

Every subtle expression and faint smile seemed to draw people in. So, even that light hum just now was enough to make those around her momentarily lose composure as years of discipline slipped away. frёewebηovel.cѳm

"What are you humming about? Having more friends means more opportunities," Li Xiaofei said as he approached a lounge chair and sat down.

Tsukiha Yaiba waved her hand. The people in the VIP lounge immediately understood and discreetly left the room. She opened her palm and a small, intricately crafted mechanical dragonfly buzzed to life. Its compound eyes flashed with a faint red light as it vibrated its delicate wings at a specific frequency, creating a strange shielding field.

In an instant, all surveillance and eavesdropping devices in the VIP lounge were completely disabled.

Tsukiha Yaiba walked gently to Li Xiaofei’s side, knelt by his legs, and began to massage them softly. Li Xiaofei remained silent, his eyes closed as he rested. There were still several battles ahead.

Tsukiha Yaiba had deliberately manipulated public opinion by repeatedly feigning weakness. Many of the reports viciously criticizing Li Xiaofei and her had actually been orchestrated by her. This was why some of those reports were so accurate, even revealing insider information about the Tsukiha Family.

This meticulous plan had led major powers like the Red Shirt Group to up their own wagers as they sought to completely dismantle and divide the Tsukiha Family and the Sanshang Group. Now, this self-sabotaging strategy was more than halfway to success.

The stakes put down by various families could not be withdrawn before the duels concluded. The Tsukiha Family merely needed to select matches strategically to ensure that they could claim these resources, wealth, contracts, or other treasures through victory in the duels.

With the death of Youki Kaiichi, the upcoming battles might escalate into confrontations involving Saints.

"If we can kill a few Saints, it will significantly weaken the power of the Jiepeng Empire," Tsukiha Yaiba remarked.

Unlike Great Xia, Jiepeng was neither vast nor densely populated. Losing combatants repeatedly would eventually leave them depleted.

After massaging for a while, a glint appeared in Tsukiha Yaiba's eyes. She said, "You seem ready now."

She attempted to climb onto his lap.

Li Xiaofei roughly pushed her away as he said flatly, "Not interested."

Tsukiha Yaiba pouted and retorted, "Not interested? Then why are you so tense and firm?"

Li Xiaofei responded righteously, "That’s just a natural reaction. I’m upright and honorable. How could I indulge in such things in broad daylight? You, do you have no sense of shame?"

Tsukiha Yaiba, however, paid him no heed. She mounted him with ease, slowly settling herself down while slowly swaying her waist. Li Xiaofei said no more, reluctantly focusing on his internal composure. Tsukiha Yaiba continued her movements and her forehead soon glistened with a fine sheen of sweat.

The elegant, jade-like arms of Tsukiha Yaiba wrapped around Li Xiaofei’s neck as she panted softly, "This morning, news came from the royal family. Emperor Akihito intends to make me his empress."

Li Xiaofei firmly held her raised hips and pushed upward forcefully.

"That’s good news," he replied.

Though he had completely explored the so-called Flower of Jiepeng, thanks to the perverse self-healing ability of her Golden Lizard King bloodline, she could restore herself to a pristine state every other day. Even the most meticulous examinations would not uncover a flaw.

"You think this is good news?" Tsukiha Yaiba asked, clearly displeased. "I’m your woman—"

"Stop," Li Xiaofei interrupted her bluntly.

He corrected her with an unusually serious expression. "We’re merely collaborators. This is a mutually beneficial arrangement to improve our cultivation and occasionally address physiological needs. That’s all. Don’t start talking about who belongs to whom. It’s disgusting."

Tsukiha Yaiba’s alluring face immediately twisted into a look of grievance.

"Are you truly this heartless?" she complained breathlessly, her tone laced with accusation. "I’ve followed you all this time. I’ve always obeyed you and let you have your way with me. Can’t you tell me that even a small part of you cares? Just a little bit?"

"No," Li Xiaofei replied firmly, his tone as sharp as a knife. "And I advise you not to, either."

Tsukiha Yaiba’s expression grew even more pitiful as her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "Is the hatred you hold for your enemies so important that it leaves no room for even the slightest trace of affection?"

Li Xiaofei sneered coldly. "Don’t give me that sentimental nonsense. Where would there be any affection between the two of us? Affection? Ha! If we’re talking about sons and daughters, does that mean you should call me Daddy?"

Tsukiha Yaiba gritted her teeth in anger, twisting her waist violently in retaliation.

"So you really want me to marry into the royal family?" She demanded.

Li Xiaofei nodded. "It’s not about what I want. It’s what you want."

"I don’t want to," Tsukiha Yaiba said softly.

"No, you do," Li Xiaofei retorted coldly, mercilessly exposing her. "Don’t think I can’t see through you."

He held her waist firmly, his movements forceful as he sneered. "If you truly didn’t want this, you wouldn’t have secretly proven your purity to the royal family, ensuring that they believe you’re a virgin. Otherwise, with all the recent scandals about us, Emperor Akihito would have to be out of his mind to even consider marrying you. A virgin is the baseline requirement for an empress, isn’t it? If you didn’t want this, you wouldn’t have found out about the royal family’s decision before it was officially made. And if you didn’t want this, you wouldn’t be testing my reaction with such calculated provocation here and now."

Tsukiha Yaiba froze for a moment, then lowered her head, guilt flickering in her expression. The feeling of being seen through so easily was truly unsettling. The boy in front of her wasn’t just some brute; he had an astute mind as well.

"How did you figure it out?" She asked.

"I didn’t figure it out," Li Xiaofei replied coolly. "I felt it."

"Felt it?"

"Every time you lie, you tighten up."

"..."

Tsukiha Yaiba was struck speechless. She had never imagined that her seemingly flawless expressions and carefully crafted words would betray her through such an embarrassing, involuntary reaction. Nor had she ever considered that someone like Li Xiaofei would notice such a minute detail.

What kind of pervert is he?

"I want revenge. To help you, I need more power," she explained earnestly, worried he might be angry. "Even if I rise to the top of the ten major financial groups, I’ll still be nothing more than a dog beneath the royal family. But if I become the empress, I can seize more power. I can even turn the emperor into my puppet."

By the end, a fanatical light had taken over her expression. Li Xiaofei could feel her body radiating an intense, wild heat, like a raging fire burning without restraint, heedless of the cost.

"And besides..." Tsukiha Yaiba suddenly chuckled softly, her voice dripping with seduction as she leaned in close. Her lips almost brushed against Li Xiaofei's ear as she whispered, "You hate the people of the Jiepeng Empire so much. Don’t you want to try the thrill of utterly humiliating and ravaging their empress?"

Damn.

Li Xiaofei was instantly stirred by her words, a strong feeling surging through him. This woman was truly twisted. She had fallen completely into darkness. If she really did marry into the royal family, the Jiepeng Empire’s imperial household would surely have their hands full dealing with her.

Moments later, another match began. Li Xiaofei stepped back onto the arena and killed a half-Saint named Shijinagawa. According to the rules of the duel, the Tsukiha Family was able to claim six vials of ninth-generation pure Starforce Reagents that Shijinagawa’s Ingetsuki Family had wagered.

Over the course of an entire day, Li Xiaofei fought thirteen matches. He killed thirteen Divine Realm masters and half-Saints from the Jiepeng Empire. Unfortunately, he did not get the chance to face a true Saint.

Rather than the massive conglomerates with astronomical stakes, Tsukiha Yaiba targeted mid-sized and large financial groups when selecting opponents from the betting pool.

After securing the Red Shirt Group’s lucrative Distillation Research Institute, Tsukiha Yaiba adjusted her strategy. She focused on devouring mid-sized and large financial groups bit by bit to consolidate the foundation of the Sanshang Group, avoiding an immediate confrontation with the remaining eight major financial groups.

By the end of these matches, the name Shinzu Genshi had swept through Jiepeng like a storm, leaving an indelible impression. In a single day, one man fought thirteen deathmatches. Thirteen wins. Thirteen kills. The fastest kill was achieved in just 0.4 seconds. The slowest took 4 minutes and 56 seconds.

In total, the combined time for all thirteen matches was less than ten minutes. The sheer terror and efficiency of his killing rhythm were staggering. His absolute dominance radiated an invincible aura. He had no equal as he wielded his powered spear.

The recordings of these matches were dissected and analyzed by countless supercomputers and light cores. They all reached the same conclusion: Shinzu Genshi was a true prodigy of his era. His mastery of inner qi had not yet reached the realm of the Saints, but his combat strength was already at their level.

The ability to fight across major realms was the mark of a genius. To reverse the flow and slay a Saint, however, was the hallmark of a peerless genius among geniuses. The Jiepeng Empire had not seen such a prodigy for a very long time. Even Tsukiha Tensō, the last martial arts prodigy to shock the nation with his talent, could not achieve the same brilliance in his youth.

Official records revealed that Shinzu Genshi was only 22 years old. He had a limitless future ahead of him. The young man, who just a day prior had been relentlessly mocked by the media with nicknames like The Constipated Bodyguard, The Greatest Freeloader in History, and The Shame of Jiepeng, had completely overturned his reputation in less than twenty-four hours.

Now, he was hailed as The Light of Jiepeng, The Empire’s Young Tiger, and The Star of Jiepeng’s Martial Arts! These glowing accolades became synonymous with Shinzu Genshi’s name.

The editor-in-chief of The Jiepeng Daily, Matsui Ishikawa, who had previously led the smear campaign against him, became a despised figure overnight. People from all walks of life gleefully piled criticism on him.

You almost destroyed the Light of Jiepeng’s Martial Arts!

Apologize to the great Shinzu Genshi!

What kind of disgraceful backdoor dealings made someone like you the editor-in-chief of The Jiepeng Daily?

Step down!

Resign, or we’ll cancel our subscriptions to The Jiepeng Daily!

Who wants to join me in throwing garbage into Matsui’s yard?

Matsui, you scumbag, go to hell!

On the light-network, countless diehard fans of Shinzu Genshi appeared out of nowhere to launch a frenzied attack on Matsui Ishikawa. Some extremists even took action, gathering outside The Jiepeng Daily’s office building to throw waste and block Matsui Ishikawa’s way.

In the light core virtual world, the headquarters of The Jiepeng Daily faced relentless assaults from countless martial artists. It was attacked and destroyed dozens of times.

In the end, Matsui Ishikawa had no choice but to issue a public apology on his personal light-network account. This time, he didn’t attempt to defend himself. He released a video of himself kneeling, crying bitterly, and begging for forgiveness.

Matsui Ishikawa was terrified. Offending a rising star with limitless potential like Shinzu Genshi, all for the sake of generating traffic and a bit of money, was undoubtedly the greatest mistake of his life. Just imagining a future where Shinzu Genshi became the empire’s strongest expert filled him with dread. Killing someone like him, a mere editor-in-chief, would be child’s play.

Shinzu Genshi wouldn’t even need to lift a finger himself. Any number of powerful factions eager to curry favor with Shinzu Genshi could easily eliminate him a thousand times over.

However, some mistakes could not be undone with an apology. That same day, the Tsukiha Family broke their silence for the first time and made an official statement.

They filed lawsuits against Matsui Ishikawa and his associates, as well as The Jiepeng Daily itself. Several major media outlets that had collaborated with The Jiepeng Daily to demand a royal investigation into Tsukiha Yaiba and the Tsukiha Family were also included in the lawsuits.

These media outlets suddenly found themselves in an embarrassing and dire situation. They were forced to issue public apologies on their official websites as well as promise compensation to both the Tsukiha Family and Shinzu Genshi.