Bab 181: A Tsundere, A Tournament, and a Wasteland of Death
Tsundere was leaning against the window, her arms crossed, her lips pursed in a mix of annoyance and intrigue. "You're clearly talented enough to revolutionize medicine, yet here you are, staying in the Blue Wind Profound Palace instead of joining a big sect. You could have power, glory, and fame! So why stay here?"
Raja reclined in his chair, his face calm but eyes gleaming with amusement. "Power and glory?" He chuckled. "Joining a sect is like signing up for a lifetime prison sentence, complete with chains of politics and obligations. I'm not interested in being anyone's pawn. I want power to ensure I don't lose anything—or anyone—important ever again. Freedom is my real goal."
Tsundere blinked, clearly not expecting such an answer. "That's... idealistic, but naive. If you reveal too much of your ability without the strength to protect yourself, you'll attract all the wrong kinds of attention. What will you do then? Bow to whoever decides they want to control you?"
Raja sat up straighter, his smile disappearing as he fixed her with an unyielding gaze. "I bow to no one, Tsundere. You're Chu Yueli's sister, and because of that, I trust you. But understand this—there's no power on this planet that can make me kneel."
Tsundere blushed, though she quickly masked it with a scoff. "You're too confident for your own good."
Raja shifted the conversation abruptly. "You've been to Frozen Cloud Asgard recently, haven't you? Do you know Xia Qingyue?"
Tsundere tensed but nodded. "She's one of our disciples. Why?"
"She's competing in the Blue Wind Ranking Tournament, isn't she?" Raja asked, a smirk forming.
Tsundere's brows furrowed. "How do you know that?"
Ignoring her question, Raja leaned back, his smirk widening as Tsundere continued. "Xia Qingyue is extraordinary. She's talented enough to beat Ling Yun himself, the current top contender. Her strength is... well, it's unparalleled."
Hearing this, Raja felt a swell of pride. It had been years since he had last seen Xia Qingyue, but to hear how much she had grown in strength and reputation was both satisfying and humbling.
Tsundere couldn't contain her curiosity any longer. "How do you know her?"
Raja leaned forward, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "She's my little sister, of course. And since Chu Yueli is her master, we've had... long conversations."
Tsundere looked completely flummoxed. "Your sister? Chu Yueli's... What?"
Raja only laughed, leaving Tsundere to piece it together herself.
Their conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door. Before Raja could even rise, Lan Xueruo entered. "Raja," she began, "I—"
"I'm competing in the Blue Wind Ranking Tournament," Raja declared before she could finish.
Lan Xueruo blinked in surprise, then smiled softly. "You're certainly eligible, but you'll need to rank in the top three of the Inner Palace Heavenly Profound Ranking within six months."
"Rank one right now, aren't I?" Raja replied nonchalantly, as though this feat wasn't extraordinary.
Lan Xueruo nodded. "Yes, but it won't be easy to prepare for the tournament."
"I'll take it seriously," Raja promised, his tone growing resolute. "But to do that, I'll need to leave for training. My current strength isn't enough, and I don't want to be a burden—not to you or anyone else."
Lan Xueruo's eyes softened. "You're not a burden, Raja."
Raja shook his head. "I need to grow stronger, not just for me but for the palace and to handle the political chaos brewing here. Besides, you should focus on finding that medicinal plant for your father."
Lan Xueruo sighed, clearly torn but understanding. "I'll wait for you, Raja. Just... be careful."
Determined, Raja packed his belongings, brushing off invitations from the Crown Prince and Third Prince. Training in peace was his only priority.
Two days later, after traversing vast landscapes via Sky Walk, Raja arrived at the city near the Wasteland of Death. The air here was thick with tension, the streets bustling with adventurers boasting tales of near-death encounters with profound beasts.
At a shop, Raja purchased supplies, catching the shopkeeper's wary eye. "The Wasteland of Death is no place for the careless. Stay within 25 kilometers of the edge. Beyond that, the profound beasts are..." He shuddered. "Unforgiving."
Raja smiled faintly. "I'll keep that in mind."
The Wasteland of Death lived up to its name. Its barren expanse was dotted with jagged rocks, skeletal trees, and mounds that seemed to breathe malice. Nascent Profound Beasts prowled near the edges, their guttural growls a warning to intruders.
Tsundere joined him reluctantly, grumbling, "You're insane for coming here. Three months. I'll protect you for three months, but after that, you're on your own."
As they ventured deeper, Raja encountered and effortlessly defeated packs of Wild Wolves with fiery blasts of Phoenix Flame. Tsundere, despite herself, was impressed. "You fight like you're swatting flies."
Raja shrugged. "They're barely a warm-up."
Deeper into the wasteland, the terrain grew more treacherous. Raja avoided unnecessary confrontations, battling only when unavoidable. The air crackled with latent danger, and it wasn't long before he stumbled upon a group of sect disciples fighting a high-level True Profound Beast.
The group, led by Sun Zhou, had just claimed the beast's profound core when they noticed Raja. Sun Zhou's gaze lingered on Raja's purple spatial ring, greed flickering in his eyes. "Friend, traveling alone is dangerous. Why not join us for safety?"
Raja's sharp senses caught the hidden intent in Sun Zhou's voice. He replied coolly, "No thanks."
Junior Brother Ding sneered. "Reckless fool."
Sun Zhou's smile didn't falter, though his frustration was evident. He whispered to the others, clearly plotting something.
Raja ventured deeper, where the beasts grew stronger and the air more oppressive. A Spirit Profound Beast, the Ironback Blue Wolf, lunged at him. Raja countered with a single, devastating strike of his sword, leaving the beast incapacitated.
Mu Xiaoling, one of the sect disciples who had been trailing him, gasped. "Thank you for saving me."
Raja merely nodded, his focus unbroken. Sun Zhou, meanwhile, fumed at the display of power.
Before long, the infamous Black Dragon Bandit Group arrived. Their leader, a Spirit Profound Realm cultivator, intercepted Mu Xiaoling and Sun Zhou. The latter, in a cowardly bid to save himself, offered all his possessions—and Mu Xiaoling—as tributes.
Mu Xiaoling's face turned pale with disgust. "You're despicable."
The bandit leader, Black Dragon, laughed. "Your junior sister? I'll take her for myself."
Sun Zhou's humiliation deepened, but before things escalated, the bandits' attention turned to Raja. "That purple ring..." one bandit murmured, his greed evident.
Raja, unimpressed, tossed his sword casually toward them. The weapon landed with a loud thud, a silent promise of the chaos to come.
One-Eyed Dragon sneered, stepping forward to claim it, only for Raja's smirk to signal his next move. "Your turn."
Tsundere, now thoroughly impressed (though she'd never admit it), crossed her arms and huffed. "Show-off."
Raja simply smiled, ready to face whatever challenge lay ahead.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
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