Chapter 1031: Missing

After getting the artifact and verifying its grade, the Guards gave Long Chen a ticket and allowed him to enter. 

Long Chen entered the arena, which was the biggest he had seen. There was a seating area all around the actual ground where spectators were supposed to sit. 

"May I see your ticket?"

As Long Chen entered the arena, a different guard asked him to show his ticket.

Long Chen gave the ticket to the man who read it. 

"Seat number 25 in the second block," the guard muttered as he read the ticket. 

"That should be your seat, third row, second seat," he said as he returned the ticket to Long Chen. 

Long Chen walked over to the side after having the ticket and sat on the seat with Zhiqing sitting right beside him. 

The seats were only half-filled. As for the ground, that was almost entirely empty. A few people could be seen on the ground, setting a few things up. 

"Looks like we are a bit early," Zhiqing muttered. 

"Yeah. It's fine, though. It should start within a few hours," Long Chen muttered as he took out two fruits from his storage ring.

"Here, eat something."

He gave one of her fruits to Long Chen while eating the other himself. 

"If I'm not wrong, there should be more than six participants this time. The Ranking, if I remember correctly, was Du Liang from this world in the first place. Second Prince Meng Qian in second place. He is also the one who possesses the item I need. Pei Zen was in third place," Long Chen muttered. 

"You mean you were at third place," Zhiqing chimed in. She knew that Pei Zen was already dead at that point and that Long Chen was impersonating her. 

"Yeah, same thing. That girl Qian Yu was forth after me. Third Prince Meng Huling was fifth. As for sixth, it was... Ji Shan... I still don't know what happened to that idiot," Long Chen muttered, wondering if Ji Shan was going to come as well. 

The crowd kept increasing with time as more and more spectators arrived and found their seats. 

The stadium that was half-filled was barely empty within less than an hour. Almost all seats were filled except for a few. 

...

"Hmm? It looks like they are coming," Long Chen said as he noticed a group of flying beasts coming from the distance. 

"Qian Yu, huh. So that's the Qiandi Empire," he added as he saw Qian Yu on the ground. 

A young man was following beside her. An old man was also sitting nearby. 

"That must be her father."

The group of beasts landed on the ground as the people sent their beasts inside the beast bag.

Right at that time, another group of beasts came from another direction that came to be arriving in winded horses that had two horns. 

"Du Liang is there too," Long Chen commented.

...

"Are you waiting for Pei Zen?" 

Qian Yu was looking around, trying to find someone, when her younger brother commented. 

"Why would I look for Pei Zen?" Qian Yu asked. 

"I heard you like him. That's why you brought him home last time. Isn't that why? Unfortunately, you let him go without even making him meet me. Tell me if you really like him. I'll talk to my father to cancel your marriage with Lu Wang and arrange it with Pei Zen. Your wish is more important after all," the young boy said. 

"Don't talk nonsense. Only an Idiot would like Pei Zen. The guy I brought home was not Pei Zen. Anyway, enough talking."

Qian Yu once again started looking around, trying to find the familiar face. 

It was after a long time that her gaze fell on a man who was comfortably sitting in the spectator area, eating his fruit. 

"There he-" she muttered, but she stopped as she saw Long Chen talking to a girl who sat near him. "Who is that girl?"

...

Du Liang and the group of his Du Empire also landed on the ground. 

"Hahaha, old man! You're here! I thought you'll be late like always!" Du Liang's father laughed out loud as he started walking towards Qiandi Emperor, laughing.

"Don't talk so loud. You make my ears bleed. Also, I'm always on time. It's you who are late," Qiandi Emperor retorted. 

It didn't seem like he liked the Emperor of Du. Instead, he appeared to be intending to avoid that guy. Unfortunately, he had no place to hide now. 

"I'm late? Hahaha, you never stop joking, old man. Anyway, why didn't you come for the feast? I invited you! Is that how you treat a friend?" Emperor Du asked as he laughed out loud. 

"Here he is, that guy also came," he added as he noticed the Emperor of Tricion entering, followed by his ministers.

"Where's your son? And where are other guests? Why aren't we starting? It's so slow. Start the trial fast," Emperor Qian told the Tricion Emperor who had just arrived. 

"My son hadn't returned yet. Shouldn't you tell me where he is?" Tricion Emperor asked Emperor Qian as he squinted his eyes. 

"Hmm? How should I know where he is?" Emperor Qian asked, frowning.

"Maybe because your daughter was the one who took him instead of letting him come home directly? And now he isn't back home? When I sent you a message, I got the reply that Pei Zhen had left your Palace. Why isn't he back then?" Tricion Emperor asked. 

"Calm down. There's no need to talk so rudely," Emperor Du chimed in. 

He gazed back at Emperor Qian and continued, "Old man, he is right. Your daughter did take him from my Palace. But then again, if Pei Zen left your Palace, it does mean that he should be back by now. If he isn't, I can only think of two possible reasons."

"What reasons?"

"He is either being lazy somewhere and is late in coming. Or he is dead," Emperor Du answered gravely.

His second statement was enough to agitate the Emperor of Tricion, and he realized it.

"I'm sure it's the first case. He is the Prince of an Empire. No one would dare to harm him, and even if anyone does, he is strong enough to take care of himself. He should be running late. Wait a little longer," Emperor Du said. 

Emperor of Tricion nodded his head, believing that to be true. He had faith in his son. 

"I hope what you're saying is true, but delaying the trial is impossible. If he isn't back in time, we can only start without him," he said.

It was when the team from Esteria also arrived, but not the Esteria of this world.