Unable to figure out anything about the background of Princess Shang Yingtai, Lin Mu decided to look into it later. After all, she basically had the same level of status at Crown Prince Feng Shun and was also training at the Immortal Court.
Just this alone made her worthy of Lin Mu to know more about. Plus, her request seemed both justifiable and excessive at the same time.
"Princess, while your request is indeed valid, I do not know if the rules of the Tournament of the Four Guardian beasts would allow this." Lin Mu said, feeling doubtful.
"Ah, that is something that I've thought of, too. And I have a few solutions for it." Shang Yingtai stated, making everyone listen closely. "The rules state that you cannot intentionally cripple your opponent, but if it happens as an accident, it is fine. After all, fists and legs have no eyes."
"That is indeed true. But the overseers would be able to tell if we did it intentionally or not. Additionally, Yao Changying is not a weak opponent. Even if we wish to cripple her, the strength she wields is not low." Qian Wen stated the most obvious problem.
"The Princess knows about this, of course. ~chuckle~ she has a counter to that." Crown Prince Feng Shun chimed in.
Lin Mu looked at the Princess, wondering just what kind of 'solution' she had. In response, he simply saw her take out a thin bracelet. It looked very simple, having been made out of silver, but it also had a gemstone of some kind embedded in it.
The gemstone had a deep green color, and a few flecks of amber-yellow could also be seen dispersed in it.
Just one look was enough for Lin Mu to tell that it was an immortal tool.
'But it doesn't seem that strong. It's just a mid grade immortal tool.' Lin Mu analyzed.
Even if a mid grade immortal tool was rather valuable, in a battle against a Fifth Tribulation Stage of the immortal realm cultivator, it simply wouldn't be enough. Thus Lin Mu wondered just what the princess intended with this.
"This is the weakness of Yao Changying." Princess Shang Yingtai revealed.
"Her weakness?!" Ming Aolian and Ming Dandan said in unison with shock.
"The cultivation technique she had 'cultivated' by sacrificing others has a flaw, and this gemstone can exploit it. As long as you attack her while wearing this, the energy from this gemstone will secretly seep into her body and weaken her.
This won't count as deliberately crippling her as it would simply mean your technique is a natural counter to her cultivation technique." Shang Yingtai explained.
Those who heard it couldn't help but find this to be rather clever. Though they also wondered just how was it that Shang Yingtai figured this out.
'Such critical weaknesses of cultivation techniques are usually kept as secrets. One would never reveal something like this, even to their closest friends. How is it that she found out about this?' Lin Mu wondered, and took another look at the gemstone.
He couldn't identify it and the formations present on the bracelet were also rather normal. Lin Mu scanned the bracelet and discovered that the formations imprinted on it, were merely meant to draw the energy from the gemstone and infuse it into the users attacks.
Other than that, there were no other effects.
'I think merely holding the gemstone might have the same effect, but it would also become inconvenient. Not to mention suspicious.' Lin Mu thought to himself.
It was at this time that Luo Liqin, who had become silent for a while, spoke again.
"Do you have more of these?" the man asked. "If all of us are to take up this task, I don't know if just one person having it will work."
"Of course. I have several of them prepared." Shang Yingtai said, and took out more bracelets.
Now there was one for each person, and she gestured for them to take it.
"Since you've taken them, I reckon you've also accepted the task." Shang Yingtai stated.
Lin Mu had also taken it, as he reckoned it would be bad to give up this chance. At the very least, the person he would be crippling was someone worth doing it to. Though deep down, Lin Mu was simply reminded of Gu Yao and his actions.
The actions of Yao Changying seemed to be rather similar after all. This took away the last bit of hesitation Lin Mu had about the task.
"You still need to tell them about the reward." Crown Prince Feng Shun reminded.
"Ah yes, how can I forget?" Shang Yingtai smiled, reverting to her gentle persona. "For the reward, I can offer you something similar to the Crown Prince's offer. Or if you wish for it, I can also grant you an official position in the Shang Dao Empire." She said while glancing at Luo Liqin and Qian Wen.
"You aren't thinking of stealing away our precious people, are you?" Crown Prince Feng Shun asked in a joking tone.
"Ah! How can I do that? Do you think so low of me?" The Crown Princess playfully frowned. "I'm merely giving them a choice. I won't take them away without consent." She added.
"Ahaha! Sure, sure." Crown Prince simply laughed, giving his tacit approval.
Of the people present, Luo Liqin and Qian Wen were the ones that were the ones that had a relatively 'free' background. If they wished for it, they could very easily leave the Rust Sky world and be taken in by the Shang Dao Empire.
The same would not be possible for the Ming sisters as well as for Lu Xu who were both attached to the powers of the Rust Sky world. Even Qian Wen was technically a soldier in the Dao Wind Empire, but his position was not permanent. He had volunteered to join and could thus leave when needed.
But Ming Aolian and Ming Dandan belonged to the Blue Mountain palace. Lu Xu also belonged to a local power of the capital city and couldn't exactly leave without cutting all contacts.
