Early the next morning, Li Xiu arrived again at the City Lord’s Mansion. Without waiting for Li Xiu to request a guard to announce his visit, the guard laughed and said, "Commander Li, the president has been waiting for you in the back garden for quite some time." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

He didn’t even need to be led there; the guard merely pointed a direction for Li Xiu and let him proceed on his own.

Following the guard’s direction, Li Xiu soon arrived at the back garden where he saw the president feeding fish by the pool.

"You’ve come, try some of the tea I recently acquired." Upon seeing Li Xiu, the president called him over to sit down and personally brewed a cup of tea for him.

Li Xiu took a sip, shook his head and said, "President, I truly don’t understand this tea; please enlighten me."

"What you wish for me to enlighten you on is not merely this tea, am I right?" the president replied with a smile.

"President, you are wise." Li Xiu took out the Jade Token and said, "Since the president wants me to go, at least explain the matter clearly so I can prepare and won’t disgrace you."

The president put down the teacup, took the Jade Token, toyed with it for a moment, then placed it back in front of Li Xiu: "You must have heard of the Four Major Forbidden Zones of the Demon Kingdom."

"I’ve heard a bit and even visited some places: Celestial Gate, Longevity Island, Bottomless Pit, and the Celestial Sea. I’ve been to Celestial Gate a few times before; it’s truly a mysterious place. Does the president want me to do something related to the Four Major Forbidden Zones?" Li Xiu replied.

"Celestial Gate was the imperial city of the Demon Kingdom back then, concealing many secrets within. To this day, we’ve only explored thirty to forty percent; as for Longevity Island, there’s no need to mention. You managed to return with Ming’Er, so you shouldn’t be unfamiliar with Longevity Island; Bottomless Pit is the most eerie, also a place where living beings mustn’t enter; and regarding the Celestial Sea, it’s a very interesting place, this Jade Token comes from the Celestial Sea." The president said with a smile.

Hearing this, Li Xiu sighed: "So, my task is to explore the Celestial Sea?"

Upon hearing this, the president laughed and said: "With your current strength, exploring the Celestial Sea equates to courting death, plus the Celestial Sea doesn’t require exploration by you."

Li Xiu was slightly taken aback: "Not exploring the Celestial Sea?"

"Yes, but not for exploration, rather for confrontations." The president said with a smile.

"Confrontations with whom?" Li Xiu’s heart sank, fighting terrifying creatures of the Celestial Sea seemed like an unpromising endeavor.

The president gave Li Xiu a meaningful look and said: "The owner of the Celestial Sea."

"The owner of the Celestial Sea... Might as well just kill me directly..." Li Xiu spread his hands. Although he didn’t know who exactly was the owner of the Celestial Sea, anyone that controls one of the Four Major Forbidden Zones must inevitably be Divine Position Level, certainly not an ordinary one.

The president laughed: "If you truly wish for death, I can certainly fulfill that now."

Li Xiu said helplessly: "It’s not that I want to seek death; it’s just that with my current strength, challenging the owner of the Celestial Sea is akin to seeking death, isn’t it?"

"The difference is that not going is certain death, going holds a slim chance." The president continued: "And don’t bother cursing me in your heart; I’m sending you for a reason other than just to die. You are to fight against the owner of the Celestial Sea, but not the current one, rather the future owner."

"Future owner of the Celestial Sea?" Li Xiu was slightly taken aback.

"To put it simply, I had an agreement with the owner of the Celestial Sea, every sixty years, my successor and his heir must duel; you are my chosen representative for this occasion." The president replied with a merry smile.

"I see, then what is the level of the Celestial Sea’s heir? It’s surely not Divine Level, is it?" Li Xiu asked cautiously.

Li Xiu didn’t relax due to this information, considering someone like Li Ming’Er, a Longevity Island heir, is Divine Position Level, the Celestial Sea’s heir may also conceivably be Divine Position Level.

"Last time Guan Qingzhai dueled with him, he was at Spirit Forging Level." The president looked at Li Xiu.

"Wasn’t that sixty years ago? After sixty years, might the future owner of the Celestial Sea have advanced to Divine Position Level?" Li Xiu asked, clinging to a last hope.

"It’s not possible; it’s certain he has already advanced to Divine Level." The president mercilessly shattered Li Xiu’s last bit of hope.

"President, how is this different from sending me to die?" Li Xiu said with a bitter expression: "If you’re choosing someone to go, at least choose someone evenly matched? Whether I die or not is unimportant, but losing this duel would tarnish your reputation, wouldn’t it?"

"My reputation is inconsequential." The president’s reply made Li Xiu even more dispirited.

Seeing Li Xiu’s dispirited look, the president laughed instead: "I’m sending you, rest assured, not to commit suicide. Old Jia should have told you, with the Jade Token in hand, you can freely utilize resources from the Celestial Sea to enhance your level before going. If you can advance to Divine Position Level, the outcome of the duel is still uncertain."

"There’s only about four months left before the time on the Jade Token. Even if I push myself, advancing to Divine Position Level seems challenging, doesn’t it?" Li Xiu said.

"That’s your concern now, I’ve given you the tools and resources, if you don’t make something of yourself, you can’t blame me." The president said smilingly while patting Li Xiu’s shoulder: "I believe in you, you can win."

"President, you overestimate me." Li Xiu said helplessly; he didn’t know what made the president choose him. If given another chance, he would certainly change his decision.