Chapter 284 Just for this?

Old Wang was busy flirting when someone behind him chimed in, "Shame on your sister, are you itching for another beating? Didn't the last slap wake you up?"

Winnie glared at the people from the Judgment, her face a mask of regal disdain: "What a bunch of idiots. If Wang Feng doesn't go, this time the Soul Illusion Realm will have nothing to do with you! Besides, all of you combined aren't as useful as he is!"

This was very comforting. Indeed, Winnie was the softest spot in his heart, understanding and trusting him so much; it wasn't in vain that he cared for her! But...

Old Wang felt a bit helpless. This isn't how you defuse a situation, my dear little lady. Aren't you just making things worse for me?

Sure enough, those who had been merely watching the spectacle and casually throwing in a few words now reacted more intensely.

"Admit your weakness, stand straight when you get hit," someone said coldly. "Dragging others down and trying to justify it, huh?"

"Don't think you're something special just because you invented a fusion rune. The League of Blades has reached today's status through countless heroes sacrificing their lives on the battlefield, not because of your runes!"

"The League of Blades doesn't need you, and we don't miss you. I advise you not to act tough and overestimate yourself!"

"Kid, if you know what's good for you, find a quiet place to hide once you're inside. Don't run around causing trouble for everyone!"

The air was thick with ridicule, scolding, and mockery, and the crowd grew larger.

Most people had similar opinions about Wang Feng.

He did have talent; inventing the fusion rune was indeed an impressive feat.

But this brilliance was domain-specific. In the realm of runes, you were brilliant, but on the battlefield where fists spoke, you were just a hammer, at least to these elites present.

Runes were for the lower-ranking soldiers; the weaker one's soul power, the easier it was to be modified by runes. For them, the elites, they would only start using runes after reaching the Ghost level, and some even delayed it further. The stronger one's soul power, the harder it was for runes to modify.

Wang Feng's fusion rune had little relevance to them, and they found it hard to empathize. Moreover, when the League of Blades fought against the Nine Gods in the past, their rune technology was far less advanced than it is now, yet they still managed to stand up to the Nine Gods. Martial prowess was the true core that decided victory or defeat; runes were merely an embellishment.

Given his invention of the fusion rune, which has greatly benefited the alliance, if he usually acted arrogantly without hindering anyone, perhaps no one would be annoyed. However, this battle is crucial, and this guy insists on coming to cause trouble and slow everyone down, and we've been instructed to give him special protection. It's like swallowing a fly, making people feel somewhat nauseous.

At such times, it’s easy for people to enjoy the spectacle.

Old Wang didn’t really care about this, but others nearby couldn’t stand it. Mo Tong angrily retorted, "Just take care of yourselves; Rose’s affairs don’t need your interference! We don’t need your protection!"

"Are you saying that Lord Yakei was meddling in something that wasn’t his business just now? You really don’t know when you’re going to die!"

Mo Tong was stunned, his face turning red. He truly couldn’t argue with anyone in a verbal sparring match.

"Mo Tong, enough. Why bother with fools?" Hei Wu Kai didn’t want to deal with it; it was their loss. Didn’t they know Wang Feng? If not for the Black Hole Syndrome, this guy would at least be one of the top ten: "Let’s go."

The surroundings fell silent. Hei Wu Kai’s reputation as the Prince of Night was well-known, and various sources ranked him among the top three of the top ten. People were somewhat wary, especially those from the Judgment, given his feat of taking on seventeen opponents single-handedly. Yet, he started with a group insult, which was quite something.

As people were feeling stifled, a voice called out from behind the crowd: "Hold it."

A group parted, and out walked the team from the Zenith Holy Sanctuary.

It was Zhao Ziyue who spoke, grinning at Ye Dun and the others: "Old Ye, wait a moment."

Ye Dun smiled slightly; those who knew Zhao Ziyue’s character could guess what he was up to.

Everyone stopped, and Zhao Ziyue stepped forward, his gaze intense as he looked at Hei Wu Kai: "You’re Hei Wu Kai? I hear you’re pretty arrogant. Was it you who said guns are inferior to swords at Rose?"

Eternal Spear Zhao Ziyue—mentioning someone surnamed Zhao might not bring much to mind for the Rose group, but if you mentioned the spear martial lineage, some connections could be drawn.

Back at the Rose Holy Sanctuary, Hei Wu Kai had thoroughly beaten Lin Yuxiang. When that guy was taken back to Phoenix City for recuperation, he didn’t stay idle. While he couldn’t interfere with Rose directly, spreading rumors was easy. He claimed that Hei Wu Kai looked down on the spear martial lineage. Coincidentally, Zhao Ziyue was the representative of the spear martial lineage in the Holy Sanctuary.

Hei Wu Kai had already planned to leave but laughed upon hearing this, slowly turning around and looking at him coolly: "Who are you?"

The surroundings fell silent. They were all top experts, and it was normal to be a bit arrogant, but pretending not to recognize someone was a bit much.

Zhao Ziyue’s lips curled into a smirk, and he pointed at Hei Wu Kai with his right index finger: "Night-fork boy, don’t get too cocky. This is human territory. If you think too highly of yourself, that third place ranking of yours might be a bit watered down. Everyone here has earned their rankings in the Hero Tournament with their own fists and feet!"

Each of the 500 Holy Sanctuary disciples had a number, which was essentially their ranking. Hei Wu Kai was number three, Zhao Ziyue was number nine, Mo Tong was number eighteen, Winnie was number twenty-one, Kela was number four hundred and sixty-one, Wang Feng and his brother Xi Ba were number five hundred and four hundred ninety-nine respectively, both very handsome.

Zhao Ziyue’s words successfully ignited the Holy Sanctuary disciples. At this age, they were all prodigies; how could they not care about their rankings? The top ten were the elite, numbers eleven to one hundred were first-class, one hundred to two hundred were second-class, and those after two hundred were third-class. Forget the classes, every single position was fiercely contested. After discovering this ranking system, the disciples started feeling uncomfortable, mostly thinking they were undervalued. In private spars, the winner could take the loser’s position, an unwritten rule. Clearly, Zhao Ziyue had his eyes on Hei Wu Kai’s third position.

Wang Feng and the others soon understood what was going on. The Wang brothers exchanged glances and suddenly saw the ease in each other’s eyes. Four hundred ninety-nine and five hundred, whoever wanted them could take them, no thanks needed.

"Is that it?" Hei Wu Kai laughed. He had many reasons to fight, but this wasn’t one of them: "Fine, I’ll let you have it. You’re now third."

Everyone around was stunned. Was he really so dismissive of the Holy Sanctuary’s ranking system? Or did he think third place was too low for him?

Beside him, Old Wang was delighted. He and Hei Wu Kai were kindred spirits: "This is good. As they say, the third in the Holy Sanctuary can topple all. Brother, the arduous task of destroying the Nine Gods is entrusted to you. You must try your best!"

The surroundings instantly fell silent, everyone staring in shock.

Zhao Ziyue, was he being mocked by that bottom-ranker?

Zhao Ziyue glanced at Wang Feng. Arguing with this guy would be beneath him. He looked at Hei Wu Kai, who wore a smile, with some displeasure: "Do I need you to give up your rank to compete? I’ve heard your Night-fork Wolf Tooth Sword is unparalleled in Datura Empire. My Zhao family Eternal Spear wishes to learn from it. Night-fork boy, do you dare or not?"

Before Hei Wu Kai could respond, Old Wang stepped forward: "Brother, come, come, let me straighten this out for you. Look, we’re all fine here. Unless we met in a past life, we’re strangers. You came over uninvited, shouting about how your spear is better than a sword, looking for trouble. How did this turn into our Black being arrogant? Isn’t that the case, or is it that your Zhao family doesn’t play fair? By the way, what’s your name again?"

Zhao Ziyue was taken aback. He didn’t want to talk to Wang Feng, but this guy was actually clinging to him relentlessly. New world

Beside him, Winnie’s eyes sparkled. Why did she find Wang Feng’s annoying behavior so endearing? She always bullied others; when did it become her turn to be bullied? Of course, she had to support her captain: "Old Wang, look at your memory. I just showed you their profiles. His name is Zhao Zi..."

"Zhao Zi ‘Ri’!" Old Wang slapped his forehead as if he finally remembered: "That’s right, that’s the name. Tsk tsk, brother, don’t take it to heart, but your name isn’t exactly elegant..."

After a moment of silence, the room erupted into laughter.

To be honest, while Wang Feng was certainly not a pleasant person in others' eyes, it was equally clear that Zhao Ziyue wasn't either.

Zhao Ziyue's explosive temper had led to many confrontations, but he had never been openly mocked, let alone have his name used against him.

The mocking laughter was deafening, and even more piercing was the sound of laughter from his own side, coming from Maxwell standing beside Ye Dun.

This guy had a rather peculiar build; his left side was normal, but his right back was highly hunched, like a half-hunchback, with a dark green, extremely muscular right arm that was completely out of proportion with the rest of his body, making him look like a bizarre hybrid.

"Haha!" Tears were almost streaming down his face from laughter. Noticing Zhao Ziyue's cold gaze, Maxwell still laughed without restraint: "Old Zhao, don't take it personally, I just have a low threshold for laughter! You know, I'm on your side!"

Zhao Ziyue ignored him. They had known each other for several years, and the guy's mind was not quite right, always acting this way. What mattered was that Wang Feng had dared to provoke him again and again.

A domineering soul force began to surge within him: "Wang..."

Before he could finish his threat, Hei Wu Kai stepped forward, subtly blocking Wang Feng, while another voice behind Zhao Ziyue spoke up: "Zhao Ziyue, the journey to Dragon City is primarily about opposing the Nine Gods; we can't afford to start infighting."

It was Xue Zhiyu who spoke. At this moment, few dared to speak up. It required not only personal strength but also a measure of one's status. Leading a few people from the Ice Spirit Holy Sanctuary through the crowd, the weight of her words as the Princess of Ice Spirit Kingdom added extra significance.

Even Ye Dun nodded slightly at her, but Xue Zhiyu's attention was entirely on Wang Feng, her gaze intense.

Wang Feng raised his thumb in praise: "Princess, your wisdom is commendable!"

Xue Zhiyu was momentarily taken aback. When Yakei called out names earlier, she had noticed Wang Feng, feeling a surge of joy. She had planned to gather after the meeting, but now, upon seeing him, she found that Wang Feng seemed less warm than when they were in Ice Spirit, leaving her with a faint sense of disappointment. The Aota brothers, standing nearby, grinned widely.

These were true brothers! When Old Wang said he would leave Xue Zhiyu to fulfill Aota's wishes, the three brothers hadn't really believed it. Who would willingly give up a beautiful woman and power? But Wang Feng had indeed kept his promise, and even now, when meeting Xue Zhiyu again, he maintained a polite distance.

What a misunderstanding! They had truly misunderstood Wang Feng!

Aota felt an immense admiration in his heart; he had been completely wrong to doubt Wang Feng. A man of his word, this was truly what it meant to be a real man, a man of iron and steel, with a proud spirit and a sharp edge!

He enthusiastically walked up and hugged Wang Feng first, then without any hesitation, shouted, "Brother! I've missed you so much, Brother Zhao Ziyue. Not to criticize you, but don't challenge everyone you meet. If you want to play, I'm all in!"

Brother?

Everyone around was stunned again, feeling a bit uneasy. Who didn’t know that Aota was a notorious brute? He and Zhao Ziyue were cut from the same cloth, and now he was calling someone brother?

Aota was a renowned expert, ranked among the top ten in the Holy Sanctuary!

And he was calling the 500th-ranked guy brother, right in front of the other top ten experts. Wasn’t he concerned about losing face?

The mocking voices around them diminished, and everyone stared in shock.

It was one thing for Hei Wu Kai and Winnie to be on his team, but now Aota was joining as well. It seemed even the lowest-ranked could find support.

Old Wang smiled and hugged him back. From this angle, he could see Xiao Bang, who was just about to approach.

Was it really necessary to bring out such a grand display just to pressure Zhao Ziyue? The more hidden your backup, the better. His relationship with the Ice Spirit Kingdom couldn’t be concealed, but he could keep Xiao Bang’s involvement under wraps.

Old Wang winked at Xiao Bang and waved his hand.

Xiao Bang immediately understood, and from that moment on, he harbored no doubts.

This man was the one who could effortlessly slay succubi, save his life, and bestow upon him a rebirth-like favor—his master!

He stopped in his tracks, though he shouldn’t have made any move at this moment. However, he couldn’t resist the profound respect in his heart and bowed respectfully to Wang Feng.

Most people in the arena were focused on Aota, Wang Feng, Zhao Ziyue, and the others, so few noticed Xiao Bang’s unusual behavior. But his teammates, who were standing nearby, were already gaping in astonishment.

Lauder Luo had previously thought that the captain's respect for Wang Feng was merely due to his contributions to the Alliance's runes. However, the captain’s reverent attitude towards Wang Feng now seemed far more than just 'respect.'

Only those close to Xiao Bang truly knew how strong he had become after his disappearance and return.

The reason they had to come to Dragon City this time was not only because of the Holy Sanctuary’s summons but also because Xiao Bang had reached the bottleneck for breaking through to the Ghost level. Normally, such an accumulation would take at least ten years, but Xiao Bang had achieved it in just half a year. The outside world ranked Xiao Bang as fourth among the top ten, but these few people from the Dragon Moon Empire felt that it was an underestimation of their captain.

That disaster was a blessing in disguise for the Dragon Moon Empire, giving them an unprecedentedly powerful prince. Yet, at this moment, this powerful prince was actually bowing his noble head respectfully to Wang Feng, someone who had no connection with him!

This...

Zhaoyue Zhao was so angry that his teeth itched. He hadn't even seen the group from the Dragon Moon Empire, but having Xue Zhiyu there was enough. After all, her status as a princess and the future Queen of Bingling was extremely prestigious. With her protection and the moral high ground, it would be difficult for him to cause trouble for Wang Feng today. But... he could still find trouble with Hei Wu Kai.

Zhaoyue Zhao stopped looking at Wang Feng and instead fixed his gaze on Hei Wu Kai: "Hei Wu Kai, I can’t fight Wang Feng, and I don’t want to bother with him. What about you? Have you eaten the courage of the Asura as dog food? Let’s not waste words. Tomorrow morning at ten, at the East District Training Camp, I’ll be waiting for you! If you don’t show up..."

He extended his little finger and said coldly: "Then your Eight Guardians will be like this!"

Mo Tong was about to explode upon hearing this, ready to charge forward, but he was pulled back by a large hand with ease.

Some jokes cannot be taken lightly.

"Bring a few more exorcists," Hei Wu Kai said indifferently. "I’m afraid you won’t survive the rescue tomorrow."