Chapter 439: The Divine Silkworm Seed

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Hawkland was the type whose thoughts jumped quickly and focused intensely. With this idea in mind, he completely forgot about the argument with the two headmasters.

Not a bad idea! After all, Mapeier is said to be an orphan—having an elder like me would give her another pillar of support. And for me, it would naturally justify my wise judgment when introducing her later, so people wouldn’t keep calling her 'Judgment Mapeier' (a nickname implying harshness)!

Mapeier in the arena had no idea that Hawkland was even considering taking her as a disciple. The spiderweb trap on the ground was fully deployed, serving two purposes.

First, if she could secretly sever Ye Dun’s legs without him noticing, that would be the best-case scenario. But Mapeier knew better—this was nearly impossible. Her opponent was an assassin just as sharp as she was. Expecting him to walk into such a trap would be a slap to his pride.

So the main goal was the second one: restricting Ye Dun’s movement!

Their earlier skirmish had lasted quite a while, and the energy accumulation in the golden wheels was already complete. But Ye Dun’s speed was simply too fast—so fast that even she struggled to keep up. Hitting a target that fast was nearly impossible for the golden wheels.

What use was the wheels’ power if they couldn’t land a hit?

So she had to restrict him! She didn’t need to completely immobilize him, but at the very least, she couldn’t let him move freely. And now, the opportunity had arrived!

A sharp glint flashed in Mapeier’s eyes.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Her fingers flickered rapidly, moving so fast they seemed to vibrate. The ten spider silk threads connected to the 'X'-shaped center of the golden wheels trembled, and the engraved rune grooves instantly lit up. The intricate cross-wheel mechanism activated!

Whirr… Clank! Clank! Clank!

A cascade of clattering gears rang out as the two golden wheels, already poised in midair, shot forward and merged into one. The originally dark-red rune grooves complemented each other upon merging, transforming in an instant into a dazzling golden light—blazing like a tiny sun.

Mapeier’s eyes gleamed with murderous intent. She leaped high, her body forming a U-shaped arc midair, and jerked her hands downward like a puppeteer.

Finisher—Sunset Reincarnation!

BOOM!

Death Strike!

The roaring golden wheel radiated annihilation—its sheer force alone felt unstoppable. Even someone as tough as Zhao Ziyue, pushing beyond his limits, had failed to block this move. Ye Dun was only an assassin—an assassin with bound limbs. How could he possibly defend against it?

Being restricted meant certain death. The stands on Rose’s side were already preparing to cheer. But those truly close to Ye Dun, who knew him well, showed no trace of panic on their faces.

Zhao Ziyue, still wrapped in bandages, found it strange that he felt no resentment toward the woman who had defeated him.

Failure wasn’t new to him. Ever since his battle with Hei Wukai in Dragon City, he had let go of his so-called pride and found an unprecedented peace within. And Mapeier had given him another push on his path of transformation... Though his injuries hadn’t fully healed and many still mocked him for losing to a woman, Zhao Ziyue remained completely unfazed. He couldn’t pin it down, but it felt... right. All those unnecessary burdens were gone.

On the stands, Jiaoxi, Maxwell, and the others beside him wore calm expressions, as if they weren’t worried about Ye Dun at all. Across from them, Gule’s face showed a hint of helplessness.

After all, he and Ye Dun had history—it wasn’t something he could just discard. But now that he was considered part of Rose, Ye Dun had become an enemy on this battlefield. Who should he root for?

Fortunately, this dilemma lasted only two seconds in his mind before fading.

The golden wheel’s killing momentum was unstoppable—closing the gap in a flash. Yet, Ye Dun still seemed to have nowhere to dodge—not even making a move to resist.

Was he… paralyzed with dread?

Impossible! That was the top-ranked fighter of the Holy Sanctuary!

Many supporters of Apex Holy Sanctuary in the stands gaped, their hearts lodged in their throats.

Ten meters… one meter—!

The mere airflow generated by the rolling golden wheels was already at the level of high-level wind blades. An ordinary person standing in Ye Dun's position would’ve been shredded by the pressure alone, let alone the actual attack of the golden wheels!

It was too close—at the speed of the golden wheels, there was simply no way to dodge at this distance. Why hadn’t he moved?

Many couldn’t help but rise to their feet, their shocked gasps lodged in their throats.

Yet, only now did the ghost of a smirk tug at Ye Dun’s lips.

*Boom…*

Just as the overwhelming force of the golden wheels was about to touch Ye Dun’s nose, a wisp of pale smoke suddenly erupted where he stood.

*Whoosh… BOOM!*

The roaring golden wheels sliced through the haze of pale smoke, splitting it in two before plowing violently into the ground, churning up a dust storm. A deep, long gash was carved into the earth in an instant.

But now, Ye Dun was gone without a trace. Where had he gone?

Disappeared? Invisible? Or… had he been ground to paste by the wheels and buried beneath the earth?

For a moment, the arena fell dead silent. The Rose faction’s stands were primed to erupt in cheers, while the Holy Sanctuary supporters gaped in disbelief. But the next second—

*Swish!*

*Bang! Bang!*

A silver flash flickered in front of Mapeier, then blurred past her, stopping seven or eight meters behind her.

Ye Dun!

He stood with his back to Mapeier, his left hand tucked behind his back, his right hand clenched as if clutching something.

What…? He had vanished just moments ago—where had he come from?

The sudden appearance of the white light and Ye Dun startled everyone, but when their gazes shifted to Mapeier behind him, the crowd sucked in a collective breath.

Mapeier was half-kneeling, her body curled up, with several Cicada Wing Knives embedded in her—leg, shoulder, arm, back… Rivulets of blood welled from the shallow wounds, but what was truly horrifying was that the blood wasn’t dripping downward. Instead, it was being siphoned into the pale blades, as if they were drinking her blood!

As the knives turned crimson, everyone finally noticed the nearly invisible threads attached to their hilts. If not for the blood staining them, no one would have spotted those strands, finer than hair.

One, two, three… nine threads—nine Cicada Wing Knives!

“Mapeier!” Winnie and the others were stunned.

Mapeier trembled slightly as she crouched, the nine threads not only connected to the knives but also coiled around her body, locking her in place. As Ye Dun slowly tightened his grip, nine hair-thin lines bit into her skin—the cruelest coiled around her throat. One tug would sever her head.

Everyone was shocked. They had heard of Ye Dun’s title, the "Man at the Summit," and how heads often flew before his blade was even seen. They had assumed it was due to his speed, but no one had expected the real killers were these nine near-invisible threads connected to the Cicada Wing Knives!

Unlike Mapeier’s threads, these were far more concealed—near-invisible at speed.

Now, his right hand stopped pulling.

Not out of mercy, but because he couldn’t pull any further. Mapeier had caught the two fatal knives aimed at her heart and liver with her bare hands, keeping them from piercing deep. But the one at her throat remained a death sentence—even with her spider silk reinforcing her neck, his threads outmatched hers.

Even the Red Spider—a top-tier insect—was outclassed.

Ye Dun stood calmly, everything under his control.

He stared down at Mapeier, still kneeling, and let the silence stretch before saying: “You lose.” For years, Holy Sanctuary gossip claimed Ye Dun was a divine seed, but no one had known what kind. Now, the truth was revealed—an insect species… the Celestial Silkworm! No wonder he could decapitate enemies as easily as shelling peas, often without even a visible blade flash.

The Celestial Silkworm was undoubtedly a cut above the spider lineage—exceedingly rare and powerful, ranking among the top-tier soul seeds listed in the Annals of the Nine Heavens. Such elite soul seeds could hardly be discerned by mere aura, and Ye Dun had truly kept a low profile. Compared to the Celestial Silkworm, ordinary divine seeds were garbage by comparison.

Mapeier still wanted to struggle, but she conceded only after seeing Wang Feng's cue. Wang Feng himself wasn't overly concerned—against the Celestial Silkworm, Mapeier stood no chance at all. It was a complete case of a hard counter.

An Nanxi crossed her arms and swiftly announced the result: "Second match, Ye Dun wins!"

Supporters of the Holy Sanctuary exploded with cheers. The first match had left them frustrated, and the first half of the second had them on edge. Frankly, everyone's hearts had been in their throats until that very moment. But now, Ye Dun had effortlessly flipped the script like it was nothing, as if he'd merely been toying with Mapeier!

"Those Rose pricks were so smug earlier, haha! Now they've gone silent!"

"Holy Sanctuary is number one—this is the real Holy Sanctuary!"

"Brother Ye Dun beating that woman was a given. What's there to cheer about…" Jiaoxi remarked coolly from the stands. But when Ye Dun glanced back at her, her aloof and noble demeanor vanished instantly. She waved excitedly at him like an adoring fan: "Brother Ye Dun! Over here!"

The arena roared with deafening cheers—home-crowd advantage in full force. Meanwhile, the Rose stands were eerily silent, filled with pity for Mapeier and growing anxiety about the matches to come.

Hawkland, who had been overjoyed moments ago, now stood dumbfounded. Zhao Feiyuan chuckled beside him. "The Celestial Nine Locks—using them against a mere Tiger Peak is overkill and then some."

"In battle," Fu Changsheng said calmly, "one should always give their all."

"Did he really, though?" Zhao Feiyuan replied meaningfully. "I doubt it."

"Know but don't show." Fu Changsheng smiled faintly, glancing at Hawkland without scorn or disdain—just an unspoken superiority, the kind he'd show even to a beggar on the street. After all, he was Fu Changsheng. "The opponent is just Rose, after all."

"Hahaha! Well said, Brother Changsheng. Why use a nuke to swat a fly?" Zhao Feiyuan laughed heartily.

These shameless old farts—did they eat garlic? Their mouths reeked… Hawkland felt like he'd swallowed a lemon. He'd come to show off, yet somehow ended up being the one shown up. Wait—Mapeier!

Compared to the bickering, Hawkland was far more worried about Mapeier's injuries. Nine blades embedded in her body—she was still just a girl, after all… His concerned gaze turned to the arena, where Mapeier was slowly rising to her feet after Ye Dun released the Celestial Silk. Seeing her stand eased his mind somewhat.

Amid the cheers and jeers from Holy Sanctuary's supporters, Mapeier remained expressionless. As an ex-Mi, her thought process was fundamentally different from normal people's. The only thing she cared about was Wang Feng's reaction.

"Senior Brother, I'm sorry, I…" Mapeier hesitated to meet Wang Feng's eyes as she approached the sidelines, but before she could finish, Old Wang was already striding toward her with two potions in hand.

"I've got this. Tend to your wounds first." Wang Feng handed the potions to Yin Fu, who, along with Mo Tong and a few others, had formed Rose's support team to care for the injured. Originally seated in the stands, Yin Fu had rushed down after Fan Texi's severe injury in the first match, dragging Mo Tong along.

Wang Feng patted Mapeier's head, his gaze icy as he surveyed the arena. On the surface, Ye Dun had shown mercy, but in that instant when the Celestial Nine Locks were deployed, he had intended to dismember Mapeier outright. Unexpectedly, Mapeier's mental resilience proved strong—a master of split-focus control, she avoided fatal strikes and used her spider silk to block the deadly throat slash, forcing a stalemate. Though she couldn't escape the kill setup, she denied Ye Dun a flawless victory.

A classic sly old fox, this Ye Dun. The Celestial Silkworm—judging by his demeanor, he'd been waiting for this grand moment for a while, hiding his true strength all this time.

How amusing.

The coliseum was electric with praise. Truth be told, divine seeds were nothing special—even if they shone in youth, their ceiling was limited for top-tier experts. Only special seeds or unique abilities allowed one to stand out. This made Ye Dun all the more remarkable—a prodigy of Holy Sanctuary who had honed himself in such humility. Truly befitting of a prestigious lineage.

Rose's hard-earned momentum had been dismantled by Ye Dun's calculated dominance. People worshipped strength, after all. And Holy Sanctuary's years of accumulated prestige were formidable—Cinderella stories don't come easy.

In the stands, Lucky Heaven, the Ninth Prince, and the Saint showed no surprise. As prodigies of the Nine Heavens Continent, their perspective was loftier—not necessarily in personal strength, but in their born privilege. Some were simply born kings.

"Third match! Rose concedes the floor!"

An Nanxi's announcement drew jeers and laughter from the stands. Compared to the shadow Fan Texi had cast over Holy Sanctuary's supporters earlier, they now seemed far more at ease.

"Old Wang, we can't afford another loss. I'll go!" Winnie couldn't sit still any longer. Another loss would give Holy Sanctuary championship point, along with the picker's advantage—putting Rose in deep trouble.

But Wang Feng shook his head.

Pitting Mapeier against Ye Dun had been his biggest blunder—his own fault for judging Ye Dun solely by his performance in Dragon City. That had been a boneheaded move.

But the more critical the moment, the more cooler heads had to prevail. If Winnie took the stage now, Holy Sanctuary might field Tianzhe Yifeng. With Mapeier down, the outside world would see Winnie as Rose's strongest remaining fighter. Given Tianzhe Yifeng's nature, he'd gun for the strongest, no question.

To be honest, facing a ghost-level opponent, there's no room for luck. Although it's just rumors outside, Wang Feng could judge that, especially against someone like Tianzhe Yifeng. Winnie definitely had no chance. As for Kela or Wu Di, their odds against the other two opponents in Hu Sha's league were also very slim. Even if they performed beyond their usual level, they'd only match Fantasy's strength at best. And without breaking through to ghost level, Fantasy was like a three-year-old child in front of Hu Sha...

"Kela." Old Wang didn't hesitate for long before choosing the fighter for this round.

This wasn't a gamble but a last resort. They had to save Winnie for the last two rounds, giving Rose at least a chance to avoid matching her against Tianzhe Yifeng. As for the choice between Kela and Wu Di, Wu Di's explosive power was actually higher than Kela's, but his weaknesses were also more numerous and obvious. He was the weakest in fundamentals among Rose's six-member team. Against ordinary Holy Sanctuary Opponents, overwhelming strength could solve many problems, but against seasoned and experienced fighters like Amogan or Tian Wu Lan, all the strength in the world wouldn't make a difference.

Kela, on the other hand, had gone through the battle at Dragon City. Though her strength was on par with Wu Di's, her combat experience surpassed his by at least two levels.

"Yes, Captain!"

*For your convenience in reading next time, you can click on the "Bookmark" below to record this reading session (Chapter 439: The Heavenly Silkworm Divine Seed). Next time you open the bookshelf, you'll see it!* *If you like *The Ninth Heaven*, please recommend it to your friends (via QQ, blog, WeChat, etc.). Thank you for your support!!*