Chapter 272 Hero’s Dream

"Bro Karida, let's be frank. Regardless of whether Dragon City is dangerous or not, your plan to fake my death won't work," Old Wang said with a smile. "This matter definitely involves Lord Longluo, and the Nine Gods have me under close watch. If I suddenly disappear, they won't rest until they've dug up every last detail. In the end, you'll be implicated for nothing, and I probably won't escape either. Of course, my trip to Dragon City isn't really about the glory of the Holy Sanctuary, as you know."

"So that's why I told you not to go. Enough talk, I'll make the arrangements," Karida waved her hand irritably. "Sky will ensure everything is in place; it won't be easy for them to investigate!"

Sigh, Bro Karida is great in every way, except she’s stubborn.

"Alright, alright, I'll come clean," Old Wang said helplessly. "Actually, I'm quite ambitious. My trip to Dragon City is entirely for the glory of the Holy Sanctuary. I want to become a hero, and I enjoy the fun of those useless Nine Gods trying to get me but failing."

Karida had gone out on a limb to 'make a mistake' and decided to take the risk to help this guy, thinking he would be grateful. They could have settled their debts with mutual respect, but instead, he rejected her offer and started rambling nonsense.

She was already feeling somewhat annoyed by his words, but hearing this, she paused slightly.

Doesn't Karida know what kind of person Wang Feng is? At twenty, he acts like he's forty, always talking about health and wellness. When asked to train, he always claims to have a stomachache or headache. Such a coward...

"Have you really thought this through?" Karida looked at him, both angry and amused. "I'm not joking; this is far more serious than you can imagine."

"I've thought it through!" Old Wang grinned. "To be honest, going to sea is fine, except for one thing I can't accept."

Karida knew he was worried about implicating her, feeling a mix of emotions inside, but she wouldn't admit it. "Afraid you'll eat too much seafood and throw up?"

"Afraid I'll never see Bro Karida again! What's the point of living then?" Old Wang said with a grin. "That's absolutely unacceptable! But speaking of which, Bro Karida, you haven't even taken me out for a meal yet. Since I'm about to set off... pfft, to do something important! How about a farewell dinner? How about we go for a candlelit dinner tonight? Bro Karida, I know all the best places to eat in Aurora City..."

Candlelit dinner...

"......" Karida picked up her teacup, took a sip, and sighed deeply, glancing at the still chattering Wang Feng. "Get lost!"

"Sure thing!" Old Wang saw the opportunity to leave and turned to go with a smile, but heard the sound of a teacup being slammed down behind him.

"Do more preparations, and feel free to ask for anything you need!" Karida said coolly from behind. "If you want to have dinner with me, you'd better... come back alive!"

The last four words were soft and gentle. Wang Feng stopped in his tracks but did not turn around. A smile played at the corners of his mouth. "Wait for me."

...

Blade had a total of 108 Holy Sanctuaries distributed among various duchies, free city-states, and religious forces. Depending on their strength, each would receive roughly five spots, though some participated enthusiastically while others did not. These matters were uniformly arranged by Blade to accommodate the majority of the Holy Sanctuaries, ensuring that the top combatants of the main Holy Sanctuaries were not too far off.

Aurora City was one of the few cities on the continent with two major Holy Sanctuaries. Judgment was mid-tier, while Rose was at the bottom. However, due to Wang Feng's special circumstances and the presence of the Eightfold Assembly, Rose actually received six spots. Of course, Old Wang felt it was purely a case of "love for the house extending to the sparrow."

The council's statement that 'other Holy Sanctuary disciples would also receive orders to take care of Wang Feng' was not entirely false; they would indeed issue such orders. The problem was, which of these elite Holy Sanctuary disciples, each a one-in-a-million talent, wasn't proud and ambitious? Their eyes were only on opportunities and glory. To make them abandon their own goals to protect Wang Feng based on the so-called righteousness from Temple Headquarters? Anyone with a bit of sense could see through this as pure nonsense.

So Wang Feng still had to rely on himself and the brothers of Rose.

As someone who knew his limits, self-sacrifice must be within reason. Without a bit of confidence, how could he dare to take on such a task?

Daring to go to Dragon City, Old Wang had three trump cards, the first being a large number of brothers!

Clearly, the selection rights for Rose were firmly in Old Wang's hands. He already had a clear idea of the candidates. In the dormitory, the five strong Bronze members had gathered. Old Wang briefly explained his plan to go to Dragon City and the selection process, and the others immediately became excited.

Kela, her eyes burning with determination, was the first to stand up. She hadn't forgotten what she said before Wang Feng went missing. Whatever happened to Wang Feng, she wanted to be part of it: "Captain, count me in!"

Fantasy, listening with a mix of eagerness and anxiety, wondered why he trained so hard and endured daily beatings. Wasn't it all for the hero dreams in every Holy Sanctuary disciple's heart? He asked hopefully yet nervously: "Feng, can I go? I've improved a lot recently, really. I think many of the Martial Dao Courtyard disciples can't even match me now! Don't worry, I won't hold anyone back!"

Udi, who had been eager to volunteer, almost lifted his buttocks off the seat, but after hearing this, he sat back down, feeling timid. Both he and Fantasy used to be at the bottom of the Martial Dao Courtyard, but now Fantasy had caught up to the average level, while Udi remained stuck. Even Fantasy, who was still concerned about holding everyone back, didn't have a reason to take a spot.

Old Wang smiled but before he could speak, Winnie poured cold water on the situation: "You? Go to send yourself? Don't say I didn't warn you, the War Academy is much stronger than you think. Do you know about the Pinnacle Holy Sanctuary?"

Fantasy's confidence waned by half. He asked cautiously: "The one ranked first in the Holy Sanctuaries?"

"Last year, the Nine Gods' Aurora Academy and the Pinnacle Holy Sanctuary had an exchange match. Although there was no clear winner, you should know that Aurora Academy ranks only fourth among the Nine Gods' War Academies." Winnie rolled her eyes. "Yes, everyone is at the peak, and the top combatants of the Nine Gods might be on par with us, but their average level is definitely higher. After all, the population base of the Nine Gods is much larger than ours. So don't go to get yourself killed."

"… After all, we're on the same team," Fantasi said with a bitter face: "No need to humiliate me like this…"

"Alright, Xi," Old Wang patted his shoulder: "We still have business in Aurora City, and someone needs to keep an eye on things. Wu Di can't handle it alone. Just bear with it this time, and we'll make sure you get a chance next time."

"Still, Feng’s words were more tactful!" Fantasi gave a thumbs-up, though he looked a bit dejected. He knew everyone was doing this for his own good; after all, his skills were indeed lacking. But such an opportunity might only come once in a lifetime, and missing it would mean waiting for another life.

It seems I’m just not cut out to be a hero.

Old Wang chuckled and asked Winnie: "Winnie, from the way you talk, it sounds like you don’t want to go? That’s not like you at all…"

"Pfft, why wouldn’t it be like me? I’m not stupid, and I don’t need any glory, so of course I don’t want to go!" Winnie glared fiercely at Wang Feng, then crossed her arms, pouted, and looked up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle with a haughty expression: "But who made me meet you? If I’m not around, you’d probably end up as nothing but bones!"

"You say one thing and mean another, don’t be so disrespectful!" Old Wang grinned and reached out to hug her: "Call me oppa!"

"Hey, hey, hey, don’t come over here, trying to take advantage of me again?"

"What kind of tofu are siblings supposed to eat? Winnie Lee, your mind is too dirty. It’s just a hug…"

"You’re the one who’s dirty! Wang Feng, you’re a big pervert! Last time you even had a wet dream, and you think I didn’t know about it?"

Old Wang rolled his eyes: "Hey, hey, hey, don’t spread rumors. I, Wang Feng, am a very upright person. You weren’t even sleeping with me, how could you know what I dreamed about?"

"I heard it when I came to pick the lock one morning." Winnie said smugly: "You were shouting something like ‘big brother, be gentle.’ Tsk tsk tsk, Wang Feng, I never thought you’d be into that. I’m too lazy to even comment…"

The others in the room looked at Wang Feng in surprise, and Fantasi instinctively hugged his arms.

"These are all misunderstandings… forget it, no point in explaining!" Old Wang coughed dryly. To think he actually called Da Ge’s name in his dreams? Oh dear, this problem is serious.

"Wang Feng, who do you plan to choose for the remaining spots?" Kela asked.

Beside them, Winnie, who had already seen through everything, said smugly, "Do we even need to ask? It must be Yin Fu, Mo Tong, and Hei Wukai. Bodyguards of the Eight Guardians' level aren't easy to find, and only Old Wang has that kind of clout."

"Our deputy leader does have good judgment, of course, he's still a bit short compared to our captain," Old Wang chuckled, speaking with an air of confidence, "He can probably guess about two-thirds of what I'm thinking."

Winnie was taken aback, her eyes widening, "Pfft, you're just pretending. I'd believe you if pigs could fly. These three are the best choices, unless you were thinking of Lucky Heaven, but you don't have that much influence either."

Old Wang laughed softly, not revealing anything, and said, "Can you really see through my thoughts? You'll know when the final list comes out."

...

To be honest, in terms of closeness, Yin Fu, Mo Tong, and Hei Wukai were indeed the most suitable choices, people he could trust with his life.

But Old Wang didn't plan to ask Yin Fu. Her strength was undoubtedly formidable, and her collection of secret treasures alone would give any opponent a hard time, but he couldn't let her take such a risk.

As for Hei Wukai, Mo Tong, and Kela, they were all close-combat fighters, which would leave the team severely lacking in ranged attack capabilities—a significant disadvantage on the battlefield. Therefore, Old Wang's top choice for this position was Ning Zhiyuan, the head of the Wizard Academy.

Even with Luo Lan's help, Ma Tan had always been overshadowed by Ning Zhiyuan at the Wizard Academy, thanks to Ning Zhiyuan's exceptional personal strength. As a lightning mage with explosive damage, he was definitely up to the task; it was just a matter of whether he had the courage.

This matter didn't encounter any obstacles. Who among the disciples of the Holy Sanctuary wouldn't yearn to achieve glory and become a hero? And the Dragon City conflict, which the entire continent was watching, was the perfect opportunity for fame and fortune.

When Old Wang approached him, Ning Zhiyuan readily agreed, making Old Wang feel a bit embarrassed; he had underestimated the resolve of a Holy Sanctuary disciple.

What was unexpected, however, was the reaction of Hei Wukai and Mo Tong.

Yin Fu was there as well. Old Wang had thought that given his relationship with the three, this matter was virtually certain. But when he mentioned it to them, their expressions turned slightly awkward.

"Old Wang, to be frank, this might not work out."

"I can't go either."

Old Wang was taken aback; Hei Wukai actually refused him. This was quite unexpected, and even more surprising was that Mo Tong, who usually loved the excitement, remained silent. "Little Brother Mo Tong, such a grand occasion, you don't want to go and see it?"

"I dream of going!" Mo Tong said resentfully. "But the problem is that my words don't count."

This was just like capsizing in a calm river. Without these two crucial bodyguards, his safety would plummet instantly. No, it would be like walking into a trap. To be honest, Hei Wu Kai and Mo Tong were his main sources of confidence.

Old Wang opened his mouth wide. "What do you mean?"

Just as Mo Tong was about to chatter on, Hei Wukai spoke up beside him. "Old Wang, you should know our personalities. Even if you hadn't mentioned it, both of us would have wanted to join in the fun. But our positions are sensitive, and we can't always do as we please."

"The Eight Tribes were once allies of the League of Blades during the Holy War, but in fact, they are not part of the League. They maintain their independence, free from the League's constraints, and hold an equal status with the League. This is why many people refer to the Eight Tribes as the fourth major power in the Nine Heavens Continent."

"After the Holy War, regarding the issues between the Nine Gods and the League of Blades, the Eight Tribes have always maintained neutrality, neither participating nor intervening in matters involving the two major forces. The Eight Tribes try to avoid getting involved in such disputes." Hei Wukai sighed. "The current conflict in Dragon City is a showdown between the Nine Gods and the League of Blades. Our envoy in Aurora City has already made it clear that we cannot represent the Rose in this battle, as it could send signals that might be misinterpreted. So... we are truly powerless to help."

"Damn..." Old Wang cursed inwardly, feeling incredibly naive. He had thought that with their relationship, this would be a simple matter, but it turned out to involve complex diplomatic and policy issues of the Eight Tribes. "You're representing the Rose now, not the Eight Tribes. Technically, you're disciples of the Rose..."

"But others will think we represent the Eight Tribes," Hei Wukai shook his head, somewhat helplessly.

"Forget it, forget it," Old Wang looked disheartened, sighing deeply. "I shouldn't have asked you. This trip to Dragon City is extremely dangerous. If I die alone, so be it. It's better that you don't go..."

Old Wang's acting was terrible, but someone was buying it.

"Senior Brother, you're going?" Yin Fu opened her mouth, her face showing concern. Earlier, Old Wang had only mentioned inviting them to represent the Rose in the Dragon City conflict, but he hadn't said he was going himself.

Mo Tong laughed. "Damn, with your skills, going there would be like walking into a death trap..."