Chapter 288 Hangover

The other party seemed genuinely frightened by Hei Wu Kai's sword, and no one dared to jump out again until Rose and the others returned to the Fortress of Sharpness.

By now, it was quite late. When they returned to the dormitory, the group from Ice Spirit Kingdom was already waiting in Rose’s room. Seeing Old Wang return, Aota grinned widely and stepped forward: "Brother, we’ve been waiting for you for ages!"

"How did the sparring go this afternoon?"

"What do you think? Of course, we won!" Behind him, Badeluo had taken a liking to Kela at first sight that afternoon—her height, her figure... tsk tsk!

His face was plastered with bandages, somewhat disfigured, but that didn’t stop him from flexing his muscles proudly and saying: "Brother, I’m not boasting, ask Aota, I took down two guys just now!"

Mo Tong’s eyes immediately lit up: Damn, this guy looks pretty tough, bigger than me!

"Then he was knocked down by the second one." Xue Zhiyu walked over with a smile, deflating his ego.

Badeluo’s face turned red, and he pouted: "But I still got one and a half... the second one was worn out by me!"

"My brother wouldn’t be any less, right? Be confident, count it as two." Old Wang laughed and greeted them, then pulled out a large bag from behind: "Don’t say I didn’t keep you company this afternoon. I bought some local specialties for you—spicy rabbit heads!"

"Here are more." Kela and Mo Tong each held a large bag as well; the people from Ice Spirit Kingdom clearly loved food, so they bought plenty.

Everyone from Ice Spirit Kingdom laughed. They had arrived early and had already explored Dragon City, knowing the deliciousness of these spicy rabbit heads.

Badeluo’s eyes instantly sparkled, seeing the several large bags full of real goods, which must weigh dozens of pounds. He reached out eagerly: "Brother, let me have a few first!"

"Just having the dishes isn’t enough, right?" Old Wang smiled and placed the rabbit heads on the table: "Xi, bring out the wine!"

Fantasy also twisted a large bag from his back, filled with Five Poison Sand Wine. Rose and the Ice Spirit Kingdom group had already introduced themselves and gotten along well in the afternoon. The other side respected Wang Feng and was naturally very courteous to everyone else, and the two groups quickly became like old friends: "Come on, I’ve been carrying this all the way, it’s really heavy!"

"Brother is always the best!" Dongbuluo gave a thumbs up: "You really thought of everything!"

Everyone chatted and ate, with clowns on both sides constantly shouting, making the dorm quite lively.

Badeluo's eating was the most terrifying; while others gnawed at the spicy rabbit heads, he chewed them directly! The big guy held a rabbit head between two fingers as if it were a peanut, threw it into his mouth, and 'crunch', he crushed and swallowed even the bones...

In just a few bites, one rabbit head was gone, faster than cleaning up garbage. This sight left Mo Tong, who considered himself a real man, wide-eyed and speechless. More than half of the fifty pounds of rabbit heads ended up in his stomach, yet he still complained about not being full.

Mo Tong couldn't stand it. "So what if you can eat rabbit heads? If I didn't find rabbits so cute, I could eat thirty pounds too! And I wouldn't spit out any bones! Pah, I could drink the red oil soup like water!"

Right, drinking!

So Mo Tong shouted that he wanted to compete in drinking with this most manly Badeluo. But the problem was that the men from the Frostwinter usually used strong liquor to rinse their mouths, drinking this stuff was like drinking water for them. Not to mention Mo Tong, even Hei Wu Kai might not be a match, getting knocked out in no time. In the end, they had to arm wrestle to compare strength, but in his drunken state, unable to even stand steadily, Mo Tong naturally lost miserably again.

The result was that the drunk Mo Tong was still confused, but it was easy to predict how miserable he would feel when he sobered up. Meanwhile, Badeluo was overjoyed, so happy that he wanted to slap himself twice to see if he was dreaming!

What did it matter to take down two low-ranking Holy Sanctuary disciples in the afternoon? This was Mahoraga!

Damn, when he heard Mahoraga's provocation earlier, he had secretly boosted his own courage, never expecting to actually defeat him honorably, and in every aspect, the other side lost. Living for twenty years, this was definitely the greatest glory, enough to brag about for ten years!

Following the big brother really does mean getting more sweets, that saying is spot on.

Inside, everyone was swaying and flushed from drinking, but Xue Zhiyu found an excuse to call Wang Feng out.

"What's up, Your Highness?" Old Wang smiled at her, noting that the girl seemed to have grown fuller in the two months since they last met.

Indeed, she was in the prime of her growth... This was the youth that made people's blood boil the most easily.

Xue Zhiyu felt a bit disappointed when she saw Wang Feng in the afternoon because he didn't treat her as intimately as she had hoped.

To be honest, Wang Feng hadn't really flirted with her either. From the beginning, they agreed it was all an act. Perhaps she had always been just a good friend to him.

This thought had troubled her for the entire afternoon, but now she felt much calmer. She smiled and pulled out a pink envelope from her bosom: "Xuecai instructed me to hand this to you personally. I guess my mission is accomplished."

The envelope was a bright shade of pink, and as soon as it was opened, a fragrant aroma filled the air. There was even a 'Xuecai' stamp on the seal—what a mischievous girl...

Even her stamp is so unique, truly a little devil.

Old Wang also recalled how Xuecai would blush and argue with him in Bingling, chattering away. He really missed her. He chuckled and brought the envelope to his nose for a sniff: "This girl, making an envelope so fragrant. What kind of scent is this?"

Xue Zhiyu was momentarily stunned.

Xuecai just loved to play around with stamps; she had all sorts of privately engraved ones, even her father's official seal...

But there was no actual fragrance. It was just that Xue Zhiyu always kept this close to her body, and without much thought, she had taken it out in front of Wang Feng.

Seeing Wang Feng sniffing the envelope, his nose almost touching it, it suddenly felt like an intimate touch, especially since the envelope had been in such a personal place...

She had never experienced anything like this before. Despite her usually composed nature, Xue Zhiyu couldn't help but feel her face turn red, and her heart, which had finally calmed down in the afternoon, started pounding again.

"Wang, Wang Feng!" She was genuinely nervous and called out instinctively.

"Huh?" Old Wang was about to open the envelope, thinking she was stopping him: "Can't I open it in front of you?"

To be honest, Xue Zhiyu had shouted, but she wasn't sure what she wanted to say. Fortunately, Old Wang's words helped her out, and she hurriedly nodded: "Yes, that girl specifically said... I'll go inside first, you can look at it after I leave!"

With that, she quickly turned and walked back into the house, her face burning. Luckily, it seemed Wang Feng hadn't noticed her discomfort. After all, men were often quite oblivious in these matters.

"Women, oh women!" After Xue Zhiyu left, Old Wang chuckled to himself.

Being too popular can be a real pain. I'm a young man in the prime of my life, and I get excited seeing beautiful women too. But I have to deliberately find ways to drive them away... Da Ge, Da Ge, if you don't give in to me soon, one day I might lose control, and my integrity will be gone... Not that I had much to begin with.

Old Wang spat: "Scumbag!"

He tore open the envelope, and a line of elegant handwriting caught his eye. It began with, "Wang Feng, you scoundrel, leaving without even saying goodbye to me. Let me tell you, you belong to me, and we’re not done yet!"

... What could that little girl have to say seriously? The letter was filled with over ten thousand words, half of which were complaints, but there were also some heartfelt words and information from Ice Spirit to share with Old Wang.

Most of it was what Old Wang already knew, but Xuecai mentioned that her relationship with Snow Cangbai had improved, a personal matter that wouldn't be reported by the Light of the Holy Sanctuary.

When Xuecai wrote about this in her letter, she seemed quite dismissive, but Old Wang could still sense the excitement and joy of being recognized in her words.

To be honest, there wasn’t much substantial content, just the chirping of a happy, recognized little sparrow.

But after reading the letter, Old Wang felt a sense of relief. He could fully feel the girl's joy and was genuinely uplifted by it.

"Emotions, indeed. Seems I really do have a soft spot for this little sister."

With a pleased heart, Old Wang tucked the letter into his chest and whistled as he entered the house.

Xue Zhiyu’s heart was still racing, chatting with Winnie on purpose while pretending not to see Wang Feng.

Old Wang grabbed Aota, who was pouring drinks for Hei Wu Kai: "What the hell is going on here, three of you ganging up on one? Ignoring your big brother? Come on, I’ll drink with you!"

...

The ranking competition!

This wasn’t exactly a rare occurrence in the recent Fortress of Sharpness; there were always two or three such events every day. But a top ten versus top ten match—this was a first.

Yesterday, they hadn’t heard the exact time, only that it was in the morning. By early the next day, the East Training Ground was already crowded with people.

Hei Wu Kai and Zhao Ziyue's supporters had yet to arrive, but the prime spots around the venue were already occupied, with a constant buzz of chatter filling the air. The crowd was not impatient; rather, they were excited and full of anticipation.

Supporters for both sides were present, but those backing Zhao Ziyue clearly outnumbered the others.

For one, Hei Wu Kai was from the Eightfold Assembly, while Zhao Ziyue, despite his flamboyant personality and unpopularity among many, was now standing up for humanity against external threats. Racial divisions are perhaps the hardest to erase in this world, so even those who usually disliked Zhao Ziyue found themselves cheering for him at this moment.

Zhao Ziyue was well-known among the Holy Sanctuary disciples, his performance in the Heroic Tournament being something everyone had witnessed. Many in the crowd had been on the receiving end of his Eternal Spear, fully aware of its formidable power. Why was it called the Eternal Spear? Once unleashed, it seemed to attack and torment the enemy endlessly, leaving no room for breath, a technique that was both fierce and overwhelming.

In contrast, although tales about Hei Wu Kai were legendary, some records even detailed his victories over certain figures in Datura Empire...

But what did that matter? To the crowd, these figures from Datura Empire were as unfamiliar as Hei Wu Kai himself. They might have heard of them, knowing only that "Ah, he's a skilled fighter."

"Skilled... everyone here is skilled! To judge someone's strength based on such hearsay is simply ridiculous."

"Hehe, what’s new with the Light of the Holy Sanctuary? Anyone here doesn't know? They exaggerate anything to grab attention."

"I heard the best achievement of this Hei Wu Kai was defeating a dozen low-ranking martial artists from the Judgment Academy in Aurora City. Sure, the number is impressive, but the Judgment Academy... ha, what a joke? I could take on twenty!"

Not far away stood a few members of the Judgment. In the clash between Rose and West Peak Holy Sanctuary, the Judgment had no particular allegiance. Although they came from the same city as Rose, they had been defeated by her, so naturally, they didn’t want her to win. However, they also had no desire to see Zhao Ziyue triumph.

They had come just to watch the spectacle, but unexpectedly found themselves drawn into the fray. The leader of the Judgment, Ashoka, glared at the group nearby, recognizing them as followers of the Endless Abyss. The speaker was hunched, his body oddly shaped, none other than Maxwell, known as the Mad Dog.

Seeming to sense Ashoka's gaze, Maxwell grinned and said, "Hey, don't take it personally. I'm just straightforward. If you don't agree, we can spar. Your whole team of six can come at me if you like!"

Truth be told, there were no weaklings in the Fortress of Sharpness. Even the Judgment, who ranked lower in the Heroic Tournament, would find it challenging to take on Maxwell one-on-one, let alone six against one.

But Ashoka had his pride and wouldn't stoop to a six-on-one fight in public, especially against someone known for fighting to the death and excelling in group battles. Winning such a fight would bring no glory, and losing would be a humiliation.

Despite his temper, Ashoka forced a laugh, his facial muscles twitching. He turned away, ignoring Maxwell.

"Come on, fight me!" Aota approached, grinning at Old Wang and exuding an air of arrogance to the others, his eyes sharp and challenging: "Damn it, ranked ones bullying unranked ones, how shameful!"

The three brothers swaggered over with Xue Zhiyu and the others.

Last night’s drinking was like sipping fruit juice for these three. Even Hei Wu Kai revered them as celestial beings, deeply admiring them. The next morning, they woke up early, refreshed and invigorated after a night of revelry, eager to cheer for their newly acquainted good brother, Hei Wu Kai.

Maxwell chuckled but did not respond to the provocation.

To be honest, the Winter Clan has always been at the bottom of the Top Ten, yet this guy's freezing ability is a natural counter to my poison soul seed. Moreover, his endurance and physical strength are actually better than my alchemy-enhanced body. In the past, during the Hero Tournament, we fought, and Maxwell almost vomited from frustration, refusing to fight him again!

Auyu Wang was surprised by his support.

Aota is known for being a brute, but his strength is undeniable. It’s rare that he has any interaction with anyone, so Auyu Wang, intending to form a bond, smiled and said, "Brother Aota, I..."

"Brother my ass!" Aota shot him a glance. "What kind of bird do you think you are? You dared to mock my big brother yesterday. Don’t talk to me! Seeing you makes my eyes hurt! If you say one more bad word about my big brother, I swear I’ll beat you to death!"

Auyu Wang was stunned, his mouth agape. His teammates had not even caught up when Aota’s companions, Badeluo and Dongbuluo, stepped forward, looking menacing.

What the hell...

He was so angry that his whole body trembled.

"Captain!" Andy and the others stood up, their faces pale with anger. Though the Judgment is weak, they are not to be bullied.

Fortunately, Auyu Wang retained a bit of his sanity. He knew he couldn’t win, but if there were even the slightest chance, today he would have to settle the score with these two bastards!

But in this moment, who could still care about this lousy match?

"Let’s go!" His face ashen, he turned and led the Judgment away.

"Hate to see that guy finally gone." Aota shot him a glare from behind and sneezed: "Don't let the door hit you on the way out!"

...

The duel was a significant matter; neither Zhao Ziyue nor Hei Wu Kai were unknown figures. Both were considered superlative in the top ten, and they wouldn’t easily engage in frivolous battles. Whoever lost would have to forfeit their ranking, and it was clear that Zhao Ziyue was serious about this.

At this moment, Zhao Ziyue walked at the front, holding his golden Eternal Spear, his face solemn, a faint aura of killing intent emanating from him, having already elevated his state to its peak.

Sharpening one’s skills right before battle might not always be effective, but it could certainly bring one’s spirit to its zenith.

After all, Hei Wu Kai, the third-ranked warrior according to various factions, was above him. Others might casually say he was overrated, but as his opponent, Zhao Ziyue couldn’t afford to underestimate him in the slightest.

Ye Dun, Blood Moon Jiaoxi, and Sakuman's Gule walked behind him, chatting and maintaining a certain distance to avoid disrupting his state with their conversation.

"Here, here, Old Zhao, looking good! Don’t get blown away!" Maxwell, the madman, greeted them excitedly.

Zhao Ziyue ignored him, stepping into the arena and standing still with his spear, unconcerned whether Hei Wu Kai arrived or not. He closed his eyes and waited quietly, his spiritual power instantly收敛 upon stopping, making him as calm as a stone.

Ye Dun and Jiaoxi, along with the others, approached Maxwell. "Madman, shut your mouth," Gule said. In truth, Zhao Ziyue’s victory or defeat had a significant impact on their team, and this guy’s mind was often absent.

Sakuman's Gule had a bald head. He was from the western Viss tribe, with blue-tinged skin and even blue lips, towering and eagle-eyed, with a hooked nose and deep-set eyes. There was a lightning-shaped mark on his forehead, and he worshipped the thunder god.

Those who looked markedly different from mainstream humans were often not recognized as human, frequently labeled as beastmen or other derogatory terms at the bottom of the social hierarchy. However, with the rise of rune theory, the Viss tribe’s talent for controlling lightning was discovered and became an important force in Sakuman.

In any world, only strength earns respect.

"Tch, can’t handle a little interference? Maybe I should step in!"

"You’d better not, I want to enjoy a few more peaceful days in the fortress," Jiaoxi laughed. "It’s a shame Longmoer isn’t here; otherwise, Gule could challenge him to see who is the top Thunder Shaman."

When the First Wizard was mentioned, Gu Le's eyes flashed with a hint of sharpness. The power of lightning was a heavenly gift to their Vesi clan, and he had always been unconvinced about the dominance of the Dragon Elephant in the wizard world.

"You guys can stop your nonsense, acting all high and mighty isn't tiring?" Aota couldn't help but retort from not far away.

The few on that side merely smiled; they weren't strangers to each other, knowing this guy was just a straightforward complainer. Besides, there was the Princess of Ice Spirit Kingdom standing nearby. Ye Dun nodded slightly at Xue Zhiyu, his handsome face wearing a gentle smile that could easily make women lose their hearts.

But Xue Zhiyu nodded slightly, to be honest, she enjoyed coming out to train and explore. In Ice Spirit Kingdom, she felt like a bird in a cage, a goldfinch. The outside world was vast, and while she used to find such gentlemanly manners quite attractive, after meeting Wang Feng, it seemed her taste had been somewhat skewed...

She smiled and turned her head to the other side, her eyes lighting up slightly: "Wang Feng and the others are here."

Everyone looked in that direction, seeing the group led by Rose walking over, then...

The fat man yawned, the little girl squinted, Wang Feng looked half-asleep, and Mo Tong also appeared drowsy, leaning on Old Wang, half-awake and half-asleep.

What the hell...

Aota covered his face, yesterday the three of them had drunk to their heart's content, enjoying the thrill of the drinking contest without considering that Rose had important matters today. But he couldn't entirely blame himself; even the elder brother was fine, but Old Hei and that Mo Tong were pretty arrogant yesterday... Both sides had gotten carried away!

The others around couldn't help but want to laugh, having heard some amusing stories about Rose before, thinking they might have been exaggerated. Now, however, it seemed that hearing is believing, and this really was an extraordinary team!

How could they show such disrespect to Zhao Ziyue? This wasn't just a personal duel; Zhao Ziyue represented his Holy Sanctuary, and Hei Wu Kai represented the Yaksha clan. What was this?

Was this a hangover?

People couldn't help but murmur, and a slight curve appeared at the corner of Ye Dun's mouth. As the top expert of the Holy Sanctuary, the only unknown territory for him was the Eightfold Assembly, and Hei Wu Kai was undoubtedly a potential rival. This time, Zhao Ziyue's move was precisely to gauge the talent of this Yaksha, and seeing him disheveled and half-asleep, Ye Dun wondered if he had overestimated the situation.

The Datura Empire was so extravagant that even the best talents would be wasted.

Although Zhao Ziyue was a bit angry, his face showed no signs of it. He still had the combat discipline, and this battle was equally crucial for him. If he won, his ranking would skyrocket.

Gazing at the serious expression of Zhao Zizhuo, Hei Wu Kai felt a bit apologetic and couldn't help but yawn, “Sorry, I’m late.”

Zhao Zizhuo shook his head, “I was early, but don’t go looking for excuses later because of your state.”

Hei Wu Kai smiled slightly, “It won’t affect me. After a night’s rest, I’m in perfect condition now. Shall we begin?”

Swish… Zhao Zizhuo’s Eternal Spear spun and landed in his hand, a golden light sweeping through as he formed a spear flower, “Please!”

The crowd quickly stepped back, knowing the main event was about to start. The news of Hei Wu Kai unleashing a rune cannon with a single sword strike yesterday had already spread throughout the fortress. At the very least, it confirmed that this genius of the Yaksha clan wasn’t just a paper tiger.

But a rune cannon and a human opponent were entirely different concepts.