Chapter 355: The Return of the King

"Glory of Nine Heavens"

Winnie's gaze couldn't help but drift down from Mapeier's face, and she instantly felt choked up.

Look at that! That figure—clearly trouble! And that sitting posture, stiff as a statue, still playing innocent in front of me?

"Hey!" Winnie slapped her shoulder. "Scoot over. I need to talk to Wang Feng!"

Mapeier glanced at her, then at Wang Feng. Old Wang said carelessly, "Winnie, come on, can't you just say whatever it is openly? We're all friends here..."

"Exactly! We're all on the same side!" Ah Xi chimed in from the side. This Mapeier seemed so well-behaved and quiet, and he'd heard she even saved Feng. Winnie usually bullied him, and he didn’t mind—he was a tough guy who didn’t care about losing face—but how could she be so harsh on such a sweet and kind girl? Ah, I get it—she must be jealous of her figure!

Winnie turned and glared at him fiercely. Ah Xi shuddered and immediately shrank back. White-knighting required strength, and Ah Xi clearly didn’t have that.

"Wang Feng, I have to call you out on this!" Winnie scoffed, unwilling to directly pick a fight with Mapeier. Arguing with this mute block of wood would just make her seem like a bully. The real problem was Wang Feng. "Judgement and Rose have always been rivals. Since when are we 'on the same side'? You really lose your head around women..."

Old Wang chuckled. "She's under my wing now."

"Huh?" Everyone in the carriage froze. Winnie’s eyes widened, while Andy, sitting on the other side, gaped so wide his jaw dropped to the floor.

Mapeier had been waiting for Wang Feng at Fort Blade, and Andy had stayed behind for Mapeier. He’d thought their relationship was just camaraderie from surviving together, but from the sound of it… had they already… gotten together?

Heavens, open your eyes! This is so unfair!

Andy felt like crying. Why did a scoundrel like Wang Feng, who lied and cheated his way through everything, get the affection of a goddess, while someone as sincere and devoted as him couldn’t even get a second glance? Were the heavens blind too?

"Look at your dirty minds! Don’t get the wrong idea." Old Wang wiped grape juice off his fingers and said loftily, "This Captain teamed up with Mapeier in the Dark Caverns and beat the Nine Gods into crying for their parents. We collected countless tokens. Ever heard of Blood Demon Manku? He was blown to bits by me and Mapeier!"

Everyone exchanged glances. Andy, unwilling to give up, reminded him, "Blood Demon Manku was killed by Hei Wukai in peak condition..."

"Shut up, what do you know?" Old Wang shot him a glare. A hitchhiker who owed him his life still dared to undermine him? "That’s because after we took him down, he evolved! Anyway, Mapeier and I had flawless synergy. She learned a lot from me and admires me deeply. So, Mapeier and I have already agreed—once we’re back in Polar Light, she’ll transfer to Rose, join my Old Wang Team, and become my personal bodyguard!"

A bodyguard now? And a *personal* one?

Everyone gaped at Mapeier, only to see her nod very seriously.

"Bullshit!" Winnie’s eyes bulged. "Hell no, and your expertise doesn’t even match! Isn’t Mapeier an alchemist from Judgement? What kind of bodyguard is that?"

"You just don’t get it." Old Wang grinned. "Mapeier is actually a genius with incredible combat talent. Back at Judgement, no one guided her, so she focused entirely on alchemy—letting her talent rot. But meeting me changed everything!"

"Meeting you turned her into a big scammer?"

"Pah!" Old Wang rolled his eyes at Winnie. "Of course, it brought out her talent!"

"You have that kind of skill? I *so* don’t believe you..." Winnie’s words trailed off as she shut her mouth.

Just look at Kela, who awakened her bloodline, and Ah Xi, who supposedly made a name for himself in the Dark Caverns. Before meeting Old Wang, these two were the absolute bottom of Rose. But now? Whether by luck or not, the guy really had a knack for it.

Winnie was instantly stumped. Talented, loyal to Wang Feng, and—most importantly—she’d even saved him. Low-key, making it impossible to pick a fight with her… Damn it, this wooden woman was going to be her teammate now?

She couldn’t help but size up Mapeier from head to toe again, and her eyelids twitched. Just what had she eaten to grow like that…? She was even more stacked than Kela!

……

This time, the mag-rail train wasn’t like the one exclusively for transporting disciples. It carried cargo along the way, stopping for long periods at every station. The journey, which should’ve taken three or four days, dragged on for nearly ten.

This trip to the Dragon City Illusion had been quite a haul for Rose.

Besides Old Wang, Kela had come into her own, Winnie had mellowed out, and Fantecy was the dark horse.

During that time in the Pitch-Black Cavern, he was constantly terrified and in a daze, but after leaving the Soul Illusion Realm, during his stay at the Frontier Fortress, he gradually began to notice some changes in himself.

On the magic rail train these past few days, Old Wang had given him many unintentional hints, and Fan Tessi heard for the first time the term that would accompany him for the rest of his life—"Berserk Taiji Tiger."

He understood "berserk," but what "Taiji" was completely baffled him. Old Wang didn’t elaborate much either. In the Nine Heavens Realm, there was no concept of "Taiji Yin-Yang." Explaining it logically wouldn’t make sense—only practice could convey its meaning, and all of that would have to wait until they returned to Rose Academy.

Apart from that, the main topic of conversation on the train was Karida and Rose Academy. It was clear that everyone was deeply worried, especially Winnie. As a member of the Li family, she had a broader perspective and sharper instincts about these matters. She sensed the coming storm, and in the eye of this storm, the first sacrifice might very well be Wang Feng.

Yet, the guy at the center of it all remained acting all chill, as if completely unconcerned. Aside from Mapeier, everyone else found his attitude totally annoying. But Old Wang continued to act as he pleased, relaxed and unfazed, constantly running his mouth about having everything under control… How could a man who can't even save his own skin really have any solutions?

Winnie suddenly felt like she had become the den mother of Old Wang’s team again. It seemed she would have to rely on herself!

But Old Wang clearly didn’t see it that way. He wasn’t pretending—he was genuinely at ease.

Honestly, while losing the support of the Eight Tribes was a bit of a loss, it wasn’t a major setback. Compared to now, with two Heavenly Soul Pearls in hand, Old Wang knew his situation was completely different from before. There were so many things he could do. Many believed he was returning to Rose Academy to survive in the cracks, but the reality would likely disappoint them all.

A faint smile curled at the corner of Old Wang’s lips.

Surviving in the cracks? More like a damn comeback!

Nine Divine Empire, City of Sutton.

The City of Sutton was built beside water, surrounded on three sides by rivers. The Leiser River flowing through Sutton was part of the Nine Cauldrons Grand Canal, connecting the western regions of the empire to the capital. The Sutton family had owned this land since the era of the Supreme Sage Teacher, back when Sutton was nothing more than a riverbank. The Suttons were a family that had once served the Supreme Sage Teacher and received his blessings multiple times.

Later, during the founding wars of the Nine Divine Empire, the Sutton family earned the title of Duke through military achievements and was granted permission to build a city here—thus, Sutton was born.

The Leiser River, linking the east and west of the empire, bustled with commerce. Ships of all kinds sailed along different waterways according to their designs and purposes, everything busy yet orderly.

On a passenger ship, Fu Liye slipped out of a luxurious cabin with ease. As he closed the door behind him, he threw a charming glance inside. Immediately, a lovestruck lady rushed over, burying her face in his chest and murmuring with reddened lips, "Don’t go. Stay with me a little longer."

Fu Liye gently pushed her away. The woman looked up, her teary eyes meeting his. Gazing at his handsome face and resolute eyes, her expression grew even more infatuated.

Fu Liye smiled faintly. "Be good. Wait for me at Nine Cauldrons."

The woman’s dazed eyes instantly brightened. She let out a tiny mewl but didn’t cling to him any longer.

Standing at the bow of the ship, Fu Liye took in the distant view of Sutton, feeling fresh. His boss was fine in most regards, but when it came to assigning tasks, he truly gave no breathing room. Just scraping through one close call, and already a new mission arrived.

The ship soon docked. As Fu Liye disembarked, several windows on the upper deck slid open, each revealing a beautiful woman giving him the puppy-dog eyes. With a smile, he blew a single kiss, answering them all at once.

Fu Liye passed the identity checkpoint without issue. He was currently posing as a minor noble of the empire—a noble with a title but no actual fief.

After declaring that he had come to pledge allegiance to the Duke of Sutton, the guards’ attitudes immediately improved. They registered his fake noble alias, "Hegmur," and waived the ten leo entry tax. Of course, if the minor noble "Hegmur" failed to report to the Duke’s castle within three days, he would face a fine of one hundred leo. And no one should doubt the Duke’s guards’ ability to track someone down within Sutton.

Naturally, Fu Liye wasn’t the least bit worried about being found.

Once past the checkpoint, he walked along the orderly docks. Patrols of guards were everywhere, moving in groups of three—a shield-bearer, a swordsman, and a spearman. Additionally, each carried binding cords at their waists for restraining criminals.

The wide, clean streets were paved with bluestone, lined with shops. None dared to dump waste or dirty water haphazardly, and shopkeepers frequently stepped out to inspect the area in front of their stores, immediately calling for cleanup at the slightest sign of mess.

Merchants from all over, dressed in vastly different styles, could be seen negotiating deals. Locals browsed the docks for small goods, and even slaves were dressed neatly.

Even more common were the notice boards. Every few shops, one could find a board nailed to the outer wall, covered in purchase and sale notices, along with a few wanted posters featuring sketched portraits of pirates.

"Arcane Coach, departing soon! No delays! One leo, just one leo, takes you to the Tax Office, the Music Hall, the Phoenix Hotel… Final stop: the War Academy! Departing soon!"

In the designated coach area, a woman holding a sign barked out. Her sharp yet clear voice seemed to carry a persuasive charm. Fu Liye smiled, handed over one leo for a ticket, and boarded the large Arcane Coach capable of carrying dozens.

The woman hadn’t lied. Though the coach wasn’t full, it soon departed on time under the cursing demands of the assigned guards. Another Arcane Coach immediately took its place, and a strapping woman stepped down, shouting similar words: "Departing in a quarter-hour! Arcane Coach, just one leo…"

The magitek coach was over twice as fast as an ordinary carriage, quickly leaving the dock area behind. After passing through the inner city wall, the scenery shifted abruptly. The road was no longer paved with bluestone but with neatly arranged white-glazed brick tiles, the gaps between them sealed with clay mortar. On the road, magitek carriages of all shapes and functions flowed endlessly. Fu Liye looked out the window—flanking the white-brick road were raised walkways paved with red bricks, separated from the main road by flower beds.

The number of patrolling guards in the inner city was fewer than at the docks, but there were many more fixed checkpoints.

This was a well-governed city, thriving due to its shipping industry. Yet, among the Nine Gods Empire, such a city was merely average in status.

The Nine Gods Empire's national power was clearly stronger than that of the League of Blades. However, the empire's external affairs were spread too thin, and internal strife was endless. Its vast national strength could not be effectively mobilized. The only one capable of uniting all factions into a single force—the mighty Emperor Long Kang—had, for unknown reasons, let the empire rot from within due to infighting. The only plausible explanation was that certain key conditions had yet to be met.

As for the conflicts with the League of Blades, they remained limited to petty clashes—not just because of the initial agreement, but also because neither side could afford a major defeat now, as it would risk uncontrollable internal chaos.

"The inner city guards have added quite a few checkpoints today."

"It's all because of that Night Demon. Just last night, Baron Babu and his wife—newlyweds—were gone, just like that."

"How many days has it been, and they still haven’t caught him?"

"Not so easy. Sarton City is huge, and there are so many nobles. Well, everyone just minds their own business."

"Why worry? That Night Demon only targets nobles with outstanding soul power. Ah, what irony—nobles live in glory every day, but at times like these, us commoners are actually safer."

Fu Liye listened to the passengers' idle chatter, finding it anything but dull. Soon, they arrived at the Phoenix Hotel, where he checked in, still posing as the minor noble Hegmur.

"Madam, could you do me a favor?" With a smile and a glance, Fu Liye had already charmed a noble young lady who happened to pass by his room door the moment he settled in.