Chapter 358: Modified Ironclad Warship

"Nine Heavens"

Ever since the news of Karida's arrest reached Rose Holy Sanctuary, the entire academy had been shrouded in anxiety and unease, as if enveloped by a dark cloud of gloom.

Even for those who didn't understand the so-called struggle between the conservatives and the radicals, years of coverage in the Holy Sanctuary Light about Rose's reforms and the reactions from various factions made it clear to all Disciples that the Holy Sanctuary's targeting of Karida was primarily due to opposition to her enrollment expansion policy. If Headmistress Karida truly fell, Rose's expansion policy would undoubtedly be affected.

Thus, the real question arose: at least two-thirds of Rose Holy Sanctuary's current Disciples had been admitted under lowered standards thanks to the 'expansion policy.' If this policy were overturned, what would become of their futures? Would the new headmaster find reasons, such as reassessments, to expel them? Wealthier Disciples might buy their way to stay, but the majority of ordinary Disciples would likely fail to pass such hurdles.

So, despite the constant stream of victories from the Dragon City frontlines, Rose's Disciples remained tense and uneasy. However, Headmaster Hawkland's attitude toward Wang Feng now served as a reassurance. The headmaster's support for Wang Feng meant support for Headmistress Karida and the expansion policy. With a heavyweight like Headmaster Hawkland standing firm, their sense of security soared.

An all-night celebration ensued—Rose Holy Sanctuary hadn't been this lively in a long time, and its Disciples hadn't been this happy either. The next day, the dormitories were filled with the sound of snoring, a rare and unparalleled comfort.

Yet, amid this leisurely atmosphere, an unexpected denunciation appeared on the front page of the Holy Sanctuary Light.

It was a condemnation from Mangalam Holy Sanctuary directed at Rose Holy Sanctuary, primarily targeting Wang Feng.

The article claimed that Wang Feng was unworthy of his position, a mere clown who had crafted a fake mask of Hei Wukai to evade battles and swagger around the Dragon City Mirage under the guise of the Eight Tribes' Hei Wukai. Furthermore, he had even made his own mask to place on corpses, fabricating news of his death to further ensure his safety—actions that tarnished the Holy Sanctuary's integrity and trampled upon its honor! Disciples of the Holy Sanctuary were future heroic warriors, meant to die standing, not live kneeling! And yet, such a person was Rose Holy Sanctuary's team captain and the president of its self-governing council! Karida's appointment of such a man undoubtedly warranted blame for negligence in personnel selection!

The lengthy article, spanning thousands of words, nitpicked flaws in Wang Feng's Dragon City expedition, magnifying his past infamy to paint him as utterly disgraced and discredited. While it ostensibly criticized the moral decay of a single Disciple, it was clear to all that the true intent was to attack Rose and Karida through Wang Feng.

Even before the Dragon City expedition, Wang Feng's reputation had already been widely tarnished within the Holy Sanctuary. Labels like "sycophant" and "clown" were minor and not widely known, but what truly earned him disdain was his alleged abandonment of Princess Xue Zhiyu during the Ice Spirit mission. This alone was enough to plummet his standing in the eyes of all Holy Sanctuary Disciples. Princess Xue Zhiyu, one of the Blade Temple's top ten beauties—a revered Sanctuary flower and the dream of countless admirers—how dare this Wang fellow...

The article, published in the morning, quickly gained traction among Disciples of various Blade Temple-affiliated Holy Sanctuaries. Within just half a day, Wang Feng became a subject of intense discussion, sparking widespread condemnation.

Undoubtedly, every Holy Sanctuary had suffered losses during the Dragon City expedition. Their performances weren't poor, but the brilliance of Hei Wukai and Wang Feng had overshadowed them, leaving these Holy Sanctuaries feeling humiliated and disgraced.

Being eclipsed by Hei Wukai's glory was something they could grudgingly accept—after all, his strength was undeniable, and as a member of the Eight Tribes, he was an "international figure" who had aided the Blade Temple. Criticizing him afterward would reflect poorly on the Holy Sanctuary itself. But this accumulated resentment needed an outlet—otherwise, wouldn't it imply that all other Holy Sanctuaries were incompetent? Thus, the denunciation of Wang Feng and Rose became the righteous outcry everyone had been waiting for, instantly igniting fervent discussions across all Blade Temple Holy Sanctuaries.

In Aurora City, however, the flames hadn't yet spread. For one, the Blade Temple had Mapeier, who had reached the third layer, bringing them considerable honor—partly thanks to Rose. Relations between the two were now excellent, and it was said that many Blade Temple Disciples, including Mapeier, had even attended last night's gathering at the Eight Sages Bar. Moreover, Blade Temple Disciples were long accustomed to Wang Feng's antics—compared to the far worse things Old Wang had done to them in the past, wearing a fake mask was hardly worth mentioning.

Blade Temple Disciples dismissed the accusations, and Aurora City's residents showed little interest. After all, Aurora City had never before enjoyed such prominence within the Blade Temple. The locals were still basking in the glory, dismissing Mangalam Holy Sanctuary's article as nothing but jealousy. Pah!

Headmaster's office...

Hawkland had just finished reading the report in the Holy Sanctuary Light.

The old man chuckled, casually setting the newspaper aside as he sipped his tea.

"Old Hawkland," said Bai Linfeng, the vice-dean of the Runes Academy, sitting beside him with a slightly grave expression. "While the Holy Sanctuary Light often publishes controversial debates on current affairs and various Holy Sanctuaries, this is the first time a Holy Sanctuary has openly attacked another in its pages. Mangalam Holy Sanctuary is clearly up to no good."

"Just much ado about nothing," Hawkland replied, setting down his teacup with a smile. "I heard Mangalam's five-man team suffered complete losses during the expedition. They're probably just venting their frustration, jealous that Rose has talents like Wang Feng and Hei Wukai. This kind of attack is no better than a cornered animal's thrashing."

Bai Linfeng frowned. "Mangalam ranks in the 60s among the 108 Blade Temple Holy Sanctuaries—their influence isn't insignificant. You know how it is: rankings dictate authority in the Holy Sanctuary. With them publicly condemning us, I fear they might stir up a trend. Shouldn't we issue a rebuttal in the Holy Sanctuary Light?"

"That's outdated thinking. A year or two ago, we might've struggled against public opinion, but now... everyone can see Rose is stronger than Mangalam!" Hawkland smirked slightly. "After this Dragon City expedition, the rankings of the 108 Holy Sanctuaries ought to be revised! Rose has been making great strides this year—breaking into the top fifty would be well-deserved. There's no need to pay them any mind."

"Rumors can kill, Old Hawkland. We can't just let them treat us with derision—"

"Linfeng..." Hawkland paused, speaking earnestly. "We all know the real story behind Karida's arrest. Old Lei has been active in the Holy City, gathering evidence. This is a critical moment—as long as the final verdict isn't out, there's still hope. So, Rose mustn't stir up trouble now. Staying low-key is the best support we can give Karida and Old Lei. These petty words? Treat them with derision. Don't engage. The old guard in the Holy Sanctuary is just waiting for us to clash with other Holy Sanctuaries. If we act, they'll seize any excuse to attack us—accusing Rose of disrupting harmony among sister Holy Sanctuaries, for instance. How would you counter that?"

Bai Linfeng was taken aback, realizing Hawkland spoke the truth. He could only sigh wryly. "You... becoming headmaster has really changed you. In the past, you'd have marched straight to Mangalam..."

"I had to change." Hawkland chuckled. "The foundation upon which Rose stands today was built by Karida. I once opposed her unconventional methods, but she proved to have vision far beyond ours. Now, Rose is vibrant and its influence grows by the day. Hah! We're old—the future belongs to the young. I've truly come to admire her. In her absence, my duty is simply to guard Rose's post, avoiding trouble until our True Headmistress returns. For Rose's sake, what does personal temperament matter? It can be set aside. Besides, in the past, would Mangalam have deigned to notice us? So this article doesn't anger me—I'm actually quite pleased!"

Bai Linfeng laughed too. "You've become more tolerant after getting what you wanted. Fine, I'll follow your lead."

At their age, their obstinacy was often mere childish defiance. They had devoted their lives to Rose and would never stand by as it faded away.

Rodis was originally an ordinary fishing village, where the fishermen of Rodis had made their living for generations. Whether under the enslavement of the sea people, the liberation by the Supreme Sage Teacher, or the sovereignty declared by the League of Blades, the lives of the Rodis people never changed a bit—fishing, eating fish, selling fish, fishermen's sons marrying fishermen's daughters—until one day, an emperor of the Datura Empire suddenly developed a keen interest in the sea and resolved to build a Datura navy.

But the Datura Empire had no sea. So, Indra with dreams of a navy had a sudden inspiration and leased the village of Rodis from the League of Blades.

The Blade Parliament agreed to this unprecedented lease agreement, allowing the Datura Empire to rent Rodis for three hundred years in exchange for compensation.

Rodis Village became Rodis Port, and the fishermen of Rodis became its citizens. To the surprise of those who’d come to laugh at them, the once-destitute fishermen suddenly had money—the Datura Empire actually paid compensation for land acquisition and even provided jobs and free housing right in the port!

A hundred years passed, and Rodis Port became the naval base and the empire’s largest export hub.

Forty percent of the Datura Empire's annual exports were first transported to Rodis Port for consolidation before being shipped worldwide. This once-godforsaken nowhere, thanks to the Datura Empire's commercial policies, suddenly became one of the most important ports. The prosperity and wealth of Rodis arrived as if it were raining money like it was raining money every day.

A group of children played near the port with a soccer-like game introduced from the Datura Empire. They were already the third generation of Rodis citizens. No Holy Sanctuary stood here—only a civic academy specially established by the Eight Tribes for the people of Rodis. As long as one had talent, they could receive free instruction from the Eight Tribes in the academy—whether in painting, music, art, or battle tactics and soul power cultivation.

"Look, the fleet is setting sail!"

Suddenly, a child shouted, and the game came to an abrupt halt. The ball, which had just been fiercely chased by the children, was abandoned as everyone rushed to the seawall to watch the Datura navy's fleet slowly departing the harbor.

No sails, no oars—only the distant hum of magitek engines in operation.

"One, two, three..."

The children counted the warships one by one as they left their berths, forming a line and sailing out of the port in order.

By the twentieth ship, the children's eyes widened, and they all began to shout. These were kids who lived near the port, and the Eight Tribes never bothered to keep the fleet a secret. Whenever the fleet set sail, the children would come to watch.

Counting warships was one of their favorite games. In their memories, the most ships they had ever seen depart at once was eighteen, and the sight of that mighty fleet formation had left them awestruck.

But this time, after the twentieth ship left its berth, the twenty-first followed, then the twenty-second...

"Twenty-nine... thirty..."

The children fell silent. It was the first time they had ever seen the entire naval port emptied.

The Eight Tribes’ naval fleet consisted of only thirty warships, but each one was a magitek ironclad of unparalleled luxury, capable of taking on ten enemy ships. Moreover, the endlessly wealthy Eight Tribes upgraded these ships every ten years at any cost—or simply retired slightly outdated vessels and replaced them with new ones.

The sight of thirty state-of-the-art magitek ironclads forming a fleet left the children staring wide-eyed at the sea...

Before they knew it, a crowd of adults had gathered on the seawall, watching the departing Datura fleet. "An empty port! This is only the second time I've seen this."

"Lucky you—this is my third."

"Thirty magitek warships setting out at once—even the sea people's royal fleet wouldn’t stand a chance against them."

"Look at the caliber of those magic crystal main cannons. I've seen it with my own eyes—one shot, and a 300-ton-weight ship is just gone! Doesn't even sink, just explodes into pieces. Kaboom!"

"Thirty ships, thirty main cannons..."

"Ha, you don't understand. Those are just the standard main cannons. See that one, the slightly larger one? That's the flagship, the Deva. Notice how its main cannon looks a bit odd, with a smaller caliber? That's the new rapid-fire magic-crystal cannon—five shots in ten seconds! More powerful, with a range a hundred meters farther than standard cannons, and half the cooldown time. So while a normal magic crystal cannon fires twice, this one can fire ten times."

"All that's secondary. What really matters are the people—every sailor in this navy is an elite master of the Eight Tribes!"

"How are the ships not important? Has anyone here ever been on a magitek warship? Do you know how fast they are? When I was a kid, I was kidnapped by pirates—it was the Eight Tribes' navy that saved me! The pirate ship had a full day and night's head start. Just half a day, and the Eight Tribes' magitek warship caught up—and that was without even knowing the pirates' course!"

The seawall hummed with excitement, while aboard the warships, the Eight Tribes' naval officers and crew were immersed in the thrill of their mission. The entire fleet had not a single human—from top to bottom, every member was an elite of the Eight Tribes.

And at this very moment, Her Highness Lucky Heaven was among the fleet!

They had all been elites of the Eight Tribes since childhood, yet they were assigned here, undergoing grueling training in surface and underwater combat, learning naval warfare—the hardships of the process were beyond words. All for the Glory of the Eight Tribes.

At this moment, what they secretly hoped for most was to encounter some unlucky pirates right on their course, giving them a chance to prove themselves...

"Ah, if only we'd known Her Highness would need us for her return to the homeland this time, we could've spared some pirates during last month's training..."

"Watch your words! Anything concerning Her Highness's safety is our responsibility. Even allowing a single pirate within her sight would be our failure," a Yaksha officer glared.

"Yes!"

The flagship Tian Ren Hao...

In the luxurious cabin, Jixiangtian was inquiring about Longcheng's situation with Hei Wu Kai and Mo Tong, while Longmoer and Yin Fu listened nearby.

Hei Wu Kai spoke little, merely stating calmly, "I've made some breakthroughs."

Longmoer smiled faintly. It was clear Hei Wu Kai was reluctant about being urgently recalled to Mandala (the Eight Tribes' homeland). That Wang Feng was quite an interesting fellow—a human who could earn Hei Wu Kai's genuine regard?

Mo Tong, as boisterous as ever, remained oblivious to such subtleties. With Hei Wu Kai silent, he seized the chance to enthusiastically share his Longcheng experiences, his face alight with excitement. "...Anyway, humans can be pretty strong too. There was this guy from Nine Gods who almost matched Hei Wu Kai blow for blow... And a young prince who shaved his head—pretty strong, but he deferred to Wang Feng somewhat unquestioningly... Oh, and there was this sweet-looking girl..."

Hearing this, Yin Fu blinked, suddenly feeling a twinge of nervousness. She wanted to ask, but her words came out vague: "Is Senior Brother Wang Feng really alright...?"

"What could possibly happen to him? He's as cunning as a fox—he concealed his abilities perfectly! If not for the Void Syndrome..." Mo Tong paused to take a sip of water, then asked, "By the way, why the sudden urgency to return to Mandala?"

Longmoer replied coolly, "The situation in the Blade League is growing increasingly tense. Though Nine Gods' scheme failed this time, they successfully stirred internal conflicts within the League. Aurora City is no longer safe."

After Longmoer elaborated on Aurora City's circumstances, Mo Tong's eyes widened. "Princess Karida was dismissed? Did the League Council lose their minds? Your Highness, are we just going to stand by?"

Hei Wu Kai also frowned. The power plays were violating established boundaries. Even knowing it was Nine Gods' ploy to sow discord, they were still persisting in their errors regardless...

Longmoer said calmly, "Princess Karida will be fine. However, her reforms at the Rose Holy Sanctuary are now impossible. This attack is just the beginning—the subsequent attacks will escalate. Unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless we sacrifice Wang Feng."

Mo Tong tilted his head. "Wang Feng may be insignificant, but this doesn't really involve him, does it?"

Jixiangtian's mask remained expressionless. "Mo Tong is right. Wang Feng is just a pretext. Without him, there would be others or other issues. His Majesty will handle this—we shouldn't interfere."

She knew the truth but couldn't speak of it or act—not just because of her position, but because until the signs of the prophecy appeared, she had to maintain complete neutrality.

As for the Rose Holy Sanctuary...

Whether it could endure would also determine the Eight Tribes' future strategy. The relationship between the Blade League and the Eight Tribes was highly sensitive—both sides relied on and distrusted each other. For instance, their navy was restricted to just 30 capital ships, a restriction imposed by the League's council.

If the Eight Tribes were perceived as overreaching in any matter, it could backfire. This was also why the Crown Prince hesitated—international relations required careful deliberation.

This time, Rose faced dire straits. Without Princess Karida's protection, there seemed to be no capable successor remaining.