Chapter 371: Challenging the 8 Holy Sanctuaries

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Apart from the news about Rose, Aurora City has been experiencing a wave of good fortune recently.

Since New Lord Korolev announced the investment plan, the Prague Chamber of Commerce—its original pillar—has officially sent representatives to settle in Aurora City. On the day they arrived, the silver Leos unloaded from the Magicrail Train alone occupied four train carriages—a staggering 10,000 large iron chests!

The New Lord specially allocated a massive warehouse for the Prague Chamber of Commerce to store the coins. It’s worth noting that silver Leos aren’t promissory notes or cards; they have no face value, and each unit is standardized. One large iron chest holds exactly 100,000 silver Leos, meaning 1 billion Leos would require 10,000 chests…

When this figure was mentioned, the people of Aurora City might not have had an immediate grasp of its magnitude, as even most merchants rarely deal with sums exceeding 100,000. The entire city was packed that day, with everyone eager to witness the spectacle of 1 billion silver Leos. And what a spectacle it was—when the silver Leos were transported from the station to the warehouse, the convoy stretched over a solid mile long, filled with heavy chests and the clinking sound of coins inside, driving the entire city into a frenzy!

This was an unparalleled display of marketing. The power of money has always been more persuasive than smooth talk.

The very next day, the Aurora City branch of the Golden Shell Auction House announced its participation in New Lord Korolev’s investment project, signing a deal worth an estimated 1 billion Leos. That same afternoon, the Landwalker Chamber of Commerce also joined, signing an agreement with the city lord’s office for a total investment of 1.5 billion Leos, to be delivered in five installments over the next six months. The Landwalker Chamber of Commerce represents not just Aurora City but a coalition of over a dozen major cities in the surrounding region—the beastmen underworld of Uganda.

With 1 billion Leos in cold, hard cash on display and these two major players leading the charge, by the third day, merchants across Aurora City were scrambling to join in. Large chambers of commerce invested one or two hundred million, while smaller individuals pitched in tens or hundreds of thousands. A flood of silver Leos poured into the city lord’s office, and the Sanctuary Light kept reporting on the developments. Within days, the total investment funds raised far exceeded expectations, reaching a staggering 5 billion Leos!

This was a full 5 billion Leos—let’s be real, it surpassed the annual tax revenue of some wealthy kingdoms in the League of Blades, yet it was all being poured into developing a single city, aiming to create the largest trading hub on the southeastern coast!

Regardless of whether the New Lord’s development plan succeeds, just the sheer influx of 5 billion Leos is enough to multiply Aurora City’s economic prosperity several times over!

Now, even the most remote plots of wasteland fetch ten times their original price, with no one willing to sell. Land prices in the city center are skyrocketing! The excitement is palpable—the entire city is caught in a wave of euphoria, with everyone beaming with joy. If Aurora City grows richer, how far behind can a better life for its commoners be? Even the most ordinary local property owners could sell their assets now and live comfortably in any other city for the rest of their lives!

The Sanctuary Light began extensive coverage, cementing Aurora City’s reputation as the largest port and trading hub on the southeastern coast, making it the hottest and most glamorous city in the entire League of Blades. The only news that could compete for front-page headlines at this point was something everyone had been anticipating for a long time—the Celestial Sanctuary had finally taken action against Rose.

The Rose Holy Sanctuary, guilty of wrongdoing yet refusing sincere reflection, dared to play the victim and manipulate sympathy, attempting to twist the truth and reverse the situation. Such shameless disregard for the Holy Sanctuary’s honor warrants nothing less than expulsion!

The statement was signed by both the Celestial Sanctuary and Darkmoon Island! Like Sakuman Temple’s earlier declaration, it was brief—merely a lofty condemnation from on high, delivering the final push to a toppling tower.

Let’s be real, the Celestial Sanctuary’s statement wasn’t surprising. The Celestial Sanctuary and Sakuman Temple have always been close allies, not just due to geographical proximity fostering strong ties between their disciples, but also because both were founded by the Eight Sages under the Supreme Sage Teacher. Their brotherhood was legendary, and these two sanctuaries have stood shoulder to shoulder since their inception, never wavering in centuries. When Sakuman denounced Rose, everyone knew the Celestial Sanctuary would follow suit. But Darkmoon Island? That was unexpected.

To most, Darkmoon Island had never involved itself in disputes between Holy Sanctuaries. They had no enemies—but also no friends. So why target Rose now? What was their motive?

This was fresh, unprecedented news!

By now, no one cared about Rose’s fate—what fascinated people were the behind-the-scenes rivalries among the major Holy Sanctuaries. But just as everyone was savoring the juicy gossip, a bombshell dropped in the Sanctuary Light that stunned every Holy Sanctuary and the entire League of Blades.

The announcement was made by Wang Feng. Without flowery language or excessive embellishment, he first listed eight Holy Sanctuaries: Mangalam Holy Temple, Beast Taming Holy Sanctuary, Fire God Holy Sanctuary, Ice Domain Holy Sanctuary, Xifeng Holy Sanctuary, Sakuman Temple, Darkmoon Island, and the Celestial Sanctuary.

Then, Wang Feng drew a cheeky smiley face in the newspaper and attached a seemingly casual challenge: “Actions speak louder than words. The Rose Holy Sanctuary will challenge the Eight Holy Sanctuaries one month from now.”

The Sanctuary Light published Wang Feng’s statement verbatim, including his tone and the smiley face. The next moment, every Holy Sanctuary and the entire alliance fell into stunned silence.

These eight Holy Sanctuaries had all publicly condemned Rose in the Sanctuary Light. And now, Wang Feng wanted to challenge all of them?

Let’s be real—all previous attacks against Rose, whether accusing them of moral corruption or poor leadership, only held weight because of one overlooked fact: Rose was weak. Back when the Heroic Tournament was still running, Rose was a perennial first-round exit, often hovering around the 100th rank among Holy Sanctuaries. To most, Rose was an insignificant footnote—hardly worth keeping or discarding.

So whenever Rose was criticized in the Sanctuary Light, bystanders were easily swayed. Why? Because Rose was weak—a disgrace to the Holy Sanctuaries. If you’re that pathetic, who’d bother ganging up to frame you? Weakness was the original sin! Now, imagine if the Celestial Sanctuary were accused—even with ironclad evidence, who’d believe it? People would just laugh it off as sour grapes.

But… what if Rose was strong? If Rose could actually crush all its detractors, then their accusations would seem suspiciously motivated! Moreover, Holy Sanctuary rankings were determined by combat results. Defeat your opponent, and you take their spot. If Rose could even defeat the Celestial Sanctuary, they’d jump straight to the top rank. Dissolution? If the #1 Holy Sanctuary had to disband, then all 108 might as well close shop!

Let’s be real, everyone’s first reaction to this announcement was realizing this might be Rose’s only way to break free. But the problem was… this was utterly ridiculous!

To everyone, Wang Feng was just a punk who dabbled in runes. Facing the elite of these Holy Sanctuaries, he should’ve just laid down and accepted his beating to spare himself the pain. Yet he dared to issue a challenge?

Rose’s performance in the Dragon City expedition was impressive, but that was thanks to the Eight Tribes and Hei Wukai! Did Wang Feng really think it was his own doing? Without the Eight Tribes, Rose was a bottom-tier Holy Sanctuary. Even the 69th-ranked Mangalam Holy Temple could wipe the floor with them. What was their plan—run to Mandala and beg the Eight Tribes for help?

Such doubts found no room to spread, because in the same edition of the Sanctuary Light, an interview with Wang Feng, captain of the Old Wang Team, confirmed his words verbatim: “The Eight Tribes? We won’t need them! Beating a few losers requires the Eight Tribes? Just watch—if I break a sweat in the arena, I’ll count it as a loss! Hey, don’t cut corners—print my exact words. I’m just that blunt and generous! If I don’t handicap myself, I’d feel bad bullying them… Oh, does this interview pay?”

“If I break a sweat, I’ll count it as a loss…” The sheer audacity and stupidity were off the charts.

The entire world was laughing!

Not to mention Ye Dun, even Long Feixue and Hei Wukai wouldn’t dare utter such bold words... No, this isn’t boldness—this is pure mythology!

That very afternoon, Mangalam published a statement in the evening edition of Holy Sanctuary's Light, mimicking Old Wang by including an oversized eye-roll illustration and contemptuously adding three words: 'You’re not worthy!'

Yes, Rose Holy Sanctuary wasn’t worthy!

Even following the Holy Sanctuary’s ranking and challenge rules, for one sanctuary to challenge another for ranking, numerous conditions had to be met. There were reams of red tape and hidden protocols—like not having too wide a gap in rankings, submitting formal applications to the Holy City, and offering substantial concessions for the other party to even consider accepting. It wasn’t as simple as challenging whoever you pleased. Otherwise, lower-ranked sanctuaries would be causing daily disruptions—would sanctuaries still be places of learning then?

Moreover, the challenger was none other than Rose Holy Sanctuary, currently notorious throughout the entire League of Blades! Accepting their challenge would only tarnish one’s own standing. How could anyone agree? And that buffoonish, arrogant mug Wang Feng wore in Holy Sanctuary's Light—it was downright embarrassing to share the title of Holy Sanctuary disciples with him. A challenge? Please.

This statement backed Rose into a corner. Without a doubt, the other party wouldn’t even give Rose time to stall.

People watched the verbal sparring between the two sanctuaries in Holy Sanctuary's Light that day as if it were a joke. They assumed Wang Feng’s antics would culminate in farfeast—after all, his idiocy and troublemaking were already notorious. Even Rose Holy Sanctuary itself probably wouldn’t countenance such nonsense, treating it at most as an ignorant personal declaration.

Some schemers pondered whether they could use Wang Feng’s reckless statement to further accuse Rose of absurdity. But the next morning, Holy Sanctuary's Light detonated a genuine bombshell.

"Wang Feng can represent Rose. If he loses, Rose disbands immediately, and the Thunder family will never involve itself in sanctuary affairs again. But if Wang Feng wins... what then for the Eight Holy Sanctuaries?"

Signed: Thunder God of the League of Blades—Thunder Dragon!

Just two simple sentences, leaving ample room for interpretation. After all, these were eight top-tier sanctuaries—forcing them to wager dissolution was impossible. But one thing was certain: if Rose actually won, these eight sanctuaries couldn’t show their faces in front of Rose for over a decade!

If Old Wang’s declaration had been seen as a laughable delusion by sanctuary members and League of Blades citizens yesterday, Thunder Dragon’s statement carried entirely different weight...

Who was Thunder Dragon? Even among the entire League of Blades today, he ranked among the most revered figures—one of the very top! Like Oscar of Ice Spirit, he was a living legend!

What had been a ludicrous challenge now took on a whole new dimension with Thunder Dragon’s involvement. The entire League of Blades became electrified with anticipation.

It had been ages since such a spectacle. The Heroic Tournament was discontinued, but now, with a sanctuary’s fate at stake? This was even more thrilling than the tournament!

Truth be told, absolutely no one believed Rose could accomplish this feat. But Mangalam, first in line, hesitated. After Thunder Dragon’s statement, they remained silent for a long time.

Thunder Dragon wasn’t Wang Feng. With stakes this high, maybe this Rose team had some real capability... Celestial Sanctuary? No way Rose could reach that level. But Mangalam was only ranked 69th, and their best disciples had been lost in Dragon City. Rose might be weak, but they still had Winnie Lee, and that awakened beastman Kela had at least ranked in the 400s during the Dragon City Top 500...

What if—what if Mangalam lost? This was a suicide mission! Damn it, Rose Holy Sanctuary was clearly bullying the vulnerable! If they wanted a challenge, why not go straight for Celestial Sanctuary? Why drag Mangalam into this?

While Mangalam stayed silent, others forced them to respond.

The next day, simultaneous reports appeared in Holy Sanctuary's Light.

"Facts speak louder than words: Whether Rose is a fraud or framed, one battle will tell. Why refuse? Have the Eight Holy Sanctuaries grown so feeble?"

Signed: Dragon Moon Holy Sanctuary—Prince Xiao Bang.

This was a voice no less weighty than those of the top ten sanctuaries. Though Dragon Moon wasn’t among the top ten, it represented the Dragon Moon Empire, whose combat strength ranked top three in the League of Blades—its status was extraordinary. And the speaker was none other than Prince Xiao Bang, the future ruler of Dragon Moon!

The message was simple: You accused Rose of fraud? Then why refuse their challenge now? Are the Eight Holy Sanctuaries afraid of losing?

"Rose Holy Sanctuary’s actions in Dragon City brought great merit to both our sanctuary and the League of Blades. Even out of basic decency, they deserve a chance. If even such heroes are denied the right to defend themselves, where is justice?"

—Xue Zhiyu of Ice Spirit Holy Sanctuary. Another heavyweight. Like Dragon Moon, Ice Spirit Holy Sanctuary’s overall ranking was consistently around 20th. But more importantly, Xue Zhiyu was also the future Queen of Ice Spirit Kingdom, personally designated by King Xue Cangbai—a future Nine Heavens Overlord whose footstep could tremble the entire League of Blades. Her words carried immense weight, even the Holy City would heed them.

This was a moral argument: No matter how you slandered Rose, without Wang Feng and Hei Wukai in Dragon City, the Holy Sanctuary would’ve suffered utter defeat. Rose contributed greatly—they were heroes! They weren’t asking for privilege, just a chance to prove themselves. If even that was denied, what was the point of being a hero? Who would fight for the sanctuary and the League of Blades then?

"After spending six months at Rose, I know its character well. Mangalam—a clown, cowering from battle, a laughingstock."

The third heavyweight statement came from Mandala... unsigned. But with the line "After spending six months at Rose," anyone with half a brain could deduce who issued it—none other than Lucky Heaven, princess of the Eight Tribes! Aside from her, even Hei Wukai wouldn’t dare casually judge sanctuary matters.

There was no direct attack, just pure mockery—the kind laced with utter disdain. Clearly, the Eight Holy Sanctuaries had also sided with Rose.

Since Wang Feng had issued the challenge, Thunder Dragon’s support alone had already been formidable. But now, with three bombshell declarations appearing simultaneously in that morning’s Holy Sanctuary Light, the impact was nothing short of explosive. Old Wang’s supporters had laid low until now, but once they emerged, they were all heavyweight figures—and they came out swinging without reservation, showing zero regard for the other sanctuaries’ dignity!

Manjalaram was stunned, the League of Blades was in an uproar—would the Eight Holy Sanctuaries accept the challenge or not?!

The recent condemnations from various sanctuaries had clearly been orchestrated by certain high-ranking figures in the Holy City, yet despite all bark and no bite, they had stopped short of delivering the final blow. What they had been wary of was precisely this old fox biding his time—no one knew what cards he held that allowed him to remain so composed.

And now, the old fox had finally revealed his trump card… and it turned out to be… that Wang Feng?

If this was truly Thunder Dragon’s ace, then certain people in the Holy City would surely be rolling with laughter.

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