Chapter 376: Turning the Tables

"Tales of the Nine Heavens (Novel)" Search for the latest chapter!

Fu Changkong smiled slightly. After all, the trouble stemmed from his disciple Korolev, so settling it sooner was naturally for the best: "I have no objections."

Balke wavered, not because he opposed Anbolin becoming the new city lord of Aurora City—that didn’t matter—but because this was a prime chance to discredit the conservatives. Was it really just going to pass like this?

But with Hankula and Fu Changkong now in agreement, eager to stabilize Aurora City, and with the Speaker and his own faction leader absent, Balke and the reformist members alone couldn’t change anything.

"I have no objections!" Balke could only say resentfully.

"Seconded!"

"Seconded!"

‘Team Old Wang’

Though barely readable, the odd script still felt off. Kela stood beneath the plaque, studying it for a while, and gradually felt a strange sense of familiarity.

No one else was in the training room. The captain had already disappeared in the afternoon, per his usual routine. Mapeier usually wasn’t in the training room during the day either. Fantasi seemed to have gone on a date—vanishing right after morning training. Winnie had run off to get her nails done.

They were leaving for Mangalam tomorrow, and Winnie insisted on getting the most dazzling nails to "stun those Mangalam hicks and dazzle their 99° soul crystal mutt eyes." She even invited Kela to join her, but Kela begged off. It wasn’t that Kela didn’t care about beauty, but she didn’t share Winnie’s carefree attitude. Without a doubt, in this upcoming challenge, regardless of victory or defeat, she and Wu Di would be punching bags. But she wasn’t afraid in the slightest.

Kela gently closed the door and was about to lock it when she heard hurried footsteps: "Kela, wait!"

It was Wu Di, sprinting over, soaked in sweat and panting heavily. "Kela, I want to try the Soul Refining Array again. You go ahead—I’ll lock up when I’m done."

"Didn’t you just use it this morning?" Kela was taken aback. "The captain said overusing the Soul Refining Array isn’t training—it’s just torturing your body."

"We’re leaving for Mangalam tomorrow…" Wu Di was nervous. After all, this was the first time he’d gone against the captain’s instructions, even if it was just a small matter. He rubbed his hands anxiously but refused to back down. "I’ll be fine—don’t sweat it. My body can take it!"

"That’s exactly why you should rest and adjust your condition before going to Mangalam—"

"I just want to try again!" Wu Di blurted out, then immediately felt his face burn. Not only had he disobeyed the captain’s orders, but he’d also talked back to Kela. Even he was surprised—maybe the captain was right, and Fantasi really had corrupted him… No, no, he wasn’t bad!

Red-faced, he backtracked, "K-Kela, I didn’t mean it like that—no, I did mean it! Ugh!"

He grew more flustered as he spoke, his words jumbling, his face turning redder as he kept rubbing his hands.

Kela patted Wu Di’s shoulder. "It’s too dangerous alone. I’ll stay with you!"

…………

Aurora City’s drama finally wrapped up the day before Team Old Wang departed.

The League of Blades’ latest orders arrived, and the news reached Aurora City by noon. Anbolin was appointed as the new city lord of Aurora City, fully responsible for the new Aurora City trading market project. The Ocean Chamber of Commerce, the Land Commerce Guild, and the Jinbeibei Auction House would re-pool capital to restart the trading center’s development, with profits prioritized to compensate the original investors.

The news set the city abuzz. At last, there was resolution, and Anbolin’s reputation in Aurora was rock-solid. If he promised compensation, it would happen. Good riddance to that moron city lord, but as long as Anbolin and his Anhe Hall remained, Aurora’s chaos and uncertainty quickly subsided.

Of course, there were still gripers—either greedy cut-throats or clueless chumps, not to mention those with ulterior motives. But the ringleaders were swiftly hauled off by the League of Blades’ Silver Guards and thrown into prison, and the ‘protesters’ scattered like roaches.

The League had initially hesitated to use force because the unrest involved the royal family of the sea people—specifically, the Mermaid Princess Clara! A high-ranking sea princess had signed an agreement with your League of Blades’ city government. Now that things had gone wrong and she’d suffered losses, all she did was demand an explanation from the League. That was perfectly reasonable and legal—how could you possibly arrest her? That would escalate things, making it seem like you were bullying the sea people. Given their legendary temper and pride, if provoked, even if they didn’t outright declare war, they’d likely plunder every human port and island trade as an excuse. Fifty billion? They’d make you lose five trillion without breaking a sweat!

That was why the League was sweating bullets—this was an international dispute that couldn’t be resolved by force! But now that the Jinbeibei Auction House and the League had reached a new agreement to restart the trading market, and Clara was no longer leading the protests, the other merchants and small traders were nothing in the League’s eyes. Make waves? Instant lockdown. Refuse to submit? Pound you into compliance. Did they really think the League of Blades was some doormat charity?

Soon, Aurora City regained its prosperity. In fact, after all this turmoil, people felt even more optimistic about the future. Meanwhile, the third-floor hall of the Jinbeibei Auction House was ablaze with light.

This was an extravagant private banquet, with rare delicacies from the sea flowing endlessly to the table. Only four people were seated at the long table: Clara, the host, plus Wang Feng, Anbolin, and Uganda.

Wang Feng, Anbolin, and Clara were already quite familiar with each other. Although it was the first time meeting Ugata, the name of this behind-the-scenes magnate of the Overland Merchants Guild and one of the twelve elders of the Beastmen had long been well-known to them.

The occasion for the gathering was naturally to celebrate—celebrating Korolev's downfall and the appointment of the new Lord, Anbolin.

By now, the first round of drinks had been served, and the pleasantries were mostly exchanged. Old Wang gave Clara a meaningful glance, and she immediately dismissed the attendants, leaving only the four of them in the hall. Clara, Anbolin, and Ugata all looked at Wang Feng with smiles. Today’s celebration was merely the surface; the real core was the division of spoils. The act had been played perfectly, but the payoff still needed discussing.

Not to mention anything else, the whereabouts of those five billion silver Leos were of great concern to everyone present. They had all contributed effort, and Clara and Ugata had even invested money. Moreover, this now involved future investments—how could it be justified not to share a portion? Of course, when they initially chose to help Wang Feng, each had their own calculations. Even if Wang Feng didn’t share a single coin, no one would have grounds to complain. Now, they were just waiting for Old Wang to speak.

"Everyone here is one of us. Today, we’ve finally achieved success," Old Wang said leisurely as he poured wine, smiling. "This wouldn’t have been possible without everyone’s help. I’ll borrow the wine to toast you all—let me properly offer you two cups!"

Neither Ugata, Clara, nor Anbolin found this the least bit strange. This was probably Wang Feng’s true nature. The way he referred to himself as "Young Wang" made Clara couldn't help but chuckle. Her charm was so captivating that even Anbolin and Ugata weren’t immune. The Mermaid Princess allure was truly no exaggeration.

"Old Wu," he first poured a cup for Ugata and himself, raising it with a smile. "Without the Beastmen’s dock influence, the tunnel connecting to the silver vault would never have been dug. I’ll drink first to show my respect!"

In this matter, the Beastmen had indeed played the most crucial role. Though it was just a simple tunnel, without it, everything else would have been impossible.

Ugata smiled faintly and drank with Old Wang.

"The second toast goes to Your Highness," Old Wang filled Clara’s cup and raised his own. "Without the diplomatic pressure from Your Highness, the Parliament would never have been so accommodating. Transfer of power would have been out of the question, and the merchants wouldn’t have been able to stir up trouble. Most likely, the whole matter would have been swept under the rug, and all subsequent plans—the new trading center, the new Lord’s position—would have been impossible. In terms of contribution, Your Highness is also key."

Clara drank as well. Today, she wore a rose-red gown, exuding both allure and regality, a far cry from her usual casual demeanor when alone with Old Wang. The aura of the Mermaid Princess was undeniable.

"The third toast goes to our new Lord—Old An. Haha, now we should call him Lord An." Wang Feng poured a cup for Anbolin. "Without Lord An taking the lead, the Parliament wouldn’t have found a reliable breakthrough, and there would have been no one to take charge here. The chaos in Aurora City might have continued, potentially shaking even our foundations. This was no small matter."

Anbolin raised his cup in acknowledgment.

After the three toasts, everyone smiled. Clara said with a laugh, "Wang Feng, enough with the sweet talk. Don’t keep us in suspense. You set this up—now that the outside matters are settled, by your own words, our business is just beginning. Elder Wu, Lord An, and I are all waiting for your next move."

"Always so impatient." Wang Feng laughed heartily. Clara shot him a flirtatious glance, not bothering to hide her closeness to him. Ugata and Anbolin were no less concerned, but their pride held them back slightly. This vast fortune was no joke—after all, their positions required them to support others, and mishandling it could lead to real trouble.

"Don’t worry. The money is already at sea. Old An, we’ll still need to maintain appearances—search everywhere. The upfront costs will still require everyone’s contribution. Once the dust settles, you can ‘discover’ it. Apart from compensating the ordinary investors, I suggest investing the rest entirely into Aurora City’s development. Old An, as the new Lord, needs to make a grand start. The better Aurora City thrives, the better our businesses will fare. Money is useless if it’s just sitting around. What do you all think?"

Clara was indifferent—she had already gotten what she wanted. The more prosperous Aurora City became, the greater her benefits, and the more prestige she would gain with the Queen. Anbolin and Ugata were savvy, especially Anbolin—this was a huge advantage for him.

As for Ugata, the Beastmen now revolved entirely around Aurora City. Unless absolutely necessary, they wouldn’t leave. Moreover, the better Aurora City fared, the more advantageous it was for them. With a Lord backing them, the Beastmen’s spring had arrived.

All three were tempted, but as they looked at Wang Feng, they suddenly realized—it seemed he hadn’t gained anything from this. That… didn’t seem like his style.

"What about you?" Clara couldn’t help but ask.

Wang Feng smiled. "With you all here, how could I go hungry? Besides, as a Holy Sanctuary Disciple, helping others and sacrificing for the greater good is my soul, my virtue..."

The three couldn’t bear to listen any further. The rest was fine, but this? Forget it. Old Wang felt particularly aggrieved—what, wasn’t he famously known as the paragon of honesty?

"Wang Feng, now that this is settled, are you really going to challenge the Eight Holy Sanctuaries? This isn’t a joke."

"The outside world doesn’t have high hopes for Rose. If it were before, I wouldn’t either," Ugata said with a smile. "Taking on the Eight Holy Sanctuaries in succession is an impossible task. But since you’re serious, I believe miracles might happen."

"Old Wu, you’re too confident," Anbolin said with a mix of amusement and concern. "The first few are manageable—with this kid’s cunning, he could hold his own. But the last four? Difficult!"

"Who says otherwise?" Clara wasn’t in a teasing mood today, given the company, but she wasn’t one to be overly prim either. She asked with a smile, "Wang Feng, what scheme do you have up your sleeve? Since there are no outsiders here, why not share?"

"One talks about believing in miracles, another about opportunism, and the last about schemes..." Old Wang rolled his eyes. "I say, you three, aren’t we supposed to be on the same side? Why such little faith in me? Can’t I, Wang Feng, win fair and square? Rose is strong, you know?"

The three laughed. Clara said, "I’d believe pigs could fly before I believe that! Seriously, the League of Blades has opened quite a few betting pools on this. If you were a sure thing, I wouldn’t mind placing a few bets and rake it in. But first, you’d have to convince me you can win."

"I’m winning through sheer skill! If you have faith in me, go make money. If not, forget it." Old Wang said with an air of nonchalance. "On the other hand, if I lose and don’t come back, you wouldn’t even know where to recover the money. Lose thirty billion—why fuss over a little betting money now?"

"That… actually makes some sense..."

"Speaking of gambling, I doubt anyone knows it better than me." Wu Ganda said with a smile. "Most of the underground betting parlors are run by our beastfolk. Right now, the odds on Wang Feng winning eight straight matches are one to nine hundred."

"How did the odds get so high?" Old Wang widened his eyes. "If I win, even with just a bet of a hundred grand or so, wouldn’t you go bankrupt, Brother Wu?"

"Betting parlors are just intermediaries. We only take a cut; the odds are determined by the betting pool. Wins or losses have nothing to do with us." Wu Ganda chuckled. "But the pool is too small. Those betting on these odds are just playing around—what’s the payout? There’s no real profit. If you really threw in a hundred grand, the odds would instantly crash. There’s not much money to be made here."

"Hey, small profits are still profits!" Old Wang laughed. He didn’t care much about such small sums now, but he figured Ah Xi would be interested—it’d be like handing out bonuses. "I’ll fill your betting pool later!"

"You really do have confidence." Wu Ganda laughed heartily and raised his glass. "Then let’s all toast to Wang Feng’s triumphant victory and safe return!"

"Cheers!"

Everyone raised their glasses with smiles. The ruby-red sea-berry wine shimmered enticingly in the translucent agate cups.

Datura Empire

Late at night, atop the stargazing platform, Lucky Heaven gazed up at the stars. Her hand reached toward the sky as her soul power plucked at the strings of fate. Seventeen beams of starlight suddenly descended onto the platform, and an intricate prophecy unfolded before her eyes. Countless numbers manifested before her—each a node in time, some from the past, others from the future. These nodes arranged themselves in a peculiar sequence, branching out from a central trunk until they formed a towering tree.

The Celestial Grand Prophecy—Tree of Time.

Lucky Heaven turned her gaze toward the future branches shrouded in thick mist. With another gentle flick of her fingers, a wisp of tender soul power brushed against the fog, causing it to part slightly and reveal a blurred string of key moments in the prophecy...

Just as the numbers were about to become discernible, Lucky Heaven’s heart suddenly seized. A violent palpitation surged from the depths of her being, instantly shattering her control over the grand prophecy. In an instant, the entire Tree of Time collapsed and vanished.

Lucky Heaven took a deep breath, forcing down the chaos in her heartbeat. Since returning to the Datura Empire, this was already the eleventh time she had failed to complete the grand prophecy.

Still, it wasn’t without progress. The first time, the mist had been nearly immovable. Today, with her efforts, she had managed to glimpse the first key moment in the prophecy.

Once she knew the time, she could focus her grand prophecy more precisely on that day. Perhaps then, she could unravel the mystery her teacher had left behind...

At the very least, she might finally understand why mankind held the last hope.

Lucky Heaven took another deep breath. Tonight, aside from attempting the grand prophecy, she would also try to commune with and draw upon the stellar power of the eighteenth prophecy star—"Celestial Summit."

Among the countless stars in the sky, only twenty-four were known as prophecy stars. Currently, her prophecy arts allowed her to connect with seventeen of them. Each time she performed the grand prophecy, Lucky Heaven borrowed the power of fate from these seventeen stars.

Tonight was the time of year when "Celestial Summit" drew closest to the Nine Heavens Continent.

Communing with Celestial Summit was no easy task. It was a hidden star, revealing its radiance among the myriad lights only at specific times. One had to master the light of seventeen stars to even hope for Celestial Summit’s favor. Some even said that the light of seventeen stars had to be used as bait to lure out Celestial Summit’s glow.

At this moment, Lucky Heaven’s body was still suffused with the starlight of the seventeen prophecy stars summoned earlier. She channeled these strands into the engraved formation on the stargazing platform. Guided by her will, one strand of starlight reflected toward the position of Celestial Summit in the sky.

Above, Celestial Summit’s light quivered faintly. Lucky Heaven’s mind instantly locked onto it. In an instant, she saw "it" lurking in the shadows—hard to describe what it was, shapeless and incorporeal, yet undeniably present, hiding just beyond her spiritual perception. Her awareness brushed against it. At first, it seemed curious, then quickly retreated. But Lucky Heaven didn’t relent. Empowered by the seventeen strands of starlight, she reached out again.

This time, it hesitated. The seventeen lights held it spellbound.

In that moment, Lucky Heaven succeeded in touching it.

The eighteenth prophecy star!

The light of Celestial Summit!

...

At the foot of the mountain, in the Holy Sanctuary, Melody waited for Lucky Heaven, her pointed chin propped on her slender fingers. She had come to ask Sister Lucky Heaven if she’d cast a star-reading for Senior Brother Wang Feng...

Since returning to the Datura Empire, Melody had missed Aurora City and Rose Sanctuary far more than she’d expected.

She used to think there was no place in the world better than the Datura Empire. Under the unified faith of the Eight Tribes, all lived as one family. Led by the Celestial Indra, each tribe kept to its duty, and the empire ran like clockwork.

But now... Musical Note felt that behind the magnificent order of Mandala lay a lifeless monotony. She had been back for so long... no, to be precise, before going to Rose Sanctuary, she had never met anyone who could tell a joke.

Before, she hadn’t the slightest feeling about such things. Every day, she worked hard to learn the various musical compositions of the Gandharvas and master the sacred melodies of all Eight Tribes. Everyone told her she was the most outstanding musician the Gandharvas had seen in a century, and that one day, she would be able to restore Gandharva music to its peak.

That was why she went to Rose Sanctuary—to learn runes, so she could connect more deeply with the Gandharvas’ rune harp and restore Gandharva City.

And then, she met the first person who told her a joke.

Brother Wang Feng...

She hoped Brother would be safe and successful... He would be. He's so sharp—he wouldn't act without a plan.

Just like with Mo Tong. Brother clearly couldn’t defeat Mo Tong, but he always managed to exploit Mo Tong’s weaknesses and come out on top.

Thinking of those amusing moments, Musical Note, still resting her chin on her hand, couldn’t help but smile, her eyes crinkling into smiles...

Just then, the door of the sanctuary was pushed open, and Lucky Heaven entered, masked as always.

"Sister Lucky Heaven, how did it go? What's the news?"

Lucky Heaven smiled faintly. "Don’t worry, Wang Feng isn’t in any real danger."

Musical Note’s small face turned apple-red. "No, no! I meant to ask when we can return to Rose. I haven’t finished my rune classes yet..."

"Oh, really?"

Musical Note nodded vigorously.

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