Chapter 409: Sakuman Plans a Dirty Trick

The Holy City...

Thirty meters tall and ten meters thick, the city walls stood like towering mountains, encircling the entire Holy City nestled within the plains.

Extending for dozens of miles, the walls adhered to a uniform standard of thirty meters in height and ten meters in depth—a monumental feat of engineering. While other cities built walls primarily to fend off roving beasts, with heights of seven or eight meters already considered grand, the Holy City's walls had earned their place among the 'Eight Architectural Wonders of the Nine Heavens World'!

Some compared it to a fortress city, gathering the most elite talents of the entire League of Blades. Though the description was somewhat exaggerated, it contained a grain of truth.

The Holy City was, in fact, an organization—or rather, a religious sect—devoted to the worship of holy light. The Holy Sanctuaries were institutions established by the Holy City to nurture talent for the League of Blades, set up in various duchies, cities, and ports. Yet, this was merely one of the Holy City's many 'operations.'

They housed the Holy Sanctuary's Vocational Center, overseeing and controlling elite professionals within the League of Blades, such as alchemists and blacksmiths. They also had the Holy Light Tribunal, which, given sufficient evidence, held the authority to judge and execute any criminals who defied the Holy City or the League's interests. Additionally, there was the Hunter Association, offering substantial bounties on targets across the world...

Powerful figures from all factions of the League of Blades, whether intellectuals or fighters, almost invariably held positions in either the Hunter Association or the Holy Sanctuary's Vocational Center. This included the Ice Spirit Five Tigers of the Ice Spirit Kingdom and the Valiant Sword Prince of the Duchy of Demacia. While holding key roles in their respective duchies or factions, they were also bounty hunters under the Holy City's Hunter Association.

Here, any powerhouse could undoubtedly find challenges suited to their abilities—ample resources and targets for self-improvement, alongside substantial earnings. Training required vast resources, so the claim that the Holy City had gathered all the heroes of the League of Blades was indisputable.

West Sanctum Avenue in the city's west was one such gathering place for elites. Running over two kilometers long, the street was lined with inns catering exclusively to renowned heroes from across the League of Blades. Access required a Hero's Medal—no amount of money could buy passage.

At this moment, within a courtyard along West Sanctum Avenue, Karida sat in meditation with her eyes closed.

Dawn was just breaking, and the courtyard was alive with the chirping of crickets and other insects, occasionally punctuated by distant rooster calls. The pale morning light creeping across the horizon filled Karida with a deep sense of contentment.

She cherished the tranquility before dawn—the morning dew, the crisp air—allowing her mind unprecedented clarity and relaxation. Her thoughts grew sharper, helping her unravel previously unsolved problems. Over the past two years, Karida had worn herself out with reforms and development at the Rose Holy Sanctuary, and it had been long since she felt this at ease. Were it not for her current predicament, she might have considered this period quite a pleasant break.

Since being 'invited' to the Holy City, she had remained here for over three months. Admittedly, the living conditions were excellent—the finest food and drink, personal attendants, and daily updates on League affairs, including the Holy Sanctuary's Light and the Blade's Sacred Path. The only restriction was her confinement to this courtyard.

Initially, the Holy City's elders had stationed two elite sentinels nearby to monitor her, but they had since been withdrawn. After all, while the Holy City had no shortage of experts, their tasks were numerous, and manpower was tight... Besides, Karida had been impeccably compliant, giving no indication of resisting her house arrest, rendering the continued presence of two ghost-level experts unnecessary.

A gentle breeze swept through, and Karida smiled without opening her eyes. "So early today?"

The visitor ignored the trivial question, placing a copy of the Holy Sanctuary's Light on the table. "The results of the Xifeng battle are in."

Karida kept her eyes closed, unwilling to disrupt her morning serenity. "Go on."

"Rose won, three to one." Blue Sky's words were always succinct, devoid of superfluity. "Xifeng lost one, two severely injured—including Zhao Ziyue."

"And our side?"

"Wu Di and Fantexi were injured, but not seriously." Uncharacteristically, a hint of amusement tinged Blue Sky's voice. Stationed in the Holy City by Karida's side, he understood all too well what this victory meant for Rose. "You were right, my lady. Wang Feng's carefree demeanor is just a facade. When he's serious... our chance has come."

Karida allowed herself a small smile.

Truthfully, when Wang Feng had first declared his challenge against the Eight Holy Sanctuaries, few had believed him—even Blue Sky, who had interacted with Wang Feng extensively, had been pessimistic, suspecting it was a diversion orchestrated with Thunder Dragon to shift attention elsewhere.

But Karida had seen it differently. From their first meeting in the basement, Wang Feng's sharp wit, relentless ambition, and unconventional way of speaking—so unlike the people of the Nine Heavens World—had convinced her that change was coming. The more she observed him, the more certain she became. Two nonconformists like them were bound to spark something extraordinary.

"It's too soon to speak of opportunities. Three hurdles remain, each tougher than the last." Karida's tone lightened. "You needn't stay here. Go to Sacumen. Follow Wang Feng discreetly—guard against dirty tricks."

Blue Sky frowned slightly. "You mean..."

"The Xifeng battle will serve as a wake-up call to certain elders in the Holy City. If Wang Feng keeps winning the next three matches, those old fools won't stay idle..." Karida paused, finally opening her eyes. A glint of steel flashed in their depths. "If they resort to dirty tricks, I won't hold back either."

"Understood." Blue Sky nodded. Karida was among the Holy Sanctuary's top experts. If she chose not to cooperate, restraining her would be no simple task.

…………

Rose had defeated the Xifeng Holy Sanctuary—three to one! Such a score was rare even in past Hero Championships among the Ten Great Holy Sanctuaries.

Here’s the refined translation incorporating all expert suggestions:

The Holy Sanctuary's Light bypassed all approval procedures with unprecedented speed to report the incident immediately, which alone shows how profoundly this event has shaken both the Holy Sanctuary and the League of Blades.

Before the match, most predictions favored Xifeng Holy Sanctuary—likely a 3-1 victory, or perhaps a hard-fought 3-2. Rose was strong, but everyone believed their capabilities had been fully exposed in earlier matches. Those four consecutive 3-0 wins? Most saw them as flukes, attributing the success mainly to Rose having "the element of surprise."

Past Heroic Championships had seen similar dark horses, but those weren’t true underdogs. They’d relied on gimmicks—unusual tactics or obscure abilities—to catch opponents off guard initially. Once their tricks were exposed, though, countermeasures emerged fast, knocking them back to reality. Veterans called this phenomenon the "rookie wall" for dark horses.

With Old Wang’s unconventional bombing tactics and the beastmen’s sudden transformations, Rose fit the mold perfectly—a novelty team that had rattled lesser Holy Sanctuaries. But against Xifeng, a top-ten institution with centuries of combat heritage? Defeat seemed certain. Yet against all odds...

Winnie’s cunning, Fantecy’s berserk rage, Mapeier’s meteoric rise—and Xifeng’s shocking collapse—made everyone realize this dark horse had smashed through the rookie wall entirely. Rose might have no more hidden cards, but what they’d already shown was straight-up overpowered—beyond any reasonable limit!

Soon, every detail about Rose’s six members flooded the Holy Sanctuary's Light and tabloids alike.

Fantecy—a "rich kid" who only got into Rose through their lenient admission policy. Let’s be real: calling him "rich" was generous. Compared to the tycoons who bought their heirs’ way into elite Holy Sanctuaries, his family were just liquor merchants. And the guy himself? Rose’s records showed a talentless slacker, the Martial Arts Academy’s laughingstock. Now? A frenzied Tai Chi Tiger with unreal combat skills—not only crushing Xifeng’s star fighter Ma Suo instantly, but trading blows with their ghost-level Dean unharmed!

Kela—a southern beastwoman from a backwater tribe’s warrior caste. And by "tribe," we mean a glorified village. Without Rose, she’d be peddling wares and popping out kids by twenty, never touching greatness. Yet here she was: bloodline awakened, three Nine Gods elites slain in Dragon City’s ruins—now a certified war hero.

Wu Di—another southern beastman, and even worse off. A wandering beastman? Try "dumpster-diving bum." But at Rose, he awakened his Golden Behemoth lineage! Rumor says the beastman royals are scrambling to label him a "long-lost prince" or "royal bastard" to recruit him post-graduation.

Winnie Lee—where to begin? The Lee name echoes through the League’s upper circles like thunder. Her father? The dreaded "God of Slaughter." Eight ghost-level brothers (her dad outbreeds pigs, and every offspring’s elite). Before Rose, she was the family’s spoiled black sheep—decent skills stuck in the 60s-70s rankings. Now? Blue Flame evolution, enhanced Spirit Beast—a top-ten contender who might surpass her brothers!

Mapeier—her Rose transfer made waves initially, but investigators found just an exorcist/alchemist from Judgment. Skilled, but no fighter—clearly a pretty face duped by Wang Feng. Then came Dragon City... What the hell?! One battle with her golden wheels sent top-ten fighter Zhao Ziyue running for his life (thank his soul mirror for survival). Winnie’s "top-ten potential"? Mapeier’s already there!

All tracing back to their captain—Wang Feng, the so-called "Master Manipulator." Every teammate’s transformation began upon meeting him. What kind of sorcery is this?! Critics once called him a cowardly leech, but now he’s unveiled an unstoppable ice-bee bombing tactic too...

Six members: one top-ten, two near-top-ten, two beastmen in the 20s-30s range, plus a cheat-code-level captain. This isn’t a dark horse—it’s a god-tier superteam! Even Zenith Holy Sanctuary couldn’t match this lineup!

Such a Rose is more than enough to be considered top-tier! More than enough to challenge any Holy Sanctuary! Who could have imagined that just a year ago, it was a bottom-tier Holy Sanctuary that perennially got knocked out in the first round of the Heroic Tournament?

And what does all this signify?

The Death Rose has an eye for talent!

Public opinion is raging wildly, changing at lightning speed.

The League of Blades' Path, needless to say, has always remained neutral. Now, even without Hawkland pulling strings or greasing palms, it is reporting with full force. Even the Holy Sanctuary's Light, controlled by the conservatives, can no longer in good conscience continue slandering Rose. Such reports, even if written, would no longer be believed, only to earn scorn in return.

Public sentiment is changing. The accusations once hurled at Rose are no longer mentioned. But the matches must go on—the Holy Sanctuary values its commitments.

Rose undoubtedly now boasts a lineup as dazzling as any top-tier Holy Sanctuary. But let’s be honest, Western Peak was merely the gatekeeper of the top ten. With three more matches in the challenge, every upcoming Holy Sanctuary will be stronger than Western Peak. Avoiding casualties will be crucial to whether this challenge succeeds. And will those powerful figures who have been targeting Rose really sit back and let them advance so smoothly?

Clearing all three hurdles - impossible!

Yet somehow, many have begun to hope. They want to see if this miracle can continue, if it can reach the Zenith Holy Sanctuary. It feels as if this is the nascent dream of countless eager Holy Sanctuary disciples.

…………

The western region of the League of Blades, the Highland of Hargreaves.

This is the highest-elevation region within the League, with a dry climate and vast stretches of so-called "Ironwood." These trees grow straight with sparse branches, rich in iron, exceptionally hard yet highly flexible—perfect for crafting. They form dense forests, standing like a forest of iron needles across the highland, both the wealth of Hargreaves and its most iconic feature.

Deep in the heart of the Iron Plains, the Ironwood grows even denser, forming what is called the Iron Sea. Towering groves act like lightning rods, constantly drawing thunderbolts. At the center of this Iron Sea stands a city renowned throughout the Nine Heavens—Hargreaves City, also known as the Thunder Capital.

At this moment, within a mansion deep in the Thunder Capital, a Hargreavian falcon swooped down onto a windowsill. It had a hooked beak, feathers as hard as iron plates, eerie blue eyes, and a letter clutched in its beak.

*Thud! Thud!*

Here is the edited translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

It flaunted its massive metal-plated wings, slamming them against the window with such force that the glass rattled violently, nearly shattering outright.

"Easy! Damn beast!" A blue-skinned, bald man with hawkish eyes, a hooked nose, deep-set eye sockets, and a lightning mark on his forehead quickly opened the window from inside, cursing irritably. "How many times a month must I replace this glass? Keep it up, and I'll strike you dead with lightning!"

Hai Gewei, however, didn't seem particularly intimidated. With a haughty flap of its wings, it casually tossed the letter it was carrying into the man's arms before darting into the room with a swift whoosh, making a beeline for the kitchen as if it knew the place by heart.

"Stay away from my dinner!" the bald man shouted, but the clatter of pots, pans, and jars being rummaged through soon followed. Sighing, he shook his head and glanced down at the envelope in his hand, its wax seal stamped with the image of a dragon's head.

This was the mark of the Dragon Faction. The blue-skinned man's expression grew more serious as he tore open the envelope.

'Old Fourth, the battle between Sakuman and Rose is of great importance. Do not act rashly out of pride. Since the Elder has issued strict orders, we must obey. I know your heart is noble, eager for a fair fight with Rose, but we bear the honor of our Holy Sanctuary. Third Brother's predicament is a cautionary tale—his situation is dire. Compared to enduring scorn, victory is the true honor. Defying Elder Fu's will would be tantamount to cutting off your own future—utterly unthinkable! Old Fourth, give it your all. Follow the Elder's plan and stop Rose at Sakuman. I await news of your triumph at the Celestial Peak!'

His acquaintance with Ye Dun had begun four years ago, at the Holy City's genius training class. It wasn't just Ye Dun—Zhao Ziyue, Jiaoxi, and Maxwell had been there too. The so-called "Five Pillars of the Holy Sanctuary," who had dominated the major Holy Sanctuaries for four years, had forged their bonds of friendship in that very program.

Ye Dun was the eldest, Maxwell the second, Zhao Ziyue the third, Gule the fourth, and Jiaoxi the youngest, their little fifth sister.

As prodigies handpicked by the Holy City, they had entered the training class together, taken the Holy Sanctuary examinations together, and then—with the highest honors—been sent to five of the strongest and most closely allied Holy Sanctuaries. Their friendship had endured to this day, their bonds deep and unshaken.

Back then, the five of them had endless things to talk about. Their shared dream was to become heroes, to change the world, to vanquish evil. They laughed and cried together, sharing joy and sorrow alike. But as they grew older, Gule sensed a shift in them all. The purity of their emotions had faded, tainted by self-interest, until they became the very kind of people they had once despised.

Maxwell had transformed himself into something neither human nor demon, his temperament growing increasingly extreme, his bloodthirsty nature growing worse. They still sparred when they met, just like before, but the spirit of it was gone.

Zhao Ziyue had shed much of the arrogance of his privileged upbringing, but their relationship was no longer untainted—he sought approval from Ye Dun, his priorities skewed toward personal gain.

As for Jiaoxi, her infatuation with Ye Dun had reached a point of blind devotion. But everyone knew Ye Dun would choose a partner who could further his ambitions.

Closing the letter, Gule couldn't help but sigh softly. The reply he'd received was not the answer he'd hoped for.

The matter traced back to three days prior, when news of Rose's victory over the Xifeng Holy Sanctuary had just reached Thunder City. Faced with a team that had fought its way through every obstacle, even delivering a crushing 3-1 defeat to Xifeng, Gule had felt nothing but respect—and a fierce competitive spirit. He had thrown himself into studying Rose's every fighter, coaching his own team, eager for an honorable showdown with Rose in the heart of Thunder City.

But to his dismay, Sakuman's higher-ups had dismissed his fervor outright, issuing orders that amounted to a shameless shortcut to face Rose. It left Gule deeply dissatisfied.

He had wanted to defy his superiors, to argue for a fair fight, but he stood alone—even his own teammates refused to back him. In desperation, he had written to Ye Dun, hoping for his support. He was genuinely intrigued by Rose's rise, seeing in them a reflection of his younger self.

The answer hadn't been entirely unexpected. Ye Dun had always been ambitious, a fact Gule knew all too well. Given his nature, he would never lightly defy orders from above. Still... Gule had hoped that the sincerity of his letter might move Ye Dun to make an exception, just once, to stand by him publicly. That might have turned the tide. But the result had left him deeply disappointed.

Without Ye Dun's backing, without his family's support, Gule stood no chance of defying his orders. He couldn't even convince his own teammates.

Standing by the window, Gule fell deep in thought, his mind a battlefield of conflicting emotions. After a long silence, he finally let out a bitter, resigned laugh. He didn't blame Ye Dun. The man had simply made the most rational choice, one that protected Gule's prospects. He had even warned that disobedience might mean "cutting off his own future"—clearly, he had Gule's best interests at heart. But still... A dishonorable victory, a despicable coward. It seemed this dishonorable reputation would cling to him forever.