Chapter 332: A Phenomenal Topic

"Novel *Dominating the Nine Heavens* ()" Find the latest chapter!

Tianzhe Yifeng was Fu Changkong's direct disciple, nominally Ye Dun's senior brother, but in private, he was actually a generation higher than Ye Dun. Ye Dun had a very good relationship with him, and Tianzhe Yifeng had even taught Ye Dun on behalf of their master, guiding him for a period at the Heavenly Peak Holy Sanctuary. Now, after a long separation, Ye Dun couldn’t help but feel joy upon their reunion, but soon, a strange unease crept in.

It wasn’t just Tianzhe Yifeng—the other three weary travelers behind him were also familiar to Ye Dun, though perhaps not as close. They were all top-tier senior brothers and sisters who had left the Heavenly Peak Holy Sanctuary to train abroad. These individuals... were hardly students anymore. Each of them likely had a formidable reputation in the bounty hunters' guild, whether under their real names or aliases! And as for Tianzhe Yifeng, he might already be a ghost-level expert. This...

Suddenly, realization dawned on him, and he looked at Fu Changkong in surprise. "Grandmaster, you... is this really necessary?"

Honestly, though his expression remained neutral, he couldn’t help but feel this was an overreaction. And with such a full-scale mobilization, what was the point even if they won?

Fu Changkong smiled faintly. "Think it’s an overreaction? Ye Dun, remember—only the victors have the right to speak!"

"These few may have left the Heavenly Peak Holy Sanctuary long ago, but as long as they haven’t collected their graduation certificates, they are still considered disciples of our sanctuary," Fu Changkong said calmly.

"You will remain the captain, with Tianzhe as your deputy. Your research materials can be shared with everyone over the next couple of days for analysis, but that’s not the most important thing. What matters is that you completely demolish Rose—not just their people, but their will and confidence as well!"

"In this world, strength is everything. When a truly crushing victory arrives, no one will care about fairness." Fu Changkong glanced at Ye Dun, who seemed to want to say more, then patted Tianzhe Yifeng’s shoulder. "Assist him well. Don’t disappoint me."

"Yes, Master!"

......

From Mangala to the Dark Demon Island, seven Holy Sanctuaries—three of which were even ranked among the top ten—had all fallen to Rose. What was once seen as the biggest joke of an eight-round challenge had now reached its final step, standing before the Heavenly Peak Holy Sanctuary.

This miracle had long since shaken the entire Alliance, including the Sea People and the Nine Gods...

A sanctuary that was clearly at the bottom, with a team cobbled together from misfits—beastmen, orphans... these once-despised outcasts of society had somehow made it this far. Was it skill or luck?

Frankly, skill was undoubtedly a factor. Setting aside the earlier sanctuaries, Rose had displayed genuine dominance and prowess in their battle against the Xifeng Holy Sanctuary. But to say there was no luck involved would also be wrong. After all, in the later, most skill-testing matches against the Sakuman Holy Sanctuary and the Dark Demon Island, Rose hadn’t won through straightforward combat.

Against Sakuman in the Thunder Path trial, the rest of Rose’s team clearly couldn’t handle it, getting eliminated in the first segment. As for Wang Feng, who ultimately won, it was later revealed that he only succeeded because he happened to have two lightning-absorbing Puppets to bear the brunt of the trial. Wasn’t that practically cheating? Not to mention his absurdly good luck in stumbling upon a Hagrai Pearl—an item known for its lightning resistance. His victory over Gule was likely due to that Hagrai Pearl. Pure, heaven-defying luck.

Then there was the Dark Demon Island. The difficulty of clearing the Three Trials was indeed high—it was the graduation threshold for the island’s disciples. But the first two trials, the Hell Realm and the Hungry Ghost Realm, were reportedly something de Broglie of the Dark Demon Island could clear on his own. So Wang Feng managing it didn’t seem all that impressive or strange. As for the so-called hardest third trial... everyone knew the third trial of the Six Paths of Reincarnation was a test of runes. And what was Wang Feng best at? Exactly that! What an incredible coincidence, right?

In the end, it was all just sheer dumb luck!

The two sanctuaries that tested true strength were bypassed by Wang Feng’s sheer dumb luck, undoubtedly diminishing the luster of Rose’s seven consecutive victories. But regardless, they had fought their way to the Heavenly Peak Holy Sanctuary.

As early as half a month before Wang Feng and his team set out from the Dark Demon Island toward the Heavenly Peak Holy Sanctuary, the Holy Sanctuary's Light and the League of Blades had already been hyping this battle to unprecedented levels. Every day, they published updates on Rose’s journey, glorified the Heavenly Peak Holy Sanctuary’s legacy, recounted Rose’s step-by-step rise, and stirred up all sorts of gossip and debates—predictions on the outcome, analyses of both sides’ strengths, and discussions on how this battle would shape the future of the Blade.

It was the talk of the town, a cultural phenomenon. Once, Rose had been seen as a joke, a punching bag for pressure. But now, the pressure had shifted entirely to the Heavenly Peak Holy Sanctuary—because they truly couldn’t afford to lose. For over two hundred years since its founding, the Heavenly Peak Holy Sanctuary’s position as the top sanctuary had never been challenged. It was a bastion of faith for many in the Holy Sanctuary and even the Blade.

The higher you stand, the harder you fall. If the Heavenly Peak Holy Sanctuary lost, it wouldn’t just be a fall from grace—it would be utter ruin.

And as the Old Wang Squad of Rose Holy Sanctuary checked into the Debang Inn in Blade City three days ago, the discussions and attention reached an all-time peak.

For three days straight, Old Wang and his team didn’t dare step outside. The moment they did, they were mobbed like circus animals. If they ventured onto the streets, they had to imitate Xuecai’s old tactic of "swathing their heads in scarves." Otherwise, if someone recognized them and shouted, "The Rose team is here!" the streets would instantly clog, leaving them stranded.

At times like these, Old Wang could only glare helplessly at Winnie. The Heavenly Peak Holy Sanctuary had originally prepared quiet accommodations for them within the sanctuary, but Winnie had stubbornly refused, saying she wouldn’t "fraternize with the enemy" or "eat their food," insisting on staying at this luxurious hotel—though in truth, it was just because the menu here was more varied! Now, they couldn’t even enjoy peace before the battle.

The city was buzzing with all sorts of rumors, and the Rose team’s gossip became the most popular dinner-table topic—especially anything involving Wang Feng! After all, he was the one who had cleared the Thunder Path and the Dark Demon Island trials. While many dismissed it as "dumb luck," some perceptive observers believed it wasn’t just luck—nor was it pure skill. It was family connections.

In this day and age, having the right connections was everything! Who was Wang Feng’s father? This had become the most intriguing topic among Blade City’s common folk. Discussions on this could go on for days without exhausting the theories.

Wang Feng had risen under Karida’s wing and was even labeled as Thunder Dragon’s disciple, so the connection had to trace back to the Lei family.

First, look at the team around Wang Feng—Winnie Lee, Mapeier, all top-tier talents with exceptional gifts, bottomless coffers, and resources to burn, tossing Skyburst Grenades like candy. Such extravagance could only be sustained by a handful of the wealthiest families across the Blade Alliance’s dozens of states and allied factions, immediately narrowing down the possibilities.

Then consider the Dragon City. Wasn’t Mo Tong of the Mahoraga a powerhouse? What about the Yaksha Prince, Hei Wukai? For such rising stars to willingly accept Wang Feng as their captain—could he really be just some nobody? Rumors spread like wildfire, growing more outrageous by the day. When Winnie sneaked into Old Wang’s room to excitedly relay them, even he was left speechless by people’s imaginations. "They should be writing fiction with imaginations like that," he muttered.

Whispers, debates, and endless speculation... As the match date approached, distinguished guests from all sides continued to arrive in droves. Inside the League of Blades, naturally—all 108 Holy Sanctuaries were practically present, and nearly every grand duchy had sent representatives, none of them minor figures, with even idle princes showing up. As for those from outside the League, the number of influential figures was even greater.

Two of the twelve elders from the southern beastmen tribes arrived, one of whom was the current leader of the southern beastmen royal family—the Beastmen Grand Elder. Though beastmen held a relatively low status in the League of Blades, the arrival of such a prominent figure still stirred considerable discussion.

From the sea people, the Prince of the Sea Dragon Clan and the eldest princess of the Merfolk Clan came in person. These two clans interacted most frequently with the League, given their territories bordered the League’s coastal regions.

From Darkmoon Island came the Fifth Elder, Gui Zhicai—a rarity in the entire alliance. Elders of Darkmoon Island seldom left the island unless faced with a mission beyond even their disciples and retainers. It was an event that might not occur even once in a decade.

Speaking of Gui Zhicai, one shouldn’t mistake this Ghost Elder, who played the role of a "maze controller" in the Six Paths of Reincarnation, as merely a fanatic of formations like the Coiling Dragon Eightfold Array. In truth, aside from that, he had no interest in other formations. His true strength was as one of the world’s elite Puppet Masters. In a world where Spirit Beastmasters dominated, Puppet Masters were pitifully few, yet each was a peerless expert—Gui Zhicai, the undisputed king among them. Once known as the Thousand-Hand Ghost King in the League of Blades, his Thousand-Hand Control Technique allowed him to command an army of thousands of puppets. When he first ventured out from Darkmoon Island, he was a terror capable of single-handedly opposing an entire city. Many claimed Wang Feng’s ice bee swarms were mere child’s play compared to the Ghost Elder’s puppet arrays...

From the Eight Tribes came Yemo Tian, elder brother of Hei Wukai, eldest son of the Yaksha King, and leader of the Yaksha First Army—dubbed the "Outsider’s Bane," a top-ten Ghost-tier powerhouse.

Then there was the Nine Gods Empire. Originally, a far more significant figure was set to attend—the Ninth Prince, Long Jing! It was said his itinerary had already been finalized, but due to personal matters, his plans changed, dashing the hopes of eager journalists.

In the end, the Nine Gods Empire sent the Grand Duke of Canglan—a heavyweight in his own right. The Cang family was already among the empire’s most elite clans, with its patriarch holding a status no less than Fu Changkong’s in the League of Blades. Moreover, the Cangs had long been aligned with Crown Prince Long Zhen, and the Grand Duke of Canglan was one of the crown prince’s most trusted right-hand men. With Long Zhen now formally participating in state affairs, he was all but confirmed as the empire’s future heir. One could imagine the Cang family’s meteoric rise in status once the crown prince ascended the throne, placing them second only to the emperor himself.

…………

The arrival of so many distinguished guests added even more excitement and attention to the battle, giving people even more to talk about.

The match was scheduled for the weekend. For this battle, the Holy Sanctuary had reserved the Glory Coliseum, offering free admission to all citizens of the League of Blades. Aside from seats reserved for the honored guests and major Holy Sanctuaries, the rest were first-come, first-served—those arriving late would have to settle for listening from outside.

Early that morning, before dawn had even broken, the entire city of Blades was already bustling with activity.

The streets and alleys were packed with hurried pedestrians, while outside the Glory Coliseum—capable of seating 50,000 spectators—crowds had gathered long before daybreak. The din was so loud, people had to yell at the top of their lungs just to be heard face-to-face. By 8 a.m., when the coliseum’s four gates opened, the crowd poured in like a tidal wave. In less than half an hour, the 50,000-seat arena was packed to the brim.

The general admission gates were closed, while below, in the VIP section, Holy Sanctuary disciples began filing in.

Before Rose toppled Westpeak, honestly, at least 90% of the League’s 108 Holy Sanctuaries had condemned Rose. But after Westpeak, that number had been steadily shifting.

People began to sense the fighting spirit of Wang Feng and his team, as well as their determination to complete this unbelievable journey. They also came to recognize Rose’s potential and the appeal of its reforms... Who wouldn’t want their own Holy Sanctuary to grow stronger? Who wouldn’t want to follow in the footsteps of Fan Texi or Wu Di—rising from nobodies to stars who turned heads? Now, supporting Rose meant supporting reform, and supporting reform meant they, too, might have a chance to turn their fortunes around like Fan Texi and the others!

Many lower-ranked Holy Sanctuaries began shifting their allegiance—not necessarily their leadership, but the ordinary disciples who refused to settle for mediocrity. They spontaneously rallied behind Rose, joining existing supporters like those from Dragonmoon, Ice Spirit, Fire God Mountain, and Sand City. They weren’t few, either.

Of course, within the coliseum, supporters of the Holy Sanctuary still made up over 80% of the crowd. Yet no one could have imagined that, even on their home turf, a "nobody" like Rose could claim over 10% support.