Chapter 452: A Desperate Struggle

Hawkland never had the idea that he must defeat the Zenith Holy Sanctuary. Failing to show off was trivial; preserving Rose was the real priority. Know when to quit while you're ahead!

"A draw is a draw. Why all these excuses?" Hawkland snapped angrily. "Principal Fu, you're not trying to go back on your word now? The headquarters' official document clearly stated—"

"Principal Hawkland is right. The result is the result," said the principal of Ice Spirit, a poised and elegant middle-aged noblewoman—Abuda Lucy, sister of Ice Spirit's top warrior, Zhebie, and a formidable ice witch herself. Her voice was icy, yet she clearly stood by Rose. "Zenith Holy Sanctuary was arrogant enough not to field a sixth contestant, while Rose still has a substitute who hasn’t fought. I say Zenith Holy Sanctuary should forfeit outright!"

Hawkland was thrilled and shot a grateful look at the frosty middle-aged beauty. "Exactly my point!"

"Haha, Principal Lucy's words are rather bold. Zenith has always been the top among the Holy Sanctuaries. To have them lose in this manner and force them to relinquish their leading position—not only would Zenith itself refuse to accept it, but I daresay the majority of the 108 Holy Sanctuaries wouldn’t either," Zhao Feiyuan retorted with a smile.

"Ah, Lady Lucy has long lived in the frozen north, and Ice Spirit Holy Sanctuary was established only a few decades ago. It’s understandable that she might not be familiar with some of the older traditions of the Holy Sanctuaries."

Laughter spread through the crowd. Lucy frowned, while Hawkland's face twisted in anger, but neither could find a strong rebuttal. Moreover, the others kept firing off remarks one after another without pause. Trying to compete with Zenith Holy Sanctuary in terms of influence and connections on this grandstand filled with principals? Rose and Ice Spirit were clearly outmatched.

"Declaring a loss is too harsh, but a tiebreaker would also be unfair to Rose." The speaker’s voice was steady, slow yet forceful, impossible to ignore—it was Dabuliduo, principal of Sakuman Holy Sanctuary. He smiled faintly. "Personally, I propose we call it a draw. Rose’s performance today is more than deserving of this result. As for the lack of precedent... Well, rules are made to be broken. After today, won’t there be one?"

The surrounding laughter quieted slightly.

Dabuliduo, principal of Sakuman—another heavyweight of similar stature, or rather, a hidden powerhouse comparable to Thunder Dragon in his prime! The leader of the Hegvis Clan, principal of one of the Five Cornerstone Holy Sanctuaries, and also a vice-chairman-level figure in the League of Blades. In terms of status, influence, and strength, he was in no way inferior to Fu Changkong. It was just that the Vis Clan had always kept a low profile, staying clear of the political quagmire of the League and Holy Sanctuary. But with his authority, few dared to disregard his words.

But... hadn’t the Hegvis Clan always maintained good relations with the Fu family? Why would he suddenly oppose them now?

Fu Changkong gave Dabuliduo a meaningful glance, only to see the latter smile slightly and nod at him. Fu Changkong let out a hearty laugh.

The Hegvis Clan had stayed out of League and Holy Sanctuary disputes for years, and Dabuliduo himself was someone no one could easily invite. It was strange enough that he had attended this event of his own accord—the Fu family’s clout wasn't that strong. But now, it turned out he was here to support Rose? Was he afraid Rose would suffer a disadvantage, or that his disciple Gule wouldn’t be able to join Rose?

Ah, it was still because of Thunder Dragon!

Fu Changkong and Dabuliduo’s relationship had always been limited to official Holy Sanctuary dealings and the customary solidarity among the Five Cornerstone Holy Sanctuaries. Their rapport was good, which led many to assume the two families were privately close.

But when it came to true personal ties, Dabuliduo and Thunder Dragon were the ones with a deep friendship! Back then, Dabuliduo had risked great controversy to secure Thunder Dragon a chance to undergo the Sky Path trial within the clan, allowing him to obtain a Sea Thunder Pearl—something every lightning mage dreamed of—at minimal cost. That was an immeasurable favor. Without an extremely close personal bond, would Dabuliduo have done that? After all, if a Sea Thunder Pearl were auctioned, even the Thunder Clan’s wealth might not suffice to buy it even if they sold half their assets!

To help the Thunder Clan rise again, Thunder Dragon had truly utilized every resource at his disposal. Impressive, truly impressive!

Fu Changkong sighed in admiration. By the time he rose to prominence, Thunder Dragon’s political career was already in decline. Their few brief encounters had never given him the impression that the old man was particularly formidable. But now, he finally understood the true capabilities of this once all-powerful figure who had once swayed the League with a flick of his hand. A dying tiger still shows its power!

"Everyone has made valid points. Since opinions are divided, I dare not make a unilateral decision." He turned to the Saint beside him with a smile. "The final say here rests with the Saint. What do you think the ruling should be? If the Saint believes Zenith should be declared the loser, I will announce it immediately."

"Exactly so!" Zhao Feiyuan and others quickly echoed.

Hawkland’s stomach dropped. This unscrupulous old fox... Though Zenith and the Holy City had some competitive friction, they were undoubtedly part of the same faction—those who benefited the most from the current system.

But before he could interject, the Saint had already spoken with a smile.

"Saint Roy is young and inexperienced, still in the process of learning. The trust Principal Fu and all of you place in me is rather overwhelming." Though speaking humbly, the Saint showed no intention of relinquishing his authority. Smiling, he continued, "If I may offer my opinion, I find Principal Dabuliduo’s earlier words quite reasonable."

Fu Changkong’s smile remained unchanged, while Hawkland was momentarily stunned. Was Saint Roy actually siding with Rose?

"Declaring Zenith the loser would be too severe, but forcing a tiebreaker with a predetermined sixth contestant would be unfair to Rose, as Rose’s options are fixed while Zenith could choose strategically." The Saint smiled. "I propose a solution that should please all."

Hawkland perked up. No loss declared, no sixth contestant forced into a tiebreaker—wasn’t that just a draw? Or could there be some other twist?

Fu Changkong nodded slightly. "Please enlighten us, Saint."

"A tiebreaker." Roy maintained his dignified smile. He loved this feeling—always had, especially when he could display his status before Lucky Heaven. If he could forge a marriage alliance with the Eight Tribes, it would create an unprecedentedly powerful Holy Sanctuary.

Those who opposed him, those lurking in the shadows—they would be utterly destroyed.

The Saint’s brief reply shattered all of Hawkland’s illusions, but what followed immediately rekindled hope in him.

"But with open selection," the Saint said calmly. "That is to say, the final match's participant can be freely decided by both sides, as long as they are active disciples—even those who have already fought can reappear. I believe this is fair to both parties."

Everyone was stunned. This time, Hawkland was the first to react. He’d misjudged him—the Saint was a good man after all, giving them such an opportunity.

"Good! Excellent! Let's do as the Saint says!"

Old Hawk was overjoyed! *Even those who had already fought could participate? Then what was there to choose? Of course, send Wang Feng!*

With ghost-level strength and fourth-order killing techniques, even Tianzhe Yifeng was instantly defeated. Who in the Holy Sanctuary could stand against him? Besides, even though he had already fought once, Wang Feng still looked full of energy, showing no signs of exhaustion. Even if he were tired, defeating a Tiger Peak would be a walk in the park!

*Hell yeah, as long as Wang Feng can fight, bring on the rematch! Damn it, my chance to show off has finally arrived. If I don’t completely crush the Holy Sanctuary today and make Rose rise to the top, then I might as well change my name!*

Meanwhile, Zhao Feiyuan and the others were stunned, their faces filled with disbelief.

Wang Feng's strength had already been witnessed by all. Frankly, even Tianzhe Yifeng had been defeated. Even if the Holy Sanctuary recalled all their elite disciples scattered abroad for training and picked one by one, how could they possibly find someone stronger than Tianzhe Yifeng? Besides, the match had to be finished today—where would they find the time to gather them? Wasn’t this a death sentence for the Holy Sanctuary? What was the Saint thinking?

Unexpectedly, Fu Changkong, who had been standing respectfully by awaiting the result, smiled. His expression didn’t look like one of reluctant compromise but rather as if he and the Saint shared some unspoken understanding. To put it simply, Fu Changkong thought the Saint didn’t know, but he did; he expected the Saint to kick them while they were down, but instead, he gave the Holy Sanctuary a helping hand.

*It seemed he had underestimated the magnanimity of the younger generation.*

The two exchanged a knowing smile, reaching an unspoken agreement.

Roy, of course, knew the Holy Sanctuary’s little schemes. In these times, who didn’t have their own schemes? And prestige was built step by step like this. He was somewhat looking forward to it.

"Then let it be open selection," Fu Changkong said with a faint smile, as if he had already made up his mind. "The Holy Sanctuary’s final participant has been decided."

Hawkland still felt a little nervous inside. Though he had faith in Wang Feng, Fu Changkong’s cunning was notorious in the League of Blades. Seeing him so composed made him wonder what backup plans he might have.

Then Fu Changkong stood up and pointed toward the Holy Sanctuary team standing at the edge of the field, where only one person remained. He said calmly to Hawkland, "Our participant is Ye Dun."

The spectators were stunned.

Honestly, after witnessing the battle between Wang Feng and Tianzhe Yifeng, everyone understood that no disciple in the Holy Sanctuary could possibly find a wizard stronger than Wang Feng—there wasn’t even anyone who could stand against him. That guy was simply ridiculously overpowered for a Holy Sanctuary disciple! The only chance lay with Martial Artists—those of the same level had an advantage in one-on-one combat against wizards, especially since a wizard’s true strength lay in large-scale destructive power. Speed-type Martial Artists like Ye Dun were hard counters to wizards.

But the problem was… that only applied if they were of the same level! Ye Dun was only at Tiger Peak—how could he fight Wang Feng?

"I have no objections!" Hawkland’s anxious heart immediately settled. Ye Dun had held back when fighting Mapeier earlier, and his profession did counter Wang Feng, but he was a full tier below. How could he bridge that gap? To put it bluntly, could he even break Wang Feng’s ghost-level soul shield?

Old Hawk was practically doing backflips internally, but he managed to keep a straight face—he couldn’t get too excited. There were too many eyes watching. He was here to show off, not act like a hick. "Top seed vs top seed—what a fitting way to end this. Headmaster Fu’s arrangement is excellent!"

"If everyone is satisfied, then that’s best," Fu Changkong said with a faint smile. "However…"

Hawkland’s ears perked up as Fu Changkong continued: "The arena is in shambles. The head referee, An Nanxi, just informed me that the soul-energy barrier can no longer be activated. Repairing it would take at least several hours. It would be tedious to keep our distinguished guests waiting here, so perhaps we should postpone the match for a day and resume tomorrow once it’s fixed…"

*Goddammit, typical, I knew this sly bastard would pull something! Postpone for a day? That would just invite trouble. If they were on Rose’s turf, a day’s delay might be fine, but on the Holy Sanctuary’s grounds? Who knew what schemes Fu Changkong could pull in a single night? Not a chance!*

"Postponing for a day is out of the question," Hawkland cut in before Fu Changkong could finish. "Since when does a single match take two days? Either we concede the draw, or we fight now!"

"Headmaster Hawkland, without the arena’s soul-energy barrier, would you dare let those two fight?" Zhao Feiyuan laughed. He and Fu Changkong had been close friends for decades, so he could guess Fu Changkong’s intentions and naturally backed him up. "Don’t forget, there are over fifty thousand ordinary disciples and spectators here. If Wang Feng’s Witchcraft strays into the crowd and causes casualties, can Rose bear that responsibility?"

"Headmaster Zhao, that’s an interesting way to put it. This is the Holy Sanctuary’s arena—why should Rose be responsible?"

"You’re the one insisting on proceeding immediately, Headmaster Hawkland. The only one whose attacks could endanger the spectators is your Wang Feng’s Witchcraft. Ye Dun is a Martial Artist—how could he harm the audience?" Zhao Feiyuan laughed loudly. "I’m saying this for Rose’s sake. If casualties do occur, do you think people will blame the Holy Sanctuary for poor arrangements, or Rose for stubbornly pushing forward and Wang Feng for going overboard?"

Hawkland was taken aback. He was good at research but not debate. Back when he tried persuading Wang Feng to go to Dragon City, Old Wang had run circles around him in just a few sentences. How could he possibly match wits with scheming veterans like Fu Changkong and Zhao Feiyuan now? Besides, Zhao Feiyuan’s point held some truth—if the fight’s collateral damage injured spectators, the public would undoubtedly hold Rose accountable. But agreeing to Fu Changkong’s proposal and waiting overnight was not happening—who knew what shenanigans they’d cook up in that time?

He was feeling a bit tongue-tied, pondering silently in his heart, when someone beside him spoke up for him.

"There are two simple solutions to this problem," said Principal Lucy Abuda of the Ice Spirit Holy Sanctuary. Ice Spirit's alliance with Rose was nothing new, so naturally, she was firmly supporting Rose now. "First, we can simply clear the venue, asking all spectators and Holy Sanctuary students with insufficient strength to leave. That way, there would naturally be no casualties. Second, there are many experts present here. Though the arena is large, a dozen or so ghost-level experts would be enough to cover and protect the entire venue. Could the mere aftershocks of battle from a Holy Sanctuary student really challenge all the experts present?"

Hawkland felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders. Principal Lucy had been a tremendous help today. Stroking his short beard, he smiled and said, "Exactly! Principal Lucy has said exactly what I had in mind!"

"Clearing the venue is not really an option. The battle between Rose and the Holy Sanctuary is now the focus of the entire League. If it isn't public, then no matter who wins, the backlash would be beyond our capacity to bear, and it certainly wouldn't convince the masses," Fu Changkong said lightly, dismissing with ease one of the options.

"The second method is indeed excellent!" Zhao Feiyuan chuckled. "Then let Principal Hawkland and Principal Lucy invite a dozen or so experts to assist in defense. Only the two of you would have the prestige to manage that."

Hawkland gave a cold snort.

There was no way to invite the distinguished guests from the Saint faction. The Eight Tribes, the Nine Gods, and the Sea Clan were out of the question—the League of Blades was already doing its utmost to host them properly. How could they possibly ask these esteemed guests to act as bodyguards for two disciples? The Saint would never agree. As for representatives from various families and duchies, they were here to enjoy the matches. Hawkland had no connections with them, and asking them to act as bodyguards for his disciples would only make him look crazy.

Hawkland turned to look elsewhere—only the other Holy Sanctuary principals remained. They were all part of the Holy Sanctuary, so publicly or privately...

But before he could speak, the principal of Londom Holy Sanctuary smiled and said, "Apologies, but my old back pain has flared up again. I'm afraid I can't be of much help to Principal Hawkland."

"Same here."

The responses came like a game of passing the buck, one after another, leaving Hawkland completely frustrated.

This was clearly bullying Rose for its lack of influence and allies.

When he turned to look at Fu Changkong again, the wily old man was sitting there with a serene smile, saying nothing. He then glanced at Principal Dabuliduo of Sakuman, only to see the man shake his head lightly with a faint smile.

The meaning was clear—it wasn't a rejection of Hawkland's request, but beyond his own participation, he couldn't offer any further assistance. This stemmed from Rose's lack of clout; they simply didn't have the prestige to command such support.

Hawkland instantly lost his temper. He had self-awareness—others weren't obligated to help, and doing so would be a personal favor, tantamount to openly opposing the Holy Sanctuary.

"The solution has been provided. How you execute it is none of my concern, but if you want to delay until tomorrow, my answer is simple: no!" Hawkland had no choice but to stand his ground. "The rest is up to you, Principal Fu!"

"How ungrateful," Zhao Feiyuan chuckled. "We were only thinking of Rose's reputation, yet Principal Hawkland refuses to acknowledge it. Very well, do as you please—as long as you're willing to bear the consequences."

"Indeed. No need for any agreements—everyone here has heard it clearly. If anything goes wrong, Rose will be held accountable."

The surrounding principals echoed in agreement, further highlighting Rose's isolation. Just as Hawkland was at his wit's end, Fu Changkong spoke up, "Old Huo, delaying for a day carries no ulterior motive—it's purely to repair the barrier. But since you insist, why not hear the opinion of the person involved?"

"After all, lives are at stake," Fu Changkong said with a smile. "If Wang Feng is confident in his Witchcraft and can guarantee no harm to the spectators, then we'll proceed as you wish, Old Huo."

Only now did Hawkland realize what was happening. All this back-and-forth was just a scheme to restrict Wang Feng, preventing him from fighting at full strength... How to put it? It was both concerning and reassuring.

The worry, of course, was that they wanted to limit Wang Feng's performance. The relief, however, was that their willingness to pit Ye Dun against Wang Feng under these conditions suggested they were trying to narrow the gap by capping Wang Feng's power.

What did that mean? It meant Fu Changkong also believed Ye Dun was no match for Wang Feng! His trump card was nothing more than a desperate last-ditch effort!

With this realization, Hawkland felt much more at ease. Considering Wang Feng's personality, if that kid were to step up, would he really let himself get the short end? His eloquence was probably a hundred times better than Hawkland's. Feeling reassured, Hawkland made a show of considering before saying, "Fine, let's ask Wang Feng's opinion!"

…………

By now, the 2-2 tie had been known for a while. The Holy Sanctuary supporters' initial dismay had faded, and the excitement on Rose's side had also waned. The arena buzzed with conversation as everyone awaited the final announcement.

Yet the podium remained silent, and instead, the spectators saw the high-ranking figures engaged in heated debate—clearly, there was more to this.

Unease crept into everyone's hearts. The Holy Sanctuary side was obviously unwilling to accept a tie, hoping the leaders' decision might bring some twist. Meanwhile, Rose suddenly felt the anxiety that "delays breed danger"—if a sixth match were to be held under the tiebreaker rules, Rose would have to send out Wu Di... and Kela's earlier performance had already proven that the two beastmen weren't yet at the level to face the Holy Sanctuary's elite.

The arena hummed with low chatter. Soon, Head Referee An Nanxi was seen walking toward Rose's rest area, followed by Wang Feng, who accompanied him to the podium.

What was this about? Definitely not just a simple announcement of results—that would've been done publicly.

The murmurs grew louder. Everyone's eyes were fixed on Wang Feng, following An Nanxi. The outcome would soon be revealed.

This was Old Wang's first time being so close to so many ghost-level experts. From the entrance of the passageway, a long line of dignitaries—representatives of families and duchies, all ghost-level—stood watching him. Even their attendants were mostly ghost-level or above. All eyes were on him now.