Chapter 472: Young People Don’t Talk About Chess Morality

The two sea dragon maidens who had just shared intimacy with Qi Da simultaneously revealed expressions of excitement. At this moment, the Dragon God's Sword in the hands of the Sea Dragon King released sea dragon magic. A pitch-black dragon specter pounced upon a white spiritual light in the air—Qi Da's last remnant of soul. The dragon specter gnawed viciously at the soul, and suddenly, a fragment shattered from the light. The dragon specter swiftly turned and seized the fragment, devouring it with apparent satisfaction before lunging back at the spiritual light, biting even more frenziedly...

Meanwhile, Qi Da's corpse on the ground continued to bleed profusely. His originally dark skin began losing its color, first turning pale before rapidly becoming translucent...

"Come here at once!"

At the Sea Dragon King's command, the two sea dragon maidens swiftly knelt before him, gazing eagerly at the dragon specter on the Dragon God's Sword. The two mermen also stepped forward, prostrating themselves with the same fervent and expectant expressions. The auras of all four surged wildly—yet just as they were about to break through to the Ghost Level, a thunderclap boomed across the clear sky. Their rising auras were abruptly severed, halting at Tiger Peak level. The four let out low growls of frustration. As Ghost Level experts, their power plummeted the moment they left the sea, and on land, they were forced to remain at Tiger Level! The humiliation only intensified their desperate gazes at the Sea Dragon King.

"Withdraw!"

With a flick of his wrist, the Sea Dragon King swung the Dragon God's Sword downward. The dragon specter, still tearing at the soul in midair, let out an unwilling roar of fury but had no choice but to retreat back into the blade. By now, Qi Da's spiritual essence was in tatters—yet within that ruin, a luminous vein emerged.

"The divine path is vast. Even the diluted descendants of a master who once ascended to godhood still retain a trace of divinity. Truly, when one becomes a god, their entire lineage ascends..."

The luminous vein seemed to attempt escape, but the Sea Dragon King reached out and gently clenched his fist.

Boom!

The vein suddenly expanded, resisting the Sea Dragon King's power—but then, a pulse of authority radiated from him. The luminous vein trembled violently before finally submitting under the pressure. Refined into four drops of divine liquid, they hovered midair, each shimmering brilliantly, with flickering lights within as if miniature worlds were unfolding inside.

The Sea Dragon King smiled faintly. His calculations had been correct—only four drops could be extracted from this man. Had Qi Da cultivated to the Ghost Level, perhaps a few more could have been squeezed out... Gazing at the wondrous divine liquid, a hint of regret flickered in the Sea Dragon King's heart. Different paths could not conspire; divine natures repelled one another. Absorbing it would not only be futile but harmful.

With a wave of his hand, the four drops of divine liquid vanished into the foreheads of the four kneeling figures. "Once the divine liquid enters your bodies, it will naturally integrate into your flesh and bones. From this moment onward, you shall fear no curse."

As his words faded, the Sea Dragon King suddenly sighed. "If not for this secret treasure's appearance, we should have waited until Qi Da's bloodline was born before extracting his divinity. Ensure his wife is protected—she must deliver the child safely."

"We will seize the secret treasure for our king, and bring honor to our mission!"

The four hurriedly kowtowed in promise. The aura of Ghost Level power gradually rose from them, filling them with irrepressible joy.

Old Wang had guessed correctly—the Holy City would certainly find a plausible excuse to detain Karida, and it was one that left Wang Feng both speechless and deeply troubled.

There was irrefutable evidence that during her travels across the continent, Karida had once met Long Kang in Nine Gods territory...

The news broke on the second day after Wang Feng's return to Rose, timed impeccably to stir widespread debate across the League.

Frankly, Karida's past travels as an adventurer meant meeting anyone shouldn’t have been considered a transgression—except for Emperor Long Kang. Whether acknowledged or not, Long Kang was undeniably the most powerful figure in the Nine Heavens. Not even Indra of the Eight Tribes, the Blade Council's Chairman, or the Sea Clan monarchs could deny that.

Though Karida had been renowned during her travels, she was far from significant enough to attract the attention of such a heavyweight. Long Kang certainly hadn’t met her out of admiration. According to the Holy Sanctuary's Light, their encounter occurred near the end of Karida’s journey—and shortly after returning to Aurora City, she took over as Rose’s principal and began aggressively pushing reforms, adopting the "wolf-rearing methods" of the Nine Heavens... This had to be Long Kang’s influence!

Given Karida’s position within the League of Blades' power structure, the Holy City declared a thorough inquisition. Until its conclusion, Karida was forbidden from leaving the Holy City.

At first glance, the accusation seemed absurd—meeting Long Kang didn’t equate to betraying the League. It was a fabricated allegation.

Yet that was precisely what made it insidious. Because the accusation was unfounded, the Holy City couldn’t convict Karida—but neither could she prove her innocence. Worse, she couldn’t even refuse to cooperate. If she questioned the investigation or tried to return to Aurora City under such scrutiny, she’d instantly be branded a fugitive.

A position of moral authority rendered even the flimsiest excuse unassailable. The Holy City had played its master stroke.

Wang Feng saw through it. Previously, the Holy City’s attacks had been lethal, each accusation aimed at destroying Karida and crushing the Thunder family, leaving Thunder Dragon with no escape. But after Rose’s eight-battle winning streak and the establishment of the Ghost Level Class, their strategy shifted—now, they merely sought to trap Karida in the Holy City.

On one hand, it weakened Rose. Karida’s capabilities were undeniable; if she returned now to join forces with Wang Feng, the Ghost Level Class might actually succeed. On the other hand, keeping her as collateral kept Thunder Dragon and Wang Feng restrained, giving the Holy City leverage to negotiate with Rose at any time.

To the Holy Lord, Wang Feng’s rise, the Ghost Level Class, even Rose’s reforms—none were truly existential threats. What he truly feared was Thunder Dragon.

For the Holy Lord, Thunder Dragon’s death would be ideal—but in this world, everything was negotiable. If Thunder Dragon agreed to retire beyond the seas, never setting foot in League territory again, the Holy Lord might even accept it. As long as things hadn’t escalated to a life-or-death struggle, there was always room for discussion—provided he held enough negotiation leverage. Someone like Karida, who had already fallen into his hands, would never be released so easily.

Anyone could see Rose’s predicament—yet Old Wang, paradoxically, felt reassured. In fact, he was in such good spirits he felt like laughing.

To think that confining Sister Da could weaken the strength of Rose or prevent the Ghost-Class from succeeding? The folks in the Holy City are seriously deluding themselves... This situation is actually quite favorable for Rose at the moment.

Though Sister Da can’t return for now, Sister Da being there, with her immense influence and attention, has taken the heat off Rose, reducing the resistance the Ghost-Class faces in various aspects.

Of course, we still gotta put on a show—partly to better shift others’ focus. And for such a statement, who else but Thunder Dragon?

…………

In the quiet courtyard behind Rose’s back mountain, an old man and a young man sat across from each other, engaged in a game of chess.

This time, it wasn’t Go but xiangqi. Compared to the hundreds of pieces in Go, the thirty-two pieces here made the board much simpler—easier for a newbie like Thunder Dragon, yet still endlessly intricate and fascinating. Thunder Dragon couldn’t help but admire Wang Feng’s creativity. How does that tiny head of his cook up so many bizarre yet entertaining ideas?

Still new to the game, Thunder Dragon pondered each move carefully, while Wang Feng played casually, throwing out a casual jab: “So, Old Thunder, are you really just going to stand by while the Holy City pins these bogus accusations on Sister Da?”

“Too old for this—I’m retired!” Thunder Dragon’s eyes remained fixed on the board as he cautiously captured one of Wang Feng’s pawns. “I’m just a fishing geezer now. How could I possibly meddle in the affairs of the Holy City?”

“Old Thunder, you and your granddaughter really aren’t being fair,” Wang Feng said, seemingly dissatisfied with the meager capture, offering up a knight instead. “Look at me—fronting the cash, the muscle, *and* the manpower, all in for the team. Yet you two still keep everything from me!”

“Now, that’s not true!” Thunder Dragon’s eyes lit up as he eagerly took the knight—who would refuse such a gift? Satisfied, he said, “Wang Feng, wasn’t this whole setup your idea? From start to finish, I’ve just been following your lead, trusting you unconditionally, never questioning, and supporting you fully. Where’d you find another sucker like me? And you still say I’m keeping things from you?”

“Oh, plenty!” Wang Feng chuckled, needling him. “For example… the League of Blades?”

“You’re asking the wrong person. The League of Blades only rose to prominence in recent years. I’ve been in seclusion for over a decade—what could I possibly know about them?” Thunder Dragon urged, “Stop trying to dig for secrets and focus on the game! I’ve got two rooks and two knights against your single rook and cannon. I’ve finally got the upper hand—don’t distract me now. This game’s *mine*!”

*Sly old bastard…* Wang Feng smirked inwardly. Judging by his attitude, it seemed he wouldn’t get any answers.

Truth be told, the relationship between Wang Feng and Thunder Dragon was something outsiders could never imagine. Everyone saw Wang Feng as a core member of the Thunder family, the ace up Thunder Dragon’s sleeve. Yet no one knew that even the conflict between Thunder Dragon and the Holy Lord had been pieced together by Wang Feng’s own deductions.

It wasn’t that Thunder Dragon didn’t trust Wang Feng—he simply wasn’t involved anymore… and was *done* with it. Faced with the Holy Lord, he had intended to retreat. Even before Wang Feng decided on the Eightfold Battle, Thunder Dragon had been prepared to leave the Blade territory and exile himself overseas as a compromise to the Holy Lord, if only to protect Karida and Rose.

Some grand comeback? Defying the Holy Lord? Thunder Dragon had never entertained them. Not out of fear, but because he didn’t want to plunge the Blade Alliance into further turmoil. That was why he had never shared many things with Wang Feng. His cooperation stemmed solely from the letters Karida had sent from the Holy City, which got the old man curious to see just how far these young people could go.

The world believed Thunder Dragon was the mastermind behind the scenes, unaware that he was, in truth, just along for the ride.

Last time, when Wang Feng had tricked Hawkland with tales of the Holy Lord and Thunder Dragon’s feud, most of it had been hearsay and a shot in the dark. But yesterday, at the Golden Shell Auction House gathering, Udagan had finally provided Wang Feng with the first concrete records regarding the past of the Holy Lord, Thunder Dragon, and Qian Jueqian.

Among them, two findings stood out.

The first was the relationship between Sister Da and Qian Jueqian. Wang Feng had always assumed Qian Jueqian was only connected to Thunder Dragon. Yet according to Udagan’s records, it wasn’t Thunder Dragon who had taught Karida the Heavenly Pivot Sword Dance—it was far more likely to have been Qian Jueqian, the former Holy Sanctuary master who had defected to the League of Blades. In a way, he was Karida’s half-teacher.

Since this was about his “better half,” Wang Feng couldn’t help but take note.

Recalling the assassination attempt by the League of Blades’ Child Emperor after leaving Ice Spirit, something about it now didn’t add up. The setup had been elaborate, yet… the killing intent hadn’t felt strong enough. It wasn’t that Child Emperor hadn’t tried, but sending just one assassin for a target of Karida’s caliber seemed almost careless. Shouldn’t there have been at least two or three? That way, Wang Feng would never have had the chance to carry Karida to safety.

That assassination attempt felt less like a genuine attempt on Karida’s life and more like a staged performance for some ulterior motive—one that deliberately left her a sliver of survival. Stranger still, Karida had never reacted afterward. Logically, after such a high-profile attack, Sister Da should have filed a report with the Bounty Alliance—standard procedure for any Alliance hero. Not only would it document the enemy’s details for others to guard against, but it would also raise Child Emperor’s bounty.

In short, both sides’ reactions were abnormal. Sister Da’s connection to Qian Jueqian of the League of Blades was clearly more complicated than it seemed. This was what Wang Feng had really wanted to probe Thunder Dragon about today—but judging by the old man’s evasiveness, he wasn’t planning to elaborate.

The second finding was even more surprising. Back when Thunder Dragon and Qian Jueqian had vied for the position of Holy Lord, they hadn’t been at a disadvantage. Yet at the critical moment, Thunder Dragon had suddenly announced his withdrawal, leaving Qian Jueqian to fight alone… In essence, the Holy Lord’s seat had been handed to him by Thunder Dragon.

Frankly, Wang Feng had never understood Thunder Dragon’s reasoning. If he truly sought retirement and had no ambitions, why had he secretly supported Karida and Wang Feng all this time? Yet if he *did* have ambitions, his laid-back attitude didn’t match at all. Based on his past life’s experience… this was big-league stuff. Unfortunately, he was already on this ship—there was no getting off now.

“Checkmate.” Wang Feng placed the final piece. Thunder Dragon, who had been gleefully anticipating victory, froze. He could have defended, but in his eagerness to take Wang Feng’s knight, he had blocked his own path.

After a brief pause, he coughed. “Let’s rewind two moves. I won’t take that knight—here, have it back…”

“Here we go again. Weren’t you just saying I was definitely losing?”

“You little brat—you hustled me *again*?”

"Sorry man, Old Lei, you're just too easy to fool. I couldn't resist..."

"Quit gloating after winning." Lei Long glared. "No way, no way! Let's play another round!"

"Even ten more rounds and you'd still lose." Old Wang burst into laughter. "No more, no more. I still have things to settle with the Ghost Level Class. If you're willing to come out of retirement to help, I might squeeze in a few more beatdowns. Not willing? Then forget it!"

Honestly, choosing to give up wasn't Lei Long's fault. It wasn't a lack of ability—the blinders of his generation made it perfectly normal for him to be unable to break such a deadlock.

The Holy City is an indestructible fortress with crazy self-healing powers. Shaking it through brute force is useless... you have to strike at the root.

Back then, Lei Long and his allies tried to seize power from the top down—that approach was fundamentally flawed. The true path lies in surrounding the cities from the countryside.

Revolution must rise from the bottom up. Those little guys nobody notices are what determine the Holy City's stability.

Only when the majority becomes aware of the problem can it truly be solved. Unless Lei Long gets his head straight, he'll never break this deadlock.

Seems like I'll have to rely on myself after all.

As the OG from Wang Village would say, "The past is past—the true heroes are those of today."

"Youngsters these days have no respect for the game..." Lei Long muttered, then chuckled to himself.