Chapter 197: Letter of Challenge (II)

“Who knows?” Yuan Shuo answered calmly. “Either Sun Yifei is so dominating that none of the three great organizations or Night Watchers can stop him, or he’s probing for someone else. Or perhaps his mission is to injure me so gravely that I have no choice but to obey orders once we’re inside the ruins. That prevents me from giving them trouble with the amount of strength I have.”

Liu Long’s brows were tightly knitted together. He looked at Li Hao, then at Yuan Shuo. “If we answer the letter and Elder Yuan’s strength is exposed... Will it adversely impact the expedition to come?”

Their capabilities would be revealed ahead of time. Everyone would be on guard if the professor was stronger than Sun Yifei. At the same time, he might very well be beaten into severe injuries if he was weaker than the Qimei Staff King. It wasn’t likely that Yuan Shuo would die, because the excavation hadn’t happened yet.

No matter how they looked at it, it seemed a losing proposition.

“Then we’re exposed!” Yuan Shuo snorted. “We keep a low profile only when we lack sufficient strength. It’s fine to stand out from the crowd once we have the capabilities to back it up. Whoever dares provoke us will find their faces beaten in!”

He rather seemed like the old demon of old in this moment. So they would be exposed then! He could beat everyone to death if he could kill Sun Yifei. In fact, his old opponent would be a perfect barometer to examine the strength of Summoner of Spirit so that he didn’t overestimate himself. Yuan Shuo kept his nose down before due to a lack of strength. But now... he wasn’t afraid!

“You caught the letter of challenge so excitedly without concern for exposing your strength.” The professor suddenly looked at his student. “Out with it, do you have something in mind?”

“I do, teacher.” Li Hao smiled. “That sword requires bravely forging ahead! To sever the self and seek blood... That disciple looks quite strong to me and he knows the aura. He’s a perfect opponent! My own aura of the sword might take shape if I’m able to cut him down.”

“So... you plan on concealing the aura of the earth?” Yuan Shuo brightened.

“Yes!” Li Hao nodded. “Very few will think that I’ve comprehended the earth since my internal force presents itself in the shape of a sword. I’d like to use the strength of late Sunderer to fight him. I may stand a chance of comprehending the aura of the sword if I win!”

He would command two auras if one of the sword also took shape. If he then melded two auras together, Li Hao might set foot into Dominator.

Wang Ming abruptly realized something at this point and exclaimed, “What are you talking about? Aren’t you mid Sunderer, Li Hao?”

The situation seemed less right the more he listened to it! Late Sunderer? Perfection? The heck? Didn’t he know what level Li Hao was at? Why did it seem like he’d slept for decades in the blink of an eye?

Li Hao smiled without responding.

“Let’s head over to the Night Watcher camp.” Neither did Liu Long reply. “We should discuss with Director Hao no matter what. Who knows how many will be watching tomorrow, so it’s best to have someone keeping an eye on things.”

The group nodded and made quick time to Rift Canyon.

......

At the same time, at the bottom of the canyon where a patch of tents stood.

“Someone under Master Sun has brought a letter of challenge to Yuan Shuo!”

Ghostfaces.

The Red Moon camp.

“Let him do so since Sun Yifei insists!” rang an uncaring voice from the tents. The speaker addressed Sun Yifei by his name, making the speaker a Solar at the very least. Plainly, Red Moon wasn’t very satisfied with Sun Yifei’s challenge.

For one, it exposed his presence at Rift Canyon. The organization was none too pleased at how brazen Sun Yifei had been upon arriving in Silver Moon. He didn’t bother to conceal himself or his traces whatsoever.

Two, everyone needed Yuan Shuo to lead the way. Not to mention, more than one faction had their eyes on the professor. This was someone who killed Brokensky, after all! He still possessed a high level of strength. If he actually hurt Sun Yifei, that would be a blow to Red Moon.

Thus, the others were happy to watch the show. Only the Night Watchers and Red Moon were in for a headache. It was a late Solar facing off against a martial master who could kill Solars. Everyone would be happy if either one of the two died, or both were heavily injured. Even if they lost an expert with Yuan Shuo’s death... They could accept his death if it really came to that.

“Should we stop it?” hesitated the Ghostface outside the tent.

“How?” the one inside answered quietly. “It’s hardly the first time that Sun Yifei has been so cocky in Red Moon. Who does he listen to, apart from the leader? Not even Violet Moon will be able to order him around if she comes.”

The organization’s highest representative in Silver Moon was Violet Moon, but she wasn’t here at the moment as she was at White Moon City. Thus, the speaker inside the tent was in charge of the campsite. He was also a Solar!

Thus was the might of Red Moon on display. The dead Brokensky, Sun Yifei who’d just rushed to Rift Canyon, Violet Moon at White Moon City, and the Solar on site here made for four Solars already. Without Sun Yifei, it meant that three Solars were stationed in Silver Moon.

As for Ying Hongyue’s son killed in earlier combat... No one cared about him. Ying Hongyue had plenty of sons and grandsons. One sent to Silver Moon either possessed too little potential and was thus unsuited for the central region, or needed to be tempered because his potential was too strong.

Plainly, the one who’d died didn’t have the best potential. Granted, his father was only initial Sunflare, hardly an impressive cultivation level.

......

The Night Watcher camp.

Hao Lianchuan also received word. He paced inside a large tent, a headache hammering at his temples. How unlucky to run into this as soon as they arrived!

“Damned Sun Yifei!” Hao Lianchuan cursed. “Making trouble before the expedition even starts. He’s a late Solar looking to battle a newly ascended Dominator. What the hell, how shameless can he be?! I’ll meet him myself tomorrow!”

He was beside himself with infuriation! He’d thought that Sun Yifei would wait until the expedition was over to issue a challenge. The man had to keep the bigger picture in mind, didn’t he?!

Just look at him, he didn’t care at all. He wanted to fight tomorrow! Was Hao Kong over at the Red Moon camp complete trash?? Why couldn’t he keep his own people in check??

Hao Lianchuan cursed at the Solar in charge of the Red Moon delegation. Being another Solar, he’d thought that Hao Kong could induce Sun Yifei to toe the line. Now he realized this was the furthest thing from the truth. Sun Yifei didn’t care about him in the slightest!

Huang Yun and others were also present inside the tent. The atmosphere was a bit grave. A late Solar! They were still wary of such characters. Apart from Director Hou, who among the Silver Moon Night Watchers could guarantee a victory against Sun Yifei?

“Director Hou, although it’s not good news... it’s not bad news either!” someone said softly. “Sun Yifei is certain to participate in the expedition, so it’s a good thing to get a gauge of his abilities now. Otherwise, we’ll be going in blind. We know he’s a late Solar, but how strong is a late Solar? We can have Yuan Shuo suss him out and find a way to interrupt the battle at a crucial moment.”

Lack of knowledge during the excavation would make it difficult to manage their foe.

“Who knows how many people are waiting to watch the show tomorrow!” Hao Lianchuan frowned. “They can’t wait for the two to fight to the death. These old guard martial masters still go at it with the same style!”

Such was the culture of Silver Moon’s martial world. It’d always been this way! These fellows fought to the death at the drop of a hat, even knowing full well that strong enemies encircled them on the outside. It left openings for outsiders to swoop in. Such situations occurred many times in the past, it wasn’t just limited to Sun Yifei and Yuan Shuo.

The key thing was, these martial masters learned nothing from past lessons. Or rather, they insisted on this course of action despite knowing what the results would be!

“I’ll persuade Yuan Shuo to abandon the challenge when he arrives.” Hao Lianchuan’s temples throbbed. "If Sun Yifei dare comes, I’ll let him know that this is Silver Moon, not the central region. His word is not law here!”

He was ready to raise the Flaming Phoenix Spear if Sun Yifei dared come. He would blast the shit out of the man! Although it wasn’t his preference to expose the origin weapon so early, he had no other choice.

The assembly of Night Watchers looked at each other, no one knowing what to say. Sun Yifei’s appearance did indeed upend a lot of plans.

......

At the same time.

Conversations abounded in all of the major campsites. Sun Yifei had issued a challenge to Yuan Shuo! Martial masters from two decades ago, and enemies at that, had run into each other at Rift Canyon. They were about to engage in battle. Some people were expectant, others were nervous.

......

At another campsite—the Sword Sect campsite.

A middle-aged man with a sharp look in his eyes laughed when he heard the news. “As I thought, the Qimei Staff King and Old Demon of the Five Styles are certain to fight when they encounter each other! When Sun Yifei was defeated at Rift Bridge, he couldn’t stand the humiliation and jumped off the bridge. We all thought he died, to think he’d come back alive and be a late Solar!

“I am so looking forward to this fight. What a pity that one has become a supernatural and the other has just set foot into Dominator. Their strength is not of the same level. But Old Demon Yuan has melded the auras of the five animals, so he shouldn't be too weak even though he’s just set foot into Dominator. Brokensky well deserved his death. We’ll have a good show on our hands even if the old demon is defeated tomorrow!”

Plainly, he had high confidence in Yuan Shuo. It wasn’t that he believed Yuan Shuo could win, but that he would present a peak battle between the two greats even if he lost. That was Yuan Shuo!

“Father,” said a young woman next to him. “Was Yuan Shuo really that powerful back in the day? Why does it look like he’s the worst now? Ying Hongyue and Sun Yifei of Red Moon, as well as father have all long made it to the supernatural world. Why has he remained at Sunderer for twenty years?”

If the old demon was so strong, why hadn’t he set foot into the supernatural earlier? Perhaps he’d be the same level as Ying Hongyue now.

The man in front of her was the Earthturner Sword of the Seven Swords of Silver Moon, Hong Yitang. He mused over his daughter’s words and shook his head. “It’s hard to say, but it might have something to do with his enormous accumulation of foundations.”

Enormous accumulation?

His daughter somewhat understood, but not really.