Chapter 1404 - Acting Upon the Wager
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The Saint Temple Master and the two clan masters were stunned. The expressions on their faces changed as they stepped forward and paid their respects.
The Sect Master’s Oracle was an edict personally promulgated by the Moonwatch Sect Master to deliver his will through words.
In terms of authority, it was way above Ling Wu’s verbal delivery.
Hence, even Ling Wu had to go forth and pay his respects when he saw the Sect Master’s Oracle.
The Saint Lady Temple Mistress squeezed the golden figurine, breaking it into fragments. It shattered into a halo of luminous spots, forming a line of bold words in midair.
“The Saint Lady Temple Mistress has made it clear to the Sect that Su Yu is not an enemy of the Wizard Tribe. No one should deliberately make things difficult for him and the Saint Lady Temple.”
The Holy Edict dissipated, and the people were left with mixed feelings.
The people of the Saint Lady Temple heaved a long sigh of relief, whereas the Saint Temple Master and the Chu Clan Master gasped in shock.
The Saint Temple Master stared at the Saint Lady Temple Mistress in disbelief. “When did you ask for the Oracle?”
Even the elder in the linen robe wondered about that.
When did the Sect Master awaken? Even Ling Wu was completely clueless about it.
The Saint Lady Temple Mistress answered, “Yesterday.”
The Saint Temple Master said in a low voice, “It means that you have foreseen that things would turn out this way, haven’t you? That was why you prepared for it in advance.”
“You could say that,” the Saint Lady Temple Mistress replied casually.
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She must have considered how Su Yu’s identity would affect the Saint Lady Temple before pinning her expectations on Su Yu, a non-wizard creature.
Su Yu had seen this coming all along.
As she spoke, the eyes of the Saint Lady Temple Mistress fell upon the elder in the linen robe. “Lord Ling Wu, do you have anything else to say?”
Ling Wu shook his head. “Since the Sect Master personally issued the edict, I will refrain from intervening. I’m leaving.”
He was eager to return and meet the Sect Master who had awakened. With a tap of his heels, he took flight.
However, before he left, he shot Su Yu another look. “One more thing. Since the Sect Master has come out of isolation, you need to make a trip to the Moonwatch Sect quarters and challenge the Sect Master in person, according to the rules.”
“If the time limit is exceeded, the thunderbolt mark on your body might work against you.”
Su Yu nodded. “Thanks for your reminder, Ling Wu. I’m heading to the great palace of the Moonwatch Sect right now.”
As he said those words, everyone was surprised.
Although Su Yu’s abilities were breathtakingly spectacular, they were still far from enabling him to challenge the Sect Master.
Where did his confidence to challenge the Sect Master come from?
The elder in the linen robe was astonished as well. He said, “Challenging the Sect Master is not a trifling matter!”
“It is considered a form of insult in the Wizard Tribe. If you fail, you will face not merely defeat, but death!”
Since ancient times, there could only be two possible outcomes in challenging the Sect Master: life or death. No exceptions.
Hence, no one had the courage to challenge the Sect Master.
“I know,” Su Yu said. “That makes me even more eager to go.”
The Saint Lady held back the words on the tip of her tongue, hints of bitterness appearing on her face.
Others might not be aware of that, but she clearly saw that Su Yu was keen on challenging the Sect Master.
Su Yu was the only contestant in the Son-in-Law Recruitment who made nine consecutive wins, the only candidate qualified to become her husband.
Was he trying to avoid her by intending to leave so quickly?
The Saint Lady Temple Mistress slowly came to the same realization. She said, “Su Yu, the challenge concerns your life and death. It shouldn’t be done on impulse.”
“How about taking six months to prepare for it? The Saint Lady Temple could provide you with all that you need for training.”
However, Su Yu was resolute. With a bow, he replied, “Thank you for your generosity, Temple Mistress, but I have made up my mind.”
Avoiding the Saint Lady was one consideration. Apart from that, he wished to challenge the Sect Master in order to become eligible to practice the Heaven-Splitting Yin Yang Style.
The Epoch-making Dragon did not ask him to challenge the Moonwatch Sect Master for no reason.
The elder in the linen robe said with a sigh, “Well, then, if you wish to end your life that way, come with me.”
When he finished speaking, he shook his sleeves and flew to the brilliant, radiant great palace that remained unscathed after the great battle.
Su Yu followed closely behind him. When he stood in front of the palace, he proclaimed in a raised voice, “My name is Su Yu, and I have come to challenge the Moonwatch Sect Master!”
Though he had waited for a while, the great palace was eerily silent. There was not a word of response.
Just when Su Yu was about to repeat his words, however, a casual, unhurried chuckle reached his ears. “I know all about your purpose of challenging me, but this is not the right time.”
Upon hearing that, everyone gasped in shock.
“Greetings, Sect Master!” Ling Wu, the two Temple Masters, and the two Clan Masters were stunned.
The Sect Master, who had been in hibernation for several centuries, had awakened and was speaking openly to the crowd.
Yet Su Yu was not exactly reverent. He questioned, “Not the right time? Does the timing of the challenge matter?”
“Yes, it does!” The Moonwatch Sect Master’s voice floated through the air. “If you challenge me right now, it will be hard for you to get what you want. Just wait, and when the time comes, I will take up your challenge.”
Despite his reluctance to accept this, Su Yu could not force the Moonwatch Sect Master to fight with him.
His time was limited. There were only four months left before he had to return to the space pit and begin learning the secret powers the Epoch-making Dragon promised to teach him.
There was no way he would miss such a rare, precious opportunity.
“Rest assured, I won’t keep you waiting in vain,” the Sect Master said. Then he called out, “Is the Chu Clan Master present?”
Upon hearing that, the Chu Clan Master shivered in trepidation. Then he stepped forward and bowed. “Chu Long from the Chu Clan here.”
“Chu Long? Hmm, I haven’t seen you for a long time,” the Moonwatch Sect Master said.
Chu Long replied with a guilty look in his eyes, “Yes, yes, it’s been a long time.”
“Is it true that Chu Bawang and Su Yu made a bet at the Holy Altar?” The Sect Master inquired.
Upon hearing that, Chu Long’s face fell. Hesitantly, he said, “It is true, indeed.”
The Moonwatch Sect Master said, “Very well. Since the bet is valid and, furthermore, since it was made on the hallowed ground of the Holy Altar, it has to be fulfilled! Get ready to fulfill the conditions of the bet in one month’s time.”
“If Su Yu is defeated, he has to impart the Heaven-Splitting Yin Yang Style that he would master in the future to the Chu Clan, without keeping anything to himself.”
“If Su Yu wins, you have to keep your word and hand over all the resources that you promised to give Su Yu, leaving nothing out.”
Chu Long seemed to be in a difficult position. He said, “Sect Master, this… this was a wager made between my son and Su Yu. The Chu Clan cannot commit to acting upon it. I’m afraid I can’t sacrifice so many resources.”
“How about… how about just canceling the bet altogether?” Chu Long asked.
People reacted with great contempt upon hearing that.
“Haha, how shameless!” The three Helm Leaders of the Saint Lady Temple said coldly.
“When you didn’t know about Su Yu’s background, you barged into the Saint Lady Temple so insolently to seize him and make him act upon the terms of the wager.”
“Now that you know how powerful Su Yu is, you say it was just a personal bet made by Chu Bawang, not sanctioned by the Chu Clan, because you hope to cancel the bet?”
“Exactly. The Chu Clan has no honor!”
Chu Long was unruffled, completely indifferent to the taunting remarks of others. He was patiently waiting for the Sect Master to make his decision.
After a moment of silence, the Moonwatch Sect Master said, “You are saying that Chu Bawang does not represent the Chu Clan and that the so-called bet was only his personal affair?”
“Yes,” Chu Long said.
The Sect Master said, “Well, in that case, Chu Bawang was dishonest with Su Yu when he made the wager.”
“He clearly offered Su Yu something that did not belong to him, and even worse, he made the bet at the Holy Altar. He has no respect for the Wizard Ancestor.”
Upon hearing that, Chu Long’s face gradually froze.
“The honor of the Wizard Ancestor should not be mocked this way. Chu Bawang, it is out of my power to forgive you. You have challenged the Wizard Ancestor’s authority by making an empty promise.”
“If you are not punished, people will not learn the lesson!” The Sect Master’s voice was bright and clear, and people trembled in terror as they heard it.
The Sect Master was angry!
“I have decided to strip you of your cultivation and send you into exile to one of the two forbidden places. You will never be allowed to leave it for the rest of your life!”
That was the punishment previously intended for the Saint Lady Temple Mistress.
In less than half an hour, however, the punishment rebounded upon Chu Long’s only heir, Chu Bawang.
Chu Long choked in terror and hastily cried out, “Please forgive me, Sect Master!”
“Do you doubt my judgment?” The Sect Master questioned dispassionately.
Chu Long was overwhelmed with remorse and hastily changed his tactic. “Sect Master, please allow me to rephrase what I said earlier.”
“Although Chu Bawang does not represent the Chu Clan, he actually does command those resources.”
People could almost hear Chu Long’s heart thumping frantically.
How could Chu Bawang have all those resources? The entire Chu Clan could barely boast of possessing them all.
To save Chu Bawang, Chu Long was about to sacrifice all his possessions and more.
Many were gloating over the Chu Clan’s fate. They played dirty in the beginning, and now the scheme backfired upon them.
Back then, Chu Bawang never thought he would lose the bet, so he had made the wager recklessly and irresponsibly.
Who would have thought that he would end up actually having to give away the stakes he had carelessly made?
Chu Long was wearing a dismal look as he shot a vexed glare at Chu Bawang, who stood beside him.
Despite his compunction, Chu Bawang glared back.
When he first returned and informed his father about the matter, Chu Long complimented him for having acted in such a clever manner.
Was his father now putting the blame on him?
In the great palace, the Sect Master chuckled. “Oh? I never expected that, at such a young age, Chu Bawang could have half the wealth of the Chu Clan in his possession.”
“Well, if Chu Bawang can fulfill his part of the wager, the bet is not considered an act of disrespect for the Wizard Ancestor.”
The Sect Master said, “In one month’s time, the winner has to be determined through honest competition.”
Upon hearing that, Su Yu was secretly delighted.
The Moonwatch Sect Master would not make Su Yu wait in vain, indeed!
If he had not forced the Chu Clan to go through with the wager, they would shamelessly avoid paying their due.
Chu Long offered a bitter smile. “Sect Master, this competition is rather unfair, for I have personally witnessed Su Yu’s combat power.”
“Not only my son, but even I could hardly rival him. If it’s meant to be a competition, please let it be fair.”
The people burst into laughter.
“Hahaha, I have never met such a shameless man in my life!”
“How ludicrous! When they were forcing Su Yu to take up the challenge back then, fairness was not mentioned even once, yet now he’s asking for it.”
The Moonwatch Sect Master mused for a second and said, “Sure! I’ll be fair!”
“The competition goes on as planned, its timeframe remains unchanged, but the process of the competition and its rules will be decided by the Chu Clan.”
“Of course, the competition has to be reasonable and the rules have to be fair. I will have Ling Wu supervise it.”
Upon hearing that, Chu Long was overjoyed.
If arranging the competition was up to them, they had the main vantage point!
The types of competition were variable, and martial strength was not the only aspect. They could compete in terms of integrated abilities, including familial backgrounds.
Su Yu did not have a powerful clan to support him. He would be on his own.
With nothing but his own skills at his disposal, he would be facing the Chu Clan, which had an accumulated ancestral power established during countless years!
Upon hearing that, the Saint Lady Temple Mistress displayed a deep scowl as she noted the inappropriateness of the terms.
She murmured under her breath, “Su Yu is in a precarious situation. The Chu Clan leaders have a hundred ways to make him suffer a terrible, atrocious defeat.”
