The Martial Unity

Chapter 2782: Wagering Proposal

Rui narrowed his eyes at the threat. It was true that the moment he acted on the threat of calling over his allies, he lost all protection from the threat. Admittedly, the Heaven Sectʼs boldness had exceeded his expectations. He thought that their arrogance would be shallow, cracking easily under the sheer weight of his threats like the Blood Lord had.

But he was surprised. They actually decided to prioritize their arrogance over self-preservation. He supposed the fact that they avoided the death penalty for him was proof that they had some sense, but the fact that they were still willing to go on even in the face of the Kandrian Empireʼs power was impressive arrogance.

Things had admittedly gone off the tracks for him, but it was the perfect chance to go for his plan.

”I propose a wager.”

Ruiʼs tone was confident.

Elder Diana simply gazed at him from above.

”A duel,” he explained. ”If I win, you guys will commit to the Solution of Harmony without my gifts that you say you donʼt need. If I lose, then I will give you my gifts anyway without any requirement of joining the Solution of Harmony. But…”

He smiled.

”If itʼs a draw, then you will commit to the Solution of Harmony, and I will give you my gifts in return.”

His smile deepened.

”As for who I will duel with…” he turned to Sage Sekiei before him. ”Iʼll choose this loser.”

Sage Sekieiʼs eyes flared with blood-boiling rage as his expression crumpled with murderous wrath. Rui sneered at him with derision and mockery. ”Whatʼs the matter? Why arenʼt you saying anything? Too scared to even talk? Is this all that a Sage of the Heaven Sect can even do?”

His expression grew strained as he tried resisting Elder Dianaʼs Heavenly Prison.

The peak Martial Sage heaved a sigh before waving her hand, letting him speak.

”IʼLL KILL YOU!!!” The man bellowed at Rui. ”I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU! YOU HEAR ME?!”

She immediately shut him up with a hint of regret.

But alas, it was too late.

”Whatʼs the matter, Elder?” Rui sneered even more. ”Too scared? Afraid you might lose? Is this all the great Heaven Sect amounts to?”

That struck a nerve as her veins started popping out on her forehead. ”You little brat…”

”Itʼs fine if youʼre too scared.” Rui shrugged with condescending sympathy. ”Itʼs not your fault that youʼre so fucking pathetic and weak, is it?”

Sage Sekiei grew strained once more as he began thrashing against his Heavenly Prison with anger. Elder Diana heaved a sigh as she allowed him to speak.

”I ACCEPT!” the Sage roared. ”I ACCEPT THOSE CONDITIONS!”

Rui smirked. ”Great.”

Elder Diana heaved a sigh, shaking her head. ”You are truly arrogant, Prince of Kandria.”

”Pot-kettle much?” Rui glared at her.

It wouldnʼt have even come to this if they werenʼt even more arrogant than the rumors suggested. A cult, a racial supremacistic nation, and even his greatest enemies still had the courtesy to greet him upon his arrival. It spoke to just how much they looked down upon him and everything that he had to offer to mistreat him so much.

”We shall commence the battle once I have rested and recuperated,” Rui remarked. ”Until then, give me a fitting place to reside, or does the Heaven Sect simply have nothing to offer in so far as luxury goes on this scrap of a cloud?”

Elder Diana glowered at his remark. ”Our luxury is the finest in this entire world.”

”I will believe it when I see it,” Rui snorted.

If he didnʼt say this sort of thing, they would give him shitty quarters. He needed to manipulate them with their pride and arrogance to get what he wanted, and that was exactly what he was doing at the moment.

”You will be assigned our finest quarters, and you will experience within your bones how superior we are.” Elder Diana remarked coldly. And that was exactly what happened. Rui and his companions were escorted to the finest luxury quarters that the Heaven Sect had to offer to the others.

”Ahhhh…” Rui relaxed on a bed made of clouds with a kind of ethereal softness, unlike anything he had ever experienced before. ”Ok. Maybe they do indeed have the finest luxury in the world.”

Unfortunately, his two travel companions did not have it. ”You really went and did it…” Amare muttered with a worried expression. ”Why did you even bother having a win condition? Do you really think you can properly defeat a Martial Sage?”

Rui shrugged. ”I guess weʼll find out.”

He couldnʼt tell them that he wasnʼt aiming for victory at all because he didnʼt want the Heaven Sect to find out. He was certain that the Heaven Sect had the power to listen in on his conversation rather effortlessly. He needed to be careful of what he said while giving off the impression that he was aiming for victory.

”Youʼre crazy…” Blood Goddess muttered with a stunned tone. ”I know you have fought Sages, but going out of your way to challenge one when there is no need for that whatsoever is beyond wreckless. Itʼs suicidal. There are surely more diplomatic ways to solve this.”

”Sure there are, just none that will finish in time,” Rui replied, still enjoying the comfort of his new bed. ”By the time we drill this through their heads using normal methods, the quasi-Transcendents will have destroyed half of whatʼs left of humanity.”

He tutted internally as he thought about how much trouble he was going through for the sake of the future of human civilization and its long-term prosperity.

At the same time, he was glad for the opportunities of growing stronger that it got him. He looked forward to fighting a Martial Sage yet again. It was just unfortunate that this was how far he needed to go in order to get a thrilling battle that would push him to his absolute limits.

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