The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace

Not until Fang Luo's name replaced the first position on the True Dragon Ranking did the crowd finally snap out of their daze.

And the atmosphere? It erupted.

The Fang Clan's maneuver was just too spectacular.

In less than half an hour, the three Fang prodigies seized the top three ranks from the Western Region's Buddhist sect—decisively, elegantly, and without so much as stirring a breeze.

Even more impressively, all three had won across cultivation tiers, and with such ease it looked effortless.

Those three Buddhist Great Saints might as well have been random pedestrians picked off the street for how handily they were defeated.

What's more, because Fang Luo and Fang Chen had both killed their opponents, those monks didn't merely lose their rankings—they were erased entirely.

Now, the True Dragon Ranking read:

Fang Luo

Fang Chen

Fang Qiufeng

Originally, the Fang trio had planned to wait a little longer before making their move. But with the Buddhist sect making such a bold challenge, they figured—why not use them as stepping stones?

"The Fang Clan doesn't just win—they make it look beautiful."

"I didn't recognize Fang Qiufeng earlier and thought maybe he was hired help. But Fang Chen and Fang Luo? Everyone knows who they are. No more talk about 'mercenaries' now."

"If I remember right, both Fang Luo and Fang Chen were on the Heaven's Chosen Ranking before—though not that high. Yao Zitong was ranked second, but compared to these two now? She's far behind."

"Fang Clan prodigies aren't like others. It's as if fate itself favors them."

"At this growth rate, they'd be considered elite even across the entire Tianyuan Realm."

The crowd could only marvel at the power of the Fang Clan—leaving Wu Wang and the other Buddhist disciples more humiliated than ever.

Two of their elders had been slain. The grief turned quickly to fury.

"The Fang Clan has gone too far! It's bad enough they beat us—but to kill two elders outright? That's monstrous!"

"The entire clan is bloodthirsty and ruthless. No different from those demonic sects! They all need to be purified by the Dharma!"

But rage alone meant little. They simply didn't have the strength to act on it. So, one by one, they looked to Wu Wang.

"Brother Wu Wang, it's time! Answer force with force!"

"Only you can restore the honor of our sect! Reclaim what we've lost!"

As the leading temple of the Seven Great Buddhist Factions in the Western Region, Ten Thousand Buddha Temple held great weight. And Wu Wang, the highest-ranking elder under 500 years old, was being groomed to become the next abbot.

The responsibility fell naturally to him.

"Amitabha… Please, allow me."

With a flash, Wu Wang appeared before the arena.

"This humble monk, Wu Wang, challenges Fang Luo—first on the True Dragon Ranking."

He stood bathed in radiant Buddha light, like an Arhat descending from the heavens, towering above all like a divine figure.

The pressure of his Second-Tier Saint King Realm cultivation suffused the entire arena—no one dared meet his gaze.

His voice wasn't loud, but it rang throughout the arena. If Ascension City weren't so vast, it would have echoed across the entire city.

This was all part of the plan: if Fang Luo declined, it would be seen as cowardice. If he accepted, Wu Wang could take revenge under the guise of honor.

But to his surprise, Fang Luo didn't appear.

Instead, a graceful, regal woman in palace attire, devastatingly beautiful and dignified, stepped forward.

"So the venerable monk wishes to bully the young? Then how about trying a few moves with me?"

Wu Wang's brow furrowed slightly as he looked at the woman.

"So it's the Head Matron of Divine Palace Sect, Lady Yin. This is a matter between the Buddhist sect and the Fang Clan. I hope you won't interfere."

Yin Xianhong had actually been considering joining the True Dragon Ranking herself. But with Wu Wang suddenly stepping up to challenge Fang Luo, this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

She responded with a radiant smile—more dazzling than any earthly blossom.

"I am the Matron of the Fang Clan. Why wouldn't I interfere?"

Her words stunned not only Wu Wang and the monks—but also the millions of spectators who all froze, jaws slack with disbelief.

In a space as massive as the Martial Arena, packed with so many people, a strange, total silence fell.

It was more shocking than the Fang trio taking the top three spots.

After all, many still didn't know who Fang Luo and Fang Chen were. But everyone across Cangzhou—except for perhaps some of the younger generation—knew of the Divine Palace Sect and its Three Palace Lords.

And now one of those Palace Lords, Yin Xianhong, claimed to be the matron of the Fang Clan?

"Wait, what?! Yin Xianhong married the Fang Clan Patriarch?!"

"Now that I think about it… surprising, but it makes perfect sense."

"Only someone as stunning and powerful as Lady Yin could be a match for the Fang Patriarch."

"I object!"

"You? Pipe down. They're a perfect pair. Mind your own business."

"The Fang Patriarch really kept this one hidden well! What else is he hiding?!"

Wu Wang stood frozen, at a loss for words.

What was supposed to be a stage for regaining face had turned into a humiliating ambush.

And the one standing before him now… was Yin Xianhong.

If he fought, he'd probably lose. If he didn't, he'd look like a coward.

And the millions watching knew exactly what that meant.

He stood there, burning with embarrassment.

"My Ten Thousand Buddha Temple has other matters to attend to. Farewell."

At this point, there was no better option than to flee. Calling in Grandmaster Kongjing, who had already ascended to the Imperial Realm, was out of the question—he didn't qualify to compete on the True Dragon Ranking, and interfering would only bring more disgrace.

Escape was the only answer.

Wu Wang turned and ran.

The other monks, stunned, scrambled to follow.

Just like that, the Western Buddhist sect's second grand challenge against the Fang Clan ended—again—in total failure.

Their dejected retreat, heads bowed in shame, was a stark contrast to the bold confidence they'd arrived with.

As they disappeared, Yin Xianhong smiled faintly and vanished as well.

The once-rowdy Martial Arena suddenly lost its spark.

Disappointed, the crowd began to disperse, already looking forward to the next clash.