Chapter 199: Two Challenge Letters
Unlike others...
The bald monk’s fate inside the Dream Realm turned out to be surprisingly fitting.
While others became nobles, servants, young masters, merchants, and village warriors, the monk awakened in the body of a wandering preacher attached to the City Combat Hall.
The position carried little authority and even less wealth. His daily duties consisted of cleaning a small shrine near the arena entrance, offering blessings to participants before matches, and occasionally giving public speeches that nobody cared about.
Most people would’ve considered it a terrible fate.
The bald monk considered it perfect.
Every morning, fighters gathered inside the combat hall to challenge one another, settle grudges, and prove their strength. The atmosphere constantly overflowed with arrogance, anger, ambition, and pride. Yet in the middle of all that chaos stood the monk, smiling peacefully while holding a wooden staff.
"Victory over others is temporary. Victory over yourself lasts a lifetime."
That sentence had become famous throughout the district.
Not because people respected it. Because they heard it every single day.
Many young warriors deliberately walked past the shrine just to hear what strange wisdom the monk would say next.
One afternoon, two fighters arrived with blood-covered faces after a brutal match.
The monk looked at them and smiled. "If both of you are injured, perhaps neither of you truly won."
The two fighters stared at him. Then one pointed at the other’s broken nose.
"He lost more."
The monk sighed.
Some lessons clearly required more time.
By sunset, dozens of citizens had gathered around him while he calmly explained ancient teachings regarding patience, discipline, and self-control. Most listeners forgot the lecture before reaching home.
The monk didn’t care.
Whether inside reality or inside a Dream Realm, his path remained unchanged.
Unfortunately for everyone else...
The city’s most famous preacher was also one of the strongest participants hidden within the World Tree.
***
The following morning, the Clark Family residence remained unusually lively. News of the wedding still dominated every conversation throughout Sky City.
Merchants discussed it while opening their stores. Cultivators discussed it while drinking tea. Even servants whispered about it while carrying water through the courtyards.
Unfortunately for Tony, most discussions weren’t particularly flattering. The groom who nearly missed his own wedding had become famous overnight.
Meanwhile, the person responsible for the chaos sat comfortably inside the Clark Family library with a thick martial manual resting before him.
Tony slowly turned another page.
The ancient explanations regarding movement techniques fascinated him far more than family politics ever could. Several concepts described inside these books had completely disappeared from the modern world.
Even the Heavenly Mirage Steps he currently possessed felt incomplete compared to some of the movement arts recorded in ancient texts.
Just as he reached an interesting section discussing Origin Martial Paths, hurried footsteps echoed through the library.
A servant rushed inside. "Young Master!"
Tony didn’t even look up. "What happened?"
The servant blinked. "The Magistrate Manor sent this."
That immediately caught Tony’s attention. He accepted the letter and broke the seal.
Several moments later, his expression became strange. Then slightly amused.
Finally he placed the letter on the table.
The servant waited nervously.
Tony rubbed his forehead. "What kind of idiot sends challenge letters before breakfast?"
The servant nearly choked.
Inside the letter was a formal challenge from Peter Jaint... The Magistrate’s son! The young genius of Sky City. The man who, according to Skylar, had originally been her preferred marriage candidate.
Tony leaned back.
Interesting... Very interesting. Yesterday his new wife casually mentioned Peter Jaint.
Today a challenge letter arrived. The timing couldn’t be more perfect.
The servant cautiously asked, "Should I refuse it?"
Tony immediately shook his head. "Why?"
The servant looked confused. "Young Master, Peter Jaint is famous throughout the city."
Tony laughed. "So am I."
The servant opened his mouth.
Tony picked up the challenge letter once more.
Originally, he had intended to investigate Peter Jaint eventually. Not because he felt threatened, but because Skylar’s words had sparked his curiosity. Any man capable of making that cold woman openly admit she once wished to marry him couldn’t be completely ordinary.
Now the fellow had saved him the trouble. "Accept it."
The servant blinked. "Accept it?"
Tony nodded. "Tell them I’ll attend."
The servant hurried away.
Meanwhile Tony returned to his books. His expression remained calm. A challenge was merely a challenge. Ancient knowledge remained far more valuable.
Unfortunately... Peace never lasted long.
Less than an hour later, another servant arrived.
This one appeared even more confused than the previous one. "Young Master."
Tony slowly looked up. "What now?"
The servant hesitated. Then handed over another letter.
Tony accepted it. The moment he saw the contents, his expression became completely blank.
"Is this a joke?"
The servant immediately shook his head. "No, Young Master."
Tony lowered his gaze toward the letter once more. The challenge wasn’t from a famous genius.
It wasn’t from a powerful young master. It wasn’t from a noble family.
Instead... It came from a village girl. A completely unknown village girl.
Tony genuinely didn’t know whether to laugh. The servant scratched his head awkwardly.
"The messenger seemed very serious."
Tony read the name. Lily.
Nothing more, No family title, No prestigious background. Just Lily.
The challenge itself contained only a few lines. The writer demanded an official battle against the Clark Family’s young master.
Tony leaned back and stared at the ceiling. "What is happening today?"
The servant wisely remained silent.
Tony eventually placed the second letter beside the first. One challenge from Peter Jaint. One challenge from a random village girl. The contrast felt absurd.
What Tony didn’t know was that the author of the second challenge wasn’t random at all.
Several meters outside Clark family. A young woman stood atop a large boulder overlooking a dusty training ground.
Her expression carried excitement... Her clothes were simple. Her appearance looked ordinary. Yet her eyes shone with battle intent. Lily Frost stretched her shoulders while reviewing information she had gathered.
The Dream Realm represented a rare opportunity.
While many participants searched for status, wealth, or influence, Lily cared about something entirely different. Combat... Pure combat.
The ancient world possessed stronger foundations than the modern era. Martial understanding remained complete. Warriors trained differently. Experts fought differently.
For Lily, this place was paradise. The village experts had already been defeated. The local martial schools had already been defeated. Several guards had already been defeated.
Now she needed stronger opponents. Much stronger opponents.
According to the city rules, challenging certain prominent figures required official procedures.
The easiest shortcut? Defeat a representative from a major family.
And among all major families within Sky City... The Clark Family happened to possess the most famous young master at the moment.
Lily grinned. She knew absolutely nothing about Tony Clark.
She simply saw Tony’s name and felt it might be coincidence.
The young woman cracked her knuckles. "if he is Tony, this is my chance to test his strength and identity! Hopefully he won’t disappoint me."
Far away inside the Clark Family library, Tony suddenly sneezed. Then looked toward the two challenge letters resting on his table.
One from a future rival. One from an unknown village girl.
Neither side realized it yet. But the peaceful days inside the Dream Realm were rapidly coming to an end.
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