Just then, King Hajif spoke.
"Master, please accept my condolences, but Doctor Ling Tian is correct. A bet is a bet, and in a battle, casualties are unavoidable.
If you wish for revenge, that is not a problem. You can send stronger disciples, or you can take action yourself to exact your vengeance!"
"Understood, Your Majesty!"
Master Dulan appeared to be very respectful on the surface, but a trace of hatred surged within him. He understood clearly that while His Majesty the King seemed fair and impartial, he was actually using this opportunity to put him in his place.
This king was a master of the art of checks and balances. In recent years, Dulan and his faction had grown significantly in power. With increased strength came a natural arrogance.
As a result, they sometimes disregarded the royal family and His Majesty the King.
King Hajif knew this perfectly well. He had been looking for ways to counterbalance the influence of Grand Tutor Dulan, but had not yet found a suitable person.
Now, seeing that Ling Tian had eliminated Dulan's right-hand men, he was immensely pleased. At the very least, this would keep the old man in check for a considerable time.
Master Dulan turned and gave an instruction to one of his disciples. The disciple turned and left, and soon, two figures appeared on the arena stage.
One of the figures was thin and gaunt, a small old man in his fifties, barely reaching 1.6 meters in height, with wrinkled skin.
Beside him stood a strange figure, 2.5 meters tall, clad in ancient general's armor.
This strange figure walked with a stiff gait, his face hidden behind a helmet.
Notably, this figure carried a wooden crate on his shoulder, two meters long, one meter wide, and over a meter high. This wooden crate was made of hardwood and was as heavy as steel.
The massive wooden crate was painted with bright lacquer and adorned with peculiar patterns, resembling a giant coffin!
Grand Tutor Dulan stood up and bowed slightly to the small old man, which greatly surprised the onlookers, demonstrating the high regard Dulan had for the old man.
After all, Grand Tutor Dulan usually treated everyone else with disdain, except for the King.
"Mr. Gongshu, I entrust this to you?"
"It's a pleasure, it's a pleasure!"
This small old man was named Gongshu Huai. Hearing his surname, one could tell how extraordinary this old man was, for his ancestor was Gongshu Ban.
Gongshu Ban lived during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. As he was from the state of Lu, he was also known as Lu Ban! He was the patron saint of artisans, revered by the Chinese as the God of Craftsmanship.
However, in later wars, Lu Ban's descendants and the followers of Mohism gradually disappeared from the river of history. Only some distant collateral branches quietly survived in hidden corners, not daring to reveal their true identities.
Gongshu Huai's ancestors were such people. They had fled overseas and passed down their legacy in secret. By his generation, countless generations had passed.
Many of the things invented by Lu Ban in the past were later examined by artisans and scientists who concluded that they were impossible to achieve under the historical conditions of the time, attributing it to exaggeration and artistic embellishment.
But they overlooked one crucial point: the concentration of spiritual energy in nature was much higher during that era. Many of Lu Ban's creations were actually inscribed with formations and even supported by spells.
Without magic, the things created would merely be superficial.
Originally, Gongshu Huai, living far overseas, might have lived an obscure life like his other ancestors, researching the ancient texts left by his forefathers and ensuring that these techniques were not lost. That would have been all.
But unexpectedly, as the Immortal Palace asteroid approached Earth and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth revived, Gongshu Huai was astonished to discover that many functions he had considered impossible were miraculously manifesting in some of his creations.
And things in his ancestors' texts, which he had previously dismissed as nonsense, could now be realized.
Thus, this fellow began extensive research, gradually gaining some renown in his field.
It was at this time that he met Grand Tutor Dulan.
Gongshu Huai's research required a significant amount of financial resources, which he lacked. However, Dulan had them.
Dulan saw Gongshu Huai's creations and recognized him as a simple-minded individual, easy to manipulate. Furthermore, he could sense the potential within the man, so Dulan had been funding Gongshu Huai's research.
Today, to increase his chances in the wager, Grand Tutor Dulan had invited Gongshu Huai, a descendant of Lu Ban. This was initially intended as an added layer of insurance, and now, it seemed that insurance was indeed needed.
"Brother Gongshu, the pair of dogs and bitches opposite are not easy to deal with. You must be very careful!"
"Rest assured, Master Dulan. It is my duty to help you solve your troubles!"
"Please rest assured. As long as you help me eliminate these two, I will provide further funding for your research..."
"Haha, certainly, certainly..." Upon hearing about the money, Gongshu Huai's face broke into a radiant smile, like a blooming chrysanthemum.
Ling Tian observed Gongshu Huai from below. He activated his Heavenly Eye divine ability and immediately saw through the armored figure and the situation inside the coffin.
"Interesting!"
"Ling Tian, what's going on with that person? Why did they bring two people?" Xing Yuan Jieyi asked curiously from the side.
"Jieyi, you're mistaken. That large fellow isn't human; it's a mechanical puppet!
That coffin also contains puppets, several of them!
If I'm not mistaken, this fellow should be a puppet master. He's planning a group assault, haha! I'm eager to go and meet this fellow!"
As Ling Tian finished speaking, he was about to stand up and call Ahri down when Yu Gongyu Jieyi suddenly stood up.
"Ling Tian, I have a request for you. Let me deal with this puppet master!"
"You? Jieyi, you need to think clearly. This isn't a simple spar; it's a fight to the death. If you lose, you might lose your life!
And look at those puppets; their weapons are coated with poison..."
"I know, Mr. Ling Tian. Let me go. I have it under control!
Please rest assured, I will defeat him!"
Yu Gongyu Jieyi's reaction was not surprising. Ahri's outstanding performance made Yu Gongyu Jieyi feel that she had lost face in front of Ling Tian. She also wanted to showcase herself to him.