Chapter 440: The Strength of the Changyang Clan
At that moment, the headmaster of Kargath Academy, Khafir, spoke. “Honored Imperial Advisors. This one has a question I wish to ask. When this one was at the northern stronghold, this one heard that your distinguished kingdom had an Imperial Protector that came to save us. Might this one ask just who that honored figure is, or if the honored Imperial Advisors can speak just how he knows the Gesun Kingdom?”
Hearing the question, everyone seated at the table immediately looked to the gathered Qinhuang Kingdom’s Imperial Advisors. Khafir had asked the question that was on everyone’s mind. Each one of them knew that as an Imperial Advisor for the Qinhuang Kingdom, there should be no connection with the Gesun Kingdom.
The five Imperial Advisors looked at each other as if to say something silently. They were all high ranking members, so if it had been just any regular person inquiring about their Imperial Protector, they would have been extremely displeased. Earlier they hadn’t dared reveal any discontent to the specific group in front of them for fear of offending one of the groups their Imperial Protector was friends with. However, this was a good opportunity to find out more about their Imperial Protector.
The five Imperial Protectors were silent for a moment before Xiao Tian spoke, “Our Imperial Protector’s name is Jian Chen, might one of you recognize the name?”
At the name of Jian Chen, everyone revealed confused looks. They had never heard of such a name before.
Seeing everyone’s faces, the five Imperial Advisors all felt some confusion themselves. With their eyes, they could see that everyone was not familiar with such a name. This result had made them feel curious as well, was there really a connection between the Gesun Kingdom and their Imperial Protector?
In another splendid palace hall, there was a loud clamor as many armored men were eating with joy and laughing with each other. Not only were there high ranking commanders, there were also many representatives of the major powers to the kingdom. Even two of the king’s sons were seated there as they gave toasts.
Among them, the most prominent looking figure was a youth in white robes. The youth looked to be around twenty-seven years old, and although he wasn’t a part of the royal family, every single person within the halls was toasting him. Even the two princes were actively talking with the youth without any arrogance. If anyone who didn’t know them had witnessed this sight, they would have assumed that the three of them were good friends.
This youth was Ming Dong. He had originally been with the Changyang Clan at the western stronghold. Originally, he had planned on going back with the Changyang clan after the war ended, but at the request of the king, he had found it hard to decline coming to participate in this feast.
“Jian Chen, it’s been half a year since you should have left the Holy Lands. Tomorrow I’ll head to the Changyang clan and wait for your return. I don’t doubt that we’ll see each other soon, then, we’ll leave for the Tian Yuan Continent and defeat our foes!” Ming Dong thought to himself back to the days when he and Jian Chen were together. Not only did Ming Dong feel a brotherly camaraderie with Jian Chen, but he was also indebted to him. If it were not for Jian Chen saving his life way back before, he wouldn’t have such power or Jian Chen’s assistance now.
If he hadn’t meet Jian Chen, he wouldn’t have been able to go with Jian Chen to Mercenary City and meet his uncle Tian. If he had not met his uncle Tian, he would have never been able to walk the path toward the heavens.
After the feast ended, Ming Dong was invited to stay at the imperial palace for the night. Ever since the Imperial Advisors from the Qinhuang Kingdom had found out there was no connection between the Gesun Kingdom and Jian Chen, they had lost any interest on staying here. So when the feast ended, they declined to stay and immediately left the imperial palace.
When the five Imperial Advisors left, the experts of the Gesun Kingdom had no desire to stay either and began to return home.
Xiao Tian and the other four walked on the streets away from the palace for a while before Qing Xiaofan spoke, “What should we do next, where do we find the Imperial Protector?”
“To Lore City!” Xiao Tian spoke. “Before he left, the Imperial Protector said that he would be staying in Lore City for a while, let’s go there.”
“That works. However, I have a proposal. Since we don’t get to do this often, why don’t we go at our own pace. In any case, the war is over and it’s unlikely anything bad will happen to the Imperial Protector, so let us go at our own pace.” Tian Luo spoke.
After the other four men agreed, one of them spoke, “En, Tian Luo has a good idea. Since we are in no rush, we may as well take our time. Let us see the homeland where our Imperial Protector grew up and see just what environment this was to bring about such a genius.”
……
Lore City’s Changyang clan.
The Hua Yun Sect had already gathered ourside the Changyang clan’s gates. Inside, several hundred soldiers were gathered by ready to fight.
The leader of the Changyang clan, Chengyang Ba, stood calmly in front of the crowd from the Hua Yun Sect. Right behind him, several elders of the clan stood by with frosty glares toward their enemy.
In front of them, the Hua Yun Sect’s patriarch Cheng Fei had a dozen men behind him as well. Their eyes were sharp like swords and they were all Earth Saint Masters, but the scars on their faces made them seem even more intimidating.
“Changyang Ba, our Hua Yun Sect does not wish to quarrel with you, but Changyang Xiangtian cut off the arm of my child which is a sin I cannot forgive. If you do not hand him over to the Hua Yun Sect, my Hua Yun Sect will be forced to make a move.” Cheng Fei spoke as he glared at Changyang Ba coldly.
Changyang Ba snorted, “Cheng Fei, that year has long since past. It was clearly your son Cheng Mingxiang’s fault after he inflicted heavy wounds upon my own child, Ah’Hu. The troubles that happened afterward came from the trouble that Cheng Mingxiang caused himself. If you wish to blame someone, then blame your own child for his lack of skill. A Great Saint having his arm cut off by a Primary Saint.” Now that the strength of the Changyang clan was far greater than before, Changyang Ba was not afraid of the Hua Yun Sect. So when it came to them, Changyang Ba freely spoke his mind without any filter.
Cheng Fei’s face grew dark as he regarded Changyang Ba with a dangerous voice, “Changyang Ba, could it be that you wish to wage war with my Hua Yun Sect?”
“Although the patriarch is not here, our Changyang clan will not stand to be bullied. If you wish to force our hand, then we will naturally fight against you. Let us see just which power is stronger, your Hua Yun Sect, or my Changyang clan.” Changyang Ba spoke without any semblance of humor being heard in his voice.
“It is true that our patriarch is gone, but do not think our Changyang clan will be bullied like this. We will uphold the strength that our patriarch left behind and right the wrongs that we have once committed those years ago.” Another elder said.
Cheng Fei’s face grew even darker as he spoke, “Do you not understand the consequence of offending our Hua Yun Sect? For the sake of a single person, the entire Changyang clan will fall, do you truly want that?” Within Cheng Fei’s heart, he didn’t wish to fight with the Changyang clan since he had heard of Chang Wuji’s strength at the northern stronghold. At his current level, even if the two Heaven Saint Masters from the Hua Yun Sect were to join hands, it would be unclear on whether or not their sect could win.
“Hmph. Even if our Changyang clan falls and becomes a minor clan, the Hua Yun Sect will not be much better off.” Changyang Ba laughed coldly.
The two sides remained still for a moment, both of them had a little fear in their hearts since both clans knew that their strengths were nearly equal. In the case that a fight broke out, both sides would take a loss and lose power.
After four hours of deadlock, a sudden energy could be seen flying from beyond the horizon. A small speck drew closer toward the Changyang clan before slowly descending down from the sky. Slowly, it arrived right in front of the Hua Yun Sect.
This was an elder with a fiery red robe and white hair that accentuated his elderly face.
Seeing this elder, the Hua Yun Sect’s patriarch Cheng Fei immediately looked excited. Speaking with hesitation, he spoke, “Ma-master… have you broke through?”
The elder nodded his head with a faint smile and excitement. “The heavens have not forgotten about me. I never would have guessed that at the final moment, I would suddenly grasp the concepts of the mysteries of the world and make the breakthrough to become a Heaven Saint Master.”