Running around in Luo Sword Manor’s place was considered unbecoming for being composed was considered a virtue. Howbeit, Luo Clan’s chamberlain sprinted across Repository Island in his declining ages at sunset and went straight through the estate without knocking to announce, “Everyone, it is time to depart!”
“I’ve been waiting to hear that.” Emperor Yuansheng called, “… Men.”
“Present!”
Luo Clan’s chamberlain stepped outside to allow them to speak in private.
Dugu expressed, “I feel uneasy leaving your side for three days. Please take care, Your Majesty.”
“I’ll be fine. I’ll do my best to stick to Patriarch Luo. Is there anyone to fear with him accompanying me? My six warriors…” Emperor Yuansheng nodded as he surveyed his six competitors – barely nodding due to his neck injury. “We are not fighting this battle for ourselves but our homeland. Give it everything you have, and fight to the death. Should you fall, your family will become my family. Your parents will be my parents. Your assets will be my assets. Go, my warriors!”
“You should go, Your Majesty.”
“Ahem.” Emperor Yuansheng straightened up his neck and continued, “I was trying to lighten the atmosphere with a joke. I was supposed to fight, but I had an accident…” Emperor Yuansheng looked over to Ming Feizhen, who looked up to the ceiling, and then resumed. “The road ahead is wrought with danger, so prioritise your safety. Don’t always try to be a hero. Use your head when the situation calls for it. Losing any of you is a big loss to the nation. If you cannot beat your opponent, search for alternatives. Don’t risk yourself. Yiren, you must be careful. Leave the dangerous stuff to these stupid hooligans. You just focus on protecting yourself.”
“As you command!” Shen Yiren caked her face with make-up and wore a pink warrior robe. The red dot between her eyes highlighted her warrior spirit. “I promise you a victory!”
Unable to voice his concern, Emperor Yuansheng glared daggers at Ming Feizhen. “Prioritise your wellbeing. Don’t ruin your health.”
Shen Yiren gently shuddered: “… Yes, Your Majesty.”
Eyes teary, Long Zaitian stepped forward: “Your Majesty, please take care. I do not have a lot of assets. I have five coppers here in my pocket… Take it!”
“You going to get lost, or will I have to make you?!”
Under the lead of Luo Clan’s chamberlain, the group, each in their own world, arrived at the shore, where two kakams and two individuals dressed similar to assassins in the night awaited them. Luo Clan’s chamberlain shouted at the two wearing bamboo hats with “Luo Sword” written on them, “Mount Daluo and Li Clan’s teams are here.”
Long Zaitian questioned, “Why are there two boats?”
Luo Clan’s chamberlain let the question go out his other ear and led Li Clan’s team to one individual: “Although all competitors are commuting to the location via the same means, every team is transported to the island differently. Since we have two teams here, one shall depart ahead of the other. Irrespective of how close you may be with each other, you must abide to the rules.”
“What rule? My fist is the rule! Separating us is like lopping off part of me! You want to duke it out to see who gets the final say?!”
“You reserve the right to withdraw now if you do not wish to oblige.”
Long Zaitian spat on the ground, then turned to Shen Yiren with his joker face: “How about joining our team, Miss Shen?”
“You going to get lost, or will I have to make you?” responded Shen Yiren.
Long Zaitian spun around and pointed to one of the individuals in black: “Hear the lady? She told you to get lost!”
The individual replied, “Once you reach the island, you will have absolute freedom. We will not interfere with what you do.”
Subsequent to the six’s discussion, Tie Hanyi saluted Luo Clan’s group: “Understood. Where will we be going?”
“Each Luo Sword navigator will lead teams to the island differently. This one shall answer any question you may have once you have boarded.”
Tie Hanyi and Dugu boarded silently, while Long Zaitian kept verbally attacking the individual even after boarding.
Su Xiao could feel the cold from the two on either side of him. Ming Feizhen couldn’t have stormed into Shen Yiren’s bathroom or something when he didn’t have finger marks on his face or broken bones. The inkstone mark wasn’t informative since it was seen too frequently to be considered abnormal.
“Please board now.” Once the trio boarded, the individual with the bamboo hat let a smile spread across his lips: “Welcome to Refining Divine Convention.”
Glossary
Kakam – https://bit.ly/3dNS7HL (Visual). Sampans are the ones with flat bottoms and used mainly for travel on rivers and by fisherman and function similarly.