After a few more minutes of discussion, Davis, Isabella, and Shirley finally came to terms with the Earth Dragon Clan and the Fire Phoenix Clan, although it was just vocal. They set a date for the banquet a month later on the border of the Aurora Cloud Gate Domain and Fire Phoenix Clan’s Western Prefecture, where they agreed to come and sign the Blood Soul Contract.
Although the Great Ancestors secretly pestered Elder Aradiel Furiose to allow them to meet Saintess Lunaria, the other party acted as though Saintess Lunaria had ascended long ago, leaving them to come to him empty-handed.
“Ah. Meeting Saintess is going to be more difficult than I thought.”
“Forget it. She’s a few million years older than us now, and we should have appropriate respect for her age.”
“Ridiculous. We, cultivators, don’t need to think about age at all. We only need to see lifespan.”
“That’s true, but it is still disrespectful. Nonetheless, if the Divine Saintess is present, she will eventually show herself when the world becomes chaotic again. Going against the pact is a direct violation of her goodwill, after all. At that time, the Aurora Cloud Gate might finally come out instead of secluding itself. In this tumultuous decade, there might be a semblance of peace in the First Haven World because of them.”
“…”
Davis listened to them include him in their conversation for some reason. Although he felt that they were still trying to garner some clues from him, he still nodded along with them.
Just as they struck up a conversation about the Grand Immortal Mountain Peak that was supposed to be the location where candidates would gather in ten years, Davis suddenly saw Patriarch Killian Zenflame re-enter the scene.
“Great Ancestor, it’s time.”
“It’s over already?” Great Ancestor Zenflame sighed.
Not only had the Aurora Cloud Gate given them a limited time to talk to their disciples, but they should also scram before other powers could safely settle and start to target the candidates of other powers.
Great Ancestor Zenflame had his lips pursed before nodding his head.
“Alright, we’ll leave.”
Great Ancestor Rocksunder also nodded his head, but then Patriarch Killian Zenflame walked past him and arrived before Elder Aradiel Furiose, cupping his hands.
“Elder, I once again apologize for my misconduct. Now that we have mended our standings with each other, another incident like that wouldn’t happen.”
“Speak. What do you want?”
“Aha. Elder is wise.” Patriarch Killian Zenflame wryly smiled, “Since the time of the Candidacy is nearing, I want to bring back all the youngsters of my clan cultivating here back to our clan, and that naturally includes our Shel Zenflame, who’s ranked fourteenth in the Immortal King Rankings of your Aurora Cloud Gate.”
“…” Davis’s brows narrowed ever so lightly.
Elder Aradiel Furiose appeared contemplative for some time before he opened his mouth, “The Aurora Cloud Gate doesn’t simply send its disciples away whenever their powers ask.”
“Elder, please do something about it.” Patriarch Killian Zenflame implored.
“Fire Phoenix Patriarch, why are you in a hurry?”
“You say that even after seeing a candidate get blown up right in front of thousands of Immortal Emperors? This decade is no longer one that we can allow our disciples to roam freely but call them back to protect them.”
Patriarch Killian Zenflame looked at Patriarch Klavius Rocksunder as though wondering if he was serious. The latter’s expression became understanding before turning to look at Elder Aradiel Furiose and cupping his hands.
“I, the Patriarch of the Earth Dragon Family, also request the Aurora Cloud Gate to send our people back.”
Elder Aradiel Furiose’s expression was still indifferent as ever.<.com>
“I understand that this is a request made under special circumstances. That said, we cannot just give them back to you, but we can dispossess them as long as they agree to leave the Aurora Cloud Gate. This is voluntary expulsion since you are requesting the expulsion of your people. Therefore, write a written letter formally and send it to us. The paperwork would take some time before they are let go of.”
“How much time?”
“Would take some time.”
“…”
Patriarch Killian Zenflame quickly asked, but he was met with the same indifferent answer, causing him to blink.
“I’m alright with it.” Patriarch Klavius Rocksunder merely waved his hand, “As long as they are within the sect, I’m not worried much. Just ban our people from going outside without our permission.”
“That could be doable.” Elder Aradiel Furiose nodded his head.
“We are grateful, elder.”
Patriarch Klavius Rocksunder cupped his hands once again before turning around and calling his entourage. The Immortal Emperors appeared and looked at Davis coldly, still seeming unwilling over this kind of compromise.
However, what could they do about it?
Davis thought that they couldn’t do anything about it as going against the words of their Great Ancestor might be considered treason itself.
After promising to appear at the celebratory banquet a month later, the entourage from the Earth Dragon Clan and Fire Phoenix Clan finally left.
Davis witnessed their huge flying boats that could be called flying ships shuttle away at an extreme speed that they disappeared into the horizons in a few seconds. He wondered what kind of propulsion formation they used, knowing that it must cost a hefty sum to move something that massive and dense, just like Elder Earthsaber’s flying ship.
Nonetheless, Davis suddenly turned to look at Elder Aradiel Furiose, his eyes gleaming.
“Elder, did you just keep those disciples here as hostages for me?”
“Brat, what are you talking about, and how dare you call our disciples hostages? Even if they belong to another power, as long as they don’t make any trouble, they’re full-fledged disciples of our Aurora Cloud Gate. Now scram!”
“Scram. I will scram. Aha~”
Davis laughed as he quickly zoomed out with Isabella and Shirley from the platform, leaving behind a lone elder whose expression churned with some embarrassment.
It really didn’t feel good to be seen through, but then, it also felt gratifying that the disciples noticed. After all, sometimes, the elders do so much for their disciples behind the scenes, and yet, all they get are ungrateful disciples.
It was a saddening thing from the perspective of an old man like him whose only job is to protect and teach nowadays.
“…”
But at this moment, his eyes flickered ever so lightly in the distance.
An icy-white flying ship abruptly warped in, slowing down in the distance before it gradually became bigger and bigger.
‘Now then, why would the Ice Phoenix Clan’s flying ship only come now when they had asked permission to enter before the Fire Phoenix Clan, and Earth Dragon Clan even flew into our land…? Did they have some reason to avoid each other? Because of inheritors?’
Elder Aradiel Furiose narrowed his brows, appearing suspicious of their actions.
