“Lord father, just what on earth is Zhuo Fan thinking? Someone’s cracking his defenses yet he just stands there to watch? He’s looking down on us.”
Tuoba Liufeng pointed at the house lords with an odd look.
Tuoba Tieshan frowned, “Are those arrays real or not? Is he buying time? His actions are baffling and hard to make sense of.”
“Liufeng, come with me to see the elders.” Tuoba Tieshan spoke.
Tuoba Liufeng cried, “So soon? Aren’t they our trump card?”
“Speed is of the essence in war.” Tuoba Tieshan walked and Tuoba Liufeng hurried after.
The two came upon a tent when they heard a nasty voice, “Lian’er, you have a wonderful and fine constitution. So young and yet so able in beast taming. Two years under my tutelage and you’ll surpass even me, he-he-he… ”
“I thank you, Elder She, for your kind words, but I can’t bear to leave my family…” Lian’er said with difficulty.
Another voice cut her off, “Commander Touba will not stand in the way of Lian’er’s brilliant future.”
Tuoba Tieshan was outraged, [That coot is being fresh with my daughter.]
Tuoba Liufeng was just as annoyed. But they both bottled the rage as they entered.
“Commander, young master!”
The Eight Wolf Wardens bowed, though just as outraged.
While above the main seat were three extra-wide chairs, occupied by bare-chested men showing their muscles.
One man had silky black hair, with big eyebrows and big eyes. On his chest was a huge and ferocious tiger.
The father and son bowed, “Elder Hu!”
On his right was a bearded elder with narrow eyes and knit brows, yet he let out an eerie green gaze, instilling fear.
On his chest was a mangy wolf.
“Elder Lang!” The two bowed again.
The last one had a sinister face, with a handlebar mustache and vulgar eyes.
His hand was ‘caressing’ Touba Lian’er’s soft hand as he showed a content look.
On his chest was a viper with savage eyes.
The father and son clenched their fists and bowed, “Elder She!”
“Ha-ha-ha, Commander Touba.” Elder She never drew his hand. Lian’er couldn’t take hers back even if she wanted to either.
He was taking advantage of the commander’s daughter in broad daylight.
These three never cared much about him anyway.
Imperial Tutor saw Tuoba Tieshan on the brink of exploding, “Brother Tieshan, have you come to ask the elders to step in?”
“Yes!”
Tuoba Tieshan cupped his hands, “Elders, please break the city’s arrays and help my army enter Windgaze City!”
The three elders snorted. Elder She was still holding that oh so fine hand, “Commander Touba, I thought I told you, we are Ethereal Stage experts, not your soldiers. Breaking arrays is your job. We’re only here to deal with any unforeseen expert that may crop up.”
The other elders nodded.
[Pretentious pricks, breaking the defense isn’t your duty, but hitting on my little girl is?]
Tuoba Tieshan fumed.
The Eight Wolf Wardens glowered with bloodlust.
But the elders had no care in the world. Radiant Stage experts could come in score at them and it’d still do nothing.
Han Tiemo mediated, “Elders, it involves Tianyu giving us a tenth of its lands, rich in spirit mines, of interest to Beast Taming Sect. With the arrays in place Commander Touba’s attacks will be for naught and the more time passes the worse it will get, leading to defeat. When you return to the sect, it will be hard to explain it.”
“Imperial Tutor, is that a threat?” Elder Hu glared.
Han Tiemo waved, “I would never. It is only a conclusion of mine. The longer we take, the more likely it is for Tianyu’s three guardian sects to hear of this. It will blow the easy credit elders will take into smoke and return empty-handed. Sigh, I just can’t bear to see it.”
The three changed expressions at last.
It was Elder Hu who nodded, “Imperial Tutor, you have a good head on your shoulders. Right then, we better get it over with. Obscene Snake, Jackal, let’s go. We’ll have plenty of time for fun when we get Tianyu’s land.”
Elder Hu left. Elder Lang was fast behind while Elder She sighed at his break up with Lian’er’s hand.
Though not forgetting to give Lian’er a once over, filled with unmentionable promises, “Lian’er, I want you as my disciple, hi-hi-hi…”
All three left the tent. Tuoba Tieshan shuddered in pure anger. Zha Lahan roared, “You call those Beast Taming Sect elders? They’re a joke!”
Lian’er sobbed in silence, with Tuoba Liufeng hugging her.
Han Tiemo sighed, “Brother Tieshan, come, you know about conquering cities best. Your experience is needed. The Eight Wolf Wardens have to come as well.”
“Conquering? How can I ever say that when I am so powerless, as a commander of Quanrong, to even protect my own daughter?” Tuoba Tieshan blustered.
Han Tiemo sighed, “There was no way to know they’d send these childish men when we asked the Beast Taming Sect for help. Hu Xiongmeng, Lang Canbao and She Yinxie are the worst allies to have. I heard Yin She even has a coupling skill, robbing countless women of their yin.”
“Brother Tieshan, danger will come now that he has his eyes on your daughter. I advise you to take her someplace else, where he can’t find her.”
Tuoba Tieshan looked at Lian’er with worry.
Lian’er was nervous, watching him lost.
“Han Tiemo, His Highness, the Crown Prince, had asked for Lian’er last year. If I agree…” Tuoba Tieshan hesitated, “That Yin She won’t dare make a move on the Crown Prince’s woman.”
Han Tiemo nodded, “But His Highness is lustful and reckless. There will be no way out from this.”
“At least Lian’er will be safe. When a girl’s yin will be robbed, her life will go with it.” Tuoba Tieshan sighed.
Lian’er was heartbroken, with big tears streaming down her cheek knowing her impossible fate…
Moving on to the elders flying to Windgaze City, they showed unprecedented mockery at the five hundred arrays shining on the clouds above.
“He-he-he, is this what has made Tuoba Tieshan so jittery? Humph, a snap from us and it’ll be all over.” Elder Hu laughed, “That old fool must be scared of taking too many losses to send us!”
“Meng Hu, just get on with it already!” Elder Lang hurried him on, “I’ll do it then, since everyone knows arrays beneath 7th grade are pointless, they can’t do anything to Ethereal Stage experts. Breaking these arrays is a cinch.”
Just as he moved a voice came.
“Commander Touba sent you? It’s no use with these strange arrays. You can only do it by force.” One old man said, taking them for allies.
Zhuo Fan’s gang heard him as well.
They jerked, noticing the three elders.
“They must be really strong to come so close yet for us to not notice them.” Grandmother said.
Zhuo Fan frowned, “The experts are here.”
Elder Lang snorted at the old men and flicked a blue wind.
Zhuo Fan watched as the fogies fell to the ground with empty eyes.
“Soul destruction, an Ethereal Stage expert!” Zhuo Fan shouted…
