"Is that you, boy?"
The black door continued to rumble as it slowly opened bit by bit. Both Xing Cai and sect master Li Xue could not help but look at each other. Even after all their years of being a mber of the Golden Pavilion, this was probably only the 2nd ti they have seen this black door opening.
Whenever the Matriarch ca out, it was usually only by her own whim. Even if an Elder was dying, she wouldn't even spare a glance if she was in secluded cultivation. The only few tis that she ca out was when and if the existence of the Golden Pavilion was in danger or if they were too noisy.
And soon, the black door fully opened, the steam that was coming out of it made it hard for them to see the Matriarch but based on the moving silhouette, she was walking out.
"I'm with sister Xing Cai!", Viel said, his tone containing a bit of excitent, "We're here to ask for a fav--!"
Before Viel could finish his words, the Matriarch fully revealed herself. And revealed herself she did.
Her long wet hair was sticking on her cheeks, all the way to her bosoms which were slightly visible due to her thin robes being completely soaked in water
Viel could not help but look to the side as his heart started to beat uncontrollably. He wanted to finish his words, but the only thing that ca out of his mouth were stuttered breaths.
Xing Cai could not help but squint her eyes as she noticed Viel's expression. This was probably the first ti she saw Viel this flustered. It sowhat reminded her of Viel when he was younger, he was truly too cute back then.
But then, it suddenly clicked to her as to why Viel held this kind of expression. Viel quickly volunteered to et with the Matriarch as soon as she was ntioned, plus his sowhat nervous and excited deanor on their way here. Viel has a crush on their Matriarch!
With that in her mind, she couldn't help but smirk as she looked towards Viel. He has been cheeky lately ever since he was bestowed the title of Lord by Jin-ri. This was a good chance to find sothing to tease Viel with.
"Oh", Matriarch Yinji's voice echoed through the golden hallway, "Little Cai is here as well?", she muttered as she looked curiously towards Xing Cai.
"Matriarch", Xing Cai quickly kneeled as the Matriarch placed her attention on her. Xing Cai could not help but slightly let out a sigh of disappointnt as she slightly looked to the ground. She thought that after going through more than a hundred dungeons and gaining strength from it, she would sowhat be a match against the Matriarch.
But now that she was in front of her, she couldn't be any more wrong. Xing Cai has grown stronger. Stronger than even the sect master, but the Matriarch? She was truly in a league of her own.
"What brings you here?", the Matriarch said as she approached Xing Cai and carefully touched her shoulders, "If I rember, the last ti I saw you was when you lost your baby?"
"!!!"
Viel's eyes instantly widened as soon as he heard this. He quickly turned his head towards Xing Cai, his eyes filled with nothing but bewildernt and concern.
"Sister Xing Cai", Viel stuttered, "You had a baby?"
"Oh", Matriarch Yinji blinked her eyes a couple of tis as she heard Viel's tone, "The boy doesn't know? I truly apologize for that"
"It's okay", Xing Cai could only close her eyes as she let out a deep sigh, "That was... a very long ti ago", Xing Cai said as she slightly shook her head, "We actually ca here because of your brother, Grand Marshal Yinfei"
Even though Xing Cai quickly shifted the topic, the thought was already firmly planted in Viel's mind as he remained staring at Xing Cai.
"Yinfei?", hearing her brother's na, Matriarch Yinji's eyebrows quickly lowered, "Why? What has that brat done now?", she sighed, her tone containing a hint of annoyance.
And so, completely pushing the topic of her having a child, Xing Cai reported about their findings. The case of the drifter children being abducted, forcefully indoctrinating them to sects as mbers, and how his brother, the Grand Marshal, was found to be the one pulling all the strings.
And based on the findings of Sofia's shadow, Nina, there were more than a dozen sects involved in the practice.
The landmass of the whole Golden Pavilion sect quaked as the Matriarch punched her palm, her face completely vexed.
Her sect now also had people from the other world as their mbers, but they only brought those who truly wanted to follow them. Not forcing those who wish to remain in the other. And even those that wanted to co, but will be leaving behind a family, they did not allow to go.
But for his younger brother to be scheming sothing like this. Kidnapping people from the other worlds. She couldn't help but feel displeased, and not to ntion, highly disappointed.
"That brat!", she roared in annoyance, "Instead of focusing on his cultivation, he just plays around!"
"Let's go!", the Matriarch marched across the hallway, her steps impatient, "Lead to the Imperial Palace!"
"N now?", Xing Cai could not help but be slightly taken aback, "Should we not send a letter to the Emperor first?"
Hearing Xing Cai's words, Matriarch Yinji only clicked her tongue, "Send a letter to Cha In-ha? Another tool of a man. I reckon he is probably the reason why my brother focuses on the wrong things. Serving a tool like that will never be good!"
"This", Xing Cai could not help but take a gulp. Was it really the right decision to ask their Matriarch for help? But alas, she was already here. And seeing her angered expression, there was no way that she could convince her to stop.
"Please wait, Matriarch", Xing Cai chased Yinji, "We still need Jin-ri to co with us", she said.
"Jin-ri?", Matriarch Yinji tilted her head.
"Yes. Princess Cha Jin-ri, Emperor Cha's daughter"
"What!?", Yinji could not help but widen her eyes, "That snob has a daughter? Unbelievable", genuine shock filled the Matriarch's eyes, "Maybe I should take a rest in cultivating and visit so of my other friends"
Matriarch Yinji placed her hand on her chin, her eyes filled with intrigue.
"Fine, let's go fetch the girl first", she said, her expression sowhat curious, "I want to see what kind of child that old tool could possibly produce"
Viel followed the two as they rushed to the outside. His eyes, however, were still full of weight. He still could not get over the fact that his sister Xing Cai had a baby. Viel hasn't thought of it before, but even though Xing Cai was his sworn sister, he really doesn't know much about her.
And so, with his gaze unfocused, he quietly followed the two as they headed back to Xingcai city.
***
"This city is yours?"
"Hm"
Viel was tasked by Xing Cai to tour Matriarch Yinji around the city while she helped Jin-ri prepare the things she had to prepare. Although they already had the Grand Marshal's older sister by their side, it would still be better to be fully prepared with evidence incriminating him.
"I see. Quite a fine city, boy", Yinji said as she walked with her hands behind her, "The people seem to look up to you"
"Do do they?", Viel could not help but stutter as he and Yinji walked side by side.
"That they do, boy", Yinji nodded her head as she looked at the people staring at them with eyes filled with respect.
"So, besides the children from the other world, most of the other people living here were from different sects?", Yinji tilted her head.
"Yes", Viel quickly nodded, "They challenged us to our Annual Tournant and we defeated them", Viel slightly released a sigh.
It was supposed to be an Annual Tournant, so when another sect challenged their city again within a few weeks after the first tournant, Viel could not help but feel annoyed. Jiff suggested just to na it 'Biannual Tournant', suffice to say, no one liked it.
"I see", Yinji slightly humd, "So, if I challenge you to a duel and lose would I also be coerced into living here?"
"E eh", Viel blinked his eyes a couple of tis as he didn't know what to answer Yinji.
"Ma--"
"Matriarch, we're ready"
Viel was about to say sothing, but before he could do so, Xing Cai's voice called for them from behind. Seeing Viel's flustered and blushed face again, Xing Cai could not help but reveal another smirk. Things will be fun from now on, she thought.
"Alright", the Matriarch nodded, her expression once again turning serious.
"Let's go knock so sense in that imbecile brother of mine"
Reviews
All reviews (0)