by Tony Tran
So as Jian Wei was dragged away by his advisors and ministers, Zhang and Ai flew off while their soft chuckles were drowned out by the howling wind.
“I think it's time for dinner.” Ai said as the puffy cloud she was sitting on drifted across the sky toward the Imperial Institute’s mess hall.
Perhaps it became an unspoken custom but every night Zhang and the beauties would gather at the mess hall to dine with the institute's students.
This unspoken custom had actually started because of the numerous invitations that were sent by the institute’s male populous asking the beauties out on dates. Promoting Zhang to publicly dine with his wives to show that they were taken.
Ironically despite how well known Zhang and the beauties are, when the Imperial Institute first opened, many students did not recognize them. Perhaps it was because of the weird rumors that had been floating around about their appearances or maybe because they were the same age as some of the institute’s students, whatever the reason, while the Zhang was asked out by a majority of the institute's female population, his wives were asked out by the institute's male population.
So, in the end as a public display that by Zhang to tell others the beauties were his and for the beauties to tell everyone that Zhang has been laid claim to, they all started eating dinner in the mess hall together with the institute’s students. But despite their public display of both their statuses and affection for each other, Zhang would often get challenged to duels by the students with the love of beauties at stake, of course, the opposite was true also as the beauties would occasionally receive challenges also.
However, for the most part, it was just mostly Zhang because as things were seen, there was no need to challenge the beauties because if anything Zhang could just marry more wives.
“What took you guys so, long?” Three voices could be heard in unison as Zhang and Ai hopped off their fluffy ride and began to ascend the steps that lead into the mess hall.
“How was class?” Zhang asked with a laugh as he looked toward Yuying, Ling, and Lingqi who were dressed in robes that showed they were teachers within the Imperial Institute.
“One of my students made the corpse she reanimated blow up and got stuff on everyone in class.” Yuying said with eyes brimming with excitement.
“One on my students was able to decipher a mid-grade technique that hasn't been practiced for hundreds of years.” Ling said with eyes that were equally brimming with excitement.
“Teaching in itself is learning, today thanks to a student of mine I was able to come up with a new method to graft plants.” Lingqi said with a smile.
“Have you guys told the students about our little field trip?” Zhang asked with a smile.
“Of course.” Lingqi, Yuying, and Ling said in unison.
Since Zhang had now assembled a considerable force under his command, he felt it was time to finally retrieve that treasure that his master Xin Tao had discovered countless years ago. The treasure that included a vast amount of magical items, reservoirs of liquid mithril, untold riches and most importantly one of the seven heavenly treasures, the Rising Moon Sword.
Of course, Zhang’s students did not know about the treasure and were simply told they would go on a trip to hunt and capture demonic beasts. An outrageous secret such as the location of a massive treasure that many could only dream of seeing and a heavenly treasure that was among one of the few most sought after items within the continent was not something to be told to any of Zhang’s trusted general's or advisers, let alone mere students.
“I also made sure to tell them that anyone who manages to capture either the most or strongest demonic beast would receive a reward.” Lingqi said as she and the rest of the group made their way into the mess hall.
“I made sure to tell my students that also.” Ling and Yuying said one after the other as they arrived at a large round table on the second floor of the mess hall and seated themselves.
“Although it's been countless years since master had been to that place since no news of the Rising Moon Sword being found has surfaced, I think it's safe to say no one has found out where the treasure is.” Zhang as he sat down.
Considering the amount of time that Xin Tao had been dead, the memory that he imprinted into Zhang’s mind could be totally wrong when compared to the current reality. Before the location of the treasure was within a forest filled with demonic beasts, however now a city could possibly be built near it. However, the only way to find out was to go to the location and see.
So, with a mixture of excitement and curiosity in the air, the mess hall was filled the voices of countless students who sat on the first floor. Whereas most of the students sat on the first floor, the institute’s faculty and a select few students who scored top marks were able to sit on the second floor with Zhang and the beauties.
Soon after Zhang and his wives were seated, a vast array of delicious looking dishes were brought out and set atop their table and thus their meal began.
“Brother try some of this.” Ai said with a smile as she picked up some food with her chopsticks and placed it in Zhang’s bowl, much to the despair and heartbreak of her many admirers.
Afterward, a few more hearts were broken as the other beauties also placed some food into their husband’s bowl. But of course, no one dared to say or do anything because the few that did during the first few days the institute opened had been taught a lesson by Zhang they would remember for quite some time.
If fifteen laps around the institute's campus every day for a month was not bad enough, various professors and educators who were hoping to gain Zhang’s favor doubled the amount of homework these individuals received. So, for a month or two those who dared to cause Zhang trouble experienced what could only be described as torture.
Chapter 79: Council of Saints
Three days after Jian Wei has managed to sneak away from his ministers and advisors and found his way onto the Sky Fortress through one of the teleportation arrays located within the imperial city, the citizens who lived in the Aurora Empire’s capital watched in awe as the massive city that floated in the sky began to move and roughly a month and a half later it was floating over its destination, a location just south of from the Lunar Mountains and the land governed by sects.
Unlike the memory that Xin Tao shared with Zhang, from the sky gazing down on the Beast’s Nirvana, dozens of ruins could be seen poking out of the forest’s canopy. Broken towers and fragmented walls came into view, showing signs of past human settlements after Xin Tao and the group of saints that accompanied him had found this place.
“Keep the cloud creation arrays up for the remainder of our stay and send out scouts to survey the surrounding area before we disembark.” Zhang said to one of his soldiers as he gazed down into a circular mirror that showed him the landscape below.
“I’ll pass down the orders right away my lord.” The soldier said as he departed from the room.
Hoping to make his fortress in the sky less noticeable, Zhang with a bit of expertise from Yuying had dozens of arrays that drew power from the essence core installed to generate clouds that cloaked the bottom of the fortress.
After Zhang’s orders were given out, hundreds of Golden Winged Eagles flew outward and across the vast sky as their riders clad in black armor that gleamed underneath the sun’s rays looked for signs of people and beasts.
Equipped with telescopes that were invented and mass produced by Zhang, the riders atop the Golden Winged Eagles that appeared like moving specks from the ground were able to scan the terrain underneath them. Despite riding Golden Winged Eagles, these men were not the former soldiers of the Golden Wing Army, rather these were Zhang's handpicked soldiers who are the first of Aurora’s Imperial Winged Legion.
If everything goes according to Zhang’s plans, then after a few years the Winged Legion would become a force to be wrecked with upon the battlefield.
“Let we practiced, boys.” A soldier who appeared to be the commanding officer of t
he Winged Legion said as he gave hand signals to the other riders who were atop Golden Winged Eagles. Following their commander’s hand signals, the hundreds of men who made up the Winged Legion split apart in all directions.
As the members of the Winged Legion fanned out, combed the air and tried to peer through the canopy of the forest, they spotted a total of ten small pummels of smoke snaking upward into the sky roughly twenty miles away from the Sky Fortress. From what Zhang’s scouts, could make out, these towers of smoke belonged to newly lit campfires. Through the gaps in the canopy, many white tents could be seen and countless more people were spotted.
“What is a lot like you doing here? Judging from the looks on your faces you're not from soldiers from any of the holy kingdoms.” A voice rang into every member of the Winged Legion within the area above the tents and pummels of smoke.
Looking toward the source of the voice, a man who looked neither young nor old with black hair but white colored eyebrows could be seen standing atop a levitating sword.
“Don’t you know that know that by the decree of the Council of Heavenly Saints that no kingdom ruled by mortals nor its armies are supposed to come within a thousand miles of the Lunar Mountains without an escort?” The man with white eyebrows said in a stern and mocking voice as if he was talking to nothing more than pests.
“My lord, we apologize if we have caused you any inconvenience, we’ll be on our way.” The commander of the Winged Legion said as he shot a red colored flare into the sky, signaling for his subordinates to retreat.
“As an elder of the Lunar Sect it would be beneath me to kill you, however, you're trespassing and breaking the rules set by the Council of Heavenly Saints cannot go unpunished. Surrender all of your demonic beasts to me and you may leave with your lives.” The man with white eyebrows said as he eyed the majestic Golden Winged Eagles that Zhang’s soldiers were riding.
“I apologize, your lordship, but these eagles are not ours to give.” The commander of the Winged Legion said, realizing the man’s intentions after seeing his greed filled eyes.
As far as the values of demonic beasts went flying demonic beasts especially tamed ones were very much sought after and could fetch a premium price at auctions and that was for lower leveled ones, let alone the level seven Golden Winged Eagles that were trained for war.
“Then don’t resent me for not giving you a warning.” The white eyebrow man said as the sword underneath his feet began to chase toward the fleeing soldiers of the Winged Legion.
In the Sky Tower, a frown appeared on Zhang’s face as he saw the red flare being shot into the sky.
“Brother, it seems there are people here to play with.” Ai said as she looked at the red flare that was slowly fading away while releasing her divine sense and scanning the area. After absorbing the heavenly energy of the lesser saints, Ai, Ling, Lingqi and Yuying found that the area that could be covered by their divine sense had increased to roughly fifty miles.
At first, they had refrained from using their divine sense because they wished to be stealthy. Since if there were high-level cultivators in the surrounding area they would be alerted.
“A level ten cultivator is chasing after our people. There is also a camp with a couple hundred to a thousand people with a few of them being level ten while the rest range from levels five to seven.” Ai said as she looked in the direction where the Winged Legion was being chased.
“Let’s have the students and some of our soldiers disembark and begin the field trip while we deal with these unexpected guests after enjoying a little show.” Zhang said as the silver ring on his finger began to glow in a bloody red color and the Sky Fortress began to move.
While the Sky Fortress was moving toward a small mountain, a puffy cloud with five passengers floated out from the Azure Tower and headed for where the Winged Legion was.
Although the man with white eyebrows was extremely fast atop his flying sword, the Winged Legion put their skills on display as the dozens of aerial maneuvers taught to them by Zhang were used.
Much to the white eyebrow man’s dismay, he could not catch up to his targets no matter how much he tried because whenever he got close they could somehow manage to slip out of his grasp. To make things worse he felt a pulse move through his entire body, alerting him that someone just used their divine sense to scan the area.
“They have a level ten cultivator with them? Whoever is with them should only be a rogue cultivator or else they could know about the decree but I should call for help to be sure in case there is more than one level ten cultivator.” The man thought as he waved his hand and a sound transmission device appeared in his hand. Before long, a dozen or so, swords carrying a mixture of men and women shot into the sky from the camp hidden beneath the forest’s canopy.
“Tian Kong, I’m here go and join the others back at the fort.” Zhang’s voice could be heard in the mind of all of the soldiers of the Winged Legion whose panicked stricken expression, due to the appearance of dozens of hostiles whom they knew they were no match for, were relieved upon hearing their master’s voice and reassurance.
“Seniors, if you could place spare my man and me for our ignorance.” Zhang’s voice said as the puffy cloud beneath his feet sped through the sky and placed him and the beauties in front of the paths of those who were pursuing his men.
“The crime of breaking a degree set by the council is punishable by death. As I’ve told your men, no kingdom ruled by mortals nor its armies are supposed to come within a thousand miles of the Lunar Mountains without an escort. However, I was generous enough to let them go with a mere warning but to think you backwater rogues have the gall to think my mercy could be exploited.” The white eyebrow man said with a dignified voice.
“As things are there are only five of us but about twenty of them and he probably thinks that we are all mere saints like them. So, he thinks we can be threatened and taken advantage of. However, if I just kill them all I might stir up unwanted attention and trouble from whatever sect they are from.” Zhang thought as he eyed the white eyebrow man and his colleagues who were all dressed in matching light blue robes.
“Again, I apologize for any inconveniences that we may have caused you but those demonic beasts are not mine to give as they belong to my master.” Zhang said as he cooked up a plan in his head. Since his men were in armor clearly showing they are soldiers and being without an escort Zhang could not deny the fact that he did in fact break whatever decree was setup and upheld within these lands.
“Whoever your master is we do not care, what we do care about is that you’ve broken a sacred degree set by the Council of Saints. If we were to report you not only you and your men but your entire kingdom would incur the wrath of the council. On top of things, if you do not compensate us for wasting our time then you’ll make enemies of our Lunar Sect.” The white eyebrow man said with a greedy smile as a few of his colleagues jeered him on while looking at the beauties with lecherous eyes. A few others who were also the white eyebrow man’s colleagues looked at him with contempt but did not voice their opinions and tried to uphold a united front.
“It seems my master, Dan Jin, is not as important as he says he is.” Zhang said with a dry laugh as he said the name of the elderly man who dressed like a beggar.
“Da-Dan Jin? Ma-master Dan Jin? He couldn’t possibly mean that Dan Jin?” One of the level ten cultivators of the Lunar Sect stuttered as he tried to speak.
“I knew someone who dressed like a beggar and claimed he was a saint wasn’t someone to be trusted… I can’t believe I was tricked so, easily.” Zhang said as he pretended facepalm himself.
“Uncle Dan Jin lied to us? Couldn’t be, he even taught me a few high-level wind techniques. Honey, he also loaned us these eagles to come visit him how could he possibly be lying, how can a regular beggar have so, many demonic beasts to loan?” Ling said as she played along with Zhang’s lie.
“Beggar, wind… Dan Jin…” The white eyebrow man said with as his thought
s began to scramble together.
“Eight Brother, I think he may be talking about that Dan Jin, the reason why no one dares to offend any of the beggars in the Lunar Kingdom…” A man who appeared to be in his thirties said in a whisper to the white eyebrow man.
“Seniors, although I may have been lied to, those demonic beasts really don’t belong to me so, I can’t give them to you but perhaps once I have a word with their owner and explain the situation I can hand them over? If you would give me a few days to go find him. Also, to prove my intentions are real I’ll leave my men, my wives and the demonic beasts in your care until I come back.” Zhang said with a sharp gaze.
“Explain to their owner? You mean explain to master Dan Jin? No need for that, I think we may have had a little misunderstanding.” The white eyebrow man said with a dry laugh as he realized the consequences that may occur if Zhang really did bring back Dan Jin after explaining to him the situation.