Chapter 1891: "The Twelve Palaces' Summit (5)"
"There is just one thing. Ensure Gu Xin Yan's safety." Gu Ying said.
"Yes!"
Time passed as the days went by, and the various palaces gathered at the summit's venue. The number of people grew but what should have been a busy and bustling scene became unimaginably strange. The location for the congregation was in an empty city at the foot of a mountain, a place that had always been meant to be used as a place for discussions among the Twelve Palaces.
The entire city had laid empty for close to a thousand years and it was only recently that teams from the various palaces stepped into this place.
Within the entire city, the atmosphere was oppressive and tense, common to see swords being drawn and bow drawn everywhere.
Just half a year ago, the various palaces had still been able to maintain a semblance of harmony on the surface but now, that harmony had been broken completely with the disciples from the various palaces who had been locked in bitter battle for the past half year harbouring deep grudges against each other. Now that they were forcibly gathered up together in the same place, the gazes they looked at each other with were filled with enmity.
If not for the strict orders given by the Elders from the various palaces where defiance would mean death, it was feared that before the summit even began, these people would have already fought each other to their deaths.
Within the city's streets and small alleys, groups gathered in teams could be seen, walking around dressed in the same uniforms. Real slaughter had not happened but many conflicts were rising constantly in private.
Despite seeing that the atmosphere was getting so tense that it was becoming hard for everyone to breathe, there were instead several people who took advantage of the silence and cover of night to gather together in an inconspicuous little house, meeting together under the weak light from a single candle's flame, chattering to each other in conversation.
"Hey hey! I'll say, weren't you too vicious with your strikes Brother Hua? You bashed me up so bad that I wasn't able to get out from bed for an entire month! Even though we needed to put up a show for people to see, you did not have to hit me that hard did you?" In the dimly lit little house, dressed in the Flame Demons Palace's uniform, Qiao Chu was complaining mournfully of Hua Yao's evil conduct.
Hua Yao, who was seated right across Qiao Chu, was dressed in a dark purple uniform with a lightning emblem as his gaze passed fleetingly over Qiao Chu.
"If I had been too gentle with you, the Flame Demons Palace would not have believed it." Hua Yao said indifferently.
Qiao Chu's face was one of depression.
From the beginning, he had gone to the Flame Demons Palace and Hua Yao had gone to the Purple Thunder Palace. The Purple Thunder Palace possessed rather considerable might and back before the Battle of Deities Grand Meet, the two of them had already gotten into a "fight" upon the summit of Mount Fu Yao, so when they were all sowing discord among the Twelve Palaces this time, Qiao Chu and Hua Yao had used their previous "grudge" to drag their two palaces into another round of conflict.
To lock the Flames Palace Palace and the Purple Thunder Palace into unceasing turmoil as long as the other party still lived.
"I think the two of you should give it a rest now. It should be great to have someone working in coordination with you on the other side." Rong Ruo said in helpless laughter, as she shook her head.
Within the Flame Demons Palace and the Purple Thunder Palace, with Qiao Chu and Hua Yao working together, inciting a dispute was not all that hard for them but she was the only one in the Soul Return Palace and the target she picked was the Flamboyant Palace. There was no one in the Flamboyant Palace to collude with in the Flamboyant Palace to make it easy to create conflict.
"Fei Yan had it the easiest. Everything that was needed to be done was already all done by Little Xie for him." Qiao Chu said, immediately turning towards Fei Yan seated on the side and was laughing as he bit on an apple.
The bitter grudge between the Dragon Slayers Palace, the Blood Fiend Palace and the Pure Grace Palace was stirred up by Jun Wu Xie back when they were in the Pure Grace Palace and there wasn't anything important left for Fei Yan to complete.
"That's where you are wrong. Zhuge Yin's old man would naturally want to avenge his son but the entire bunch of old things in the Dragon Slayers Palace were not all that keen to. It had taken a whole great deal of persuasion from me before they believed that the Blood Fiend Palace colluded with the Pure Grace Palace and they were intentionally creating trouble for the Dragon Slayers Palace before they agreed to pit themselves against the Blood Fiend Palace." Fei Yan hastily sought to redress the injustice.
Chapter 1892: "The Twelve Palaces' Summit (6)"
"You guys should not complain so much. Fan Zhuo has not even said a word." Rong Ruo said as she shook her head in helpless laughter.
Being named, his expression turned a little bit embarrassed.
Qiao Chu then parroted: "Little Zhuo has been the best! He actually managed to stir up trouble among the Dark Heavens Palace, the Green Tide Palace and the Zen Void Palace! Tell us quick! How did you manage that?" Qiao Chu was getting excited. The others had all done rather well but Fan Zhuo's accomplishment had been truly outstanding.
The Dark Heavens Palace held significant might, good enough to be on par with the Dragon Slayers Palace but they were usually more steady and kept a low profile, often playing the role of peacemaker among the Twelve Palaces. But this time, Fan Zhuo had thrown the Dark Heavens Palace right into the teeth of the storm, where not only had it throttled the Zen Void Palace half to death, it had even sunken its fangs into the Green Tide Palace! It could be said to be the most boisterous wave anyone of them had been able to stir up.
Fan Zhuo was feeling a little embarrassed from all the praise Qiao Chu and the others were heaping onto him and he gave a embarrassed smile before telling all of them very briefly on the method he had used, which caused Qiao Chu to clap his hands loudly in praise .
"All the preparations on our side are already almost complete, and it's all up to Little Xie to conclude the whole thing. Did anyone of you manage to see her in the past half year?" Qiao Chu asked. The turmoil among the Twelve Palaces had been churned to a boil and it was high time to deliver the last strike, and that last strike was to be initiated by Jun Wu Xie.
"When we were leaving the Pure Grace Palace, I noticed that Little Xie left with people from the Shadow Moon Palace. Without any untoward incidents, she should have gone to the Shadow Moon Palace. Hadn't she sent news to us through the jade token? I believe she must have taken on the Shadow Moon Palace on her own." Fan Zhuo said with a laugh.
The one whom all of them needed to worry about the least was Jun Wu Xie. Anyone of them might possibly fall to become disadvantaged, but she was the only exception where it was entirely not possible.
"I am suddenly starting to pity the people from the Shadow Moon Palace." Qiao Chu said with a highly mournful face.
At most, they had all incited conflict between the parties to make the various palaces raised their arms in battle. But with Jun Wu Xie striking at them herself, the effects could not be anything but astounding.
Without needing to think about it, they all knew just how pitiful the Shadow Moon Palace's end could possibly be.
"There was a particular piece of news that I don't know whether any of you had heard." Hua Yao then said.
"What news?" Fei Yan asked inquisitively.
"Just some time ago, the invitations for the Twelve Palaces' Summit had just been delivered into the hands of the various Palace Lords when rumours of an unexpected incident in the Shadow Moon Palace came in. Hasn't the Shadow Moon Palace Lord been constantly in ill health all these years? It was said that his condition worsened and he was no longer able to hold the position of Palace Lord, leading him to pass the seat of Palace Lord down to his younger sister. The Shadow Moon Palace now has a new Palace Lord." Hua Yao said, rather meaningfully.
Upon hearing the news, the several youths immediately looked at each other and they all saw realization in each others' eyes.
"If my memory serves me correctly, isn't the Shadow Moon Palace Lord's little sister already dead? For her to suddenly spring up like this, wouldn't it attract people's suspicion?" Qiao Chu was feeling a little worried.
Fei Yan suddenly stretched his hand out to wave it before Qiao Chu's eyes.
"This is then something you will not know about. Eight or nine out of ten rumours spread out from the Twelve Palaces are fake and even if the rumour is true, not many people will believe them. Hence, whether that person is alive or dead is impossible for the other palaces to ascertain. Such a sudden appearance would instead be much more like the secretive nature of the various palaces and nobody would suspect anything."
"Is this what you call being too smart for one's own good?" Qiao Chu asked, his face creased up in astonishment. If it was him, he really wouldn't think too much about it.
"That's one way of explaining it."
"I wonder when the Shadow Moon Palace's contingent is arriving. I am really looking forward to seeing them." Rong Ruo said as she rubbed her chin, the rest of the gang showing rather sinister smiles on their faces.
Chapter 1893: "The Twelve Palaces' Summit (7)"
As for what Rong Ruo and the others were anticipating for, only they themselves would know.
The people from the various palaces have all basically already arrived and the Elders from the various palaces had left strict orders for the disciples to not act rashly.
Seeing that there was one more day till the Summit, only the people from the Shadow Moon Palace had not yet appeared.
As the initiator for the Summit, the Flame Demons Palace Lord was feeling a little displeased about it. In the past half a year, eleven palaces out of the Twelve Palaces had become embroiled in bitter battles which caused all of them substantial losses. Only the Shadow Moon Palace had not been involved, suffering the least losses among them all.
The Shadow Moon Palace had trailed all of them at the bottom rung among the Twelve Palaces and they did not usually attract anyone's attention most of the time. For such an elite power like the Flame Demons Palace, the Shadow Moon Palace was not worth their attention at all.
But now, things have subtly changed in the situation among the Twelve Palaces. Besides the Shadow Moon Palace, all the other Twelve Palaces had suffered highly substantial losses in the past half year with only the Shadow Moon Palace staying out from it all, retaining all their strength. If not for the fact that he knew the Shadow Moon Palace Lord had fallen gravely ill and a new Palace Lord had taken over, the Flame Demons Palace Lord would really come to suspect whether the Shadow Moon Palace Lord was up to no good.
"Haven't the people from the Shadow Moon Palace arrived yet?" The expression on the Flame Demons Palace Lord's face wasn't looking too pretty. If it had been any other day, which one among the palaces would dare to take the Flame Demons Palace's invitation so halfheartedly?
"Still not arrived." Qiao Chu said as he stood beside the Flame Demon Palace Lord, his pencil straight posture handsome.
"The Shadow Moon Palace is really becoming too bold. They actually dare to slight me like this." The Flame Demons Palace Lord said with a cold laugh.
A Flame Demons Palace's Elder standing there within the house saw the Flame Demons Palace Lord seemingly unhappy and he quickly said: "My Lord, the Shadow Moon Palace just changed their Palace Lord and it was heard that it's a little young lady not even yet eighteen. For her to command an entire palace right away, she should be rather flustered and it is expected for her to commit a few mistakes here and there."
"Hmph! Does the Shadow Moon Palace not have anyone else that they have to push such a greenhorn onto the Palace Lord's seat?" The Flame Demons Palace snorted in disapproving disdain.
The Elder then said: "Being young has its own advantages. Hasn't it been rumoured that this Palace Lord from the Shadow Moon Palace had died when she was very young? But she has now been pushed out to the front. This might be a hand the Shadow Moon Palace has kept hidden so my Lord should still be careful of them. If this is really a hidden scheme by the Shadow Moon Palace, then with the current circumstances, it would not be a good time to be at odds with the Shadow Moon Palace. Afterall, having waded through a good half year's fighting, the various palaces have suffered heavy losses and only the Shadow Moon Palace's strength is unaffected. And if she really turns out to be a green and inexperienced little young lady, wouldn't it be a good time for my Lord to win her over to over side instead?"
The Flame Demons Palace nodded to himself inwardly as he listened, the rage within his heart subsiding a little.
The Elder observed the Lord's expression and mood before he broke out into a smile, turning to look at Qiao Chu standing beside the Flame Demons Palace Lord.
"Has my Lord accepted Qiao Chu as your godson? I am thinking that the new Shadow Moon Palace Lord is still very young and at an age where thoughts of love would just be budding. With Qiao Chu's looks, who knows how many young girls in our Flame Demons Palace already secretly admire him. We might just be able to put together a happy and joyous occasion from this summit."
[God damned!]
Qiao Chu's eyes bulged at the Elder's absolutely shocking words, wishing for nothing more than to be able to split that old thing that had lived too long with a single strike of his palm!
[Putting him and the new Shadow Moon Palace Lord together as a couple?]
[Would he still live to see next year! ?]
Qiao Chu immediately greeted all eighteen generations of that chatterbox of an Elder's ancestors inside his heart.
But the Flame Demons Palace Lord thought that it was a very good idea and the eyes he turned to look at Qiao Chu with was highly probing.
Qiao Chu almost wanted to explode with rage on the spot.
[Don't drag me in if both of you are so keen on dying!]
[I will not be able to stand up to a certain great Lord's torment!]
Chapter 1894: "The Twelve Palaces' Summit (8)"
Qiao Chu no longer dared to remain in the room any longer. The Flame Demons Palace Lord's eyes were making him feel that a crisis was upon him.
He was still young and he did not want to die yet!
Qiao Chu quickly found an excuse and slipped away in escape.
But the Flame Demons Palace Lord's heart was set.
"When the people from the Shadow Moon Palace gets here, have Qiao Chu go out to receive them." The Flame Demons Palace Lord said as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, calculating his moves schemingly.
He would naturally no even pay the Shadow Moon Palace any attention in the past, but with the Shadow Moon Palace's might still wholly maintained, they could be put to good use.
"Qiao Chu is young and brimming with vitality. As my Lord treats him just like his son, it would be most suitable to have him go get close to the Shadow Moon Palace Lord." The Elder was still self absorbed in glee with his suggestion.
"Mm." The Flame Demons Palace Lord agreed with a nod of his head.
"Tomorrow's the summit. We'll first hold a feast for the various Palace Lords today."
"Yes, my Lord." The Elder immediately acknowledged his orders.
That very night, the Palace Lords from the various palaces received their invitations and they all brought their Elders together with their most talented disciples to attend the banquet.
Twelve Palace Lords from the Twelve Palaces, eleven had arrived. A banquet that was supposed to be happy and boisterous instead felt sombre and a little strange.
Gu Yi brought Elder Lin, Gu Xin Yan and Gu Ying to come to the banquet and the moment they stepped into the hall, they were met with a gaze that was filled with hatred.
The Dragon Slayers Palace Lord glared at Gu Yi with his jaws tightly clenched, hating the fact he could not just pounce onto Gu Yi to tear him into shreds.
"My Lord, please bear with it." Fei Yan had been brought to come by the Dragon Slayers Palace Lord as well and seeing that the Dragon Slayers Palace Lord was about to lose his cool, he quickly stepped up to calm him down.
Jun Wu Xie still had not arrived. If they were to get into a fight now, it would be a lot less rowdy.
The Dragon Slayers Palace Lord took a deep breath and sat himself down, his tightly suppressed rage causing his hands to clench up into fists, the green veins on his neck protruding clearly.
"Gu Yi that shameless scoundrel! Knowing that the Palace Lords will all be here today, he still had to bring that Gu Ying who killed my son! Isn't he just flaunting it in my face! ?" The Dragon Slayers Palace Lord was absolutely seething with rage.
Fei Yan said in a low voice: "My Lord, do not be enraged. We've already come so far and the Blood Fiend Palace will be made to answer for it. The Young Lord's death must not be in vain and the summit tomorrow will make the Blood Fiend Palace give my Lord a satisfactory answer. If they don't, it still wouldn't be too late for my Lord to strike."
"Hmph! The scoundrelous Gu Yi wouldn't shield that bastard. I will have him die by a thousand cuts..... No..... That would be too easy for him. I will have him taste the most cruel torture under the Heavens, where he will be unable to plead to live nor beg to die." The Dragon Slayers Palace Lord said, his eyes bursting with venom and a twisted chilling glint as he stared fixedly at Gu Ying with eyes like those of a venomous viper.
Fei Yan listened quietly, knowing that nothing big would happen tonight, and he could not really be bothered to say anything more.
Regarding the matter between the Dragon Slayers Palace and the Blood Fiend Palace, he would not be needed to waste any more of his breath after today. It had already reached a point of no return and he just needs to sit back to slowly enjoy the show.
Taking advantage of the interval, Fei Yan swept his eyes over the various palaces. As he had expected, his several other companions had all been brought in as well.
Merely in their teens and they all possessed powers at the Purple Spirit's third stage. Casting one's gaze throughout the entire Middle Realm, one would not be able to find more than a rare few.
They would all naturally be heavily groomed by the various palaces.
The atmosphere within the banquet hall was tense. The various palaces all had at least another side opposing them. They had all once battled till blood splattered and flesh flew, and they all expected to sit down within the same banquet hall now. Everyone was just holding themselves back, suppressing their hearts as they shot cold gazes at each other, turning the entire banquet to be filled with the endless flash and glint of cold steel.
Chapter 1895: "The Twelve Palaces' Summit (9)"
His eyes saw that the entire banquet was cold like an ice house and the Flame Demons Palace Lord's face turned even uglier when he noticed the Purple Thunder Palace Lord's eyes shooting a disdainful gaze straight at him.
The Flame Demons Palace Lord's brows were tightly creased up and when the Elder beside him detected the abnormality, he quickly voiced out to divert everyone's attention.
"All the various palaces have arrived here but we still have not seen any sign of the Shadow Moon Palace. I wonder does anyone here know when the people from the Shadow Moon Palace would come?"
The Flame Demons Palace's Elders words had attracted the attention of quite a number of people.
They had all not seen eye to eye with each other over the recent period and none of them had noticed that the Shadow Moon Palace's people were not here.
"Didn't the Shadow Moon Palace already receive the invitation? It's been such a long period of time and it is not enough for them to come here? If I remember it correctly, the distance from here should be the closest for the Shadow Moon Palace." A Blood Fiend Palace's Elder quipped helpfully.
"The Shadow Moon Palace? They had been rather laid back over the recent period and the days might have been so leisurely for them that they had forgotten all about us." An Elder they did not know from which palace sneered with a cold laugh.
Eleven palaces out of the Twelve Palaces had sustained great losses and all of the palaces had had to grit their teeth to hold themselves out. The reason that they had come today was because most of them were thinking of using gentler methods to resolve everything, and to not continue to battle each other anymore.
Now that the Shadow Moon Palace had suddenly been mentioned, the fact that the Shadow Moon Palace had not suffered any losses suddenly caused the other palaces to feel rather imbalanced. And added to that, with them not having yet arrived here today, it gave rise to quite a bit of displeasure from the various palaces as well.
"Heh, the Shadow Moon Palace just had a change of their Palace Lord and it is said that it's a little young lady. It is normal that she doesn't know of such proprieties and decorum." The Flame Demons Palace's Elder saw that their rage had been diverted and he immediately stepped forward, seemingly attempting to pacify the situation but was in fact just fanning the flames.
"Little young lady? Since she is of such a young age, all the more she has got to understand decorum! Does she then expect the entire group of us to be waiting for her?"
"The Shadow Moon Palace must have looked at us like we're some kind of joke throughout the recent period. Who knows what they are thinking in their hearts?"
"That's right, they could even be thinking to take this opportunity to bolster their might."
Having found a common target to attack, the mouths of everyone were completely merciless, filled with hidden daggers and knives, harsh and condescending with their words.
The Flame Demons Palace Lord watched in satisfaction in the change of atmosphere throughout the banquet and he secretly nodded his head at the Elder.
In reality for them to come attend the summit this time, many of the palaces were seeking to end this fighting as soon as possible, and stop the losses from continuing to drain them. But as the conflicts that existed between each other were all still lodged hard in their throats, the had all pounced upon the opportunity to vent out their frustrations upon the same target, who still had not arrived here, the Shadow Moon Palace.
When all the palaces had sustained losses to their strength, the only palace that had remained whole and intact had naturally caused all of them to feel disgruntled, wishing they would be able to drag the Shadow Moon Palace into the muck as well, for them to feel more balanced.
Just as everyone was attacking the Shadow Moon Palace during the banquet, a disciple from the Flame Demons Palace suddenly came walking in, till he knelt in the middle of the banquet hall.
"Reporting to my Lord, the people from the Shadow Moon Palace ahve arrived."
"Oh?" The Flame Demons Palace Lord queried with his brows furrowed up, as a sneer flashed within his eyes.
They have arrived just at the right time, when the various palaces were raising their opinion against the Shadow Moon Palace, they had suddenly arrived, to face the rage rising in everyone hearts.
"Qiao Chu, go receive the people from the Shadow Moon Palace. Make suitable arrangements for their disciples and then invite their Palace Lord to come here." The Flame Demons Palace Lord ordered.
Qiao Chu was cursing the Flame Demons Palace Lord's mother in his heart as he knew what the Flame Demons Palace Lord's intentions really were. Although he was also thinking to go have a chat with Jun Wu Xie privately, but he did not harbour such impure intentions at all!
"Yes, my Lord." No matter how contemptuous he was feeling inside his heart, Qiao Chu still forced himself to appear composed, as he walked out from the banquet hall.
Chapter 1896: "Stunning Entrance (1)"
Qiao Chu went rushing to the city's gates and following him was two other disciples of the Flame Demons Palace. The two disciples had grown up in the Flame Demons Palace from young and possessed rather good gifts but could not be compared to Qiao Chu. Towards the fact that the Flame Demons Palace Lord accepting Qiao Chu as his godson, they were feeling rather jealous in their hearts but they did not dare to show it.
"Qiao Chu, did the Shadow Moon Palace Lord mean anything to have you come receive the Shadow Moon Palace Lord?" A disciple asked probingly.
"I heard that the Shadow Moon Palace Lord is a young little lady, but I just don't know what she looks like." The other disciple chirped in together.
"It shouldn't be too bad I think. They are siblings afterall and the previous Shadow Moon Palace Lord's had been rather good looking."
"Qiao Chu, with your outstanding looks, people might fall right straight for you, you know?" The two disciples said, sour with envy. The kind of talent Qiao Chu was blessed with was something they could never hope to have and even in the department of looks, they had been severely hit as well. In the Flame Demons Palace, the moment Qiao Chu came, he had attracted the attention of quite a number of young ladies and the senior and junior girls had fawned upon Qiao Chu quite a bit.
Qiao Chu's face was dark and he could not be bothered to even look at the two dumb fools.
[Rather good looking?]
[Country bumpkins like you two haven't seen what's really good looking!]
[When he stands before Big Brother Wu Yao, he was as insignificant as weeds! To think that these two country bumpkins still think that he's good looking.]
Walking towards the city's gates, he could faintly make out several figures. Looking from afar, the tiny figure of a little girl had her back facing her, seemingly saying something to several people in front of her.
"It couldn't be right? The Shadow Moon Palace only brought only such a small number of people?" When the two disciples saw the scant few figures at the city gates, their faces became incredulous.
For the Twelve Palaces' Summit, which palace did not bring at least a thousand people? But from what their eyes were seeing, taking everyone into account at the city gates, there were only about ten people..... Could the Shadow Moon Palace's delegation be any more wretched looking?
"What is actually happening with the Shadow Moon Palace? Could it be that the newly ascended Palace Lord is an idiot? Bringing just those few people here, they look just downright pathetic!"
The two disciples grumbled to themselves as they walked, but Qiao Chu's eyes were faintly glowing with a heated fervour.
Among that group of people, he had seen several familiar faces!
Even when the three of them came walking up to the gates, the young lady at the lead of the Shadow Moon Palace still did not turn her head back.
The other two disciples clicked their tongues discreetly, as they followed Qiao Chu to greet the guests.
"Could these distinguished individuals here be our friends from the Shadow Moon Palace? We are disciples of the Flame Demon Palace and we came here under the Palace Lord's orders to welcome our esteemed guests into the city." Qiao Chu said, suppressing the excitement in his heart to speak with feigned calm.
The attitude of the other two disciples were much more perfunctory. Their gazes unconsciously swept over the group of people from the Shadow Moon Palace and they saw that besides the person who had her back to them where her countenance could not be seen, there were another two females among the ten people.
One of them was very young, looking to be about twelve years of age and a pretty little thing while the other caused the hearts of the two disciples to flutter and palpitate.
The cold and proud lady stood among the group, the air of nobility highly moving. Her facial features though not entirely flawless, but she could still be considered to be beautiful and enchanting. It was mainly that cold and chilly elegance that caused the two disciples to be unable to take their eyes off her, subconsciously assuming her to be the new Palace Lord of the Shadow Moon Palace.
They had not thought that the new Shadow Moon Palace Lord could really look so enchanting.
"The Palace Lord has laid out a banquet and had been waiting for a long time. Can I invite the Shadow Moon Palace Lord to please come with us." One of the disciples said directly to the cold and proud young lady standing within the crowd.
Chapter 1897: "Stunning Entrance (2)"
"Oh? The banquet has started?" A cold and clear voice suddenly sounded out from the side, as the young lady who had her back facing the three people from the Flame Demons Palace slowly turned herself around.
It was just an instant, that the two other disciples standing beside Qiao Chu were turned into stone!
It was clearly already night, but in that instant they saw the young lady countenance, the two of them seemed to the sun's rays brightening up the lands in their hearts, the faint candlelight that cast upon the lady, so beautiful it was as if they were laying their eyes upon divinity!
Under the Heavens, such a beautiful countenance actually existed.....
The jaws of the two disciples hung wide open, frozen in their spots in shock, their faces looking as if they had been struck by lightning, completely bedazzled and not moving an inch, their irises not shifting away in the slightest.
Qiao Chu looked contemptuously at the two country bumpkins who had never seen such beauty before. As the two of them were still standing there in a daze, Qiao Chu then turned himself around to wink at Jun Wu Xie who had dazzled people blind.
Even Qiao Chu would not have expected that Jun Wu Xie would show up with her real countenance and he could not remember how long it had been since he last saw Jun Wu Xie's real countenance. Although he had become used to such devilish good looks, seeing it so suddenly right before him still took a toll on his poor little heart.
Jun Wu Xie swept her gaze fleetingly over Qiao Chu.
Qiao Chu then cleared his throat and did not bother himself with the other two country bumpkins as he forced himself to put on a composed front to say: "The banquet has just started and I wonder if the Shadow Moon Palace Lord has any other guests with her? Will the Shadow Moon Palace Lord first bring your Elders and several disciples to the banquet and you can hand over the rest of your other disciples to me for now, to allow me to arrange accommodations for them."
Those words were put across grandly, but what Qiao Chu really intended to say was.....
[Ho ho! Little Xie, tell me quick! How many of your iron blood ferocious lions did you bring?]
However, Jun Wu Xie just indifferently replied: "There's no more."
"Har?" Qiao Chu was slightly taken aback.
"It's just the few of us here." Jun Wu Xie said indifferently.
Qiao Chu was suddenly stunned.
[He knew that Jun Wu Xie was incredibly bold, but this.....]
[This time, isn't she being a little too gutsy! ?]
[In the city there were large contingents from all the rest of the Twelve Palaces you know! ? Each palace with at least a thousand people! Like the Flame Demons Palace had already brought three thousand people, with just a casual count, the numbers of people in the city would easily number several tens of thousands! Wasn't Jun Wu Xie intending to resolve the whole matter with everyone gathered here this time? Why.....]
[And she brought just these few people?]
Qiao Chu was immediately stupefied.
[These tens of thousands of men were not just ordinary soldiers. They are the most elite fighters from the various palaces!]
[Just the number of Purple Spirits among them was already astounding, and if they were to fight them.....]
Qiao Chu just did not dare to imagine.
"Is..... Is that right...... You're sure?" Qiao Chu's voice was a little weak.
"I'm certain." Jun Wu Xie said deceptively.
A corner of Qiao Chu's mouth twitched and the two country bumpkins finally managed to regain their senses, but their eyes only saw the figure of Jun Wu Xie alone, their ears only able to hear Jun Wu Xie's voice. As for what Jun Wu Xie had said, nothing really registered in their minds.
They finally came to understand what the words, "bring down cities and ruin countries" really meant!
Qiao Chu could not do anything but to steel himself as he led Jun Wu Xie and the others towards the banquet, muttering to himself in his heart. Alas, with the two other deadweights beside him, he had no chance to ask Jun Wu Xie anything.
The other two disciples trailed slightly behind at both sides of Jun Wu Xie, their faces completely besotted, drool almost dripping out from their mouths.
Till they came to the doors outside the banquet, Qiao Chu then bolstered himself up to stand upright, forcing a stoic and solemn look upon his face before he said: "Allow me to go announce your Grace's arrival."
Chapter 1898: "Stunning Entrance (3)"
Qiao Chu then went into the banquet hall dragging two rather dazed disciples behind him.
The atmosphere within the banquet had warmed up somewhat and the moment Qiao Chu went inside, he immediately heard people from the various palaces throwing dirty water upon the Shadow Moon Palace Lord in order to divert the fiery anger against each other and a sneer quickly rose up within his heart.
[I'll see how much longer all of you can continue to be so self absorbed in glee.]
"Qiao Chu, did you manage to receive the guests?" The Flame Demons Palace Lord immediately asked when he saw Qiao Chu came in.
"Reporting to my Lord, I have brought the guests in."
"Oh? Then why are all of you back here? Didn't I tell you to leave two people behind to make arrangements accomodations for the Shadow Moon Palace's disciples?" The Flame Demons Palace Lord queried with his brows slightly furrowed up.
Qiao Chu replied: "My Lord, the Shadow Moon Palace only brought ten people here and I really do not know whether to first arrange accommodations for them and so I have brought them all here instead."
Qiao Chu's voice had just dropped when the throughout the entire banquet, many voices raised in debate.
"What? Only ten people?" The Flame Demons Palace Lord was taken aback. Never had he thought that after waiting for so long, he would be met with such a result.
For this Summit of the Twelve Palaces, which palace among all of them had not picked the most elite of their disciples to come attend it? Moreover, in the past half year, the various palaces had all suffered significant losses and only the Shadow Moon Palace had kept themselves aloof, having not been involved in the turmoil. Hence, based on that reasoning, with the Shadow Moon Palace's strength preserved and kept well intact, everyone had thought that the reason the Shadow Moon Palace had been so late in arriving was because they knew that all the other palaces had much of their might decimated and they were putting together a highly elite force to shock everyone well and proper.
In the end.....
The entire banquet erupted with voice raised up in discussion. No one could have thought that the Shadow Moon Palace would come attend the Twelve Palace's Summit in such a manner.
"What does the Shadow Moon Palace mean by this? No matter what, they shouldn't just show up with just a mere ten people."
"Compared to all of us, the Shadow Moon Palace might have kept their numbers intact, but the number of skilled fighters in the Shadow Moon Palace had never been all that many." Everyone was feeling rather curious what kind of arrangements the Shadow Moon Palace had made, and none of them had any idea what the Shadow Moon Palace was planning.
"Forget it. I think that as the Shadow Moon Palace Lord has just assumed the position of Palace Lord and not only is she very young, she is just a little girl. Having been kept within her palace chambers all along and suddenly made to take over the reins of the Shadow Moon Palace, how could she possibly be able to handle everything well and proper? I think everyone should extend a little bit of leeway to the little girl." The Flame Demons Palace Lord suddenly spoke up to persuade everyone, seemingly in defence of the Shadow Moon Palace, but was actually reminding everyone of the new Shadow Moon Palace Lord's naivety and incompetence.
Every time the Twelve Palaces congregated, besides their individual palace's reputation, the other thing they competed with each other in was the might of the contingents they brought with them.
Only with heavy military might in hand, would they be able to speak with resonance, and hence, all the palaces had brought with them their most elite this time. No matter how heavy their losses had been, they must not lose in this show of might before the other palaces.
Except for the Shadow Moon Palace, who chose not to taken the well trodden path.
Without even having seen the new Shadow Moon Palace Lord, the various palaces had all formed a approximate impression of her.
She must be one ignorant little lass, not to be taken seriously.
"Alright, Qiao Chu. Invite our friends from the Shadow Moon Palace in." Seeing that the effects that he sought had been achieved, the Flame Demons Palace Lord said with a laugh.
Qiao Chu looked at all the different looks of contempt upon the faces of everyone in the banquet and a cold sneer filled in his heart as he turned to walk towards the outside of the grand hall.
"Looks like the previous Shadow Moon Palace Lord is truly gravely ill, otherwise why would he hand the Shadow Moon Palace to such an ignorant little sister?" The Purple Thunder Palace Lord said with a faint smile on his lips.
"That's right! I am very curious how the new Shadow Moon Palace Lord really looks like! As this will be the first she'll be seeing such a large congregation, she had better not cry from fright." An Elder from the Zen Void Palace quipped, laughing as well.
Chapter 1899: "Stunning Entrance (4)"
The hall was filled with guffaws of laughter. Everyone was waiting to see that new and ignorant little Shadow Moon Palace Lord come in looking shook with stagefright.
Under all that malicious laughter, the doors into the hall were pushed open once again.
A petite figure led the way to come walking into the grand hall.
In an instant, all sound within the great hall came to a sudden halt. The eyes of everyone from the various palaces were all fixated upon the young lady walking into the great hall at that moment.
Shock and sheer astoundment rose within every single person's eyes. Even the Flame Demons Palace Lord who sat waiting to watch the show had at the moment he saw the person, froze in place, the wine in his mouth almost spilling out from the corner of his mouth.
To have become the Palace Lord of the respective palaces, the people they've heard of and met were more outstanding and extraordinary than most people. They've always boasted of having seen a countless number of beauties and were already highly immune and indifferent to them. But no one could have ever expected that this would be the day that their calm and indifference would be shattered into so many pieces.
The petite little lady walked elegantly into the great hall, within the sights of everyone there, with steps light and unhurried, without a single sound, but every step felt as if she was treading upon everyone's hearts. Upon that countenance that was able to bring cities and countries to their knees, seemed to have winter's ice that wouldn't melt formed upon it, cold and distant, but those eyes were so exquisite it drew people to them, despite knowing it was just harsh and chilling winter's ice, but made people unable to help themselves to want to look at them, regardless of the fact that they would be pricked by the razor sharp icicles.
A silence fell upon the entire hall like the shroud of death, whatever they had been thinking in their minds earlier all gone fuzzy and forgotten. Everything else around them seemed to have disappeared, their eyes only seeing just one lone figure of peerless beauty.
"My humble self is the newly succeeded Palace Lord of the Shadow Moon Palace. Greetings to everyone." Jun Wu Xie stood in the middle of the great hall, her clear voice tinged with a slight chill ringing out from her. She stood neither servile nor overbearing as she stood before everyone's eyes, her chin slightly lifted up, tinged with a faint hint of pride and self confidence, without showing the slightest sign of timidity and fluster that everyone were maliciously guessing that she would show.
However, she stood there most naturally, like she had long gotten so used to be in such a position.
That cold crisp voice summoned back everyone's senses as everyone suddenly remembered to gasp a long cold breath. If they had not seen it with their own eyes, they would never in their lives have thought that a young lady could be so beautiful under these Heavens.
Everyone's eyes then turned subconsciously onto the one who had been hailed as the number one beauty among the Twelve Palaces, Gu Xin Yan.
Gu Xin Yan's beauty was stunning and alluring, having made many young disciples fall head over heels with her and gained that acknowledgement from the various Palace Lords. But now, when they looked upon Gu Xin Yan once again, they felt that the beauty they remembered seemed to have faded quite a bit.
The number one beauty of the Twelve Palaces when placed before Jun Wu Xie, was like a withered flower, pale and lacking in vibrancy, seemingly lacking even the qualifications to compete for the crown.
At that moment, everyone suddenly found that their throats were rather parched.
"So this lady here is the newly ascended Shadow Moon Palace Lord. A heroine among the young indeed. Having toiled on the journey here, please enjoy the banquet." The Flame Demons Palace Lord had after much effort finally found his voice. He was already advanced in age and though he looked only to be just a middle aged man, he was already over a hundred years old.
Even for a man who had such an abundance of experience, was still helplessly so highly taken aback by Jun Wu Xie's looks. And when he gained back his senses, what surprised him further was Jun Wu Xie's indifferent composure.
Facing the unwavering gazes of eleven Palaces Lords and those of their Elders, this young little lady who looked so very young was not showing the slightest timidity, but was calm and composed from beginning till the end, completely unlike a embroidered pillow who had grown up being kept confined within palatial chambers and knew nothing of the outside world.
Chapter 1900: "Stunning Entrance (5)"
"Thank you." Jun Wu Xie said indifferently, going on ahead towards an empty seat.
The various Palace Lords and their Elders had calmed down somewhat but the young disciples could not help themselves but to pay attention to Jun Wu Xie's every single action, their eyes almost popping out from their heads.
It was until Jun Wu Xie sat down that everyone noticed that there were several others behind Jun Wu Xie, where there were two other females with rather outstanding looks but their brilliance had been overshadowed and blocked out while they stood beside Jun Wu Xie, where they did not look so stunning.
As the strange silence within the banquet slowly let up, soft and muted whispers gradually sounded throughout the hall.
The Flame Demons Palace Lord secretly watched the people from the Shadow Moon Palace, having initially thought that the scarce number of people that came from the Shadow Moon Palace had been because of the new Palace Lord's ignorance. But after seeing Jun Wu Xie in person, he no longer thought of her as a naive and ignorant young lady.
That grace and elegance exuding from inside her, could not be something that could be feigned.
And after the Flame Demons Palace Lord swept his gaze over the several people behind Jun Wu Xie, the bewilderment in his heart grew more intense.
Among the nine people following behind Jun Wu Xie, he had seen two of them before. One was the Shadow Moon Palace's Elder Ying, and the other was the Shadow Moon Palace's Elder Yue's adopted grandson, Yue Yi. There was also a little girl that looked very much alike to Yue Yi, and if his guess was not wrong, that should be Yue Yi's younger sister, Yue Ye.
Elder Ying was originally a member of the Zhan Family Clan. The Zhan Family Clan had a long history in the Middle Realm and they had accumulated a good number of great treasures. But take away his background as a member of the Zhan Family Clan and Elder Ying would not be considered to possess all that great talents. Although Yue Yi's gift was not that bad, but compared to Qiao Chu, he would be rather weak and would not be considered to be among the elite, and there was no need to mention Yue Ye.
There was one point that the Flame Demons Palace Lord felt was very weird. Why had the most powerful one within the Shadow Moon Palace, Elder Yue, not come with them?
Besides these few people he knew of, the rest were all people the Flame Demons Palace Lord had never once seen before at all.
And the most outstanding one among them, would be the lady with a rather similar elegant air to that of Jun Wu Xie's. Her powers were not all that bad as well, but was still inferior to Yue Yi.
None of the rest was seen to possess outstanding powers, where there was even a man and a youth whom he did not even detect a single sliver of spirit power from, which just made it all the more difficult for him to understand.
Based on the feeling that Jun Wu Xie was giving the Flame Demons Palace Lord, she didn't look like someone without brains. But with her bringing such a group of people with average powers to come attend the Twelve Palaces' Summit, what could she really be thinking?
Could it be that the previous Palace Lord was intentionally making things difficult for her?
Everyone knew that the previous Palace Lord had by reason of his ill health, had had no choice but to abdicate his throne. But no ruler could possibly be willing to completely give up all their authority, not even when it was to his own younger sister. The Flame Demons Palace Lord was gauging the situation using himself as a yardstick, and he suspected that the reason Jun Wu Xie had brought just this scraggly lot of people here with most of them unfamiliar faces, was because the previous Palace Lord had withheld a large part of the authority from her.
"So she's just a puppet." The Flame Demons Palace Lord muttered to himself as he rubbed his chin, a sneer rising up in his heart, and could not help himself but to belittle Jun Wu Xie a few notches.
The Flame Demons Palace Lord's thoughts, coincided with all the other Palace Lords without them saying anything to each other. After the initial mesmerization, they all quickly calmed themselves down to analyse just how much weight the newly ascended Shadow Moon Palace Lord really carried.
"Since we're all gathered here, why don't we have a toast. It has been a long time since our Twelve Palaces had gathered together like this today. I hereby propose this toast, to the glory of our Twelve Palaces." The Flame Demons Palace Lord immediately stood up, to raise his cup to say.