Chapter 302 – Preparing for war

Translated by: Berrrybunz

Edited by: XRCO and De Andre

It was the season of peach blossoms, and the entire garden was extremely beautiful.

Sima Xiao was accompanying his mother, enjoying the flowers in the garden. He was currently in a high position of the family, so his mother’s village and become much better.

“Oh, if you are busy, then you don’t have to accompany me.” The elderly lady chided: “I am living well here, there are no troubles here, don’t worry. Xiao Yu can accompany me just fine.”

“I hardly get the chance to come back, and have always been outside all these years, and never had to chance to take care of Mother.” Sima Xiao said respectfully, the usual mischievous smiling face was gone, and only the warmth smile was left on his face.

“My bones are still robust and healthy.” Although the elderly lady said that, she was still feeling happy: “The weather is good today, the flowers are also blossoming well, Xiao Yu, go take a pot of wine, I want to drink a bit.”

A young attendant girl immediately complied, and went to take the wine.

Sima Xiao did not stop her. When he was young, to raise him, she had accumulated a cold poison, which required the warmth of the wine to keep her body, qi and blood warm. Seeing his mother’s old face, Sima Xiao’s heart turned bitter. He helped his mother cover the blanket on her knees: “The spring chill is in the air, and is rather strong this year, Mother must be more aware.”

The elderly lady was well aware of the concern of her son.

She suddenly said: “I heard that recently many of the branches came to find you?”

“Yes, demand for your son has risen.” Sima Xiao did not hide anything from his mother, and said blatantly.

The elderly lady sat upright, her face becoming more solemn: “Since you were young, you have had your own strong views, and a tough temper. I never asked about your matters. But Xiao’er, what happened that year that wronged the both of us, is a thing of the past. Just let it go already.”

Sima Xiao replied softly: “Mother’s words are saying that below the Heavens, the Sima cannot be. I will not court death with them. Also, Your son will be in charge of the inner family and will require helpers.”

“That’s the way, that’s the way.” The elderly lady nodded her head, she immediately felt that her words did not make sense, and made fun of herself: “You see us mother and son, it’s as if you are already the patriarch.”

Just at this time, Xiao Yu had sent up the wine, Sima Xiao helped the elderly lady pour the wine, and said calmly: “If your son wants to be, he naturally will be.”

Hearing those words, the elderly lady looked at her son. Although he did not change much from the past few years, although there was still the warmth and nice smile, but deep in the starry pupils of his, was yet another layer of mystery, that was carved out of the years of bitterness and hardship.

Her heart instantly felt pride, and she smiled: “That’s my son!”

The elderly lady coughed, then waved her hand: “Go, go, I’ll cough awhile and it’ll be gone.”

“Then your son will go and be busy.” Sima XIao waved goodbye to the elderly lady.

Leaving the courtyard, the warm smile immediately disappeared, and the gaze in his eyes was ice cold.

“The first and second branch had sent people to plead.” Qiu Zhi Jun said indifferently: “They had suffered the previous time, and this time they had combined all their powers, to attack Lacerta Valley.”

Sima Xiao had regained his mischievous look, and asked while giggling: “How was the fight?”

“They met a Quasi Fist Saint.” Qiu Zhi Jun glanced at Sima Xiao, and said: “They were all wiped out.”

“I never thought that the Lacerta Constellation would have such a terrifying martial artist!” Sima Xiao showed a surprised look.

Qiu Zhi Jun kept calm, he had seen the report on the Quasi Fist Saint that was residing in Lacerta Valley, and he looked towards Sima Xiao: “Why did they attack the valley?”

“How do I know?” Sima Xiao waved his hand and showed a lazy look, but he could not avoid his senior brother’s gaze which was as sharp as a sword, and he laughed: “I heard that there was a beauty at Lacerta Valley, and those cousins of mine are of romance, maybe they had a met her accidentally. Maybe the Quasi Fist Saint has some connection with the beauty, oh, then their luck must have been bad.”

Qiu Zhi Jun finally understood, he was extremely clear of his junior brother’s character, hooking a ring on another ring, needed some technique, so the true technique was the real move.

What a coincidence… what if, maybe, everything was orchestrated by his junior brother.

The first branch and second branch were gone.

His junior brother’s character, would definitely not give them any chance. Any prey that was eyed by his junior brother, would never ever live to tell the tale, other than….

Thinking about the report he received earlier, Qiu Zhi Jun suddenly felt good, and his pale face suddenly had a slight smile.

“Oh right, Wu Tie Yu and Huai Bai Hua are dead.”

Sima Xiao smiled: “Now which expert did that?”

“The one who killed Wu Tie Yu was called Crane, and the one who killed Huai Bai Hua was called Ling Xu.”

Qiu Zhi Jun looked at his junior apprentice brother with an interested look.

Sima Xiao’s face croze, and he asked: “Tang Tian’s people?”

“That’s right!” Qiu Zhi Jun exposed a smile.

Seeing his senior brother smile, Sima Xiao was angered, and he snorted: “I want to see the report on their corpses!”

Sima Xiao’s face congealed, he had finished reading the report. The fight between Crane and Wu Tie Yu was extremely detailed, but there were barely any details regarding Ling Xu and Huai Bai Hua’s fight.

Crane did not sneak attack, but openly sought out Wu Tie Yu and killed him.

Although Wu Tie Yu was strong, in Sima Xiao’s eyes, he was not considered a true expert. If he wanted to kill Wu Tie Yu, it would be very easy for him. The Sima Family had those clan elders who were extremely powerful.

But, to actually be killed during a trial of combat…

Crane, this foreign name, Sima Xiao had very little knowledge on him. Only that he was the subordinate of Tang Tian, and came from a small sect.

Ling Xu, he knew even less.

“The Crane Sword, he did not even unsheathe it.” Qiu Zhi June’s expression congealed: “But it is definitely not inferior to the Earthen Bear Wave, I have already checked. Heavenly Crane Constellation does not have such a star treasure, but people had checked before, the ancestor of the Crane Sect had a sword by his waist, and it is similar to the sword in Crane’s hand. There is too little information on Ling Xu, just that he trains in the spear.”

It was the first time for Sima Xiao to be taken aback.

It had been a long time since he had this feeling of beinglost.

He began to have a strong interest in Tang Tian: “Go and consolidate all the information regarding Tang Tian. This fellow, is not simple!”

“Then what do you plan to do with Lupus Constellation?”

“Didn’t Huai Bai Hua die too?” Sima Xiao regained back his composure, and laughed: “Onyx Soul ain’t like us, they don’t speak well. Let them fight, and test Tang Tian and his group,”

“Sounds good.” Qiu Zhi Jun nodded, he glanced at his junior brother. He was currently reading the report in his hand carefully, his focus extremely sharp.

Junior Brother had not been this excited for a very long time!

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Meng Wei was still on the road, and was collecting reports. The six of them were seated around a table, all of them with ugly faces. In their hands was the report on Ling Xu and Huai Bai Hua. No one else had the reports of the fight, only them.

“Such a strange and unusual spear technique, to actually turn the person into a statue, and two hours later, the statue disappears.” The iron towering muscular man asked: “Old Feng, do you know of such spear technique?”

Old Feng was an Onyx Soul Horse, his face congealed: “I do not know now, but I already have men checking on it.”

“How’s Huai Bai Hua’s power?” An one armed swordsman asked.

“Heaven road list ranked 9278.” Old Feng memorised information: “And we even gave him a Polar grade treasure weapon. His power, should be around the rank of 9000.”

Their faces became even uglier.

“Since it is so, then Ling Xu and Crane’s power, should be around the rank of 8800.” A purple haired lady spoke, her forehead had a purple crystal embedded in it.

“Then what about Tang Tian?” The one speaking was a short old man, he looked ordinary, even his clothes were ordinary, if he was in a crowd no one would find him.

“Not recorded.” Old Feng shook his head: “But definitely stronger than the two of them.”

“Why?” The Amethyst lady asked.

“Because he is the boss of the tree.” Old Feng explained.

Everyone suddenly realized. That was right, usually, the leader of a group was forever the strongest. In the world, the strongest was the winner.

“This will be a hard fight.” The one armed swordsman said.

The towering muscular man laughed: “To fight with another grade expert, that is more exciting. If you keep fighting the same old weak opponents, there’s no meaning to it.”

Old Feng laughed: “Forget it, you had a loss.”

“Big man lost two days ago?” The Amethyst lady asked curiously.

“Yes, at Yong An City.” The towering muscular man said embarrassingly.

“You all went to Fatty Li’s territory? When did Fatty Li have such a powerful person.” The Amethyst lady asked.

“Not Fatty Li.” Meng Wei cut in: “Don’t talk about other things, focus on the mission.”

All of them trembled.

“I will handle Tang Tian.” Meng Wei monopolized on all the most difficult opponents: “Old Jun will handle Crane, Single Blade will handle Ling Xu. Three of you, handle Tang Tian’s army. I heard that they have a spirit general taking charge, you all best be careful. We have never fought an army before.”

“Yes!” All of them shouted in unison.

*******************************************

Tang Tian looked at Crane on his left, then at Ling Xu who was on his right, as though they had something weird on their faces.

Ling Xu was impatient: “Quickly talk, shoot what you need to say, don’t disrupt my training.”

Crane was still calm.

“I’m curious, since when did the two of you become so brave.” Tang Tian circled around the both of them: “Keke, I couldn’t tell at all! In just three days, I have to shave my face to see you two.”

Crane helplessly corrected him: “It’s ‘in only three days, I have a whole new respect for you’.”

“Oh, so it’s whole new respect for you.” Tang Tian realized, he immediately became serious: “The Tu Family Six Guards are coming, and their targets are us this time.”

“Tu Family Six Guards? Never heard of them.” Ling Xu shook his head.

“The six of them are heaven road grade martial artists.” Tang Tian said: “The lowest is also ranked within the 9000s, but the highest is ranked 8511.”

Ling Xu’s face changed, even Crane’s quiet expression congealed.

That would be the strongest ranking opponent they would face. According to the rules of the Heaven Road List, every 100 ranks meant a different quality of martial artist.

Rank 8511!

“Who cares what rank or name they are, my spear will kill them.” Ling Xu said fiercely.

“That’s right, that’s right.” Tang Tian laughed and waved his hands: “But, since we know of it earlier, we need to give them some treatment.”