Chapter 418: Arriving at the Ice Spirit Clan
"Sihai, go greet your grandfather!"
In the ninth layer of the Tiance Pavilion, within White Jade Capital's headquarters in the Northern Continent, Xiao Tiance's slightly teasing voice echoed. Overwhelmed with excitement, Tong Sihai quickly stood up and bowed deeply to the Fire Spirit Clan's Patriarch.
"Greetings, Grandfather," Tong Sihai said firmly, his tone clear and resolute, without a trace of hesitation, as though he had been waiting for this moment his entire life. His straightforwardness surprised even Huo Rou'er, who was taken aback by his unwavering sincerity.
"Haha, rise. From now on, we are family," said the Fire Spirit Patriarch, smiling warmly as he helped Tong Sihai up.
"Rou'er!"
"Brother Hai!"
The two lovers, unable to contain their emotions, immediately embraced, their long separated hearts finally united.
It took several moments and two pointed coughs from the Fire Spirit Patriarch to remind them they weren't alone. Embarrassed, they finally parted.
Guests Departing
With the matters regarding the Fire Spirit Clan settled, midday arrived. As the host, Xiao Tiance personally dined with the remaining guests. Once lunch concluded, many visitors began to take their leave, including members of the Ancient Clans, who were escorted out by Xiao Tiance himself.
At the teleportation array, Qing Yanjing, with her clear, bright eyes sparkling mischievously, approached Xiao Tiance.
"Sovereign, next time we meet, may I have the honor of learning directly from your mysterious Array Grandmaster?" she asked, her tone playful yet curious.
Faced with Qing Yanjing's extraordinary beauty and persistent curiosity, Xiao Tiance smiled and replied, "If fate allows us to meet again, I'll ensure your wish is granted."
The members of the Futuo Ancient Clan, initially preparing to intervene, hesitated after hearing Xiao Tiance's response.
"Truly? It's a promise then!" Qing Yanjing said, her radiant smile making the moment even brighter.
"A promise it is," Xiao Tiance replied with a nod.
Satisfied, Qing Yanjing rejoined her clan, and after a brief farewell, the Futuo Ancient Clan members activated the teleportation array and departed.
Preparations for the Journey
Once the guests had left, Xiao Tiance turned to Moyang, who approached with a report.
"Sovereign, Wan Sui has agreed to relocate all of Spirit Sword Mountain to the Northern Continent."
"Excellent. Once the Heavenly Dao Sect stabilizes, the resources required to rebuild it will be provided. Until then, you'll oversee the matter personally," Xiao Tiance said, smiling approvingly.
Moyang, a former law enforcement elder of the Heavenly Dao Sect, was the perfect candidate to handle the task.
"Understood, Sovereign," Moyang said with a respectful bow.
The Ice Spirit Clan Journey
Three days later, after personally bidding farewell to Xiao Yan and his party, Xiao Tiance handed over White Jade Capital's affairs to Xiao Xuan. Accompanied by Jiu Yuan, he joined Lin Dong and Ling Qingzhu on their journey to the Ice Spirit Clan.
After a month of travel, they finally arrived at the Ice Spirit Clan's ancestral land.
An Unwelcome Greeting
As they approached the grand gates of the Ice Spirit Clan, two guards stepped forward, barring their entry.
"Who goes there?" one guard demanded.
Lin Dong stepped forward, bowing courteously. "I am Lin Dong, here to request an audience with the Ice Spirit Patriarch."
Xiao Tiance and Jiu Yuan remained silent, observing. During the journey, Lin Dong had shared the events of Wu Dong Qian Kun, providing a richer and more engaging narrative than reading a novel. Xiao Tiance found himself eager to meet Ying Huanhuan, a woman whose selfless love and sacrifices were legendary.
However, the guards were unimpressed.
"Hmph! Leave at once! Do you think this is a place for nobodies like you? Begging for an audience with the Patriarch? Ridiculous. If you don't leave now, you won't leave at all!"
Their disdainful tone and complete lack of respect made Lin Dong's expression darken. He prepared to speak further, but Xiao Tiance intervened with a calm smile.
"Lin Dong, it seems politeness isn't enough for us to gain entry. Perhaps we should... make ourselves known."
Turning to Jiu Yuan, Xiao Tiance gestured. "Show them a hint of your presence, or we might never get past these gates."
"Understood!" Jiu Yuan replied, stepping forward.
Before the stunned guards, Jiu Yuan's Nine Headed Heavenly Serpent form materialized, radiating overwhelming Heavenly Sovereign level power.
"ROAR!"
The thunderous roar shook the air, sending the guards tumbling to the ground.
"A monster! A monster!" they cried, scrambling away in terror.
Satisfied, Xiao Tiance raised a hand, signaling Jiu Yuan to stop. By now, the Ice Spirit Clan had noticed the commotion, and a group of over ten figures swiftly approached. Leading them was a late Spirit Heavenly Sovereign, flanked by Earth Sovereigns and other experts.
"Who dares cause trouble at the gates of the Ice Spirit Clan?"
A haughty young man accompanying the Patriarch stepped forward, his tone dripping with condescension.
Before he could continue, Xiao Tiance and Lin Dong exchanged a glance. Without hesitation, they released their Heavenly Sovereign level auras, silencing the crowd instantly.
"Three Heavenly Sovereigns!" someone exclaimed, their voice trembling.
Realizing the immense power before them, the Ice Spirit Patriarch descended from the sky, bowing respectfully.
"Honored guests, may I ask who you are and what brings you to the Ice Spirit Clan? If there's anything we can do to assist, we would be more than willing."
Xiao Tiance remained silent, gesturing for Jiu Yuan to return to human form. Once Jiu Yuan complied, Lin Dong stepped forward again.
"I am Lin Dong, from the Tianxuan Continent. I..."
However, as soon as Lin Dong mentioned the Tianxuan Continent, the Patriarch's expression darkened, and he raised a hand as if to interrupt.
Just then, his gaze fell on Xiao Tiance, and a flicker of recognition passed through his eyes.
The Patriarch froze, suddenly recalling the portrait he had once seen a portrait sent by the Fire Spirit Patriarch as a warning.
"You... you're Xiao Tiance!"
"May I ask if you are the Sovereign of White Jade Capital, Lord Xiao Tiance?"
The Ice Spirit Clan Patriarch ignored Lin Dong entirely, turning his attention to Xiao Tiance instead.
"Haha, you have sharp eyes, Patriarch. I didn't expect you to recognize me so quickly," Xiao Tiance replied with a chuckle.
The Patriarch's sudden courtesy forced Xiao Tiance to soften his tone. After all, the man was showing respect, even if he had rudely interrupted Lin Dong earlier.
"So it truly is you, Lord Sovereign. Forgive my Ice Spirit Clan for not welcoming you properly. Please accept my apologies," the Patriarch said with a respectful bow.
"Haha, Patriarch, no need to be so formal. I didn't come to pursue the matter of your clan ignoring my White Jade Capital's invitation and failing to attend our grand ceremony. My visit is entirely for the sake of this young friend Lin Dong here," Xiao Tiance said, his tone polite yet pointed.
As he spoke, his seemingly casual words sent chills down the spines of the Ice Spirit Clan Patriarch and his people.
Standing nearby, Lin Dong and Ling Qingzhu barely managed to suppress their laughter. Xiao Tiance's demeanor was calm yet brimming with displeasure toward the Ice Spirit Clan. His bluntness made it clear he hadn't forgiven them for snubbing White Jade Capital's invitation.
"Lin Dong here has traveled far from the Tianxuan Continent in search of your clan's Miss Ying Huanhuan. I noticed that when Lin Dong mentioned Tianxuan, there wasn't even a flicker of surprise in your eyes. Let's not waste time with pretenses can you release Miss Ying Huanhuan's soul?" Xiao Tiance asked directly, his polite tone contrasting with the pressure that seemed to build around him.
The Patriarch hesitated. He hadn't expected Xiao Tiance to broach the subject so directly. Recalling the recent news of White Jade Capital humiliating the Maha Ancient Clan, he dared not outright refuse. However, Ying Huanhuan's soul was already promised to the Western War Emperor, a powerhouse at the late Celestial Heavenly Sovereign level.
"Patriarch, is something holding you back? Or is it that your Ice Spirit Clan refuses to grant me this favor? Lin Dong and Ying Huanhuan are deeply in love, and Lin Dong has crossed continents to find her. Do you truly wish to separate such a pair?" Xiao Tiance's voice grew colder, and his aura began to ripple faintly.
Realizing the situation was slipping out of control, the Patriarch quickly bowed deeply.
"Sovereign, please calm your anger. It's not that we're unwilling to release Ying Huanhuan. However, a few years ago, the Western War Emperor visited us and expressed an interest in her. Given his strength, we agreed to a future union, hoping to forge an alliance with the Western War Hall."
The Patriarch sighed deeply before continuing, "Your sudden visit with Lin Dong has caught us unprepared. If I may, could you rest in our ancestral land for a few days while I send a message to the Western War Emperor explaining the situation? This way, we can avoid offending him unnecessarily."
His explanation was genuine. In the original Great Ruler, the Western War Emperor had indeed shown interest in Ying Huanhuan, seeing her as a valuable asset to cement relations with the Ice Spirit Clan. Now, with Xiao Tiance and Jiu Yuan here, the Patriarch found himself caught between two titans: the Western War Emperor and White Jade Capital.
Hearing this, Xiao Tiance couldn't help but chuckle.
If there were a "most unlucky man in the Great Thousand World", it had to be the Western War Emperor. A late Celestial Heavenly Sovereign and a pillar of the Great Thousand World, his strength and potential were undeniable. However, his obsession with beauty repeatedly led him into trouble with powerful adversaries, including Lin Dong, Xiao Yan, and Mu Chen all destined to become world shaping Sovereigns.
Now, it seemed Xiao Tiance himself was on track to become another of the War Emperor's inevitable nemeses.
"Sovereign, did I say something amusing?" the Patriarch asked nervously, noticing Xiao Tiance's sudden laughter.
Xiao Tiance waved his hand dismissively, a faint smile lingering.
"No, nothing of the sort. I just thought of something amusing. As for your proposal, I understand. The Western War Emperor is indeed a formidable figure, and it would be improper to take Ying Huanhuan without notifying him. Here's what we'll do: I'll give you five days to send a message. That should be enough for him to reply or even to arrive in person if he wishes."
He paused before adding, "If he comes, I'll reason with him myself. If he doesn't or if he permits it you must not interfere when we take Huanhuan. Does that sound fair?"
Turning to Lin Dong, Xiao Tiance gave a reassuring look. "Lin Dong, do you have any objections?"
Lin Dong, feeling a weight lift from his heart, shook his head. "None at all, Sovereign. However, I would like to see Huanhuan as soon as possible."
The Patriarch hesitated briefly before nodding.
"Very well. Please, come inside. Lin Dong, you may see Ying Huanhuan, but let me warn you during her revival, her memories of the Tianxuan Continent were lost. She may not recognize you."
Lin Dong clenched his fists, his voice steady. "It doesn't matter. I have my own ways to help her remember."
With that, the group followed the Ice Spirit Clan Patriarch into their ancestral land.
(Chapter ends)
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