Death… and me

The next person to arrive was Dong Wu Shang. The arrival of Dong Clan's Second Young Master was more shocking in comparison to the others' arrival.

He had even brought a large brigade of soldiers along with him. The Dong Clan had mobilized twenty-four-hundred soldiers to participate in the war at the Cang Lan Battlefront; each of these soldiers was an expert.

Dong Wu Shang was mounted on a gigantic Ox; it swayed from side-to-side as it strolled forward.

He had wanted to ride a horse as he was more at ease with that. This ox was a spirit beast… but it was still an ox. Riding an ox could never be as smooth and easy as riding a horse. Moreover, it was embarrassing to ride an ox.

However, Dong Wu Shang had no other choice as his saber was too heavy. Moreover, he was carrying many other miscellaneous items; including a flexible armor which was specifically tailored for his tall and burly physique. This had raised their total weight to five-hundred kilograms.

Could a horse or a camel possibly carry so much weight?

Therefore, the Second Young Master Dong was riding a tall ox in front of the twenty-four-hundred other people of the Dong Clan who were riding tall horses.

The Dong Clan's territory was located to the east of the Mo Clan; they were separated by a distance of more than five-hundred kilometers. The Cang Lan Battlefront was located somewhere along the way. The Dong Clan's parade hadn't arrived in front of the Mo Clan's entrance by coincidence. It was done as per the Second Young Master Dong's strong demands. Therefore, this large Brigade of soldiers had changed its route, and marched all the way to this place.

The Brigade leader – Dong Wu Lei hadn't wished to change routes as the change would add an extra time of two-and-a-half days to their journey. And, this would tire the soldiers and deplete their resources. However, the Eldest Young Master of Dong Clan was that he was no match for his younger brother – Dong Wu Shang; this was the most helpless and disgraceful thing for him.

Dong Wu Shang had issued a blatant threat to his elder brother, [Change the course unless you wish to get beaten-up, and lose face in front of twenty-four-hundred people.]

The enraged Eldest Young Master had cursed for half-a-day. But, he had had no alternative. So, he was forced to change the course of their route towards this place.

The Dong Clan's twenty-four-hundred soldiers marched into the territory of Mo Clan under the leadership of Second Young Master Dong amidst the rattling noises of the war chariots and whining of the horses. This scene gave a feeling that they'd come to carry out a vendetta. The troops gave out a majestic yet murderous aura as they marched towards the Mo Clan's residence.

The Second Young Master Dong lifted his saber with one hand, and jumped down from the huge ox as he arrived at the front entrance of the Mo Clan. He faced the entrance, and shouted in a coarse voice, "Go! Inform everyone in your Clan that the Second Young Master of Dong Clan – Dong Wu Shang – has come to pay a visit to Young Miss Mo Qing Wu."

The Mo Clan's guard standing at the entrance was paralyzed with fear, and his calves cramped-up with shock. [Crap! What's up with all these stares? Are they from an enemy Clan?] He turned around, and rushed inside to report the incident as soon as he heard these words which sounded like an amnesty.

Mo Clan's Lord – Mo Xing Chen was utterly distressed.

He was truly depressed this time.

[Is there no end to this farce? Why are all these Young Masters coming one-by-one to meet our clan's crippled young daughter?]

The Dong Clan and Mo Clan had always been like water bodies in two different wells… each minding its own business without interfering with the other. However, the Dong Clan was clearly superior in strength. This was especially due to the harmonious relationship of the two brothers of the Dong Clan. On the contrary, the two brothers of the Mo Clan were like two swords which couldn't fit into the same scabbard. So, it was obvious that the future prospects of the Dong Clan would transcend those of the Mo Clan.

Therefore, Mo Xing Chen had no alternative but to come out in person to welcome the unexpected guests. He was startled as soon as he came out, [Crap! So many people have come to visit our Xiao Wu!?]

[This motherfu*ker is blatantly showing off his power, isn't he?]

"You're the Mo Clan's Lord, aren't you?" Dong Wu Shang cupped his hands in salute as he continued to speak in a respectful tone, "I – Dong Wu Shang – have come here to see Xiao Wu. I was on my way to the Cang Lan Battlefront, but decided to come here first. We've arrived in a very crude manner. I just hope I haven't offended the Clan Lord."

"What kind of words are these, Nephew Dong? Please come in… This old man is extremely pleased to have you." Mo Xing Chen's superficial acting skills were great even though he didn't know the real reason behind Dong Wu Shang's visit to meet Xiao Wu.

"How is Xiao Wu doing these days?" Dong Wu Shang smiled as he entered through the front gate. He asked this question while fully knowing that her Three Yin Meridians had been destroyed, and that she had been deprived of the qualifications to obtain the clan's key training. This was equivalent to falling straight from the Heaven into the hell. So, how could she possibly be doing…?

Moreover, this matter was no longer a secret in the Middle Three Heavens.

Mo Xing Chen's heart flipped over as he rolled his eyes, and replied with a sigh, "She's fine… thanks to your lucky influence."

"I must say that you've spoken incorrectly. It could never happen because of my luck." Dong Wu Shang stared as he continued, "I – Dong Wu Shang – can't possibly have so much luck, can I?"

Mo Xing Chen became extremely furious, [Damn you! You speak in an extremely unpleasant manner. I respect you because you're the Second Young Master of the Dong Clan. This old man personally came out to welcome you, but you're talking in such an eccentric manner?]

[The two Young Masters of the Dong Clan are supposed to be earnest people as per my knowledge. So, why is this Second Brother acting like a gangster today?]

Mo Xing Chen didn't know that Dong Wu Shang had already met Mo Qing Wu in the Heavenly Armament Pavilion. Dong Wu Shang was rather aloof and unsociable in his conduct. But, he enjoyed Mo Qing Wu's company. She used to have long conversations with him. Therefore, even an inarticulate and slurred individual like him had been able to share numerous moments of joy and sadness with her. In fact, he adored this cute little girl.

So, he was unable to contain his anger when he came to know that Mo Qing Wu was being wronged by her own clan just because of her crippled Three Yin Meridians. In fact, his visit to the Mo Clan's residence for meeting Mo Qian Wu was no farce… It was to personally vent out his anger and frustrations. This was the real purpose behind his visit.

Therefore, he had deliberately assumed the role of a rowdy and uncouth person.

Moreover, he had been mingling with Luo Ke Di and Ji Mo – the two hybrids of 'hoodlums' and 'bandits – for a long time. So, he didn't have to pretend to give-off such a ruffian-like image… He just needed to open his mouth, and start talking in order to achieve that.

"I wonder how Second Young Master Dong knows my little daughter…," Mo Xing Chen swallowed his anger, and didn't press the matter any further. The Mo Clan's current strength was insufficient to face the twenty-four-hundred enemy soldiers. So, he couldn't offend his guest.

[Mo Tian Yun had led the majority of Mo Clan's forces to the Cang Lan Battlefront a few days ago. This has decreased the clan's combat strength by a large extent, ah…]

[We would not only lose face but also our heads… if this bad-tempered guy loses his temper, and decides to sweep away the Mo Clan.]

"Our meeting was just a pleasant coincidence. Xiao Wu and I had hit it off very nicely. I'm very fond of her." Dong Wu Shang smiled and continued, "My Big Brother is also very fond of her; so much so that he's scared to say her name or hold her in his arms. He's always worried that she might melt if he does so."

"Your Big Brother…?" Mo Xing Chen was startled, [Big Brother… I presume these two words weren't meant as a joke. It definitely isn't his own elder brother judging by the way he has said it. Then, who exactly is this so-called 'Big Brother' that the Second Young Master Dong is referring to?](5)

[This Big Brother…I wonder if he's some kind of earthshaking personage.]

"Yes! My Big brother!" Dong Wu Shang confirmed as he grinned from ear-to-ear. "By the way… he's also a Big Brother to Ji Mo, Gu Du Xing, Luo Ke Di, and several others. He's very fond of Xiao Wu; so much so that he gifted her his most treasured saber. He had been keeping that saber safe for so many years as it's a part of his family's heirloom… There have been several generations of Saber Monarchs in his family in the past. And, all of them are said to have depended on that saber to gallop across the Nine Heavens."

Mo Xing Chen heard a loud explosion in his head, and a bunch of golden stars started to revolve before his eyes. Then, his body began to sway from side-to-side.

[Saber Monarchs?]

[Family heirloom?]

[The Big Brother of Ji Mo, Luo Ke Di, Gu Du Xing, and Dong Wu Shang?]

[I feel dizzy! My God…! Who's this person?]

[I don't know how this mysterious 'Big Brother' will react if he finds out that the saber he had gifted to Mo Qing Wu has been forcefully snatched away from her. What if he gets furious, and rushes over to the Mo Clan in a wild rage?]

Dong Wu Shang's eyelids hung low as he quietly observed the Mo Clan's Lord's changing complexion; he couldn't help but feel proud and complacent in his heart.

This was exactly what he, Ji Mo, Luo Ke Di, Rui Bu Tong et al had planned to support Mo Qing Wu.

This was done to incite a blast… a fearless blast… continual blasts one after another. They hadn't been afraid to start a big blast. In fact, they had been afraid to not start one at all.

Moreover, the reaction wouldn't have been so drastic if these words had been spoken by Ji Mo or Luo Ke Di. Only Dong Wu Shang could've achieved this kind of a reaction with his clan's might, his own strength… and with his public image of a habitually silent guy who was infatuated with only his saber.

Such a person generally wouldn't lie when they spoke. However, anyone would be easily deceived on the rare occasion when they did lie…

"Eh… Nephew Dong, who's this Big Brother you're talking about?" Mo Xing Cheng asked in a cautious and solemn tone. He had referred to Dong Wu Shang as 'Nephew Dong' when he had met him a while ago. But then, he had gotten angry at Dong Wu Shang's rude way of talking, and started to refer to him as 'Second Young Master Dong'. He had now switched back to calling him 'Nephew Dong' as he had been startled by these unexpected turn of events.

"I can't tell you… because my Big Brother is a great personage. Otherwise, I might have to deal with his wrath if he found out that I'd leaked the information about him," Dong Wu Shang replied with a smile. "But, I must say that your Mo Clan is very fortunate to have Xiao Wu. In fact, I'm certain that your clan will continue to flourish for a very long time. I've started to believe that 'fate' indeed brings people together. Our Big Brother was travelling around the nine Heavens, and inadvertently saved Xiao Wu one day… cough… cough… I guess this is the work of fate."

Second Young Master Dong kept weaving around with his words; he seemed to be lacking the vocabulary to express himself properly. He could only depend on his incessant sighs whenever he mentioned fate. After all, he had never been a good talker like Luo Ke Di and Ji Mo.

However, such a behavior further worked towards convincing people.

An endless reverie was induced in Mo Xing Chen's heart as he heard that Second Young Master Dong's Big Brother had been travelling around the nine Heavens, [Can it be that this person belongs to one of the super clans of the Upper Three Heavens? No wonder he has convinced the geniuses from four influential clans into calling him their 'Big Brother'. He had conveniently sent that precious saber as a gift as well… a treasure so precious that it can literally be called the crown of the world… Such a personage can only be from the Upper Three Heavens, right?]

[I'm certain that he's from some super aristocratic clan.]

"Oh, is that so… Please come in, Nephew Dong," Mo Xing Chen quickly made a welcoming gesture by putting out his hands as soon as he realized that his guest had been standing at the entrance for a long time now. After all, this attitude was truly disrespectful towards the guest.

"Well… I'll certainly come in, but just to have a look at Xiao Wu. Then, I'll leave for the Cang Lan Battlefront," Dong Wu Shang narrowed his eyes. "Uncle Mo, you must take good care of Xiao Wu since my Big Brother is planning to come here with a special medicine which can fix her condition. It won't take too long before he comes here to treat her condition."

He then said with a meaningful smile on his face, "My Big Brother is exceptionally talented. He knows everything that happens under the Heaven."

"Ah?" Mo Xing Chen was delighted. However, he inquired in a skeptical manner, "But, I'm not aware of this matter… Can you give me any assurance?"

"I can't do that at the moment," Dong Wu Shang frowned.

"Your Big Brother… does he truly have the means to accomplish this?" Mo Xing Chen asked.

"Uncle Mo…" Dong Wu Shang stood firm as he looked at Mo Xing Chen. Then, he suddenly took out the saber from behind his shoulder, and asked, "What do you think about this saber?"

"Saber?" Mo Xing Chen was startled. He thought to himself, [Second Young Master Dong's train of thoughts can take a sharp leap… He changed the topic by drawing my attention to his saber when I asked him about his Big Brother… and that too in such a blunt manner.]