Chapter 383: Deities Templar’s Forces
Exactly like what Shi Fantian said, the moment his sentence ended, Empress Lin Mengle and the group of consorts, maid, and guards’ gazes roamed over Huang Xiaolong from top to bottom.
Shi Fantian didn’t have a lot of consorts, but they still numbered no less than eighty people, each a beauty in their own charm. Being stared at by more than eighty beautiful ladies at once, Huang Xiaolong felt uncomfortable goosebumps tingling all over his body and could only smile bitterly in his heart.
It seems like his reputation has grown a little too big? Huang Xiaolong thought of those movie stars and pop idols on earth, could these consorts of Shi Fantian be considered as his fans...?
At this point, Empress Lin Mengle strolled gracefully over, performing a half curtsey to Shi Fantian, “We welcome the Emperor’s return.”
After the Empress saluted, the consorts, maids, and guards at her back followed suit in salute.
Shi Fantian signaled them to stand, and when the Empress came to his side, Shi Fantian teased with a youthful grin on his face, “I say, Lil’ Meng, the person you’re all waiting to welcome probably isn’t me.”
Blessed Buddha Empress Lin Mengle revealed a faint smile, “Emperor must be joking.”
Shi Fantian chuckled, saying, “Come, let me introduce you all, this is the person all of you have been talking about night and day in the recent period, Young Noble Divine Dragon, Huang Xiaolong.”
Empress Lin Mengle’s eyes sparkled, smiling at Huang Xiaolong, “Young Noble Huang.”
Huang Xiaolong dared not overstate himself, quickly greeted, “Sister-in-law.” [2]
Lin Mengle was slightly stunned hearing Huang Xiaolong call her sister-in-law.
Shi Fantian laughed at the side, explaining, “Xiaolong is my Junior Brother.”
“Junior Brother?” Lin Mengle and the group of consorts were bewildered. Although they were informed that the Emperor would be returning to the Blessed Buddha Palace with Young Noble Divine Dragon Huang Xiaolong, none of them were aware that Huang Xiaolong was Shi Fantian’s Junior Brother.
After a momentary lapse of manners, Empress Lin Mengle recovered quickly, the smile returning to her face, “Emperor, you should have told us earlier that Young Noble Divine Dragon is your Junior Brother.”
Shi Fantian laughed instead of being angry, “It’s not too late to say it now, let us go in first and talk.” He warmly made a ‘please’ gesture to Huang Xiaolong.
Huang Xiaolong and Shi Fantian walked in together, while Lin Mengle followed half a step behind Shi Fantian’s side. Zhao Shu and Zhang Fu trailed behind Huang Xiaolong, entering the Blessed Buddha Palace.
Shi Fantian had ordered people to prepare a feast in the palace’s center hall early on, when they arrived at the center hall, he led Huang Xiaolong, Zhao Shu, and Zhang Fu to the table.
According to Shi Fantian’s instructions, Huang Xiaolong was seated next to Shi Fantian on one side while Lin Mengle on his left, then it was Shi Xiaofei and the other consorts. On the other side, next to Huang Xiaolong, were Zhao Shu, Zhang Fu, and the other Blessed Buddha Empire’s Saint realm experts.
When everyone was seated, Shi Fantian raised his cup at Huang Xiaolong for a toast, “Junior Brother, taste this Blessed Buddha Wine, this is my own recipe that I taught people below to brew.”
Huang Xiaolong was beaming, raising his cup, “Really?” Their wine cups clinked, and both downed their wine in one go. Sliding down the throat, the first notes were a little sour, but a sought-after sourness. The next layer was spicy. An addictive spiciness which smoothed into a hint of dry tartness, yet it filled the drinker with a sweet sensation.
It was as if looking at the morning sunrise from afar, a new hopeful dawn laced with complex emotions at the lingering shadows at its feet.
Shi Fantian stared fixedly at Huang Xiaolong.
Huang Xiaolong looked at Shi Fantian, complimenting: “Excellent wine.” This Blessed Buddha Wine was indeed several times better than that Buddhist House restaurant’s wine.
Hearing Huang Xiaolong praising the wine he created, Shi Fantian beamed, looking jubilant, as if his cultivation just had a breakthrough.
The feast proceeded in a merry mood.
Shi Fantian called out, “Junior Brother, in the Luo Tong Kingdom battle, you killed seven Deities Templar Elders, even their Grand Elder Gě Gé ran away in panic, I was very much surprised when I heard the news.”
Cups paused midair as eyes around the table turned to Huang Xiaolong. Especially Shi Xiaofei’s gaze, never leaving Huang Xiaolong for a long time. Despite having heard the events recounted many times over, there were too many versions, she would very much like to hear Huang Xiaolong’ version.
Huang Xiaolong said, “I was lucky enough to tame some Poison Corpse Scarabs, otherwise it would be us three fleeing for our lives.”
Everyone laughed.
Shi Fantian continued, “These Poison Corpse Scarabs are poisonous creatures that existed in the ancient times, even in the past, the mere mention of their name terrified people, and they have disappeared for more than several hundred millenniums. I’ve never imagined that you could tame these Poison Corpse Scarabs.”
Huang Xiaolong nodded, “Three years ago, I, Zhao Shu, and some other people were in the Origin Forest in search of the Ancient Dragon Clan ruin. We found these Poison Corpse Scarabs at the Origin Forest.”
The fact that he found those Poison Corpse Scarabs at the Origin Forest wasn’t worth concealing, moreover, Huang Xiaolong wasn’t afraid of Deities Templar finding out.
“Origin Forest.” Shi Fantian was astonished.
Every expert inside Martial Spirit World’s empires was trying to figure out where Huang Xiaolong ‘picked up’ these Poison Corpse Scarabs, Shi Fantian didn’t expect that it would be the Origin Forest. But Shi Fantian quickly realized that it was only in a place like the Origin Forest that ancient poisonous insects like these could still exist.
Shi Fantian went on, “I didn’t expect Junior Brother to find these Poison Corpse Scarabs in the Origin Forest. These years, I have been in seclusion, comprehending a unique technique, thus I missed the Ancient Dragon Clan ruins opportunity. By the time I came out, the space tunnel leading was sealed again, not even Saint realm experts could break it by force.”
The space entrance to the Ancient Dragon Clan ruin closed up not long after Huang Xiaolong left the Origin Forest, Huang Xiaolong knew of this from the rumors circulating around.
Idle conversations progressed in a lively atmosphere, and the topic gradually shifted to Deities Templar.
Sighing, Shi Fantian said, “Deities Templar is getting more rampant. In the last few years, their force of influence expanded at rapid speed, taking control in the shadows of a lot of imperial forces. Those that refused to submit had their families and clans annihilated down to the root. Still, it won’t be so easy if they want to encroach my Blessed Buddha Empire.” A sharp glint shone in Shi Fantian’s eyes as he said this, a split second hostility broke out from his body.
In terms of strength, the Blessed Buddha Empire ranked third amongst the seventeen empires in Snow Wind Continent, whereas comparing individual strength, Shi Fantian’s strength was in the continent’s top three. Furthermore, the kingdoms under the Blessed Buddha Empire were extremely loyal, making it one of the hardest empires for Deities Templar to weasel their ways in.
The topic brought a heaviness to the feast.
Shi Fantian continued, “I heard there are already nine kingdoms under Duanren Empire that have been taken over by Deities Templar, I’m afraid that in three to four years’ time, Deities Templar will go ahead and attack Duanren Imperial City.”
Shi Fantian was aware of Emperor Duanren and Huang Xiaolong’s relationship.
Huang Xiaolong frowned, he had to admit that if the situation continued to progress in a similar trend, it was only a matter of time until Deities Templar would attack Duanren Imperial City. Of course, Huang Xiaolong didn’t wish to see this happen.
Pushing aside his relationship with Emperor Duanren, there were Xie Puti’s Xie Family, and his younger sister’s in-laws, the Guo Family, residing in Duanren Imperial City.
Shi Fantian broke Huang Xiaolong’s thoughts with a laugh, “However, Junior Brother has killed nine of their Elders to date, hampering the speed of their expansion.”
Huang Xiaolong first killed Deities Templar’s Ao Baixue, Yao Fei, then Yao Shan, and the rest played a significant role in slowing down Deities Templar’s forces expansion, causing those kingdoms and forces that submitted to them to waver.
The feast lasted deep into the night before everyone retired for the night.
A full moon night.
Standing in the yard of the residence that Shi Fantian arranged for him, Huang Xiaolong stared at the distant sky, the moonlight reflecting in his eyes.
Deities Templar’s forces had expanded too fast in the last few years. Relying on his individual strength, it was nearly impossible for him to fight against this mammoth, therefore, this journey to the Starcloud Continent, regardless of anything, he had to successfully retrieve the Asura’s Gate Sovereign position and take full control of Asura’s Gate.
A term used to refer brother’s wife, both in brotherhood and family