Chapter 130 - Are They Alive?

"...Not to stay, but just to check if some of my friends are alive. Even if there is only the slightest of chances, I do not want to abandon them if they are alive."

Hearing his grandsons request, the emperor takes a moment to ponder before answering. "If your sister agrees then of course you may go. Although if she agrees, I will be sending one of my guards with you to ensure your safety. ... One more thing before you go. This is optional, as I understand that you want to see them as soon as possible, but it would put my mind at ease if you waited about two more hours."

Smiling, and happy that his request is granted, Yue says. "Alright, I will try to wait. Thank you so much." Not expecting that his request would be granted, as he has only just arrived, he feels ecstatic that it has been granted. Thus Yue quickly asks. "Sister, what do you say? Will you go with me?"

Nonchalantly and with a smile she says. "Hmm, I do not know, I mean this food is just so enticing, and the entertainment. I am not sure that I could afford to miss this." She says clearly teasing him.

His smile disappearing, Yue comments. "Really? Is now the time to tease me, when my friends lives are likely at stake? Please come with me sis."

Rolling her eyes with a smile, feeling that she has had her fun, she answers. "Oh all right, since you are so determined, I will gladly help you...."

Listening to the way she ended her sentence the emperor laughs on the inside knowing her playful personality, while Yue asks with pleading eyes and a playful tone to give her a taste of what she is doing to him. "But what? Clearly you want something from your innocent brother, who is in such dire straights."

Seeing that her brother wants to play she says pitifully. "Oh, I see. It seems I was too eager to help, and now my brother does not need me anymore. How sad, and here all I wanted was to spend some quality time with the family that I have long been separated from."

Hearing this, Yue notices where he went wrong, and says. "I want to spend time with you sis, it is just that my worry for my friends has made it sound otherwise. However since you seem so enthusiastic to part with your long lost brother, I understand. I will just ask grandpa to take me. You will go with me right grandpa, after all even if sister does not care for me, you do right."

Feeling surprised by his grandsons way with words, as well as seeing an opportunity to teach Ai Lan to stop manipulating people he says. "Of course I will. How could your sister treat you this way, family must stick together after all." Hearing this Yue smiles, knowing that his grandpa understands.

With this, Ai Lan however says with a pouting face. "Daddy, why?"

Seeing as this has gone on long enough, the emperor says. "Little Ai, I know you like to play around, however manipulating people is not nice, nor is it fun, and this is the perfect time to teach you that. Even if you enjoy it, do you enjoy causing people pain and anguish? Because that is all that will happen if you do this. And even then, I worry one day you may offend the wrong person."

Hearing this, Ai Lan quickly says with worry on her face. "I am sorry, I did not know it would hurt others. I just found that it is easier to get things, but I do not want to hurt others. Please forgive me brother."

Yueliang answers. "Do not worry, I forgive you. I know it was just an innocent thing this time. However please do not let there be a next time. Grandpa and I are just worried about you, and those you may hurt. Plus if you are in there shoes how would you feel being manipulated."

Listening to her brothers reply, Ai Lan feels guilt start to flow in as she thinks about such a thing. As she feels that, she is about to cry, due to her sheltered life. 

However seeing this, Yueliang consoles her. "Look, you do not have to worry so much. No one has been harmed yet. Just do not do it in the future and you will not have to worry about the pain others will go through."

Ai Lan just stands up and says with her hand on her chest. "Daddy, brother and I are going now. Maybe helping them will help me get rid of this awful feeling in my chest."

Her father, opening his mouth about to speak, quickly closes it. The reason being that by the time he was about to say something, she already grabbed Yue and used a shifting talisman. Thus causing him to think. '*sigh. Last time the guard was killed by Bao before he could react, and this time, my daughter leaves before the guard even has time to follow. Well, at least the area they are going is weak, and Ai should be able to deal with anything that comes their way.'

---- Meanwhile Far Far Away ----

"Sister, what are you...? I see. You certainly are fast." Yue says a he looks around, noticing the change in scenery from mere moments ago. Instead of being in the hall, they are now just outside the array of the asteroid where they left mere hours ago.

Leaving it short and brief, Ai Lan says. "We are here, I take it you want to go down and check for life right?" However before giving him a chance to speak, she grabs his arm once more, and starts flying down at such a high speed, one would think they teleported down to the surface.

A split second later down at the scene of the meteor strike, floating in mid air the two look down and watch as outer court disciples are cleaning up the debris. Meanwhile a few of the inner court and core court are working on removing the asteroid piece by piece for later use. They keep on breaking it using their chi, but with what it is made of it is difficult to break more that a fist full off at a time, and even that is only because of the weaker substance holding together the useful chunks they were ordered to gather.

Watching this sight go on, Yue asks Ai Lan. "So are we going to head down there, or do you intend for us to just wait as they harvest that meteor?"

Seeing that he is worried, and wants this over sooner rather than later she descends with him, and walks towards the meteor. However no one tries stopping either of them, as they were told and now know not to offend anyone who can get inside the array without being part of the sect.

A few moments later, as the two arrive before the massive meteor, Ai Lan extends her hand towards it. Then gripping it with just her fingertips she lifts the enormous meteor and tosses it behind her as if it were a pebble. A moment later it crashes down in the middle of a street taking out a few houses beneath it. Fortunately no one happened to be in that area at the time, but using divine sense Ai Lan already knew that.

However the moment she lifted the meteor, and tossed it, Yueliang ran down seeing a hole in the crater with a silvery glow covering it. A few moments later as he arrives at the edge of the hole, he looks inside and sees two tigers, a lich, Victoria, as well as about 4 others. Looking down, he notices only one of them is barely conscious, and that is Huoli who is keeping up the barrier around them.

Still feeling worried, and feeling that tears are about to come out from the joy of finding his friends alive, he says. "Huoli, please release the barrier. It is I, Yueliang. I have come to bring you to safety with me."

...

The barrier still not down, Ai Lan who walked over while he was talking points at the barrier and releases some of her chi. Then, the chi pushes open a circular hole in the barrier, through which Yueliang immediately jumps in without a second thought.

Thus causing Ai Lan to think. '*sigh, It seems I will really have to watch out for this brother of mine sometimes. If this were a trap he would likely die before I would even notice he is gone from my side.'

Either way, once inside, Yue says softly as he places his hand on Huolis' head. "I am here now. Sleep, and recover your strength."

Then looking up, after watching her eyes close, Yue says. "Sis, please help me bring them up." However before giving her a moment to think, let alone answer, he picks up Shen Hus' body and throws it up and out of the hole towards her.

Catching the sleeping and injured male tiger, her eyes widen from surprise. Setting the body down, she says. "Do not throw another and just get back up here would you." And this time not letting him answer or do anything, she lifts all the bodies in the hole, including her brothers out of the hole. 

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