97 Love is war.

Bai Hui and Yu Yan stood in their own tent. Since they entered the camp. they had been nothing but cautious.It's the third day of their stay.

Bai Hui started eating breakfast, the breakfast his wife made.

He was annoyed by his wife's calm demeanor. But it was a common occurrence. if it was not an immediate danger, she would throw vigilance to the wind and focus on improving their living conditions. while he worried about immediate issues.

Bai Hui looked around their tent. it's been only two days, but his wife already made the place seem like a small haven for them. He ate asmall piece of meat and sighed. "This is delicious."

Yu Yan smiled gently. "Now, tell me what our overlord's been up to in these two days."

"She did nothing significant. After toying with that feline assassin, Zhi Rui took her away on her shoulder.Then she came back and didn't leave her tent. On the following Morning, she brought a two meters boar and put it up to roast. Looking frustrated she brought that beastly man to her tent, after some hoursZhi Rui tossed the unconscious man away. She's quite the ferocious thing to defeat a beast man like that. I doubt I could las an hour with her"

"Must've been a funny sight." Yu Yan said.

"It was" Bai Hui nodded.

Yu Yan spoke nonchalantly. "With your stamina, you would barely last half an hour with her."

Seeing his eyebrows twitchingShe took a bite of bread and continued

"I've talked to them.Starting with that small girl; the daughter of the beast man. She informed of where to find food, and when I said that I wanted to build some things for the house she got excited and started chatting nonstop.Her father came in and joined the conversation, He was so engrossed on the meaningless talk that I kept thinking he had ulterior motives. but his daughter went away for something. And he only continued to talk about nothing. Then he thanked me for having this kind of talk with his daughter."

"I didn' know if he was genuine so I tried asking about his companions. He knew what I want, laughed and spoke of them with detail, so carelessly, I can't even discern if his words were true or lie."

"Have you talked to somebody else?" Bai Hui asked.

Yu Yan sipped her tea."Azula, the head of slaves and Shizu the knight lady.Azula is an upbeat person she talked a lot. Shizu listened with the same enthusiasm. But we didn't talk about anything else besides mundane things. Decorations for home, furniture these things. Azula was hyped about it. Apparently, her house in the empire wasn't the way she liked. she asked tips on how to model a house."

"Talking about her own house? do you think she's trying to appeal to the benefits of the place Zhi Rui gives?" Bai Hui asked.

Yu Yan thought for a moment and shook her head. "No, they seemed too carelessfor that."

"Wow, sixty years together and I finally heard nonsense coming out of your mouth. You spent your whole life manipulating, Yet you can't see through a couple ofpeople?"

Yu Yan's cold eyes turned to her husband. "I didn't only manipulate for all my life. I cheated, deceived, and caused the downfall of two big clans without a single spec of cultivation. If I'm telling you they are sincere then they are."

Seeing the usual cold annoyance of his wife, made Bai Hui smile.

Yu Yan snorted at Bai Hui's smile.

"But there's one issue, the lady knight gave me a warningbefore I came back."

Bai Hui's eyes turned stern."A warning?"

Yu Yan nodded "She said: "Zhi Rui is a tyrant. She reigns through pleasure, Satisfaction, and hope.People here are either bounded by her or they have some twisted issues making them stay here out of their own free will.The only thing resembling a group creed is the hope that when Zhi Rui achieve her objectives our wishes will be granted. Until then, we get small glimpses of it to keep us in line.So,

my newcomer lady. You shouldn't keep that facade, Not mentioning that Zhi Rui sees right through it, people here couldn't care less about who you are, what you want or what you did. Your only leash is Zhi Rui.Keep up with her and you cando whatever you want."Then she walked away."

"That's a long warning."Bai Hui said.

"She was annoyed by the way I pried into things. Her warning was more of a rant." Yu Yan said.

Bai Hui thoughtfully tapped his fingers on the table. "Follow her words. Be straightforward."

Yu Yan frowned. "There's a reason whyI'm left with the social issue. Don't butt in."

Bai Hui sighed. "You said you made two ancient clans fall.But you forgot that without me, you would've died after taking over your own clan. there's a reason why I'm the one in charge of planning, don't butt in."

"Are you saying I'm dumb, so I cannot make decisions?" Yu Yan looked at him with cold eyes.

"No, I'm just reminding you of our specialties. I can think with a clear objective in mind as the third party. but if I went to socialize and examine stuff on my own it'd be a tragedy. In turn, you do that well, but your problem is that when you think you always have some bias or prejudice."

Her eyebrows locked together and her eyes seemed a pool of ice.

"So, not only am I dumb but also cannot control my emotions?"

"N-No I didn't mean none of that!"

Suddenly a ball of ice came hurdling in his face. Bai Hai defended in the last second with a fire of his own.

"Are you out of your mind woman!?" Bai Hui screamed and threw a ball of fire straight towards her. She shielded with ice. the fire and ice collided and the luxurious tent exploded.

Yu Yan looked at the pieces around of the tent falling with a blank look. a single tear streamed down her face and she clenched her teeth.

'This is bad!' Bai hui thought and engulfed himself in flames.

BOOM!

Ice and fire exploded and hurdled around the camp.

"The worst decision of my life was laid with a worthless thing like you!" Yu Yan screamed as ice spikes rained down on Bai Hui. His fire barely managing to contend with it. He was angry too.

"Yeah!? it was you who seduced me, you witch!to think That I left my wife and killed all my life long brothers to tap that ass of yours!!"He yelled throwing boulder-sized fireballs at Yu Yan

Yu Yan enraged screamed

"You think you sacrificed much!? I had everything! I trampled through the ranks of my clan and stood at the top! I had a husband, father, and mother. I was a queen there! then a thug like you came in and took everything from me. Look! we are living in tents, in the fucking forest! we're nowhere!I only wish my husband wasn't one of your so-called lifelong brothers. Then I wouldn't even have looked to a thing like you!!"

Ice, fire, heavy cursing, phrases that could end any kind of relationship forever, flew out of their mouths as if it was nothing.

Shizu drunk her tea with a smile in her face.it was the second time they fought but it was still amusing.Izumy stood by the side worriedly watching. while Izaya looked at it feeling nostalgic.

Suddenly a voice spread

"Gather."

The soft voice rang out in everybody's ear. They all stopped what they were doing. The couple had devasted and rage-filled expression on their face, they held back and stood still silently in front of Zhi Rui's tent, side by side.

Everybody gathered one by one. When Hilda came in with the group of slaves. Zhi Rui came out of her tent.

She was wearing leather armor. From her shoulder, a cape of animal furs swayed slightly. Her bosom clad in leather armor seemed firm and robust

The leather armor didn't cover a portion of her abdomen. the muscles were visible but it did not take away her feminity traits. Her black hair was made into a single braid that laid on her shoulder tied on the end with a steel gray thin rope.

'Wild' was the word in people's mind.

People came from behind Zhi Rui. The fat woman and the elegant men with a half-burned face walked out of the tent ashen-faced they stood to the side. a red slave brand vanished from their forehead.

The couple frowned, they thought their companions were killed.

Zhi Rui's stern eyes stared at people around.

"You lot has been with me since the beginning, while it's not been much time. It still calls for a shown of gratitude on my part."

Zhi Rui threw a pouch to Izumy.

"In that pouch, there's a complete collection of cores. Stealth, magic, elemental, physical, defense and attack.ranging from level twos' to level threes'.There are high-quality beast meat and pills. It's all for your use.

Zhi Rui looked at the slaves gathered. "I think you all understood that from my blood in the brand of the slave, you all share my talent and emotions.

Through that, you must've understood how simple I am. I like to indulge in good food, I like to drink the best alcohol and I absolutely love sex.

I don't shy away from my desires, like most of you already know, I don't care, if I want, then I'll get it.It's a waste of time to think of anything else. in my opinion, humanity wasted a lot of time taming themselves to a point where it isn't healthy.

Life thrives in the pursuit of pleasure, and from life, more forms of pleasure are birthed. That's why people work hard, that's why bandits are always looking for the richest loot.That's why the inventor creates advances for the people. so that life can thrive so that pleasures can be had.

It's all about the wonder, all about that feeling of self-accomplishment. To try and pretend you should carry yourself with selflessness or anything else is a lie that only causes suffering."

Zhi Rui stared at their eyes."That's why I'm struggling in the mud in the middle of the forest. That's why I'm going to the barbarian lands where the resources are limited. I'll fight my way up, and live a life of pleasures.You worked hard and earned houses bigger than that of nobles. But if you survive through this with me.The barbarian lands and the empire of the three nations, will all be yours to lord over."

The long snake Zhi Rui tamed quietly moved behind her.

Zhi Rui turned around and stepped on its head. As the snake raised its head Zhi Rui looked down at the slaves, focusing at Azula's worship filled gaze. She gave an alluring smile to the small slave.

"You all have three months to become level three cultivators. if you don't you'll die. If you do, you'll carve your way into the world."

Her words vanished on a cloud of dust. The slaves were exalted as the snake went away with Zhi Rui standing on its head.