“You have obtained the Vermilion Bird!” The shock was visible in Pei Yuan’s eyes. He had heard about the five great aristocrat families inviting the Sage from the God Realm to awake the mythical beasts, but he did not learn where the five mythical beasts went. Surprisingly, in the Forsaken Land, all of the five mythical beasts had presented themselves!
“Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Black Tortoise, Qilin… the mythical beasts from the five great aristocrat families are all here. I believe the other four great aristocrat families must have people here. Since you are all from the Longxuan Empire, are you going to sit by and do nothing when the rebellious Shen Yanxiao kidnaps Prince Long Yue?” Pei Yuan felt he had lost all hope. He could find a way out if there was merely one mythical beast, the Vermilion Bird. But, why would the other four mythical beasts appear here as well?
Could the rumours of the five great aristocrat families being on bad terms false?
“Alas.” Someone standing behind Shen Yanxiao heaved a sigh.
Hearing Pei Yuan’s cry of desperation, Qi Xia stepped up and removed the disguise mask he was wearing.
“Are you Qi Xia from the Qilin Family?” One look and Pei Yuan recognized Qi Xia. In all the major commercial businesses in the Longxuan Empire, the Qilin Family accounted for a large proportion of them. The Qilin Family had business with the royal family as well. Pei Yuan had encountered Qi Xia several times in the imperial palace. He appreciated this young talent.
“Yes I am,” Qi Xia replied.
Then, Yan Yu, Yang Xi, and Tang Nazhi removed their mask as well.
Li Xiaowei hesitated for a moment but did not take off his mask.
“You… how can it be you? Why would you help Shen Yanxiao? Didn’t you hear her traitorous words?” Pei Yuan looked at the four young men in front of them. All of them were the elites from the four great aristocrat families who were also the potential successors of their families.
However, they were siding with Shen Yanxiao. What was more curious was that they showed no objection to Shen Yanxiao’s traitorous words. Instead, they were helping Shen Yanxiao surrounding White Marsh.
Pei Yuan could not figure out why they would do this.
“Yes, I did.” Qi Xia nodded with a smile.
“Then why would you help her?”
Qi Xia looked at his friends, shrugged, and turned to Pei Yuan. “I have always been respectful to the state teacher for your integrity, but today I hold you in contempt.”
“What did you say?” Pei Yuan had always thought of himself as someone aloof from politics and material pursuits. He found it unacceptable to be criticized by someone from the younger generation.
Qi Xia answered, “State teacher, let me ask you. Ever since Xiaoxiao took over Sun Never Sets, has the Emperor given her one gold coin? Or just any help in general?”
Pei Yuan was dumbstruck. He hesitated for a long moment but eventually found the courage to shake his head.
“Then tell me this. When that envoy there stood outside the city gate rambling mindlessly about how Xiaoxiao was squandering away resources, why didn’t you, the state teacher, stand up and seek justice for Xiaoxiao with your so-called integrity? You know better than anyone that the construction of Sun Never Sets has nothing to do with the Emperor. Xiaoxiao took care of everything here by herself. We will not talk about the lack of material support for her. Isn’t the fact that Sun Never Sets does not enjoy the right to use the resources at the Forsaken Land ridiculous?”
“It was fortunate of me to have met the former champion that came to the Forsaken Land. What I heard from him and what I see now are completely different. Not only had he gained great support from the Longxuan Empire, but he could also control all the resources gained from the Forsaken Land at will. Everything was oriented around building a city in the Forsaken Land. But why, when it came to Sun Never Sets and Xiaoxiao, everything shifted?”