"F*ck – " Fei Yin cursed, his expression very ugly.
Wu Yuan, if not for his strict upbringing by his father, Wu Fan, he would have also cursed after he heard what Cheng Sheng said. His brows knitted almost into a line and his expression is also ugly like Fei Yin.
Cheng Sheng's face is pale as he stared at Bai Yun in horror. "Wu Ran…" he said. "Is he planning on revolting against the current emperor of Heilong?" he asked.
Bai Yun's expression, contrary to them, is as relaxed as ever. His brows raised because of Cheng Sheng's question. "Are you thinking I am someone from the imperial palace?" he asked.
"What?" Cheng Sheng was caught off-guard by the sudden change in topic. However, he immediately realized the relevance of Bai Yun's question. "No. I'm not planning on sowing discord. Everyone are all intelligent people, much less the emperor of Heilong who ruled for five hundred years." He said.
Bai Yun nodded, agreeing to what Cheng Sheng said. "There is no law in Heilong, so everything is possible." He said. "Revolting, of course, is included. 'might is right'. Only the fists speak here. It is rare for you to find a person here in Heilong who can be spoken with, reasoned with." He told them.
Cheng Sheng thought about it. His mind is working fast. "Five hundred years ago, the Wuran Kingdom sank. But, it actually just evolved, starting to evolve into a realm." He started. "Wu Ran, the king, died. He was then reincarnated only four hundred years later as Ming Ye, a beggar orphan who later became an elder in the Youxiwang Sect. However, during this five hundred years, this new realm is under the rule of someone mighty, treating him as an emperor." He explained. "Then, Wu Ran, who is using Ming Ye's body, made contact with the emperor of the Heilong. It was then that he found out how his kingdom developed into the Heilong Realm." He paced back and forth as he spoke.
"They must have made a deal between each other." Wu Yuan said.
"That's right!" Cheng Sheng said as he clenched his fists. His expression looked agitated. "This emperor of Heilong has already set up his own territory. But, where would that leave Wu Ran? The emperor's territory is originally Wu Ran's." he said. "So, he told Wu Ran that he'll help him build his new kingdom. Only, the kingdom is Huilong." He finished.
"F*cking bastards!" Fei Yin kicked the tree.
"Hey! Hey! Don't hurt my tree!" Bai Yun said as he immediately checked the tree's trunk. He sighed in relief when there was no crack on the trunk. Then, he turned to Cheng Sheng, Fei Yin and Wu Yuan. "I didn't expect for you to be this smart." He told Cheng Sheng. "Yes. Everything is as you said." He then tapped Cheng Sheng's shoulder with his closed fan. "The Heilong emperor and Wu Ran have made a deal with each other, thus, it can't be said that Wu Ran is revolting. Since his territory will be in Huilong." He told them.
Cheng Sheng's, Fei Yin's and Wu Yuan's faces darkened.
"The remnants of the Wuran Kingdom are now Wu Ran's soldiers." Bai Yun continued as he sat back on the bench. He opened his fan and fanned himself.
"They are that loyal to him?" Fei Yin asked. "It's been five hundred years…" he said.
"You're right. It's already been five hundred years." Bai Yun said. "So, they shouldn't be that much loyal to him as before." He said.
"Then, why?" Wu Yuan asked. "Because they are a part of the deal the Heilong emperor made with Wu Ran?" he said.
"There's some truth with that." Bai Yun said as he turned to Wu Yuan.
"'there's some truth'?" Cheng Sheng asked. "This isn't the reason why they are helping Wu Ran?" he asked.
"Sharp!" Bai Yun praised Cheng Sheng.
Cheng Sheng rolled his eyes, as if saying, 'spare me the praises'.
"The real reason why the remnants of the Wuran Kingdom helping Wu Ran, their former king, is because the Heilong will be undergoing in a big change." Bai Yun said.
"'big change'?" Fei Yin asked.
Bai Yun nodded. "Heilong will be implementing rules." He smiled. "In short, there will be a set of rules, or a law, in Heilong in the future." He told them.
Shock is an understatement. "WHAT?!?!" Cheng Sheng, Fei Yin and Wu Yuan were stunned. That Heilong that is lawless will be having a law?!
Bai Yun could guess what they are thinking just by looking at their shocked expression. "Actually…" he spoke. "That's not really it." He said.
"What do you mean?" Wu Yuan asked.
"Wait – " Cheng Sheng said as he wrinkled his face while in deep contemplation. " – Heilong… the emperor… five hundred years… Wu Ran and the Wuran kingdom… the deal - " he muttered.
Bai Yun smiled. "Finally figured it out?" he asked Cheng Sheng.
Cheng Sheng looked at him. "Heilong isn't the Wuran Kingdom." He concluded.
Fei Yin and Wu Yuan looked at him. "What do you mean?" they asked.
Cheng Sheng turned to them. "Although the Heilong is located where the Wuran kingdom was before, but over the five hundred years, the land changed." He said. "As well as the people changed. There's also the emperor that ruled them." He explained.
"Wait… I think I get it now – " Fei Yin said. " – Heilong is Wuran, but not exactly the Wuran kingdom." He said.
Wu Yuan nodded as he also realized it. "Wu Ran must have realized it, too, that things have completely changed, and everything can't go back the way it was before." He said. "The Heilong's emperor wanted to separate the Heilong from Wu Ran to have the Heilong completely under his control. So, the deal was made." He explained.
"That's right." Cheng Sheng said.
Bai Yun's eyes brightened as he looked at them three. "You are all smart people!" he clapped his hands.
Cheng Sheng made a small smile while Fei Yin snorted and Wu Yuan's expression became blank.
Bai Yun wasn't offended by their bland reaction and spoke instead. "You are all smart people. So, why have you come here?" he asked. The 'here' he is referring to is Heilong.
"We are looking for our parents." Wu Yuan answered.
Bai Yun looked at each one of them before he spoke. "You three are brothers?" he asked.
"No." Wu Yuan answered and pointed Cheng Sheng and Fei Yin. "They are." He said.
Cheng Sheng and Fei Yin. "…" does being disciple brothers count?
Bai Yun looked at Cheng Sheng and Fei Yin with surprise. "So you are brothers!" he said. "No wonder you two are more intimate!" he laughed.
Cheng Sheng and Fei Yin. "…" guess it counts…
"So, your parents are…?" Bai Yun asked.
"Also righteous cultivators." Wu Yuan answered. "There are two of them that went here. We lost them." He explained. Although his words are very short, but they are comprehensive.
"Oh." Bai Yun said as he flipped open his fan and waved it. "I didn't see any righteous cultivators around here, until you three appeared." He said and pointed at them.
Cheng Sheng, Fei Yin and Wu Yuan looked at each other and helplessly sighed. They've reached a dead end once again. "Thanks, anyway." They sighed and weakly sat on another bench.
Bai Yun nodded. "I'll clean up the stable first." He said before he walked towards the demonic cultivator's corpse. They watched him picked up the demonic cultivator's leg and dragged him away.
Huilong Continent, Southmost Region.
"HAH!" Jing Hei and Lei Qing panted as they collapsed on the floor of the ship, completely exhausted after killing the demonic cultivators that attacked them.
"Jie… Jing-shixiong… I'm sorry…" Lei Ling cried as he fell on his knees. "Everyone, I'm sorry!" he apologized.
Qian Lin helplessly smiled while You Rou waved her hand to Lei Ling. "Lei-shixiong, don't cry. We're all fine!" she told him as she crawled out from under the table. "Sect leader Qian, medicine?" she asked as she looked up at Qian Tian, raising a bottle of medicine.
"I'm not that exhausted." Qian Tian told her.
Two hours after Xie Lan, Fan Wen and Li Tian left, they all shut down the Millennium Ship's barrier to preserve the Millennium Ship's energy. Then, they helped Lei Ling set up a barrier around the ship for them.
Who knows where did the demonic cultivators popped out, or they are actually secretly monitoring them? They boarded the ship before they all could finish setting up the barrier. Fortunately, Jing Hei and Lei Qing are present. Qian Lin's injuries were also completely healed, and more than half of Qian Tian's strength has returned. They have wiped out the demonic cultivators.
"Wah!" You Rou suddenly exclaimed when she tripped over a demonic cultivator's corpse.
"Are you okay?!" they asked.
"I'm alright…" You Rou answered before her voice trailed off. "Yi? His hair looks weird." She said and pointed the hair of the demonic cultivator that was exposed.
The hair was braided with colorful beads as the ornaments.