“May I know why this senior has come to this place?”

“Ahh- what? Ahh– yes, can I not come to meet my neighbor once in a while, or are you saying that I can not move as I please, here on my own land?”

“I can not say anything, if the land under sir’s feet, is of your own ownership. However—,”

“Ahh-ah---, can you stop with the weird duplicity, I do not like when others try to put a facade, you can speak freely, Caretaker Wan, of the Field house.”

However, as old Wan was fixed on the old man that was still with his back on the earth and grass of the riverbank, his eyes squinted, as he was uncertain of the true motive of why a high King of the prairie, had come and made himself present to him, in a manner such as this.

“If that is the case, then this is the first time we meet, Crow of the North Plain, rank 9 King, rumored to have failed two times in becoming an Emperor.”

“Hooo---, so we play the game, where we talk about what we know of one another, while we do not really know each other? I can play too, about how you come into the service of the east general almost a hundred years ago, while you are a mere rank 9 Immortal mostly on your last century, yet he still values you a lot, after all, you are protecting his youngest son right now, am I wrong!?”

At the end of his speech, the old man rose from his back seated position, to reveal his appearance, as he seemed slightly annoyed, at the mention of some of his past failures.

Though, once up to his feet, old Wan could look at the renowned old man, that was in truth an extremely unlucky and unfortunate cultivator, although quite long-lived, as he was one of the few kings that came from the time, when the Prairie and the now weak Kingdom, were still in a warlike skirmish, with one another.

Yet, his figure was that of a normal old man, slightly hunched whit a white long beard and disheveled hair, in clothes that expressed nothing but a state of poverty for the old man.

“Haaa, I did not come here to bicker with you, for fun, though it is quite fun for me. I am here to look at this settlement, as some of these folk here are part of my people too. For that, I can say that they will not be assailed as long I am still around.”

“If that is as you say, then on behalf of my side, I must thank senior for the gratitude shown to these mortals here.”

“I told you not to do any—, well there is something else though, hmm.”

Although as old Crow was about to repeat himself, all of a sudden he seemed to remember something while he was chuckling with a grin on his face as he was looking sideways to the forest, and was prepared to leave.

In retrospect old Wan, was putting his guard up even more, as even though their conversation was nothing much, he was not distracted as he knew, that the old man before him, needed only one swing of his hand, to kill him, and wiped out the entire camp behind him. Simple as a trifle and mundane action for him.

“Tell your master, that if he so decides to leave the Kingdom, the prairie is always “the wind who loves the fire”.”

At the weird phrase of the words, old Wan squinted his eyes at the old man on the other side of the river, as he could detect a very sharp and cold glint in his eyes.

“No need to glare at me like that, this is just a friendly reminder. Well, you know my words, this is all I have to say, take care, caretaker Wan! May we meet again! Maybe, we will drink the next time we meet or maybe not. Who knows.”

Though as old Wan was looking at the old hunched man moving south, he was surprised to see him move so fast on the grass, as though his feet seemed to be wings and not the legs of a human.

“Sigh”

Although he could only relax, once the old man was no longer in his eyes sight, and the range of his mind sens.

Even so, he did not move from his position, for quite some time. Even after the old man had already left, far off to the south, deep into the never-ending grass of the prairie.

However, after he was sure there was no danger whatsoever in his surroundings, the first move he made, was that of making a strange hand-size red plate, appear in his hand as he immediately moved it to touch his forehead.

However, at the same time, quite a distance away south of the camp, the old man named Crow, stopped before a man who sat next to a large eagle-like bird, that was just opening its eyes to look at the newcomer.

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“I have done what you have asked me to do, now let us go back so you can take a good look at the lasses in my village. I can not let the old woman, outdo me.

“Haaaa---, uncle Crow, no need to be so preoccupied about this, it is not like I have come here to take a wife. I am on the order of the Grand Interpreter to look at the situation in this region. While what you have just conveyed, is nothing more than what the Grand Chieftain has in mind of doing, once the Kingdom will begin to fall.”

“Better for us to take the talent and the people, than the Eastern Empire or the War State, I remember that guy's words so you do not need to remind me of how his mind works. Though, what is with that phrase?”

“I do not know, master Interpreter has once told me, and just remember it. I felt that it might be useful here.”

“Just for that? What if they might get the wrong impression.”

“They are free to comprehend it, the way that they want. Sooner or later they will be faced with a choice to decide on regardless of what we say. However, this son of his is not at all as impressive, as how he had been.”

“By the standards of the Kingdom’s young generations, he is treading just behind, despite the rumors about him. Unlike his father, a talent who is being chained to the Kingdom's fate. However, I hope you are not looking down on him, because of this!?”

“You don’t have to worry uncle, I have not lost myself to the arrogance of my own power.”

“Good, then let us return to my tribe, I have yet to drink with you even once, now that you have taken such a big step in your life. I need to tell everyone that I knew you, from when you were just a small dumb kid, that was running against the wind all day.”

“Ahhhhh—. Then Let us go.”

“Come on, come on.”

However as the man seemed to be rather unwilling to follow the old man, he was nonetheless obliged, to content this old uncle of his for past kindness and gratitude showed in the past.

As old Crow started to move south while grinning and stroking his beard as though thinking of something, the young man looked at the camp that was quite a distance from his position, as he was climbing on the back of the big eagle, and took to the sky in a few flaps of his wing to follow the old man moving at a high speed from them.

“Stangnet wind holds nothing but death or it awaits for the storm to begin. What will this one be!?”

Though at the same time that the old man had left the bank of the river, and then left south with the man his eagle, old Wan was holding a red small plate on his forehead, while his eyes were closed, giving the impression of being in deep thought over some important matter, or mulling over and over again on a subject.

[Old Wan. What is it for you to contact me?]

[Weird and strange situations, out of the young master's trip.]

[---How is the brat?]

[Good, as of now. However, he has advanced to rank 6, in a way which I do not approve of.]

[Tell me everything.]

[Well, apart from the fact that the young master's journey, had brought us to a place that is too perilous even for me or yourself, nothing bad has really happened thankfully.]

[If anything happens, just take him and run, anyway his small endeavor is of the time to be over, bring him to one of the fortress cities as soon as possible.]

[That is what we are about to do, however as far as what had really happened here—.]

Although, while old Wan, at the bank of the river, appeared to be pondering over something of great importance, if one could hear the stern voice that was resounding in his mind, one might be frozen in place, as the authority of someone who was used to order thousands of other men at his beckon, was radiating from each and every single word that was spoken.

[------.]

[---.]

[I see—. Just return, before you will really get, into a really dangerous situation.]

[I will.]

[Look after him, old Wan.]

[Till we meet in the fire?]

[Till we meet in dark!]

[---.]

“Phewww, this sure is putting a lot of stress on me.”

As the conversation, between himself and the man, was over, old Wan released a long exhale, as he had a moment to relax and ease his nerves for a small instant, as since he had come to this region, he had been on his highest alertness ever since he had left the main city and came to the help of these villagers, that could not be described to be true citizens of the Kingdom.

However, he could not relax for long, as not a moment later his gaze and posture seemed to go into bizarre stages of morphing as for a second he was giving the feeling of being nothing more, than a cold and indifferent murderer, only to return to his friendly self in the next, while turning towards the camp in the next instant.

While he was walking inside the camp, he was beginning to scrutinize each and every villager and even the guards that were passing next to him, meanwhile, he was still inching close to the center of the camp and Rowen's tent.

Yet, once in his sight, he entered without regarding any of the guards close to the entrance and in his proximity.

Even as he entered, what he was seeing was exactly what he had been thinking he was going to find. Two madmen's cultivating, despite their injuries or any other matter that should take priority above their own cultivation, prompting himself to shake his head slightly, as he knew as much as the two, that a longer period of cultivation would not equal a fast or big growth if one was not in the most optimal condition, both physically and mindset wise.

“Old Wan, everything good?”

“Yes, all seemed to be in order, I have not met anyone suspicious or out of place.”

“Good to hear, however—,"

As the young man promptly opened his eyes from his cultivation session and began to have a conversation with the old man, a kind of uncertainty rose on him as he seemed to have a doubt, that needed to be cleared.

“-was that good? Why did we not tell him directly, and omitted him entirely, as we had him here?.”

“He is a good fit to be the third subordinate, as you and Adrian are akin to machines, and lack a slightly human hint of friendliness, I would say, While young Levis, is something abnormal, that I have yet to understand. Although he needs to be a little more assertive on his own aspirations, if he won’t ask by himself, we can go to him at a later date.”

“This—, yes this is a much better way of recruiting him.”

At their words and conversation, Adrian the was on his back resting and cultivating, opened his eyes just slightly as he was aware of who they were talking to, as his presence and lack of it, was something that had bugged him to, only now to understand that this was a test put in place, by the frightening and reassuring senior Wan.

“And for the three that Levis has spoken of?”

“I will look into it immediately, first I will prepare something for the two of you, as the guards that can cook are still cooking for the villagers too and can not keep up, with all of our orders for cooked food.”

“Very well, after this, see if what he has said, is true or not.”