“Sui Mei Xilan?”

“The Sui Kingdom’s princess?”

“So she’s alive?”

“Where has she been this whole time?”

A ripple spread through the group of cultivators. Wu Jian could hear their murmurs as they stared at Mei Xilan, who withstood their scrutiny with a blank expression.

“I thought she was dead?”

“Who’d have thought the little princess of the Sui Kingdom would still be alive after all this time.”

“Where has she been?”

“Why hasn’t she done anything to help us until now?”

Not everyone was happy to see her, however, and while some people merely expressed surprise, quite a few seemed angry that she had only appeared before them now. It was unreasonable of them. Mei Xilan had been but a child when her family was overthrown and she was forced to flee. She had no power of her own and no one to rely on until she was found by Hua Xue and brought to the Ice Phoenix Sect. There was no way for her to help her people during that time.

But logic and reason rarely meant anything in the face of anger and resentment.

As the princess of the Sui Kingdom, Mei Xilan represented the royal bloodline that was overthrown by the Undying Sun Sect. Members of the resistance might view her as a symbol of the monarch they were fighting to restore, but her absence from their efforts until now might have left them without strong moral support. Some might also perceive her as a sheltered princess who was disconnected from the struggles of the common people. Perhaps they believed she had been living a life of luxury until now.

Human beings were illogical creatures at the best of times. When put in a high-stress situation where the possibility of death was high, their ability to think logically became even more muddied.

“Settle down, you lot, and introduce yourselves,” Rén Xuě commanded.

Four people came forward among the group.

“I’m Fang Heng,” said a towering man with a muscular build. His presence was imposing thanks to his intimidating stature, but he was only an Asura Realm cultivator. He had a weathered face from years of battle, and his piercing gaze betrayed a keen intelligence and strategic mind.

“Li Wei.” The next person to introduce himself was a wiry and agile man, with a lean frame that belied his strength. His sharp features and calculating eyes gave him an air of cunning. He was also at the Asura Realm.

The next person to step forward was a man with a calm and composed demeanor. He exuded an aura of quiet confidence and authority. His tall stature and chiseled features gave him a commanding presence, while his piercing gaze seemed to see through to the very soul of those he looked at.

“Zhang Ming… it is good to see you… Xi’er.”

“Ah. Uncle Ming?” Mei Xilan seemed stunned.

Uncle Ming, or General Zhang Ming, had been a commander in the Sui Kingdom’s army. He was known for his strategic brilliance and ability to inspire loyalty in his troops. When the Undying Sun Sect attacked and the kingdom was lost, it was he who helped many of their soldiers escape to live and fight another day.

The man knelt down. “I have long awaited the day you would return to us. I’m glad to see that day has finally come.”

While more murmurs swept through the room, Wu Jian glanced at Rén Xuě. The ugly expression on his face was not one that he would call suitable for a military leader. It left quickly enough, but Wu Jian had seen it, and that was more than enough for him.

The last person to introduce himself was Wang Jian. He was a scarred and weather-beaten man whose appearance was a testament to his many years as a mercenary. Unlike the first two, who had been farmers before joining the resistance, and Zhang Ming, this man worked for whoever paid the highest price. Wu Jian believed the only reason he wasn’t working for the Undying Sun Sect was because they didn’t hire mercenaries. He was the least trustworthy of all those introduced.

This group of four made up Rén Xuě’s generals; they were known as The Four Pillars by everyone else. That was because they were the strongest among Rén Xuě’s soldiers.

Most of the soldiers were not even cultivators. Many of them were simple farmers who never broke through to the Hunger Realm. That was the reason why Rén Xuě had not been able to make any headway against the Undying Sun Sect. Even if they outnumbered the Undying Sun Sect 10 to 1, a single cultivator at the Asura Realm could fight a hundred normal people. The Undying Sun Sect not only had more Asura Realm cultivators, but several of their cultivators were at the Human Limit Realm and a few were even at the Deva Realm.

“Now that introductions have been made, I’ll have Liang Wei show you to your rooms,” Rén Xuě said. “Sui Mei Xilan, you’ll be given your own room. It’s a bit further away from the others, but it’s much more luxurious, as befitting your station.”

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“Hold on.” Wu Jian stepped forward. “I understand she needs a room that befits her status, but I don’t believe she should be located further away from us. We’re her bodyguards. She hired us to protect her, so we need to be close by in case of emergencies.”

A cold chill entered Rén Xuě’s eyes. “Are you suggesting I might try and harm her?”

Wu Jian tilted his masked face. “No? Why would I suggest that? I’m just saying that, as her bodyguards, we need to be nearby in case something happens.”

Rén Xuě glared at Wu Jian, who stared right back. It really was a good thing he had a mask. It was so useful for preventing people from seeing his face. Wu Jian didn’t know if he would be able to stop himself from smiling. He didn’t like Rén Xuě at all, so he hadn’t been going to miss on the opportunity to insult him, even just a little.

“Do what you want,” Rén Xuě turned away in disgust.

***

They walked along the lit hallway in silence. Liang Wei was leading them to their rooms. He looked grumpy. His lips were set in a stern frown and he was stomping his feet like a petulant child who’d been scolded by their parents.

“I wish your bodyguards wouldn’t pick a fight with Zhǐhuīguān Rén Xuě,” he said at last.

“Do not be angry with Jian Wu,” Mei Xilan said placatingly. “He was not picking a fight with Rén Xuě, but rather, seeing to it that he could do his duty. He meant no harm nor insult.”

“Well… fine…”

Liang Wei didn’t have anything he could say in defense of her words, so he reluctantly let it go.

The rooms Liang Wei showed them to were simple yet functional. An underground base for a resistance movement did not have the luxury of added amenities, so all the rooms were designed to maximize space and provide basic amenities while maintaining security and secrecy. They had been given three rooms--one for Wu Jian and Shuchang, another for Hou Jingshu, Zhou Lihua, Zhou Wen, and Youmei, and one for Mei Xilan. Each one was located right next to each other. Mei Xilan’s room was in the middle.

Each room had simple beds arranged along the walls to maximize space, a small table and chairs for eating, and a basic storage chest for personal belongings. Wu Jian had forgotten this simple fact, but storage rings like the ones he and his companions used were quite rare. Mei Xilan’s room was the finest. The room was larger, the bed more comfortable, and there was a sitting area. However, it was still a far cry from something that would normally be used by royalty.

“I’ll be back when it’s time for dinner to escort you to the mess hall,” Liang Wei said. He paused as though reluctant to leave. Looking at Mei Xilan, he opened his mouth several times, then slowly shook his head and wandered back the way he had come.

“Let’s talk in my room,” Mei Xilan suggested.

“Waaaaaaai! Fluffy bed!”

The moment they entered the room, Youmei dove into the bed and began bouncing around, giggling like a child. Well… she was a child. She might have been a fearsome magical beast, but she was just a simple child at heart. He thought about scolding her, but Mei Xilan said it was fine, so while his magical beast companion bounced around on the bed, the rest of them sat down on the chairs.

“The situation is worse than I thought,” Mei Xilan cupped a hand to her chin and looked down. “The soldiers here are weak. That said, I am surprised there are so many Hunger Realm cultivators.”

Wu Jian had used his spatial awareness to get an estimate about both the layout of this base and the number of soldiers garrisoned there. They had a total of about one thousand soldiers. That wasn’t a large number, but the Undying Sun Sect was estimated to have even less.

“There are more people at the Hunger Realm than I would have thought,” Hou Jingshu added. “How many did you count?”

“There were about five hundred cultivators. Most of them were at the Hunger Realm, but there were a few at the Anima Realm.”

“That’s a surprising amount for an army like this. Still, it won’t be enough to take on the Undying Sun Sect. They have cultivators at the Anima, Asura, and Human Limit Realm. There’s also Qiang Bao, who is at the Deva Realm and I hear one of his elders is also at the Deva Realm.”

“That’s not going into Soul Eclipse. We don’t know how strong they are, but the disciples I fought were all at the Deva Realm too.”

Supposing Qiang Bao, his elder, and Luan Desheng were the only three at the Deva Realm, they would have an edge in terms of individual firepower. Three of them were Deva Realm cultivators, While Hou Jingshu and Shuchang were at the Seeker Realm. They alone might have the power to destroy the Undying Sun Sect, but taking them down in a head on confrontation might come at a great cost to the Sui Kingdom’s people. A battle between cultivators at their realm would result in immense damage to the surroundings.

“Our first step should be discovering whether or not Rén Xuě is trustworthy,” Shuchang said after a moment. He crossed his arms and leaned back. “I don’t like that guy, so I don’t trust him. If what Jian Wu suspects is true, then I have even less reason to trust him.”

Mei Xilan nodded. “You are right, of course. Speaking of, Jian Wu, did you discover anything?”

“Not here.” Wu Jian shook his head. “If those women Rén Xuě ordered kidnapped are here, then they are already dead. However, I suspect they have been taken somewhere else.”

They had prevented Liang Wei from taking those women he had been manipulating when they met him, but Wu Jian suspected this had been going on for some time, so there were likely quite a few kidnapped women. He believed they were being stored somewhere remote. If they were being used for what he thought they were being used for, then Rén Xuě would not want the average soldier stumbling upon them.

A knock suddenly echoed around the room, followed by a voice.

“Xi’er? Are you in there? It is Zhang Ming. I would like to speak with you, if you have the time.”

Everyone glanced at each other. Mei Xilan looked at Wu Jian, who realized what she wanted, stood up, and opened the door to admit Zhang Ming. The man walked in but paused when he saw the others.

“Is now a bad time?” he asked.

“Not at all,” Mei Xilan said. “We were simply discussing what we have experienced so far. Please, sit down.”

Zhang Ming furrowed his brow as he glanced at everyone else. “I had been… hoping to speak with you in private.”

“I understand why you might wish to do that, considering everyone here is a stranger to you, but I consider them my dear friends and companions. I hope you shall treat them the same.”

Zhang Ming contemplated this for a moment, then sighed even as he nodded his assent. He wondered over and sat down heavily on the spot Wu Jian had just unoccupied. Since he now had nowhere to sit, he opted to stand behind Mei Xilan, pretending to be her bodyguard since that was the excuse they had given when they requested rooms next to each other.

“Tell me, what do you think of Rén Xuě?” asked Zhang Ming.