Chapter 62 - Arriving at the Capital
The trip lasted a week as had been planned previously. Although most of the time, they were always on the move, it wasn’t an unpleasant journey. The carriages turned out to be somewhat comfortable and spacious, and the pace of the buffaloes was constant, without sudden changes in speed due to unforeseen factors.
Hei and Lian, most of the time, focused on cultivating to consolidate their foundation after using the Explosive Blood Pills. Therefore, they didn’t suffer much from the monotony of the journey. Ye and Xing were bored instead because there wasn’t much to do or to eat. Fortunately, there was Me who was equally bored, and they spent days playing together while also involving the squadron of bees that had been assigned to Mi.
As for the other passengers on the convoy, the elders' personal disciples also concentrated on cultivation while the elders silently examined their progress.
But while the day was therefore dedicated to travel, at night, they would have stopped to sleep.
The sect leader had specially brought various food items to eat during the journey and had divided them into each of the carriages so that they each had their own supply. However, since it was a bit strange to eat together, she allowed everyone to dine when and with whomever they wanted.
It was suitable for Hei, who preferred to stay quiet with his family and eat in peace. So, as soon as they stopped for the night, he would go hunting with Ye and Xing, leaving Lian and Bao Bei inside the carriage to rest.
After all, the food provided by the sect leader was planned for Hei and Lian, and although there was a little more for only two people, Ye and Xing were very gluttonous and would eat a lot. Furthermore, there was also his mother, who had to eat. Since they were traveling with non-family members, Hei asked his mother if he could be in charge of meals while she would remain inside the carriage to rest.
Once the prey was captured and the meat prepared, Hei would leave the task of cooking to Lian while he went to feed the food brought specially for the buffaloes and poured some honey for the bees in a bowl.
His actions, despite not doing it on purpose, ended up attracting the attention of the other people. The sect leader and the other two elders silently watched Hei's actions but didn’t say anything, leaving him in peace. Besides, it was free time now, and as long as he didn't stray too far, Hei was able to do what he wanted. The elders' personal disciples, on the other hand, weren’t interested at all in what he was doing but concentrated on cultivation.
Hei's recent breakthrough had left them upset because they didn't want to be reached by someone younger than them. Also, at the king's birthday celebration, they would meet the geniuses of the other sects. They weren’t afraid of those coming from the sects lower than theirs. However, there would be those coming from the other big sect present in the kingdom, the Tree Sect. Even though they had always been considered geniuses since they started cultivating, they couldn't help but be nervous about meeting someone with a background equal to or even more significant than theirs.
The only exception to this nervousness was Ying Yue. The young girl got bored since the first night of staying in the carriage, as she had been there all day cultivating. Since she couldn’t disturb the elders and the others were meditating, she pointed to the only people who could be ‘disturbed.’
So during dinner, with a slight disappointment from Hei, she joined for dinner with the strange family. Although it was her first time, she didn't find it odd to eat with a spider and a snake. Even Ye and Xing looked at Ying Yue with curiosity, but under Hei's orders, they did nothing unusual, merely enjoying the meal while Bao Bei would later eat her dinner in the carriage. Even if she was showing no discomfort towards Ye and Xing, Hei wouldn’t trust anyone so quickly, especially not when there were several people present.
Thus, the seven days passed, and finally, they arrived at the capital of the forest kingdom - Forest City. As could be expected from the capital of the kingdom, Forest City was a large and imposing city. Just from the walls and from the quantity of guards placed as surveillance, he could one imagine its power.
However, the convoy didn’t enter immediately but stopped not too far from the entrance of the city as ordered by the sect leader who gathered the two elders and the other younger generation inner members.
"Listen well, we have now reached the capital and will soon be entering inside. As soon as we cross the threshold of the city entrance, the parade of our sect will begin. It means that as soon as we enter, it is strictly forbidden for our sect to lose face. Every action you take will be associated with the sect, and if you cause problems, there will be consequences depending on the gravity of your actions, am I clear?" The sect leader warned sternly.
"Yes, sect leader!" The younger generation's inner members, including Hei and Lian, answered together in unison.
As much as they might be affiliated with different factions or have different masters, she remained the sect leader, the one who commanded the Flower Sect. So, to have order, it was necessary that in a group, the hierarchy was always respected; at least in appearance. That was even truer during public events like this one.
"Good, then we will proceed as instructed during the journey. The parade will continue until the arrival at the royal palace, where we will stop to pay our respects to the king. After that, since we should be one of the last sects to arrive, I presume that the auction will begin today during the afternoon and then finish the evening and leave room for the banquet at the palace. You will likely be provoked by the younger generation disciples of the other sects. Don't fall easily to their provocations, but if they insist, don't restrain yourself from teaching them a lesson. All right, let's go then."
When the sect leader’s speech was over, Hei ordered the buffaloes to start moving again. This time their pace wasn’t as fast as before, but it was slower. And yet this slow pace caused a more imposing feeling to those who observed from the outside.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
"Mother, we are about to enter the city," Hei reported as he returned to the carriage. Thanks to telepathy through his mother's spirit power, he could easily send to buffaloes his commands from inside the carriage.
'Yes, I've heard. Don't worry about me and enjoy the view of the city. It's the first time you enter the capital of a human kingdom, enjoy the show. Ye and Xing also want to watch it.’
"All right, mother, then rest quietly for the time being," Hei fondly said as he placed a silk blanket around his mother's tiny body.
So Hei and Lian, holding Xing and Ye, turned their gaze to the ever-closer view of the city.
When they arrived at the gates of the city, the guards recognized the emblem of the sect and promptly removed the various present people to make room for the carriages as they bowed their heads to pay respect to one of the five big sects.
While the carriages were passing the city walls, suddenly from the carriage of Cao Su, the loud sound of a horn was heard, while drum hits echoed the instant afterward from the carriages of the first and second elder.
The sudden loud sound immediately caught the attention of the inhabitants of the capital who recognized the emblems affixed to the carriages.
"Hey, look! It's the symbol of the Flower Sect, another of the five big sects has arrived at the capital!” Shouted several people at various points in the city as the inhabitants flocked to see what was happening.
The horn and the drums continued to resound while the intense trampling of the buffalo's hooves provided even more power to the general picture. Under Hei's orders, the buffalo bellowed once together in precise moments when the rhythm of the sound reached its peak. Meanwhile, Mi and her squadron of bees had come out of the carriage. Then, they formed in the sky the same emblem as the one affixed to the carriages.
At the sight of buffaloes and bees that moved with precision according to specific commands, the various spectators couldn’t help but be surprised. It was rare to see such precise control, but what surprised them was above all the sight of the albino buffalo in the front row.
Shui had indeed released its spirit power, and the various martial artists could do nothing but be amazed by its power. Shui had a strength comparable to martial artists of the sixth stage spirit apprentice, and it was approaching the second level, meaning a power similar to a spirit soldier martial artist. The second rank, a spirit soldier, was the limit that could be reached in the islands and therefore represented the peak of power on the Rainbow Island. Having a spirit beast of such power under their control was incredible, even for one of the five big sects.
Halfway through the parade, the horn and the drums stopped resonating as the sweet sound of a zither began to spread, warming the souls of those still present, shaken by the previous performance of power. A beautiful woman climbed to the top of the carriage in the front row, before all spectators' eyes. It was none other than Mei, the personal disciple of the sect leader.
Taking a deep breath, Mei began to sing. Unlike her cold and detached attitude, her tone of voice was as harmonious and warm as a woman's passionate song towards the person she loved.
Petals with light tones began to pour into the air from the carriages while a light wind blew them upwards, making them descend like a rain of petals in the streets of the city. Then, suddenly two strips of fire rose from the carriage of the first elder arose toward the sky burning the petals, creating like little tongue flames in the air that extinguished shortly after.
When they were close to the royal palace, the sect leader climbed above her carriage and activating her spiritual power, emitted cherry-colored petals from her hands in the sky. In the same way, the first elder climbed over his carriage and, activating his spirit power, emanated from his mouth a wire of fire that went to rest next to the petals of the sect leader. Together they formed the emblem of the sect. Power and elegance, two virtues apparently in contrast with each other but which reflected the essence of the Flower Sect
The second elder, at that moment, also climbed his carriage and, activating his spirit power, with his hands, he generated a gust of wind that dispersed the flames of the first elder and the petals of the sect leader. Once again, the buffaloes bellowed in unison as Mi, and the other bees formed the characters for the words Powers and Elegance, thus concluding the parade since they had arrived at the royal palace.
Flower petals, wires of fire, gusts of wind. These represented the respective elemental laws that the sect leader and the first and second elder possessed - Wood, Fire, Wind.
Initially, most of the Flower Sect members had the Wood element. But with the merger with other clans and families, people with elements of various kinds had appeared, thus creating more diversity among the elements known to the sect.
Outside the royal palace, there was a squadron of soldiers in formations. In the center, there was another group of people, including the king accompanied by the queen.
The king, despite his white hair and long beard, still showed a certain prowess and gave the sensation of being much younger. The queen had long black hair and large green eyes. Although a few wrinkles could be seen here and there, that didn’t diminish her beauty, giving her instead an air of experience and wisdom.
Next to them were the various ministers. They helped the king in dealing with the kingdom's state and with the relationship with the other two kingdoms. They were all dressed elegantly and were waiting in silence for the convoy to arrive with their king.
The sect leader and the other two elders descended from the carriages without effort, while Mei, Li, Zan, Cao Su, Ying Yue, Hei, and Lian also descended.
Standing in a horizontal row, they followed the sect leader and the two elders. When they were in front of the king, they bowed on one knee respectfully and waited there on the spot. A little further on, the first and second elders stopped and bowed their heads. Given their position, they weren’t required to fell to their knees. The sect leader took a few steps away from the two elders and then stopped as well, bowing her head and saying.
"We, Flower Sect, pay homage to King Gengxin for the celebration of his birthday. We have brought various gifts for the occasion," the sect leader proclaimed respectfully.
So she made Hei, Lian, and the other personal disciples get up and take the gifts they had prepared for the occasion. In a short time, various chests were brought before the king, each containing gifts that would have caused the envy and greed of ordinary people. Of course, for a martial artist, they were gifts of a particular importance, but they couldn’t be defined as absolute treasures.
Despite being part of the kingdom, the sects were entities of power in their own right, with their personal autonomy of government. Even if they respect the king authority, they weren’t at all bound by it. Therefore, they weren’t also obliged to hand over their greatest treasures to him as presents. But they couldn't even gift him with simple things of scarce importance. So something in the middle was needed.
The king willingly accepted the gift of the sect leader. After exchanging brief words of greeting with her and the other two elders, he invited the convoy to enter the palace where the representatives of the different sects had already gathered.
Knowing the character of Hei, the sect leader sent him and Lian to arrange the carriages and buffaloes inside the outer ground of the royal palace. Usually, the guards would be in charge of such a task, but being a spirit beast as powerful as Shui, they felt they weren’t able to do it this time.
It was excellent for Hei. In that way, he could make sure of where the buffaloes would be placed and take his mother and his little sisters who had remained in the carriage.