Chapter 236 Dire Straits!
Once the four settled into their seats, Lei Bao cast a dirty look at War Tiger—a cold gleaming look that carried much resentment and grudge. Apparently, he was still embittered over what happened just now.
War Tiger did nothing to avert his gaze, although he could not help feeling bothered and discouraged. With the anomalies occurring everywhere and the rise of warriors during these times of chaos, strength and power represented everything. With the scarcity of talents within Purple Phoenix, they have little authority to speak. Even it’s hard for the state to help them.
Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Winsome Widow smiled demurely and said, “You summoned us here, Chief Yan. Is there anything important you wish to discuss?”
Yan Chong got to his feet. Nodding to everyone, he said, “Almost six months have passed since Lord Gao’s demise, and we of the Fire Dragon Palace have endured like a headless snake. Dissolution is upon us, my friends, and this doesn’t bode well for our future.”
It was not untrue: after the downfall of Gao Qingling, there has been much friction between the four subsidiaries of the Fire Dragon Palace and if given enough time, what bond now holding together would eventually break and they could disband.
Lei Bao peered at Yan Chong. “What do you suggest, Chief Yan?”
“I suggest electing a new lord.”
Winsome Widow and Lei Bao shared a furtive glance, with only War Tiger remaining oblivious.
“I have no objections,” said Lei Bao, “But who should we nominate?”
“It’s only a suggestion on my part,” Yan Chong deflected and said, “I leave it all to you three to nominate anyone you deem worthy.”
“In that case, I’ll nominate Winsome Widow to be our new lord of the palace. I’ll have no one but her,” Lei Bao announced loudly.
Winsome Widow could barely hold back the indignance forming on her face. “Lei Bao, you damned bastard,” she cursed quietly. He was trying to make her a target! Even a fool could see that Yan Chong intended to become the new lord!
“Well, thank you so much for that vote of confidence, Chief Lei. But I am but a woman with limited capabilities. Admittedly, I could hardly manage my menial affairs, let alone an undertaking as huge as the Palace. That’s embarrassing, I must say.”
Yan Chong’s expression softened at her declining gesture.
“What say the Purple Phoenix squad on this?” Yan Chong turned to War Tiger.
Only, before he could say anything, Lei Bao interjected brusquely and blared, “As if mere fodders can be relied upon anything so major as voting for a worthy leader.”
War Tiger bit hard with anger, and his nail sinking into the flesh of his balled fist, getting an itch to bombard him with artillery. He looked at Yan Chong without trace, and said, “The one who holds the post of Lord of the palace should at least be stronger.”
A hint of joy flickered in Yan Chong’s eyes. So War Tiger was not utterly incompetent after all, he mused. At the very least, when his opinions coincided with his.
“I am inclined to agree with what Deputy War Tiger says,” said Yan Chong.
That remark made Lei Bao rolled his eyes with disdain. With a disgusted look at War Tiger, he exclaimed, “What piffle. Except for a certain good-for-nothing here, all three of us have pitted against each other before. Our powers are almost equal.”
“I’d say you’re wrong there, Lei,” grinned Yan Chong smugly, “I have been training in solitude and all thanks to some inspiration, I believe my current strength is slightly higher than yours.”
That shocked Lei Bao before he roared lividly, “You dare boast about your strength, Yan?! How about a test!?”
“Be my guest, Lei,” said Yan Chong.
That surprised Lei Bao, Winsome Widow, and War Tiger.
Especially Lei Bao. “Why is Yan Chong so willing to a duel?!” But he knew he could not withdraw or show any weakness and he got up at once, moving towards outside.
War Tiger padded behind. He waved a hand to signal the soldiers to retreat to make space for Lei Bao’s and Yan Chong’s duel.
Winsome Widow’s eyes shone bright, although she failed to focus her gaze as if she was troubled in thought.
“If you’d please, Lei,” Yan Chong clasped his fists in salute.
Lei Bao snorted and his aura intensified. He raised a hand and a lightning ball formed in the middle of his palm, its bolts arcing and crackling incessantly with anger. Without a warning, he hurled it at Yan Chong.
Calmly, Yan Chong produced an octagonal bronze mirror. Magical energies churned around like a wild, raging cyclone before they subsequently flowed into the mirror.
The bronze mirror gave off a majestic sheen of copper, trembling gently as it emitted the resounding roar of a dragon.
His lips twisting into a cryptic smile, Yan Chong held forth the mirror and a burst of magical energies surged from the mirror and out came the gilded silhouettes of eight golden dragons that grew rapidly in size. In just the blink of an eye, they were upon Lei Bao, appearing at hundreds of meters away with tremendous ferocity.
BOOM!
A terrible explosion shook the ground so much that it cracked and buildings crumbled and collapsed. Lei Bao’s ball lightning was gone, destroyed by one of the golden dragons.
The rest of its siblings charged on at Lei Bao, screaming and raging a wordless battle cry as the air quivered from the raw energy they emanated.
Lei Bao’s face convulsed. He raised his hand frantically, and he mustered his Inner Breath.
Another one of the dragon-like silhouettes erupted with devastating force, whipping up a storm and uprooting buildings and structures within hundreds of meters, while destroying trees and rocks into bits and rubbles.
Then came the rest of the six. Lei Bao snarled defiantly while using his Inner Breath to conjure a protective armor around himself. He swung his fists savagely, hurling more bolts of lightning at the incoming attacks like a god.
BOOM! BOOM!
Six successive explosions threatened to split the earth rippled across the earth, sending up waves of dust and gravel in a raging magnetic storm that engulfed Lei Bao.
It took more than a half-hour for the dust to finally settle and the fumes to dispel, leaving only a large crater in the middle of the ground with Lei Bao still standing on his feet at the center of it. Blood trickled out of the corners of his mouth, and the look on his face appeared no less belligerent, although laced with a tinge of fear.
Winsome Widow and War Tiger grimaced in silence. Lei Bao was injured and it could only be for one reason, so they brooded quietly in unison as their gazes wandered to Yan Chong’s octagonal bronze mirror.
“Your Sacred Relic is powerful indeed, Chief Yan. I see now that I am defeated.”
There was little room for ambiguity from Lei Bao’s message: he was admitting defeat to the powers of Yan Chong’s sacred relic, not him.
Hardly perturbed, Yan Chong smiled thinly, pretending to be oblivious of Lei Bao’s meaning. After all, the outcome mattered more than the means to him.
He turned his attention to Winsome Widow. “Chief Mei, I’m interested to test myself against your flame magic.”
Winsome Widow’s face fell faintly. Her flame magic was on par with Lei Bao’s lightning-based skills and yet, he was soundly defeated by Yan Chong’s Sacred Relic with only one move. Agreeing to the match was nothing more than asking for humiliation herself.
Still, she managed to put up a smile. “How can I ever hope to best you, Chief Yan,” she simpered coyly and said, “When you have that powerful instrument at your disposal?”
Similar to Lei Bao, she was warier of Yan Chong’s tool rather than his abilities and she was prodding him to duel her without it.
But the scheming Yan Chong saw through her ruse. “It was my fortune that allowed me to find this sacred relic,” said he with a smile, “Luck is a part of strength, no? A vital element of success. Feel free to use yours as well, Chief Mei, and we can fight each other fairly.”
“Hmph...” Winsome Widow and Lei Bao both scowled together, quietly and simultaneously. “As if Sacred Relics can be found anywhere like a piece of melon in the market! If only we have one ourselves, we would have long used it against you, you shameless cur!”
Instead, she responded, “You jest, Chief Yan. I am afraid unlike you, I am not blessed with good luck.”
That reply would have made Yan Chong gleeful, but he managed to remain unfazed. Not wishing to prolong the conversation, he said,” So, let us determine who our new lord shall be, shall we?”
There was hardly anyone who could not understand what he was trying to insinuate.
Lei Bao merely snorted, saying nothing,
Winsome Widow could only remain silent.
War Tiger knew his opinions would barely matter either way, since the other chiefs did not view him as an equal, hence he said nothing too.
Yan Chong’s face twisted into ugliness.
“It’s better to leave such grave matters for future discussion.” Winsome Widow deflected. She could never accept Yan Chong to be Lord of the Fire Dragon Palace. Not only he had a nefarious mind, the man was also an adept schemer with hardly any scruples in addition to being cruel and greedy. The future of the Fire Dragon Palace under their leadership.
“I’m afraid I have something to attend to. We’ll speak about this again one day,” Lei Bao muttered glumly, trying to leave.
A dark expression pervaded Yan Chong’s face. In a flash, he appeared right in front of Lei Bao, barring his way. “What business could be more important than the future of the Fire Dragon Palace, Brother Lei?” hissed the man insidiously, “I insist that we select a new leader today.”
His eyes gleamed with malice, so did the bronze mirror in his grasp, and one could wonder if he might take offense if Lei Bao were to persist in snubbing him.
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