Just like the other three leaders, her hair was also completely white. However, unlike them, her eyes also shared this color, making it seem as though she could pierce through everything with her gaze.
This was the current leader of the Arie family.
The mischievous leader of the Simia family erupted into laughter upon hearing Dyon's speech.
"Arrogant! How fun!" He grinned wildly, his sideburns bristling under his hot breath.
"He should be slaughtered where he stands." The leader of the Tigris family was short and concise.
In response to his words, one of the young men who followed him here took it as an order, completely prepared to leave and execute his leader's orders.
"Don't be impulsive." A sweet voice filled with care wafted over the room. Yet, despite its tone, the young man couldn't help but shiver, freezing in place.
Killing intent rose off in a blood red aura as the leader of the Tigris family turned his piercing gaze toward the young woman of the Arie family.
"You dare command my people?"
"He radiates with the aura of a Celestial Deer. I can sense a sort of familiarity with him and I'm well aware that you sensed it too. Isn't your tacitly agreeing to his death the same as a strike on my Arie family? Should I take that as an act of war?"
Those in the room were shocked. They didn't think that this goddess-like figure would have such a fierce side to her. In their years of seclusion, there was never much need for conflict… But in recent times….
Despite her voice sounding just as sweet as it did in the beginning, there was a clear underlying threat in her words. She was clearly unafraid of the Tigris leader's aura.
The tension in the room swelled. Other than the four leaders, the eight who followed them found it difficult to breathe.
Suddenly, the leader of the Simia family cut through the tension again. "Haha! What's the need to get angry? It's just a few words. Letting a child stir you up like this, someone might begin to think him calling you a coward was correct."
The Tigris leader's gaze shifted its murderous intent. It really seemed as though he was willing to pounce at any moment.
Everyone was clear on why the leader of the Simia family didn't care about Dyon's insults.
During the war, his family along with the Tudo family hadn't been here. So, technically the cowards Dyon was referring to weren't them, but the Arie and Tigris families. Knowing that, why would he care?
...
The Simia family leader shrugged at the Tigris family head's answer. "It wasn't mine nor that old bat's intention to ever partner with humans. It was your Tigris and Arie families that decided to establish a sect and degrade yourselves to the level of becoming guardian beasts.
"While we celestial beasts duck and hide in the Mystical World, the infernal beasts stalk around with their chests puffs out. I know you all sensed that auras of those children, yet none of your brought it up. It's no wonder a human boy dares to call you cowards."
The infernal beasts were always the natural antithesis of celestial beasts. When the universe creates a yin, it must also create a yang. This was especially true for beasts who became embodiments of important laws in the universe.
The children the Simia family leader referred to were three youngsters within the devil cultivators. Remember, the five clans sent by the devil clans included the Dark Elf Clan, the Fulgur clan, the Eclipse sect, Nightmare Palace, and finally, the Infernal Beast clan.
Of course, the three children sent by the Infernal Beast clan didn't make much of an impact because they were much too young. And, since they were children, despite being their enemy, Dyon's master ignored them.
Clearly, the existence of these children didn't escape the attention of these esteemed elders.
"My Tigris family has never acted as a guardian beast for anyone. It's best you watch your mouth lest I rip your tongue out, monkey." The Tigris family head growled.
"Yes, yes." Head Simia waved his hand, clearly uncaring about Head Tigris' threats. "You've never become a guardian beast, but you're perfectly content to hide in this cage. What a mighty man you are."
"Are you forgetting that you're here as well?" Head Arie suddenly spoke in her sweet, pleasant voice.
"Do you know why my Celestial Ape clan ignored your clans even when the Celestial Deer Sect was established?"
"Does it matter?" Head Arie responded calmly. "No one in the outside world knew where your clans were located either, which means that even if you weren't hiding here, you were hiding elsewhere. My Celestial Deer clan took a courageous step forward, guardian beast or not."
Head Simia finally lost his mischievous aura as he sneered. "Hiding? We were fighting a war while your endeavors were being wasted away by enemies your human masters provoked. While we were working for the celestial beast cause, you were fighting and losing for humans. You dare to say that we were hiding?"
"You can spin it however you'd like. But, we're both aware that you weren't doing much fighting or else you wouldn't be here." Head Arie replied just as sweetly. "And, in case you're still not aware after so many millennia, that so-called "enemy" our "masters" provoked will lead to end of all of our lives. Do not pretend to be ignorant simply for the sake of winning a war of words."
The Arie family head was very clear on the enemy they faced, as were the rest of the celestial beasts. If the entity succeeded, life as they knew it would cease to be.
The reason the Celestial Deer Sect was destroyed by the entity wasn't simply because they occupied the universe he wanted to make use of. It was also because their ideology and mastery of array alchemy posed a major threat to his plans and the chaos path.
As for the enemy of the celestial beasts, as far as Head Arie was concerned, they were far less of a threat than the entity. So, how could she not be angry about Head Simia downplaying the former, but raising up the latter?
"Can you even consider yourself a celestial beast?" Head Simia sneered.
Head Arie's gentle eyes sharpened. "Do you even remember why you fight on that ancient battlefield? Tell me, what is the reason for your anger, your rage? Do you even remember?"
Seeing that Head Simia didn't have an answer, Head Arie shook her head. "Blind anger. You fight because your father fought. And your father fought because your grandfather fought. And your grandfather fought because your ancestors fought. You've long since lost the true reason if that reason ever existed to begin with.
"The most ironic part about all of this is that you fight beside humans on that ancient battlefield too, don't you? But, you see it as okay then. Why? Because you profit from it? Because you line your pockets?"
"That's enough." A calm and ancient voice filled the room with the vestiges of time.
Hearing these words, everyone couldn't help but look toward the old, hunchbacked Head of the Tudo family.
"The matter of the ancient battlefield can be dealt with later, for now, we have the matter of this young man chosen by whom I assume is your daughter.
"Regardless of our actions and how they may or may not be perceived, this young man cannot lead.
"He is too weak. He's likely spent thousands of years cultivating his soul, yet he's only reached the peak celestial realm. On top of that, his control of the Florence family technique is pitiful as he can only mass produce clones at the 10% level in addition to the fact I can hardly sense any Elvin blood within him. From what I can tell, he has the Primordial Yin of an Elvin royal within him which is likely the only reason he's able to forcibly use such an ancient technique to such a pitiful level." Head Tudo's cold analysis continued smoothly as though she was speaking to herself.
"His energy cultivation is only at the 12th essence gathering stage, either because he's spent all of his time on his soul, or because his talent is truly that poor. Considering the fact I sense a mere 7th grade talent within his meridians, it's likely a combination of both.
"Although his body also seems to have reached the celestial level, I can sense that the power is not his own. The likely reason you sense Celestial Deer blood within him is because your daughter gave him her blood essence, yet he's integrated it pitifully, I can't even sense any mastery of our blood manipulation techniques.
"All of this doesn't even mention the gross aura that surrounds him. His soul is marred with blood, rage and murder. He is more apt to be the Legatee of an Infernal Beast than one of our clans.
"You need look no further than his manifestation. Despite being such a pitiful talent, he's insufferably arrogant.
"The matter of his character problem doesn't end here either. Despite knowing that we don't approve of him, he dares to provoke those so much more powerful than himself. This kind of muscle headed fool would lead our clans down the path of destruction only for us to be used as meat shields in the end.
"He has no idea what our temperaments are, yet he's so certain that we won't kill him for his words? I've never seen a larger case of blissful ignorance in my long life.
"Aside from having good karma from what I assume is his past life, this young man has no redeeming qualities.
"Out of respect for the Arie Clan, this old lady won't kill him. But, if he makes it up here and dares to strut around, I will cripple his cultivation and send him out myself."
