"Princess Tieshan, don't go too far! Don't forget that if we didn't take pity on you and forgive you for your many transgressions, you'd have long turned into a corpse!"
"You didn't attack me for two reasons. First, unless the Green-Hat Immortal and Golden-Haired Lord both return to absolve you of your duties, you don't dare to leave this place. Second, even the full might of your Eternal Dragon clan cannot shake the immortal tier defensive formation that the Celestial Farm was equipped with. So, you had to watch me act however I pleased. Only dragons could successfully convince themselves that they gave me a choice. Your arrogance knows truly no bound—impressive." Lady Tieshan sneered at the Eternal Dragons, her golden horns swaying in annoyance.
"Princess Tieshan, at the end of the day, we are one village. Past enmity shouldn't stop us from uniting against foreign enemies, especially when said foreign enemies eye our ancestral founders' lifetime achievements! The Spring of Eternal Youth might not be that useful for cultivation, but once exposed to the outside world, under the Immortal Realm, there is not a single expert that it cannot seduce.
By itself, that spring represents more wealth than the entirety of Yanzhou Province. Worse, after taking control of this place, the invaders, should they match the conditions, can march into the Golden Immortal Hall and take ownership of the Golden Immortal Relic—de facto becoming the absolute ruler of all outside your Celestial Farm.
What gives you the confidence they don't have the means to break your formation? And even if they can't now, what about the future? What about their allies outside these lands? Do you really think that they will let go of the opportunity to seize 20,000,000 acres of spiritual farmland?
We are one village! Tieshan girl, stop being stubborn and bring your troops to our side. Otherwise, the wedding you have been looking forward to might very soon turn into a tragedy!" The largest dragon tried to sway Princess Tieshan to his side, alas...
Her lips arched into a disdainful sneer, and though the dragons couldn't see her face, as they watched her trembling fists ball up, they could imagine the words to come.
"When the villagers suffered the gratuitous abuse of the Golden-Haired Disciples, what did you do?
When my mother begged your clan for help to stop the Green Leaf Villagers' infamy, what did you do?
When the war between villagers and bulls caused the deaths of hundreds of top experts—experts that you could now use to resist the outsiders—what did you do?
Nothing—always nothing. But we're one village?
Now my mother is dead, and I am in charge. My Bull Demon clan has numbers on its side and controls over 90% of this village's resources. With 20,000,000 acres of spiritual farmland to support our growth, after undergoing full demonization and solving the Ordinance problem once and for all, our cultivation base will increase by leaps and bounds, enabling us to leave this place to dominate the Yanzhou Province.
I have backers that you can't fathom, an immortal tier defensive formation, and a Spatial Rift that enables me to come and go as I please. Let me blunt, at best, I win; at worst, I leave—taking the spiritual farmland with me.
I have nothing to lose. But I'm willing to give you all an opportunity. If you accept my absolute rule and receive my Slave Mark, then I don't see why I cannot assist you in fighting off the invaders," Princess Tieshan said, instantly setting the Eternal Dragons' imperious bloodline ablaze.
"In your dreams!"
"Hateful degenerate. You're just a half-breed born from the asinine union between a Monstrous Bull and a human. But the Golden Lotus' mercy is boundless, so your father finally saw the light, and ended that repugnant union by stomping on your mother's head! What a pity that by then...you were already born!"
"Hehehe, you're overestimating that bull. The only reason why he killed his wife, is that she wouldn't allow him to take concubines. As the spawn of such idiots, what can that Tieshan girl accomplish?" One after the other, the younger Eternal Dragons spewed their venom. Their leader didn't intervene. Neither adding to the insults nor preventing them to spit at Princess Tieshan.
Interestingly, the more they screamed, the more her body relaxed, and with imperial confidence, she swept each dragon on the scene.
"Can't say I didn't try. You are relics of the past, since you will not bow, it is time for you to die. Even if the invaders can't deal with you, have no doubt that I, Princess Tieshan, will slaughter you all to the last defective reptile," Tieshan said, and without further ado, vanished from the scene.
Now left to face reality, the Eternal Dragons glanced at one another, wondering how to proceed.
"All of you stand ready to fight. I have a feeling that the outsiders aren't much of a reasonable bunch."
"Yes, eldest one!" The Eternal Dragon kinsmen deferred to their leader, their eyes staring towards Green Leaf Village with unrestrained killing intent.
They wouldn't have to wait for long.
The rattle of steady but numerous footsteps spread through the forest leading to the Spring of Eternal Youth, marking the advance of thousands of green-clad men and women that formed a grand procession behind a monk dressed in red-gold silk robes.
"Xinzi, I really like these new colors. When am I getting mine?" With no sense of shame, Dong Ling grabbed Xinzi's arm, rubbing against his shoulder.
"When we're alone. You have a narrow waist but bountiful assets, so I have to make sure that it fits."
"Sexual harassment in broad daylight, and I here I was thinking that the time spent in your hometown would have dulled the corrupt monk in you. I'm glad to see that you're every bit as lewd as before. Good man—but just for me!" Dong Ling's eyes narrowed at Xinzi in an "I'm watching you" type of look, and she waved an accusing finger at him.
"It's only sexual harassment if the girl doesn't want to hear it from you. And you, beautiful, drink my words like honey.
Also, I'm an orphan. Where is that hometown and secret background thing coming from?" Xinzi rolled his eyes, dismissing Dong Ling's words.
"Come on, we're far past that. You came back too strong and basically sold yourself. If not for your mysterious hometown and secret background, what can explain this absurd strength leap. At this point I wouldn't be surprised if you were surnamed Zhenwu...or even Taiyang for that matter."
"That's actually all me, but I can understand the thought."
"Woof! Woof!" At that time, the six Mini Overlords emerged from Xinzi's chest, landing on his shoulders and wagging their tails in excitement.
"This...woooh, so cute. Where did you get them?" Following a brief moment of stupor, Dong Ling's eyes sparkled. Mesmerized by the colorful fox cubs, the snakegirl patted their heads, thinking that in his addiction for exotic canines, Xinzi tamed these little beauties. They welcomed the touch, rubbing back at her.
"From their mother's womb, obviously. They're my kids," Xinzi said, causing Dong Ling, Chun Xu, the Zhi-Zhu twins and Yan Le to halt in their tracks, blinking at our monk in a complete stupor.
"Huh?" Dong Ling wobbled, her head tilting left and right as she glanced back and forth at the fox cubs and Xinzi.
"Kids, baby form please."
"Woof, woof!" Following daddy's command, the fox cubs turned into butterfly-winged cherubs, flapping their gem-like wings as they circled their dad.
"Ling'er!" Unprepared for this outcome, Dong Ling passed out. But ever the watchful dad, Guang Fanghu was already there to catch his girl.
"She'll come around. Don't worry," Xinzi said, both for his Mini Overlords and Guang Fanghu. At that time, the group walked past a cluster of shrubs and bushes, landing before a translucent spring from which a sweet, energizing scent spread out.
Over 10,000 square kilometers wide, the spring reflected the shadow of gargantuan beasts that crammed the sky, looming over Xinzi and co.
