727 Divine Bird (1/2)

Shangguan Ru glanced back as she was riding away and happened to see the roc fall from the sky. Even from afar, it was still a magnificent sight to behold.

'It's really an ominous sign that my father killed the two rocs,' she thought. And she had actually been the instigator behind it. Now, she had really became the 'accomplice' behind the destruction of Golden Roc Castle.

A deep sense of predestination filled her, which diluted her melancholy that came from parting ways and her uncertainty towards the future. At that moment, she thought that the Dragon King's decision really was wise and that the secluded Land of Fragrance was the best place for her to rest.

Red Bat. who was riding side by side with the instructor, complained, ”Why was the Dragon King so anxious to send us away? Does he think that the female soldiers of the Land of Fragrance cannot fight?”

Shangguan Ru smiled. She had experienced so much betrayal that she sometimes neglected the shows of loyalty around her. ”The Norland is in chaos now and the Western Regions will also soon become a dangerous place. The Dragon King is hoping that we can return to the Land of Fragrance while the journey is still safe.”

Red Bat's eyes lit up. ”And then we'll march out and join hands with the Dragon King to flank and conquer Golden Roc Castle, right?”

”Maybe.” Shangguan Ru knew that that scenario was almost impossible.

Red Bat, who had just regained her power, was eager to fight. ”Maybe we can fight against Golden Roc Castle when we pass through the Thousand Horsemen Pass. And we won't be afraid even if there are only a thousand of us.”

Shangguan Ru shook her head and said, ”The Dragon King has kept Third Brother with him and ordered the golden roc killers to go with us. He's actually threatening Golden Roc Castle through these measures, so there will be no fighting.”

Red Bat had gotten used to the idea that Golden Roc Castle was an enemy and always forgot that the instructor was actually the Unique King's daughter. It took her a while to realize that 'Third Brother' was actually referring to Shangguan Yun. Then she fell silent and thought that she might have accidentally said something wrong.

Shangguan Ru slightly bent over and glanced at Red Bat, then consoled, ”Just rest assured. I'll let you be the messenger, and you'll always have the chance to see that Big Snow Mountain swordsman again.”

Red Bat blushed, raised her head and said with pride, ”He doesn't want to betray his wife in the Big Snow Mountain. So I told him that I would wait for him even if I were seventy or eighty years old.”

Red Bat was usually very bold, but what she said still surprised Shangguan Ru. ”Long Fanyun is a good man.”

”I know,” Red Bat smilingly replied.

There were signs of a commotion coming from the front of the troops in the distance, but it was not indicative of a battle. Shangguan Ru turned the horse's head and continued on her way. Although the future remained murky, she did not want to just wait here passively.

A few carriages ahead, Queen Ju dropped the curtain. The 'Queen' of the Land of Fragrance had also left the Norland, which made her feel a bit relieved, but not yet completely at ease.

Xu Yanwei complained in a low voice, ”The Dragon King is so heartless that he didn't even send us off. It's as if we are all burdens and can be driven away whenever he desires it.”

”The Dragon King is not as heartless as you say,” Queen Ju said as she leaned against the pillow. She hated this boring journey. This was the second time that she returned to her homeland from afar, but this time she had quite a different mindset. She had been a puppet the first time, and the only thing she possessed was her bloodline. This time, she was still a puppet but she had gained a possibility of obtaining some real power.

Although they were not yet out of sight, none of the women were able to influence the Dragon King anymore.

Gu Shenwei had planned to defeat the Court Attendants Army step by step, but the process was dramatically sped up since an opportunity had come ahead of time. It was a big risk. If the shamans were more experienced or the soldiers more defiant, he would have suffered a crushing defeat.

But the 100,000 horsemen of the Court Attendants Army had laid down their bows and arrows and bowed to the Dragon King and the red-crowned roc.

The roc had grown taller compared to last time, the feathers on top of its head and its eyes had become a dazzlingly red, and the feathers all over its body now glowed black in the sunlight.

This was an incredible creature; it was dignified, proud, and awe-inspiring, but not like a devil in any sense.

The forty or so swordsmen of the Big Snow Mountain knelt down on one leg in front of it like they were paying their respects to a king.

The roc seemed to still remember these people. It jumped over the Great Shaman's head and shook its head hard to accept the worship before it jumped to the Dragon King and folded its wings.

Instead of pecking Gu Shenwei carelessly as it did when it was little, it gently rubbed its sharp beak on the man's shoulder.

Gu Shenwei drew his saber and pointed at the Great Shaman who had collapsed on the ground by now, then said, ”Now you can clearly see his true face. This is the divine punishment for abusing the Khan's title.”

The Great Shaman broke down. ”Please spare my life. I'm a liar and I've never received any decree from the Khan. It's her, it's all because of her…”

Gu Shenwei winked, and Long Fanyun immediately pressed down upon the Great Shaman with several swordsmen and turned him into a prisoner.

Shulitu arrived with several officers and stared at the red-crowned roc in amazement, but he dared not get too close to it.

Gu Shenwei loudly said, ”The old Khan has ascended to heaven but the new Khan has not ascended to his throne yet. Thus, the Court Attendants Army has no lord to serve at the moment. I present to you now the great-grandson of the Khan who has already inherited the titles of King Riying, King Riyao, and King Kuari. All of you shall pledge loyalty to him.”

The response of the Court Attendants Army was a whistling sound. It slowly grew from weak to strong and from low to high, which sounded a bit frightening but was actually Norland Cavalry's way of expressing their approval.

Shulitu was still in shock, but he knew what to do. He jumped off of his restless horse and walked slowly towards the red-crowned roc, approaching that alluring but dangerous source of power.