Chapter 282 - The Three Friends of Winter (2/2)
“Very well then, please lead on,” Xiao Chen agreed.
As they flew together, Xiao Chen came to know more about the history of this alien land. This place was formerly part of the Five Continents. But the ice and snow of the Thousand Summits Mountain had grown in recent millennia that they were completely cut off from the rest of the world. With all contact with the outside world all but lost, this place became a world of its own. The economy stagnated over time and the development and study of magic began to dwindle as this place slowly faded from the memory of the outside world.
The name of the Daoist League of the Five Continents slowly became a myth to what remains of the conjurers here, as shown by the respect and reverence shown by the Three Friends of Winter when they heard the long-forgotten name. The authorities of the Burg of the Feral Phoenix had dispatched countless missives and couriers requesting for help from the Daoist League when the threat of the infernal gorge came into knowledge, yet none of their messages seemed to reach the outside world.
No one or nothing could get past the gauntlet of the Thousand Summits Mountain; the treacherous and perilous icy fields stretched far out of sight and no one had survived flying through the snow with or without flying swords and Flying-cloud Stones.
Xiao Chen sighed. Evil need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing. The Daoist League would seem to have actually abandoned the people here for good. Would that it was thousands of years ago, the Mystic Cyan Sect would have surely waved its banner to muster aid to provide relief to the needy.
“I’m afraid we’d have to beseech upon your charity and kindness, young Xiao,” sighed Elder Plum morosely, “We need the Daoist League to fully appreciate the dire straits the people here are in… If things were to worsen… I’m afraid…” His voice faltered and he could say no more.
“Rest assured, Elder Plum,” Xiao Chen muttered gravely, “I will make sure the Daoist League look into the perils the people here face in full earnestness.”
“You’ll have our deepest thanks, in that case!” The three old men breathed emotionally, looking at Xiao Chen as if he was the savior from the Daoist League that they had been praying for.
But Xiao Chen knew full well that the Three Friends of Winter possessed the ability to leave this quicksand of a place with ease. But they had chosen to stay for the good of the helpless innocents here, who would have had their hopes shattered if even they so elected to leave.
Ling Yin’s voice rang again suddenly in his mind like a tolling bell from the former epochs, “We are all students in the skills of magic, and the good of all life should be your primary mission and life’s goal, even if it means your death…”
Just when he was still preoccupied with his thoughts, the Three Friends of Winter halted suddenly in mid-air.
“What is wrong, Seniors?” Xiao Chen looked ahead and saw the recognizable figures of the seven dark-cloaked assassins. They had caught up to him like bloodhounds on a scent, he frowned.
It was plain as day to the Three Friends that these seven men were skilled students in the arts of dealing death. With ice in his voice, Elder Plum thundered sternly, “Strangers. Who are you and what business do you have with us?”
Being the leader of the three, Elder Plum delivered his inquiry with a voice and tone both fierce and implacable and the leader of the assassins, stirring uneasily, hissed coldly with his eyes narrowing, “We have no wish to fight you three. We only want the two of them.” He motioned towards Xiao Chen and Huangfu Xin’er.
“Oh?” Elder Plum muttered inquiringly and peered at Xiao Chen before returning his glance to the seven strangers. He shook his head. “I’m afraid not. These two are guests of the Burg of the Feral Phoenix. We are responsible for the safety of any friends of the Burg.”
A cold and malicious glint flashed from the eyes of the seven like a keen blade. The leader of the seven threw his head back and guffawed smugly. “The Burg of the Feral Phoenix? Does a lowly city like the Burg wish to interfere in the affairs of the Five Continents?”
“I see,” Elder Bamboo snapped, “You wish to have a taste of what country clods like us are capable of?”
“Humph,” the leader of the seven snorted. He vanished, only to reappear before Xiao Chen to launch a surprise attack. Zhiluan screeched loudly and scampered off to Huangfu Xin’er, recoiling with fear.
“IMPUDENCE!”
Elder Plum snarled and a magic bolt shot from his hand. The strength of the blow mirrored his wrath, churning up winds so strong that the assailant was forced away.
“This might be a modest and small place, but not one for any of your misconducts nonetheless!”
The force felt by the assailant was so powerful that he choked on his breath and nearly lost his ability to keep himself in the air. With an icy voice, he muttered, “I see. Such is the strength of the Three Friends of Winter.” He flailed his sleeve and turned. His cohorts followed suit and they vanished, turning into seven bolts of light that flew away.
“Humph!”
Elder Plum scoffed and asked Xiao Chen, “Are you all right, young Xiao?”
“I’m fine, Senior,” Xiao Chen replied with a smile, “Thank you for your help.”
After a half-hour’s journey, they finally came to a city. There were ponds of water outside, but they were all nothing but frozen ice in the cold and even the roads leading into the city were blanketed in a layer of frost. Two sentries, both clad in black suits of armor, guarded the entrance into the city. They were wrapped tightly to ward off the cold that only their eyes could be seen through the visors of their helmets as they examined the line of common folk waiting for permission to enter the city. Unlike the watchful sentinels, the tens of citizens looked weak and frail as they struggle to keep themselves warm.
The Three Friends of Winter looked on sullenly at the pitiful sight. Just then, a commotion broke out at the gates and everyone moved aside frantically suddenly.
“YOU! YOU’RE INFECTED! How dare you seek entry into the city!”
“No! No! It’s impossible! I’m not evil! I’m not corrupted!”
A gaunt and sickly scholar had fallen to the ground, his face fraught with panic as he mumbled incomprehensibly before the glinting points of the spears in his face. The sentries drove him into the bushes, trying to get him as far as possible from the gates and an elderly couple fell on her knees, begging dismally, “Please, officers, our son is only sick. He’s not tainted by the evil aura… Please allow us to enter the city to seek a doctor…”
“LEAVE NOW! There’re already marks on his neck! Marks proving that he has been infected! Leave now before we execute you!”
The other peasants waiting in line immediately dispersed, afraid that the blight of the evil aura might spread to them. Xiao Chen sighed. He bolted forward and sped towards the scholar but Zhiluan cried, “No, boy! There’s no need for you to interfere!”
So were the Three Friends of Winter, who cried hectically, “Come back, young Xiao! You’ll be infected!”