179 Chapter 178: Entry into the sec (1/2)

”This is Tushan City.”

Lu Li stood at the entrance to the city and stared at the closed gates in dismay. She furrowed her eyebrows slightly, troubled, before glancing at her two companions.

The two Ling sisters, who obviously had never appeared before, and therefore I had completely no idea who they were nor had I ever met them before, stood nervously outside the gate, mingling with the long queue of visitors.

The first sister was Ling Yu Mei, and she wore a long, blue skirt. Around her waist was a light purple ribbon, and her left hand was holding an exquisite leather handbag. Her usually beautiful face was weighed down with weariness as she watched at the long line of visitors entering through the checkpoints at a snail's pace.

Ling Yu Xuan, the second sister, was wearing a fiery red miniskirt in contrast. The short fabric only covered partway to her thighs and revealed her long, snow-white legs. Already many of the male members of the queue were caught sneaking peeks at her.

One of the sisters was simple and elegant, and the other was hot and attractive. Thanks to this particular combination, they had attracted the attention of many Nine-Tailed Sect martial artists who were serving as security guards right now.

”Don't you know who I am? I'm Dark Fiend Valley Sect's Lu Li. Please allow me to enter!”

Lu Li snapped coldly at the guards, but being Blood Blades, they were immune to her charms and arrogance. The first security guard merely gazed back frostily.

”Sorry, ma'am, but there's a line. Please stay in line and wait patiently like all the others.”

”You dare compare me to the others?” Lu Li flared up.

”Hey! Who do you think you are?” someone from the front of the queue barked at her angrily.

”Yeah!” another agreed. ”So what if you're from the Dark Fiend Valley Sect? You think you can cut the queue because your sect is powerful?”

”Even the martial artists from the Celestial Creature Sects and other seven major sects are queuing up without complaints or demanding for favorable treatment! Aren't you ashamed of yourself?” another person shouted.

Lu Li recoiled, the arrogant bitch not having expected the crowd to turn against her. She stupidly thought that they would support her because of her ethereal beauty and gladly lay down their lives for her like the lowly peasants they were.

Trying to hide her embarrassment, she turned to the Ling sisters.

”Weird,” she remarked. ”In the past, the gates to Tushan City would normally be left open. All martial artists were free to enter.”

”Haven't you heard?” the lady queuing up bethind them spoke up in disdain. ”Nine-Tailed Fox Sect has come into conflict with Divine Shadow Sect, and members of both sects have been clashing frequently outside Tushan City as of late. They're being cautious and taking measures to prevent Divine Shadow Sect martial artists and assassins from infiltrating the city and causing all sorts of havoc.” The last line went unsaid, but it was clearly a rebuke to Lu Li for not having kept abreast of current affairs and the latest news.

Thanks to that, everybody who wanted to step inside Tushan City had to undergo strict security checks and inspection to verify their identity and ensure they would no pose any threats before they were allowed into the city.

”There will be no favoritism. If you want to enter Tushan City, you've to agree to these security checks. Otherwise, you're free to leave.”

The security guard, who was part of Blood Blades, firmly declared. Lu Li gritted her teeth and balled her hands into fists.

”Well then, hurry up!” she hissed impatiently.

The Blood Blade stared at her coldly. ”We're trying our best, ma'am. So if you could please stop distracting us for even a moment, the process would go a little faster.”

Lu Li was about to retort, but the glare from the other members in the queue silenced her. While she muttered curses under her breath, the Ling sisters accompanying her gazed at the walls of Tushan City curiously.

This was the first time Ling Yu Mei and Ling Yu Xuan was visiting Tushan City. They looked a little nervous, not just from Lu Li's attitude, but also from the sheer number of people queuing up.

The process was slow, but it eventually became Lu Li and the Ling sisters' turn. The security guards checked their identity documents to ensure they weren't lying, scanned their belongings with an x-ray machine, and then waved them through a metal detector. Once they verified their identities, the guards then returned their Spirit Weapons and other metallic tools to them.

”This is all so pointless,” Lu Li grumbled.

”They're at war with Divine Shadow Sect, so it's understandable,” Ling Yu Mei suggested nervously as she glanced around. Even though business was going on in the streets as usual, there was an air of tension.

Lu Li glanced at her, and she winced. Ling Yu Mei was reminded of Lu Li's master. The three of them were the disciples of Jiu somebody from the Dark Fiend Valley Sect. In certain ways, Lu Li reminded her of her arrogant old master (or mistress, if you really want to differentiate between male and female masters).

Lu Li didn't seem to pay Ling Yu Mei's words much attention, though, and merely nodded as if the latter had a point.

”Even so, this level of security and caution…isn't it overdoing it?”

”I heard they pissed off Divine Shadow Sect,” Ling Yu Xuan said as she raised her smartphone. ”It's all over the news in social media.” she giggled. ”Even gambling websites are accepting bets on who will win.”

”Hmph.” Lu Li snorted indifferently, clearly not giving a fuck about this matter. ”Who cares? If people want to waste their money, that's their business.”

”Er…that's not the point…”

Ling Yu Xuan shook her head and then sighed. From experience, she knew it was almost impossible to converse with Lu Li. Instead, she sought refuge in chatting with her sister. Turning to Ling Yu Mei, she smiled.

”Sister, do you think the person you're looking for will be found in here?”

”Yu Mei, you're looking for somebody?”

That piqued Lu Li's interest and she turned to give Ling Yu Mei a quizzical stare. Ling Yu Mei shrank back.

”Well…”

”Who? Don't tell me…that brat Qin Lie?”

”…”

”…”

The Ling sisters stared at each other for a moment, baffled. Then Ling Yu Xuan turned back to Ling Yu Mei.

”Um…who is Qin Lie?”

”You know! Yu Mei's beloved fiancé! The guy she's in love with since young…well, maybe not since young, but she has always been taking care of that trash when they were children, because he's not mentally sound?”

”…I've never heard of anyone called Qin Lie, and I don't remember taking care of anyone mentaly handicapped.”

Ling Yu Mei's tone was as quiet as ever, but firm. Lu Li raised an eyebrow.

”Fine, keep pretending then. You know as well as I do that you're still pining for that brat. As long as he doesn't do anything stupid, he and Elder Li Mu should be able to stay safe.”

”Who is Elder Li Mu?” Ling Yu Xuan asked, puzzled.

”I really have no clue who this Qing Lie is,” Ling Yu Mei added, a touch of exasperation evident in her gentle voice.

Lu Li muttered something under her breath, but had no time to waste on arguing, so she just shook her head impatiently and changed the subject.

”Never mind. Let's go. We will go to Nine-Tailed Fox Sect and ask Jing Jing about that matter.”

Ling Yu Xuan watched her nervously, being slightly afraid of her senior. She hid behind her elder sister, but Ling Yu Mei didn't respond much other than to fall into step next to Lu Li. The trio then proceeded through the districts of Tushan City, catching a bus. Normally this would be a good chance to do window-shopping and gaze at the dazzling number of shops on their way to Nine-Tailed Fox Sect, but no one in their right mind was going to waste their time by walking a two-hour journey to the entrance of the sect.

Public transport existed for a reason. Might as well make use of it.

The bus took about forty minutes to ferry them to their destination, and they alighted at the stop about a hundred meters away from the main sect grounds. The trio then strode toward the entrance to the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect.

Again, the territory of Nine-Tailed Fox Sect was zealously guarded by a team of Blood Blades martial artists, who stopped the trio from setting foot. Admittedly, the male martial artists were moved by the beauty of all three girls, but they were disciplined enough not to let their lust get the better of them, and merely bowed coolly in acknowledgement.

”Can I help you?” the more senior of the two guards asked.

”I want to see Yin Jing Jing,” Lu Li replied coldly without preamble or a polite greeting.

”I'll contact her right away,” the senior of the two guards responded without hesitation and reached for the office phone. Dialing a number, he called Yin Jing Jing's extension and briefly spoke into the receiver. After a few seconds, he hung up and turned to Lu Li. ”She says she's on her way, so please wait for a moment.”

The rest of the team silently watched the trio, though more for visual pleasing reasons than security reasons. Lu Li was the perfect embodiment of an ice queen, her beauty otherworldly and frosty while dangerously emanating an aura that warned people of the risks of approaching her frivolously. Ling Yu Mei was elegant and calm as water, standing there coolly without allowing anything to affect her. In contrast, Ling Yu Xuan, despite her revealing outfit, was nervous and timid. She simply pursed her lips and stayed silent, watching the guys warily.

After a while, as promised, Yin Jing Jing showed up, briskly striding over to the trio and waving at them cheerfully. ”Senior Lu, Ling Clan's sisters! You're finally here! Come, let's talk inside.”

”I'm afraid I can't allow that.” the senior guard stepped in and held up a hand apologetically. He bowed slightly. ”You can talk with your friends outside, but you're not allowed to bring them into the sect grounds. Orders from the elders.”

”They are my friends!” Yin Jing Jing protested angrily.

”Even so.” The guard smiled bitterly and spread his hands helplessly. ”The rules are the rules. Even inner sect disciples are not allowed to bring their close friends into the sect grounds as of late. Heightened security measures. I'm sure you understand.”

”Damn that Fei Wu!” Yin Jing Jing snarled furiously. ”Because of him, the sect rules have changed again and again! In Sect Leader and the six Great Elders' eyes, it's as if he's more important than Nine-Tailed Fox Sect itself!”

The guard's expression turned cold, probably because he was my comrade and a fellow Blood Blade. ”This has nothing to do with Junior Fei. The security measures are in place because of Divine Shadow Sect's attacks. They have been sending martial artists and assassins to target our disciples and masters. We can't afford to be lax with our security and put the lives of everyone in the sect at risk. Besides…” his eyes narrowed. ”Junior Fei is the future of Nine-Tailed Fox Sect. Without him, we'll be doomed.”

Dude, you're exaggerating. Even without me, the sect would endure, survive and prosper. I wasn't such an indispensable person that Nine-Tailed Fox Sect completely relied on me to stay alive. If I was gone, then someone would simply take my place. Like Tang Qi Hong, for example. Honestly, stop exaggerating.

”If that's the case, we should not force the matter.” Ling Yu Mei smiled politely and nodded apologetically to the guards. ”Let's not trouble them.”

The guard's expression softened and he bowed. ”I'm really sorry. This is our job, after all.”

”Let's go. We'll talk outside.” Lu Li didn't mind at all. Yin Jing Jing hesitated and then sighed heavily.

”Give me a moment.” She then quickly raced into the inner courtyard of Nine-Tailed Fox Sect's grounds and toward the Blood Blades' dormitory. Stopping at the ground level, she looked up and began yelling. ”Tong Xue!”

Tong Xue stuck his head out of the window of his apartment as he glared down on Yin Jing Jing. ”Yes?”

”My friends are here.” Yin Jing Jing glared back.

”So?” Tong Xue scowled, as if to ask, ”how's that any of my business?”

”How are things on your end?” Yin Jing Jing snapped impatiently. ”Have you approached Fei Wu and asked him about the matter yet?”

”Are you mad?”

Tong Xue gaped at her for a moment, and then shook his head in disbelief.

”Even Fei Wu himself has rejected your request. You heard what he said. He asked for no favorable treatment, and is unlikely to approach the elders for help or permission. And he personally told you that he will not compromise the safety of the sect for your friends.”

”Hmph! If that's the case, then we'll abolish our deal!”

Tong Xue stared at her blankly. ”What deal? I don't remember ever striking any deal with you?”

”The one regarding your wife, Lian Rou's family matters? My Snow Valley Sect will return the two mines we claimed from her sect to her clan.”

”Uh…I have no idea what you're talking about. For one thing, we're not married yet, and for another, Lian Rou never mentioned anything about mines or disputes between her clan and your sect.” his frown deepened. ”And why would you have the authority to give away mines that your sect owns, anyway? Do you expect me to believe that?”