Chapter 986: Sun Sea Sect

"Yuyu lost."

The four carriages were soon repaired, their beasts tied to them and rushed through the snowstorm.

However, unbeknownst to them, Invincible Sword Baili Yutian stood upon a peak a kilometer away, witnessing the entire event with a long sigh.

The four Sword Kings stood behind him with dark looks.

Baili Yutian glanced at them and spoke, "Even with the strength of a Sword King, she still lost. Do you know why?"

The four hung their heads, having no reply, their faces showing only defference and respect as they waited for the Patriarch to enlighten them.

"Crown Prince, what do you kids think?"

Baili Yutian turned to the ten youths at the back.

After some hesitation, crown prince immediately bowed, "Patriarch, Frigid Rain Sword King has stepped forward and has free reign but in my eyes, she appears to be the one to lose. Just like how Devil Mountain appears to have lost yet didn't. Frigid Rain Sword King was too reliant on raw power and disregarded the mind games one can use, giving the opponent the upper hand and pushing her back by grasping her weakness. The problem with Sword Kings is that they are all brawn and no brains, like they're at the top of the world. They aren't aware that on the battlefield, nothing is black and white, in constant change and complex."

"You're wrong, Crown Prince!"

Baili Yulei interjected before Baili Yutian could reply, "This world is all about survival of the fittest. The strong don't need convoluted plans. Eagles fell their prey in one swoop, tigers catch their quarry in one pounce. There's no room for hesitation. Only mice scurry around unseen for food and sparrows look for seeds with caution. The art of war and all the tactics used in the army are all based on winning against a stronger opponent. While retreat is always advisable against someone beyond your abilities.

"But all these schemes and tactics show is that the user is weak, uncertain of their own strength. Yuyu is a Sword King, with hardly any in this world to match her. She has no need to think hard if someone would be out to get her through some master plan. Only people like you, Crown Prince, having not reached your full potential, would resort to such sophistry. How can you understand the pride of a Sword King, of wielding the power to be on top? The reason why she ended up losing to a kid's slick words is because, uhm..."

Baili Yulei spoke with disdain and scorn as he chided the young future emperor. It took a long time in his speech to realize he had gone out of line, sweat soaking his brow, and fists clenched.

Crown Prince just stared at him with a smile as he dug himself into a hole.

Baili Yutian spoke, "What? You don't mean to say that I've been holding you back, do you? Is that why Yuyu couldn't attack? So that means her loss is my fault?"

"Patriarch, that's not what I mean!"

Baili Yulei rushed into a bow, shivering and taking blame. He was only a Sword King and had no right to hold the Patriarch accountable for anything.

His conceited speech was him running his mouth, letting his overblown pride get the best of him and shift the blame on his boss. He had basically dug his own grave.

Crown Prince smiled in ridicule, "Thunder Sword King, it seems to me you're not quite at the top, ha-ha-ha...."

Baili Yulei's face twisted in rage as he glared, but that was it, waiting for Patriarch's decision.

"Quiet, all of you!"

Baili Yutian gave an annoying wave, watching Zhuo Fan leave, "None of your answers touched on the essence. Be it smarts or brawns, it all comes down to valor, to having the attitude of the strong. Without a brave heart, no amount of cunning and strength matter. Anyone else would've been scared witless by Yuyu's sword, even affecting those that appeared calm. While the kid fought back and took initiative. Nothing would've come of it if he didn't have courage.

"Also, I didn't let Yuyu attack and she really didn't. Humph, damn spineless coward. She won't get far in understanding the Dao, not after she couldn't even muster the nerve to challenge my authority. Having always been looming over her, she has no way forward, stopped at this level..."

They all shook, with Baili Yulei anxiously saying, "Patriarch, you're saying disobeying you would've been better?"

"Yes, it would, but she would die then." Baili Yutian's eyes glinted with coldness. He vanished from his spot, leaving the others confused.

[What's that supposed to mean, Patriarch? Even if you let us walk our own path, we can't escape your control or we'll be dead?]

Crown Prince paused and gave a wry smile, "Invincible Sword is the only one in the world..."

He flew away after Patriarch, the others even more confused and conflicted...

Zhuo Fan's caravan had been marching for three days, looking out the window now and then, picking up Bali Yuyu's cold smile watching them from afar and giving all but him and his daughter the chills.

"Sir, the witch keeps following us like a leech. I know you're certain she won't touch you but who knows if it'll stay like this?"

One guard asked Zhuo Fan for advice, "How is sir going to solve this crisis?"

Zhuo Fan's eyes shone and smiled, "Nothing to it, since it's almost time..."

"For what?"

"Our first stop of our trading caravan, Sun Sea Sect!" He picked his teacup from the radiator and sipped.

The all looked clueless.

[Is sir planning on hiding there? Nah, can't be.]

Sun Sea Sect was one of northern lands' five sects, but far beneath even one Sword King.

[They can never protect us. They were so quick to close their doors when news of Nine Sword Kings came around. There's no way they'll shield a merchant!]

They couldn't make any sense of his words, but Zhuo Fan was in no rush to explain, giving an ineffable smile as he looked out the window.

In four hours, before a snow valley, the four carriages halted. Zhuo Fan and the dozen guards stepped out and bowed to the guard outside the valley, "The Qian clan caravan is here. I ask senior of Sun Sea Sect to let us pass. Here is my clan's token!"

The guard took out his own token, identical to Zhuo Fan's, and threw it behind.

It vanished into thin air, coming back only fifteen minutes later.

The space then warped and the valley had an icy road form in the middle.

The guard gave Zhuo Fan a look and nodded. Everyone got in the four carriages and entered the strange domain.

There was another ripple in the air and the icy road vanished behind them, returning to be a plain snow valley.

Whoosh~

Bali Yuyu flashed not far away, glaring haughtily, "Humph, want to hide in Sun Sea Sect, is it? Then I'll be waiting right here. The first to come out will be the first to taste my blade. Let's see you keep your calm then, brat!"

Zhuo Fan's carriage just entered and fifty men in the Soul Harmony Stage surrounded them with wary looks.

The leader was a shifty middle-aged man in white with split mustache to make him look cunning.

"No need to worry, everyone, just the usual trade caravan. Please present your tokens to asses your identities as Qian clansmen."

"Oh, Executive Cao, who else would we be? We've been doing this route for many times now, he-he-he..."

One guard laughed while giving his token to a disciple.

Executive Cao nodded, "Oh, Guard Wu, I sure recognize you, having been here many times, but it has been tense lately and it doesn't hurt to be cautious."

He gave a look to the men around him and started checking the tokens' signatures with the user to see if no rat slipped in.

Everything checked out, following Zhuo Fan's turn as he bowed and presented a jade slip, "Executive Cao, here is the the caravan roster."

"You're..."

"I am Qian Fan, Qian clan's steward." Zhuo Fan gave a weird smirk...