72 Corrupted Against Corruption. 1 (1/2)
”Brother Wu Ji, are you sure this is the place you're talking about?” Meng Ran pointed at the small villa located at close to the city's wall. Because of their location, it did not seems like a property belonged to her Meng Family that was well known for their excellent skills in the Formation Profession.
”What can we get from standing outside? Let us go in to ask.” Zhang Wu Ji went forward to knock the door three times after he finished his words. Standing just right behind him, Meng Ran's mind is nervous, anxious, and filled with many different questions.
”Yes? Ah, Master Zhang, it was a good day to see you here today, let me bring you in while I inform about your arrival to the young master.” the butler recognized Zhang Wu Ji the moment he opened the door. By inviting the two guest to come in for a sit and a cup of tea, the butler excused himself to inform his young master about their arrival to this humble abode of the Meng Young Master.
Minutes later, Meng Hao appeared. He was dressed in an attire different from yesterday, but still, it carries the disposition of a rich young master that's doing very well in his family's business. In Zhang Wu Ji's personal opinion, how can somebody rich like Meng Hao has a problem with money? Money should be the last problem in his mind right now.
”Can Meng Hao ask about the reason two distinguish guest came to this villa today? If there is something my ability can help, I will do my best to provide an assistance to brother Zhang and his friend here.” Meng Hao politely asks for the reason for their visit.
Zhang Wu Ji did not speak. But after he cupped his hands together, he pointed his palm at Meng Ran to indicates that it is fine for her to initiates the conversation. As an outsider regarding this matter, it was the best for him to not participates in their discussion.
Young Master Meng Hao, my name is Meng Ran. I belonged to the Meng Clan, one of the four Pillars of the Sealing Formation Sect. Do you know anything related to this matter?” Meng Ran mentioned the information related to her background to the young master to see if he have any idea about what she tried to say.
But after he listened to her words, the butler's expression immediately turned much more serious. He waved his palm to order the servants to leave before throwing down a piece of formation plate that traps the vibration and sounds from getting out from the hall they were located before he bowed to his young master.
”Lady Meng, I want you to repeat the word again. Properly in order.” Meng Hao took a piece of Formation Plate out and hold it in his hand as he injects some Fighter Qi into the plate. Like a voice recognition plate, the machine only reacts when it listened to the special encoding inside the formation plate.
”Meng Ran, Daughter of Meng Yang and Meng Yue, the Outer Delegates of the Sealing Formation Sect's First Pillar.” she read everything out in an order. The Formation Plate that received the messages soon unlocks a record that was stored inside of the Formation Plate for quite long, and transformed into a light that can only be read once before it vanished.
[Daughter, Sealing Formation Sect is gone. We're in hiding. Be careful of the Wang Clan. They collude with the demon in order to usurp the position of the Sect Master and causing the destruction within the Sealing Formation Sect. Do not expose yourself. You're no longer a member of the Sealing Formation Sect. Unless the moon turn red, do not come to the Fenglai Peak]
After she read the messages, the wording vanished. It will be no longer accessible in the future. But after this, a question came into Meng Ran's mind. Who is Meng Hao? And why would he possess this formation plate and stays in this city seemingly doing nothing for the Meng Clan?
She wishes to know more. But before she asked, Zhang Wu Ji hold her hand to stop her from doing so. The formation plate that was used to trap the conversation and vibration from the voice expires because of exhaustion and decayed into a pile of ashes. This also means, their conversation is over.
”We will meet at Fenglai Peak when the moon turns red. For now, please remain strong.” Meng Hao politely cupped his hands together. Carrying no intention to continue the conversation, the butler escorted the two guest to leave their villa without exchanging anymore of the words.
Meng Ran was partially disappointed, and yet, partially relief because her parent's situation is made known to her from reading the piece of messages they left. In her heart, nothing beats the news related to her parent's life and death.
With the Hundred Horses Carriage ready to depart, the two of them traveled in the carriage for another one full day to reaches the Chrysanthemum Flower City. Not even reaching the proximity of the city, Zhang Wu Ji noticed a few towers of smokes burning all around the city wall.
Immediately, Zhang Wu Ji left the carriage with Meng Ran following behind him. His arrival was not received by the City Lord, which means, he's either dead, or he's incapable of handling the task of managing the whole city. Based on how the city looks at this moment, the answer is more likely the latter in his expectation.
Holding the piece of [City Lord Temporal Replacement Plate], Zhang Wu Ji barged into the City Lord Castle to look for their commanding officers. After a few discussion and listening to the book recordings, it seems that during the time the City is under the siege from the Wild Beast in the east mountain, the City Lord is struck by some illness.
This caused the city to fight without a leader. Under the participation of the four Commanding Officers from the North, South, East, and West post, they take the lead and direct four teams of troops to retaliates, but their attempt failed miserably, with one of their 12th Stage Inner Qi Warrior dead before they managed to kill over 200 of the Wild Beast.
Worst of all, the hidden human enemies suspected from the Jie Clan and Upper South Merchant Corporation also taking their part in the attack. Since the opposition of the human forces is expected, when he asked for the clarification of the attacking beast, it seems that only two kind of Wild Beast is this organized in attacking the city.
Tusked Copper Bear, an amazing guerilla fighter with skill on par with human cultivator's Animal Imitation Fist Art. Although their strength is only at the 9th Stage of Inner Qi Fighter, their fighting skills allow them to fight against stronger human and fellow Wild Beast in their Warrior Stage. The Tusked Copper Bear is often taken as the example to describe how Over-Powered is a cultivator against his peers.
As for the second Wild Beast, it's called Firebomb Toad. This Wild Beast of an 8th Stage Inner Qi Fighter is the definition of terror. Their spit burns anything it touches, solid material such as rocks, soils, and branches scattered on the ground can be made into an exploding projectile that fired at the targets. Worst, their whole body can be exploded if they wish, carrying the life-endangering attack strong enough to kill a Warrior Tier Cultivator.
One of the four commanding officers death is connected with their attack, which not only kills the officer, it destroyed the team altogether in a barrage of an explosion. This matter hits the morale of the troops hard before they retreat into the city wall for a battle of endurance. It pitiful to say, their plan did not go as they wish when the Firebomb Toads fired the projectiles continuously to try to destroy the City Wall.
Adding salt into the wound, the people from Jie's Clan and Upper South Merchant Corporation continuously postpone the delivery and supplies using the reason they're not ready for the consignments. The corporation may need to pay a hefty fine for failure to comply with their delivery, but how much would that be?
A mere one to five million fine is not an issue for them if the Chrysanthemum Flower City falls, where the repair cost alone is estimated be between 200 Million to 500 Million Gold Coins. As a businessman, what is fine, if the profit from trying to repair the city worth a few hundred times better?”
Still, it was because the Upper South Merchant Corporation possesses the best mean of delivery and transportation, which is the lifeline of their expanding business. The quote ”Business and Wealth, Treasure or not, none of them will be possible without something to deliver” is the slogan of the corporation, which states where do they stand as a corporation.
Not even having a chance to continue with his next question, a deafening explosion came from the city wall and destroyed a third of their upper foundation. With a big opening for the Firebomb Toad to aim their shots into the city, this leads to a complete game changer for the Wild Beast. Soon, a group of Wild Beast under the leadership of the Tusked Copper Bear attacked.
”Fire! Fire at will! Stop all the incoming Wild Beast from trying to climb past the city wall!” the leader of the guards on top ordered. Even he himself has to participate in this fight to not allowing any of the Wild Beast successfully enters the City.