"I dare you to say that again," viciously spat, clenching my fist so tightly space rippled and bled at my wrath. "Say it again."
Resting within the assembly hall where all the core members of Nox resided, I stood, glaring with burning eyes at Beastmaster, Rience.
So what if he was the next head? So what if he had connections with the founders. Did this fool think the Celestial Palace is so flimsy we cannot contest against them? Did he forget who the Devils sided with before during the war of Demons and Devils?
Taking a stand upon his podium that hovered over the few lower ranks, Rience, with his long obsidian hair that ran to his back, curled his lips up. The bastard was very effeminate, as even his appearance resembled that of a damn whore.
"Just telling you what I heard. It will seem your daughter is getting married, or so the rumors go." He snipped, dressed in a custom black suit. Noting the metals he wore like a cloak, I sneered in response.
"How is this any of your business? Or am I missing your failure regarding Arsene Snow escaping from Midgard? What the hell were you thinking of not sending any Gods?"
"Easy," Merlin calmly uttered, paler than snow from his beaten Baphomet gave him all those years ago; Taking his stance upon his podium, his body staggered in clothing that looked to barely fit. Holding his side where his arm should be, he continued,
"We need to find this Arsene now. I congratulate you, Tain Wang, for your ascension into our ranks, but we need to know. Your daughter is a known associate of Arsene Snow."
Clitting my tongue at how all eyes turned to me with scrutiny, I didn't back down, "How am I supposed to know? Yura, as she goes by now, is a monster. No one can tame her, and you all hunted her."
"A soul benders existence is too valuable not to take. It's akin to having a second life." Rience remarked, flashing a charming smile, "It's not our fault that she was born with a target upon her head."
"So it's a crime? To be a soul bender?" Said Merlin, somewhat baffled.
"How is it different from those that are born retarded? Or without limbs? Why not kill them the day they are born and be done with it? One can simply have another kid. None of you opposed this change before, so why look back or blame?"
"A man without a bottom line now stands at the table. What have Nox become." Merlin weakly muttered, shaking his head. "But the damage is done and cannot be changed.
"The damage is indeed done, and our known targets now are Arsene and Lilith. The only lead we have is Abbadon, aka Arsene is currently hiding in Casia." Rience could not help but answer, glancing in my direction. "that is your territory, is it not Celestrial King."
"It is. But can anyone explain why a fleet of Nox airships fired down up my territory seven years ago? Or why Lynx, a known demonic Cultivator, entered my territory without my permission?" I adamantly demanded, with a searing flame in my chest.
"You are a member of--"
Flashing through space and time, my fist connected against Rience's cheek, tearing him off the ground and into the ground, blasting him through the planet's surface and off into the next solar system.
"Not him!" I roared, showering space with my cultivation. "He will not speak. Merlin. Tsien. Akuji. Anyone?"
Glaring at me with his sagely eyes, Merlin trembled, "Tian! You are out of line!"
"Old Man, I would watch how you speak to me. I am well within my rights to put a blade through your neck. It's one thing to enter my territory, rain death upon my land, but you send Lynx? THat bloody beast to my land?"
Coughing up a bit of blood from his lips, Merlin trembled, turning so white black webs began to show around his cheeks and face. Trailing down his neck.
"We had no choice." Said Akuji without care.
"No choice, then I declare war on your land Akuji. I will invade your land and tear it asunder ." I coldly declared as he turned pale in an instant. "After all, you left me no choise.
"pathetic trash. I will let this go, but if you do not keep Lynx in check, I am killing him. Same for this disgusting disciple he has."
"I would watch how you speak to us, Celestrial King." A deep smoldering voice declared from the shadows. "You by yourself holds no threat to us."
"And you think my father will approve that Lynx is upon my land? Screw off. My land is very open to allies, but it will seem we will have to renegotiate Nox's and My worth. You lost two major seats due to Baphomet. It's you that needs me, not the other way around."
Snorting at the voice to frighten to even show, I teleported away, having heard enough. Entering my chambers, the sent of age wine entered my nose.
"Father?" I uttered, knowing that not even my wife would enter my private chambers without me present.
"Hmmm, they pissed you off again?" the words of father announced, upon my office chair, sipping wine.
Twitching my brow, the rage in my heart began to grow even stronger, "Damn it! I have been saving that. It's over eight Dao Cyles old!" I roared as father laughed.
"You know the rule. If it's in plain sight, it's free gain."
"It was hidden within a god lock, blocking some high-god from entering! You have no excuse this time!"
Laughing at my expression, father shook his head and shrugged, without care, "I have good eyes, my son." he shamelessly proclaimed.
Almost coughing up a mouthful of blood, I glared with ice in my soul. "What is it you want?"
"Your daughter's wedding, of course. Knowing Arsene, he will be sending you an invitation. You going?" Tang Feng calmly questioned, sipping my wine.
"To do what? Bend a fucking knee? I am going to kill him and her before I bring shame to our name."
Shaking his head, father sighed, rising to his feet; he placed his hands behind his back, "It's a shame, my child. I may have ensured your survival, but Arsene is a smart man."
"And what the hell is that suppose to mean?"
"you are slipping. You have been since Yura was born. What the hell is going on with you lately? You join Nox against your better judgment. You used a damn dragon tear. Then you attacked your daughter?"
Narrowing my eyes, I did not reply, contemplating his words. However, what would he understand? This is not my kingdom. Not when you still live and judge from the shadows.
"Arsene is going to die."
Shutting his eyes, Father shook his head. The disappointment was just about dripping from his brow. "Get what you can from Nox. Because once they learn that the Celestrial Palace is now their enemies. We are in for a major battle."