"Xiao, I will give you another offer." Koldorus spoke from outside the barrier. "Give the heirloom to me and I will marry you. I will protect you and make your son my heir. Both Kol & Carny states will serve you. You will be a queen!"
Xiao smiled at Koldorus. "You sure have the audacity to offer me such a thing. My husband died because of you. My state was conquered, I was raped countless times by your orders, my son had to run around like a fugitive & your men tried to kill me & here you are, thinking I will marry you?"
"…" Koldorus fell silent. He knew Xiao could not be persuaded.
"What about you Wind?" He then asked Wind. "I will give you Carny and Kol. You can be the king of two states. Just capture your mother and hand her over to me. I assure you; I will extract the heirloom painlessly. Just imaging your profits!"
"Heheh!" Wind chuckled. "I have bigger ambitions. I want an entire Empire."
"…" There was a momentary silence.
"Destroy the strategy." Koldorus commanded coldly. "Everyone attack and destroy this strategy!"
BOOM!! A hundred warriors roared with flaring chi and used a hundred techniques to attack the defense strategy. Koldorus intended to break it open and capture Xiao to obtain the Carny familial heirloom.
The barrier of light shook heavily. Aerin frowned as she injected her chi into the floor which seeped inside the strategy and strengthened it.
Boom! Boom! Loud explosive sounds occurred as Kol warriors kept attacking the strategy barrier.
"Xiao, we're losing time." Wind said.
"I know baby. Just wait." Xiao smiled & leaned forward kissing him deeply.
"..." Everyone paused. Even the Kol warriors did. Everyone stared at this mother & son duo kissing one another!
"What the fuck…again?!" Wu Shang muttered. Plant King's jaw dropped. Koldorus was stunned while Aerin was frowning.
"She'd better not try to steal my master!" Aerin exclaimed in her mind.
Xiao's actions were beyond everyone's expectations. They thought she was going to give the heirloom to Wind but then she kissed him out of nowhere!
Unaffected by everyone's thoughts, Wind hummed into the kiss. Xiao's lips were full and soft. Tender like rose petals and sweet like nectar. Wind involuntarily wrapped his arms around Xiao's waist and pulled her snuggly close to him. Their bodies connected and their hormones started to rave.
"So this is how the heirloom is passed on?" Wind thought as he & Xiao kissed. As their lips locked Wind felt the taste of blood. Xiao had bit her tongue and was feeding her blood to Wind through the kiss. The heirloom was an elemental stone which mixed into the bearer's blood and flowed through their veins!
Wind drank up the blood and continued to kiss Xiao. Meanwhile Kol warriors resumed attacking the barrier. Unperturbed by this, Wind & Xiao kept on with the ritual of passing of the familial heirloom.
"Wait, if this is how it's passed on then…" Wind thought. "Was Xiao kissed by her father!? Holy shit!"
Whooom! Suddenly he felt a gush of strange energy inside his body. It was flowing not in his meridians but in his veins instead! The energy intensified by the seconds as more and more blood was passed into Wind's body through the kiss.
At the same time Wind felt excited. The perfect milf was in his arms and kissing him. He couldn't help but slide his hands inside Xiao's gown and caress her back, discreetly pressing her energy nodes to ease her down. Xiao moaned into the kiss as she slid her tongue into Wind's mouth. Wind's tongue immediately coiled around Xiao's as they kissed while Wind's hands moved down to grab Xiao's big hips, squeezing them tightly and shamelessly.
Moments turned into minutes. The defense strategy was still holding up, although it had numerous cracks on it. Aerin was at level 7 Sage realm. Even though she had no battle prowess, she was still a strategy expert and it was next to impossible to defeat her if she was focused on defending inside a strategy.
The heirloom had been passed already but Xiao and Wind were still kissing! Xiao was still feeling the effects of 10 years of full moon. Plus, Wind pressed her energy nodes, using the Ian technique on her. Needless to say, Xiao was now in complete heat! She pushed against Wind, kissing him while her hands moved down to his crotch, feeling up Wind's big throbbing penis.
"Mmm, you sure have grown up." Xiao said erotically.
"I'm not even fully erect." Wind whispered. "Why don't you get down and check how much I've grown?" A smirk rolled on his lips. Xiao's heartbeat escalated. She knew this was her own son but she badly wanted to taste his penis and do all the taboos she wasn't supposed to.
"Ehem!" Plant King cleared his throat.
Boom! The cracks on the defense strategy had intensified again. It was about to shatter! Even though Aerin was an expert and had the highest cultivation in the room, the strategy itself was not perfect. It had an upper limit to how much energy it could store. Attacks on the strategy had intensified. Aerin couldn't sustain it for long.
It took only a moment for Wind to observe and conclude this. He then smiled and sighed. "Looks like I cannot ask you yet for guidance on how to control this heirloom well. Let's do it later?" He asked with a smirk. His intention was clear.
"Heh, sure." Xiao said with a smirk too. Her gaze was still heated and lustful and her hand was tightly grabbing Wind's erection.
"Master, the strategy is breaking!" Aerin shouted tensely.
"We'll retreat." Wind said. "Lan, you know what to do."
"Yes Master." Lan said and revolved her energy in her dantian. The ground split open and formed a tunnel.
Krrrooom!!! The defense strategy broke as the energy barrier shattered and Kol warriors barged in. Just a few seconds ago they had seen Wind's group jumping into a tunnel which closed up behind them. They were escaping! Koldorus wouldn't have that. Under his command, Elder Kim used his technique to split open the ground again and formed a tunnel and everyone rushed into it, chasing after Wind's group.
"They are close behind us." Wind said as he observed the surroundings using his 10000 li sight.
"I'll block them." Hei volunteered.
"No." Wind denied him. "Aerin, you have a movable strategy?"
"Yes master." Aerin replied. "But it is weaker than the contemporary stationary strategies."
"That's fine. Every extra moment counts. Activate it." Wind said.
Nodding, Aerin brought out a strategy array which was formed of unique chains. These chains revolved around everyone in the wide tunnel speedily and a translucent bluish energy barrier appeared around them.
"Where are we escaping to?" Wu Shang asked. "Just so you know, I have several demons that I can summon to take care of the Kol warriors."
"We are not without aces up our sleeves either." Wind said. "Matter of fact, our group is many times stronger than Koldorus'. But I have something else in mind for them."
Since Wind didn't elaborate on what he had in mind, no one asked it either. Meanwhile Wind pondered over the term 'demons' but decided to ask it later. In his vision several miles away, there was a huge underground cave full of earthworm beasts! Wind intended to lead Kol warriors directly into it. Wind's group had the earthworm technique to escape further with relative ease but Kol warriors didn't.
Boom! Wind's group broke into the huge cave a minute later.
There was a big commotion as all the beasts who had been slumbering in their home were awoken by these intruders.
"There they are! We intercepted their tunnel! Good job, Kim." Koldorus said as he smiled and charged towards Wind's group. Little did he know that he had fallen into Wind's trap. Wind purposely had told Lan to stop covering their tracks. He wanted Kol warriors to intercept them so that Wind could lead them into the den of beasts!
"Hold on…" Koldorus' eyes widened as he realized what was up ahead. "It's a trap!"
Wind's group had disappeared. Lan had covered their tracks this time.
"I can sense them faintly." Kim said to Koldorus. "But this group of beasts…"
Kol warriors were tensed as the giant earthworm beasts charged towards them through the tunnel while hundred others surrounded them from all sides. For these beasts, moving underground was as easy as swimming for fishes.
"Damn it! Engage in combat!" Koldorus roared. "Wind…You'll pay for this!" He shouted in his mind angrily.
---------------
"We've left them in the dust." Hei said and sighed in relief.
"How are the women?" Wind asked.
"They are nearing their labor." Hei said. Before their group escaped from Dwarves colony, all the women had been tucked away inside Hei's spatial ring. Only Lan was out who despite being pregnant, bravely led the group of men out of danger. Her tenacity and toughness were awe spiring.
"You may relax now, Lan." Wind said, patting her shoulder. "Go inside Hei's ring and deliver the baby. We'll let you all out afterwards."
"Yes master." Lan said was quickly warped into the spatial ring by Hei.
Now only men were outside. Wind, Hei, Plant King, Wu Shang, Maurice & Qiang.
"Where to now? Wu Shang asked.
"Wind!" Suddenly Saiyu's voice echoed in Wind's ears. She was using Whispering Travelers technique from inside the spatial ring.
"What is it?" Wind asked.
"I just remembered something." Saiyu said. "That huge cave earlier…wasn't it drawn in my familial heirloom?"
"!!!" Wind was surprised as Saiyu reminded him about that heirloom. It was not a treasure but instead a map to unknown places. Saiyu herself didn't know what was in the place to where that map led. None of the places & landmarks were known to either her or Wind. To think that he first landmark would be so deep under the ground!!
Wu Shang frowned as he noticed Wind whispering something. Then Hei whispered something and from his ring a parchment was summoned out. Plant King whispered something and Wind nodded. Wind whispered something as he opened the parchment.
"Ok, what the hell are you guys whispering about?" Wu Shang exclaimed as he finally couldn't take it. He felt like an outsider.
Wind, Hei and Plant King chuckled. Wind whispered something and Hei nodded handing out a scroll to Wu Shang. As Wu Shang read its content, he finally understood about the Whispering Travelers technique's details.
"You two should learn it too. It's very helpful." Hei said to Maurice and Qiang rather politely. They nodded. Then while the three of them studied the scroll, Hei and Plant King surrounded Wind.
"The next landmark is 100 miles North-West." Wind said as he read the map. "But we don't know at which angle should be proceed. It could be further underground, or up above anywhere."
"That's tricky." Plant King said. "Whatever is in the end of the map, ought to be incredibly profitable though."
Wind nodded. "Well, I have a good ocular type support technique. It won't be too hard to find this next landmark. Let's go for it. Since it's so tricky to find, I'm sure Koldorus' group won't be able to catch us."
Then he turned to Maurice and asked. "Will you be heading to the revolutionary army's base? Koldorus is our enemy, not yours. You shouldn't have to fight or run from him."
Maurice nodded. "You're right. I do need to go back to the base and give my report of recent developments. I will also inform the leader about you and try my best to make him acknowledge you. How can I contact you in the future?"
"I understand. Thank you. I appreciate your efforts." Wind said and summoned an emergency beacon from his spatial ring. This beacon was a pair of identical medals. If one was crushed, the other would get crushed by itself too. It would also share the location of the wielders magically between just the two of them.
"If things go well, you may crush it and I'll find you." Wind said to Maurice.
"Qiang…" Plant King spoke at this point, gazing at his son kindly. "Won't you come with me?"
Qiang hesitated. On one side was his family. His parents and his brother Wind. There was also Lan, to whom he had taken a liking to. On the other hand, was his mentor.
"You may go with your father." Maurice said at this point with a smile.
Qiang smiled slightly and gazed at Plant King before sighing and then looked at Wind instead.
"Brother!" Qiang called out. Wind was rather surprised at it.
"I heard from Master." Qiang continued. "Are you really hell bent on killing that Emperor Jiao?"
"I am." Wind replied boldly.
"Then we are all bound to meet again." Qinag said with a smile. "Whether or not our leader acknowledges you; once the war breaks out; no matter who starts it, we'll all end up in the same faction. As such, there's no need for me to worry. Mother is safe and sound, I even met my father. Everything is alright."
"Humph." Wind smiled gazing at Qiang. This half brother of his wasn't half bad. He was both powerful & naturally gifted. He was also maturing at a rapid rate. He was already able to deduce many things from a mature perspective. He had potential to become a war general!
"I will go with my master and finish my training first. There are still many things I need to learn. We shall meet someday soon." Qiang said.
Everyone was moved. Qiang displayed the mettle of a warrior. He chose cultivation and training above family and love. He was definitely going to develop into a great warrior. Everyone smiled at Qiang.
"So be it." Plant King said. "Take care of yourself."
"Thank you, father." Qiang replied and bowed.
"Here." Plant King tossed a scroll towards Qiang and he caught it with surprised expression.
"Once you've learnt what Mr. Maurice has to teach you; start cultivating ahead with the technique written in this scroll." Plant King said. "It's most suitable for you due to your wood element constitution. It's my gift to you."
"Thank you so much, father." Qiang bowed once again.
The group broke into two. Maurice and Qiang went in a different direction. They were lent a demon by Wu Shang. It would be under Maurice's control only for a day at most though. Afterwards it'd need to be slain so that it doesn't attack Maurice and Qiang. But by then they'd be out of the underground. The demon dug a spacious tunnel for the two.
Meanwhile, Wind's group proceeded towards the unknown places.