They looked on in careful survey for minutes after which a warrior from both sides stepped forward to give greetings.
"greetings, Master Lu, Dragon Fist and the warriors"
"greetings to the leader and warriors of the Dead Owls"
It was a short and precise greeting like that, then each warrior stepped back to their initial position.
"is your leader present here today?" Dragon Fist called out
"Our leader is present" one of the warriors answered
"then let him come out and show his face" Dragon Fist had no time for unnnecesary parade
"our leader is present and will come out now..." it was Yom that responded this time
He then gently slides the window of the carriage and makes eye contact with their leader.
With that, she raises her head elegantly and proceeds to step out of the carriage.
As soon as the carriage's door opened and Ki Mun's first leg with fair skin wrapped in fur warrior shoes reached the groud, Master Lu's party gasped in astonishment.
Then she fully steps out and walks towards the other party.
"a woman... it is a woman!"
"impossible! the leader of the Dead Owls, a woman...?"
"they indeed have done a good job hiding this from the outside world"
The leaders at Mt. Chi accompanying Master Lu discussed subtly amongst themselves.
"i have always adviced against making peace with them. If left on my own, i would have dealt with the dead owls since a long time even if their leader was a man, much less a woman" One of the officials at Mt. Chi seemed to really have a bone to pick with the Dead Owls
"hold your resentment for today, remember what Master Lu had instructed... no one is to act rashly"
"aishh... a woman has been terrorizing us, that is unheard of"
"be more gentle in talking..."
Master Lu jumped off his horse and walked towards her till they stand head by head and make eye contact.
"i finally meet the leader that has given me no peace since these past years..."
"well, this is what we do, and i have lost many men on my side as well. Tell me Master Lu, am i any different from what you had expected?"
"of course not. I had expected a brave warrior, i can see you are no less"
"haha, Master Lu, i have heard a lot about you and your courageous spirit and i hope to see it for myself"