"Ten rounds? Isn't that a bit difficult?" the figure beneath Patriarch said: "Princess Hailey is also a pioneer. If she has awakened her blood power then she is already at par with the saint. It would be very hard for saint to beat her under ten rounds."
"True," the thin old man spoke out: "Saint has practiced the combat arts of the Dragon King and its has been pressed deep into her bone. It would be very awkward for her to fight if you limit the skill set. 30 rounds seem reasonable to me!"
"Yes." A person whose body was hidden in the darkness said: "Ten rounds isn't fair. 30 rounds seem reasonable!"
The little girl laughed: "Miss Aisha has been saint and fought in the wasteland for many years. Her skills are already different than ordinary pioneers. Why should she serve as a saint if she can't been princess Hailey in 10 rounds?"
Someone else said: "10 rounds is more than enough for a life and death match! 30 rounds sounds more like a contest for endurance!"
"Endurance is one of the keys to victory! If Miss Hailey's endurance is weak then she can't serve as a saint!"
"Ridiculous! We aren't here for dragging the battle for endurance but for quick duel!"
"As long as you agree."
"You..."
People sitting by the round table argued with each other.
"Shut up!" Patriarch who was silent shouted and his voice overshadowed the hall. Everyone stopped to look at Patriarch.
"10 rounds is 10 rounds." Patriarch said in an indifferent tone: "If Aisha can't beat Hailey in 10 rounds then she will lose her status as Saint!"
"Patriarch, this ... ..." the thin old man and others looked at patriarch.
Patriarch slowly shook his head: "Aisha will continue to serve as saint if Hailey loses. If Hailey wins then we will think about the replacement problem."
"Agreed!" the little girl smiled.
everyone agreed after patriarch intervened.
"Dragon mother, what do you think?" Patriarch turned his head to looked at the lady lying on the dragon throne.
Everyone turned to looked at the dragon throne where the elegant and graceful figure was lying.
The woman was lazily leaning against the soft side of the throne. There was no trace of change on her expression as she heard patriarch's inquire. Her eyes moved as her sight passed by all. Subconsciously all of the atendees lowered their eyes as no one dared to directly look at her.
"You are patriarch. You should decide." The woman slowly retracted her eyes: "Since most of the elders agree with this then implement it. Both sisters should be impatient by now because of waiting. Call them in."
The little girl and other were relieved when they saw that dragon mother didn't intervene.
There was a trace of disappointment on thin old man's eyes.
"Let them come in." The patriarch looked at the darkness.
A breeze passed from the darkness.
After a moment the door to the conference hall was opened and two girls walked in step by step.
Their appearance were somewhat similar. One of them was Aisha who Dean knew and the other one was the girl wearing the purple tan suit.
Both of them had similar height and wore similar clothes. However one was color puple while the other was green.
The expression on face of the girl wearing the purple tang suit was cold. It seemed that she was somewhat similar with the conference hall.
'Aisha' standing by her had a smile on her face.
"Hailey greets Dragon mother, patriarch and elders!" The girl wearing the green tang suit known to Dean as "Aisha" said. Dean would be stunned if he was in the conference hall.
"Aisha greets Dragon mother and patriarch." The girl wearing the purple tang suit nodded towards the dragon mother and patriarch. She didn't look at elders as her identity as saint was third to only dragon mother and patriarch in the clan. Actually these elders had to take initiative to greet her if they met Aisha. It was part of her identity as saint and it was also part of the rules.
Dragon mother slightly nodded as her lips curved into a smile.
"You are here." Patriarch looked at his daughers. There was a complex look in his eyes as he calmly said: "Aisha, the evidence shows that you were involved in the loss of secret combat arts! Do you plead guilty?"
Aisha calmly replied: "I don't recognize the evidence."
Patriarch was perplexed.
"Do not recognize?" the burle middle-aged man said: "The evidence is conclusive and you don't recognize it?
Aisha indifferently said: "No matter what kind of evidence you have if I haven't done something then I will never recognize it! However it doesn't matter whether I do recognize or not. You have asked us to come over so you should have already made the judgement. Pronounce it!"
The little girl gently smiled: "Your highness, your words make us look like villains. The evidence is evidence. You should pay the price when you do something wrong!"
Aisha's (the girl wearing the purple tang suit) eyes narrowed as she looked at the little girl and slowly said: "What price you want me to pay?"
The little girl felt as if she wouldn't be able to hide the secrets in her heart. Her face turned unnatural as she said: "Your highness, the verdict was decided after everyone discussed the issue. It's too late if you want to... "
"No need." Aisha directly interrupted her.
Thin old man and others shook their heads as they sighed.
Patriarch whispered: "Twelve elders and I have unanimously decided for you and Hailey to fight. You are prohibited from using the skills of Dragon King! If you can beat Hailey in ten rounds then you will keep your post as a saint! If you will lose then you will lose your status and identity and Hailey will replace you as a temporary saint. You will have time to reflect. Do you have any objections?"
Everyone's eyes were directed at Aisha.
Aisha's expression didn't change but she was silent.
"Aisha if you have an objection then you can speak out." The patriarch spoke as he saw that Aisha was silent for a long time.
Aisha slowly said: "I have ... no objections."
There was a trace of joy in Hailey's eyes who was wearing the green tang suit. She clenched the giant spear with her fingers.
"But ... " Aisha spoke out.
Everyone's eyes concentrated on her after she used the word "but".
The dragon mother quietly watched her.
"But what?" Hailey couldn't help but ask.
Aisha indifferently said: "I give up."
Silence was dormant in the conference hall.
Everyone was stunned as they looked at Aisha. It was her only chance and she gave up?
Many speculations run wild in their minds. Was the condition to harsh? Did she think that she couldn't beat Hailey in ten rounds so she gave up? It seemed that there was only one reasonable explanation.
Dragon mother take a deep look at Aisha then recovered her eyes. A smile curled up on her face.
"Since you want this title so much then I'll give it to you." The girl wearing the purple tang suit(Aisha) looked at her sister Hailey.
Hailey was startled.
She had prepared for this battle for long. She had actually simulated the fight in her mind many times over. She had prepared lots of shady moved...But... Aisha gave up!
"She knows that she can't beat me in ten rounds so she gave up! She didn't want to lose face in front of everyone!" Hailey speculated.
"I have a request." Aisha looked at patriarch then at dragon mother who was lying on the dragon throne.
Patriarch deeply looked at her: "What is the request?"
Aisha looked at him: "The boy that was arrested was just implicated in the issue and is innocent. I want to keep his life." She said in a serious tone.
The little girl and others knew that it was a false alarm so they didn't care much about her request.
They didn't care about the life of the boy as he was nobody from nowhere(outer wall). They didn't care whether the boy was dead or alive. However it seems that Aisha was set on making sure that he stays alive.
No one dared to go against Aisha who showed such a tough attitude.
No one was willing to anger her.
"I'll go out if there is nothing else." Aisha said.
Patriarch said in a calm tone: "From today on Hailey is temporary saint as you have given up on fight. From now on you will be moving from the Saint Peak and you will surrender your identity as saint! You will no longer be allowed to enter the Dragon King's Hall!"
Aisha nodded and opened her palm. There was a platinum token in it. There was a picture of a black dragon engraved on its back. She put it on table: "Dragon mother, patriarch, I'll go now." She didn't look at other as she turned to leave. Her slender figure faded away in the darkness.
Everyone looked at each other in the conference hall.
No one had expected to Aisha to give up the identity of saint so easily. It was a very lofty status with big rights!
"Princess Haily, you are the saint of our clan from now on. I hope you can replace miss Aisha and keep guard of the wasteland!" Little girl took the initiative to break the silence.
Hailey looked at the token on table. It was the thing that she had dreamed of for so many years. Now, she would be able to get it! She had paid to much for this. She had made countless fantasies about the status of saint!
However, she felt strange as everything was in front of her. It seemed that... she wasn't excited because her sister had given up!
Her eyes lit up as she slowly reached out and picked the token. The strange thoughts and feeling faded away as the excitement took over her heart.
She didn't care as she had won!
At the end, she got the thing that belonged to her!
...
...
On top of the Saint Peak!
Aisha packed her things and left the high-rise building. Actually she didn't have many items and she didn't care about valuables at all.
"Dear sister." As Aisha was going out from the door a pretty figure walked into the square. Hailey was smiling as she looked at the bag in Aisha's hand. She laughed: "My dear sister. You better get everything away right now or I'll just break them and throw them away! You wouldn't be able to get anything later on!"
Aisha indifferently said: "You have already broken what had to be broken. There is nothing left. "
"Sister, are you still thinking about that pet of yours?" Hailey grinned: "Blame it not me. It was barking at me and I had to teach it manners!"
"Your tastes in beasts will improve as a saint. Good luck with that!" Aisha lightly said. (she is referring to the monsters in wasteland)
Hailey smiled: "You should just go back if you think I'm not good enough! Well, I always thought that my sister is more intelligent than she looks to be. You knew that I have awakened my blood power and was worried that you wouldn't be able to win in 10 rounds. So you just simply gave up and didn't lose face! Moreover you said beautiful words such as 'giving it to me'. You are indeed my sister!"
Aisha looked at her: "1 round is enough to win you!"