Chapter 11: Monetary System
"Can you see it…?"
When Nuwa and Wu heard the word Capital, they thought it would be comparable in size to the Capital in the Earth Realm, but the difference was too overwhelming.
"I can't…" Wu replied, also speechless. "Who knew it would be so big..."
The Capital was supposed to have a circular shape and four gates, yet they couldn't even see it curve! From one end of the horizon to the other, all they saw was a giant straight wall. It was almost a hundred meters tall, not counting the set of transparent barriers which spread far into the sky, not leaving any space uncovered. The only way to enter was the lone gate with a long queue in front of it.
Thankfully, the queue moved quite quickly with multiple people scanning for visitor's identity. They landed on the ground and passed the first barrier that did the initial scanning. Their bodies got examined from all angles before they heard a robotic voice in their minds.
'Scanning completed successfully. No Personal ID detected. No criminals detected. Welcome to the Fire Land Capital. You have entered the Safe Zone. If you are new to Heaven Realm, please inform the staff by the gates and visit the Registration Center within three working days to create your Universal ID Card. I hope you enjoy your stay.'
The message seemed automatized, but it created more questions for them. Safe Zone? Universal ID Card? Was there some kind of system to catch criminals in the Heaven Realm?
They followed the procedure mentioned and joined the queue with all other Cultivator. To their surprise, once they entered the Safe Zone, everyone seemed civilized and organized. Guards monitored the line from the sky, making sure no one created trouble. It made them feel relatively safe.
"Pull down your hood, present your ID Card, state the reason for your arrival, and prepare the fee."
Once they reached the front, they heard a standard call from the staff. Wu and Nuwa had no choice but to uncover their heads. The male representation of the staff immediately extended their necks in their direction, checking out the beauties.
"Good day, sir. We just arrived in Heaven Realm, so we still have no clue about anything. We don't have the ID Card or know the rules of the City. Would you be so kind as to help us?" Wu explained their situation with a gentle smile, taking the role of a good cop once again.
"Cough, of course! We are here for that very reason." The City Staff replied as he cleared his throat and fixed his dark black hair. "Let me quickly check if you were registered anywhere."
He pulled out an eyeball and aimed it in the girls' direction. A moment later, he brightened. "Perfect. You are both clean. How about we start from the beginning? Shall we move to the side to not hold down the queue? I will answer all of your questions."
"Sure," Wu naturally agreed, seeing hundreds of people behind them.
All other males glared at the male staff with jealously, acting as if he just won a lottery while the females rolled their eyes. The three of them didn't walk far, standing only a few meters away.
The City Staff opened his mouth to speak when Wu disturbed him, calling out first.
"What does the Safe Zone mean?"
"Oh, good question!" The man praised. "Safe Zone is a space where you are safe from all crimes. A powerful Spirit monitors all Cities and keeps the data of all citizens. Once you committed a crime, you will be quickly localized and either kicked out or killed, depending on the offense. You can't enter any Safe Zones while being marked as a criminal, so everyone behaves."
"What's an ID Card?" Wu followed up with another question.
"It's a Universal Identification which registers you as a citizen of Heaven Realm. Just like this," the man replied while showing his own. It was a thin rectangle card with his picture and personal data on it.
"ID Cards are recognized everywhere, and not only do they act as a tool to show your status but also as a money bag," the City Staff added.
Only then did the girls realize they had a bunch of them already after killing the bandits. They wondered why did the bandits have no money on them, but it seemed like those ID Cards had storage inside them.
Nuwa and Wu exchanged glances, and Nuwa pulled out of one the ID Cards she collected.
"A bandit attacked us, and we killed him. Is there a way to withdraw the money from his ID Card?" Nuwa questioned, showing one of the cards.
The man glanced at the card, and his eyes widened.
"Oof… I know this guy. It's good that you are okay," the City Staff sighed in relief. "And yes, although you can't add new credit into that man's ID Card, you can still pay with it or transfer the funds into your ID Card if you wish. Because of that, it's best to never lose it, or someone will steal all your credits. You can only stop it by blocking your ID Card inside the Central Bank and create a duplicate."
"Central Bank?"
The girls became even more confused. The whole system was too complicated.
"Right, you don't know that as well," the City Staff realized. "Because large payments became troublesome while only using Spirit Stones, a new system replaced all payments within the last few hundred years. Instead of holding onto all your Spirits Stones, you can deposit them in the Central Bank and convert them into credits. Afterward, you can use those credits to pay for almost everything, from food at the restaurant to a Spirit Artefact. Right now, there are no other methods of payment in the Heaven Realm, so everyone is required to use ID Cards."
"What if I want to withdraw my Spirit Stones for personal use?" Wu questioned.
"That's also possible. Central Bank can convert your credits back into Spirit Stones with a minimal fee. Aside from that, they invented a system in which you can borrow credits from the Central Bank and use them to pay for your daily expenses. Isn't that amazing? Once you have money again, you can pay them back later," the City Staff explained excitedly.
"What if someone dies?" Nuwa went straight to the worst-case scenario.
The City Staff scratched his head. "Well, that's not their problem anymore, right? They are dead. Its the risk the Central Bank is willing to take. Once you borrow credits, you have to pay them back in one year, or else the bounty hunters will hunt you down. Naturally, you also have to pay double what you borrowed else you will be considered a criminal and permanently blacklisted in all Safe Zones."
"You will be forced to work for the amount you borrowed in the Spirit Stone Mines owned by the Central Bank. I suggest you two think twice before you borrow anything," the City Staff advised.
"I see… That's an amazing system," Wu muttered fascinated. "Thank you for explaining it to us. Is there anything else?"
"Hmm, being new to the Heaven Realm, you are required to create your ID Card within the next three days. I finish my shift in barely ten minutes. If you wait for me, I can lead you to the Central Bank today and later show you around the Capital. What do you think?" The City Staff asked with a confident smile.
He finally showed his hidden agenda.
"I'm sorry, but we are married," Nuwa said casually and grabbed Wu's hand, pulling her towards the gate.
When they passed by the City Staff, she put an ID Card in his chest pocket. "Consider it a tip for helping us. We will take our leave."
"Wait!" the City Staff stopped them, passing the ID Card back. "I didn't help you in exchange for money. It's my job. If the Spirit of the City spot me taking bribes, that will be my last day of work."
"Alright." Nuwa didn't mind, taking the ID Card back. The more money for her, the better.
The Spirit seemed invasive, but at least there was no crime in the City, which was for the better.
"If you two have any more questions, you know where to find me!" The City Staff called out after them, but they didn't stop anymore.
Chapter 12: Scam
Entering the Capital, the first thing Nuwa and Wu saw was a giant Information Board that listed all the rules and a map of the City. With just one glance, they finally realized how big the Fire Land Capital was.
Based on the guide at the bottom, it would take them a full day by flying to reach from one gate to the other while in the Earth Realm Capital, it would be just over an hour. Just this fact alone told them something about Fire Land Capital's size.
Recalling the City Staff explanation, they weren't surprised anymore. Fire Land Capital was one of the Safe Zones, so naturally, most citizens lived there.
"To think that even flying is forbidden… I guess we will need to use one of those Spirit Beasts," Nuwa muttered as they scanned the rules, gazing at the line of flying beasts at one side of the street.
Four chairs were attached to each beast's back while the driver sat directly on the beast's neck. Based on the amount of similar flying creatures in the sky, they guessed it was the primary form of transformation.
Especially for poor people.
Nuwa could still see thousands of flying ships, one bigger than the other, but aside from the City Guards, there was barely anyone flying in the sky. Everyone too disciplined, which looked suspicious.
"The Central Bank's branches should be close to the gates so most new residents can register relatively quickly. We need to find the tallest and grandest building," Wu suggested, gazing around and fair enough, they saw signs directing them to Central Bank.
Wu winked at Nuwa and grabbed her hand, pulling her forward. They could explore a bit and familiarize themselves with the place. At first sight, the City seemed relatively carefree and quiet, but once they delved deeper into the City, they realized how wrong they were.
Although the streets were massive, almost three times as big as the ones they knew, crowds of people filled them to the brim anyway. It was all because of two roads in the middle of the street where pedestrians were not allowed. Only autonomic wagons, similar to flying ships, drove on the road, reaching incredible speeds.
"It's quite pretty here," Wu commented, watching everything with curiosity.
Colorful trees and metal lamps decorated the side-walk, making the sole walk a magical experience. They couldn't help but gaze at the pavement made from rock that shone like thousand stars glimmering while reflecting the sun.
The most interesting was the strange architecture with an elegant and clean setting. The buildings were like endless straight lines only to make a turn, split apart by another road. Wu was amazed by the concept, dragging Nuwa to walk around and check where the same building would end. Eventually, they returned to the same spot, completing a full square.
"So each of those buildings worked like closed communities with their parks and space inside. Even though the City is so busy, families or clans get their own space, and the City doesn't need to distribute the territory to anyone. I'm sure they still own the land and lend or rent it to different families or clans. Amazing…" Wu explained, fascinated.
"Knowing the size of the whole City, the number of clans or families should be astronomical. I wonder how top clans live," Nuwa pointed out. "The bank seems to be in front of us."
Just a little further, they finally spotted their destination and headed straight to the bank.
The best aspect of the City? No one bothered them.
The two were the most influential figures in the Earth Realm, so almost everyone knew them, bowing each time they met them before offering greetings. In this City, they were the most anonymous with people ignoring them as they busied themselves with their own lives.
Well, at least that's what they thought.
"Huh? Move!" Nuwa called out, annoyed, seeing a few people circling them while moving extremely slow.
She thought that would be enough, yet they acted as if they heard nothing, grouping even tighter. There were ten of them, bonding in a circle while walking like turtles, one slow step at a time.
It wasn't normal.
Nuwa was quickly irked, ready to break through forcefully when Wu stopped her, grabbing her wrist.
"We can't. Do you remember the rules? The City will always punish the initiator of any conflict. The attacked party can defend freely, and they won't receive any punishment," Wu reminded. "This must be a scam."
The crowd walking past didn't interfere with the scene, but they did throw some hateful glances at the ten masked men. It seemed like they were already known and despised by everyone.
"Hahaha, good guess, lady! Unless you pay us a hundred credits for each of you, we will not let you pass," one of the masked men called out in laughter. "Of course, you can fly over us and get a thousand credits fine. The choice belongs to you."
"Fuckers…" Nuwa muttered, realizing what they planned to do. If they blocked them from moving, that would be their offense allowing her to attack, but they are still walking, so technically, they are not breaking any laws.
"Don't let them scam you! If you are not busy, just wait thirty minutes for the next patrol of City Guards. They will disperse before they punish them." Some lady from the crowd advised only to get barked at by the masked men.
"Shut the fuck up before we target you every day for the next week!"
The lady paled when she heard them, immediately walking away. No one else tried to help, scared to become a target as well. Nuwa and Wu were just a pair of strangers. Who would sacrifice their comfort for them?
The masked men got cockier and suggested, "If you take off your hoods and show us your pretty faces, we will only charge you fifty each."
Nuwa grasped Wu's hand, giving her a signal, and Wu returned it, sharing the same opinion.
They are not going to let the fuckers earn even one credit of them.
Chapter 13: Soul Realm
"Anyone knows what's the punishment for killing people?"
Nuwa's question echoed within the crowd, making many cultivators stop, interested to see the incoming drama.
"Haha, I don't advise messing with the law!" The leader of masked men was the first to reply, only a bit intimidated. "If you kill anyone inside the Safe Zone, you will be kicked and blacklisted from the entering any Cities for a hundred years!"
"So what?" Nuwa replied, her voice sharp like blades. "It's not like we are even registered. Can we even get punished without even having an ID Card?"
"Hahaha, so naive!" The masked men laughed. "The Almighty Spirit will recognize your face and report you to the Central Bank! They will ban you without even having an ID Card!"
"I see… So as long as the Spirit doesn't see anything, I should be fine killing you," Nuwa said confidently. "I think you should say goodbye to your friends. This is the last time they will see you."
Swoosh!
All elements burst out from Nuwa, showing she wasn't joking at all. It surprised the crowd the most, especially those who were already in the same situation, scammed as well.
"Girl, don't risk your future for those scum! It's not worth it!"
"Yeah! Listen to us and just wait for the City Guards. Don't waste your life!"
The crowd suggested, seeing the battle was about to start, but Nuwa didn't stop, glaring daggers at one of the men who shit-talked the most. She didn't have a habit of following the rules.
"You are bluffing!" The leader of the masked man shouted, getting more assertive. "Come at me if you are so brave!"
The leader of masked men acted tough, yet Nuwa could see the fear in their eyes. She displayed her elements to scare them, hoping she wouldn't need to use her new ace ability, but it seemed like it wasn't the first time someone threatened them.
"I will leave everything to you. If there are any problems later, I will use my background to settle it," Wu assured out loud, creating even more hesitation in the masked men's minds. They could see it in their eyes. They looked at their leader, waiting for him to make a decision.
The masked men were not the only ones in wonder. The crowd was also interested, the circle around them getting much bigger. How big of background did they have to be so confident?
Everyone knew that even though there were laws, the top powers in the Heaven Realm didn't have to follow them. No matter what, the ultimate power was the strongest rule, and that didn't change even after setting up the Safe Zones.
If someone was more powerful than the rule makers, what could stop them from breaking the rules?
"Bullshit!" The leader of the masked men cursed. "Boys, we are not moving anywhere until they pay us!"
His call gave the rest a confidence boost they needed.
Nuwa smirked under the hood, ready to proceed when she heard a robotic voice of a Spirit in her mind.
'Excessive amount of Qi detected. Please limit the usage of Qi to the bare minimum. The failure in following the order will result in a warning. Upon collecting three warnings, the Citizen will receive a three months ban of entry to all Safe Zones. Initiating a fight will result in similar punishment with the period extended to one year.'
'Huh, so this Spirit can see everything…' Nuwa thought, but that didn't discourage her at all. 'Let's see if it can see this too…'
Nuwa pulled back her elements, not even needing them anymore, and grabbed onto her hood, pulling it down.
Oh!
Many exclaimed seeing her beauty, and the masked men were similarly dumbfounded. They seemed to regret their actions, but it was too late.
Nuwa's eyes turned golden, and she gazed at the leader of the masked men.
Silence.
In a blink, everything was replaced with white space. The crowd disappeared, the buildings vanished. Only Nuwa and the leader of the masked men stayed behind.
"Perfect, it seems like it worked," Nuwa muttered with a smirk, slowly walking up to the man in front of her. "Now its just you and me. No one can save you."
The presence of the Spirit was gone, which meant she was right.
"What did you do?!" the man shouted, turning left and right with his eyes widened.
"Are you scared that you can't feel your Qi?" Nuwa asked happily with a sudden sword appearing in her hand. "Don't worry. I will be quick. I don't have time to torture you."
Slash!
His head flew in the air just like that. He couldn't move, nor could he defend.
"Welcome to my Soul Realm."
Thud.
His body dropped to the ground before slowly diminishing, turning into a small, transparent orb. Nuwa grabbed it and shook her head, crushing the ball with ease.
"I knew his Soul would be trash but to have so little soul energy… Not even enough to set-up my Soul Realm. I guess I will need to feed myself more…"
Click.
Nuwa snapped her fingers, and her surroundings changed again, returning to the outside world. Only a second passed in her Soul Realm. She was able to come back just in time to witness the leader of the masked men fall to the ground, his body lifeless.
Your Soul is everything. If it dies, you will die as well. The body is just a vessel for the Soul.
"Who is next?" Nuwa asked with an evil smile, but she already chose her next target, gazing into the man's eyes.
Thud.
A second later, he also fell to the ground, dead.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Three more followed right after, making all five in front of the girls die in a matter of seconds.
The crowd looked stupefied, all watching from the side as if frozen only to make a unified decision to distance themselves as far as they could. In a moment, there were only two girls and five other masked men on the side-walk, giving them a space of almost fifty meters.
How could they not stay to see how the drama will end? Many began recording the scene, but Nuwa didn't care, turning around to the other five men.
"Why isn't the Almighty Spirit stopping her?! She is killing in broad daylight! Where are City Guards?!" One of the men panicked, shouting out with the horror in his eyes only to fall to the ground, dead.
How powerful was she?!
Nuwa only grinned to his claims.
"I don't know what you mean. All I see are some weak kids, who didn't even reach the God Stage, falling to the ground. I'm not even doing anything. I'm standing on the same spot the whole time. Everyone in the crowd can confirm, right?"
"…"
The crowd was silent.
Milady, how shameless can you be?!
Chapter 14: Surrender Now!
At the same time, few streets away from the scene, a patrol of City Guards was moving on their usual route. They scanned the Capital every day, showing their presence to the Citizens to make sure everyone felt safe.
"Captain, I think something is wrong. Look at the streets. Everyone is rushing in one direction…"
One of the Guards approached the Captain, pointing out his worries. One could quickly tell who was the City Guard Team Captain by their chest plate armor. It had a red eagle painted on it while the rest had carried a white eagle.
There was a reason why they were commonly known as flying eagles, being the only ones who could legally fly in the city.
The Captain gazed down and fair enough, many were moving in the opposite direction of their route. They weren't panicking as if they run from something but instead excited.
"Hey, you! Where are you all running to?!" the Captain called out without hesitation, stopping one of the youngsters rushing through the street.
They didn't receive notification from the Spirit about any fights in their region, so it had to be something entirely different.
He was wrong.
"My friend said someone is fighting not far away! A Heavenly Beauty already killed six scammers!" the youngster called out as he passed by them, not even stopping not to lose his momentum.
With so many people rushing in one direction, everyone else joined them as well, even though they didn't know where they were running. It was the psychology of the crowd. If everyone was running, they probably had a good reason too.
The Capitan wasn't even bothered with him, busy scolding in his mind.
'Almighty! Why didn't we received a notice?!'
Each time something happened that required their attention, the Spirit would notify them immediately. That was the reason why their system provided the best security.
'Six dead bodies detected—cleaners already on their way. No battle recorded,' the Spirit called Almighty replied right away, not giving him much information.
'Someone is killing! What do you mean no battle recorded? What is happening there?' The Capital called out while snapping his fingers at his team, already on his way. 'What are the commands from the headquarters?!'
'No commands. Stay on your route. No killing recorded. Six men died from unknown reasons. No initiator recorded. Stay on your route. Cleaners on the way.'
"Fuck," the Captain cursed, ignoring the Spirit and ordered to his men, "Follow me!"
There was no way six men would die for no reason. Something must have happened.
———
Wu was chilling on Nuwa's side, playing with her Infinity Blade as if asking the last four men to attack them. Once they do, she will have the full right to retaliate and kill them.
She was already used to Nuwa's overpowered ability, recalling the time all of them searched for their Fate Spirits. There was only a certain number of Fate Spirits, and they weren't born with their own like Xuefeng, for example. Their only option to get one was to kill someone else with the Fate Spirit and convince it to connect with them instead.
Thankfully, with Ming, the ex-Queen of all Fate Spirits, it wasn't a problem.
Eventually, all of them found and connected with the Fate Spirits they liked, but Nuwa was the last one to get theirs. She was searching for something unique that will match her.
Even while fighting the top experts within the Fate Organization of the Earth Realm, she didn't find what she searched for. In the end, her dreamlike Fate Spirit wasn't connected with top Cultivator but instead a weak bottom ranker.
The Fate Spirit's ability was called Soul Amplifier, the power to make your soul stronger.
In anyone else's hands, it wouldn't do much, but for Nuwa, whose main strength came from her soul, it was the perfect Fate Spirit. When she experienced Nuwa's Soul Realm for the first time, Wu knew she would be safe around her.
Unfortunately, it had one fatal flaw. If someone's soul was more powerful than hers, it could heavily damage her soul and even kill her. It wasn't something she could play around too often.
Seeing the men were ready to run away, already giving up fighting her, Nuwa proposed a deal to make them stay. She wouldn't be able to kill them if they run away.
"How about you gift me your ID Cards and all your belongings? Today is my birthday. I thought it would be nice of you to give me a present. What do you think?" Nuwa asked while collecting the Storage Rings of the six masked men.
They flew on their own and landed on top of her palm.
"See how nice they were? They prepared their gifts for me," Nuwa said happily while showing the rings. "Shouldn't you follow their example? I will let you go right after. It seems you are busy men."
Pffft!
How different was it from a robbery? You are just trying to bypass the laws!
Though the crowd found it funny, the four men didn't. They were already sweating buckets, wanting to run. Hearing the proposal, they didn't hesitate, taking off their rings. They only had one life, and they didn't want to share the fate of their partners.
"Please, spare us! Take our belongings as an apology!" the men called out, kneeling on the ground.
"Oh, my! You are so generous. Are those for me? Thank you very much. I don't usually accept gifts, but I will make an exception today," Nuwa called out in surprise, acting guilty to accept their rings.
Milady, you proposed it yourself!
Even Wu chuckled under her hood, but once Nuwa collected the last four rings, silence engulfed the scene once again.
Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.
The four men face planted to the pavement, their heads cracking open on the shiny rock.
Merciless!
Everyone described Nuwa in that one word.
She didn't hesitate to do what she claimed, performing the worst offense—killing in the Safe Zone. Not only that, but she also did it ten times!
How is she going to avoid punishment?
"City Guards arrived!"
Someone shouted, making the crowd gazed at the sky.
Nuwa and Wu did the same. A team of ten, all having white eagles on their chests while one had a red one. He seemed angry, seeing the situation. Two person surrounded by ten dead bodies. It was apparent who was the killer.
He instantly pulled out his weapon and aimed it at Nuwa, surrounding them with his men.
"In the name of Fire Land Capital, you are under arrest! You have the right to remain silent! Anything you say can be used against you during your trial! Surrender now!"
Chapter 15: The Power of the Crowd
"Excuse me? What did we do wrong?"
Nuwa's innocent question visually irked the Captain.
"There are ten dead bodies around you two, and you ask what did you do?!" The Captain questioned sternly. "You are under arrest until we fully investigate what the hell happened here. You two are the only ones at the crime scene, so you are the main suspects! Those are standard procedures."
"I'm sorry, but Sir must be blind. Can't Sir see thousands of people surrounding us?" Wu suddenly interjected. "Every single one of them can confirm that we didn't do anything wrong. Those ten masked men surrounded us, wanting to scam Credits from us, yet all we did was stand still and wait. Is it our fault they suddenly died?"
Turning to the crowd, Wu took off her hood and asked confused, "Can anyone help us confirm? We didn't move at all, and those men just dropped to the ground on their own."
Her black hair caught the wind, bursting out from her cloak while single strands coiled around her wronged expression. How could they not help in such circumstances? Many men gazed at her as if they didn't see a beauty during their lives, and the first volunteers came forward in a blink.
"Sir! Everything Miss says it true! They didn't even move, and those scum died on their own!"
"I can confirm too! They didn't even move!"
"What an injustice! You can't arrest those innocent ladies! They didn't do anything!"
More and more people began to cry out in their favor till the whole crowd was shouting, calling out the City Guard's as if they were the ones guilty. They were quickly intimidated, even flying a bit higher just in case the crowd decided to attack them.
The crowd was sure Nuwa killed the scammers, but did it matter? Absolutely not.
They were testifying based on what they saw, and Nuwa indeed didn't even move. On another note, if they were indeed guilty, the Almighty Spirit would already act, immobilizing them with its power. This only meant that the two were either innocent or they successfully tricked the Spirit. Only top powerhouses could kill without leaving any traces.
Who would side with ten dead bodies instead of two powerful and beautiful ladies? The choice was obvious.
"Innocent!"
"Innocent!"
"Innocent!"
When began, everyone followed, overwhelming the City Guards in no time.
Nuwa raised her hand, the old habit from being a Queen for the majority of her life.
"Silence," Nuwa spoke dominantly, her voice loud and clear to everyone around them.
In a matter of seconds, the crowd turned quiet, shocking the Captain and his team even more. Even they wouldn't be able to handle such a gathering.
Both her gaze and aura made everyone succumb, wanting to know what she will say.
"We heard enough, but all of it doesn't matter as only the Spirit protecting the City knows the full truth. If we were guilty of any crime, we would receive information in our minds. Since we didn't hear anything, it's clear we are innocent," Nuwa explained to the crowd before gazing at the Captain, "You should already know that, am I right? If you know, why are you breaking the law and still trying to arrest us without any substantive evidence."
"We are not breaking any laws," the Captain answered with his forehead already sweating. "We are just trying to figure out what happened…''
The Captain didn't look like he wanted to continue this, committing a great mistake by coming here.
"We already told you what happened, and everyone confirmed that… Even the Spirit doesn't think we are guilty, yet you seem so sure we are responsible… Do you hate us? What did we do to receive such treatment?" Wu asked, clutching the cloak on her chest as if speaking from the heart. "Is it because we are new? We arrived today to this marvelous City, hoping to make our dreams come true, yet all we received was harassment and injustice…"
Sniff.
Wu wiped her eyes, trying to stop tears from flowing down her cheeks.
"Why is it always like this?! We are just trying to live! Just leave us alone!" Wu cried out, hiding her face into her sleeve. When she looked up again, her eyes were reddened, tears streamed down without stop. She opened her mouth to speak but choked on her tears.
Eventually, Nuwa came up to her and hugged her, placing her head on her chest. She rubbed her back, calming Wu down.
"Shhh… It's going to be okay… We didn't do anything wrong…"
This sight was both heartwarming and blood boiling. Momentarily, the males from the crowd glared at the City Guards, unleashing their pressure. The cumulative force coming from hundreds of cultivators was enough to make the City Guards back off.
Not many saw the scene of killing nor heard Wu's and Nuwa's words before the masked men died. Only a portion of them knew the truth, but they stayed silent. The sight of Wu's tears was enough to make everyone else stand up for them without even knowing what happened.
"Get lost!"
"They are innocent!"
"How could you make her cry!"
One small team of City Guards wasn't enough to fight thousand of white knights, trying to protect the innocent ladies.
"But I—" The Capitan tried to say something, yet Nuwa cut him off.
"Please, don't attack the City Guards. They are just doing their job. Maybe if we create our ID Cards, will they finally accept us as humans..." Nuwa muttered weakly. "Let's go, sister. We will visit Central Bank to make one right now. We won't belong to outcasts anymore…"
Nuwa didn't hesitate and dragged Wu away, keeping her in her arms as they disappeared in the crowd.
The Fire Land Capital never saw such an enraged crowd. The City Guards had no choice but to retreat under the barrage of insults and threats.
Nuwa and Wu disappeared, blending with the crowd even though many tried to find them, hoping to cheer them up with warm hugs.
"Well done. You have a talent," Nuwa praised Wu as they sneaked inside the Central Bank. Various cultivators waited in the queues to the cash registers, but none of them knew them.
"Thank you," Wu acknowledged with a smile. "I liked your acting too."
Her face was no longer in tears as everything was simply the manipulation of her Qi. Water substituted tears while rubbing on her eyes made her look even worse.
They exchanged a smile and stood patiently in the queue for the ID Card creation, written on the sign above the cash register.
Unfortunately, they weren't able to look around for too long as they suddenly felt danger. Before the girls could react, they were surrounded by five cultivators in black with only one showing their face—a handsome middle-aged man with a manly scar on his cheek.
"Excuse me, ladies, would you be kind enough to follow me? We have some questions to ask."
Chapter 16: Secretary of Defense
When Nuwa talked about someone powerful who can resist her bloodline ability, the man in front of her was the perfect example of that. When she tried to test him, her Soul Power immediately bounced back, not even able to reach him. Whoever sent him didn't joke around.
"We can, but what is this about?" Nuwa questioned calmly. The man acted like a gentleman, so she didn't play with him from the very start.
There could be only one reason for their arrival—ten bodies lying on the street. Nuwa could cheat the Spirit, but it would be hard to trick a human as well. Anyone who watched the footage of her killing could see her golden eyes. The masked men wouldn't just die on their own.
"I'm sure you know what just happened. I don't need to remind you," the scarred man replied before snapping his fingers. Momentarily, all the sounds disappeared as if he placed an invisible barrier around them.
He then assured, "Don't worry. We will just ask you two a few questions and let you go. We don't care that you killed those scammers. They were a pain in the ass anyway. We just want to know how you did it so that we can improve the safety of our City for the future."
"Who sent you if I can ask?" Nuwa asked in wonder, making an 'okay' sign for Wu to show she was alright. The two were next to each other, but the barrier separated them.
The people in the queue already dispersed, moving away from the scene. When they stared at the men in black, there was both fear and admiration in their eyes. The only explanation Nuwa could think of was a secret team of guards for special missions. City Guards were responsible for everyday problems while those people took care of more complicated matters.
"No one sent me. It's my job. I'm Darkin, the Secretary of Defense for the Fire Land Capital. I'm responsible for Citizen's safety," Darkin introduced himself. "We can't let you roam around the Heaven Realm while having an ability to kill in the Safe Zones. No one would feel safe once the news spread. We need to let everyone know it was a one-time incident that will not happen again."
Nuwa smiled playfully, finding it funny.
"So you want me to expose my strongest technique and tell you how you can counter it? Do you realize how ridiculous it sounds? You might as well just kill me now. There is no difference," Nuwa replied sarcastically, but Darkin didn't show any emotion on his face.
"I know how it sounds, but we have no other choice. We risk global chaos. Once our Citizens realize top Cultivators can kill them even though they stay in the Safe Zone, we will lose all credibility and trust. People will live in fear, knowing they are not safe, which will halt their growth," Darkin explained. "If you wanted to avoid it, you shouldn't have killed anyone in the first place."
Seeing he didn't convince Nuwa in the slightest, he added, "Either that or you will be permanently banned entry to the Safe Zones. Your choice."
Even while facing his threat, Nuwa continued to smile. Such pressure would never work on her.
"What if I told you that even if I explain exactly how it works, it will not help you at all? The Spirit of the City can't prevent something it can't see," Nuwa said with a shrug. "Also, if I were to show you, I would have to kill you. It is either you or me. Once I activate my ability, someone has to die. Your soul will perish, and you will die just like the rest of those guys."
Nuwa could use Wu's background to get rid of them, but she didn't have a habit of using other's influence to settle her problems. She was already prepared to handle it when she decided to kill the masked men.
Darkin wasn't offended by her direct approach, rather the opposite. He showed a curious expression as he muttered, "So it's a Soul Attack? That's unique. But shouldn't the Spirit see it then? Almighty didn't notice any violation, nor did it register any attack. How did you attack without being discovered?"
"As I said, I can show you, but then one of us will die. I will not explain further, so you have to accept this much," Nuwa replied firmly.
Her eyes shone with gold, causing Darkin to finally show some emotion, putting on his defensive stance. Nuwa only smirked, showing she could also use threats.
"If you decide to ban me from the Safe Zone, I will stay outside of the City and kill everyone that leaves it. I wonder how safe will the Citizens feel. If you decide to kill me, I will at least take you down with me before your men can stop me. Your choice, Mr. Darkin."
Darkin didn't hesitate much, agreeing, "Fine, we will leave you alone for now. I just hope you won't kill anyone else inside the Safe Zones. It causes me a lot of trouble."
"I will try, but I cannot promise anything," Nuwa admitted honestly.
Darkin gazed into her eyes without fear and finally turned around without commenting.
"One more thing," he said with his fingers ready to snap and revert the barrier. "Your friend mentioned she has a great background. What is it?"
"You will probably find out in the news by tomorrow," Nuwa replied casually.
"Farewell."
All five disappeared as fast as they appeared, leaving them alone.
"Are we good?" Wu questioned with a tint of worry in her eyes. They were guilty, yet Nuwa somehow sent them away.
"We are good," Nuwa confirmed, pulling her to the cash register. "We just need to stay low-key for a while till they forget about us."
"You didn't promise anything?"
Nuwa smirked. "Of course not."
The left-over queue in the cash registry quickly split apart, generously giving them way. One would think they were just acting nice, but in reality, they were scared.
"Welcome to the Central Bank. I presume you want to create your ID Cards, right?"
The lady behind the cash registry seemed professional, not really bothered by the appearance of the men in black.
"Yes, please. Both of us are new to the City," Wu replied politely.
"Can I have your names? I will fill the form before we proceed further."
Wu hesitated for a second but finally revealed.
"My Surname is Wu while my name is—"
She couldn't even finish as the lady paused, gazing at Wu in disbelief.
"Are you maybe the granddaughter of President Wu from Trade Union?"
Chapter 17: Wu's Background
"How do you know?"
Wu got suspicious and took a step back when the lady behind the cash register stood up abruptly, shaking her hands in panic.
"No, no, please, don't worry. I know because we were contacted today by President Wu. He asked us to take care of you and offer premium treatment once you arrive. Your appearance match and the surname Wu is unique, with only Wu Family having one. We don't have any ill intentions," the lady explained hurriedly, almost all in one breath.
Wu exchanged glances with Nuwa and finally relaxed.
Though, a moment later, she tensed up, hearing gossips all around the Central Bank. Naturally, they listened to the lady's question, which exposed her identity.
"Please don't worry about them. I'm sure that everyone already knows about you," the lady assured with a bitter smile.
"Huh? How come?"
"President Wu already announced your arrival to everyone. All top Families and Clans know about you already. I even heard the was supposed to be a celebration in your name once you arrive home, but this might be a rumor," the lady replied, showing her gossipy nature. "I'm sure the whole Trade Union is searching for you as well. At least the Central Banks throughout the Heaven Realm were notified about your case."
Wu got a little overwhelmed, not expecting her grandpa to create such a scene about her arrival. Mobilized the whole Trade Union, Central Bank, contacted all top Families and Clans. Who else? The President of the entire Heaven Realm?
Well, she was close. Just as she thought about it, a tall man around her age appeared next to them. It seemed like he had just woken up as his eyes were barely open.
"Lady Wu! I'm so glad you arrived safely. Your grandpa will be overjoyed once he hears the news," the tall man called out, causing panic in the hall.
"President Mo!"
All cashier ladies quickly bowed, followed by ordinary Citizens. Only the newcomers like Nuwa and Wu did nothing, filled with confusion.
"Hello, ladies! Good afternoon!" President Mo called out while stretching before introducing himself. "I'm Mo Shi, the President of Fire Land Capital Central Bank. I'm pleased to meet you two."
Everyone in the hall gazed at him in amazement. How often could they meet one of the nine Presidents of the Central Bank? Almost never.
Before Wu could say anything, he walked behind the cash register and sat down on the cashier's seat.
"Shall we register you, Miss Wu and your friend? We should finish before your grandpa arrives," President Mo asked cheerfully.
From start to finish, he didn't even ask for Nuwa's name as if she wasn't important, but Nuwa didn't seem to mind at all. In all honesty, she was still a nobody in the Heaven Realm, but that would for sure change in the future.
"My grandpa is coming here?" Wu asked in surprise to which President Mo nodded eagerly. "Yes, the moment you arrived, I already informed him. He should be here any minute."
"…"
Wu didn't think it was necessary to make such a scene. Their attempts to stay low-key were not blown by the wind but a tornado instead. Now everyone in the Fire Land Capital would know that President Wu's granddaughter arrived.
"Shall we start?"
———
"Is this necessary? I'm not your Goddess…"
Seeing all the food at the tables and a full-blown celebration in her name, Yiren didn't know how to feel about it. She just came to this Village to make new friends with cute Beasts, yet now everyone treated her like Goddess.
The Village Leader smiled apologetically as he leaned over to her seat of honor and apologized, "I'm sorry for using Miss, but would Miss be kind enough to assist me today? My Village was already losing faith and forgetting about our founder. Miss arrival gave them new vigor. If Miss can pretend to be our founder for a short time, I would be grateful."
"Founder?"
"Yes, the founder of our Village, who we all proclaimed as our Goddess. Surprisingly, she looked very similar to Miss, coming from an Elf Race as well. She created this Village with a group of locals and taught them Beast Taming. We pass on her words and knowledge since the moment she left us a few hundred years ago. She departed to pursue her dreams and never came back. Many only know her from legends," the Village Leader explained.
They were in the bigger plaza, celebrating outside with music, dancing, and food. Lisa and Yiren had their table together with the leader and his family, allowing them some space to talk freely.
"I see… I wonder if we are related in some way. If she looks like me, then she might have come from our Holy Realm. Many of our Queens left to explore the world and find their man," Yiren commented casually as she picked up another snack, enjoying the familiar flavor. "Even your food is similar to ours."
Her race also used to eat various snacks wrapped in edible leaves.
Nom, nom, nom.
Lisa wasn't even listening to their conversation, consuming one snack after another.
"Gosh, they are so delicious…" Lisa muttered, forgetting about her slim figure as she stuffed herself to the brim.
"They are indeed good, but my Grandma made the best snacks ever. No one can beat her," Yiren countered proudly as she pulled out her stock her grandma prepared for her travels. "Take a bite of this. You will notice the difference right away."
Lisa would never reject free food, so she immediately grabbed it. Her eyes widened right away as she looked at Yiren in amazement.
"It's so good! Can I have more?!"
"Nope, they are mine," Yiren rejected firmly, keeping the stock for herself. It would take a long time before she will meet her Grandma once again.
"If Miss is related to our Goddess, then that would be truly a coincidence," the Village Leader agreed before changing the topic. "I heard from my son that Miss is also a Master Tamer. We could see Miss' performance, which confirms it. My son told me Miss tamed a Phoenix and a Dragon. Is that true?"
"Well, Drakos is still mischievous, but he listens to me, and Bella is my big sister. They are not tamed. They are my friends," Yiren corrected.
Seeing the confusion on the Village Leader's face, Lisa cleared it up as Yiren's manager, "Drakos is a Dragon while Bella is the Celestial Phoenix with her own Humanoid Body. They are our companions."
"I see. So Miss can tame Celestial Beasts. That's truly amazing." The Village Leader said with respect as he looked at Yiren. "Would you like to help us then?"
"Help?"
"Yes. There is this Celestial Beast dominating our Region. She hates Humans and attacks us whenever she sees us. Many of us perished under her claws. I tried to tame her, but nothing worked," the Village Leader explained. "I'm sure for Miss it wouldn't be a problem?"
His words grabbed Yiren's attention.
"Celestial Beast? Is she cute?"
"She is a cute Beast if that's what you look for, but she is also dangerous. She is a—" the Village Leader got cut off by Yiren.
"I'm in!"
"But I didn't even tell Miss what Beast it is…" The Village Leader's eyes widened in surprise.
"Does it matter? I am sure we can be friends," Yiren replied with a shrug.
"Alright, I will lead Miss to her tomorrow. How about enjoying the celebration tonight?" the Village Leader asked when his wife suddenly approached and interrupted them.
"There are a lot of kids that would love to meet you, Goddess. Would you spare us a minute?"
Behind her were multiple kids of various ages, looking at her with shiny eyes. Yiren couldn't reject such cuties.
"Sure!"
Chapter 18: Tianshi's Confession
"To think that it was actually true…"
Xuefeng couldn't believe it, holding the ID Card in his own hands. The system in the Safe Zone was almost identical to the modern Earth with few tweaks here and there. It was hard to believe it was all a coincidence.
"Yeah, it's too similar…" Tianshi nodded, checking out her own ID Card.
They just came out of the Central Bank, the first place they went to after entering one of the main Cites in the Water Land. Seeing the whole bank and credit system was similar to their home, Xuefeng couldn't help but think about a certain possibility.
'Is it possible that someone reincarnated to this world with their memories intact like us?' Xuefeng asked curiously in his mind.
Fate Spirits were the ones who controlled the whole reincarnation system in all Realms. Modern Earth he and Tianshi came from was just one of the Realms they managed, reincarnating Souls into Cultivation World. There was a pretty good chance many of his Earth's friends got reincarnated and influenced the Cultivation World with their modern knowledge.
'Hmm, not impossible. As long as a Guardians of Middle Heaven allowed it like in your case, everything is possible,' Ling confirmed.
When Xuefeng entered the Middle Heaven, which is the place where all souls end up, he received a wish. He was quite devastated after losing Tianshi, so he wished to keep his memories intact, wanting to always remember her. Who would think she would follow him to this world? Now they were enjoying adventures and life together as lovers.
"I wonder if we will meet that person one day," Tianshi muttered after he forwarded Ling's message.
They learned about the Safe Zones and realized the City they arrived in wasn't one of the nine Capitals. If they wanted to meet such a person, they would probably need to search in one of the biggest Cities.
"Maybe. We will need to ask around to learn who created the whole system. They might still be alive," Xuefeng agreed fully. "Shall we go? We will visit the Trade Union before finding a place to cultivate."
Tianshi grasped onto his arm and nodded, leaning on his shoulder.
The City was still enormous, so it would take them a while to reach the Trade Union anyway. They could take advantage of that and sightsee like husband and wife. Tianshi couldn't ask for anything more.
As they walked towards the line of Beast Taxis, Tianshi confessed with a gentle smile, "You know, I think I'm glad we all separated. I can finally spend some more time with you. Just the two of us."
Xuefeng was about to scold her, but her next words made him silent.
"Don't get me wrong. I love everyone. It's just that I have never experienced real dating where your lover is fully focused on you the whole time. Now I have, and I am sure I will enjoy every single minute."
Xuefeng stopped in the middle of the road, pulling her into his arms.
"I want to say that I'm sorry… but I can't anymore. It would mean I don't value others when I do care about each of you," Xuefeng spoke from the heart. "I cannot be more thankful that you followed me and gave me your heart. I love you, Tianshi. I prefer to show it instead of saying it, and that's why I will protect you, care for you, and make our dreams come true."
"I know, and that's why I chose you," Tianshi replied, pulling on his shirt.
Their lips locked, first roughly, eager to connect and then softly, delicately, like butterfly wings. Both of them wished to prolong the moment.
Thankfully, they could.
Vehicles barely moved forward, people froze, and flying beasts hovered in the sky with their giant wings moving in slow-motion. Xuefeng didn't slow down the time but instead sped it up for them to enjoy their moment for much longer.
Someone needed to be responsible though.
"Dummy, don't waste your Qi for a kiss," Tianshi scolded, pulling away. "Let's finish what we have planned and find a room instead."
"Sure."
His mood improved greatly with that one closure, yet Ming ruined it quickly.
'Tianshi is right. You are indeed a dummy. In that short time, you were discovered by at least five other Fate Spirit Holders. You won't be able to enjoy your love once you are dead,' Ming informed sternly. 'I can mask your identity, but it's impossible if you use your abilities in the middle of the crowd.'
Oof…
Xuefeng breathed out deeply, getting on one of the flying taxis. Under the influence of the moment, he casually used his ability, forgetting the dangers.
'Do you know their location?' Xuefeng questioned, trying to fix it.
'Two are sitting at the balcony at two, observing the crowd from above. The other three already blended in the crowd.'
He didn't hesitate and followed her directions, scanning the nearby townhouses for the two men.
'Found them.'
The two were leaning against the rails at one of the many inns. There were barely any private houses in the area.
The men were still watching him, and their gazes locked. Xuefeng smiled confidently and pointed with two fingers at his eyes before directing them at two men.
"I'm watching you," he mouthed silently. Although they couldn't hear him, it wouldn't be hard to figure out his gesture.
Just as he thought, the two men frowned and returned to the inn, intimidated by his bold move. Normally, it wouldn't be possible for him to sense him, yet Ming was much more powerful than their Fate Spirits.
All Fate Holders were natural enemies. They killed each other for their Fate Qi as well as new abilities he could steal from them. The sheer fact he noticed them as well was enough for them to back away.
'See? I saved it. Don't be mad,' Xuefeng muttered, hoping to soothe Ming. 'I will be careful from now on. I promise.'
'Tsk, what would you do without me. Next time warn me beforehand so that I can prepare,' Ming replied with a snicker, showing she wasn't mad anymore.
'Got it.'
"Sir, are you okay?" the Beast Taxi owner asked, looking weirded out by Xuefeng's actions. "Where should I take you?"
Xuefeng quickly snapped back to reality, embracing Tianshi by the waist.
"To Trade Union, please."
Chapter 19: President Wu's Arrival
"There you go. Two brand new ID Cards for Miss Wu and your friend."
Getting your ID Card made by President Mo himself was quite an achievement to brag about but the girls didn't think too much of it. They reached out for the cards when President Mo pulled them back.
"Right, I almost forgot. Miss Wu, your grandpa asked me to transfer funds into your ID Card. It will only take a moment, so please wai—" President Mo explained but Wu cut him off mid-sentence.
"No, I don't want it. We have our own money."
Nuwa pulled out all the ID Cards they collected and spilled them onto the counter, creating a small pile.
"Transfer the Credits from all those cards into ours and split them evenly," Nuwa ordered casually but the people around gasped.
How could she talk to President Mo with such boldness, straight up ordering him as if he was just a servant?
"Also, we don't need those ID Cards once they are empty, so you can re-use or throw them away," Nuwa added without much care.
The audacity!
Even though President Mo seemed to take it well, the Citizens and the workers of the Central Bank were mad for him.
"I hope it won't be a problem, President Mo," Wu said, already used to Nuwa's personality.
She was ordering her people as a Queen for years and she rarely acknowledged other people. Her fellow sisters and Xuefeng himself were the only ones who Nuwa treated as equals.
"Of course not. I'm glad to help," President Mo replied with a smile, not paying any attention to Nuwa's bluntness.
He took one card after another and transferred all the funds. Normally such transactions were made outside in the special Credit Machines to avoid any suspicions but the girls didn't care if anyone find out they killed those people.
After all, it was a public place. Everyone could see them pull out a pile of cards which was frowned upon. It could only mean they killed or robbed.
"That's quite a bit of ID Cards you gathered there," President Mo commented. "It seems like you met with a lot of trouble before you reached the Safe Zone, right?"
"We were attacked by a few groups of bandits. Not a big deal," Wu replied casually. It would be awkward to keep him hanging, especially in front of so many people.
It would be the best if he didn't talk at all but President Mo didn't stop, chatting as he worked.
"Thankfully, you Ascended to the Fire Land where the Trade Union Headquarters is located. I'm sure your grandpa will take care of you now."
"We are strong enough to take care of ourselves. Anyone who bothered us ended up dead. Just like those ten scammers across the street," Nuwa interjected with a shrug.
As Wu's identity was already exposed, there was no need to stay low-key. Why not choose to be as high profile as possible and become famous, providing Xuefeng global information on where to find them. It was also Nuwa's preferred style anyway.
President Mo finally looked at Nuwa in surprise but his question was still direct, asking with a slight frown, "Miss Wu, did you two kill in the Safe Zone?"
Wu was slowly getting annoyed by how President Mo ignored Nuwa so she joined her ranks.
"We didn't do anything. We only looked at them and they fell down, dying instantly." Wu recounted indifferently. "It's not our fault, right Nuwa?"
"That's right," Nuwa confirmed eagerly. "Even Darkin, the Secretary of Defense came to investigate but was forced to leave the Central Bank with nothing. All I did was look at them and they died, it's really weird."
When Nuwa turned to President Mo, he looked away, not taking any chances. He snapped at the cashier who still stood behind him instead and asked, "Was Darkin here?"
"Yes, President Mo. Mr. Darkin left before you arrived," the Cashier replied with a bow. She looked down, completely scared. She didn't know the reason why Nuwa was investigated but who would look at her after knowing the truth?
"I see… That's indeed strange…" President Mo muttered, his enthusiasm to chat gone. He passed them the ID Cards as he stood up from the chair, "Transfers complete. We should move outside and wait for your grandpa."
Boom.
Just as he said so, they heard a loud explosion outside but everyone seemed already used to it.
"Perfect Timing. Let's go outside to greet President Wu," President Mo called out, avoiding Nuwa as he walked out of the bank, leading the way for them.
The girls only smirked, taking their ID Cards as they followed.
Right above the bank building hovered a luxurious flying ship with its rear still letting out flames as if they used a fire engine.
"That's the fastest Flying Ship in the Heaven Realm. Thanks to President Wu's flames, it can cross the whole Capital in less than an hour," President Mo explained. "Truly magnificent machine."
Bzzz…
The Flying Ship suddenly started buzzing and lowered, intending to land directly at the street, right in front of the Central Bank. There were only a few people cultivators who could allow themselves to break most of the Safe Zone Rules and Wu's grandpa was one of them.
The crowd immediately moved away from the landing spot to avoid getting crushed and stood on both sides, waiting to see what was going on. The streets were still full after everyone gathered to see Nuwa's massacre, blocking the streets at the same time.
The Flying Ship wasn't as big as they thought but it still filled the whole street of more than fifty meters.
Thud.
A metal pad slid out from the ship and crashed to the ground with a dull sound. The door opened right after and multiple experts spilled out, locking down the place.
They pushed the crowd back and no one even argued, listening willingly. Those with power ruled the Heaven Realm, so unless someone was suicidal, no one would challenge them.
When Wu gazed at the opening, she saw a familiar figure walking out. She wondered how will she feel seeing her grandpa once again, the person who she once idolized, and realized all her admiration was gone.
Her grandpa wanted to take Xuefeng away from her. How could she idolize a man like this?
"Little Wu, my granddaughter finally arrived... Come and give your grandpa a hug," President Wu called out as he walked out, spreading his arms to her.
Although she didn't want to, if she didn't, it would be even harder to convince him to spare Xuefeng and let them be together. She didn't really have a choice.
Wu grabbed Nuwa's hand with a soft smile and pulled her towards the ship. On the pad, she released her, making sure she wouldn't be left behind and finally gently hugged her grandpa.
On the outside, it looked like a wholesome scene but in reality, Wu's smile was already gone as she whispered coldly into her grandpa's ear.
"We need to talk, President Wu."
Chapter 20: Let's Talk About Xuefeng
Any grandparent would be shocked hearing such words from their grandchild but President Wu seemed already prepared. Nuwa watched the scene happen from the side and covered her face to stop her incoming laughter.
Nuwa would never trust such a man. Not only did he look scheming but he also wanted to kill her husband. Nuwa would be crazy if she befriended him, so President Wu was already canceled for her with no chance of redemption. She didn't even want to enter the Flying Ship but Wu already grabbed her hand, pulling her inside.
"Little Wu, wait! We can talk about it! Don't be mad at Grandpa," President Wu called out after her, but Wu didn't stop, walking through the clean and fancy passage of the Flying Ship.
It had a simple build with a wide corridor in the middle and both sides filled with various rooms. Some were used by guards the other seemed exclusive for President Wu. At the end was the cockpit which was Wu's destination.
"Little Wu, stop," President Wu commanded as he overtook them and spread his arms to halt their advance. "Let's talk about it calmly."
"Do you still think of killing Xuefeng?" Wu asked sternly, gazing at her grandpa's face. His waist-long black hair coiled around his clear facial skin, showing he still had a lot life ahead of him. She used to adore how long they were but now those times were gone.
Xuefeng was more important to her than anything else, even her family.
"Well… Aren't we supposed to discuss it now?" President Wu replied without a clear answer she looked for.
"There is nothing to discuss. Either you accept him or not. I'm giving you one day to answer. If you choose the latter, you will never see me again. Simple," Wu announced her ultimatum and brushed her grandpa to the side, walking past him with Nuwa in tow.
They entered the cockpit and she didn't hesitate to order one of the pilots, "Start the ship, we are flying away."
"Who are—"
The pilot was confused at first but seeing President Wu entering right after them, he seemed to realize there could only be one person who dared behave like this in his presence. The person they flew all the way here for.
"Yes, Miss Wu," the pilot nodded, seeing President Wu didn't say anything and called out through the strange ear-piece stuck in his ear. "We are setting off. Everyone, get back on board. Closing the pad in five seconds."
President Wu had a calm expression despite the whole disagreement. "Little Wu, are you going to sulk the whole flight or will we talk properly?" He asked patiently.
"No, let's talk. I want to settle it as soon as possible so that I can find my husband," Wu replied out loud, making sure the people in the cockpit heard her.
Their eyes widened but under President Wu's gaze, they all turned back to their work, acting as if they didn't hear anything.
"Follow me to my office then."
Wu wasn't scared to make a point and fight for her rights. Being the main figure who led the Trade Union in Earth Realm, her reputation was already established. Those who worked with her and Ascended before her would definitely remember the fearsome Manager Wu.
The office was just next to the cockpit but President Wu halted by the entrance and finally turned to Nuwa who has been pulled around by Wu the whole time.
"You must be Little Wu's friend, right?" President Wu asked curiously.
"I'm more than a friend. I'm her sister," Nuwa corrected. "If you plan to tell me to wait in another room because it's a family conversation then my answer is no. I don't know you hence I don't trust you. I won't let my sister stay in the same room with a random old man."
"Huh?" President Wu frowned at that remark. "I'm her grandpa. I wouldn't do anything to hurt her."
"Oh, really?" Nuwa asked in wonder. "I didn't think that grandparents show their affection by killing their granddaughter's husband, someone they love dearly. Is this some new trend? I thought you said you don't plan to hurt her?"
The doors to the cockpit were open so Nuwa's savage questions were all heard by the pilots. Wu realized it was precisely what they needed. Spread the news and show the true colors of her grandpa. Which grandparent would be so cruel to destroy their granddaughter's happiness?
President Wu was quick to react.
Bang!
The doors to the cockpit closed with a bang as President Wu's Spirit Awareness spread in the passage. None of it was directed at Wu but instead at Nuwa, aimed to force her into submission.
It was one of the main benefits of having high Cultivation Stage. The stronger Cultivation, the more powerful Spirit Awareness and higher pressure a Cultivator can create. Being able to pressure your enemy's soul with just your Cultivation alone was a great advantage, to say the least.
Too bad, how could he compare to Nuwa whose main power came from her soul?
Wu wanted to act, bashing her grandpa for attacking her when Nuwa laughed, "Hahahaha, you must be joking, right? Did you really think such puny pressure can do anything to me?"
Nuwa seemed so amused, making President Wu visually surprised but he momentarily twisted the truth while withdrawing his pressure. "Not bad, your sister seems to be skilled enough to follow you. Her soul is really powerful and she passed my test effortlessly."
"Bullshit! You wanted to hurt her!" Wu called out angrily, glaring at him yet President Wu only shrugged, entering inside his office.
"You can think what you want. I was just checking if her skills match the sharpness of her tongue. Do you think I would allow any weakling to speak like this to me? Even if she was your friend, I would kill her right away."
Even though Wu was mad and knew there was no test whatsoever, she couldn't refute his reply. If she was at his position and someone accused her in the same way, Wu would do the same.
Although violence was for weak-minded people, it was also the easiest and fastest method to solve problems.
"Don't worry, I didn't even feel it," Nuwa assured her, burning President Wu at the same time as her little revenge.
"Come inside you two. Let's talk about that Xuefeng then."