Chapter 17: Fugitive Bupati
A strange silence occupied the dining hall.
I couldn't say anything nor anyone in this room wanted to say something. My mother was frowning while observed the small red orb that floats in front of her.
The small orb has a diameter of 5 cm, and the core was the dark crimson color. There was a heat-like aura around the orb. Yes, like that [Sword of Blaze(R)].
This is the first time I saw my mom with such expression. This heavy atmosphere, better if I don't say anything at the moment. Yes, I didn't dare to say anything with her being like this.
After waiting for another three minutes that seems like forever, stepmother Kang Rumeng came back with a black box. This box was made from stone with a mysterious glowing rune inscribed.
Arianne and Therese from the world of Myscreat glanced at the box with a curious gaze, however, none of them said anything.
Kang Rumeng handed the box to the mother.
My mother opened the box lid and put the Vermillion Orb inside. She closed the box and press the glowing button-like stone located on the top. The rune inscribed glowing brightly with white light before it changes into another color.
White into red, it changes into orange, into yellow ..., green ..., cyan ..., blue ..., purple ..., and lastly, black.
"This is a lie!"
"It's black! But how!? This color isn't this ..."
"Is the Item Appraiser broken?"
"No ..., that's impossible, its an artifact from High Heaven era, how could such mysterious artifact is broken?"
"There's a first time for everything, right?"
"No! It can be! Even after a thousand years, there has been no precedent of an artifact from that era broken"
"But still ..., black?"
"Yeah, this is unbelievable, but it's true."
The stepmothers and stepsisters argued. Clearly shocked with the result of the black box.
"Lady Liu ...?" Yi Shixiao called mom.
"...," mom looked tired, she closed her eyes with a frown.
I looked at her expression, not too good.
What's wrong now?
I don't recall anything like this Item Appraiser, Dian Xianli never saw this tool before. I don't know how it works or what this color represents.
Is black color bad? But please speak something, I'm dying to know here!
"Heihh ...," mom sighed and looked at me, the light in her eyes flickered.
She looked hesitant about something, her gaze alternating between the black box and me. She retrieved the Vermillion Orb and sighed once again.
She continued to observe the floating orb in front of her.
"Tea!" she said.
Stepmother Yi Shixiao poured hot tea on her cup. Mom drank it in a gulp although it should be scorching hot and asked for more. She really knows how to drink tea.
After she drank at least five cups of hot tea, she looked at me and asked. "Son, do you know how precious this gem is?"
"Uhmm ..., yeah, because it's made from three Concentrated Fire Crystal and one ..., I don't know Concentrated Nothingness Crystal, perhaps?"
I don't know what name [Quartz Gem Fragment(V)] in Lastarte Continent is, so I just made it impromptu.
"This Item Appraiser ..., do you know how it works?" she pointed at the black box.
I shook my head helplessly.
"Concubine Kang ..." she called the eight stepmother's name.
Kang Rumeng explained, "Item Appraiser like its name, can be used to determine an object true worth. When an item placed inside the Item Appraiser, the tool will automatically appraise its grade."
So that change in color is supposed to be something like a display?
I don't understand, why you already have a cultivation world version of a multicolor LED but still don't have an RGB monitor. Or at least seven-segment light.
"White, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Cyan, Blue, Purple, and Black. It represents each Rank. With White as Grade 1 and Black as the Grade 9." she continued.
"So ..., this orb is a Grade 9 Item?" I pointed at the floating orb in the mother's hand.
Kang Rumeng nodded, the whole room went silent. Silence that creepier than a cemetery.
"..., son, I don't know anymore. If words leaked out that our family, not. If words leaked out that you have something like this, perhaps it will bring more harm than good."
I know that Grade 9 item is something that coveted by many. But, I never know that Arianne could produce those with just four useless resource cards.
"...,"
"I think you understood this matter greatly, so how will you handle this? Do you still planning to gift this to the Gu?" mom asked.
"..., mom, do you trust me?"
"Of course, I always trust you sweetheart." she agreed but her expression crumpled.
"If you trust me, then let's stick with our initial plan."
"This is a Grade 9 item, son! Don't you know how expensive it will be if we put it into an auction? Concubine Qian!" mom shouted.
"Last Year in Summer Lafaier Open Fair, Dongpu City, a Grade 9 rare mineral was auctioned for four hundred ninety thousand golds. In Autumn, after return from the newly discovered ancient ruin, a group of adventurers sold a Grade 9 ancient sword for six hundred eighty-five thousand golds. In Krissalia City, Hathria Empire, a Heaven-Rank 1st Rate Cultivation Method was auctioned for one million gold."
Ohhh! So many golds! If I convert it into Gold Coin Card ... damn, with that money I could buy any Card Pack I want! This, is getting money this easy? I should start realizing my plan on raising more funds.
Selling the materialized resource or equipment card.
I began planning this fundraising plan when notice mom and others reaction after seeing [Sword of Blaze(R)]. It's just a Common Equipment Card and I still have about 14x, so selling a few of those won't be a problem. But after listening to this, perhaps selling these seemingly useless gem fragments will bring more profit.
"Son ..., with only this, you can be filthy rich, do you still want to gift it to that young miss of Gu clan who doesn't even care about you a single bit? Isn't that too wasteful of this item?" mom asked with worry.
While yes, I don't know if after transmutation the seemingly useless gem fragment becomes Grade 9 item. But still, I hate when the thing that I have planned ahead canceled.
What use then I did all of the preparation and all? The letter I wrote, and the other thing.
"Mom ..., let's stick with our plan. If Arianne could make something like this once, she could make it more."
"..., miss Auburn?" mom looked at Arianne. Is that her last name? I never know about that.
"Once per day, that's my limit. But, Lord, please don't make me do this kind of thing often ..., I just don't like it that much." Arianne said, with arm crossed.
"Okay ..., don't worry, Arianne. I won't force you if you don't want to. See, it's not necessary to change the plan. Arianne could easily make this orb, so giving one is not a problem. And now what we desperately need is a battle-ready group. Even if I have wealth when I don't have the necessary strength to protect it, that will be doom for me and all of us. Besides, I have other money-making plans in my mind. And that's not selling this Grade 9 orb."
Mother couldn't easily be convinced with just that. We went into an argument for half an hour. She couldn't let the Gu clan get all the good things, but I also insisted on my plan. She then gave in and said.
"..., alright then, mommy gives up. This thing is yours to begin with ..., do as you like." she sulked and walked outside with her mood not too good.
***
Blue Rock Town was a small town located in the north of the Jadenight Basin. It was a part of the Xiaoling domain of Zhao Clan, a Noble Clan with the title of Patih.
The town was fortified with a rectangular rock wall with a gate on the north and the south side. With the Town Lord Residence at the center, the town was divided into four districts.
The standing tower brazier illuminated the roads with its orange flame. Most of the citizens already sleep in their house, so the town was quiet in the night.
Still, there was a street which busier at this time, it was the Pleasure Street which the brothel and night entertainment placed.
From the South Gate, the Pleasure Street could be seen by the town guards. They were guarding the town at the top of the town wall, however, they were not guarding the town against the outer threat.
With booze and a binocular scope, they gathered in front of a stone brazier.
"Hyaahhh ..., look at that, Young Master of Gao family got seduced by Lingling again!" said a middle-aged guard with binocular spying the Pleasure Street.
In his vision enhanced by the binocular, there was a young and handsome teenager with his hand hugged by an enchanting young woman with a big bust and slim waist.
The other guards who just drinking his alcohol snatched the binocular, "let me see, let me see! Oho ..., that's our town best slut for you! No matter who it is, they will definitely be entranced."
With his binocular snatched, the middle-aged man got angry.
"Ah, goddamnit Fang Yu, I am the one who brought this thing! Don't snatch my artifact!"
"Shut it you a middle-aged virgin! I am your captain!" the man who just took the binocular from him rebuked.
"This f*cking junior who rise position because of an insider! You're abusing your authority again!"
"Goddamnit, just shut your f*cking mouth, Li Ming! You want your wage lowered!?!"
"F*ck!" the middle-aged man unhappily shouted and let his captain who was younger than him do as he, please.
With his not-so-good eyes, he couldn't see what was happened on the Pleasure Street without the binocular scope.
This binocular scope was actually his own invention. When he went into a war, he got an opportunity to use a field scope with one long shaft and two magnifying glasses. He just modified it and made it so that his two eyes could see farther and better.
Turn out it was much better than the field scope. The binocular was much shorter and lighter. It could be used to see a thing from a hundred steps to a thousand steps. This was an essential tool for a scout.
Unfortunately, no one realized the greatness of this tool. Yes, it could enhance one perception. But it better to train an archer or tracker with decent eyes rather than mass-producing this tool. After all, when an archer reached Intermediate Warrior, they could see a thing clearly up to a hundred thousand steps.
This crucial invention of the optical physic was discarded just like that in this cultivation world.
When the middle-aged man looked at the outside of the wall, he saw a group of men approached.
"Cap-, captain!" he called the still drolling young guard captain.
"What the f*ck! I won't hand it over!" the captain pushed his hand.
"There are people approaching the town gate!" he shouted with urgency.
The captain lazily turned back and looked at the group approaching the town with the binocular. When he saw them, he was perplexed. And muttered.
"Huh? The town gate should be closed in the night, who are they? To not know about this?"
A group of men wearing a tattered robe and half-broken armor arrived in the town in the middle of the night. This group consists of 20 men with a cultivation level of at least on Head Warrior.
The one who led them was a handsome and thin middle-aged man. His face was gentle and exuding noble aura, although right now he looks tired.
"Open the gate!" shouted one of the group.
"Who are you, state your origin?!" the town guard captain shouted.
No one answered. The handsome gentleman took off the glove on his palm and uttering some incantation. A blinding green light with intricate patterns shot out from his backhand.
The guards on top of the wall profusely let out a cold sweat. The only one who could do this magical thing was the Noble class with a Noble Seal.
This was the only way to prove oneself that they are from the nobility. From the pattern, it was at least a one-stroke noble seal.
So this nobleman was a Bupati. It was a higher title than Blue Rock Town Lord who was only a Camat!
With a shaky voice, the town guard captain said.
"I'm sorry for not recognizing noble sir!"
"It's fine ..., open the gate." the handsome man said with a thin smile. Although his attire was devastated, he still exuding noble aura.
"Immediately, noble sir! Immediately. You, open the gate!" The guards opened the gate and let the nobleman and his followers enter the town.
When they already entered the town inn, the guard captain called one of his men.
"Old virgin! send a word to the Lord, a Bupati and his men have entered the town. Tell him that it was the wanted Dali City Lord."
The middle-aged man who peeped on a whore on the Pleasure Street grumbled, "don't call me old virgin, goddamnit!"
"Go!"
The middle-aged men clicked his tongue and walked into the Town Lord Residence after the captain ordered.
Unbeknown of this matter, the nobleman and his men already booked a room in the inn. They went into the inn public bath and cleansed their body. Unfortunately, they were all male.
"Ahhh, gokuraku, gokuraku ..., hot bath's always refreshing. Brother Ming, we should stay in the inn with a hot bath like this, bathing in the river is not that comfortable." the nobleman stated.
"Lord, is this okay, showing your identity as a Noble like that? It probably better for us to spend the night in the wild!" a graceful young man with hair tied in a ponytail said.
"Brother Ming, don't worry. The town lord is my old friend, there's no way he would detain me." said the handsome nobleman without care. "And I got this feeling that maybe sometime later my noble seal will be revoked."
"What? How can that king do such a thing? Is lord's dedication all these years not enough?" Dian Ming was shocked by his lord word.
"It's not like that ..., this title was never mine since I receive it. That time I thought I can get the kingdom's protection. But still, it seems they used me as a spare tire." Dian Yuanli let out a wry smile, closing his eyes his back leaned on the hot tub.
"What a bastard king!?" Dian Ming let out a faint whisper filled with rage.
"It's not the king's fault, in fact, Bai Tiande is a good and lawful king. It's just that a good and lawful king never liked by its corrupt retainer." said the nobleman.
"So the one in the wrong is the Nobles in the capital ...?"
"Yeahh ..., " the nobleman nodded weakly, seemingly tired with this whole political intrigue.
"Lord! Let's get back to the Dali city and strengthen our military! We will issue a territorial war challenge, and let those insolent old noble know that our territory is not something they can provoke!"
"What? Do you want to fight them? Aha ..., don't be stupid brother Ming." said the nobleman with a wry smile, "you want to drag men, our citizens into a meaningless fight to their demise? Their forces are not something that we can fight head-on. "
"But Lord, are we not going to get rid of this humiliation? Are you fine with this?!"
"Be realistic, brother Ming! Look at our situation! Now we are running away here and there like a wanted fugitive! And you said that when we arrived at the fief we have to prepare a war with them? If you're not stupid, then what are you!?" shouted the nobleman, clearly enraged with his retainer.
"I- this servant sorry, my lord! It just that, some hot air get into this servant's head."
"Heihhh ..." the nobleman let out a sigh, "It's fine, I don't want to talk about this whole mess when I'm trying to relax."
"This servant understood." Dian Ming cupped his hand to the man he respected the most.
"Well ..., let's just enjoy this rare opportunity," the nobleman shook his head with a thin smile.
This man was Dian Yuanli, a Bupati and the lord of Dali City. Once he was the trusted confidant of the Bai King, even though he was a minor noble.
It should be a great achievement for him who rises from a small merchant family. However, this brought massive jealousy from the other nobility and the faction who opposes the king in the dark.
He got ensnared with their scheme and fell into it. Dian Yuanli who was in the core a good and honest businessman couldn't keep up with the machination of those old foxes. He was expelled from the central political scene of the State of Bai.
He left the capital to return to his territory. But those old nobles still trying to release their anger on him. Ambushing his convoy and issuing an assassination order.
"I'm more worried about them ..., did they arrived in the city safely?"
Dian Yuanli ordered his trusted brother, Dian Lugao, and his grandfather butler, Dian Luze, to send his wife and concubines and children to go back to Dali City.
Dian Yuanli knows precisely that the Dali city was not that safe anymore. Yes, it was their house, the Dian Clan Ancestral House located there. But the ancestral house right now was something akin to a wolves den.
After Dian Yunzheng, his uncle rises as the Patriarch of Dian Clan, Dian Yuanli distanced himself from him and started his work-frame in the capital city. Curry the King of Bai's favor, and in the end, he was appointed as the Lord of Dali city.
Dian Yuanli never shared his authority with the Dian Clan. As it was his achievement and there were no Dian Clan hands on it, he was not ashamed of this. But this greatly displeased his uncle, Dian Yunzheng, who accused him to be unfilial to the clan.
Dian Yuanli got fed up with his uncle's frantic behavior. The patriarch seat should be his to begin with and not his uncle, but Dian Yunzheng shamelessly took it off from him. And now, after he got the Noble Seal and title, his uncle wanted a share of the cake? F*ck off, goddamn leecher!
He was displeased with his clan and his uncle branch, and thus he never handed authority to his clan. If they want it, then they have to loyal to him and sign a life-and-death forbidden contract. It was a cruel method to keep things in its place.
He gathered a lot of loyalists, but the one who followed his uncle is not small either.
With his uncle and clan antagonized him, perhaps his wife and family would find trouble when they arrived in the city.
"Lord ..., we don't have the luxury to think about their condition." A stout and brawny copper-skin man said.
"Fan Dong, you're not wrong in any way, but that's too rude." said a sunken-eyed man.
Dian Ming also agreed with it, "Yeah, Chu Wan is right, I know that you're not that well educated, but please learn to read the situation."
"What does that have to do with education? Are you mocking me?" Fan Dong stood up, showing his not-so-big dick.
"Yeah, you're just loud motherf*cking muscle head with small dick!" from the side a man with disheveled hair said.
"Zhen Dou, it seems your face misses my fist!" Fan Dong pointed his finger to the disheveled hair.
"F*cking small dick! Come forward if you dare! I will teach you some reality, small dick never won the big one!" Zhen Dou stood up and put a towel on his neck, and showing his a-little-bit-bigger dick to the world.
"Ahh ... don't think that bigger always better! My wife said that she's always satisfied with me! What do you wanna say about that?"
"Of course, the bigger not always better, but bigger reach deeper! Your wife said that to not hurt your pride as a man! Besides, your wife's body is small like a teenager, you f*cking small girl lovers! Lin Yan, you married the widow from Ma district, so you're with me right?" Zhen Dou pointed his hand back and asked one of his friends for confirmation.
"O-of course ..., Brother Zhen, of course ... they're at it again, " Lin Yan with his skinny body nodded weakly, averting his eyes.
"What's wrong with being a husband of a small woman! The younger they look, isn't it more beautiful a woman? I don't understand you who took a widow as your wife! Is such a loose woman with saggy tits pleasurable? Wait for another five years, your wife will be like a granny by then! Luo Da, I heard you take that Momo as your wive, so you're with me right?" Fan Dong also dragged one comrade in the arm as a fellow little girl lover.
"Haha ..., certainly brother Fan, certainly ... it's the seventh time today." Luo Da with a helpless laugh said.
"You f*cking little girl lovers! I bet you like the younger one because yours can't satisfy an experienced woman!"
"Then what's with you? You married a widow because you can't handle such a virgin with tight pussy right?"
Both of them radiated the aura of a fighter ready to fight. Even though this was ignited because of a small argument that doesn't even mention a small and big dick, they argue about it.
This was nothing new, the group was familiar with this duo banter.
Fan Dong, with his oh-my-that-is-too-small dick, married with a girl ten years younger than his age. While Zhen Dou, with his not-so-big-just-above-average dick, married into a rich widow fifteen years older than him.
They always argue about this. As if this was some sort of ritual or something. Luckily that both were not that serious and made a crack on the group. To their lord, that is Dian Yuanli, they always loyal and never inconveniencing him.
"Ahaha ..., everyone, please stop your meaningless banter. I know that the widow is good, the little girl that younger than you is also good. Well, it depends on their own fetish. But the heck with it, even some of the capital nobles had a concubine from Snake-tribe and Demon-tribe!" stated Dian Yuanli with a thin laugh.
Fan Dong and Zhen Dou backed off with silent expression. It was the first time for their lord to stop their argument. But because he was their lord, they immediately conclude this battle and let it be a draw.
Their lord was a dragon among men, although his harem was not that many they all a grand beauty that coveted by many. Even in the capital, they couldn't find such fine beauty as their lord's wives. Dian Yuanli was truly a respectable master.
Strangely, after watching his retainer stupid fight he calmed down a lot. The hot blood that runs through his head because of Dian Ming's word now subsided.
"I'll go back to my room first, you guys take your time."
Dian Yuanli stood up and put his towel on his towering dragon-like dick, definitely bigger than Zhen Dou or any men in this bathroom. It was this very dick that pierced the forbidden garden of heavens! Although his face was that of gentle and harmless, his dick has a frightening shape.
After looking at that super-sized big dick, the loyalist who followed him looked dejected. Soon, their spirit was renewed and now only a respectful gaze on their lord.
"I'll come with you, lord Yuanli!" Dian Ming also stood up and followed his lord.
"Let's go back then ..." the utterly defeated Fan Dong also looked at Zhen Dou with pity.
Zhen Dou got agitated with this, "What's with that eye!? If I'm smaller than the lord, then you are the smallest of us!"
"Hush, you two, cease it! Embarrassing ...," Dian Ming stops them from getting overboard.
They finished donning a comfortable sleeping robe.
When they walked in the inn hallway, a group of armed men approached them.
"Well, well ..., what do we get here? De most wanted Bupati, Dian Yuanli ..., haha, I heard dat ye got chased prom Xi'an City apter ye corrupted de money from de King! Wahaha ..., to paint ye here, isn't this too much op a coincidence?" the unkempt beard black-haired man said with a strange accent and hearty laughter.
He wore a chest-piece and a waist buckle made from black iron. On his back was the notorious Blackswarm Greatsword. This sword has slain thousands or a million of his enemies.
Dian Yuanli surprised seeing him here, he could guess what was his aim.
But he still smiled and greeted him with basic noble courtesy. "Yeah, good to see you too, Mercenary King, Liu Lei. What a coincidence is this, to see you in this small town. How have you been? I heard that you lose great men in the battle against the Tian Hou Kingdom. "
"Ohhh ..., so ye've heard de recent news. Iyaa ..., dat battle really goddamn dippicult, Tian Hou kingdom cavalry units 're strong, add dat with der array master and ye got n unbeatable army. Ip not because op Second Prince timely reimportcement, I probably can't make it alive."
"This might be too hard for you, Monarch of No-Land. Why don't you retire and ask for some land to manage? The King of Bai is magnanimous and generous. Gifting you one of his lands is never a big thing for him."
In fact, Mercenary King has a King Noble Seal. However, he got no authority on his own land. To be precise, there was nothing on his land. His land was a wasteland after the long years of warfare. Not even a single soul tried to rebuild his kingdom.
Liu Lei got a title that every kingdom in the east region knows, Monarch of No-Land, Mercenary King, and lastly the No Man King.
He and his followers lived by relying on other kingdoms, selling his sword and army as a mercenary.
"Well ..., dis men heard de news 'bout ye ..., ye know, de old foxes in Xi'an, wanted ye to dead. But here ye're, not only ye survived der ambush, yer pamili even got back to the Dali! I admire yer stratagem and tactics. Iyt'is a new ding for meh."
"They survived and got back ...? Really? How do you find out about this?" Dian Yuanli greatly surprised, he asked out of curiosity to the Mercenary King.
But, sometimes curiosity kills the cat.
The Mercenary King smirked seeing the Bupati's naivety. He raised his hand and his follower readied their weapon. Swords, saber, spear, axe, bow, dagger ..., it was all aimed at them.
"Op-cross, I know ..., Dey've depiited meh men. How can I not know 'bout dem? Hahahah ...,!" the Mercenary King laughed with a sneer.
The dismayed expressions of Dian Yuanli and his group.
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