Chapter 7: Masters of the Blade Clan (Part 2)

Borong was surprised and asked, “Some from our Blade Clan have arrived too. Who are they?”
Tulata replied, “Da Kash, the Mad Blade, and Serichelin, a famous figure from your clan. There are also a few others who aren’t as well-known.”
Borong exclaimed, “Serichelin? Good heavens, how did she end up here…” His expression showed extreme astonishment. As one of the clan’s masters, he certainly knew some of its famous members, including Da Kash and Serichelin, the Goddess of the Blade Clan—both of whom were top experts in their field.
Serichelin was especially renowned. She was extremely beautiful but also fiercely violent. Her fame didn’t stem solely from her beauty but from her love for killing. Just like Qi Wu Zhen when she wasn’t in her right mind, she never valued human life, resembling a thorny rose with thick thorns.
Tulata nodded and said, “They’ve only been here for two days. There are more masters on the way. As far as I know, the number is quite large. However, for this exploration of the Tianluo Ruins, the people of the Tianling Clan have declared that certain things… are off-limits to other races.”
Qi Wu Zhen sneered without saying a word, but her expression was full of disdain. Given her temperament, such words would only stir her hostility. If she found relics in the ruins, no one could take them from her. Anyone who dared to steal them would face disaster. Although her temper had mellowed somewhat now, it didn’t mean she wouldn’t kill.
Li Ran asked, “Are people from the Tianling Clan also gathering here?”
Tulata replied, “Only a small portion. Well, they’re not true masters of the Tianling Clan. They don’t qualify to go with the clan’s elite. They’re just some fringe masters from the Tianling Clan who can’t represent them. Hehe, just like us, they’re here to try their luck without a clear destination.”
Guo Shier asked, “Are most of the masters exploring concentrated in your city?”
Tulata shook her head. “This is a large-scale expedition with many masters involved. Our place is just one location. Some masters will come here to restock supplies and find guides. Hehe, our Mechanical Clan isn’t particularly strong, but with the help of various machines, we can reach many places. That’s why we have many guides familiar with the terrain. Besides, it’s only over a thousand kilometers from the Tianluo Ruins, and this area is under our control, so it’s easy to find guides.”
Guo Shier nodded and said, “Hmm. Find us a guide too. I hope it’s the best one.”

Tulata showed a hint of hesitation. After all, the experts who arrived earlier had hired almost all the good guides, leaving mostly ordinary ones. Yet he couldn’t refuse Guo Shier. Professionals from the Spellcraft Clan were never easy to deal with—they were far more arrogant than other races, extremely powerful, fearless, and always came up with ingenious tactics. Eventually, he nodded and agreed, “Alright, I’ll find a good guide.”

A subordinate from the Mechanical Clan came over and whispered something in Tulata’s ear. Tulata nodded and said, “Everyone, please get on the vehicle. Brother Stan, your spaceship is at the docking site in the east of the city—come with us.”

Stan nodded, turned to call his subordinates, gave them a few instructions, and then followed the others onto the flying vehicle.

……

The convoy didn’t enter the city but flew along its outskirts toward the east. In a short while, they arrived at a vast manor outside the city. The style of this manor was completely different from that of the Mechanical Clan—with bridges over streams, lush greenery, and hardly any products of the Mechanical Clan; it was mostly built using natural materials. Tulata smiled and said, “This manor originally belonged to an expert from the Celestial Spirit Clan. Later, that expert gave it to us. Hehe, it’s a place used by our Mechanical Clan to entertain distinguished guests.”

In Guo Shier’s eyes, this manor indeed had a high level of taste. It was completely different from the Mechanical Clan’s style and was much closer to nature. The only flaw was the high-rise buildings in the nearby city. Because the Mechanical Clan’s buildings were extremely tall, those buildings could be clearly seen from the manor, which affected the overall style of the manor. Without those buildings, it would have appeared even more natural and harmonious.

The flying vehicle landed in the manor’s parking lot, and a group of servants immediately came forward. Everyone got off one after another, and under Tulata’s personal guidance, they arrived at a two-story white building. The building wasn’t very large, covering about a few hundred square meters. The lower floor was a hall with transparent walls, sheer curtains hanging from them, thick fur carpets on the floor, and a few oddly shaped plants in the corners, with a dozen or so bright red fruits among their branches.

Before entering the hall, Tulata waved for a few servants and said, “Go and invite the two guests from the Blade Clan. Hurry up, don’t be slow.”

Everyone knew that the two top experts of the Blade Clan must be Blade Madman Kash and the beautiful Seraphine. Berong’s eyes showed a hint of anticipation; he had never met these two before, but in the Blade Clan, they were far more famous than him, and he really wanted to get to know them. For him, wealth and such held no appeal, but top experts from his own clan were different—discussing with them could greatly improve his own strength.

After entering the hall, everyone sat down. There was still no concept of seats here; people simply sat on the ground casually. Fortunately, the ground was covered with thick furs, making it quite comfortable to sit on. Li Ran, Qi Wu Zhen, and Guo Shier sat together, while the others took their seats as well, forming a loose circular arrangement, either intentionally or not. Tulata invited Stan to sit beside her; both were city lords with similar status, and they also wanted to get closer to each other in hopes of forming an alliance.

After some brief conversation, a servant came in and said, “The honored guests from the Blade Clan have arrived!”

Guo Shier and the other two looked curiously toward the door. Berong stood up; as a top expert from his own clan, he didn’t want to offend them. The Blade Clan was a race that valued strength above all else. Of course, there were many races like this, but the Blade Clan had another characteristic: this emphasis on strength applied not only externally but also internally. In other words, even within the Blade Clan, there was a strict hierarchy, with those stronger able to oppress those weaker, without any justification.

Tulata also stood up. He led a few of his subordinates to the door and said with a smile, “Lord Blade Madman, hehe, Lady Seraphine, welcome! It just so happens that a few friends have come along. Let’s get to know each other and chat together.”

Blade Madman Kash was a burly man, over two meters tall, with broad and thick shoulders, exuding a strong sense of pressure. He carried two knives behind his back. He had red hair, messy and tangled, with a few braids. His eyebrows were raised, his eyes gleaming, and his thick beard almost covered his mouth, giving him a defiant appearance.

Seraphine, on the other hand, was striking. In Guo Shier’s eyes, she resembled the white women from his past life—high nose, deep-set eyes, sharp facial features, clear contours, snow-like skin, and long, light golden hair. She wore a dark jacket and a long skirt that reached the ground. She also carried two knives behind her, one longer than the other. Her expression was cold, as if she hadn’t heard Tulata’s words at all, and she simply walked straight into the hall.

Blade Mad just nodded without saying a word. Both of them had an arrogant attitude as they walked into the hall. Tulata smiled awkwardly; he didn’t dare get angry. One advantage of the Blade Clan’s experts was that as long as you gave them enough face, they wouldn’t bully others casually. But if you offended them, a fight would be inevitable—unless you were strong enough, in which case you’d surely suffer losses.

Borong stepped forward and said, “Lord Blade Mad, Lady Seraphine, I am Borong of the Blade Clan.”

Blade Mad and Seraphine stopped and sized up Borong, sensing his aura. A slight smile appeared on their faces. The aura Borong emitted showed that he wasn’t weak. Although not as strong as the two of them, he had caught their attention, though they didn’t take him too seriously.

Blade Mad nodded and said, “Da Kash.” Seraphine said, “Seraphine.” They said no more. Borong breathed a sigh of relief. He had been afraid they would ignore him. Just being able to hear their names was enough for him. If they ignored him, he would be at a loss—it would be extremely embarrassing.

The two walked over to the circle where everyone was sitting. Tulata approached, also feeling a bit uneasy. After all, there were three experts from the Spell Clan present. He didn’t know that Li Ran and the others were top professionals, but from the aura they casually exuded, he sensed their great strength. As for exactly how strong they were, he still couldn’t tell.

Tulata took the initiative to introduce them, “Lord Blade Mad, Lady Seraphine, hehe, let me introduce these three professionals from the Spell Clan.” As for Stan, he didn’t even mention him. The Mechanical Clan never measured strength based on individual combat skills. Introducing him recklessly to the Blade Clan’s experts might only lead to contempt.

Li Ran, Qi Wu Zhen, and Guo Shier raised their heads to glance at the two. Guo Shier slowly stood up. Li Ran’s lips curled slightly, while Qi Wu Zhen’s expression remained cold. The two of them continued sitting. As the youngest and weakest of the three, Guo Shier was tasked with negotiating with the Blade Clan members. In the eyes of the three, these two Blade Clan experts were quite strong—much better than Borong—but still far behind them, so there was no need for excessive formality.

Tulata continued, “This is Guo Shier, a professional from the Spell Clan.”

Guo Shier smiled and said, “Pleasure to meet you, pleasure to meet you. Um, Lord Tulata, let me introduce him—this is…” Before he could finish, Li Ran said, “Li Ran.” Qi Wu Zhen ignored them completely, turning her gaze to the plants in the corner instead.

Dao Kuang and Celine’s expressions instantly changed. Tulata thought to herself that things were not going well—she never expected these three casters from the Spellcraft Clan to show such contempt. It was understandable, though; after all, Dao Kuang and Celine had entered with such arrogance. In terms of pride, the three of them far surpassed them, and with their strength, they could almost ignore all the masters of Star Worship.
Seeing that Qi Wu Zhen was unwilling to introduce himself, Guo Shier also stopped talking.
Dao Kuang’s face darkened as if water were about to drip from it. He said in a deep voice, “Is the Spellcraft Clan that great?”
Celine raised one hand, palm up, with a faint glow appearing in her palm. Bolong was shocked—this was the famous sword-drawing gesture of the Sword Clan. Once activated, the long sword at her back would appear in her hand. He hurriedly said, “Don’t…” But when Celine glanced at him, he immediately broke into a cold sweat.
Guo Shier gradually faded his smile and said calmly, “Oh, you have objections to the Spellcraft Clan?”