The Inverted Dragon's Scale

Peacock Imperial Court. Scorching Sun Hall.

Clad in a violet robe with a flaming peacock, the Peacock King was sitting straight on a dragon chair that resembled a giant thorn bush.

In the great hall, the envoy of the West Wind Kingdom, Xiong Feihu spoke indignantly: “For thousands of years, the West Wind and the Peacock Imperial Court have been friendly neighbours, living side by side in harmony and had rarely went into war. The West Wind respects the traditions of the Peacock Imperial Court and also admires the long history and deep culture of the Peacock Imperial Court. There are many trades on the border between the two Kingdoms, and there are many merchants traveling back and forth between the two kingdoms.”

“The West wind sees the Peacock Imperial Court as a friend, but the Peacock Imperial Court regards my West Wind as an enemy. This time, Princess Qiandu of the Peacock Imperial Court have led thousands of elite soldiers of the Ghost Dancer Corps to trespass into the territory of my West Wind Kingdom, and slaughtered thousands of elites of my West Wind, resulting in the destruction of the Qilin Army. Adding to this, Chief Commander Song Lang was also killed by Princess Qiandu. This evil conduct is enough to infuriate the deities. Is the Peacock King going to give an explanation to the West Wind Kingdom?”

“Do you have any evidence?” The skinny-looking Peacock King, who looked more like a scholar, asked.

“This is a matter that everyone knows. Don’t tell me the Peacock King is refusing to admit to it?” Xiaong Feihu fumed, feeling humiliated.

“Who is everyone? Bring them to see me.”

“Peacock King is making things difficult.”

“Look, you came all the way here to attack my daughter and said that my daughter has killed someone. I’m not even angry yet. What are you enraged about? Don’t get aggravated, don’t get aggravated. Let’s speak calmly, what did you just say?”

“—–”

“Nothing?” The Peacock King waited a while, and before the envoy of West Wind could say anything he yawned: “If there’s nothing, then I’m going to take a rest now.”

“If the Peacock King wants a witness, then I’ll bring you a witness.” Xiong Feihu loudly said: “I would like to see what else the Peacock King has to say when there is both witness and evidence.”

Xiong Feihu raised his hands to give a cupped fist salute, saying: “Does the Peacock King dare to bring my witness and evidence up?”

“Is there really someone to prove it?” The Peacock King slightly raised his slender brows as he asked with surprise and dissatisfaction.

“What? Is the Peacock King afraid of being exposed? Afraid of being told the truth in public?”

“Since there are witnesses, then I will see them.” The Peacock King said loudly.

Xiong Feihu turned around to say to his trusted aide, “You go bring the people in.”

“Yes, my Lord.” The youngster received the order and left immediately.

Soon, the youngster darted in, yelling: “My lord, my lord.”

“What’s the panic?” Xiaong Feihu turned around, and seeing the young man’s face, a very bad feeling in his heart.

“Lord, they—–”

“Speak properly. What is going on?”

“Our witnesses were perfectly fine, but suddenly fell dead to the ground.” The young man’s face darkened. “The people of the Peacock imperial court must have done something. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have died like that.”

“Don’t make slanderous accusations. How would our Peacock imperial court do such a despicable thing?”

“Lord Xiaong, in front of His Majesty, you need to watch what you’re saying. We also find it strange that your men died. Maybe they died of exhaustion from the journey? Isn’t that right?”

“Where’s the evidence? You’re accusing the people of our Peacock Imperial court, but where’s the evidence?”

“You?” Xiong Feihu pointed to the ministers of the Peacock Imperial Court in the hall, his face turning purple and red, and his body uncontrollably shaking non stop.

“Lord Xiaong, everything requires evidence.” The Peacock King’s nonchalant voice sounded from a high place. “For example I have evidence that you attacked my daughter Ying Qiandu, and also accused my courtiers of misconduct, because it all happened in front of my eyes. But, Lord Xiaong, you accused my daughter of crossing the border to kill, where is the evidence for that?”

“The death of the thousands of Qilin soldiers is the evidence.”

“Where are the officials? Count the death toll of this year in the Peacock Imperial Country and then go to the West Wind Kingdom to ask for an explanation. The killing of innocent people infuriates both the gods and ghosts.”

“You—-”

“Look, you also don’t want me to do that, right? Can Lord Xiaong understand my grievances now?

“Princess Qiandu’s conduct and actions are the same as declaring war on my West Wind Kingdom. The Emperor of West Wind sent us courtier here to ask Peacock King for an explanation, but it turns out the Peacock imperial court has the same attitude as Princess Qiandu. You also want to declare war on my West Wind Kingdom?”

“What a headache.” The Peacock King rubbed his temples, “Lord Xiaong, I have been speaking for half a day, how can you not understand? You said my little girl Qiandu has trespassed into your West Wind border, then I would like to ask you from where did she trespass? Are the soldiers on your West Wind border made out of paper? People can come in and out? We are talking about a legion of thousands of people. I think it’s impossible to hide from your eyes, isn’t that right?”

“—–”

“You said she has killed countless people in the West Wind Kingdom, and even destroyed the entire Qilin Army, if that were the case, then are there no people in the West Wind Kingdom? How can my little girl willfully do what she wants and nobody was able to stop her?”

“The Peacock King is saying that my West Wind Kingdom can use any means on Princess Qiandu, even if she is dead or wounded?”

“Of course.” The Peacock King said in a serious tone. “However, if my little girl suffer any bumps then I will be sure to get justice for her. Lord Xiong, I only have one daughter and I treat her as my life. Please excuse me for being a little unreasonable on matters regarding her. You also have a daughter too, isn’t that right?”

“——-”

——————————————————————–

The north wind was cold, like countless steel knives scraping the face back and forth.

Lu Wuyong led several generals to stand on the city tower, looking like he was discussing with his generals whether to surrender to the Peacock Imperial Court or not.

A gust of strong wind blew past, and the iron armour on the soldiers on the city gate tower clattered. Sand whirled up in the sky, and everyone was covered in dust.

Qiandu was standing outside the city gate on the wasteland where it was bitterly cold, snow swirling in the air, and behind her were the 5,000 guards of the imperial family, the Ghost Dancer Corps.

The wild wind blew, the colourful clothes of the thousands of elites of the Ghost Dance Corps billowed about, and the colourful feathers were flapping in the air like beautiful flags.

Qiandu was waiting Lu Wuyong’s final decision, at least that was what it appeared to be on the surface.

“General, everyone say that Princess Qiandu of the Imperial Court is intelligent and talent, does she really believe that we will surrender to her?” A soldier whispered.

“She naturally doesn’t believe that I would surrender to her. She also didn’t come with the intention to recruit us. How would someone lead thousands of the most elite people of the Peacock Imperial Court to come recruit others?”

“So, what did she come here for? Does she know that she is soon going to be besieged by the army of all four sides and is in a critical situation?”

“The recruitment is fake, but it is true that she wants to get our attention.” Lu Wuyong sneered. “We don’t see Li Muyang around the little Princess, so if my guess is right then he should be attempting to enter my residence to save his parents and family?”

“City Lord, since we know their plot, why didn’t we do prepare earlier, and is wasting time with her here?”

“They’re acting, and aren’t we acting too? The little Princess led the Ghost dancer army to come to recruit us in order to nail the generals and I to the city wall, so that Li Muyang can use the opportunity to take action. However, aren’t we waiting on the city gate tower to make the Little Princess of the Peacock Imperial Court wait here until the major armies of the other forces arrive? At that time we will attack together and capture them all in one go. If we can capture the Little Princess of the Peacock Imperial Court alive, wipe out the Ghost Dancer Corps, then it really is an earth-shaking accomplishment. I want to congratulate you in advance, it won’t be long before you guys make rapid advances in your career.”

“But, General If we wait here to act as the bait then what about the people in the City Lord residence?” A general asked somewhat uneasily. “If Li Muyang really manage to break in and rescue his parents and family, then is that not also a loss? Although Li Muyang is not as precious as the Princess of the Peacock imperial court, but he is the evil dragon. If we let him escape it will be difficult to capture him again in the future. Moreover, the dragon is vengeful, and will certainly retaliate. If we let the dragon return to the sky, it will most likely retaliate in the future.”

“Don’t worry. Just continue to accompany me here and play the act to make the Little Princess of the Peacock imperial court stay here.” Lu Wuyong grinned strangely. “As for the City Lord residence, there are already masters standing guard there. The moment that Li Muyang appears in my residence, the divine object will produce a response. At that time it is impossible for even the divine dragon to escape.”

“General you mean there are other masters watching over the residence already?”

“Based on intelligence and schemes, how can these little babies be compared to the old immortal of the Song family?”

Everybody was shocked.

“Old immortal Song has already predicted this to happen so has been hiding in ambush in the City Lord’s residence.”

“Old immortal’s intelligence is indeed as deep as the sea, there is nothing in the world that can be kept hidden from him.”

“Since Old immortal Song is handling the situation, and there are Starry Sky cultivators standing guard in the City Lord’s residence then we have nothing to worry about.”

It was at this moment that a distant burgle horn sounded and a clatter of hooves was heard.

The ground quaked under the trampling of the iron hooves, and with Wind City as the center, there were forces storming over from the east, west, and north. The five thousand elites of the Ghost Dancer Corps at the gate of Wind City were tightly surrounded.

“General, the great armies from the Eastern Sky Sea city, the Western White Emperor city and the Northern Wolf Pass have arrived, and have formed a four-sided attack with us. The Ghost dancer corps is now completely encircled.”

“It’s time.” Lu Wuyong grinned with excitement. “Beat the drums, tell Lu Tiesheng to immediately attack with the thirty thousand troops.”

“Yes.”

The little general responded and sped over to grab the drumming stick from the drummer’s hand and pounded with all his strength.

The gate of Wind City opened, high-ranking military officer Lu Tiesheng took the lead to charge out of the city gate first, and behind him were the thirty thousand armoured horsemen of Wind City, brandishing battle-axes and blades.

“Kill.” Lu Tiesheng bellowed.

“Kill.” The thirty thousand people responded in unison.