Chapter 942: Burial Ice Cliff (2)

The King-ranked clans were already sharpening their blades and preparing themselves for the upcoming hunt. To be allowed to hunt in this region was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Their reward for escorting the Grand Princess on this dangerous journey was precisely the right to hunt in various zones along the way.

Wei Xiaotian was especially excited. The Death God’s Eye clan currently had ten level six warriors still following him, including Li Xiaofei and Liu Shaji. While this number and overall strength were far inferior to the other five King-ranked clans, it was still enough for them to act as an independent unit.

"Hahaha, this time, we’re definitely coming back with full bags!" Wei Xiaotian exclaimed, full of ambition, as he threw his arms around Li Xiaofei and Liu Shaji.

"The Grand Princess has summoned me," Li Xiaofei said as he brushed Wei Xiaotian’s arm aside and reported to his 'chieftain.'

"What?"

"Damn it!"

Both Wei Xiaotian and Liu Shaji ground their teeth in frustration.

Li Xiaofei couldn’t be bothered to explain anything to these two and simply turned around, leaving behind a cool and effortless impression. The two clenched their fists as they watched Li Xiaofei join the Grand Princess’s group and depart the fortress under the guidance of the Wind Ruins clan scouts.

"Damn it, this hurts more than being killed," Liu Shaji muttered.

"Yeah, I wanted him to do well, just not this well," Wei Xiaotian replied.

At that moment, Zhou Shisan walked over. He stopped and sneered at Wei Xiaotian, "Chief Delta, looks like the subordinate you tried to recruit doesn’t seem all that obedient. Aren’t you worried that, once he wins the Grand Princess’s favor, he’ll kick you off your chieftain’s throne?"

Wei Xiaotian responded with a cold smile and replied, "Mind your own business, you pathetic bootlicker."

"What did you just say?" asked Zhou Shisan as he flew into a rage.

As a prodigy of the Yeniao Clan and one of the future successors to the chieftain’s position, being called a bootlicker was a humiliation he could not bear.

But Wei Xiaotian showed him no courtesy whatsoever. He said, "You useless fool, going around stirring up trouble under the Yeniao family’s name. Does your father even know what you’re doing?"

"You... you..." Zhou Shisan was so angry he could barely speak.

Wei Xiaotian went on, "You what? The woman you’ve been desperately fawning over day and night was taken by a mere subordinate of mine. And she’s the one who made the move. If that doesn’t make you a failure, then what does?"

Zhou Shisan's vision went dark. No one had ever dared speak to him this way.

Wei Xiaotian sneered again, "I’m not going to stoop to your level, but if you insist on throwing yourself at me like trash, then so be it. I’m the chieftain of the Death God’s Eye clan, a king officially recognized by the Ancestor Court. And you? What are you? Just some pampered brat who dares to spout nonsense in front of me. Do you believe I couldn’t break all three of your legs today and your royal father wouldn’t even lift a finger against me?"

Zhou Shisan felt a sweet taste rise in his throat as a wave of blood surged up. He nearly coughed it out.

"Pathetic." Wei Xiaotian spat the word as he turned to leave.

Then, he walked away without another glance alongside Liu Shaji and his subordinates.

"Young master, are you alright?"

"There’s no need to stoop to the level of such savage frontier warlords. They’re not worthy of your noble standing."

Several of Zhou Shisan’s close guards rushed to comfort him. Zhou Shisan gritted his teeth so hard he nearly shattered them.

"Just wait, King Delta... and that dog of a subordinate... I’ll make sure the both of you wish you were never born," he growled through clenched teeth, his voice dripping with venom.

A short while later, the hunting party from the Yeniao Clan also departed the fortress, led by guides from the Wind Ruins clan. Their path, by coincidence or design, ran almost parallel to that of the Grand Princess’s group.

“Don’t forget to bring that wretched woman along,” Zhou Shisan reminded one of his trusted aides.

***

Snowflakes fell endlessly as the dark night stretched on. At a glance, the undulating ice mounds resembled vicious beasts lurking in the shadows, ready to strike at any moment.

Fifty kilometers from the safety of the fortress, the sound of beastly roars echoed in the distance. It was the sound of Void Beasts, creatures so fearsome even the Reapers dreaded them.

Since the ancestors of the Reapers were said to have emerged from the Holy Ruins, some speculated that Reapers themselves might be a form of Void Beast.

The bone-piercing cold kept everyone on high alert. Li Xiaofei skimmed over the icy terrain alongside the Grand Princess. Everyone wore cold-resistant gear rented from the Wind Ruins clan, and their exposed areas, such as their faces, hands, and so on, were covered in a jade-colored ointment to prevent frostbite.

Before long, a brief skirmish erupted ahead. Three beasts known as Void Hounds were slain by Elder Long and his team, and their corpses were brought back intact.

“Void Hounds are a canine-type Void Beast. They live in packs. Their skin, bones, and eyes are all valuable evolutionary materials, while their flesh and internal organs can be used as alchemical catalysts,” the Grand Princess explained softly to Li Xiaofei.

Li Xiaofei glanced at the corpse of the Void Hound. It was a large, white creature with a thick bone structure. Its canine fangs were as sharp as blades. Its ferocity and violence could still be felt even in death.

“Roughly at level six combat strength,” Li Xiaofei estimated.

“We came today to hunt a type of Void Beast known as the Void Fox,” the Grand Princess said. “Its tail feathers and heart are critical catalysts for the evolution of our Hui Yao clan.”

This expedition into the Holy Ruins had been carefully planned in advance. Every route and the evolutionary resources required along the journey had been clearly marked and accounted for.

Li Xiaofei gave a slight nod. He was already looking for an opportunity to act. Hunting Void Beasts held great appeal for him as well. The materials from their bodies could aid the evolution of Reapers. However, they also offered considerable benefits for human cultivators.

This had already come up during his earlier conversations with Zhu Zhixun. The resistance forces had once utilized Void Beasts for cultivation with excellent results.

Li Xiaofei silently began planning. He would soon need an excuse to temporarily distance himself from the Grand Princess to prepare for the next phase of his mission. The reason he had accepted the Grand Princess’s invitation in the first place was to ensure that this high-ranking figure could serve as his alibi when he went missing. The big plan was in place. Now the small details would depend on how skillfully he could improvise.

According to the plan, Zhu Zhixun and the others should have already set out for the Burial Ice Cliff by now. Once they arrived, the operation would begin.

Li Xiaofei would use the Spatial Point Theft function that came with the Secret Time Pavilion to instantly travel to the scene.

“You don’t need to personally take action,” said the Grand Princess when she saw the eagerness in Li Xiaofei’s eyes. “We’ll give you a full tenth share of all the spoils from today’s hunt. That should be more than enough. There’s no need to take unnecessary risks.”

A vein throbbed on Li Xiaofei’s forehead.

Good grief. This woman really wants to keep me as some sort of pampered lover.

He rejected her flatly and said, “I don’t accept handouts.”

If he had to eat soft rice, it would be on his own terms.

The Grand Princess gave a helpless smile and replied, “There’s just no convincing you... then please be careful out there.”

The two elders nearby, along with the other powerhouses of the Hui Yao clan, all secretly shook their heads. The Grand Princess was usually known for her decisiveness and sharp intellect. She was cold, calculating, and prioritized interests above all else.

But for reasons no one could understand, the moment she encountered this Death God’s Eye clansman, it was as if her intelligence had dropped off a cliff. She had completely lost her sense of judgment and let herself be led by the nose. No amount of advice could sway her.

Soon, a message came in from the warriors patrolling the area, “Reporting to the Princess. The Yeniao clan’s hunting party has been spotted to our rear-right flank.”