"They've waited for two days?" Xue Ying nodded. He had forbidden anyone from disturbing him during closed-doors cultivation, unless it related to an absolutely important matter, "Who is it?"
"The visitors are His Highness, Long Yu, and he is accompanied by an unknown stage three World Deity," the attendant politely replied.
"His Highness Long Yu? Take me to them," Xue Ying ordered.
Xue Ying entered the hall accompanied by his wife went to welcome the two guests.
"Your Highness Long Yu, it's been a while. Since we've last met, back during the Myriad Flower Feast, 30,000 years have passed as if in the blink of an eye." Xue Ying gave the relatively luxurious black-robed teenager a once-over. This youngster was precisely the second prince of the Calm Sea Prefecture Master's Clan, the Long Shi Clan. He was the same second prince who hosted the banquet to which Xue Ying had been invited, which had led to tying a knot of enmity between him and Venomous Ying World Deity.
"Brother Dong Bo, it's fine if you just call me Long Yu. How could I dare to tell you, Brother Dong Bo, to call me 'Your Highness' or any such words," Long Yu replied. Despite his status as the Prefecture Master's favorite son, he had remained a stage one World Deity over such a long time. He could maintain such influential ability through his relationships, but Xue Ying depended on his own combat power. With such a status, Xue Ying was someone that even the Calm Sea Prefecture Master himself would not dare to slight, so there was no way Long Yu would dare to be disrespectful.
A mixture of complex emotions swirled through Long Yu's heart. Back during the banquet, Xue Ying was no more than a Deity, at least on the surface, but in the blink of an eye, his status underwent heaven-shattering transformations, only to now be ranked in the top three within the entire Calm Sea Prefecture.
"The reason I've come today is merely to help someone hand you a referral." Long Yu smiled, and turned to look at the green-robed man by his side. "This is a subordinate of my father's good friend, Monarch Cang Yong. His name is Mou Xiao."
"World Deity Mou Xiao?" Xue Ying nodded.
The green-robed man immediately said in a humble tone, "This Mou Xiao has arrived under orders. However, I had yet to meet Your Highness before this, so I requested the second prince's help in giving me a referral."
"Orders?" Xue Ying was startled. "You've come under Monarch Cang Yong's order?" Sitting beside Xue Ying, Jing Qiu also sent him a curious glance.
"Indeed. I've been ordered to come by the monarch," the green-robed man said.
A large volume of information regarding Monarch Cang Yong began emerging within Xue Ying's heart. The man was a stage four World Deity, but he was unlike Monarch Mo Xue, who had simply lived for far too long already, and whose True Deity Heart could crumble at any given time. Monarch Cang Yong was still quite young, and had friends all over the place. A young stage four World Deity like him was the sort of figure most superpowers would never dare to offend.
These people could live for a very long period of time, and they even held huge hopes of becoming powerful existences too. Other experts, such as Monarch Mo Xue and the Calm Sea Prefecture Master, had spent a lot of time to slowly improve their combat power, so their potential had long since been used up. Their chances at becoming powerful existences were slim.
"I've never even met Monarch Cang Yong before, so what matter could he have that required him to send you over to meet me?" Xue Ying asked.
"The Monarch had originally planned to come in person, but some other business on the same day prevented him from making it. This one hopes Your Highness might forgive us for it." The green-robed man lowered his stature. "Indeed, I have come due to a matter with which I might have to trouble Your Highness."
"Pray, tell." Xue Ying brought up his wine cup, lightly drinking a mouthful.
The green-robed man complied. "There is a stage two World Deity who goes by the name of World Deity Shang Yi who has sprouted some enmity with my clan's monarch! This enmity is such that monarch could never forget it, but World Deity Shang Yi conducted his act only after using a treasure which could distort the space time continuum, which made it very difficult to find any trace of him. However, the monarch stopped at nothing, even sowing karma to connect with others before finally finding out where this Shang Yi is located."
Long Yu stepped in, startled, "He actually sowed karma just to find traces of the target? The monarch must have truly hated this World Deity Shang Yi."
"Right." The green-robed man nodded. "Our investigations of the traces left by this World Deity Shang Yi led to me coming out to find Your Highness Dong Bo."
"Meet me? I do not know of any person called World Deity Shang Yi, though," Xue Ying replied.
"World Deity Shang Yi is aware of how furious the monarch was, so he carefully hid all traces of himself, and he has also changed his appearance. On top of that, he crafted a new name for himself, which is 'Bai Li Shang'. Under that name, he entered Your Highness' personal guard, and even became one of your commanders." The green-robed man said.
"Commander Bai Li Shang?" The expressions on both Xue Ying's and Jing Qiu's faces changed slightly.
One of his personal guard's commanders had offended Monarch Cang Yong?
"Had he thrown himself to some other superpower, we would have already acted long ago. However, he decided to rely on Your Highness, so we naturally had to come inform you about this matter," the green-robed man said. "My clan's monarch stopped at nothing, even sowing karma just to find this enemy he'd been trying to find for tens of thousands of years. My hope is that Your Highness can conveniently chase him out of your personal guard."
Acting directly against commander of Xue Ying's personal guard would be akin to slapping him in the face! Even someone of Monarch Cang Yong's status would have to think twice before doing it. After all, Monarch Cang Yong was not certain who held the historical treasure yet. Had he been sure that Bai Li Shang had it, he would have long acted.
"I can't help but wonder how this enmity began, that it could make monarch stop at nothing to deal with Bai Li Shang." Xue Ying frowned.
"It is a private matter, and monarch has not disclosed any details to me." The green-robed man said. "The monarch's killing intent is undoubtedly heavy, however, and disregarded any price he had to pay just to kill this Shang Yi! Furthermore, Shang Yi has not been truly sincere to Your Highness either. He deliberately crafted a fake name before entering Your Highness' retinue, just to increase his chances of survival."
Xue Ying frowned. "He might have faked his identity, but he's already been here for thirty thousand years. During his time as a commander in my personal guard, he worked assiduously and did not make any mistakes."
"Your Highness, all you need is to chase him out of your retinue," the green-robed man retorted. "My clan master will naturally remember this favor, and will certainly come in person to repay you, sometime in the future."
Xue Ying shook his head. "Bai Li Shang is a stage two World Deity, while your clan monarch is an overlord! What great enmity could even form between such two figures? How did it happen?"
"The monarch has not disclosed any details." The green-robed man was helpless.
"Once you clearly tell me how the enmity between the two parties formed, I'll naturally find Commander Bai Li Shang and investigate the matter. If the investigation is verified, and he is found to be a scheming person, I'll naturally chase him out of my personal guard," Xue Ying indifferently said. "However, should Commander Bai Li have been accused wrongly and been pursued without having done anything wrong, could I just watch him die?"
The green-robed man's expression changed.
He was merely a commander!
Over the many years, the number of stage two World Deities steadily increased. Adding up the four commander figures under Xue Ying with several guests who were staying over, there were now ten such figures! Was there really a need to go against his clan's master, Monarch Cang Yong himself, just for the sake of a single stage two World Deity?
"Your Highness, will you not accept to chase him out of your personal guard?" The green-robed man frowned.
"Are you threatening me?" Xue Ying's eyes turned cold.
The green-robed man growled. "I am doing no such thing. The only thing I'll say is that my clan monarch will definitely not spare World Deity Shang Yi!"
"I won't accept anyone daring to even to think of touching my people!" Xue Ying coldly retorted. "Attendant, send this guest away!"
"Please!"
Two World Deity attendants immediately shouted. The sight of His Highness being so willing to protect his subordinates left them feeling truly excited and simultaneously at ease.
The green-robed man stood up with an ugly expression.
"This is unnecessary, why not just talk things over?" Long Yu said from the side.
"Long Yu, this doesn't concern you." Xue Ying glanced at the green-robed man. "I've shown you enough respect in this discussion. Taking out Monarch Cang Yong's name to threaten me? What a joke!"
The green-robed man was forcibly suppressing his anger. He slightly clasped his hand for a farewell and then immediately took his leave.
Long Yu hurriedly explained, "Brother Dong Bo, I've merely come to give a referral. I did not think the situation would turn out like this. However, you should be a bit more careful. The way I see it, Monarch Cang Yong truly seems to hold some huge killing intent towards Commander Bai Li Shang, and I don't think their enmity is small at all."
"I appreciate the concern." Despite having acted coldly toward the green-robed man, Xue Ying was smiling as he talked with Long Yu.
"I'll be taking my leave first, then." Long Yu hurried out of the place.
Back in the hall, Xue Ying revealed a frown. "Jing Qiu, Monarch Cang Yong is a stage four World Deity, and he's the overlord of a region in the Deity world. What kind of vengeance could he have with Bai Li Shang? And for it to be something that he isn't even willing to talk about…"
"Something casually fabricated will be easily exposed," Jing Qiu replied. "If he isn't willing to talk about it, it likely involved some other secret which he isn't willing to publicize. Furthermore, the vision and temperament of any stage four World Deities is normally extraordinary, and it's very rare that they would see a need to be so picky about bullying someone weaker. Monarch Cang Yong has three children, but I've not heard of his children having encountered any danger in the past. For the moment, I can't think of any way that enmity could form between the two parties."
Xue Ying nodded.
This matter left him puzzled as well. Without even clarifying the contents of this enmity, how could he be willing to let his subordinate die? If he was to chase Bai Li Shang out of his personal guard, it would be nothing short of sending him to his death!
"Attendant," Xue Ying suddenly voiced.
"Your Highness," an attendant outside the room acknowledged his order.
"Bring Commander Bai Li Shang over to see me," Xue Ying ordered.