Nine Astra Skies

Chapter 57: An Escape Plan

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The Grand Martial Tournament of the Eighteen Houses of Lianyun had come to an end. It was said that there were more events to come tomorrow. Yun Yiyang had specially hired a troupe of female performers to keep the lords and elder chiefs entertained throughout their stay in the Yun Castle. In light of the events that had transpired, most if not all Donglin County’s lords and elder chiefs no longer mingled with the Yun Clan and took their leave rather hastily.

Yun Yiyang was frustrated. Ever since the Second-Rank Prince of Donglin started backing up the Yun Clan, they had easily monopolized the Xuan Iron industry in the entire Donglin County and saw countless visitors in their castle. The elder chiefs and lords regarded him with the utmost respect. Yun Yiyang was just not used to getting alienated at all.

“One wrong move and everything else crumbles. I should’ve just killed Ye Chen so that he would’ve never met Li Xu today!” Yun Yiyang was angry. Not it was too late to do anything. The entire event was just too heartbreaking. The Ye Clan had to go but he could not take matters into his own hands!

“My lord, both Ye Changxuan and Ye Chen are gone,” a servant from the Yun Clan hastily reported.

“Didn’t I tell you to keep an eye on the two? How did you manage to lose sight of two adults?” Yun Yiyang slammed the table in fury.

The servant was frantic. The Yun Clan made it sound like an easy task but Ye Changxuan and Ye Chen both were rank nine and top rank eight combatants respectively. How could the servant keep an eye on them? The servant hesitantly replied, “When Ye Changxuan and his grandson went to the East Court, neither of us dared to follow. We could only keep watch from the sides to ensure that not a single soul came out but then Master Li’s little errand boy came out and informed us that they had already left!”

“Li Xu, it’s always Li Xu!” Yun Yiyang slammed the table again. Thinking about Li Xu’s social status, Yun Yiyang could only keep all his anger in even if it only seemed to infuriate him further.

Yun Yiyang was disappointed. It was Li Xu who had escorted Ye Changxuan and Ye Chen out of the Yun Castle. Li Xu was not alone. He had the help of three rank nine combatants by his side which made the escort all the easier, making it difficult for Yun Yiyang to stop them! Yun Yiyang paced back and forth in the compound, his gaze was cold. The Ye Clan should have the two Earth Quintessence Pills in their hands by now. The pills were no laughing matter. Now, it was strictly a matter of life and death! Plus, he had to deal with Li Xu too. The lords from the Eighteen Houses of Lianyun who previously took his side had flocked over the Yun Clan. Yun Yiyang no longer had any means of ordering them to do his bidding and could only hope Donglin County’s elite fighter Niu Er and Yun Yixuan were fine. Deep down, he could not help but be paranoid.

After passing through countless bamboo, the ground was flat once again.

“Lord Ye, the Ye Castle is just up ahead. I doubt the men from the Yun Castle would ever come this far. Let’s part ways.”

Li Xu had assigned two rank nine combatants to oversee Ye Changxuan and Ye Chen’s escort.

“Please do and give our thanks to Master Li.” Ye Changxuan bowed.

“Certainly. Safe travels to the two of you.” Both rank nine combatants returned the gesture before turning around to leave.

Ye Changxuan looked at Ye Chen, who was beside him and proudly thought about how much Li Xu must have really liked him. Ye Changxuan was overjoyed just thinking about the events that had transpired at the Yun Castle not long ago. For hundreds of years, the Ye Clan was always at the mercy of the Yun Clan. When they had fallen from grace, they were nearly exiled by the Eighteen Houses of Lianyun. After so long, Ye Changxuan finally had the opportunity to rub his accomplishments in the Yun Clan’s face today.

“Little Chen, what did Master Li say to you before we left the castle?” Ye Changxuan asked.

“He said once everything has settled on our end, he’ll send some people to come to get me for the city. I reckon that it’ll take half a year. Also, he gave me some medicine.” Ye Chen’s Heaven-Earth Pouch was filled with tons of medicinal pills. To him, they were of little value but to the clan, they meant the world.

“Were those two Earth Quintessence Pills?” Ye Changxuan smiled. One for him to get to the top of rank nine and another for Ye Chen’s father, Ye Zhantian. In time, Ye Zhantian would ascend to the top of rank nine himself and the clan’s power would surely increase by a level then. This was the Earth Quintessence Pill they were talking about. A few days ago, Ye Changxuan would have never dreamt that he would ever receive some high-grade medicine. This was all Ye Chen’s doing.

“Li Xu gave some other medicinal pills too.” Ye Chen smiled. There were not only just two Earth Quintessence Pills in his Earth-Heaven Pouch.

“Apart from the Earth Quintessence Pills, what else did he give you?” Ye Changxuan was curious. He was dying to see what else Li Xu had given.

“Li Xu gave me a total of five Earth Quintessence Pills, two Marrow Absolution Pills, ten Thunder Quintessence Pills, and twenty Chi Deposition Pills.” Ye Chen giggled.

Ye Changxuan stared at Ye Chen blankly as he was at a loss for words. He could live with Chi Deposition Pills. He had once seen fifty of them in his lifetime but the rest of it left him speechless. The Thunder Quintessence Pills were a little more common than its earth counterpart but to many clans of Donglin County, they were as good as a rare commodity as they greatly enhanced one’s Thunder Cultivation Systems. Most importantly, there were five Earth Quintessence Pills and two Absolution Marrow Pills!

The Absolution Marrow Pills could easily cultivate two future young talents in the clan and the five Earth Quintessence Pills could easily produce two top and three mid-rank nine combatants in a matter of two moons!

After calming down, Ye Changxuan managed a smile. “I guess a poor, measly, countryside clan like ours could never compare to the likes of Master Apothecary Xuanyi.”

“Let’s head back to the Ye Clan, Grandpa.” Ye Chen was eager to get back.

“Yeah.”

The two hastily made their way home. The closer they were to the Ye Castle, the more excited they were. They could not wait to deliver the good news to the clan.

Back at the Ye Castle.

The afternoon sun burned brightly and intensely as ever. The entire castle was heavily fortified.

It was a critical period for them for it concerned the life and death of their people. Ye Zhantian and the rest kept a lookout for any possible signs of danger. They dared not let their guard down.

“I wonder when will the sixth uncle and Little Chen return.” Ye Zhanlong could not keep still. After all, Ye Changxuan and Ye Chen were in uncharted territories.

“Relax. The sixth uncle’s a mid-rank nine combatant. So long as it’s not Yun Yiyang, no one else could ever leave a dent on him.”

“However, the Yun Clan has a lot of allies. If the sixth uncle is surrounded by five or six men, he’s done for.”

They may be nonchalant about things but only falsely so. They could only wait and hope for the best.

Just then, the alarms in the Ye Castle went off. Ding ding ding! The sound woke up the castle.

The expression of Ye Zhantian and the rest changed. “We’re under attack!”

Just as the word got out, ten figures stormed the grounds of the Ye Castle with Yun Yixuan leading the siege.

“Kill every man and woman you see in the castle. Leave no survivor!” Yun Yixuan’s expression was merciless. One Chi-construct Heavenly Strike from his right hand and bam, a couple of Ye Clan combatants were seen flying. “Take out their archers first!”

The ten figures proceeded to scatter across the castle.

“Yun Yixuan, the Ye Castle isn’t your playground!” Ye Zhantian could not bear to watch as Yun Yixuan went on a killing spree in the castle and so, he leaped down in rage and charged at Yun Yixuan at full force. They had just encountered one another but Ye Zhantian was already basked in gold light, preparing to unleash his Thunder Primordial Body.

Yun Yixuan did not falter. Channeling his True Yang Polaris, he dove up ahead to intercept the blow.

An explosion occurred. Shards of stone scattered from the impact. A large crater was left in its place. The might of a rank nine combatant was devastating!