Elder Hu didn’t bother chasing after Sea Emperor Sect to ask why others could ride their flying beasts straight into the city. He knew that even if he did, Logan Ao and Hugh Ao would just come up with another excuse to brush him off, only making things more awkward. So he waved his hand and said to everyone, “We’ll enter the city through the gate.”
Everyone felt extremely stifled.
Back in the Pristine Way Sect, they were standouts among disciples of every rank. Who could’ve guessed that as soon as they arrived in Seacoast Province, they’d be bullied and humiliated by Sea Emperor Sect—and could only swallow their anger.
Soon, the Pristine Way group arrived at the city gate.
But the gate was already closed.
Seeing the tightly shut city gate, even the usually mild Elder Hu couldn’t help but look gloomy. As for the hot-tempered Elder Warren, his eyes blazed with fury.
“We’re from the Pristine Way Sect! Please, could you open the city gate?”
Taking a deep breath, Elder Hu called up to the soldiers on the wall.
A young officer in city guard uniform stepped out, glanced at the Pristine Way group below, and said coldly, “Opening the gate requires Deputy General Victor Ao’s order. Please wait—I’ll go report in.”
A quarter-hour passed, but that officer never returned.
The Pristine Way disciples’ anger kept rising.
Another quarter-hour went by. Elder Warren finally lost patience—he slammed his palm into the ground with a thunderous crash, blasting out a muddy pit, and roared, “Sea Emperor Sect is going too far!”
“Elder Warren, calm down!”
Elder Hu quickly advised, “Don’t jeopardize the sect’s greater mission.”
Elder Warren took a deep breath and forced down his anger, but said nothing more.
Finally, after yet another quarter-hour, that officer strolled back out.
He looked down at the Pristine Way group and announced loudly, “Deputy General Victor Ao says there’ve been sea-monster incursions lately. For city security, once the gate is closed it can’t be reopened. You’ll have to camp outside for the night and enter tomorrow morning!”
After all that waiting, they were told to come back tomorrow morning.
The whole Pristine Way group was nearly driven mad with anger.
“Elder Hu, why don’t we just go over the city wall? No mere wall can stop us!” Elder Warren said angrily.
"No way!"
Elder Hu shook his head, "Sea Emperor Sect is putting us through this kind of trouble and humiliation—they must have another motive. That's why we absolutely cannot leave any openings for them. I say we just rest outside the city for one night and go in tomorrow morning!"
Though Elder Wang was hot-tempered, he wasn't stupid. He realized Elder Hu's words made sense, so he could only nod, "Fine, then."
So the Pristine Way Sect group found a small hill a few hundred meters outside the city, cleared a spot, and sat down to rest right there.
Inside the city, in a certain luxurious mansion.
Deputy General Victor Ao hurried deep inside, finally arriving at the innermost part of the mansion.
Logan Ao and Hugh Ao, who had previously blocked Pristine Way Sect from flying straight into the city, were seated at a table drinking.
"Uncle Logan, Uncle Hugh, Victor Ao reporting!"
Victor Ao respectfully bowed to the two elders.
"No need to be so formal, get up!" Logan Ao nodded.