The Sorceress: Blossoming Power

Earlier, outside the prince's domain, the attack from the Chiangdas ceased when they saw their hits couldn't penetrate the magical shield. The prime minister was a bit apprehensive about being held prisoner, but as a man who was used to facing people in high places and even with greater intimidation, he didn't show his unease. Instead, he stared into the prince's eye.

"You are overestimating yourself. Prisoner? We'll see about that. Before furthering our talks, I want to see Madame Lei Lifen first." 

"Don't worry. I wouldn't harm even a strand of her hair. You can't see her unless you agree to my terms."

"Agree with your terms?" He made a sarcastic laugh. "Why should I trust you? Your people attacked my people in the middle of the night. You do your work behind the shadows. Only fools would believe you."

"What attack? You came, stormed, burned my place, and accused me of ungrounded allegations? You're the one attacking. Not me. You might be out of your mind. Is your country's law that shallow? Is this the way you treat foreign merchants who could lay treasures on your people's laps? Ridiculous." 

The prince would never admit with the night attack because, first, it was not under his command. Second, he would not expose his men. He had to protect them, no matter what. Even if the result was losing the stone mines in Fengfu. 

Xian Lang realized that he was so hasty this time. He had to take control of the situation before it would be out of his hand.

"Let's not go around the bush, Sir, whoever you are. I know why you're here. It's all about the power stones and mines. Let me be clear. I won't hear any negotiations concerning this matter unless you bring the person I'm asking. Bring Madame Lei out or I'll make sure you won't get what you want. Even if you point a knife at my neck, or thrust my neck like a chicken, my men would never back down at my expense. I can guarantee your life will end here. And let me assure you that if something would happen to me and to Madame Lei, the king himself would run after you and your people. He will make you regret coming here. Did you get my point?"

The prince opened his mouth to retort but suddenly shut up, closed his eyes, and disappeared right in front of their eyes. Everyone gasped to see him vanished in an instant. 

What kind of power was that? Xian Lang thought., being weary with this certain person's power.

This was quite an unnerving development for Xian Lang and the four Chiangdas. "Where did your leader go? What is going on here?" He asked the additional guards around them, but he didn't expose his uneasiness. Yet, no one replied. He made a furtive glance at his own guards' way. And silently mouthed, "Be ready."

They had made a plan while they were inside the mound. "In case they would hold us prisoner, either we will dig our way out or those outside would dig and bring us out. Stone Chiangdas, do your work." Xian Lang said.

Outside, Ming saw the shield and the hundreds of Chiangdas outside the Bernavoles camp. Some of them were his acquaintances when he took the combat exams, and it never occurred to any of them they were fellow Chiangdas. It was a fine reunion. He learned then that the king had them take the exams to pass as civil servants and would act as his spies.

"What's the situation inside?" Ming asked.

"We're waiting for the prime minister's signal and we'll give our all to break this shield." A heavily built man whose body became stone said.

"I will try to go in. We'll talk more later." Ming said, walking toward the shield. Men inside watched him with piercing eyes.

"Do you think they will bring the shield down to let you in?"

"I will make them. Just wait and see." Shijian in her human form followed. The Chiangdas felt and amazed by the power emanating from Shijian and Ming.

"Take care, then. We'll wait. Just tell us if you need our help." The rock Chiangda said with a wave of his hand. Ming waved back and walked with chin high, back erect, and confidence with his new power. 

He saw the people inside were carrying the wounded and dead to a certain area of the camp. There was nothing left with their tents. The whole five-hundred square-meter of land was all black of soot and smokes ascended but escaped to a certain point up in the shield's center. Men in armors faced Ming. They were silent, watching him. The Chiangdas attack dealt them badly, and his coming was nothing but a threat to them.

Ming stood near the shield, hoping those inside could hear him. "The king has sent me. I need to talk to your leader." He met with Zhai in Cuxin Estate and heard about the rumor of his death and other information he needed to know before he left his brothers, so he didn't present his true identity as the governor.

No one replied, but only watched him intensely.

"I need to talk to your leader." He said again but the men inside glared at him. "Okay. You don't want your way, then I will do it my way." Ming opened his lips and said, "Open the shield," letting his Ruler's Influence power reverberate from him through his voice. The men near the shield knelt in an instant with their faces wincing. They knew it was an involuntary action on their side.

"Speak," he added, and a man replied reluctantly. "We can't. Only the prince can open the shield." After saying that, another man scowled at him but couldn't say a word. The person who answered was sweating bullets as he tried to fight the power enslaving him. They never expected someone had such dominating power in this world. 

Ming continued. "Prince? Who is this prince? From what country?"

That person gritted his teeth from answering, but a mere word from Ming made him speak again. "He is a prince of our Cendarth Kingdom."

"Cendarth Kingdom? Where is this place? Why are you here?"

The man bit his tongue, but Ming glared at him and he supplied the information Ming wanted. "It's in the world, Platanna. We're not from this world. We came for the power stones to save our world."

"Tell me all your reasons for coming here and who sent you." Ming said, forcing his power at the kneeling people. Those far from him went closer to ask those on their knees, but one of the latter forced himself to warn them by shouting, "Don't come nearer." 

Ming saw it and he let that person knead his face on the ground. The prince's men moved back, far from Ming as much as possible. One person ran to warn the prince. 

"Your Highness! Your Highness!" But only faced the upset Xian Lang.

"What's going on?" Xian Lang said but was ignored as the messenger ran back to another group of people, Galdriel's group. The prime minister yanked his head, a signal to Luqat to check outside. The latter ran out and saw Ming but didn't recognize him.

"Prime Minister, someone's outside the shield. And… what's this? People are kneeling over there." He pointed somewhere. 

Curious, Xian Lang got up, bent his body to his left, and saw Ming. He recognized him well. His eyes shone, glad to see him safe. That meant Xinyi had come back. But he frowned to see another woman behind Ming. 

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Lifen saw the prince's blood dripping and was partially distressed that the man seemed to be serious with her. But she was still unsure. She was a woman who valued commitment and truthfulness. And now involved with Zang Wei. No way would she turn her back from her new lover. She even married Ming's father despite it wasn't out of love, but love could be learned, she believed. However, she couldn't deny that she was moved by the prince's words and for protecting her from hurting herself. If they were not enemies at this point in time, or if he met this prince before Zang Wei, she might have reconsidered his proposal. 

"Please, let me go." Lifen said while in the prince's warm embrace. She held the bleeding hand, pulled a cloth belt lying at her feet and wrapped it around the wound on the prince's hairy arm. 

"Marry me," he said. His breath brushed her nape. "I promise to cherish you for the rest of my life."

Lifen breathed hard and placed the bandaged hand down. "I cannot. I already have someone else. Besides, you're a prince. You can get any woman you want."

"But not the woman I love."

"Don't be ridiculous. We are both advanced in age. Falling in love happens when we are young and carefree."

"In our world, I can't choose the woman I'll marry. They chose me and the king ordered the marriages. I have no say to it. With you, it's different. I want you more than anything else." He caressed his cheek to hers. "I wish I can give you up, but I can't."

"How can you say that? I've never met you before."

"I usually disguised myself as a gray-haired old man. And I was utterly smitten the first time I met you in your office. Your brilliance is equal to a star. Your loveliness and liveliness are pulling me to you. I'm head over heels in love with you. Please, go home with me."

Lifen went silent. Thinking. She had no idea what to say or to persuade this man to give up on her. She exhaled deep and turned to tell him to let her go if he truly loved her, but as she did, the prince met her with a kiss. Not just any kiss, but a deep and hungry kiss. She experienced such a kiss when she and her late husband made love in the past. Now, it quickly awakened her long-hidden desire, that yearning for a man that he would fill her on lonely nights and to encourage her when she was down. After all these years, she couldn't deny the fact that she was still a soft and weak woman despite her age. And afraid that she might fall for this man, in body and heart.

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