To Walk The Mist

"You are the patriarch, Tie Nse, do you know that? All this fuss for what? Do as they say, hand over the boy." the woman said.

To this, Tie Nse laughed.

"So you know that I am the patriarch. My disciple is coveted by outsiders, they stand in heaven alliance territory and arrogantly cause trouble, yet as the alliance protectors you do not side with me?" Tie Nse said.

Even with their arrival, he did not seem panicked. Even though he laughed, his eyes fixed a cold stare on the body of the woman that had spoken.

"You understand that this is a big issue that concerns the entire cultivation world. You should not act without reason!" one of the heaven alliance protectors rebuked.

"You have always been a strange one, Tie Nse. Always selfish and unconcerned for serious things. Yet I had not thought you would be one to ignore the entire cultivation world." protector Tang accused.

"Even if I ignore the cultivation world, they refuse to ignore me." Tie Nse said solemnly. His words caused many to have a bad feeling.

"Speak! Where is the boy?!" the female protector ordered.

"It seems as though staying in your mountain so long has melted your brain, Protector A'miem. Since when did the protectors have the right to order the patriarch. Until the alliance is in danger, you are not to interfere with the affairs of the clan!" Tie Nse may have spoken harshly, yet one could only hear his leisurely tone. One could not even see anger in his eyes.

At this moment the had retreated several meters back. The arena was already destroyed, and looking at the stand off, another fight might break out. Even though they would not leave as they wanted to witness a once in a life time fight amongst such giants, they would not stupidly stay nearby so as not to get caught in the cross fire.

"Your actions have brought trouble to the alliance's doorstep, yet you think we will still remain silent?" Protector A'miem said righteously. He looked at her face and chuckled.

"You have been observing long, so you already know of Lady Asin's sensitivities. Please try to have our guest in mind as you make that face." Tie Nse said.

To this, she was slightly startled. Not because of his insult, but because he had noticed that they had been watching for long. Her astonishment only lasted a second, before it faded into a frown.

This little boy. She had never liked him. For a long time, she had groomed Elder Di to become Patriarch, only awaiting the old patriarch to make him his disciple. But the old man ever did. She herself was his disciple, yet he had not considered her for the post. She had thought it was because she was a woman that was why he opted to make her a protector than hand the patriarch seat to her, so she groomed Elder Di. Who would know that the old man would go on a trip and come back with a village boy as his disciple. Even though she had frowned at this, she could not voice her thoughts as she was the weakest protector in the alliance at only the first heaven seeking, while the others were at the second heaven seeking and the head protector, at the third heaven seeking. Apart from the two who stood behind her, the other six protectors including the head protector, loved Tie Nse.

But it did not mean they could always protect him. This decade was her shift while the others were in seclusion. There was no way she was going to let him get his way. Who cares if that boy of his is a once in a life time genius? He had to develop first, doesn't he? Tie Nse having such a disciple was not good for her disciple's son, Di Wong. It will be another two years before her decade shift is over. She must handle the successor-ship before the other three come out of seclusion. As long as Tie Nse agrees to take in Di Wong as his disciple, she would help him repel these outsiders. If not, then she would let him fight till his last breath before saving him. Hmph! Maybe by then, he would learn his place and curb that arrogant nature of his!

Her phoenix eyes stared coldly at Tie Nse as she asked, "Are you going to obey this old woman or not?"

"You don't look old at all! Why do you put yourself down, you look young enough to be my little daughter, why would this old man obey you?" Tie Nse joked.

"Since Tie Nse cares not for the cultivation world and insist on harbouring a criminal, I ask that the Heaven alliance protectors stand back as we extract the location of the criminal from him!" the jade phoenix alliance protector said. To this, the entire area drowned in silence.

Were they joking? Even if the protectors wanted to have Tie Nse hand over his disciple, there was no way they would stand aside as their patriarch fights.

"Allowed!" Protector A'miem said and everyone was struck dumb. They looked at the leisure looking Tie Nse and felt pity. Was the alliance betraying him?

"Protector Tang! Stand down!" the Ku clan chief ordered fiercely.

Protector Tang looked at him with a frown. Was he really going to stand against him here? Looking at the serious Ku clan chief, he felt the need to rush over and give him a slap.

"Unlike the Heaven alliance protectors that hold not respect for the patriarch seat, those who disobey the Ku clan chief will be punished! I hold the power to banish you. We are not lacking those of your calibre. Do not let me repeat myself." the Ku clan chief's voice lowered dangerously.