Chief Wu Yan

The ice dragon's maw exhaled waves of frigid air. In an instant, every part of Jia Xing Tian's body except his head was frozen solid, bound so tightly that he could not move.

Jia Xing Tian tried to unleash all the energy in his body and break free, but the ice was incomparably hard. He could not escape.

He could not understand why this youngster, merely a one-star Dou Emperor, possessed ice Dou Qi so overwhelmingly powerful.

Even Hai Bodong, a five-star Dou Emperor back then, had only made him somewhat wary.

Countless thoughts flashed through Jia Xing Tian's mind, yet his gaze could not leave the young man's indifferent face.

"Can you see the gap between us now?"

Wu Yan waved a hand, melting the ice around Jia Xing Tian and restoring his freedom.

A hint of powerlessness appeared in the eyes of Jia Xing Tian, who was over two hundred years old. He slowly nodded.

With such combat strength, even if he and the Imperial Clan's sixth-tier magical beast joined forces, they would likely still end in defeat.

"What a remarkable young hero. If Your Excellency wishes to—"

"Don't play those little tricks with me. Do not disturb my cultivation. Mittel Clan has no interest in the throne of the Jia Ma Empire."

Wu Yan could not be bothered to waste words with these cunning old foxes. After leaving behind those words, he wrapped an arm around Ya Fei and returned.

Jia Xing Tian remained where he was in silence for quite a while before flying toward Mittel City.

Coincidentally, when Jia Xing Tian met Mittel Clan's Teng Shan, a clansman came to report, "Patriarch, Elder Yun Leng, the Cloud Sect's First Elder, has come to visit."

"Please ask Elder Yun Leng to wait a moment. Also, report this matter to Chief Wu Yan."

Smiling amiably, Teng Shan directly placed the position of Mittel Clan chief beneath Wu Yan's backside in front of an outsider.

The patriarch was the patriarch, and the chief was the chief.

Within the Mittel Clan, only the strongest member of the clan could serve as chief. The chief was the supreme figure of a clan and bore responsibility for its survival and downfall.

The patriarch was merely the person in charge of managing all sorts of affairs, answerable to the chief.

Originally, Teng Shan had served as both chief and patriarch of the Mittel Clan. Now that he had divided his authority, not only was he not the slightest bit displeased, he practically welcomed it.

"No need, Patriarch Teng Shan. This old man has already met with Chief Wu Yan, so I will not disturb you further."

Jia Xing Tian raised a hand to stop him, then left the city after speaking.

After seeing Jia Xing Tian off, Teng Shan recalled the Imperial Clan guardian's expression and mannerisms. Combined with his final remarks, a rather startling speculation vaguely surfaced in his heart.

However, Teng Shan had not forgotten that he still had a guest to receive. He suppressed the speculation for the time being, intending to find an opportunity to speak with Wu Yan after sending off the Cloud Sect representative.

"Hehe, Elder Yun Leng, please forgive my discourtesy in neglecting such an honored guest."

"You are too courteous, Patriarch Teng Shan."

Yun Leng squeezed a smile onto his stern, rigid face. Being left waiting like this was, in his expectations, simply the most normal outcome.

Moreover, he had just seen the figure of that old fellow from the Imperial Clan.

"May I ask why Elder Yun Leng has personally come to visit?"

After exchanging pleasantries, Teng Shan smiled as though he knew nothing and asked the question.

Yes, I know why you are here, but I am going to pretend I do not.

"I heard that Mittel Clan has produced a new Dou Emperor. The Sect Leader specially sent this old man to pay a visit with gifts."

Yun Leng brought out the treasures he had selected from the sect's treasury: a Profound Tier intermediate ice-attribute Dou Technique and a fifth-tier ice-attribute Magic Core.

Neither gift was particularly high-grade and would not greatly improve a Dou Emperor's strength. Yet within the Jia Ma Empire, they were certainly not low-tier items.

"Sect Leader Yun has been most thoughtful. On behalf of our chief, I thank you in advance."

Teng Shan cupped his hands with a serious expression, becoming even more wary of the massive entity that was the Cloud Sect.

The Cloud Sect was an ancient sect with a thousand-year inheritance and deep foundations. It was not something the Mittel Clan, which had risen only a few centuries ago, could compare to.

"You are too courteous, Patriarch Teng Shan. There is no need to be so distant. The Cloud Sect and Mittel Clan have always lived in peace and enjoyed harmonious relations. Furthermore, the old Sect Leader and the previous Ice Emperor were close friends for many years."

Yun Leng understood the art of speaking. Though the two sides had merely kept out of each other's way all these years, his words made them sound like dear friends.

Fortunately, smiling-eyed Teng Shan was no simple good man either. Whatever intentions Yun Leng had, Teng Shan would listen without stating his position.

With a Dou Emperor overseeing them, Mittel Clan had the right to remain detached.

"Hehe, Elder Yun Leng is right..."

"I have an idea, Patriarch Teng Shan. Why not let Mittel Clan's new Ice Emperor and our Sect Leader continue a fine tale, just as the old Sect Leader and the old Ice Emperor once did?"

Not everything Yun Leng said was false. At least in his heart, the conflict between the Cloud Sect and Mittel Clan was not significant; it was simply a normal situation between factions.

Compared to the increasingly sharp conflict between the Cloud Sect and the Imperial Clan, the relationship between the Cloud Sect and Mittel Clan could truly be called one of brotherly friendship.

"Elder Yun Leng has an excellent idea. That is indeed the reasoning." Teng Shan nodded with a pleasant smile, merely voicing his own opinion.

As for how things would develop afterward, or whether they would proceed as Yun Leng imagined, that would depend on their chief's personal wishes.

After managing the Mittel Clan for so many years, Teng Shan had developed the excellent habit of saying whatever suited the person before him.

Compared to Teng Shan, who managed the Mittel Clan, a mercantile clan, Yun Leng had not encountered such a wide variety of people.

Only after leaving the city and flying for quite some time did he realize that the old bastard Teng Shan had merely been agreeing with him and expressing his own attitude.

But Teng Shan was no longer the Mittel Clan's chief. How could he represent the Mittel Clan?

"That old fox Teng Shan is truly cunning!" Yun Leng sighed helplessly.

Still, it did not matter. He had suffered no loss, and he had never expected such a matter to succeed merely because he said a few words.

Leaving aside everything else, he could not make decisions for the Sect Leader.

Moreover, anyone with eyes could nearly see Elder Gu He's feelings for the Sect Leader.

There were some things the Sect Leader could do that he could not.

The Sect Leader had not responded to Elder Gu He's feelings. That was a matter of personal affection; if she did not like him, she did not like him, and no one could do anything about it.

But as the Cloud Sect's First Elder, at times like this, he needed to show Elder Gu He greater respect and demonstrate the Cloud Sect's attitude toward him.

Then there were the countless medicinal ingredients the Cloud Sect supplied for Elder Gu He's alchemy. Though Elder Gu He was unhappy, he could not disregard the Cloud Sect's goodwill.

If Yun Leng started jumping about and trying to pair the Sect Leader with another man at this time, it would truly be impossible to answer to Elder Gu He!