Du Lan was right

Still, after she had loosened the gags on their mouths, Qian Ki didn't care enough to stay here and hear what the boy who seemed to like the girl a little too much for his own good would say to aftermentioned girl. So when she had done so, she left the room that was filling with Body Strengthening Realm cultivators all captured by her.

Getting out of the room, her bloodlust softened the grip on her mind a little, or at least enough that she could think of something else. Like how was Xiao Fan? Sure this was fun and all, but being stuck doing this alone was not so fun as it could be with him on her side.

However, after having a small break to think of such things that normal people would, she again left the underground bunker or whatever she had found. She still had a lot of hunting to do if she wanted to break into the Second Grade of Body Strengthening Realm. The cultivators she had so far were a good start, yet also not nearly enough.

On the other hand, she didn't care how many people she needed to sacrifice to advance her cultivation since the hunt was fun. And soon after coming to the outside, she found another two people running around this place where no laws were enforced. 'Ripe for the taking' she thought and began her hunt.

While Fei Sun and Qian Ki were delving deeper into the rabbit hole of using so-called demonic or evil ways, Du Lan was in a better position in a moral way. Since she had no need to be practising such vile arts, she had the luxury and opportunity to hang onto this young Princess, who was taking her advises to account in every action of hers. Yet on her part, there was nothing major or exciting happening. The group she was a part of was gearing up for the long game and searching for a way out of this place like most large groups were doing.

On the note of Du Lan, there was one major thing. It concerned the prediction of hers which had predicted that all the Princes were moving towards the tower. As indeed they were doing just that, and they are all hungry for the big gem that seemed to be such an obvious grand price for every one of the Princes slowly figuring out things.

The pressure was now falling onto Wang Geming's shoulders, who had for a day held out on the gate to the tower, trying his best to keep everyone else out of the tower. For now, the Princes and few Princesses had been acting all nice, but ever so slowly, Wang Geming felt that engaging in politics against such a number of his colleagues was becoming ever more impossible.

The number of opponents was numerous, outnumbering him and his men quite literally one to twenty or so in the Emperor's children and in the Emperor's men. Wang Geming was beginning to feel that the only thing keeping him the owner of this tower anymore was the fact that very few soldiers had yet taken sides in this obvious contest. As this fact made it so that he didn't need to fight a large battle, only duel occasionally, which was manageable seeing as he couldn't be challenged into one without letting him have a break.

Xiao Fan and Zhuan An inside the tower had by now changed into the Bald Eagle Dynasty clothing, and were thinking if they have any way to influence these negotiations if they could be called such.

¨Well, he did win the first duel¨ They were looking from the large silver doors how Wang Geming sent the first Prince who had challenged him to a duel be sent back his body bruised.

¨His brute force will not last long. Maybe two more duels and he is out¨ Zhuan An wasn't very confident in the fighting skills of this Prince they were working for currently.

¨Thankfully him lasting two more duels will be enough¨ Xiao Fan noted.

¨Thankfully¨ She knew that the people the Queen had sent to aid them would arrive in a day, two at max. So Wang Geming, who had a day's worth of a break before he could be challenged again by a different opponent, could indeed hold out for two more days, minimum.

¨But even with them coming to help us... can we hold onto this tower? I don't think that will be gaining anyone on the level of Wang Geming from those reinforcements, so we are still outgunned like hell¨ Sure the situation on the lower levels of cultivation might be somewhat levelled, and their loyalties are better, but the opposition Royals are well enough to annihilate their forces.

Zhuan An who to he was talking to realising this small point became much more concerned than Xiao Fan, who had this put out was ¨What can we do?¨

Hearing her tone going from indifferent to concerned Xiao Fan turned his head to look at her ¨Don't worry, at worst we need to open this tower to everyone¨ He wasn't concerned.

¨How is that a good thing?¨ She wasn't convinced much.

¨Not letting them in here is a buffer¨

¨Ahh¨ She realised ¨So you two are already thinking of opening this to them?¨

¨We don't want to nor plan to, but when we lose enough ground, we need to give something. This something will be access to the tower; however, we aren't losing anything¨

¨But they get to take stuff out from the rewards list!¨ She pointed out.

¨Do you think we'll not tax them for using the tower?¨ Xiao Fan looked at her a little weirdly, like he was hinting something to her.

¨Ahh¨ She realised his meaning again ¨You seem to have everything thought out already. Your the best!¨

To this, Xiao Fan smiled, however, before he got any words out a new voice came at them ¨She seems to like you a lot!¨ It was Wang Geming who was coming back inside after winning his duel.

¨Congratulations for the win¨ Xiao Fan before anything praised him and gave her a hint to do the same.

¨The Prince is strong!¨ Zhuan An, getting the hint praised, though her praise at the same time was a form of criticism.

¨Thank you, thank you¨ Wang Geming was, of course, happy to hear people praise him. After all, he was a Prince, a person who lived for the praises the crowds gave their liege.

¨And yes. Facade does seem to like me¨ Xiao Fan after the formalities were over answered the question he had thrown at them.

Wang Geming having heard her nickname before this then looked at Facade, who really was Zhuan An ¨Facade, you still higher in the trials than he is?¨ And asked her this.

¨Yep. Still four trials over him¨ She little excitedly told how she was over Xiao Fan in the amount of cleared trials.

¨You have that pointy stick! It's unfair! Those dam things act like idiots and let you poke them so easily¨ Xiao Fan half-jokingly defended.

¨The pointy stick is called ahlspiess!¨ She half-jokingly gave her own answer by saying it in the same way Xiao Fan had.

The two of them then for a while bickered on this, leaving the Prince out of their conversation. Though he didn't mind a lot, they were happy when like this, and so he wouldn't use his energy on this if it didn't go too far.

¨Anyway, you aren't anywhere near the Prince¨ Xiao Fan when thinking it had gone far enough took the conversation in a direction that Wang Geming could get into it.

¨Pfft! He's Two entire Grades higher, plus two Realms!¨

¨So what? It's your fault for not cultivating hard like him¨ Xiao Fan laughed.

¨Whatever¨ She gave up.

¨So what have you imagined¨ Wang Geming came back into the conversation when hearing their bickering was calming.

¨I think we wait for your mother's men to come here. When they are here, we can squeeze better terms considering the price that we can tax them for being near or inside the tower¨

It now changed into a talk between Xiao Fan and Wang Geming, leaving Zhuan An to the side as a hearing student.

¨You think they will not do anything?¨ Wang Geming agreed with the idea, but it expected that the enemy would stay out there and act nicely.

¨If you are afraid of them ganging up on you just go into the tower, who are they going to assassinate or kill if you are up there?¨ He pointed his hand towards the light pillars.

An idea which to he got a nod ¨Yes, that is a good point. If I stay there, they have no one valuable enough to kill if they decide to do so¨

A few of the other Princess might take their chances in getting rid of their stepbrother Wang Geming if they are feeling really brave, but if they can't reach him? Surely they will not target Xiao Fan nor anyone else since everyone could see why they had done so. They might do something stupidly brave, but too much is too much.

¨Next topic. Does the Prince need anything?¨ Xiao Fan asked if he was in need of his special services.

¨You can concoct something here?¨ He was interested.

¨We can buy individual herbs with your points. And before you say anything, yes I know they aren't enough, and this in mind I propose that you order some of you men to go and clear their trials. We then use those points to buy the rest we need¨ His and Zhuan An's points? Of course, they weren't on the table.

¨Sure, but the equipment?¨ That could be done, but what about all the equipment concocting a potion needed? There was nothing of the short inside the tower.

Except there was ¨One of the trial floors was a lab you remember?¨ Xiao Fan had a smile saying this.

¨Yes¨ Wang Geming simply agreed to this.

¨You get the materials, and I'll make something that will help you to recover and such. I'm not sure what I'll concoct yet¨

However, him saying this made Wang Geming sceptical ¨You don't know what you will be concocting? I don't think alchemy works like that¨

¨You know more when it comes to alchemy than I do?¨ Xiao Fan almost cut him off when saying this.

Nevertheless, his stern look towards Wang Geming made the target bend ¨I think you know more on that field¨

'Note to self. Don't anger Xiao Fan when it comes to skills in alchemy' He realised that maybe he shouldn't argue in the field of alchemy against the golden child of said field.

¨Good. Now if I shall, I'll go and train¨ Xiao Fan having gotten his win didn't stay longer and took off with Zhuan An. He now had his trainer back, so it was only logical that he would be continuing his training. He could exhaust himself, as he wouldn't be fighting anyway.

Wang Geming who was left there, for a moment thought that had he been pushed by Xiao Fan? However, at the end of that moment, he shook his head and went to order his men to go and get their trials done so that Xiao Fan could claim the herbs he needed from the rewards list.

¨Was that a little too early?¨ Zhuan An questioned the sudden burst Xiao Fan had had against the Prince.

¨It was a prime opportunity to do so¨ It might have been too early; however, the timing of it was too right, and so he had wanted to use it even if Wang Geming hadn't been softened enough.

¨I hope it works out. But now, start running¨ She then made a motion with her fingers that looked like she wanted Xiao Fan to run around the tower¨