Chapter 19- The Flying Carriage

Wei Xiao's group met up with the prince and princess at the dining area. As always, Alexander was feeding Miranda with light hands. Her dress today was blue and was decorated with emerald gems. She held a small fan on one hand and an acupuncture needle on the other.

Alexander was wearing white with gold lining. On his left chest is a golden aconitum flower. His hair was slicked back and golden metal leaves were decorated on one side. His three piece clothes makes his stature more refined and regal without being too lavish. A green earring was pierced on his right ear, complimenting his eyes.

Wei subconsciously frowns. Qin Zuijia was still coaxing Xiao Ling to wake up and still wasn't there.

Wei Xiao didn't have the energy to talk to people. Though this may become a problem in the future, he'd prefer to cross the bridge when we get to it. Wei Xiao sat on another table and ordered an excessive amount of food that made the waiter surprised. Wei Xiao does look and acts like he's well off, so the man wasn't really surprised that he'd spend so much money for food, what got him surprised is the amount of food he ordered. It was enough to feed five starving children and two adult men.

When Wei Xiao overcomes his little tribulation, his emotions return to normal and his mind no longer feels confused. When he heard that his uncle wanted to send him away to protect him, even hinting that they might die, his emotions fluctuate and has been bothering him before. Right now his mood was calm. Yes, his demeanor was still ice cold, but it returned to his version of ice that's sharp that it can pierce through anything.

His brows were knitted together, and the air around him cold and desolate.

Qin Zuijia came downstairs and felt and chills down his spine. He turn his gaze and found that the little old man in his team covered with dark clouds. He suddenly felt energetic and wanted run away.

"Good- Good morning young master." Qin Zuijia smiled stiffly. He felt that he was in the range where Wei Xiao could stab him. He placed a hand on his neck, feeling as if something cold was touching it.

Wei Xiao saw Qin Zuijia with Xiao Ling walking behind and his brows relaxed. He pointed at Alexander and Miranda. He then crossed his arms and looked outside.

Qin Zuijia felt as if this Wei Xiao is funnier than the one he was with in Willow City. Though he knew that the guy was having internal troubles, he still somehow wishes that the emotional unstable Wei Xiao is the real Wei Xiao, or at least he's another child he could take care of.

This Wei Xiao was the Wei Xiao he had heard off and first met. The guy had his brows knitted as if he wanted to kill someone, but the moment you said something unexpected, he'd turn stupid.

Qin Zuijia sat Xiao Ling beside Wei Xiao and he sat across from him. Wei Xiao was looking outside as if he wanted to get out of the inn as soon as possible.

"Have you ordered?" Qin Zuijia asked.

"Mn." Wei Xiao replied.

"Are you okay?" Qin Zuijia tapped on the table.

"Never been better." Wei Xiao continued to look outside.

"What are you looking at?"

"I'm not looking at anything, I'm trying to avert my gaze."

Qin Zuijia turned to the opposite side of his gaze and found Alexander dressed in a beautiful three piece and Miranda with her blue dress. Qin Zuijia thought for a moment, but was unable to guess why Wei Xiao didn't want to look at them.

"What's wrong?" Qin Zuijia asked.

"That ugly ghost is trapped by the prince." He sighed and turned to Qin Zuijia. "I don't want to help."

Qin Zuijia laughed.

Wei Xiao placed a cookie on Xiao Ling's mouth.

Qin Zuijia turned his head and found that Zhao Fu was indeed trapped by the prince. His neck was binded by a shackle that seems to work with ghosts and a long chain was attached and was held by Alexander. Zhao Fu was currently invisible, but the chain still floats in the air, indicating that someone was trapped in it.

After breakfast, the group was fetched by a large carriage. The carriage was white and gold and had an aconitum flower designed on the curtains and wheels. The carriage was pulled by two hippogriffs and a man dressed in black acts as a coachman.

"We'll arrive faster in the carriage than the transportation platform." Alexander extended his hands towards Miranda. "In half a month we'll be able to reach the sect."

"How long would it take if we took the platform?" Wei Xiao asked subconsciously. Qin Zuijia was holding his laughter and his for his life. He noticed how Wei Xiao became easily irritated when he broke through.

Wei Xiao saw him trying not to laugh and immediately relaxed his brows.

Xiao Ling was already giggling on the side, covering his mouth.

"Taking the platform would take us two months. Not only that, but the platforms are usually unstable and might make the children nauseous."

Wei Xiao nodded and pushed Qin Zuijia to talk.

"Are we allowed in the carriage?" Qin Zuijia smiled perfactorily.

Alexander didn't notice the false smile since everyone smiled at him that way. "Of course! This is my carriage, I can take anyone I want." He grinned.

The group then entered the carriage. Wei Xiao sat next to Qin Zuijia who carried Xiao Ling in his arms. Alexander was carefully sitting Miranda on the seat and he himself sat next to her. The five people in the carriage sat opposite to each other while the ghost sat with the coachman.

The carriage flew to the skies. Everything below went further and further. The feeling of flying in a carriage was different than flying with swords. Flying a sword requires a person's focus and strength, if the surge energy is too much or too little, the sword would be unstable and may even end up falling. The carriage is pulled by flying beasts so the usage of spiritual power isn't used and people can be laid back and relaxed.

Qin Zuijia looked out the window and saw the green trees of several herbivore demon beasts running in groups. The sky was also filled with giant rocs and lightning birds. A little minokawa flew towards the sun. Though it was a little minokawa, it was still as large as a house. His eyes went back to the ground and found a lake where a 10 meter tall deer was drinking water. Several normal sized deer were surrounding the giant deer and were watching over him.

Xiao Ling held onto Qin Zuijia and also looked outside. His eyes widened and began to shine. For a child that hasn't had much adventure in life, looking at the nature that surrounds him was a novel experience. He felt his heart race and he could help but smile.

Wei Xiao calmed himself. He was trying his best not to frown for the whole time, now, seeing his little nephew smile so much that he cannot utter a single word, made his heart warm. Xiao Ling's smile was the same as his father when he was younger and still innocent. It was a stupid smile, but it was beautiful.

Alexander was brushing Miranda's hair when he saw that scene. He had felt that something was a bit off with how this pair of cousins act. He noticed that Wei Feng seemed to be a lot different when he first met him last night. That Wei Feng was a bit cold to him, but not too cold that it freezes him, the Wei Feng he's seeing does not seem to emit a really cold and desolate aura, but when looking at his cousin and nephew, it was as if all the ice thawed completely.

His gaze was as if looking at his wife and child; it was calm, proud, and satisfied. It was as if he was smiling but not at the same time. Alexander felt confused by his thought and seemed to think that he was the one who had a problem.

Qin Zuijia was helping Xiao Ling see more outside. He had his fill when looking, now it was the little one's time to see more. He felt more happy seeing Xiao Ling smile than looking outside. The baby was still pure, untainted and filled with innocence that can be easily moulded into becoming a greater person. He would teach the good to the child and let him walk the road that leads to greatness. Although Xiao Ling has no blood relation with him, he still felt a great connection with him. Xiao Ling felt as if he was his son. Not that he felt that he needed to raise him like a father, but as if he was someone who would want the best for the child.

Qin Zuijia knew that Xiao Ling's parents would want the best for him, and Wei Xiao would desire the world for him. As the only one left in his family, Wei Xiao wouldn't hesitate to kill in order to save him, even if it caused him his life.

Qin Zuijia was different. He felt that no matter how great the danger, he can protect the child.

"Xiao Ling. See that blue bird there?" Qin Zuijia held Xiao Ling's hand and pointed Xiao Ling's finger to the lightning bird. "That's a lightning bird. It can summon lightning." He shaked the baby's hand. "It's flesh can be cooked and it would taste much better than chicken breast."

Xiao Ling's eyes widened even further, his mouth started to water and his thoughts wandered and were filled with ways to cook the bird.

Qin Zuijia laughed and rubbed the kid's head.

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The ride wasn't bumpy, nor nauseating, it was steady enough to put Xiao Ling to sleep.

Wei Xiao was sitting on one side, looking out the window. Xiao Ling decided to sit on his lap while Qin Zuijia slept on the other side of the carriage. Wei Xiao patted Xiao Ling's back when he groaned and changed his position when he felt uncomfortable.

Alexander was sipping tea and Miranda was playing with two rabbit toys. The toys were not of the best quality, but Miranda seems to be more fond of it than anything else. Alexander let his sister play with her toys, he then took out a board game and looked at Wei Xiao.

"Would this gentleman like to accompany me to play?" Alexander smiled at Wei Xiao.

Wei Xiao turned to him, then turned to the board at the table separating the two. The board looks like the terrain of Wolf Bane's land, to be more precise it was the land used in war. This was the small version of Mortuus Valley. The place was where the current emperor' great great great grandfather was able to dethrone the old emperor at that time. That might have been an old history to the common folks, but many cultivators who were there when this happened, and many cultivators were in the war when it happened.

Mortuus Valley was barren. It was a very infertile land and had more resentful energy than Mount Viper. The place was filled with crows, ghouls, and demon beasts. Some demonic cultivators chose Mortuus Valley to cultivate because of the abundance of resentful energy, and people even speculated that the demonic cultivators who cultivated in that valley were able to ascend to Level 5. But those were only speculations. In truth that person died.

"What game is this?" Wei Xiao answered, uninterested.

"A game of war!" Alexander showed several warrior pieces and two king pieces. He placed them all on the board and took one warrior piece. "One warrior piece is equivalent to one thousand warriors." He took a king piece with another hand. "But one king piece is equivalent to one king."

"Is this the Capital's version of he eastern game of chess?" Wei Xiao held one Warrior piece and examined the craftsmanship of said piece.

"Maybe." Alexander shrugged. "But this game involves real war techniques and there are loopholes everywhere." He pointed at the king. "The best way to win is to decapitate the king."

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In the game of war, each player gets ten warrior pieces and one king. The goal of the game is to take the crown, or in other words, Kill the King. similar to how chess starts, the one with white pieces would start. The player would choose their war tactics from the Seven Classical Maneuvers of war; they could mix two or more types of maneuvers depending on what the player desires.

The pieces which are taken from the other would become their own and be used for battle. The game has no time limit. The game was usually used to teach warriors about the war and to train fighters the Seven Classical Maneuvers.

Wei Xiao has the black pieces. He was still new to the game, but he knew that in the next game or two, he could grasp the right way to win.

Eleven pieces were lined up on his side of the board. The King was behind the ten warrior pieces. In front of the pieces is a valley, and at the back is a place.

On the other side of the table, Alexander was already placing his pieces in an inverted pyramid style position. Six pieces were in front while four pieces stayed at the back as reserve. The King stayed behind, protected by the warriors.

Alexander took the dice and rolled and four. He moved one of his in the fourth grid and had Wei Xiao move next.

Wei Xiao rolled the dice and got a six and moved the two middle pieces on the third grid.

Alexander rolled three and moved one of the front pieces in the third grid.

Wei Xiao rolled five and moved the two middle pieces to the fourth grid and his side piece moved one three steps to the left.

Alexander enjoyed playing with someone who is new to the game. Not because he could easily win, but because he could see the frustration in their eyes. If it was a real war, Wei Feng would have already been able to kill the king. With how powerful martial artists are, they could dethrone the king and take his crown. But because most cultivators only see the government as Kids that invented their own version of power, they have never thought of usurping the crown. But if the current emperor would enforce his power to suppress the cultivators, another war would arise, and it would be doubtful if the emperor remains alive after it.

Alexander first used the Envelopment of both flanks to attack Wei Xiao's pieces. Wei Xiao used Penetration of the Center to force his way through the pieces. And aside from the first Maneuver, he also implemented the Envelopment of both flanks. When Alexander saw his move, He tried to attack the main force, losing one of his pieces. Wei Xiao was ruthless with his attacks and forced four pieces to the middle and shook off the formation Alexander made.

Alexander retreated. His middle force moved back two steps, Wei Xiao retreated as well, he noticed that his Alexander's formation turned defensive and would probably use the Attack from a Defensive position. He sold ten resources to add in two Warrior pieces. Wei Xiao bought five warrior pieces with 25 resources. He then occupied the water reserve to add to his resources.

Alexander smiled. Wei Xiao now only has ten resources and would need to add servants to increase his production. When he added the water reserve, his resources added 20 resources in his camp. Alexander still has 25 resources and could buy more warriors or servants. His resource production takes about a minute for one to be added. It would be a long time to wait, but he still has a lot of time on his table.

Wei Xiao attacked his defense and Alexander lost a piece, but was able to take two pieces from Wei Xiao.

Wei Xiao retreated the remaining two pieces who attacked to regroup.

Alexander moved two pieces to attack the center, then Wei Xiao moved his four pieces on the side forward. Wei Xiao took back his two pieces.

Their battle lasted until sundown. Wei Xiao would attack a retreat, Alexander would defend and attack. Qn Zuijia woke up to the sound of wood colliding together and found the two men battling.

"Attack his resources." Qin Zuijia commented.

Wei Xiao looked at the storage house at the side of Alexander's board. Alexander smiled at him.

Wei Xiao rolled his dice and attacked.

Alexander lost half of his resources. Alexander attacked Wei Xiao's main forces winning three pieces, he then rolled his dice and continued to conquer.

Wei Xiao defended his palace then attacked.

Wei Xiao knitted his brows. "It's hard to choose tactics when you don't know how strong each person in the group is."

Alexander laughed. "Well the royal family depended on people for power, while a single cultivator can fight thousands of these warriors all on their own." He circled he moved his piece one at a time until he formed a circle around the board. "We non-cultivators can only use these tactics to win."

"It's a boring game." Wei Xiao gave Alexander his King piece.

Alexander took the piece and tapped it on the table. "Maybe, but to use, it is very powerful."

"War won't be happening anytime soon." Qin Zuijia fixed his hair and looked at the two. "This type of game can only be used by the common folks, but the war that involves immortals would use more tactics than these."

Alexander shrugged. "That is for cultivators to worry about."

"Indeed." Qin Zuijia nodded.

Wei Xiao knitted his brows and turned away.

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Mini theater!!.... I hope people actually reads my story.

Wei Xiao: *Wakes up with the 'I Will kill you' Expression*

Qin Zuijia: He wants to kill me...

Lemon: ..... He wants to kill other people.... he wants to f*ck you.

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Alexander: Let's play a game that I will obviously win.

Wei Xiao: *Watching his wife takes care of the baby*.

Alexander: *muttering*.. why is he staring at his cousin like he's his wife??

Lemon: Darling..... you're too pure to understand....

Alexander:.... What?

Zhao Fu: He's acting more like a child than the Alexander I know.

Lemon:.... explaining it would ruin some parts of the story.

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In Ze basement..... I kicked out some people.

Qin Muyang: Why the long face?

Lemon: my jokes are getting dumber and dumber...

Qin Zuijia:..... You can Always skip a chapter is you don't have ideas..

Lemon: But I want to make jokes.

Wei Xiao: weren't you planning on making the story angst?

Lemon: I'm already sad because of that chapter!!!

Qin Muyang: 52?

Wei Xiao: Yes.. I hate that one.

Qin Muyang: I hated it more.

Lemon: *Dies*

(Okay, so if I don't have an idea for a mini theater.. I might not put any)... Also, what do you think is in chapter 52??