The puppet beast was entirely black and did not have any fur on its body. It looked like a giant on all fours that was running forward like the wild beasts on land. It was precisely because of its bizarre appearance that most of those who saw them on the way would turn their gazes aside and avoid them.
During these days, the incident of the ninth summit fighting against Northern Frontier Tribe had become one of the many rumors circulating about the ninth summit. There were still plenty who did not believe it, but since this matter was related to the reputation of Northern Frontier Tribe and the tribe had still not come up to say anything about it, gradually, the believability of this rumor increased.
It was especially so when some of those who knew people from Northern Frontier Tribe asked about it and obtained an answer that struck them dumb. It did not matter whether that incident was real, their att.i.tude towards the ninth summit had changed because of it.
That change was not of them wanting to get in touch with the ninth summit, but of them avoiding the ninth summit like the plague.
When they saw Zi Che, even if there were those who had never seen Su Ming would be able to tell at first glance that the young man with a scar on his face sitting beside Zi Che was the ninth summit’s Su Ming!
The Su Ming who could fight against Si Ma Xin and who emerged unscathed even though he went to fight against Northern Frontier Tribe in a fit of rage!
Su Ming sat calmly on the puppet beast’s back with his eyes closed. He did not want to waste even a single moment of time, using all the time available to let his body get used to the weight of the sixteen ice hoops.
He had the confidence that when he could move and fly around like how he usually did, then once he took off those ice hoops, his speed would become even greater.
He had been thinking lately that he should not put all those ice hoops on his legs, because if he did that, it would be difficult for him to control his body efficiently. He was thinking that once he started getting used to this weight, he would add ice hoops to the other parts of his body so that he could find some form of balance so that he could stay in control of his body movement.
‘It’s a pity that there’s too little time left until Sky Mist Shaman Hunt. There’s only less than two months left…’
While Su Ming was immersed in his thoughts with his eyes closed, Zi Che sat beside him calmly. He was completely unperturbed by the people they met on the way avoiding them while also paying attention to them. Neither was he bothered by the faint sounds of discussions occasionally falling into his ears.
Yet he remained constantly alert and would occasionally scan his surroundings. If anything that would pose a threat to Su Ming appeared, he would rush out as soon as he discovered that danger and stand before Su Ming.
There was a hint of excitement on Bai Su’s face. It had been a long time since she was avoided by others as she traveled, while having them occasionally looking over at her to observe her as well. This sort of thing had only happened when she was traveling with Si Ma Xin.
She did not expect that something like this would also happen when she was by Su Ming’s side.
The treatment may seem the same, but in truth, it was two different experiences for her. When she was with Si Ma Xin, the gazes directed towards him were filled with respect, admiration, and reverence.
Even if they moved out of the way for them, they usually did so in respect. Si Ma Xin would also smile and nod towards those people in thanks.
As for her, she would also need to smile beside Si Ma Xin and maintain the same poise as him by smiling and facing all those people. She had originally thought this to be rather good, but once she had something to compare it with...
The situation right now was different. The gazes directed towards them were doubtful and held hints of them not wanting to have anything to do with Su Ming and the others. Most of the time, when they moved away, it was not out of respect, but due to the rumors that had been going around about the ninth summit lately.
Bai Su did not need to force herself to maintain her smile. She could glare at those people who avoided them on the way as much as she wanted. If she was unhappy, she could even spit in their direction. It allowed her to feel relaxed, and compared to when she was with Si Ma Xin, she preferred this a whole of lot more.
Bai Su’s gaze fell on Su Ming. As she watched him sitting with his eyes closed, a smile appeared on her face. However, that smile was mischievous, and no one could have any idea what she just cooked up in her head.
The puppet beast was not slow. When dusk arrived on the fourth day, they could see a tribe formed from a large amount of temporarily set up tents on the vast plain of snow before them.
The tribe was huge, and right in its middle was a stage built with a large amount of wood. There were around a thousand people sitting around it. It was a grand sight. Just by looking at it, people could feel a mighty presence coming from that spot.
As of then, there were a lot of Berserkers within that tribe, traveling in and out of those tents. There were also quite a number of men with extraordinary power decked in armor patrolling the area with aloof expressions on their faces.
Their clothes were distinctly different from those who went to the square to trade. There was a symbol of a sun rising from the sea horizon on their clothes. It was a unique symbol, and if anyone saw it, they would definitely be able to remember it.
Because that sun rising from the sea was b.l.o.o.d.y red, as if there was a murderous aura coming right at those looking at it.
There were also some strange looking buildings around the tribe which looked like swords that were stuck in the ground. However, those swords were the size of s.h.i.+ps that were about one thousand feet tall. They stood tall in the area, and there were quite a large number of them around. If anyone bothered to count, they would find eighteen such buildings in the square.
Due to the puppet beast, Su Ming, Zi Che, and Bai Su’s arrival instantly caught the attention of the people in the area. Three people immediately flew up from among the patrolling team and charged towards the incoming puppet beast.
"Stop!"
The three patrolling guards arrived quickly and stopped before the puppet beast. Their eyes as they looked at Su Ming and the others were cold, with hints of animosity s.h.i.+ning through. Their gazes continuously landed on the puppet beast as if they were observing it.
One of them turned his gaze towards Zi Che right from the get go, and soon, he brought out a beast skin scroll from his bosom, opened it up, and cast a few glances at it.
"Western Sea Clan Auction Committee welcomes Zi Che of Freezing Sky Clan’s second summit, and also seventh summit’s Miss Bai Su."
The person checking the beast skin scroll lifted his head and a smile appeared on his face. He wrapped his fist in his palm towards Zi Che and Bai Su, and as he spoke, his gaze swept past Su Ming, who was still sitting on the puppet beast with his eyes closed. A hint of uncertainty appeared on his face.
Zi Che narrowed his eyes. He was not surprised by Western Sea Clan knowing his name. The exchange of auction locations this time by the two big clans was not just to sell items, it was also to provide both tribes a chance to observe the other.
Before they came here, they must have made detailed investigations. Recognizing Zi Che and Bai Su was only to be expected.
"You flatter me. How may I address you?" Zi Che wrapped his fist in his palm to return the greeting and spoke in a low voice.
He could tell with just one glance that the person holding the beast skin was the leader among the three people who came to them. This person was not weak. He should be around the middle stage of the Awakening Realm.
The other two were at the initial stage of the Awakening Realm.
"I am not that famous within Western Sea Clan. You won’t be too interested in knowing my name. The auction will be held tomorrow, please come with me and I’ll bring you to your lodgings to rest."
The man holding the beast skin smiled. When he spoke as he shook his head to deny giving his name, a glint appeared in his eyes and he looked towards Su Ming.
"Brother, you look quite unfamiliar. If you don’t have an invitation card, you aren’t allowed to enter this place." As he spoke, the expressions of the two other people beside him turned colder and they looked towards Su Ming.
Zi Che frowned. He took one step, and just as he was about to speak, Su Ming opened his eyes.
His gaze was calm as he looked towards the three people standing before the puppet beast. With a wave of his right arm, his invitation card immediately flew out in the form of a long arc towards the man with the beast skin.
That invitation card flew out so quickly that it whistled in the air, flung out by Su Ming, sounding as if it had just broken through s.p.a.ce itself. It made the man holding the beast skin change his expression and quickly retreat, but before he could take even a few more steps backwards, the invitation card had already arrived at the center of his brows, and it was not showing any signs of slowing down. By the looks of it, it was going to pierce through the center of the man’s brows.
The man’s pupils shrank. As he retreated, a strong presence exploded from within him. Black mist also surrounded his body and turned into a set of armor that was similar to Su Ming’s but was still different in terms of its details.
Even so, that armor was still a true set of Divine General Armor. The moment it appeared, a mighty pressure spread out from him, causing the man’s hair to move without wind, though shock could still be seen on his face.
The invitation card suddenly came to a halt when it was three inches away from the center of the man’s brows. It floated there unmoving, causing all the preparations made by the man holding the beast skin to turn completely useless. Even if he had not done anything and remained still, that invitation card would still not have caused any damage to him.
With a dark expression, he looked at Su Ming, who was looking at him with a calm gaze from on top of the puppet beast. The moment their gazes met in midair, a booming sound resounded in the head of the man holding the beast skin. He staggered a few steps back.
All of this happened within an instant, and it happened so quickly that the man’s two companions did not manage to react to it. Only once it was over did anger appear on their faces, but they were also inwardly shocked by the invitation card’s speed.
Zi Che was also shocked. He did not expect that this ordinary looking person would turn out to be a Divine General. Either he truly was not famous within Western Seal Clan, or… he was hiding his ident.i.ty on purpose and was secretly observing all the Freezing Sky Clan disciples as he hid himself in the patrol team.
But a pity, because he ran into Su Ming!
"That’s the invitation card," Su Ming said calmly, and his words were uttered at a moderate pace.
The face of the man holding the beast skin turned pale. He remained silent for a moment, but in the end, he did not touch the invitation card. Instead, he walked towards Su Ming and wrapped his fist in his palm to greet him.
"I am Western Sea Clan’s Ao Chen Tai. How may I address you?"
"Su Ming, of the ninth summit." Su Ming did not choose to hide his ident.i.ty. He simply answered unhurriedly.
Ao Chen Tai’s expression changed. He looked at Su Ming closely and was just about to speak when out of the many tents, adorned with golden pictures, on the ground, a middle-aged man walked out. That man wore a purple robe, had fair skin, and his eyes were as bright as lightning. He took one step into the air, and before he even arrived, his laughter had already reached their ears.
"So it’s a guest from the ninth summit. Chen Tai, stand down, I have to personally receive those from the ninth summit."