Bai Shuo looked at the elegant palace puzzled.
The rest of the group, however, beamed with smiles.
"Tsk…tsk..I didn't expect the Fox Clan to still have a place here."
The smiles froze. Their faces darkened af if struck by a heavy blow.
Bai Shuo wanted to ask the same thing. Why was the Fox Clan's palace located instead of within the inner area?
She tilted her head just in time to see the group approaching them. It was the first clan they had encountered since entering the Qingyu Palace.
The voice came from the elegant lady leading the group.
A beautiful smile bloomed on her face as she lead the group to halt before them.
"Long time no see, Elder Su."
"It has indeed been a while, Elder He." The Fox Clan Elder replied stiffly, expression constipated .
Bai Shuo raised an eyebrow.
Her eyes flicked to the group behind the lady– Five men and fifteen young women.
I guess each clan have twenty slots for the competition candidates.
They were dressed ostentatiously with their head held high. Their nose was practically pointed towards the sky.
Elder He scanned the Fox Clan party and commented "I didn't think the Tushan clan could still produce…..talents."
"Naturally, our Tushan Clan is an ancient Clan after all."
"Talents?" A scoff rang out from Elder He's party. " Elder Su, my elder was just being polite, it's obvious your clan barely managed to fill it's slot."
Elder Su flushed red. "You.."
"Don't be rude." Elder He's voice rang out but her face held an amused smile.
A beautiful lady stepped out from Elder He's group. She sighed " We don't really want to be rude but it's the truth."
Her almond-shaped eyes swept through the Fox Clan's group and stopped on Bai Shuo.
Bai Shuo felt her eyelid twitch.
Sure enough, the lady continued, her voice dripping with schadenfreude. "Which middle-tier clan sends a Golden Core to the Qingyu Competition let alone ...a Foundation Establishment. I'm sorry but your clan has really declined."
The group behind her burst into an uproarious laughter.
Elder Su's body trembled in rage.
"Elder He,is this how your Peacock Clan educate it's juniors?"
"Elder Su, don't be angry, this is our Peacock Clan's third princess. She's very talented unlike some...." Her gaze flicked towards Bai Shuo. " Trash Princess."
The fox youths exploded.
"Since when was it your Peacock Clan's turn to lecture us?" Prince Shao asked indifferently.
"Our Fox Clan's Princess doesn't need to participate, she merely needs to watch us claim victory."
The Peacock Clan's smiles stiffened.
Bai Shuo looked at him in surprise.
Tsk…
The young foxes seemed to be pumped with blood.
"Talented Princess? Let your so-called princess take a blow from our Sister Fei"
" She at the same age as Sister Fei and Sister Lin and she's still at Nascent Soul realm. Talent? Hee…"
"Talented Princess,I bet she can't even take a blow from me?"
"So what if our princess has lower talent? It's still not something a weak bird like you could comment on."
Bai Shuo was stunned.
Who are these people?
Where were the Fox Clan members that disdained against her?
The feeling of being protected was so weird.
She had always been the one protecting others.
It was strange but she felt a strange warmth in her chest.
She realized that although the young foxes, disdained her, they were totally united against outsiders.
Foxes from opposing factions echoed each other as if they weren't about to draw their swords earlier at the gate.
"You…you.." The Peacock princess felt her pride being trampled on. She was so infuriated especially seeing the suppressed smile on the Fox Elder's lips.
She snapped coldly "You are just covering up the fact that a trash is still a trash..She even reverted to her cub formm…Tsk."
"Hee…aren't you targeting our princess because you are lusting after our prince?" Tushan Hui said disdainfully "You should look at yourself in the mirror
first and see if you are worthy ."
Silence.
Bai Shuo smirked.
Indeed….A woman can recognize a love rival.
The whole group looked from Prince Shao to Tushan Hui and then to the Peacock Princess.
Some even had their mouth wide open.
Elder He looked at both of them thoughtfully as if an opportunity has arrived.
"What are you talking about?" The Peacock Princess felt blood rushing towards her head.
"Shuo'er, rest assured I want no one else but you." Prince Shao clarified immediately.
Fox Bai Shuo felt goosebumps–She didn't even know furry animals could have that.
As if that was not enough,the prince turned to the Peacock Princess and declared solemnly. "I don't know if you have feelings for me but I will never betray my fiancee."
The Peacock Princess flushed crimson " Who have feelings for you? You are just flattering yourself."
"It had better be."
Bai Shuo narrowed her eyes at the prince.
Why did she feel that there's something off about this prince?
It was as if…. as if he was maintaining a facade.
"Tsk…tsk… Who told our prince to be so outstanding? Even the Peacock Princess couldn't resist."
"Sigh. It must be hard bottling these feelings for so long. After all our Tushan Clan is quite a long distance from theirs."
The Peacock Clan bristled with humiliation. They were infuriated. Some of them had already drawn their swords but was stopped by their Elder's cold gaze.
Elder He smiled at the Fox Clan, although it didn't reach her eyes.
"I really admire your devotion to your fiance, Prince Shao." She said in a cold voice " But I wonder if your marriage can still hold if your clan's faction split?"
Elder Su's face darkened." What do you mean?"
She gave him a fake smile. " Why? Do you think the White Foxes faction will risk dropping to a low-tier clan because of your Red Foxes faction."
Elder Su aura exploded " When did it become your Peacock Clan's turn to meddle into our Tushan Clan's matter?"
Elder He didn't back down either, her aura surged to meet his.
The pressure of Dao and Law realm experts clashed and interwined. The air twisted violently.
The young candidates from both clans were pushed back and felt their blood slow down.
Elder He continued , her voice filled with a venomous delight. "It's not my clan's business but it's surely the Ancestral Fox Prince's business."
Elder Su's pupils constricted.
"And I doubt he is finished with your clan," she continued softly.
"Dropping tiers would be merciful. What if he intends to wipe you out entirely?"
The fox youths paled, breathing growing erratic.
"By then, do you think the White Fox faction will still stand with you?"
"After all, his true target is your Red Fox faction."
"Hmph.."
Prince Shao snorted lightly. He stepped out despite his pale face.
" You dare to speculate the intentions of the Ancestral Prince. It seems like your clan is tired of living."
"You…"
You think our clan's alliance is as weak as you imagine." He sneered.
"As expected of the Peacock Clan–Shortsighted and ignorant."
Elder He lunged towards him in fury but was intercepted by Elder Su.
He warned in a low voice "Fighting is forbidden in Qingyu Palace.."
Bai Shuo was really impressed by her fiance. He could still walk and talk under the pressure of two Dao and Law realm experts.
And he was daring.
Yet, confusion gnawed on her.
She had assumed that the Fox Clan was a major clan because in her past life, she had heard the news of how someone from a middle-tier clan defeated the then Ancestral Prince.
The Human realm knew that every clan that produced an Ancestral Prince in the Primordial Abyss always rise to become a major clan but the Fox Clan seemed to be on the opposite end.
Infact, they were on the verge of dropping to a low-tier clan.
Elder He cast Prince Shao a murderous glare before turning away, leading her group to the palace beside the Fox Clan's.
Bai Shuo tugged impatiently at Tushan Xin's sleeve.
She wanted answers.