I Shall Steal the Heavens 233 Chapter 232: Reinforcements

Zhu Jiao finally buckled and fell over, laughing in delight. Despite his indignified tumble, he looked overjoyed.

"Bastard…Fei Wu, you're finally back to normal!"

"Thanks to you." I rubbed my head and shook it, trying to ease the pain. Then I turned to Bai Ning Xue and Tong Xue. "And also thanks to you two."

Bai Ning Xue shook her head, while Tong Xue continued to gape at me. I swear, my friend looked as if he was going to cry.

"Finally…" he said, on the verge of tears. "You've snapped out of it. You're really back!"

"Sorry about that." I lowered my head. "I must have given you guys quite the scare."

"On the contrary."

I glanced up and spotted Zi Shou De hobbling toward me. He was currently flanked by a contingent of Blood Blades bodyguards and a wounded Hai Rong. His wife, Zi Da Ji, descended to support him.

"You saved our sect." Zi Shou De managed a weary smile. "Your methods may be…brutal, but given the circumstances, you had no choice. You undoubtedly saved the sect."

He didn't mention Tang Qi Hong. He didn't even glance in the direction of her corpse, which was still cradled by Lian Rou.

I instinctively understood that it wasn't because he was cold or indifferent to her death. Zi Shou De was on the verge of mental collapse, and looking at the body of his adopted daughter would drive him over the edge. As the sect leader, he couldn't afford to fall apart, not now, not when the sect was barely hanging on together.

Zi Da Ji glanced quietly in Tang Qi Hong's direction, and then closed her eyes tearfully, unable to speak.

"We have suffered horrendous losses, but we've escaped annihilation." Zi Shou De gritted his teeth, his tone saturated with pain. Not physical pain, but emotional pain. I could hear the trembling in his voice. "Thanks to you, Fei Wu."

Zhu Jiao and Bai Ning Xue stepped to the side awkwardly, glancing at the destruction and trying to absorb it all. Earlier, they were too occupied with fighting me to appreciate the true magnitude of what had occurred here, but now that the fighting had abated, it finally sunk into them just how devastated Nine-Tailed Fox Sect was.

As well as the horrifying casualties we managed to inflict on the thirteen invading sects.

"Miss from the White Tiger Sect." Xie Zhi Zhang bowed respectfully to her. "Are you alone? Or are we to presume that the White Tiger Sect will be arriving shortly?"

"You presume correctly." Bai Ning Xue nodded. "My sect is coming in full force. They will reach Tushan City in fifteen minutes."

"Or what's left of Tushan City, anyway," I muttered.

Long Shen smiled grimly when he heard the news. "The fighting will finally be over."

Xie Zhi Zhang and Song Si Yuan exchanged glances, and then turned to him.

"As we discussed earlier, Elder Long, the Song Clan would like for Fei Wu to live. We would ask that you hand him over to our custody."

"…hmph. You want the Spirit Bombs that he invented, don't you?" Long Shen snorted. "And stop pretending to be polite. You are from the three chief clans that rule over the Martial Arts Alliance. Since when do you need to negotiate with my Green Dragon Sect?"

"We thank Elder Long for understanding." Xie Zhi Zhang bowed politely.

The two high-ranked experts from the Martial Arts Alliance had recognized the value of my Sunburst bombs.

They had personally witnessed the firepower of those seven Sunburst bombs upclose and in person. Despite their strength and cultivation level, they knew that even they would not be able to escape unscathed if they suffered the full brunt of a Sunburst bomb's explosion.

I had invented a terrifying Spirit Weapon that was capable of obliterating an entire sect and annihilating a whole army. The Martial Arts Alliance, despite accusing Nine-Tailed Fox Sect of harboring weapons of mass destruction and fabricating false justifications to invade us, when they became aware that such a device existed, they desired it for themselves.

Compared to my Sunburst bombs, even all the wealth and resources in Nine-Tailed Fox Sect and Hai Mo seemed insignificant. To them, anyway. If they really believed that, then they were bigger idiots than I thought they were.

And I already had a bad impression of them to begin with…about how hypocritical and idiotic they were to start a war against Nine-Tailed Fox Sect.

Long Shen was not the kind who looked at the big picture, and was more obsessed with fighting, but even he realized the great importance that Xie Zhi Zhang and Song Si Yuan placed on my Sunburst bombs. But as a member of a subordinate sect to the Martial Arts Alliance, he was in no position to protest.

"Lord Song, Lord Xie." Fu Zhuo Hui bowed from a distance.

He was one of the very few sect leaders left, with the vast majority of them having died either from the Sunburst bomb explosions, or at my hands. Well, given that I invented and mined those Sunburst bombs, and was the one who detonated them, that meant those who died in the explosions still died by my hands anyway.

In any case, the survivors of the thirteen sects were gathering at the edges of the plaza. There were so few of them left. Led by Fu Zhuo Hui and Feng Lin, they kept a safe distance away from the remnants of Nine-Tailed Fox Sect.

At the beginning, the amassed forces of Dark Asura Sect, Divine Shadow Sect, Cloud Sky Mountain, the Seven Valley Sects, and even Heavenly Way Sect, Green Dragon Sect and Kunlun Sect numbered over ten thousand. Over ten thousand enemy martial artists had attacked Nine-Tailed Fox Sect.

First, Yuan Tian Ya and Liang Yang Zu died. Then they were followed by Jiu Liu Yu, Yin Xue Sheng, Yin Xue Di, Cao Yuan Rui, Wu Tuo, Shi Jing Yun, Su Bai Xue, Ji Liu, Fu Chang and Jiang Yuan. All of them dying fiery or brutal deaths.

One group at a time, they had been wiped out. Now, out of over ten thousand, just slightly less than a hundred had remained. Never mind the ninety percent who had first died in the Sunburst explosions, now less than even one percent remained. The nine percent had died in the further extremely bitter and bloody clash between Blood Blades martial artists and the desperate invaders braying for vengeance.

Feng Lin, probably to take revenge for her late husband, started forward, but Song Si Yuan raised a hand to restrain her. She fell in beside Xie Jing Lian and Yang Zhong, still simmering with resentment. As if she was allowed to take revenge and kill other people, but we weren't allowed to defend ourselves. What a bitch.

The subordinate sects of the Martial Arts Alliance stopped to study the still defiant members of Nine-Tailed Fox Sect. We had also suffered heavy casualties, probably losing forty-five percent of our number, and were in a similarly terrible state. Hai Rong stared fiercely back at them, as if daring them to do something, while Elder Zhao maintained his stoic expression. Of the Great Elders, only Luo Zhi Chang was left, the other five having died during the vicious siege. There were also only seven inner sect elders left after the struggle.

Zi Xiao Ji had now joined Lian Rou and was sobbing next to her. The two girls huddled above Zi Xiao Ji's adopted sister, and leaned on each other as they wept quietly. Da Ge watched over the two quietly. I noticed that Zhao Shi was conspicuously absent. Later, I would learn that she had perished during the final battle, taking an attack meant for Zi Xiao Ji.

The enemies then dragged their gaze to Lang Xie, who was nursing his injuries alongside his elite Blood Blades warriors, and pointedly ignoring their gazes. Finally, they turned to stare at Tian Yu Di, who was regarding the entire scene with indifferent amusement.

Everyone fell silent. Then they finally turned to stare at me.

Apparently they seemed to be thinking that I was the reason that Nine-Tailed Fox Sect survived until now, and made them pay a heavy price in blood.

They gave me far too much credit.

Okay, perhaps I did contribute a little during the first wave, unleashing Tian Yu Di upon Yuan Tian Ya, Liang Yang Zu, Shi Jing Yun, Wu Tuo and Su Bai Xue, and taking the last three prisoners. But that last bit was at Lang Xie's command, not mine.

And yeah…all right, I was the one who nuked ninety percent of the invading forces to oblivion with my Sunburst bombs. But that was all I did, really. The other people contributed a hell lot more than I did. Without the Blood Blades, even if I nuked the invading army, the sect still would have fallen. Without Lang Xie's ruthless decisions to take hostages and cut their arms off as a warning, we would have been invaded before I could complete my Sunburst bombs. Without Hai Rong taking charge of Blood Blades' final defense, Zi Shou De would have been killed, and our final resistance would have crumbled. Without Tang Qi Hong, who valiantly sacrified her life to save mine, I would have died.

So it wasn't just me alone. It was everyone. I wasn't some Mary Sue protagonist who could singlehandedly saved the sect by myself. Only authors who enjoyed wanking off to their own protagonists would praise them to high heaven and give them all the credit while ignoring the contributions of all the other characters.

Unfortunately, it was true that I did deal an unimaginable blow to the thirteen sects who had the gall to invade us.

"This brat has the guts, but he has spilled too much blood. What a pity…" Long Shen sighed and shook his head in regret. He was beginning to admire me for some reason.

"He was only fighting back to save his sect," Shen Tian Yi mused sadly. "I would have done the same if I were in his position."

Xie Zhi Zhang glanced at Xie Jing Lian and grimaced. "…Jing Lian is not as skilled as Song Ting Yu in assessing people and negotiating with them. If Song Ting Yu was the one handling this, Fei Wu would have already submitted, willingly becoming the sword and shield of the Song Family. It is such a pity."
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"Lord Song, Lord Xie…we can't just let them go." Feng Lin was gritting her teeth in frustration. "They killed so many of us, and have so much of our brethren and comrades' blood on their hands. We can't just let them go like this!"

"We also have the blood of their comrades and family on our hands, do we not?" Shen Tian Yi countered indifferently. "How are we any different from them? We are the ones who attacked them first. They were only fighting back."

"Too many people have died," Song Si Yuan added wearily. "What meaning is there to take any more lives?"

"Nonetheless, Nine-Tailed Fox Sect should compensate for our losses. They really were harboring those weapons of mass destruction." Fu Zhuo Hui's tone was frosty, but not murderous or vengeful. "We were right in attacking them."

"We only invented those weapons of mass destruction after you attacked us!" Zi Da Ji snapped. "And that was only an excuse for you to steal our wealth! Stop trying to hide behind rhetoric and the law, when you know this whole thing was bullshit to begin with!"

"That's enough." Long Shen sighed. "The White Tiger Sect is coming to reinforce us soon. We'll decide what to do with Nine-Tailed Fox Sect after they arrive."

"I think there's a misunderstanding, Elder Long," Bai Ning Xue spoke up. Everyone turned to look at her.

"What do you mean?" Long Shen asked, his brow furrowing.

"White Tiger Sect is not here to reinforce the thirteen sects who have participated in the invasion." As she spoke up, the roar of helicoptors and growls of APCs were rolling into the ruins of Tushan City, all bearing the banners of White Tiger Sect. It wasn't just White Tiger Sect. Mobile aircraft bearing the heraldry of Red Phoenix Sect were also swooping in and delivering martial artists dressed in the crimson and gold uniform of Red Phoenix Sect. "White Tiger Sect has ceded from the Martial Arts Alliance, effectively today. We are here to reinforce the Imperial Guard. As has Red Phoenix Sect. They have also announced their exit from the Martial Arts Alliance."

Right behind the White Tiger APCs, armored personnel carriers bearing the regalia of the royal family – the Imperial Guard – rumbled inside, their tracks grounding rumble to dust. Infantry poured out of the armored fighting vehicles, dressed in the uniform of the Imperial Guard, and marched to surround the remnants of the thirteen sects.

"What is the meaning of this?" Fu Zhuo Hui demanded, aghast.

Bai Ning Xue drew her smartphone and played the video where Shi Jing Yun, Wu Tuo and Su Bai Xue confessed to the whole farce of the Martial Arts Alliance invading Nine-Tailed Fox Sect because they were afraid, and because they wanted our wealth and resources.

In other words, the video I had recorded, streamed live, and uploaded into the Internet. The very same one that spread over social media like wildfire.

"This is evidence of your misdeeds…of the misdeeds of the Martial Arts Alliance." Bai Ning Xue paused for a moment for her words to sink in. "It took a while, but the Diet came to a decision, and finally allowed the royal family to dispatch the Imperial Guard. Several of the other major sects have also discussed the criminality of the Martial Arts Alliance's actions, and decided that we want no part in this. Hence the withdrawal of our membership."

She gestured toward the White Tiger Sect martial artists and Red Phoenix Sect martial artists who were approaching in a circle to trap the dismayed invading forces.

"And if you're expecting reinforcements from the Martial Arts Alliance…I'm afraid there won't be any. The Martial Arts Alliance has distanced themselves from the thirteen sects who have participated in the invasion and claimed that you have been acting independently, outside of orders. How true that is, we will find out after an investigation. But for now, you're on your own."

"No way…"

"Impossible…"

"It can't be…"

The fight had been taken out of the invading martial artists present. They were all falling to their knees in shock and despair, especially after learning that their leaders had abandoned them.

"Oh…you've done quite an excellent job here."

Lei Yong Chun cheerfully approached, leading a huge contingent of White Tiger Sect martial artists. Opposite him, Nan Ke and Feng Tian Yong were at the head of an approaching Red Phoenix Sect platoon.

"You're late, Senior," Bai Ning Xue told him sharply.

"Hey, we got here as fast as we could," Lei Yong Chun protested, feigning hurt.

"Tian Yong! You're here too!" Tong Xue was waving at the red-haired guy. Feng Tian Yong gave us a small smile and nodded slightly, but he didn't dare step out of formation. I exhaled a sigh of relief, particularly more so when the crimson and gold uniformed martial artists marched past us and toward the kneeling or shellshocked martial aritsts from the thirteen invading sects.

Unlike them, Nan Ke was all business. Without exchanging any pleasantries or greeting anyone, she merely issued an order to her troops.

"Take them into custody."

They obeyed.

"Right…they've been vouched for." Lei Yong Chun gestured to Xie Zhi Zhang, Song Si Yuan, and Shen Tian Yi. "The Martial Arts Alliance said they were sent to negotiate for peace and a ceasefire between the two forces."

"They were definitely on the pacifist side!" Tian Yu Di cackled, eliciting a strange stare from Lei Yong Chun. The White Tiger Sect head disciple was obviously wondering who the ancient elder was, but he was wise enough to refrain from asking.

"But for the rest…" Lei Yong Chun continued with a strained smile. "Arrest them."

"Yes, First Senior."

Without hesitation, the silver and blue robed martial artists of the White Tiger Sect complied, moving in step with Red Phoenix Sect and rounding up the prisoners before the disbelieving eyes of the survivors of Nine-Tailed Fox Sect.

And at long last…the war for Nine-Tailed Fox Sect was over.

Chapter end