Lu Yong sat back and tapped his finger on the table, lost in thought. If the Spirit Mountain Sect had only now sent a team to take care of the snake, that meant that they hadn't known about the beast's existence until recently. It was a good bet that the creature had gotten a lucky opportunity. That would account for its astonishing growth and cultivation...a growth that had to have happened too fast for any of the local sects to have picked up on it.

Lu Yong's eyes glittered at the thought of finding that opportunity and increasing his own power.

Wu Chen glanced at his guardian, unable to read his face. However, as a cultivator, he could certainly guess his thoughts. 'You want to go after the snake.' It was a statement, not a question.

His Guardian nodded. 'I do. I think it's discovered something interesting, and we'd be fools not to find out what that might be.'

Wu Chen laughed. 'A giant poisonous Three Banded Cobra with cultivation techniques is guarding whatever it is. There are, after all, only two of us. While I don't doubt your capabilities, Guardian, are you certain we wouldn't be bigger fools to attempt it?'

He knew that if it were true that the snake guarded some kind of high ranking cultivation material, it would be a great chance for Lu Yong to increase his strength again. He was more than willing to risk it for his Guardian and had already made up his mind to join him.

He couldn't help teasing him a little, though.

Lu Yong grinned at his young ward and gave him a shrug. 'Great risks bring greater rewards. As cultivators, wouldn't we lose face if we didn't at least try?'

Wu Chen sighed and shook his head in mock resignation over his teacup. Taking a sip of the fragrant brew, he suddenly sat up straight as a disturbing thought crossed his mind. The memory of taking on the Devil Bear alone caused him to glance at his Guardian with a raised eyebrow. 'This isn't going to be another one of your 'training sessions', is it?' He couldn't help harboring a slight suspicion.

A slow smile appeared on Lu Yong's face as he looked into Wu Chen's narrowed fox eyes. He leaned over and whispered into his ear with a husky voice, 'No. I have more interesting things to train you in now.'

Wu Chen immediately set the teacup down with shaking hands, his entire body reacting to his Guardian's shameless words combined with his warm breath on his sensitive ear. 'Lu Yong!' he hissed, darting a nervous glance around the teahouse. His face was burning with embarrassment.

Obviously, Lu Yong couldn't resist a little teasing either.

************************************************

Wu Bao sat in Wu Hall, his dark glare taking in the three representatives arrogantly standing before him. Wu Ying sat to his left, barely containing his rage. His angered breaths, which were forced through gritted teeth, sounded loud in the tense atmosphere. Wu Bao lightly patted his son's clenched fist in a silent signal to calm down.

'I know it may seem presumptuous,' the Elder of the Thunder Palace Sect, Kai Song, said smoothly. His golden robes of finest silk rustled as he stepped closer to the clan leader. 'However, by agreeing to ally yourself in this way, you will have the power and prestige of the Thunder Palace backing you.'

Kai Song was the youngest looking representative there. Although he only appeared to be in his early thirties, he was much older, and his aura contained barely restrained power. He was a full head taller than Wu Ying, and his dark brown hair that reached to the center of his back was done in a half-topknot crowned with a simple gold band and matching pin. His intelligent amber eyes were currently focused on the stubborn clan leader with barely concealed disdain. After all, his sect was the most prestigious of the Righteous faction, and he saw no reason anyone would refuse a request made by his Sect Leader.

'Hmmph.' snorted the Venom Palace Elder, Xue Wan. His arms were wrapped in the deep green of his sect and crossed over his chest. Startling blue eyes narrowed beneath bushy white eyebrows at Kai Song. His thin lips, which peeked through a long wispy white mustache and beard, were turned downward in a disapproving frown. Long white hair was tied with a green ribbon at the small of his back and flowed from the ribbon down in a ponytail to the top of his thigh. He carried the aura of a wise sage despite the fact that he was an elder of one of the most powerful demonic sects.

'Your sect is hundreds of li away from the Wu Clan and has never even attended one of their events, nor did you ever stoop to inviting the Wu Clan to your events or recruitment trials. Where was your power and prestige back then? Since when has the Wu Clan ever been in your eyes?' Xue Wan gazed triumphantly at the younger Kai Song, daring him to disagree.

Kai Song turned to glare at Xue Wan and sniffed disdainfully. 'That is not true. We invited Wu Chen to the trials after he broke through the 5th Foundation Level.'

The third man began chuckling, his gruff voice thundered with pride in the near empty hall. 'But he turned you down, just like he turned all the other sect invitations down. Right?' Kai Song glared at the man, but he couldn't refute him.

Tai San's battle-hardened physique was encased in shining steel armor that exuded power. He had worn his mythical Tortoise Shell Armor specifically to remind the proud Wu Bao of the advantages of being a sect member. He rested his large spirit infused battle hammer on the ground and leaned on it comfortably. His deep-set eyes and thick brows glared their disapproval at his fellow guests.

'Wu Bao, we have known each other for many years.' He raised those deep eyes to the clan leader before him. His respect was real, but his arrogance as an immortal sect member facing the mortal Wu Bao was palpable and no less than the other two representatives. 'Do you really want to send your clan members into the sneaky political shark pool of these men? It would be no better than forcing your clansmen to enter a harem! Wouldn't it be better to let them learn honest battle tactics and improve their sword skills in my Exalted Battle Sect?'

'Tai San, are you implying that we can't train our own clansmen in the Way of the Sword or that we cannot become enlightened beings without your help?' Wu Bao's voice was quiet, but his face was dark with growing anger.

Tai San locked his gaze with Wu Bao's and shrugged. 'There are advantages the sects have over the clans. You can't deny that.'

Wu Ying snorted beside his father and crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes burned with humiliation, and he sneered. 'So, what you mean to say is you really don't think we can learn the Way of the Sword or become enlightened without you. How kind of you to lower yourself to teach your secrets to us filthy mortals.'

'Wu Ying...' warned Wu Bao.

'That wasn't what I meant.' Tai San growled at Wu Ying, only shooting a glance at the angry young man before turning back to Wu Bao. 'Your clan is far more compatible with our Battle Sect than these spoiled sects.'

'And yet, you are requesting the same concessions as these 'spoiled sects', is that not correct Tai San?' Wu Bao asked calmly.

'I...You...' Tai San sputtered into silence, his ears reddened in embarrassment. He was unable to answer because it was true, and they both knew it.

Wu Bao stood, and Wu Ying quickly stood with him. 'Your guest rooms have been prepared. I think it's best if we all just relax for the night and put this unpleasant subject behind us for now.' 

He held up a hand to forestall the denials of the representatives. 'I have listened to your advice and requests, and I see no reason to change the way we are already doing things...for now. My clansmen should have the chance to decide for themselves which is the right path for them without a need to force them into joining any sect their dao doesn't lead them to. As the Clan Leader, my responsibility is to guide and represent my clan, not dictate to them. Now, have a good night, gentlemen. We will talk again tomorrow.'

Wu Bao gave them a perfunctory bow and led an enraged Wu Ying out of the Wu Hall. The three men stood in stunned silence, having been left with frowning guards to escort them to their guest rooms.

'Well, that went about the way I expected.' Xue Wan growled sarcastically.

************************************************

'You're not really considering this, are you father?' Wu Ying had been pacing before his father's study desk but had suddenly stiffened at his father's words. The young man's incredulous look begged his father to reconsider.

'Wu Ying, I know how you're feeling right now, and I feel the same way,' Wu Bao was rubbing his forehead with his left hand, his eyes closed in frustration and worry. 'You must understand that it is a fact that the sects are more powerful than clans are. Right now, they are being polite and giving us face by sending representatives rather than demanding with their strength. The only question at this point is how long before they really do use that strength.'

His worried eyes gazed up at the fiery youth before him. One day, Wu Ying would be the clan leader, and this was a learning opportunity...even if it was a horrible dilemma for Wu Bao himself.

The leader cleared his throat, and with a clear voice lectured, 'Wu Ying, the hardest part of being a clan leader isn't the paperwork, or the boring banquets, or even the multiple clan disputes. It's knowing that each of your decisions will affect everyone in the clan. Pride, arrogance, anger...these things have no importance in the face of a choice between what you want and what is best for the whole clan. The clan, and its people, have to come first, no matter the situation. Do you understand?'

Wu Ying looked into his father's tired eyes and felt the fire of his anger begin to die down. He knew that his father was weighing all the pros and cons of the sects demands and had to come up with a decision based on what was best for the clan members. Of course he knew that. It didn't make the humiliation any easier to swallow.

'This deal will greatly affect the strength of our clan, though.' argued Wu Ying. 'I see no real benefit to us. Their demand for the top five cultivators over 4th Foundation Building level from the Wu Clan every year for the next ten years is a blatant attempt to weaken us! Then, their second demand that we test all ten year olds for mandatory recruitment every year until the end of time is meant to keep us weak.'

Wu Bao nodded. He was glad to see that Wu Ying had spotted what the sects were really after with this sudden demand for recruits. However, it didn't change the threat hanging over their heads.

'You are right. They are trying to weaken us.' he rested his head on his fist and asked his son, 'So what do you think I should do in this situation?'

Wu Ying stood up straight, his eyes burning. Through gritted teeth, he bit out, 'We should politely send them back to their sects with nothing but refusals ringing in their ears.'

Wu Bao nodded, then asked, 'And when they come back with their thousands of battle trained disciples wearing mystical armor and wielding qi powered weapons and advanced techniques, what then? When the leaders, whose cultivation often enters Nascent Soul, come to destroy our clan, how will you defend those clan members who haven't even reached the 3rd Foundation Building Level, hmm? How about the servants who work here who can't even cultivate? How will you defend your decision to their families?'

He shook his head, the weight of the world on his shoulders, and sighed. 'For some reason, the sects have decided that the clans are a threat to them. If they can't weaken us, they will simply annihilate us. Do you see the real danger now?'

Wu Ying's head dropped low, his fists shaking at his sides. His eyes were red with impotent rage, and his chest felt stuffy. He wanted to fight. He wanted to argue that there had to be a way. But the reality was that there wasn't one. The Immortal Sects were meant to be the protectors of the mortals, so they were naturally stronger than the clans. If it came down to a fight against the sects, the mortal clans wouldn't stand a chance.

Wu Bao watched his proud son work his way through the problem. He knew the exact moment he realized that there was nothing they could do to stop the Immortal Sects from bullying them. He watched with misty eyes as Wu Ying's tightly clenched fists slowly relaxed with his acceptance, and he nodded his approval.

Wu Ying would one day make a fine Clan Leader.