After Wu Yu accepted the mission, the Yi Palace very quickly contacted the other seven centurions, who had already finished their preparations. Some had immediately led their troops to the city exit after receiving the mission.
When Wu Yu led Heaven's Equal Camp to the exit tunnel, five of the seven groups were already there. For these group movements, discipline was extremely rigid. The five groups had clustered tightly, standing behind their centurions.
The other four centurions all wore the Yan Huang Immortal Armor, which was generally the same. Amongst them, one was a middle-aged martial cultivator who was sturdily built. His face was unshaven and his gaze was strongly aggressive. He looked like a great general who had spent all his life on the back of a warhorse! Just on his looks and stance alone, he appeared to be a direct and blunt rough-and-ready sort.
"Wu Yu, didn't expect your Heaven's Equal Camp to snag up the last slot."
Of course, by the time Wu Yu had entered the main body with Heaven's Equal Camp, Huangfu Pojun boomed an easy laugh, stretching out a coarse, blackened palm to wave Wu Yu over.
"I'm Huangfu Pojun, the overall leader of this mission. Get to know the rest."
The rest of the centurions were all old friends, and only Wu Yu was new. In short order, Wu Yu briefly familiarized himself with the other centurions.
"Your Heaven's Equal Camp has quite the presence, despite being newly formed," Huangfu Pojun praised.
"It's all Commander Wu's efforts!" Heaven's Equal Camp boomed proudly in unison.
Having just finished, there was a huge disturbance in the distance. It seemed like the other two camps had arrived. Wu Yu looked over to see two camps marching over with gusto.
Huangfu Pojun lowered his voice. "When I was assigned to lead this mission, Chen Cangsong and Fang Qingliu had just accepted the mission. They were talking about getting their other friend to also take the mission, but it seems like you snatched it up before they could make it in time. You're a quick one."
"So it's like that?"
Wu Yu had not thought about that. All he knew was that when he had gone to browse missions, there was just one last slot left.
Of course, one had to be physically present in order to accept missions in the Yi Palace. The word of others did not count.
The exception was a centurion like Wu Yu accepting on behalf of his troops, in which case they need not be present. He simply needed to record the number of people going - they could not enter the Middle Yi Palace in any case.
If these two were urging their friend to go on the same mission, only to have it snatched up by him, then that was quite a frustrating thing indeed.
But the rule of Yan Huang Imperial City was first come, first served, and they could not do as they wished.
Of course, if he were in their shoes, he would be glum as well. And therefore he planned to make a small apology for having upset their plans.
Very quickly, the remaining Deep Pine Camp and Green Willow Camp fell in behind their two centurions, and the numbers were all ready.
"Who stole my little sister's mission?" The last two centurions were one male and one female, and both looked over 100 years old. One was called Chen Cangsong, and was a wizened, squat man with a sharp tongue and protruding cheekbones. The other was called Fang Qingliu, and she was the one who had spoken. She had rather nice features and was slender like a willow branch. And yet her expression was ugly, a nagging meanness that was fixed on Wu Yu.
"And who is this? Haven't seen him before," Fang Qingliu asked of Huangfu Pojun.
Huangfu Pojun laughed. "Little Sister Fang, haven't you paid attention to current events? You don't even know THE Wu Yu?" Chen Cangsong and Fang Qingliu were taken aback. So this youth was the legendary guy. It was said that he had beaten Gu Xuan and immediately risen to the position of centurion.
It went without saying that it must have had been Wu Yu who had sprung out of the blue and snatched her sister's spot.
The simmering resentment in her heart compounded with her discontent caused her to speak in an off-putting manner. "I was wondering who it was. So it was the legendary traitor of Shushan who has just been cast off and now is chasing the skirt of our Yan Huang Imperial City's genius, right? Not bad at all, it's just that your prior reputation doesn't look too good. Wu Yu, I'm the straightforward type. My words sometimes flow before I think, but that only shows that I'm the direct type. You won't take any offense to it, right? After all, I'm the kind that doesn't like to hide things."
Finishing, Chen Cangsong laughed from beside her. "Little Sister Fang's personality is indeed direct. I don't like those who beat around the bush either."
This was direct to say the least. They were directly venting their frustrations about the mission on Wu Yu.
Wu Yu always chose to ignore such people. He did not like to let insignificant people ruin his mood. Instead, it was the young martial cultivators of the Heaven's Equal Camp who were enraged. It was their first time out on a mission with Wu Yu, who had always been their idol. To hear him be taunted thus incensed them.
Wu Tianyu was the one who idolized Wu Yu the most, and he leapt up immediately. "Old hag, what are you saying? Wash your mouth out! It wasn't that we snatched the mission or anything! No need to scold us in such a roundabout manner! Direct personality, my foot!"
"Picking a fight over something so trifling, and it also snubs the other centurions. How tasteless." Zhen Yu sniped back as well.
The taunt caused both camps to be fired up. Instantly, a huge uproar broke out. Fang Qingliu had a dark expression after being called an old hag, and wanted to seize Wu Tianyu immediately.
"Impertinent! You dare to speak thus to a centurion!"
She was even more impertinent, reaching out to seize Wu Tianyu with no regard for Wu Yu.
Before she made her move, Wu Yu appeared in front of her. Even as she ignored him, darting forward, Wu Yu responded with a counter-stab. His casual move was still imbued with the power of the Xuan Immortal Spirit Petrifying Sword Technique, and it directly stabbed the scalp of Fang Qingliu, sending her back.
She had been foiled, and instead forced back by Wu Yu, inciting rowdy laughter from Heaven's Equal Camp that set her quivering with rage. From the side, Chen Cangsong raged, "A fine example, Wu Yu! You dare to turn your hand on another centurion within the inner city!?"
He was just about to bully Wu Yu alongside Fang Qingliu and vent his frustrations. But Wu Yu knew that Huangfu Pojun was nearby. If he let them do as they pleased, then his authority would be in the dust.
"ENOUGH! STOP. ALL OF YOU. The next one who moves, the next one who speaks, get out of the party!"
His voice thundered across, crushing the rash youngsters. Of course, Wu Yu was not moving. He had moved once to repel Fang Qingliu and then snapped back to a stance of attention. And therefore, Huangfu Pojun was not targeting him, but instead the other two who were ready to act.
The entire place calmed down.
"Chen Cangsong, Fang Qingliu, let me make things clear. Wu Yu did not intentionally steal your friend's mission. This was your own fault for not making it in time, and you cannot blame others. This mission is extremely crucial. We have accepted the riches of the Inner Sea Dao Sect, and we have to solve their crisis for them! This matter ends here. If it affects the mission, then I will cast the culprit out, no matter who it is, even if we're in the middle of the broil. Not only will they not be able to receive any merits, but they will also be punished. Am I clear?"
His authority was still there. After all, he had the speaking right equivalent to four centurions. As long as his decision was not outrageous, there would at least be two centurions who would support him.
It was impossible for any centurion to go up against him.
Wu Yu could not be bothered to fight childishly with this woman. He turned back to address Heaven's Equal Camp. "Heard that? Don't say anything that doesn't need to be said. We cultivate the dao, and do not seek victory through scolding and words."
They had indeed come out ahead in this, and were secretly celebrating inwardly. Therefore, they laughed loudly and replied, "Yes, Sir!"
This chorus was uniform and a grand sight to behold.
"Alright, let's go!" Huangfu Pojun had strong operational command skills. After settling the affair, they departed immediately. Wu Yu led Heaven's Equal Camp, and the hundred held hands and looked around. Nodding, Wu Yu caught on to the other Yan Huang Immortal Soldiers, and close to 1,000 members of the Yan Huang Immortal Army were strung together as they leapt into the vortex.
This was his second time in.
The vortex churned and the force stream swept them away to a far away cloud below Yan Huang Imperial City. After they regained their footing, the core of their force, Huangfu Pojun bellowed, "Get out of the way!"
Wu Yu had no idea what he was doing, but controlled the movement of the Heaven's Equal Camp troops to disperse.
"Yan Huang Warship. Rise!"
From within his Sumeru Pouch, Huangfu Pojun pulled out a beam of golden light, which expanded violently, actually taking the form of an enormous warship in their midst! It was a warship made out of some metallic material, evidently a rare precious metal. This huge warship was an immortal treasure, and appeared to be an extremely valuable supreme immortal treasure at that. Although the ship was huge, many Immortal Treasure Spirit Designs could be seen at critical places!
The entire warship had over 3,000 Immortal Treasure Spirit Designs, distributed all over, including the hull, the cabin, over the deck, etc. Of course, this warship was currently floating in the air. Evidently, it could not only traverse the seas, but also roam the skies.
A flying ship!
"Huangfu Pojun actually has such an immortal treasure?" Wu Yu was flabbergasted. He calculated that such a class of immortal treasure had to be worth at least 3,000 Inner Sea Essence Pills, which meant three million merits. The cost of this Yan Huang Warship alone would have passed the cost of the mission.
"Commander Wu, this is the immortal treasure of General Commander Huangfu. Do you not even know about the Yan Huang Warship of Yan Huang Imperial City?" Zhen Yu laughed cheekily while regarding Wu Yu.
Behind him, Heaven's Equal Camp took up laughter. Evidently, only Wu Yu did not know about this.
Finally, Fang Chaoqun explained, "This is the immortal treasure of Yan Huang Imperial City, and Huangfu Pojun only has the right to use it due to the special nature of the mission. After it is over, he has to return it. The Yan Huang Warship is the fortress of Yan Huang Imperial City outside. It is equivalent to a moving castle. One need only hide inside and activate the spirit designs together, and it will be immeasurably difficult for enemies to break through, unless they are very, very strong. Besides that, this Yan Huang Warship also has extreme speeds which can carry us thousand-odd people quickly to the East Sea. Otherwise, given that the majority are fifth tier Jindan Dao cultivators, it would take us very long to reach the East Sea!"
"I see."
Wu Yu understood now.