85 Five Heads

- Tie Clan: Throne Room -

Inside Tie clan's throne room, the clan elders were reporting this year's yield.

"The Concussion Sunflower Fields are producing a yield of a hundred and thirty percent higher than previously predicted."

"Iron Needle Shatter Gu has received a huge boost to production, we've found that we can replace a large portion of the Red Wing Grass with the cheaper and generally looked down upon Red Ground Grass."

"Multiple Demonic Gu Master's have gone missing in the past three months. Recently this also includes the Demonic duo Hun Cho and Qi Cuo."

Many of the elders frowned at that last part, Hun Cho and Qi Cuo were the cream of the crop. Emotion Path and Soul Path were both tricky paths to defend against. As such any news on them going missing doesn't mean they're dead, it instead means that they're planning something.

Sitting on his throne Tie Mu Bai felt one of his bones begin to ache. It wasn't aching from a recent fight or even a long past fight, but rather he wanted to feel young again. To fight against strong foes and capture them for the glory of the Tie Clan. This wasn't the first time he felt this aching feeling, in truth, he'd been feeling this way for months. And with this rush of good news coming in, he felt that now was finally the time to announce his retirement.

"Our Tie clan in the past decade has been growing exponentially, Demonic Gu Masters fear us and righteous Gu Masters revere us."

All the elders nodded in reverence, after all, the person to thank for this, was sitting right in front of them. Tie Mu Bai, is one of the most powerful leaders the Tie clan has ever had. If his list of achievements were written down on a piece of paper, it would reach from where he currently sat, to through the doors at the entranceway.

"However! We must always remain vigilant. Hun Cho and Qi Cuo are not the types to simply give up, they're probably up to something. We should ask for help from one of Xia clan's Wisdom Path Gu Masters."

In the past, asking for help from other clans would be seen as a sign of weakness, but since Tie Mu Bai's starting reign, he set new standards in place: Better training for the youth before they were sent out into the world. Creating trade routes to better the prosperity of Tie Clan. And cooperative work with other clans, after all, what could be weaker than choosing to let others suffer, all because you weren't willing to work with someone from another clan.

Tie Mu Bai could see all the elders with smiles on their faces, each feeling hope for the clan's future. Hope was a powerful force, it allowed people to look toward the future and plan for things they never would have if they thought they had no future. Yup, Tie Clan was looking good. Even two months from now Supreme Elder Tie Shi Ren was coming to do a check-up on his health. He felt it was time to announce his retirement.

"Sadly, I won't..."

The front doors to the chamber room burst open as a Gu Master came running in, interrupting Tie Mu Bai's speech. All the elders turned their attention to the man, wanting to berate him for interrupting without prior notice, however, since the man was gasping for air, what he had to say was of clear importance.

Tie Mu Bai raised his hand, giving the Gu Master permission to speak.

After taking a deep breath, the Gu Master shouted, "The head of rank-5 Demonic Gu Master Gao Xia has been collected."

Expressions of surprise echoed across the room as many of the elders let out gasps of joy. Gao Xia wasn't just some rank-5 Demonic Gu Master, he'd been a pain in the Tie Clans' ass for years. He was well known for his deadly technique using three arms and his insatiable drive toward hunting down members of Tie Clan.

Everyone began to nod their heads with much fervor, the day just kept getting better and better. However, the messenger's next words changed their expressions from that of surprise and joy to complete disbelief.

"The head of rank-5 Demonic Gu Master Hao Lee has been collected."

"The head of rank-5 Demonic Gu Master Vai Tao has been collected."

"The heads of the rank-5 demonic Gu Master duo Hun Cho and Qi Cuo have been collected."

One of the elders abruptly rose from his seat with his hand pointing at the Gu Master, "Let it be known, if you are lying, a punishment far worse than you can imagine will await you!"

The Gu Master quickly fell on his hands and knees, "I dare not lie to our clan's esteemed elders, I personally even checked multiple times, to make sure this information was without a doubt, correct."

Rising from his seat, Tie Mu Bai eagerly asked, "Which clan took care of them?"

"It wasn't a clan! One man did this! He's currently waiting at the south gate!"

- Tie Clan: Southern Gate -

In front of the southernmost entrance to the Tie Clan. A full hour before Tie clan's annual reports begin. Stood a man, his body covered from head to toe in claws, there being only holes for his eyes to see through. A hat made of claws sat snuggly atop his head. The start of a rope rested in his hands, and at the end of the rope tied by their hair were the heads of five rank-5 Demonic Gu Masters.

The guard saw the man walking up to the gate, thinking to himself, "Is a Demonic Gu Master turning himself in?" His eyes turned to the heads tied to the end of the rope causing him to panic, he shouted, "Don't move demon! Or I will attack you!"

The man raised his hands to show he had no intentions of fighting. "A little bird told me that the prestigious Tie clan wants the heads of these five Demonic Gu Masters." His words were slow and carried a hint of mockery in them.

The guard narrowed his eyes as he took a closer look at the five heads, before widening them in shock and disbelief.

Behind the guard, a rank-4 Tie clan member could be seen running, shouting the words, "Tie Chi return to your post!"

Upon making it to the mysterious fellow, he raised his hand showing a Message Gu firmly within its grasp, "Are you, Xie Ling?"

"That would indeed be me," replied Xie Ling nonchalantly as he lifted the blood-stained rope, with the heads swinging back and forth.