Chapter 371
The Rage Within sect and Dancing Flames sect leaders floated in the middle of the valley a dozen feet from each other. There was a familiarity between the two but a tension that refused to leave, even when they were the only high-Tier allies each other had left. If Matt didn’t miss his guess, the two had been long-term rivals, which explained the familiarity and the distrust even now, with a greater enemy knocking at their doors.
Cui Ming was the sect master of the Rage Within sect and was nearly as much of a bear as his tattoos would imply. Despite not having a bloodline, he was 6’7 and still managed to look short thanks to just how wide and muscular he was. His body also pulsed with fire mana in rhythmic sets of three, five, seven, and nine before resetting, and Matt noted that down for when the fight kicked off.
Lang Ru, sect master of the Dancing Flames sect, was tall and slender with fiery praying mantis arm blades protruding from her back and over her shoulders, yet the overall impression she gave off was one of elegance rather than simple deadliness. An impressive feat considering Matt could tell that the scythes of flame would be capable of cutting through at-Tier steel.
Cui Ming growled out a response to their challenge. “You mewling whelps think you can control this? Control us? You merely court death.”
“You’re making me blush,” Liz cut in. “I’ve never been called death before.”
Matt made a noise of disagreement and Liz corrected herself. “Or, I suppose, I have. Whatever. Let’s cut to the core of this. I know you know that you’re part of the Empire now. There’s no getting out of that. It will come with certain restrictions, and your lives won’t be the same again. If you have issues with that, take it up with Emperor Emannuel. However, we are willing to grant you functional autonomy on-world, allowing you to keep most of your power and influence, if you can beat us in a fight. Right here, right now, as fair as can be. The two of us against the two of you.”
Lang Ru allowed a predatory grin to creep into existence. “It is refreshing to see civilized people within the Empire. I accept.”
Cui Ming folded his arms. “Soon you will see who your betters are. I accept.”
It sounded one-sided, because it technically was. There had been nothing that Matt and Liz had demanded for when they won, but that wouldn’t be needed. He knew Sect culture. They respected strength. Offering them this, the potential for near-freedom, would be the only way to get them to truly commit to a full-on fight. It would give them a chance to truly show their mettle, and therefore would be the perfect time to put them in their place.