The next morning, the Skyward General left Cloud Edge City, skirted the edge of the sea of clouds and headed for the south. Chen Wentian and his disciples were all aboard. There was nothing else for them to do at the Temple of the Clouds. One day in the future, they would come back. But for now, they had to go back and support Long Yifei.
The flying boat was captained by Immortal Silver Brawler Yu Yanwu. The old man expertly controlled the craft to soar across the vast open sky. Also aboard was Immortal Sage Gardner Zhang Qing. His base of operations was the Temple of the Clouds but he came along for a specific purpose and that was to forcibly recruit another bandit immortal for their lord.
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Several hundred kilometers to the south, another flying boat was also heading south, away from the temple. This boat was slightly longer than the Skyward General and had a sleeker profile. Its speed was thus a little faster.
This boat was named the Great Lady Song. Its owner was a female bandit lord known as Immortal Tiger Mother Song Sao. She was a big, burly woman who stood two meters tall and one meter wide. Her muscles and ferocious face make her seem like a tiger in human form. She was a member of the Hero Alliance of Mount Liang, just like Yu Yanwu and Zhang Qing. But more importantly, she was someone who Yu Yanwu also had a heavy grudge with.
The reason for the grudge was equally as trivial as the one with Zhang Qing. Yu Yanwu operated a ferry service between the Temple of the Clouds and the Hundred Battlefields. Since he had seniority, nobody else in the alliance competed with him for this little bit of business. However, after Song Sao joined, she had no such scruples and directly became his competitor, operating the same route with a boat that was better than his.
Over the years, the two immortals got into many squabbles over this matter. Although Yu Yanwu had a nephew who was also a Spirit Lord in Yu Baosi, Song Sao was a ferocious fighter. They couldn't beat her, even when working together.
However, today, Yu Yanwu was finally going to get some payback.
Boom!
A terrible explosion shook the Great Lady Song. The flying boat jumped and then started to fall out of the sky.
"What happened!" Song Sao roared like a tiger mother.
"The flying array… the flying array!" An underling shouted.
Song Sao moved like the wind, her huge body transforming into an afterimage. She entered the lower decks and found the large flying spiritual array in pieces on the wooden floor. A few underlings were lying still in pools of blood while two more held a third by the arms like a prisoner.
"My lord! It was Captain Jin! He sabotaged the array. I saw him!"
"I saw him as well! My Lord, we swear on our ancestors!"
Song Sao glared at the old man being held, "Jin Yuren, why?"
The one named Jun Yuren looked up with a satisfied smile and spat out a mouthful of blood.
Song Sao's expression darkened and her palm swept out. With a sound like a hand slapping the table, she directly smashed the traitor into meat paste. She then cast one more furious glance at the ruined array before going back out.
With the flying array destroyed, the boat could no longer stay afloat. Even now, it was falling toward the ground, gaining speed with each passing moment. Song Sao flew around the ship and came to the bottom. She placed two hands on the hull and pushed with all her might.
"Fly! Damn grannies, keep flying!" She howled as she pushed.
The flying boat, laden with a full crew and cargo, weighed as much as a mountain. It was far too much for a Spirit Lord to lift and fly with.
Her spiritual aura soared, covering the bottom of the boat entirely. She pushed so hard that veins popped out of her arms and forehead.
The boat continued to fall but the speed gradually slowed. The sound of gusting wind mixed with the roar of a female tiger. The ground approached rapidly, too rapidly. Below was a desolate desert with nothing but dust and rocks in all directions.
"Rahhhhh!" She let out one final holler.
Boom!
The Great Lady Song hit the ground. The impact shook the whole boat. The underlings screamed and prayed to the heavens. By some miracle, the boat stayed in one piece.
"Damn it… gah… that hurts…" Song Sao muttered as she dug herself out.
She spat out a mouthful of blood and wiped the dust from her face. She was furious at the turn of events but also a little satisfied. She had managed to save her precious flying boat.
However, a split second later, her expression changed and she whirled around to stare at the sky. Two spiritual auras approached rapidly. They came together, making a beeline for her location. Soon, two immortals appeared, one old and one young.
Song Sao's face darkened, "So, it was you two."
Immortal Silver Brawler Yu Yanwu and Immortal Dangerous God Yu Baosi looked down at their longtime foe. Seeing her like this made their hearts soar with happiness. They were also deeply impressed by their lord's methods.
"Old Fart Yu, how did you make Jin Yuren betray me? Tell me and I can give you a clean death!"
"Hahaha!" Yu Yanwu laughed mockingly, "Still boasting? Do you think you can fight the two of us in your condition?"
"I'll kill you!" Song Sao roared.
Her body turned into a blur as she charged into the air.
"Uncle, let me!" Yu Baosi said and drew his treasure sword.
He slashed down powerfully while at the same time, Song Sao swept upward with her hand which was like a tiger's paw.
Kang!
The impact produced a flash and sparks. Yu Baosi was forced back two steps while Song Sao's momentum kept her moving upward.
"You beast. Take my fist!" Yu Yanwu shouted and launched a pair of silver fists.
Pa! Pa!
Song Sao also launched two punches like lightning. The fists smashed together, causing both to recoil. Yu Yanwu was pushed far away while Song Sao smashed down into the ground.
"Peh!" She spat out some blood and wiped her mouth, "So weak… so weak!"
The pair of uncle and nephew both frowned. Even after suffering their scheme, this ferocious beast in human skin was still so energetic. But it didn't matter. They didn't have to fight her by themselves.
At this time, another spiritual aura appeared. In a few seconds, a third Spirit Lord appeared, Immortal Sage Gardner Zhang Qing.
"You?" Song Sao said with some disbelief, "Why are you helping them?"
Zhang Qing smiled wryly, "No good reason. Now, Little Sister Song, please surrender or we will have to kill you."
He waved his green fan, sending out several rays of green light.
"Two old farts and a little fart, do you think you can hold down this mother tiger? Dream on!" Song Sao roared.
With a surge of spiritual energy, her whole body transformed. Black and yellow patterned fur sprouted all over her body. Her fingernails turned into long claws. Her face transformed into a mix of human and tiger and she even had fangs.
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