'That brat... how unlucky. He was going to be our trump card in a year or two when the other academy elders and I announced the end of these initial, insignificant missions... sigh... Even though they seem to be taking missions wantonly, as if without any purpose, in truth...' Elder Ma Ru Da was deep in thought as he stepped out of the infirmary's resting room.
'We put them in place primarily to test you, since the official teams you'll create in the future will be different... sigh... Unfortunately for you, Rue Bu, you won't be able to receive the same privileges as those other talented kids by then. Losing an arm, let alone a teammate, will penalize you severely...' He felt genuine regret, as Ma Rue Bu's benefits were also the Ma tribe's benefits, after all.
'...At least we still have Rue Gang and Long Mei... Unlike the Shui tribe, who lost their only truly talented student this year. Even though they have another B-grade student and a bunch of C-grades, they can't compare to Long Mei alone, let alone Rue Gang... But it's truly a pity... sigh...' The elder tried to console himself, but he still couldn't help sighing in the end.
At the end of their first meeting, the academy elders had decided to form teams. Each team would consist of three students, each from a different tribe, to foster a sense of unity in this loosely assembled group that supposedly belonged to the same alliance.
They obviously knew how that would affect the already existing official teams, and were aware of the limitations of this tactic in the long run. 'Back then, we decided to relay our concerns about the official teams to the alliance's leaders and the mission hall elders, but they've yet to offer a solution. It's not that finding one is difficult... but whether or not the official teams will cooperate and make our lives easier...' Overhauling a system wasn't going to happen overnight, especially one that gave certain people the most benefits. Those very people would become the greatest obstacles to change, at least without the use of force.
'The alliance leaders could, in theory, declare an emergency and disband every team, forming new ones on the spot with members from each tribe...' Obviously, they wouldn't be like the teams students were forming right now, we could call these current ones prototypes.
'...The current minimum requirement is at least five members, but the alliance leaders would probably increase that to seven or even eight, as all three tribes' Gu Masters would participate... but I'm getting ahead of myself. They can't do that so abruptly without risking resentment from every Gu Master in the alliance. Even simple missions, and maybe even the logistics of the impending war, would become a nightmare to handle...' He shook his head as he arrived at the tribe leader's residence. There was a meeting today.
The Ma tribe was once an overlord of this region, having had multiple Rank Five Gu Masters at one point. Yet the ruthless grindstone of time spares no one. They had waged multiple wars with the Jin, Lin, and Shui tribes across hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years, endured many conspiracies formed against them, and had their fair share of internal strife, even a traitor or two.
Eventually, they were reduced to a shadow of their former selves, not even having one Rank Five Gu Master to defend them. They had to ally with former enemies, those who had essentially toppled them, just to counter a single tribe with only one Rank Five Gu Master.
But in reality, which of the other three tribes hadn't had their glory days? Which tribe hadn't had a Rank Five Gu Master at some point? The answer was simple: none. Because without the support of their ancestors and the hidden methods they left behind, how could any of these tribes still stand today against the ruthless, merciless wheel of time?
"It just happened to be the Jin tribe's turn in recent years." That was the general sentiment of all three tribes. And although this view wasn't exactly wrong, some were more apprehensive than others, hence the formation of the alliance. Despite many Gu Masters disliking the idea, whether or not it was a necessary move remained to be seen.
So despite the Ma tribe now being merely a medium-sized tribe, many of their buildings were extravagant, two-story wooden, stone, and even marble structures, though the majority were simple, one-story wooden houses for the mortals. But that was normal. After all, who would build a palace for an ant, even if they had all the money in the world?
The leader's residence was even more luxurious, with a wide garden circling both front and back. A small fountain sat directly in front of the entrance, which had a gate attached to the wall surrounding the noble-like estate. The building itself was made of white marble, two stories high, with a black rooftop that complemented the rest of its aesthetic. A grand staircase stretched from the edge of the garden to the front door, flanked by two massive pillars supporting an overhead awning to shield from the scorching sun.
Yet, after thousands of years of existence, it was inevitable for the white marble to yellow in places, despite the delicate and special care generations of tribe leaders had given it. Still, this didn't take away from the beauty of the scene.
The academy elder arrived at the gate first. Two guards greeted him with bows after he showed his elder plate. He passed through the gate and entered the garden. The fountain ahead slightly obscured his view, but he managed to spot the infirmary elder already stepping through the front door.
Even though the garden was filled with beautiful flowers, bushes, wild animals, and colorful butterflies, and though the scenery was truly special, the elder didn't pause to enjoy it, he'd done so many times before. This wasn't the time. He quickened his pace, not quite a run, but faster than a walk, passed the fountain, scaled the stairs, and reached the front door, where a maidservant greeted him and led him inside to the meeting hall.
The building's interior was not as luxurious as the exterior. The lighting was dim, and the furniture was worn. A couple of sofas, a chair in a corner, a lonely bed in a bedroom, a desk covered in paperwork, his eyes didn't linger on any of it for more than a second. He made his way straight to the meeting hall, the most luxurious room in the house, if you could call it that.
The room had one long table with multiple chairs around it. The table and chairs were plain, bearing no ornamentation other than a single large word engraved on the table: Ma.
On the table were various foods and drinks famous within the Ma tribe or the surrounding region: yellow duck, mireloaf, zintar meat, skyrun tea, and so on. Beside the delicacies, in front of every chair, sat a nameplate corresponding to a tribe elder.
Except for one seat, the main seat, which bore only a plate inscribed with The Head of the Tribe, without a name. This distinguished the status of the tribe leader from that of the elders. Above the main chair hung a large plaque with the same word engraved on the table: Ma.
After Ma Ru Da arrived, he greeted the rest of the already-present elders casually and took his seat, the one with the nameplate Ma Ru Da, located three seats to the right of the main chair.
'Hmm... I thought the tribe leader would be here already...' Elder Ma Ru Da's thoughts were cut short by the cough of another elder and his pointed remarks.
"...Ahem... Elder Ru Da, you've finally decided to attend our tribe's monthly meetings... good, good..." The speaker emphasized the words "our tribe" as he abruptly changed the subject, directing his words toward another elder whom Ma Ru Da recognized.
"...I heard that this generation's prodigy, the one gifted by heaven and with outstanding compatibility talent, lost a teammate yesterday..." He slowed his words, gauging who was paying attention and who already knew. He was disappointed when no one reacted oddly.
'Hmph! These old foxes. Even if they didn't know, they'd pretend they did. Why appear any less competent unnecessarily? Anyway, that's not what I'm after...' he thought to himself, continuing aloud.
"...and even worse, an arm. I'd like to know how we plan to handle this situation, esteemed elder." He said this with a tone that made Ma Ru Da frown, despite the words not being directly aimed at him.
The elder he addressed was a woman. Her attempts to hide her wrinkles were beginning to fail; whatever method she had used no longer concealed them. She wore a white dress that contrasted with her black hair. Her eyes were deep and unreadable as she stared at the speaker with an indifferent expression. She was the infirmary's elder—known for her expertise in healing. As long as you're not dead, I will heal you, she often said.
Ma Yanyu, though not skilled in close combat, was undoubtedly the best support and healing expert among those present in the hall.
Eventually, she spoke in a hoarse voice. "Elder Chen doesn't need to concern himself with such trivial matters... besides..." She paused, shifting her gaze to another elder.
"...I've already left that responsibility to Elder Ru, as the boy is currently under his jurisdiction." She gave Ma Ru Da a slight nod and said nothing more.
'What?! She left the matter to the academy elder?' The other elders stole glances at Ma Ru Da. Though their expressions remained calm, they were visibly stunned, not because Ma Rue Bu was under Ma Ru Da's jurisdiction, which was expected since he was still in the academy, but because the tribe's famous healer had chosen not to handle the matter personally.
"Mhm," the earlier speaker, Ma Chen Renshu, continued, nodding slightly. "I also heard that Chen Ning arrived about an hour ago... and he brought Elder Lin Lou and..." Before he could finish, someone interrupted by entering the hall.
"...And they are heading to the tribe's infirmary as we speak..." The newcomer was another female elder of the Ma tribe, unlike Ma Yanyu, a formidable fighter and one of the tribe's strongest.
She was a strikingly beautiful woman, despite being nearly 50, exuding elegance and grace. Her milky white hair flowed down to her thighs, and her eyes were of the same color, giving her a blind appearance. Her chest was neither large nor small, but her tightly-fitted black robe accentuated her figure and charm. People often had to look up when speaking with her, as she was taller than the average man, an aspect that added to her commanding presence.
She took her seat just to the right of the main chair. The nameplate on the table before her read Ma Long He. She continued speaking.
"...I've already discussed the matter with Elder Ru and managed to persuade Elder Lin Lou to assist as well, esteemed elders." She cupped her hands and bowed slightly. "This matter will be resolved before today's meeting concludes. Please don't let it distract you further." She emphasized the final words as she shifted her gaze to Ma Chen Renshu.
"Hmph!" He snorted but refrained from commenting further.
'...Shui Chun, Ma Xiao, Ma Jia Juan... those three aren't much of a threat and will probably serve only as support. We can handle them with some run-of-the-mill C-grades from our tribe. But Ma Dong Min... she might pose some problems. And now this... Ma Rue Bu... Hmph!' Ma Chen Renshu was deep in thought, troubled by the approaching competition with the Chen family from the Lin tribe.
'Chen Ning, gather as many students as you want, this year will be different, With or without Rue Bu helping you. And Ma Long He... just you wait...' He cast a final glance her way, then pushed the matter to the back of his mind—for now.
'Sigh... When Chen Renshu learned of Rue Bu's condition, he immediately contacted Elder Yanyu. But I was faster, this concerned one of my students after all. I convinced her to let me handle it. He must have picked up a clue from her and was trying to pressure me into speaking earlier, but thankfully...' Ma Ru Da glanced at Ma Long He with gratitude. She gave a silent nod but said nothing.
'...Sorry, Chen Renshu, but if she'd made the same offer to you, even if it meant giving up your family's inheritance for another year, you would've taken it without hesitation...' As he still relished the reward Ma Long He had promised him, someone else entered the hall, immediately drawing the attention of all the elders. They stood and greeted in unison:
"Glory to the Ma tribe! Greetings to the tribe leader!"