"Ju Meiying pays her respects to our guests!"
A clear voice rang out from lips that resembled crimson rubies. An intoxicating fragrance wafted from her, filling the bamboo grove. The woman's eyes were as bright and vast as the starlit sky, her noble lashes curved elegantly, her bridge straight and high, and her skin shimmered with a luster like polished jade.
"This one is Lan An. This is my beloved wife, Wu San Niang."
Lan An introduced himself while gesturing toward Wu San Niang. He then took a moment to appreciate Ju Meiying. Seeing such a peerless beauty in giant form—knowing he could fit quite easily within the palm of her hand—was truly a novel experience.
Due to her gargantuan size, her natural scent was far more pronounced and dense, yet exceedingly pleasant—a cool, orchid-like fragrance that mingled with her breath, creating an aura of supreme comfort.
Most notably, those "majestic mountains" before her chest were truly a stimulating sight. Lan An, with his extensive "experience" with his various wives, could confidently say that if Ju Meiying were to shrink to human size, her proportions would rival the likes of Su Yan, Kun Mingyue, or Mu Ziyin, and would be only slightly smaller than Wu San Niang's.
Furthermore, Ju Meiying possessed a temperament that was both bold and resilient, much like Wu San Niang. However, within those beautiful eyes lay a faint trace of sorrow and exhaustion, her brows slightly furrowed, adding the charm of a woman who had weathered many storms.
Clearly, the dire situation of the Ju Clan (Giant Race) had weighed heavily on this outsized beauty's heart.
Under Lan An's scrutinizing gaze, Ju Meiying felt a bit uneasy. Although he was physically small, the pressure he exerted was immense. Yet, she noted that his eyes held only pure appreciation for a masterpiece of art, devoid of any mockery or lecherous intent, which kept her from feeling offended.
"Hehe! This is my Big Sister. Aman has kept his promise to introduce her to you, but as for the rest, that depends on your own skill!" Ju Aman laughed heartily, patting Lan An's shoulder with a finger before dashing out of the bamboo grove, not even daring to look back at his sister.
Ju Meiying glared at the simpleton's retreating back, wishing she could kick him for gambling with her presence before strangers. She hadn't even had the chance to scold him yet.
Renke and Huangjin Chan, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, also wisely made their exit.
For a moment, only Lan An, Wu San Niang, and the invisible Dan Mengji and Man Kieu remained to face the Big Sister of the Giants.
Ju Meiying, unable to see the latter two, lowered her hands toward Lan An and Wu San Niang. She gently lifted them and placed them upon a high bamboo stalk so they could speak face-to-face.
"It seems Lady Meiying has not yet revealed the return of the Clan's Secret Art to your brothers?" Lan An said, getting straight to the point.
He had ordered Renke and the Shovel to deliver the Eight Inner Gates directly into Ju Meiying's hands. Seeing the behavior of Ju Aman and the other youths, it didn't seem like they knew their lost legacy had been recovered.
"Young Master Lan An is correct. This matter is too significant; Meiying has not yet informed them," Ju Meiying nodded, her voice tinged with a hint of excitement.
Naturally, she had been overjoyed to receive the Eight Inner Gates, but after weighing the consequences, she chose to keep it secret for now. The allure of the Eight Inner Gates was too great; she feared that if news leaked, it would bring another catastrophe upon the Ju Clan.
"The Great Monster and Great Han clans are currently in a dog-eat-dog struggle. This might be a rare opportunity for the Ju Clan to focus on growth," Lan An suggested.
Ju Meiying's eyes clouded with a hidden worry, but she quickly changed the subject. Her voice trembled slightly as she asked, "May I ask... where did you encounter my father? How did you obtain the Eight Inner Gates? My father... is he still alive?"
As she reached the final question, her hands clenched so tightly her nails dug into her skin, betraying her desperation.
"Oh? Senior Ju Phach Thien was Lady Meiying's father?" Lan An was somewhat surprised.
"Indeed. I should have had an elder brother, the Clan Leader's son, but he perished in the great war years ago. I currently lead the Ju Clan," she explained in detail, as if fearing Lan An wouldn't trust her.
Lan An nodded, satisfied to find he was speaking to the direct descendant of Senior Ju Phach Thien. He then recounted the entire tale from the beginning—from finding the bones of Ju Phach Thien at the bottom of the Yuelong ocean to his final message, including the cause of his tragic demise.
Ju Meiying's shoulders shook. Tears flowed from her eyes like streams filling a small lake. She bit her lip until it bled, weeping silently. Hearing that her father had died in a foreign land in such an unjust manner broke her heart. For years, she had hoped for a miracle—that her father would one day return with the other seniors. Now, all hope was extinguished.
She did not allow herself to remain weak for long. Steeling her emotions, she solemnly cupped her hands and bowed deeply to Lan An and Wu San Niang.
"On behalf of the Ju Clan, Meiying thanks you for honoring your word to my father, and for your assistance to Aman..."
"Lady, please, do not do this... it is we who should thank the Ju Clan!" Lan An quickly returned the gesture. With a surge of Dragon Power from his hands, he gently supported her body back to an upright position.
Ju Meiying was internally shaken by Lan An's display of power. It seemed this Young Master had hidden his strength deeply during his time at the Martial Arena.
"Sister Meiying, there is no need for such formality. The Eight Inner Gates have benefited us greatly; returning them to their rightful owner is only natural," Wu San Niang added with a nod. She greatly admired women with clear principles like Ju Meiying.
Ju Meiying cupped her hands respectfully. She knew the woman before her was the terrifying expert who had slain a Great Han Protector with a single punch; she dared not be disrespectful.
Throughout the conversation, she never once suspected Lan An or Wu San Niang of having ulterior motives. Their strength far surpassed hers; there was no need for them to go to such lengths. Moreover, she had verified the Eight Inner Gates—it was the authentic legacy.
Ju Meiying was the top prodigy of the Ju Clan, an Eighth Transformation Late-stage Body Cultivator and their strongest member. Yet, compared to what Lan An and Wu San Niang had shown, the gap was immeasurable. At the very least, she knew she couldn't make a horde of savage beasts kneel and wait for slaughter.
"I wonder, does the Ju Clan have plans for the future..." Lan An began, but before he could finish, a commotion broke out outside.
An excited voice rang out: "Young Master Ju Yaotong, my Big Sister is over there!"
Ju Meiying's expression changed instantly. She cast an apologetic look at Lan An and the others before turning toward the source of the noise.
In the distance, a group of giants surrounded three figures. The giants looked furious.
Lan An looked over. Among the giants, two members of the Great Monster Clan—humanoids with beast heads, one old and one young—approached with an air of dominance. Their massive bodies made the earth tremble with every step. Standing beside them was a tall, thin giant from the Ju Clan, his manner fawning and sycophantic.
The other giants were surrounding these three in a rage.
"Ju Zhong! Why have you brought Ju Yaotong to our territory?" Ju Aman roared at the sycophantic giant.
"Ju Zhong, do you seek death? Have you forgotten who caused our clan's downfall? Are you now acting as a hunting dog for Ju Yaotong?" The other giants gritted their teeth, cursing Ju Zhong.
"Hmph! A group of big-headed fools with short sight!" Ju Zhong sneered, looking around with a condescending air. "Who is Young Master Ju Yaotong? He is the number one prodigy of the Manhuang Realm and a core member of the supreme Great Monster Clan. It is a blessing that he has taken an interest in our Big Sister, understand?"
"You...!" Ju Aman was livid. Without a second word, he threw a violent punch.
"Begone!" The lion-headed youth, Ju Yaotong, spoke coldly.
"As you command, Young Master!" The old monster behind him—a humanoid with monkey features—extended a withered hand like the root of a rotting tree. With a casual flick, as if swatting a fly...
THWACK!
Ju Aman was sent flying like a rag doll. His arm was shattered, and he didn't even have the strength to stand back up.
"Aman!" The other giants were horrified. Their fury boiled over, their body power erupting as they prepared to lay down their lives against the traitor Ju Zhong and the two monsters.
"Stop!" Ju Meiying's voice was like ice, her expression frigid.
"Big Sister, this beast Ju Zhong wants to be a dog for the Monster Clan!" Ju Aman cried out, struggling painfully on the ground.
"Ju Yaotong, do you intend to break the ancient oath and strike the Ju Clan?" Ju Meiying barked at the lion-headed monster.
"Meiying, how can you say that? My feelings for you are witnessed by the sun and moon. I only wish to help the Ju Clan. If we wed, the Great Monster Clan will elevate your people to prosperity!" Ju Yaotong smirked, his majestic lion's mane fluttering in the wind. His eyes were filled with nothing but greedy possession.
Ju Meiying's fists tightened. Her fears had been realized, far sooner than she had expected.
She was a renowned beauty in the Manhuang Realm, once pursued by both Ju Yaotong and the Great Han Clan's top prodigy, Ju Handing. Previously, because the two clans were equal in strength, the two suitors kept each other in check, allowing her a measure of peace.
But now, with the Great Han Clan in ruins and Ju Handing reportedly dead in the recent war, Ju Yaotong's ambitions had grown unchecked. She knew he would come for her, but she hadn't expected him to be this swift. What disgusted her even more was the appearance of a traitor within her own clan, willing to forget their blood feud for a bit of reflected glory.
In an instant, Ju Meiying was overwhelmed by emotion, her graceful body trembling with rage. Lan An now understood why she hadn't looked happy when he mentioned the other two clans' struggle. She had known this trouble was coming.
"Big Sister, if you simply marry Young Master Ju Yaotong, our Ju Clan can cling to their greatness. Who on this star would dare look down on us then?" Ju Zhong shouted, making sure his voice carried to all the other giants.
"Bullshit! Ju Zhong, your own father died at the hands of a Great Monster Elder! Do not forget that!" Ju Aman spat, his eyes bloodshot.
Ju Zhong's face shifted, but he merely spat on the ground. "Hmph! A wise man submits to the circumstances. The Great Monster Clan is like the sun at noon, while we are just rats risking our lives for a few measly Man-Stones. I am tired of living this way!"
Many of the giants went silent. Ju Zhong's words had caused a ripple of hesitation in some of them.
"Shut up!" Ju Meiying's eyes were red as she growled, "If marrying someone could truly bring glory to the Ju Clan, I would not hesitate to sacrifice myself... unfortunately, the Great Monster Clan is our eternal enemy. I would rather die than submit!"
"Rather death than submission!"
"Rather death than submission! If the Monster Clan is so brave, let us fight!"
A group of loyal giants roared toward the sky, though a few voices among them were weak and lacked conviction.
Lan An observed silently. It seemed the Ju Clan was not as united as he had imagined.
"It is only natural," Wu San Niang whispered, her eyes flickering. "The world is full of all types. When people live in squalor and desperation for too long, their true nature is easily revealed. Environment can change a person's heart."
Lan An nodded. The nature of sentient beings was the most unpredictable thing. Sometimes, even a blood feud was not as heavy as the weight of greed.
Clap, clap, clap...
Suddenly, Ju Yaotong began to applaud. His lion-like mouth curled into a bloodthirsty grin. He swept his gaze over the roaring giants and said condescendingly:
"Spirit is a fine thing. but choosing to die pointlessly when you could have a better life... that is the act of a fool."
As he finished, the old man behind him unleashed his aura—a First Stage of the Tenth Transformation Body Cultivator. The sheer pressure made the giants' skin crawl with dread.
The Ju Clan had only their youth left. The Great Monster Clan now ruled the star; their Clan Leader was at the Peak of the Tenth Transformation, and they had Ninth Transformation elders as numerous as the clouds. How could they compete? Revenge? Survival in the Ancient Wilderness Forest was already a struggle. Not everyone was willing to endure such a life forever... especially the young.
Seeing the hesitation on the faces of several giants, Ju Zhong seized the chance to fan the flames:
"Young Master Ju Yaotong is right! Brothers of the Ju Clan, those of you who want wealth and glory, follow me! Support the marriage of our Big Sister to the Young Master!"
As he spoke, under the blood-filled gaze of Ju Aman and the trembling frame of Ju Meiying...
Several members of the Ju Clan stepped forward, lining up behind Ju Yaotong.