Hearing this, Feng Jiu laughed and said, "They"re nothing to be afraid of. Once I think of a plan, I"ll finish them off."

Shocked, Feng Xiao and Guan Xi Lin replied, "Finish them off? Those two are Martial Cultivators. I"m afraid that killing them won"t be so easy." Naturally, they"d come to this conclusion as well, but they had yet to reach a surefire solution. Those two were rulers, after all, and if they couldn"t defeat them with a single attack, well, that was a risk that they were unwilling to take.

"Yes, I know. Don"t worry, father! I won"t mess with anything I can"t handle," she said as she smiled and stood up. Their conversation continued on, and they discussed other matters. It was only when the day had started to wane into twilight that Feng Jiu and Guan Xi Lin both emerged from the room planning to head home that she was beckoned.

"Young Miss!"

Feng Jiu paused, looked over to the eight men and the seven Feng Guards that stood behind them, and said, "Is there a problem?"

The middle-aged men looked to one another as one of them leaned over, glanced back at the others around him, and laughed, saying, "These are the ones who claim fealty..." but before he could finish, he was interrupted.

"That can wait," said Feng Jiu as she waved them off and left the courtyard with Guan Xi Lin, leaving them in dismay.

Surprised by this, the seven Feng Guards were embarra.s.sed and somewhat taken aback. These guys had rushed here to claim their fealty to her, but instead, Feng Jiu wanted nothing to do with them. Were they not good enough for her? Did she think that they weren"t up to the task? Thinking of this, the embarra.s.sment and shame melted from their faces, only to be replaced with worry and apprehension.

"Master, tell us, are we not good enough for the Young Miss?!" Qi Kang nervously asked, having lost all confidence.

"Humph! Feeling a bit worried?" snorted one of them who looked hard at each of them with an unsympathetic glare, saying "If the Young Miss won"t have you, she can replace you all at the snap of her fingers. She can always pick out others from among the Feng Guards."

"What? You don"t mean it, do you?" one of them asked. Hearing this, several of them seemed to be on the verge of tears. They had worked this hard to just earn their ranks only to be replaced so offhandedly. Who wouldn"t be upset?

"Don"t mean what?" yawned Luo Yu as he strolled into the courtyard. He had been sleeping ever since he got back but had heard that the Mistress had already returned. Looking around the courtyard and seeing the grin on his master"s face, his fellow disciples, and all these sullen old uncles, Luo Yu was suddenly gleeful. "Man! What"s the matter guys?" he asked, "What"s got you all so down?"

"Heh," chuckled Luo Yu"s master, saying "your Martial Uncle is giving them an earful for their thick skulls. All this time, they"ve never claimed their allegiance. Now that they"re eager to do so, the Young Miss brushed them all aside." Looking to Luo Yu, he said, "If you"ve rested up, keep a close watch over the Mistress. Don"t be nodding off."

"I know. Don"t worry, Master!" said Luo Yu. Smirking, he asked, "And the Mistress? She isn"t here?"

"She just went home," said his Master.

"Well then, I"ll come back for her tomorrow," he said with a smile. Glancing over at Fan Lin and the others, he grinned and said, "What"s the matter? Should"ve listened to me earlier, huh?"

The seven grumbled amongst themselves and glared in his direction.

"Heh! That"s all I"ll say to you guys. You"d better come up with a good reason for the Mistress to keep you guys around while you still have the chance!"

"c.o.c.ky, aren"t we?" scoffed one of them, who quickly aimed a kick, though Luo Yu dodged it with ease.