Summoning a Beast to a Feast

The reaction shocked Lu Bang, but Sun Yin only chuckled. She hummed at his overt knowledge regarding the matter. "Oh, my, did I hit jackpot that fast?" She took another piece of the chicken.

"I wonder what you meant by that. Simply catching the ones responsible would not resolve it." Ren Junjie dropped the smirk before reaching for something else using his other hand. He ended up placing the bowl of chicken next to him. "As well as simply knowing doesn't mean I played a part in it."

"But it's nice knowing that it didn't go unnoticed by the major sects." Sun Yin giggled.

As if sneaking behind Master Ren was not enough offense, Sun Yin even took the bowl of chicken and sat behind Ren Junjie, not minding the coldness of the floor.

She continued to speak while munching on the chicken, "How about we make a deal, Ren Junjie? I'll help you catch the Storm Snake, but you have to tell me everything you know about the murder. You look like a wise kid that makes wise decisions; what do you say?"

"The snake is not my goal. If you're making that deal, ask the Fenglan Qiao sect." He hummed not minding having his favorite stolen from the table.

Since she was an investigator, the other disciples of the Reqi Ren sect dared not move suspiciously. Investigators had the power to denounce another sect's actions and words, be it true or not. It would be wise to watch her from a distance. What they did not know was that Sun Yin was not a licensed investigator from the Imperial Court.

The maiden's eyes glistened at the words that flowed from the man's lips. Not the snake? So the Reqi Ren sect knew the beast was guarding something more ferocious than itself. She had no idea which power the core in the sea contained, but she was not willing to hand it over to anyone else.

"Not the snake?" She echoed her thoughts. "Is there something more valuable than the glory of defeating the snake?"

"If I tell you, would you help me?" Ren Junjie was clever enough not to say out loud. Neither did he hide that there was something else in there.

Sun Yin giggled at the development of scenes. She eyed at the male who had been glaring at her and her indecent antics. She could only leave the half-empty bowl back on the table before getting up from her seat. "Ah, I forgot I have other things to attend to. I'll see you tomorrow before the sun rises, Ren Junjie. I'll help you with that thing that you wish to obtain. Just remember that you have to pay the credit."

She left the tables and fetched the male fellow disciple. Lu Bang chose to lecture her after they had arrived in their room. Sun Yin only listened to him with her eyes big and smiles unwaveringly curled. He soon gave up and let her roam around the room.

It was not an inn per se so the rooms only had one bed at most. It was big enough to squeeze in—given there should be space between them. Lu Bang could also just ditch the bed and lay on the floor if he wished.

Aside from the pretty cream bed and walls, the amount of red in the place was getting Lu Bang drunk. The smell of lust was too strong that he refused to take a step forward. Sun Yin made her way to the windows and slid them open, getting a rather nice view of the ports from there.

She leaned against the sill and looked around. She then looked at Lu Bang over her shoulder. "This is a nice room, isn't it?"

"How much did you pay for?"

"Enough." She stuck out her tongue.

Her short answer was quite a sign she did not like to talk much. He only dragged his feet towards the bed and sat on it. He watched Sun Yin made her way to the paper screen at the side and put it up against the door. He gestured at it. "What's that for?"

"It's a screen used by people who hire women to warm their beds. If they choose to entertain others inside the room, they could hide behind this while ravishing their human toy." Sun Yin dusted her hands after moving such an old object. "This thing seemed dusty. Maybe only a few chose to use this."

"Letting other people hear of their indecencies?" Lu Bang shivered at the thought. The most shameless were the men who needed the existence of brothels and had no problems letting other people know that they do.

Sun Yin sat on the same side of the bed and laid her back on the sheets. She closed her eyes as if choosing to rest in a normal way. "Wake me up at dinner time."

Lu Bang, who was also tired, lay down next to her. He closed his eyes as well. "Wouldn't breathing exercises give you more energy?" He heard nothing from her. "Sun Yin?" He looked at his side and saw the woman knocked out already. She did not even bother to untie her hair first. He only shook his head before closing his eyes again.

Nothing notable happened that night even though Young Master Cao ran into the Lin sect duo. The dinner was too good to stay in a brothel house, but their setting and theme were imperial. It must have been designed to be as such. Back in their room, Lu Bang had the bed for himself while Sun Yin sat in front of the window, basking in the moonlight. They would be meeting the Storm Snake tomorrow, and so she must be ready.

First light almost crept into the sky, and the two left for the harbors. Instead of finding Ren Junjie and his disciples alone, Sun Yin laid her eyes on two more colors. One was purple with yellow lines, a lightning crest sewn on the shoulders of their robes. The other was blue with paintings of the koi fish marking the edges of the robes.

The three major sects that hunted the Storm Snake had come to meet her.

Sun Yin greeted them with a smile. "I didn't expect to meet you here. I was only looking forward to seeing Ren Junjie."

Lu Bang gave respects to the other senior disciples in her stead. "Master Ren. Master Qiao. Master Cheng."

Master Qiao, who had a thin face and a long goatee, sneered at the disrespect a supposed court investigator had given them. "Ah, she seemed to look at us like normal people. I have to say I'm not happy about it. Is that what court investigators are taught these days?"

"Please. This is our first meeting. Impress me when you catch the Storm Snake, and I shall sing your name… Master Qiao." Sun Yin sent an electrifying gaze at the man. He could not help but to jump a little as if he was stung for real.

Master Cheng, who was big in almost every way, huffed at the disposition of the investigator. "Is this the kind of investigator the Huayuan Lin sect hires? To be honest, it's my first time to hear of a female investigator. She is also wearing your colors."

Ren Junjie hummed. "No one said she was from the Imperial Court."

Almost everyone turned to the youngest master in the harbor. The man kept his still stance. Even his disciples were at a loss at what they heard. Though it should be obvious because she was representing the Huayuan Lin sect.

"If we have time to chat, shouldn't we go see the Storm Snake now? We don't have much time left before the sun rises." Sun Yin raised her sleeve to her lips.

Of course, the maiden traveled the way she was used to. In Lu Bang's arms, she led the other cultivators into the spot where some ships were stationed. The rest of the members of the sects were waiting there, curious as to why a woman was being carried into the monster's den. The masters of each sect were somewhat confused about how Lu Bang could fly a sword when he had already lost his golden core.

Sun Yin asked Lu Bang to dip near the surface of the water. They could see the deep dark blue that was yet to be hit by the sun. The maiden used her nail to inflict a cut on her middle finger. Blood drew down her finger, and she held her hand on the surface of the water. Her other hand released three talismans which laid flat on the water.

"You big boys should get ready." Sun Yin grinned as she performed two different sets of hand seals on both hands.

The blood on the water swirled as if it tainted the water like a dye. The light coming from the three talismans started to form a triangle which spun rapidly, forcing the water to the side. The blood coated along the sides of the hole in the water. The light coming from the talismans disappeared as if something swallowed the triangle.

From their view on top of the water, two brilliant eyes shone from the darkness.

Unlike what they anticipated, the Storm Snake jumped out of the hole like there was water that propelled it upwards. The huge guardian beast, which had never grown aggressive towards the cultivators, suddenly bared its sharp beak at them. The masters managed to avoid the jump, but some of their men got caught in its mouth.

As it landed, it twisted its body, making sure its tail smashes down a ship with it. The passengers tried to escape, but some of them were thrown as the Storm Snake rose from the water. It stood like a cobra trying to strike down its enemies.

Lu Bang had taken Sun Yin to the company of the masters, specifically Ren Junjie. She whispered in his earshot. "Now let's see if you can defeat it… and take the Bride's core."