The first of allies (3)

"You are pretty interesting," Fu Guanting smirked, his gaze imbued with a strange light.

"I wanted to make you compete with those singing peacocks, but it seems no longer necessary. How about this - you can visit Falling Stars Sect and show me your unique musical talent instead." He lazily twirled a strand of hair, the colour of which was as chasmic black as his eyes. "After all, you're going to Cold River Snow Mountain Range soon, so it's rather convenient, don't you think?"

Jiang Shiqin's eyes flickered. Accurate intel, and a net that encompassed even the capital across the river - the waters of this tranquil-looking sect were truly immeasurable. The end of the sentence had been spoken in a deliberately slowed manner, as if the Falling Stars cultivator was warning him about whatever unknown intention he possessed preparing to travel towards a place so near a sect's territory.

Yet, extending an invitation to visit his sect was a sign of goodwill - in the Distant Lands, honor remained a popular virtue among martial artists, and guests at one's doorsteps were treated with utmost courtesy and respect. Throughout the conversation, Jiang Shiqin had realized three things - one, Fu Guanting, or any figure behind him, had enough power to give a foreigner the status of a guest; two, whatever they would be asking for far exceeded a casual favor; three, Falling Stars Sect should be undergoing a drastic shift in the near future, be it a change in leaders, alignment with other forces - perhaps Xia Jingming's faction which was currently represented by Jiang Shiqin, or the acquisition of a legendary spiritual treasure such as shape-shifting metal. After all, it would have been much more convenient and secretive had they simply communicated through Fu Guanting. An invitation by the sect meant the existence of a more powerful figure at play, perchance an elder of the sect or the Sect Master himself.

Conversely, he could not rule out the possibility that this was part of an elaborate scheme designed to strike at Xia Jingming or the Thousand Blooming Lotus Sect. Nonetheless, fulfilling his purpose required Jiang Shiqin to build alliances and involve himself in whatever power game the upper echelons were keen on playing.

"It would be an honor to visit Falling Stars Sect. Your headquarters is famed for its exquisite scenery and the etheral beauty of snow and ice." He replied the smirking cultivator in an appreciative tone, which made the other's amused expression even clearer.

Seconds ticked by as they maintained a tense silence.

The dark-eyed man suddenly turned his head towards the north, smirking. Puzzled, Jiang Shiqin gazed at the distance, only to hear several ear-splitting screams.

His expression turned cold, as he had detected Li Feifei's voice in the mixture of frightened noises.

Fu Guanting said with a mocking smile, "Why, things are starting to get interesting. We shall meet again, scholar Jiang." He disappeared into the canopy.

Without wasting any more time, Jiang Shiqin ran towards the direction of the screams.

When he reached his destination, a small, beautiful lake with a one-pillar temple in the midst of crystalline water, there was a crowd gathering at the shore. Disciples of all five sects were present, the majority having grim and slightly fearful expressions on their faces. Some of the younger girls looked as if they were about to cry, their pale countenances signifying that they had witnessed a horrible scene.

This should be the famed Altar of Earth and Rain that female cultivators usually visited... Jiang Shiqin stepped closer to the lake. A corpse floated silently on the surface, his body overturned. He was of medium stature and dressed in a fine purple robe, the shade much darker than that of Thousand Blooming Lotus Sect's uniform. Jiang Shiqin surveyed the others, finding nobody wailing or grieving intensely. The dead man was probably one of the external guests invited by Falling Stars Sect, either a city official or a member of the aristocratic families, he concluded.

The blinding afternoon sun shone on the gently rippling waves. The stifling air was taut with tension, an invisible pressure pressing on the crowd and compelling them to adopt a stillness akin to the inanimate body slightly drifting below.

One of the disciples, unable to stand the oppressive silence, suggested weakly, "Should... should we bring him onshore?"

"No," answered a Falling Stars disciple, who looked to be slightly older than the rest, in a resolute tone. "We must wait for the elders."

Restlessness hounded all those present. Jiang Shiqin quietly pulled Su Wei's sleeves. He had spotted the boy and Su Dai within the crowd a moment ago, both showing apprehensive expressions. In actuality, the latter appeared more furious than nervous, her amethyst irises flashing in hatred at the blatant impertience flaunted by the murderer.

Jiang Shiqin gave the young boy a meaningful look, who immediately understood his request. He whispered softly. "Elder Sister Dai and I were listening to Harmony Sect's contest," he pointed towards a verdant area cleared of trees a distance away, hidden behind a number of boulders, "when we heard the screams and came to investigate. They belonged to a couple of Blazing Hawthorne disciples who just exited the altar and saw the scene. Most of the people here were with us at the contest; some were strolling in nearby areas."

Faintly raising his brows in surprise - and appreciation of the comprehensive information, Jiang Shiqin thanked the youth. Before long, a few elders with snow-white beards and imposing auras arrived. Leading them was the Sect Master of Falling Stars Sect, whose wrath resounded with the powerful waves of spiritual energy rolling off his figure. He commanded a few disciples to move the body on land and examined it carefully.

His face fell. "Second Master Lei," he confirmed the deceased's identity with the other elders, whose expressions turned as stormy as lightning-infested hurricanes. The Sect Master briefly questioned the witnesses, whose accounts revealed nothing useful. He then issued orders for the disciples to immediately return to the hall and left in a hurry, bringing the body along with him. The other elders also followed him, although one stayed behind, most likely to protect the younger disciples in case of further mishaps.

As Jiang Shiqin traced the footsteps of the crowd, intelligence on the Lei family flashed across his mind.