This is a Life or Death Matter

National Aurra Bank! Putting on a disguise, I snuck out of the bookshop and made my way to the local branch. The bank was open 24 hours a day. I made my way to the cultivator's side, then ran to the reception desk. "I need to speak to Branch Head Yao now." I said urgently. The receptionist looked at my skeptically. I must have looked a sight, all muddy and disheveled. However, he didn't have time. "Name and purpose?" "Ying Yue. I'm her personal customer." I said. It was only when I waved the cheque book at her that she started writing on her desk.

"Could you please hurry? This is a life or death matter." I said. "Branch Head Yao is a busy person, miss." she said slowly, obviously not taking me seriously. Whatever. It was now or never. I pulled out the emergency token and crushed it. A crisp puff of red rose in the air. The receptionist's eyes widened. Before she could say anything, a formation appeared and a figure stepped in the room. "Ying Yue, you called for me?" she asked. "Branch... Branch Head Yao..." the receptionist opened and closed her mouth. "Branch Head Yao, please help me. It's urgent. I'm now being chased by cultivators who were after my previous... master." I said. "Do you know who they are? What's your master's name?" she asked.

I glanced at the receptionist. I wasn't supposed to say it here. "I understand. Come with me." she said. "You can't tell anyone she was here or what she said. Understand?" she told the receptionist. The receptionist nodded. I followed her to her office. Only after she laid a sound proofing formation, I began to explain. "My master's name... I only know him as Old Man Zhao. He ran Quincunx Bookshop and is a Formation Building cultivator. He knew he was under danger and sent me away but I came back when I sensed something happened to him. I found him at his last breath, sitting in a killing formation with dozens of men killed around him. They will come after me now." I said.

"Formation Building? That's not right... who could it be? Did you say Quincunx Bookshop?" she asked. I nodded. "Is he also a customer of National Aurra Bank?" I asked. She frowned. "There's a clearance level needed. I can only search and disclose to stipulated kin. Do you have something that can prove his identity?" I thought for a moment, then handed her a token. Old Man Zhao handed me this yesterday, saying to show this if I ever needed help. Her eyes widened as she turned it over. "Ying Yue, I don't know whether you're lucky or unlucky." she sighed. "Can you find him?" I asked. "I can."

She turned and slotted the token into a hole in a tablet, then muttered some incantations. A jade slip appeared in her hand. "Old Man Zhao... Ying Yue, I know your master's identity. You are indeed in great danger." she said. "Who is he? Is this branch secure?" I asked anxiously. As I said this, I heard a great rumbling sound, and the whole room shook. Items toppled down from the shelves. "Secure, but not as secure as the main branch. It can only hold for so long." she said. She slammed her palm on the wall behind her desk, casting an art. "Valerias branch, Level 10 emergency mode activate! All employees to evacuate!" she shouted. The wall glowed as a rune formed. All of a sudden, the rumbling stopped.

It was clear it was some protecting formation. However... emergency mode was definitely not a good thing. Hurriedly, she grabbed the tablet and the token, pocketed it, then took out a Qiankun bag and started to sweep everything in the office into it, all while opening a secret platform and casting many spells. Then, she took my hand and pulled me out into the corridor. All along the corridor, employees came out of their offices and ran in a certain direction. She pulled me onto her magic tool and used her speed to flee. "Branch Head Yao, what's happening?" an employee flew alongside us, confused. "We are under attack by an enemy. This branch will not hold for long. We must escape. I've secured the reserves." she said.

We came to a room, much bigger than the one that held the transporting formation we used before. A large number of employees were already inside, using the formations to get themselves out. Branch Head Yao and I were the last to arrive, due to her sealing off the branch. She sealed the door shut. "Everyone get in the formation!" she shouted as the rumbling started again, this time more violently. Everyone hastily stepped in the formation. She then laid the spirit stones and cast an art...