Contacting the branch

"This tree is truly something to have withstood an attack of that level and even protect these two. But it seems to have paid a heavy price for it. I wonder if it was worth it," Feng Xin sighed as he examined its current lackluster state. Once a towering presence, the tree now resembled a mere shrub, standing less than a meter tall, with nearly half of its remaining leaves tinged with dryness.

After a moment of contemplation, Feng Xin stored the tree in the leopard pouch before squatting down beside Peng Zhen and Gui Bingwen. Placing both palms on their backs, he began channeling his qi into them, working to revitalize their dried-up meridians and empty dantians.

At a glance, he could tell they were suffering from severe qi drain. While they would recover naturally given time, Feng Xin didn't have the luxury to wait. Both men had answers he needed, and there were questions of his own demanding clarity—chief among them, the identity of the bone saber's owner.

The signs were all too telling: not just anyone could possess an Ao Yin's corpse, let alone refine a weapon from it. And the leopard storage pouch? That was the clincher. Life-nurturing storage treasures of that caliber were exceedingly rare—items that even rank 3 sects might not possess. Such a treasure, coupled with a monarch-grade weapon, pointed to someone with significant backing. The sooner Feng Xin uncovered their identity, the better he could prepare his next moves.

Minutes passed as Feng Xin continued channeling qi into the two elders. Slowly, their ashen complexions gave way to a healthy rosiness. Peng Zhen groaned, showing the first signs of waking.

He stirred, feeling a cool, gentle flow of qi coursing through his body, washing away fatigue and pain. It was the most comfort he had felt in a long while. Slowly, he opened his eyes and turned to the source of the soothing sensation.

At first, his blurry vision made out only the vague outline of a male cultivator. Panic flickered in his heart—his first thought was Dong Yanlin. But cool reasoning quickly took over. It was highly unlikely to be him.

For one, even if Dong Yanlin had survived the second attack, he wouldn't have the energy to spare. Moreover, as a member of a bloodthirsty sect, benevolence wasn't in his nature.

Reluctantly, Peng Zhen decided to go along with the situation. In his weakened state, even a body-refining stage cultivator could easily kill him, let alone the man before him. The vibrant and pure qi coursing through his body made it clear this person's cultivation far exceeded that of Cheng Yuan.

As if responding to Peng Zhen's unspoken thoughts, Feng Xin softly spoke,

"Nice of you to wake up, Peng Zhen. I hope you've had sufficient rest, because you'll need it for the journey ahead." Feng Xin's voice was calm but carried a sharp edge.

"You and your friend here will accompany me back to the Cultivation Order courts. There are some matters to address—chief among them, your audacity in using the Order as a pawn in one of your schemes. You've got quite the nerve. I almost can't help but admire it."

Feng Xin's cold gaze bore into Peng Zhen, leaving him suffocated. For a fleeting moment, he felt his lungs freeze before the sensation mercifully subsided. The oppressive aura emanating from Feng Xin was just as suffocating as the murderous intent he had felt from the Ao Yin.

"I will do as you say, esteemed master," Peng Zhen replied humbly. Internally, he sighed, but his composure quickly returned. He had anticipated this outcome. From the moment his plan was set into motion, this scenario had always been among the likeliest.

In fact, being apprehended by the Order was one of his best-case scenarios. His only regret was how poorly things had played out—particularly the Tupelo tree's diminished state and the unexpected revelation of Dong Yanlin's intimidating background.

Feng Xin observed Peng Zhen with a calculating eye, noting how swiftly the man regained his composure. Despite himself, Feng Xin felt a measure of respect for the elder's mental fortitude.

"This kind of resolve is what allows cultivators to endure the trials of their path," he thought.

"The world romanticizes us as lofty individuals defying fate and challenging the heavens. But the truth is simpler: cultivators are just people striving to improve their quality of life. The road is riddled with obstacles, and only those with the grit to take the hits—yet keep rising, keep trying—can continue forward. When talent and resources fall short, sheer determination carries the day."

Moments later, Gui Bingwen stirred. At first, his bleary eyes reflected confusion at how quickly he had awakened, but that gave way to panic. The elder scrambled backward on his knees, his mind leaping to the assumption that Dong Yanlin had come for him.

Only when his gaze finally cleared and he got a good look at Feng Xin's face did he begin to calm down. Yet his unease lingered, and questions swirled in his mind.

Turning to Peng Zhen, Gui Bingwen's expression silently asked who this man was. Peng Zhen responded with a bitter smile and a shake of his head. That gesture alone told Gui Bingwen everything he needed to know.

Someone from the Order stood before them.

"Good. Now that both of you are awake and in decent shape, it's time for us to leave," Feng Xin said as he gestured toward the spirit beast. "Haishi, come here. We'll be heading southwest, toward the outskirts of the green fog region. There's someone we need to pick up along the way."

With that, he leapt atop Haishi, carrying Peng Zhen and Gui Bingwen with him. The two elders stared in astonishment at the spirit beast. To their surprise, Haishi's strength seemed on par with Cheng Yuan's, and the qi she exuded—amplified by the primal lotus dew effect—only deepened the air of mystery around her. They couldn't help but wonder if this unusual vitality was a unique trait of hers.

Haishi swiftly took to the skies, flying in the direction Feng Xin had indicated. The green swallow flew alongside them. From its expenditure, the spell would only remain active for a few more minutes.

During the journey, Feng Xin seized the opportunity to question Peng Zhen about the owner of the bone saber. What he learned caused the pieces to finally fall into place.

Dong Yanlin's ties to the Scarlet Blood Ghost Hands Syndicate came up. In terms of rank, they were equivalent to rank 1 sects, though their wealth and resources likely surpassed a few of their peers born from their endless cycle of robbery, murder, and pillaging.

It made perfect sense now how someone like Dong Yanlin could possess such high-level treasures. The bone saber, refined from the corpse of a bloodthirsty Ao Yin, was an extraordinary weapon, even by monarch-ranked standards. What made it truly terrifying was that the weapon refiner had trapped the Ao Yin's spirit within it, turning it into a spiritual monarch weapon.

A spiritual weapon of this caliber had the potential to grow beyond its current rank over time, as it could operate autonomously just like a cultivator. Its sentience allowed it to absorb ambient qi autonomously, and learn and grow just like a cultivator.

This realization deepened Feng Xin's frown as he recalled the trace locator array he had disabled from the leopard storage pouch. Though the array's complexity was lacking, the residual strength within it had the aura of a palace realm expert. He couldn't help but wonder if the saber and the pouch belonged to the same person.

Although Feng Xin was confident in his ability to handle opponents at the peak of the core formation realm, palace-stage cultivators were an entirely different matter. The gap between a peak core formation expert and a first-stage palace realm expert was like that between a pebble and a mountain.

Despite his sturdy foundations and deep accumulations that let him wipe the floor with core formation experts, the same advantages would not be there for Feng Xin when facing a palace realm figure. Relying solely on his strength would not bridge that gap, not in the slightest. 

If he wanted to get out alive he would have to rely on external means, and while he had those means, he would have to pay a price to use them and even then the best result he would be aiming for would be to flee with his life intact.

"Even then those means are likely only to work for those at the early stages.. If they are in the middle stages or worse the late stages, best I can do is wash my neck.." thought Feng Xin as he smiled faintly hoping his luck wasn't that bad.

...

After listening to Peng Zhen's full account and sorting through the tangled mess of details, Feng Xin shook his head in exasperation.

"How does a case that starts with a squabble between a sect master and his spirit beast over food spiral into this many twists and complications? Someone in your sect must have the worst luck imaginable," he muttered, his tone a mixture of disbelief and begrudging admiration.

Gui Bingwen coughed, clearly trying to stifle a laugh, as he shot Peng Zhen a mocking look. Peng Zhen, catching the glance, decided to embody the stillness dao, his expression unyielding and unmoving. Feng Xin noticed their antics but dismissed them with a wave of his hand. He had more pressing matters to attend to and was already debating whether to call for backup from the nearest Order branch.

The local branch would likely have at least one palace-stage expert, and even if that individual wasn't available, a team of late-stage core formation experts would suffice to hold their ground against an early-stage palace realm cultivator.

"If you can pull in more people to make your work light, do it. No need to break your back," Feng Xin mused with a faint smile, recalling one of Yang Qing's favorite sayings.

He reached into his storage ring and retrieved a detailed map, its surface marked with eagle-shaped symbols scattered across the southern continent. These symbols represented the branches of the Cultivation Order. Feng Xin traced his current location with his finger, pinpointing the nearest branch. Satisfied, he pulled out a communication talisman attuned to that branch, activating it with a small burst of qi. The talisman quickly established a connection.

"Hello, this is Inquisitor Feng Xin, numeral IV, of the Superior Core Court attached to the main headquarters," he announced.

"Hello, Feng Xin. What is the mantra of the day?" A young male voice responded from the other end.

"The blue dipper downs the raging storm," Feng Xin replied smoothly.

"Mantra confirmed. My name is Long Song, numeral III inquisitor and the officer in charge of branch communications today at the Green Mountain Branch. How may we assist you, Inquisitor Feng Xin?"

"No need to be so formal, Long Song," Feng Xin said with a chuckle. "I may require assistance handling a potential rank-3 issue. While I'm not entirely certain yet, it seems I may have attracted the attention of a palace-stage cultivator during the course of my duties."

"A rank-3 issue, huh? Sounds serious. Let me call the boss—he'll want to weigh in on something like this. Luckily, he's available."

Moments later, a mature calm voice replaced Long Song's.

"Greetings. This is Branch Leader Hu Fang. I understand you're dealing with a potential rank-3 threat. Provide your current location, the background of the situation, your proximity to the branch, and your means of travel," Hu Fang said, his tone direct.

"I've just left the Green Fog Region and should be approaching from the south of your location. The case I'm handling may involve members of the Scarlet Blood Ghost Hands Syndicate. One of the perpetrators involved in my case was a core formation expert from the sect.

The reason I suspect palace realm involvement is due to the treasures I confiscated. One of them is a monarch-stage artifact, and it had a trace locator array inscribed by someone at the palace stage. I've already destroyed the array and sealed the other treasure to minimize tracking risks, but this is the Blood Ghost Hands we're talking about—I'd rather not take any chances. I'm currently about 200 miles away, traveling with a cloud-swallowing kite at the late stage of core formation," Feng Xin explained calmly.

"Blood Ghost Hands, huh? Hmm… this is troublesome," Hu Fang replied after a pause. "It's better if I handle this personally. Based on the speed of your kite, we can meet halfway in twenty minutes or less. Since you're attached to a Superior Core Court judge, I assume you have safety measures in place until then. By the way, who are you attached to?"

There was a noticeable pause before Feng Xin responded, his voice uncharacteristically quiet and tinged with embarrassment. His hesitation drew curious glances from Peng Zhen and Gui Bingwen, who exchanged puzzled looks.

"Hello? Are you still there?" Hu Fang prompted when the silence stretched too long.

"Ah, sorry. Got momentarily distracted," Feng Xin replied, clearing his throat. "I'm attached to Yang Qing."

"What?! La—" Hu Fang quickly cut himself off, coughing to mask the slip. "Ahem… you mean Judge Yang Qing, who's about to be promoted to the Palace Realm Courts?"

"Yes, him," Feng Xin sighed, deliberately ignoring whatever Hu Fang had been about to say. Yang Qing's reputation—equal parts infamous and absurd—was well-known throughout the Order, from the main headquarters down to its smallest branches. His antics were a favorite topic during tea breaks.

"Ahem. I see. I'll head out immediately. See you soon, Inquisitor Feng Xin," Hu Fang said, hastily cutting off the connection.

Feng Xin sighed in relief, grateful the conversation had ended. He slumped slightly, rubbing his temples.

"Why couldn't I have a normal boss?" Feng Xin lamented internally, conveniently ignoring his own notorious reputation as a food fiend within the Order.

It took over twenty minutes before they neared the area where he and Ellie had separated.

Suddenly, a massive black shadow charged at them from one of the clouds, halting a few meters above their heads and casting an immense shade over Haishi and the rest.

Haishi's body froze midair, her frame trembling violently under the oppressive aura emanating from the shadow above. A primal, instinctive fear gripped her. Every fiber of her being screamed for her to flee, but her legs felt as though they were shackled by invisible chains. On her back, Peng Zhen and Gui Bingwen were flattened against her abdomen, while Feng Xin remained seated, unnervingly calm amidst the chaos.

"Ellie, quit the theatrics. We need to leave—fast. There's trouble brewing, and even I'm not confident about handling it," Feng Xin called out nonchalantly. He waved his hand, dissipating the oppressive pressure that had gripped Haishi. "Oh, and you can't eat her. I plan to introduce her to the Beast Tamer Hall and have her inducted into our unit. She'll be your partner from now on."

The pressure lifted, but Haishi's body continued to tremble like a leaf in a storm. Feng Xin wasn't surprised—it was a natural reaction. Spirit beasts with higher bloodlines could suppress those with weaker ones simply by releasing their presence. This suppression was potent enough for a spirit beast at the fifth stage of the foundation realm to dominate another beast at the peak of the same realm if their bloodline was superior. However, the suppression weakened if the gap in cultivation realms was too vast.

In Haishi's case, she faced the worst of both worlds: Ellie not only possessed a higher bloodline but also vastly superior cultivation, standing at the eighth stage of the core formation realm. It was a suppression on two fronts, one that Haishi's instincts were powerless to resist.

"Everyone, get on the kite. We'll be using her for the journey back. You too, Haishi," Feng Xin ordered as he leapt onto Ellie's broad back. The kite was enormous, with ample space to accommodate them all and then some.

Still trembling, Haishi meekly followed suit, with Peng Zhen and Gui Bingwen trailing behind her. The two elders exchanged uneasy glances. They had heard of the Order's power, but witnessing it firsthand was something else entirely. An unshakable worry began to fester within them. Had they inadvertently provoked a force that could raze their sect to the ground?

Once everyone was aboard, Ellie shot off without hesitation, her speed a hundred times faster than Haishi's. Feng Xin had to erect a spiritual barrier to shield the others from the ferocious winds that threatened to tear them apart or hurl them into the skies.

...

Outskirts of River Amber

"I hurried here as fast as I could when I sensed the Ao Yin's aura from the broken first seal," a voice said, cutting through the desolate ruins. "But it seems I was still a step too late."