Chapter 16: Frustration
As Fa Ma led his team of Chen Xin and his four generals, through the shadowy streets of Canaan City, he couldn't shake the unease gnawing at his conscience. This world's morality was far removed from his previous life on Earth, where such blatant human trafficking would be universally condemned. Despite his attempts to adapt to this new reality, some part of him still clung to those old values. He had to see this through, not out of a sense of justice, but because the alternative would eat away at him, a constant reminder of his inaction.
The abandoned warehouses loomed before them, decrepit monuments to a more prosperous time. Fa Ma signaled for the team to take their positions. Hours passed in tense silence until movement caught their attention.
A group of cloaked figures emerged from the darkness, led by a tall man Fa Ma recognized as Raven. They carried large crates toward a warehouse marked with a feline eye symbol. As the cloaked figures began unloading their cargo, the team realized with horror that the crates contained young girls, bound and gagged.
Chen Xin's grip tightened on his sword, eyes blazing with fury. Before Fa Ma could stop him, Chen Xin's battle qi flared, alerting the guards.
"Damn it," Fa Ma cursed. "So much for stealth. Attack!"
Chaos erupted. Chen Xin charged forward, his blood-attribute sword glowing ominously. He engaged a group of Battle Masters, his blade dancing in deadly arcs. With each strike, his sword seemed to drink in the essence of his foes, growing stronger.
"Blood Reaver Slash!" Chen Xin roared, unleashing a crimson crescent of energy that cut through three opponents at once. Their screams were cut short as their life force was absorbed into Chen Xin's blade.
Nearby, Ying Yan's wind-enhanced sword sliced through the air, creating cyclones that threw enemies off balance. "Howling Gale Blade!" she cried, her sword becoming a blur of motion. A Battle Grandmaster rushed her, only to be caught in a vortex of slashing winds that left him a bloody mess.
Shui Bing'er's ice techniques froze opponents in place. "Frost Lotus Blooming!" she called out, and a beautiful but deadly ice flower erupted from the ground, its petals razor-sharp as they expanded outward, impaling several foes.
Qing Gui's earth attribute created barriers, protecting the team from counterattacks. "Stone Skin Fortress!" he shouted, and a dome of rock encased their allies, deflecting a barrage of energy attacks.
Hu Qian's water techniques swept away groups of enemies. "Raging River Surge!" he yelled, and a torrent of water materialized, slamming into a cluster of Battle Masters and washing them away.
Meanwhile, Fa Ma confronted Raven directly. The cloaked man's eyes glowed with an eerie light as dozens of ravens descended upon the battlefield, their caws filling the air with a cacophonous din.
"Impressive," Raven drawled. "But you're in over your head, boy."
Fa Ma's spear ignited with the Inferno Treant fire. "We'll see about that."
Their battle was a blur of flame and shadow. Fa Ma's spear techniques, infused with sun energy, clashed against Raven's dark attribute skills. Ravens dive-bombed Fa Ma from all angles, their eyes serving as extensions of Raven's sight.
"Sundering Ape Thrust!" Fa Ma called out, his spear becoming a streak of golden fire as it pierced through Raven's defenses, leaving a scorching wound.
Raven retaliated with "Shadow Raven Flock," sending a swarm of shadow birds that pecked and clawed at Fa Ma, their ethereal forms difficult to defend against.
The fight raged on, neither combatant giving ground. Fa Ma's spear momentum and soul power slowly gained the upper hand, each thrust of his spear pushing Raven back, the Inferno Treant fire searing through the darkness.
Realizing his disadvantage, Raven's eyes narrowed. "Raven Sacrificial Night!" he roared.
The surrounding ravens began to disintegrate, their essence flowing into Raven. His body contorted, growing larger and more monstrous. With a bestial cry, he launched himself at Fa Ma.
Fa Ma met the charge head-on. "Sun Ape's Sky-Splitting Burn!"
The two techniques collided in a spectacular explosion of light and darkness. When the dust settled, Raven lay defeated, his body reverting to human form.
As Fa Ma's team rounded up the remaining enemies, Chen Xin approached, his sword dripping with blood. "What should we do with them?" he asked, a disturbing eagerness in his voice.
Fa Ma frowned, remembering his warning to Chen Xin about losing himself. "We turn them over to the authorities," he said firmly. "And we free the girls."
As they began releasing the captives, Fa Ma noticed a tattoo on one of the unconscious guards - a stylized beast's head. He recognized it as the symbol of the Beast Emperor Sect, one of the three major powers in the Black Horn Region. It was in the Southeast and they were famed for their beast taming capabilities. In the southwest was Demon Flame Valley, and the northwest had the Black and White Demon Sect. They were all forces with Battle Ancestors while the northeast was a loose alliance of Battle Emperor Sects.
Days later, in a hidden chamber deep within the Beast Emperor Sect's territory, a cloaked figure knelt before a massive throne carved from what appeared to be a single giant fang.
"Report," came a rumbling voice from the shadows of the throne.
"Great Lion," the cloaked figure began, "Raven has disappeared. Our operation at the eastern docks of Canaan City was disrupted by a group of young cultivators. We believe they were from Canaan Academy."
A low growl filled the chamber. "Canaan Academy dares to interfere in our affairs, hmm? Interesting. It seems the old turtle is getting bold in his old age."
"What are your orders, Great Lion?"
There was a pause, then a chuckle that sent chills down the cloaked figure's spine. "For now, we watch and wait. Let's see how far these little cubs are willing to go. But make no mistake - they will pay for this interference. No one crosses the Beast Emperor Sect and lives to tell the tale."
Back at Canaan Academy, Fa Ma gathered his team. They were battered and exhausted, but alive. The rescued girls had been turned over to the Canaan City Patrol guard.
"We've stumbled into something big," Fa Ma said, his voice heavy. "The Beast Emperor Sect is involved in this, which means we're dealing with forces far beyond what we anticipated."
He looked at each of his subordinates in turn, lingering on Chen Xin. His "little brother" still had a wild look in his eyes, the bloodlust from the battle not fully faded. Fa Ma felt a twinge of concern, wondering if he had made a mistake in bringing Chen Xin into this.
"We need to be careful," he continued. "We can't mess with a Battle Ancestor sect, even with the Academy behind us. For now, we lay low and gather information. We need to understand the full scope of this operation before we make our next move."
As the team dispersed, Fa Ma remained behind, lost in thought. He had come to this world seeking power and knowledge, playing at being a hero when it suited him. Now he found himself embroiled in a conspiracy that reached to the highest levels of power in the region.
Part of him wanted to walk away, to focus on his cultivation and let this world sort out its own problems. But the values from his past life, deeply ingrained despite his efforts to adapt, wouldn't let him. He had to see this through, not because it was right, but because he couldn't live with himself if he didn't.
As he made his way back to his quarters, Fa Ma's mind was already working on their next move. The Beast Emperor Sect, the missing children, the underground network that facilitated this trade - all pieces of a puzzle he was now committed to solving. He simply sighed at the recklessness of his choice; the elders of the academy gave this mission to him for a now obvious reason. However, there were some things he had to insist on as he didn't want to be like Xiao Yan who seemed to have forgotten everything about Earth, he wanted to still have those morals when he reached the top. Clearing his mind, he simply went back to working on the Trisolaris Seal.