"I knew she was trouble". The pot bellied man murmured as he suddenly appeared at the edge of another village. He dusted the invisible dirt off his clothes, making his way to the village.
"Wait!" One of the two guards at the entrance, both of them carrying spears, called for him as he was about to waltz into the village. "State the business you have with our Qinghe village and you have to pay the gate fee".
"How much is the fee?" He inquired.
"10 copper coins"
He dipped his hand into the pouch on his side and threw a silver coin at the guard. "Keep the change."
"Esteemed guest, you are welcome to Qinghe village" the guards immediately became respectful as one silver coin is 100 copper coins which is equivalent to their three months salary. They even forgot to ask him his purpose of coming to the village.
"We can get you an escort that will protect you from any danger you might experience." The other guard quickly added. Since he could not feel any aura, He was not sure whether he was a cultivator or not.
"That won't be necessary." The pot belled man said, already making his way into the village.
'So much bootlicking.' The pot belled man heard a voice in his head. He could feel it shaking its head.
"Yep, money really changes people." He responded going towards the market. "Good thing I picked this up during all that panic." He tapped the pouch.
The market was at the center of the village, packed with both buyers and vendors. Various traders advertising their goods, haggling prices with buyers, all of it was loud and bubbly.
"This place is more crowded than the last one, is it because of that village border's Willow Shade Forest."
"Since there are more people there should be better food right?" Already eyeing a few food stalls, he made his way towards the food section of the market.
Meanwhile back at the village gate.
" How come I get only 40 copper coins while you get 50?" One of the two guards stated his displeasure.
"Because the money was given to me".
As the guards were arguing, a man in the conventional red and black robe indicating he is a member of the azure guards approaches them.
"By the order of the azure guards, if you see any one fitting this description." He showed them a sketch of the pot bellied man that Chi Xianyan had provided, " You are to report the location of his last sighting to the nearest azure guard. Do not disturb or follow him, just take note of his presence and report." He went straight to the point without any formality.
The same thing was happening throughout the azure alliance, there is even a reward in place for the person that can provide the latest information leading to his discovery. Arousing various speculation about the identity of this man that can make the entire azure guard move.
As the Azure guards turned to leave, one of the guards followed him.
" Sir, a man fitting your description just entered a few minutes ago. He has a cat and everything." The guard who got the lesser share reported.
"Good, since this village has a single entrance make sure to keep an eye out in case he leaves" he stated as he was leaving
In an office in a tall story, members of the azure guards were moving around, some making reports, some signing off arrest, carrying out their duties with admirable discipline and efficiency.
In an office on the second highest floor, two people were having a conversation.
"Are you sure you want to do this," Chi Xianyan asked for the umpteenth time. Sitting across the desk in a room both spacious and elegantly furnished.
"Yes, if he is willing to take me, I will follow." Jing Tu said earnestly.
"If you are going then I'm coming too, someone has to take care of you. You know you can't be left by yourself." Chi Xianyan said.
" You know he won't like that!, the grand commander will throw a fit over losing me, adding you to the mix will not end well." Jing Tu quickly countered." Also who said I can not take care of myself, I'm just a few years older than you."
"He is not going to let his most promising subordinate leave just like that without doing anything. If he could, he would go as far as killing the lightning god to keep you from going." Jing Tu cautioned.
"Make that tw..." Before Chi Xianyan could finish her statement there was a knock on the door.
"Who is it?" Jing Tu called out.
"Zhi Hao, sir," came the officer's voice.
"Come in."
"Junior greets commander, junior greets captain" he greeted as he entered.
"From the logistics department," the officer said as he was still bowing slightly. "Here to report that the person you are looking for has been sighted."
"Where was he seen?" Jing Tu immediately sprang to his feet.
"The guards at the Qinghe village's gate reported that he entered the village about two hours ago." The officer said.
'How is that possible, even with the technique I don't think I could move that fast.' Chi Xianyan thought to herself as heard the officer report.
"Station three people from the surveillance squad around him, tell them to keep a safe distance, do not engage and avoid being spotted." Jing Tu commanded
"You can leave" He said, before the guard could close the door behind him, he ordered "and any new development report to me immediately."
News travelled fast that the commander of the Huanglin unit is placing a top priority on a certain individual, even going as far as putting a surveillance unit in someone else's jurisdiction. The officers discussed how the commander has never been this agitated even when facing a peak grandmaster realm beast as an early grandmaster cultivator. There have been various speculations about the identity of the man that can make the entire azure guard move. Adding to the fact that the commander went as far as placing a reward for those who provide valuable information, everyone is trying to know who this person is.
"Who do you think he is?, I am thinking he is a wanted criminal that they have been looking for, for years" one officer that was assigned the surveillance task asked another as they were talking in order not to draw attention to themselves.
"Or... Maybe he is Commander Jing Tu's long lost father." Another answered.
" He could be his master that wanted to take to the azure sky kingdom before he died" the third butted in.
"What! If he could take him to azure sky kingdom, he has to be at least late heavenly origin realm" the first inquired
"From what I heard he was a peak of heavenly origin. In fact I heard he was from the azure sky kingdom or one of the other two kingdom, i can't remember which it was" the third stated back.
" If he is at the peak of heavenly origin, what could possibly kill him." The second said clearly not believing him.
"I hear there are realms that can kill heavenly origin cultivators with a swat." One of them said with a grimace.
While they were lost in their conversation, the pot bellied man they were supposed to watch already left the food stall he was in, heading to another one across the market.
On his way he passed by a weapon seller, stopping to see if he had anything good. He overheard the conversation between the seller and a young cultivator, who was looking to buy weapons from him.
"I just had it made from Shangtai City." The seller said displaying the weapon.
"Still doesn't change the fact that I only have 20 silver coins." The customer answered.
" I told you, you could use this sword to injure a master realm expert, and you want to buy it for 20 silver coins?" The merchant inquired angrily, "With your measly early advance realm cultivation, you want to kill a master realm expert and you think the weapon to use is good to be cheap"
"Final offer 25 silver coins or nothing " the boy said
"Tsk tsk tsk I can't go lower than 30, and that is because I see you have a good lad." The merchant stated.
"30 coins is all I made from selling all the beast cores I got from the last beast wave in Huanglin village." The boy protested.
"If the weapon could keep you alive, is it not worth more than the money? Or can you spend the money if you are dead." The merchant still tried persuading.
Finally see that he can't get it at a lower price, he reluctantly dip his hands into his pouch to pay
"I don't think it is worth it."