After reaching the Mu Clan, the guards had barely recognized Xi Shen who had left in the morning.
Lihua and the others were also shocked to see Xi Shen’s current appearance, but more so the person Xi Shen had returned with. From his clothes and unkempt hair, they could tell this boy was from the slums.
“This is our new group member, his name is Jun. When he wakes up I'll have him introduce himself to you all." Was what Xi Shen said to them.
“Young master, this boy-Jun, who is he, and why is he unconscious?” Fei Yin asked with a strange look on his face.
“Small matters that are of no concern, he’s just fine. I save his life and now he’s willing to pay off his debt a thousandfold, was what he said.”
Hearing Xi Shen's words, the others all gave him skeptical looks now.
Mu Fan was the one who spoke what was on everyone’s mind.
“Hey, you didn’t kidnap this person did you?”
Xi Shen immediately scoffed and said, “What are you asking? Well, anyway, I need to have you do something.”
Xi Shen expertly changed the subject and began telling them of the appearance of the Demonic Cult's base underground.
Mu Fan's expression immediately changed. To think the Demonic Cult would be building a base in his City, unforgivable!
Mu Fan clenched his teeth in anger.
Lihua then spoke up and said, “This is another City the Demonic Cult has targeted. They're getting more and more active recently.”
Hearing that, Xi Shen turned to her and asked, “Did the Zhi Clan gather anything on why that’s the case?”
Lihua nodded solemnly and said, “They’re doing mass recruitment of Demonic Disciples on a large scale across the Maple Continent. That’s because of the Hidden Fragmented Realm which well opened in a year’s time.”
“How does the Hidden Fragmented Realm have anything to do with the Demonic Cult recruiting disciples?” Yang Su was the one to ask that question.
Fang Chen responded, “That’s because of the likely high death rate of their disciples when entering the Hidden Fragmented Realm. Not only will their disciples face the hidden dangers of the Realm itself, but they would encounter our Righteous Faction members who want nothing more than to cut them down. So they're trying to make up the numbers for the disciples who are going to die.”
*Tsk*
Mu Fan clicked his tongue and then said enraged, “They're invading my City to recruit disciples, there’s no way I’ll let them off easy!” He was speaking about what would happen when encountering them in the Hidden Fragmented Realm.
“For now, let’s handle their secret hideout here. I managed to kill most of them, but a few escaped. Have your Clan quickly contact the Academy to send some people to investigate the City, I believe some of the other Clans are colluding with them.”
Mu Fan's eyes narrowed upon hearing that.
“Second Prince, what level was their hideout?” Lihua asked.
“About a mid-level base since a Core Formation expert was there.”
Lihua's eyes widen slightly upon hearing that.
Xi Shen had said he subjugated it all by himself, then did he defeat that Core Formation Realm expert and all the other cultivators by himself?! Really, just how strong is he then?
Were the thoughts that appeared in Lihua and the others' minds.
Xi Shen then turned to Mu Fan and said, “Obviously don’t mention my involvement.”
Mu Fan nodded at that.
“Since it’s a mid-level base the Academy will reward you and your clan quite well. And even though I won’t get the credit for the subjugation, or the reporting of it, you're still a part of my Faction so your accomplishments will reflect on the overall group.”
Xi Shen then turned to the others and said, “Remember that, the same can be said if shame is brought by anyone of you, it will also be shared by the Faction.”
Everyone nodded.
Mu Fan then hurried off to report the Demonic Cult appearance through his Family’s channel.
He realized that Xi Shen was providing an opportunity for his Clan to gain some valuable resources from the Academy, and even a little bit of reputation for discovering a secret hideout of the Demonic Cult. Considering Mu Fan’s goal of making his family become a Major Clan, he could see Xi Shen’s willingness to help his Faction members.
After Mu Fan left, Xi Shen decided to bring up back the topic of the Hidden Fragmented Realm. He had put it off long enough and now he chose to ask Fang Chen about the treasures inside, as well as the Ancient Divine Beast Legacy.
He wanted to know whether his speculations were right or wrong. If the Fragmented Realm was actually related to the God Era.
But sadly, Fang Chen didn’t have information on the treasures either. He should have guessed that was the case since even Lihua didn’t know, albeit she wasn’t conferred the title of a chosen yet.
But Fang Chen did know about the Ancient Divine Beast Legacy.
Turning to Xi Shen, Fang Chen said seriously, “Faction Leader, to be honest, I was extremely excited when I heard you had discovered a Divine Fire Spirit Stone vein.”
“Hm?”
Fang Chen further elaborated, “That’s because one of the Ancient Divine Beast Legacy within the Hidden Fragmented Realm has a well-known trial where those Stones are needed to pass. But…”
Fang Chen paused for a moment and then sighed rather sadly before saying, “Faction Leader will be unable to enter the Hidden Fragmented Realm, given the public opinion of you.”
Xi Shen hearing this chuckled and said rather dismissively, “I’ll just ask my father to talk to the Council Elders of the Righteous Faction Alliance. They’re the ones in charge of deciding who gets to enter from the Righteous Faction side, right?”
Fang Chen smiled wearily and then said, “That’s right, but at the same time they don’t. They only hand out a certain amount of jade slips to the various institutes and Clans.”
Fang Chen, and also Fei Yin who was off to the side listening, produce a small green jade slip that has their names carved at its center.
“After these jade slips are given to the various institutes and clans, some in the thousands or in the hundreds, the institutes and clans themselves decide which of their geniuses qualify to enter the Hidden Fragmented Realm. Their name is then carved onto the jade slip and given to that person.”
As Fang Chen spoke, Lihua who was off to the side begrudgingly stared at the green-colored jade slips in his and Fei Yin's hand.
Fei Yin who was seated next to her, smiled, and then handed over his jade slip to her for her to examine.
Lihua was about to refuse, but she had indeed wanted to look at it a bit closer. So giving in to her curiosity, she allowed Fei Yin to place the jade slip in her hand while she softly muttered a thanks.
Meanwhile, Xi Shen took Fang Chen’s own to examine it.
After turning it over back and front a few times, Xi Shen commented, “This is a blood binding jade slip.”
Fang Chen and Fei Yin nodded.
A blood bind jade slip was different from a soul-binding one.
One would argue that a soul binding method was more secure than the blood binding method, but Xi Shen wasn’t one to judge these people's methods of how they identifying who was qualified to enter the Hidden Fragmented Realm.
However, upon examining the highly complex runes carved within it, his eyes lit up a bit.
“Oh. So that’s the case.”
After Xi Shen said that, he handed back the jade slip to Fang Chen and said, “Activate its runes and let me see.”
Fang Chen nodded and holding the jade slip in his palm, he activated its runes. After, the green jade slip imitated the drop of Fang Chen’s blood inside before transforming into it and entering his skin.
Lihua stared in shock upon seeing such a scene, and as well as Yang Su.
Meanwhile, Xi Shen was watching in fascination.
‘Such a mastery of runes to be able to transform the basic structure of an object into something completely different. This item has got to be created by a Grand Master level rune inscription master. I would like to sit down with this person and talk about runes with them, this is the best rune inscriptions I’ve seen so far.’
As Xi Shen admired this person’s handy work, a groan suddenly echoed from the side as Jun slowly woke up.
Coming into a sitting position, he looked around confused as to where he was. However, upon seeing Xi Shen who gave him a sense of familiarity, he was about to speak to him, but as if remembering what had happened to him, his face scrunched up into a bitter expression.
“Oh, Jun your awake, good. Come greet your senior disciple brother and your new friends.” Xi Shen pointed at Yang Su and the others as he said that.
Yang Su, upon hearing Xi Shen introducing him as senior disciple brother, realized his master was taking in another disciple. This made him shoot Jun a curious look.
Jun, on the other hand, said, “But I never said I’ll choose the first option big brother, isn’t this taking me against my will?”
Lihua and the other’s expressions turned strange as their speculation turned out to be right, Xi Shen had indeed kidnapped this person.
Xi Shen, who was outed as a kidnapper, half angrily said, “That’s master to you, and didn’t you say you owe me? Well, as long as you owe me you're never leaving my side. Now stop complaining and introduce yourself to your new friends, no, family. Aren’t you an orphan? Consider this me adopting you… but don’t call me father, I’m not old enough to be having a kid yet.”
Hearing Xi Shen’s words, Jun's expression changed multiple times before he eventually gave in.
Jun then got into a kneeling position and bowed his head to Xi Shen until his forehead touched his hands on the ground. He then said, “Greetings master.”
Then turning to Yang Su and the others, Jun bowed once again and said, “Greetings senior disciple brother, and master’s subordinates.” Jun was quick to realize Xi Shen’s and everyone’s position in the group.
Smiling, Xi Shen said, “Didn’t I say they're your new family? Well, never mind that, we’re heading back to the Academy after Mu Fan return, so you’ll become a Celestial Academy disciple soon.”
Jun stayed in his kneeling position with his back straight and nodded at Xi Shen’s words. He didn’t know what the Celestial Academy was, but since his master said he’ll join then he’ll just go along with it.
This change to Jun was rather sudden, but he accepted the fact since it couldn’t be worst than when he was in the slums.
After that, Mu Fan returned and the group made their way back to their base of operations with an extra person.
*******
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