Da Ling was on a mission.

The 12-year-old girl walked through the village with her ‘junior brother’ searching for something that would catch her eye. The snow and cold of the winter season pose no threat to the two cultivators as they walk around in their regular clothing without any coats or furs.

“I still think this is a bad idea. What would Master say if he knew your plan?”

At her junior brother’s words, Da Ling paused momentarily before she resumed walking, heading straight for Old Li’s stall.

“Master has been extremely busy these days. Especially since word reached him about the war declaration, he has been extremely nervous and so focused on his projects that he has forgotten about anything that he feels is unimportant.

“…let me guess, he also put his own birthday in the ‘unimportant’ category.”

Da Ling nodded at Jin Tianrui’s words.

“We are a week away from his birthday but he doesn’t even remember that fact if the way he has arranged for a meeting with the City Lord of Starfall City on the same day is anything to go by. That is why, We need to do this by ourselves as a surprise for Master.”

“But what do you plan to do? I don’t think there is anything good to be found in our tiny village and there is nothing that we can craft that he can’t make himself.”

Da Ling knew this fact better than her junior brother. It was the reason why she was so anxious and decided to visit Old Li to get some ideas.

In the entire village, he was one of the few Qi Cultivators with enough worldly knowledge to give her direction in her predicament.

“I am thinking about going for a short trip to the forest in search of any treasures. Master used to take me hunting daily a few months ago before he was swamped with all this work. Thanks to that, I know the methods of harvesting demonic beast parts and harvesting rare herbs and treasures. The only thing I lack is the knowledge of demonic beasts with specific characteristics that Master hasn't hunted or harvested yet.”

“That is a good plan. But, I have a better idea.”

Da Ling looked towards her junior brother who was older than her by eight years with anticipation. Her ruby-red eyes shone with hope and excitement.

“Instead of killing a demonic beast and giving its harvested parts to the Master, why not find a good demonic beast as a mount for the Master instead? While he can go anywhere with his Airship, he will need a way to travel on the ground should the situation call for it. Plus, having a powerful Demonic Beast as a Dao Familiar is considered a status symbol among Cultivators and would boost the Master’s prestige.”

“Yes! That’s good! Do you know any good demonic beasts like that??”

Jin Tianrui wilted under the excited look of his ‘senior sister’ and spoke in a small voice.

Thanks to her age and behavior, Jin Tianrui saw Da Ling in the same way he saw his sister and hated disappointing them in any way.

“…I do but they are all weak demonic beasts that would not be suitable for Master. Sorry.”

“..Oh, it’s ok. It is still a good idea. Now I know what exactly I need to ask Old Man Li.”

Da Ling momentarily lost her cheer at the words of her junior brother but regained her confidence quickly and shot forward in excitement, causing Jin Tianrui to struggle to keep up with her.

Despite his master’s meticulous teaching and giving him a good cultivation technique, Jin Tianrui did not have the same kind of monstrous talent as Da Ling, causing him to only achieve the peak of the Qi condensation realm from being in the Qi condensation initial realm when Master found him.

While Jin Tianrui thought of this pace of cultivation to be pathetic, he was objective enough to know that this kind of cultivation speed was still something shocking for most people in the world. It's just that his senior sister’s pace of cultivation was so monstrous that he felt ashamed despite his speed.

The faint image of a golden wheel appeared behind her back with four of the nine empty spots of the wheel filled with orbs of pure power, the power of the Sun itself.

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A shiver traveled down Jin Tianrui’s spine at that momentary release of his senior sister’s power.

‘Seriously, where did Master pick up a monster like this?? How can anyone have any self-confidence when faced with someone like her??’

Da Ling gave a small amused smile at Jin Tianrui’s stiff face, her empathetic abilities that she had since birth allowing her to feel the complicated emotions that her junior brother was feeling at her momentary release of her full power.

“Don’t compare yourself with me, junior brother. Master always says that comparing yourself with others will always lead to discontent, so you should stop thinking about others and concentrate more on yourself.”

“…Easy for you to say.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing what??”

“…..Nothing, Senior Sister.”

Da Ling giggled with joy as Jin Tianrui once again had a sullen face. But Da Ling knew, that deep down, Jin Tianrui always enjoyed this exchange between them.

His tongue can lie, but his emotions cannot.

Within a few minutes, the two arrived at Old Li’s stall that was attached to his house and directly barged in just like they always do, causing Li Qiang to curse as his concentration wavered and ruined the pill that he was trying to condense.

“Damnit!! I told you children to knock before you barge in like you own the place-“

“Old Li! I need help!”

Those words caused Li Qiang to stop his words and look at Da Ling with a raised eyebrow.

“What did you do this time? Just so you know, I am not going to cover for you again if you mess up Old Feng’s project with your recklessness again. Do you know how hard it is to lie to a Nascent Soul cultivator like your father convincingly? I felt like I was going to lose what little was left of my hair from the stress. Neither am I going to convince the Han couple to not rat you and little Hui out to Da Wei for messing up their inn with your attempts at cooking again-“

“Shut it!!”

Da Ling immediately closed the old man’s mouth with her palms as her face glowed red with embarrassment at her mistakes being exposed like this to her junior brother.

Li Qiang laughed at her expression as Da Ling fumed in anger for a few minutes before she revealed her request.

Listening to her plan and predicament, Li Qiang thought for a few minutes before speaking with a serious tone.

“While there are such creatures nearby, I don’t think you two should attempt such a thing by yourselves. Not to mention the fact that Jin Tianrui is only a Qi Condensation realm cultivator.”

“I am strong enough to look after junior brother by myself. Besides, Master hasn’t taught me the Familiar contract technique yet which means that I need junior brother with me to form a temporary contract before bringing the beast to master.”

“That is not the point. Da Ling. While you are indeed strong enough, the problem is that you have never fought demonic beasts on the same level as yourself, especially without Da Wei watching over your fight to intervene in case of any accidents.”

Li Qiang stared at the girl with a serious expression.

“Battling Demonic Beasts beyond the Foundation Establishment realm is extremely dangerous due to their intellect and wisdom increasing with each breakthrough. Fighting a beast in the same realm as yourself without any support is considered suicidal.”

Da Ling knew that Li Qiang was only saying these things because he was concerned for her and her junior brother’s safety. But still, she could not help but feel disappointed at his words.

Seeing her downcast expression, Li Qiang struggled for a few minutes before finally taking out a token that caused Jin Tianrui’s eyes to open wide in shock.

He handed the token to Da Ling.

“Take this to the City Lord of Starfall City. I know that Da Wei gave you a personal Airship as a gift for breaking through to the Core Formation realm so use that to get to the city. Tell him that Li Qiang is calling in his favor and show this token to him. Ask him for at least two cultivators in the Core Formation realm as your backup for your hunt.”

Then, he took out a map and pointed out an area within the Great Wilderness that was a few Li away from the village.

“This area is the territory of a herd of Tempest Stallions. While most of them should be in the Qi Condensation realm, I have heard rumors that there is a Core Formation realm Tempest Stallion. It should fit your criteria very well but make no mistake, as a Core Formation realm beast, it will have a formidable intelligence which will make it hard to predict. Do not, under any circumstances, face it alone.”

Da Ling’s face lit up in joy before hugging Li Qiang and running out of the home, leaving behind Jin Tianrui and Li Qiang in the house.

“….Old Li, what is your connection with the Dark Guild?”

Li Qiang sighed at Jin Tianrui’s words and leaned back into his seat.

“I shouldn’t be surprised that you recognized that token given who your master is. To answer your question, I don’t have any connection to them, at least, not anymore. That token is something that I’ve kept around to remember the old days and as a part of my past identity, nothing more.”

“….I see. Thank you for your help.”

Jin Tianrui did not ask any more questions and left the house, following after his senior sister, but his mind was still filled with questions that he struggled to find answers to.

‘Master is a former disciple of a top-ranking sect and a valued customer of the Dark Guild with enough status to make Uncle Bai pay special attention to him. Not to mention his connection to Princess Yin Lingxi.’

‘Old Feng might hide it well but there is no way he is a simple Spiritual Blacksmith with the quality of his work.’

‘Chief Chen may be unremarkable but his wisdom is frightening and the same goes for his wife who holds terrifying intellect.’

‘The Han couple are not normal either if the way I feel my survival instincts flare up every time I meet them is anything to go by.’

‘Now, Old Li has revealed his connections to the Dark Guild.’

‘Just what the hell is this village and why is every old foggy here filled to the brim with mysteries?’

As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Jin Tianrui absentmindedly boarded the Airship that Da Ling took out from her storage ring, heading straight for Starfall City.