With the mission is complete, Altima and the others took their time to slowly hand over the remaining jobs and task to the internal staffs before they leave the Agency in their good hands.
Although the period is only one month within the Agency, the team had made a good relationship together with the members and recruits within the agency, causing them to slightly hesitate to leave this place. But everyone knows within their mind, the benefits of being within the Spirit Beast Clan far outmatch what the agency could give, which is why nobody dares to say anything regarding the Ferocious General's Troops leaving.
Before Altima and his members leaving, The Talon's Patriarch personally withdraw two special plants within the Plantation Realm he manage to luckily stumble across during the time he ventures around the continent.
The realm is very small, only about 2 acres wide, enough to plants around 2,000 plants each time, but due to the lack of refinement and strengthening, the plantation realm is actually left quite barren all around, except few smaller patch planting special medicinal herbs that required no tending and care to grow.
The moment the Patriarch enter the realm, after realizing there is nothing worth taking, the Patriarch ends up grabbing few plant that releasing good fragrance and left the realm without bothering too much about it. But as the plant grow, the Patriarch noticed that the plant he grabbed from that spatial realm is actually the rare Yin Essence Dragon Root and Yang Essence Dragon Marrow plant.
But due to unable to provide the two plant sufficient nutrients to grow, the sprouting had been halt for quite long now, causing the plant to remain in its 2nd stage of growth until now.
Since the patriarch could not utilize it perfectly, he felt that trusting this two plants to Altima is a better choice, after he witnesses what Altima could do with his capability in Alchemy.
As the group finally bid farewell to the Talon Escort Agency, they finally made a trip into the 13th State City and decided to take a few day of rest within the city, while exploring and spend some time within to look for a few interesting treasure to bring home.
In the same time, Shi-Wen Qing requested to be allowed to return to her Clan for a short period of time and decided to report to the Spirit Beast Clan when she returns.
Taking advantages of being released from the hectic mission duties for a few days, the team of 5 finally get crazy and visit almost all available shops within the 13th State City. But due to the previous Parasite Medicinal Disease, the city population had reduced by a total of 200,000, causing the streets to be slightly quieter.
But due to the 13th State City is at least in a size of Wu Di Royal City, the city is still resided by at least 1,800,000 populations, included the cultivators and other visitors that came for a temporary stay.
Back to Altima personally, he made a few visits toward the Martial Art Establishment around the town, and manage to procure 6 Different Basic Martial Arts, believed to be effective in enhancing his Martial Skills Arsenal.
Other than purchasing the 6 martial arts, Altima managed to purchase a total of 25 Piece of the Crystalized Arsalite Plates, after making an exchange of 300 Pure Arsalite Plates as the offer to the shopkeeper. Of course, Mobi Had all the Crystalized Arsalite Plates eaten, and currently refining it as Altima walked around.
On his way to the 13th State City Lord Mansion, Altima stumbles across two more specific treasure. Nothing much to be expected for a cultivator, but to a plant, the treasure effect is pretty generous.
Refined Growth Solution from a Hundred Thousand Year Yang Essence King Mandrake
Usage: Upon usage on a specific Yang plants, this growth solution could excite the growth of the plant, increasing it total age to between 25,000 Years to 50,000 Years. Only one Solution can be used on a plant, re-use the same Growth Solution will have no effect after the time.
Refined Cold Blood from a Hundred Thousand Year Yin Essence Silken Moth King
Usage: Upon application on a Yin based Plant, this solution could enhance the age of the plant, increasing it between 30,000 Years to 50,000 Years depending on the plant absorption rate. The second application will have no effect whatsoever.
Spending a total of around 300,000 Balancing Zen Pills to purchase this two treasure, Altima can't wait but to resist the temptation to enter the Private Cultivation Farm to apply this two solution to his two new Sprouts.
But as Altima reach the 13th State City Lord Mansion, Altima is greeted personally by Lord Wei himself, along with two of his Child who was the leading the City Troops and City Guards.
The first child of Lord Wei, Wei Liang, is a young 25 years old male, who was in his Middle Spiritual Stage at the moment, is crowned as the strongest Cultivator within the 13th State City. He's on the duty of handling the City Troops, bringing them out to battle with opposing City's troops and handling various outside the city affairs such as subjugation mission, Mountain Bandits as well as handling important escort task from their Elder Dukes.
The second child of Lord Wei, Wei Wen, is the precious daughter that manage to capture the heart among all the people in 13th State City. Wei Wen handles the Inner city affairs, assisting her father in managing various matter such as the safety, building, troops affair, and many other smaller task. Barely 15, but already obtaining respect within the whole city residents.
"Lord Wei, warmest greeting."
Altima extends his greeting first.
"Young Friend, come in, you must be tired from all the traveling and handling the Talon Escort Agency matters."
Lord Wei extend his hand and placed it on both sides of Altima's shoulder. He speaks nicely to Altima, and personally, escort him into their mansion.
"I heard the people mentioned about how the Talon Escort Agency performance and dependable rating had increased during the period of a month. If this continues for a short while, soon the Talon Escort Agency will be the best Agency to the people within the city to choose, instead of depending on the other Cutthroat Agency such as the Million Gold Agency, or the Yang Escort Agency."
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Million Gold Agency and the Yang Escort Agency.
During the period Altima and his team are handling the rebuilding works for the Talon Escort Agency, this two other agency is the most aggressive among the others. Over 100 double faced agent is deeply hidden within the Talon Escort Agency, disrupting the operation within the Agency so they could add more rumors to destroy the Talon Escort Agency.
But with Qing Yi and Shi-Wen Qing's combined strength, many agents is caught, and been handled by them professionally. Added with Gu Pang's battle strength, even the fake bandits that were disguised and planned by this two opposing escort agencies is destroyed by Gu Pang whenever he manages to catch the wind on their activities.
Altima believed in Fair Treatment, which is why the bonding oath is used, to ensure both sides doesn’t betray each other, and still benefits from it.
"Ah. Young Friend Altima, this Lord actually have a request to ask from you."
Lord Wei hesitates from stating his request on the dining table, but his anxiety had overcome his calmness, and he accidently blurt out his well-locked request to Altima.
"Lord Wei, you had already called me as a friend, if I still reject you without listening, what friend I am ?"
Altima smiled as he replies to the Lord Wei's matter.
"Actually, the 13th State city and the 15th State City had been in a very bad relationship for a period of time."
"Recently, I heard from the Elder Duke's Aide that was siding with me, mentioned about the close door discussion with the 15th State City Lord a week ago."
"As my friend Altima, had already known, the City performance and production had dropped by around 20%, due to the previous Disease issue, I'm afraid the Elder Duke might be in cahoots with the 15th State City Lord to overtake my position and control this 13th State city."
Lord Wei explained the seriousness of this matter he is bothered with.
Elder Duke.
Although he is the ruler of one huge States, but to be honest, the Elder Duke held no controlling power except some personal Troops strength, with a Capital City of his own.
The Elder Duke that handling this State is the 48th Elder Duke, called as Puyan Zhang Gong (Zhang Gong = Elder Duke). He is newly appointed and had less experience in handling serious matters. This Elder Duke Puyan had been increasing the rate of taxes implied to the 4 City state for quite a while now, causing the city to be almost out of valuable resources to be presented to the Elder Duke this year.
Instead of handling the affairs between the city well, the Elder Duke Puyan instead spends all the resources to build his own city of Harem, where the 48th Capital City is actually filled with at least more than 50 Prostitution Pavilion, Drinking and Music Mansions, as well as other smaller establishments. The Capital City's safety and security are getting more lax as well, where robberies, rape, and raiding other peoples houses and shops happened everywhere.
And with this news regarding the 15th State City Lord meeting with the Elder Duke Puyan, this issue caused Lord Wei to be even more cautious, due to the previously closed door stance taken by the Capital City, instead of sending more supports to contained the disease.
"So, Lord Wei's intention is to have me support the 13th State City with resources, to increase your overall military strength? Or perhaps you are looking forward to me to assist you in handling the 15th State City advancement towards the 13th State City ?"
Altima listens to Lord Wei's word carefully.
Although this matter won't be any offensive to the Flame Lion Ancient Kingdom's overall power, but to request assistance from a Clan or Sect to assist in a political war, would give the other Elder Duke, Grand Duke, and Clans to take advantage of this matter to push certain sensitive issue deeper.
"I actually thinking about the same thing, but this will affect my friend Altima's current standing and position within the Spirit Beast Clan."
"After all, there is not only the 13th State City representative is within the Spirit Beast Clan Inner and Outer Disciple group, there is even 14th, 15th and 16th State City representative is there as well. If my friend Altima support me directly without any precaution, this would affect even Elder Ling Hu's standing."
Lord Wei explain the deeper part of the problem and the restrictions. And how it would affect the Clan indirectly.
"So what is Lord Wei's suggestion ?"
Altima pays, even more, attention to the seriousness of this matter.
"Instead of having Spirit Beast Clan Disciple to directly participate in this City war, I would like to say that the 13th State City is hiring the Ferocious General's Troops to conduct training and beast subjugation methods to the Troops of 13th State City."
"In the same time, we will put the additional request of Hiring Alchemist to concoct cultivating pills and tempering pills to increase our city production and business, but we will be only running the business as a cover up in the public view, while in the back of the shop, the City Treasury will provide sufficient amount of ingredient for my friend to help us in providing the resources we required."
"I hope my friend Altima could consider this Wei's ridiculous request."
Lord Wei bring out the options the could think of, to assist the city in their defense. Due to the city itself still contain at least two more Escort Agency, two martial Clan, one business association, and one mercenary group, he would need to provide sufficient cover up to ensure his motive in defending the 15th State City offensive approach is kept hidden without any noise going out.
As this matter would indirectly affect the Elder Duke's order towards the city he controls, Lord Wei required being very careful with his arrangement and news release.
One should always understand the Hierarchy and its strength between each gap.
If the Elder Duke wished, he could easily transfer all troops from one city to another, leaving the city defenseless against the upcoming threat, and give out ridiculous reasons for such deployment.
Some Elder Duke is heard to be greedy to no limit until they literally robbed a city clean before they arrange some other new Lords to overtook the previous Lord position. Of course, the closer and better the Elder Duke and the City Lord is, the better the benefits between the two will be.
"Lord Wei, could I request for something in return ?"
Altima continued.
"Please state it, my friend."
Lord Wei happily accept in his mind, without required to consider.
"I need a large amount of any metal, refined or not, pure or impure, bits and crumbs, All of it."
Altima state his request.
"No problem. We will sort this matter out. The 13th State City just manage to discover a newly matured vein of Metal ores, with our skill in handling metallurgy, you can expect large city scale quantity within weeks."
Lord Wei happily accept the request.
"If in that case, I would have one more request."
Altima continued.
"Huh? Please continue, my friend."
Lord Wei started to get a weird feeling about Altima continuous request.
"Call me Altima, if you treat me as a friend."
Altima speaks.
"HA HA HA! Great! Brother Altima, Let's have a Toast!"
Lord Wei happily change his way of addressing Altima, and they both toasted, dine along with the other important figures within the city, before leaving for the night.
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Beginner Triple Fist Technique (Early Master Practitioner of Zen Martial Arts)
Skill Description: a preliminary technique of inflicting triple attack each time towards an opponent. Although this martial art is only in beginner rate, but with ample time spent in mastering this technique, one could use this martial art to compete with some Early Spiritual Martial Arts.
Jiao Dragon Claw Strike (Early Master Practitioner of Zen Martial Arts)
Skill Description: A claw striking art that mimics the movement of a Jiao Dragon as the claw move. Ruthless, Sharp and Precise, this claw strike could easily deal bleeding damage to opponent upon contact. If the claw is added with a weapon, poison or other especially enhancing skill, the destructive strength will be even more opposing to opposite force.
Water Ripple Soft Palm (Early Master Practitioner of Zen Martial Arts)
Skill Description: Soft like how the water reacts with each drop of stone, this palm technique absorb the essence of soft counter-attack, allowing the user to utilize the softness to revert the hardness from the opponent strike. This technique would be fatal if enhancement art is used along, allowing the user to directly destroy opponent internal body upon contact.
Swallowing Star Sabre Art (Early Master Practitioner of Zen Martial Arts)
Skill Description: A saber art that utilized a large amount of Yin and Yang essence to increase the absorption of air between the saber path of movement art. Upon mastering this saber art, one could affect the opponent movement speed and field of defense, rendering their preparation useless when hit.
Swallowing Star Whirl Formation Art (Early Master Practitioner of Zen Martial Arts)
Skill Description: One of the 4 formation of the Swallowing Star School, which manage to create their own reputation due to the profound formation art they possess. The Whirl Formation able to increase the overall formation user strength to two stage above, and suppressed their opponent strength to 3 stage lower. A number 100 practitioner is required to bring this Formation Art to their best performance.
Soft Bone Art (Early Master Practitioner of Zen Martial Arts)
Skill Description: The Soft Bone Art allows one to be able to adjust the bone shape and thickness, allowing one to transform into a different identity, or to be used during the fighting. Due to the Art is easily obtained and learned, it had become one of the most learned martial arts for thugs, bandits, and lechers that tried to take advantage of others.
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