Separating-

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Moving up, they came across a group of people. A simple caravan traveling from one area to another. Wanting to see what they had available, Leroy and his people went over to see what they had.

"Hey, they can't have anything you really need, let's keep moving." Tang Xui said annoyed. Of course, trying to get him to head toward the mission she had.

"You don't need me to accompany you, go to the route of the Mansion on your own. I said I will go there if I happen to be in its area, not before or hurried, you don't like it, that's on you."

Tang Xui and the other members of her group grumbled and went on ahead. Princess Jasmine wanted to stay together but went on as well. The importance of checking into the Undead Qi in medicine was something she wanted to be done under her belt.

To her, Alchemist Oda wouldn't try anything until they were at the Mansion. Not to mention Victoria also wanted to go on to get the Mission over with. But her movements were a little odd as she kept pushing herself harder.

"Brother, are you still upset about what happened before?" Saiori asked when they were out of earshot of others. "Tang Xuan is one of the few people I see you talk with openly. Long Fei and Tang Bo have their own situation going on."

"Of course I am but I really want to check what they have and I have other Missions to take care of." He hailed the caravan that they were approaching and meant no harm. They saw his sash and insignia revealed, relieving fears that some have. "Hmm, is that blood?"

Among those in the caravan, several had injuries and the caravan itself had blood on the outside.

"We will search the area." Bai Xing got a few of the other students and flushed out immediately. "I leave the boring work to you senior!"

His childlike voice echoed and definitely would have caused anyone hiding to run or try to kill him. Either way what the youngster wanted to happen.

"Please, can you help us?" What looked to be the Caravan Leader spoke quickly jumping down and kneeling. "Please we will pay what we can!"

"Kaitori, treat the critical people, Miniori and Saiori check the group for anything suspicious while asking questions." The trio immediately followed Leroy's instructions. Using Spatial Sense he was able to pick up several in the outside area but also various Demon Beasts. "Help you with what?"

The leader immediately started to tell them what happened, and how they were ambushed by people who claimed to be the Rebellion Army who were needing resources. Of course, they refused as they needed to sell the goods to keep themselves fed. The opposing party insisted they were doing it for them to not be oppressed and pay unfair taxes.

The worse part is that the Caravan hired a Mercenary Group to help them but they abandon them after a few weeks of trouble. The regular caravan soldiers were already wanting to give up the goods and some even thought about becoming bandits themselves.

"That sounds really bad, how have they been tracking you?"

"That I don't know. We spread Scentless Powder over ourselves but they still managed to find us." The Caravan Leader was annoyed and thought he might have been given a bad batch. "Even most of our Stanard Guards and Demon Beasts were taken out. All we have left are normal horses."

The Scentless Powder did exactly what the name stated, by getting rid of the scent and disrupting most tracking abilities. It only worked if it was on the group itself from the front to the back. If on one or two people, the musk of several others would just override it.

Checking the Caravan showed they definitely had enough spread out and they had all the food secured tightly. Nothing smell wise to tempt the beast after them.

As for the Rebellion Army members, they promised to be back after taking a few goods and leaving after the fighting got too much. Getting a full description of them, Leroy had all he needed.

It took a few hours to treat all of the people and find anything that could hint to what was going on. Leroy had some guesses but waited until he had more information before exposing anything.

"I can't think enough for traveling with us!" Caravan Leader Koda shouted as they traveled along. "Are you sure those metals were the only thing you need as payment?"

"Yup, it will do just fine." Leroy answered from atop the lead Caravan. He was using Spatial Sense and the Metal Seed the entire time while they moved which gave him a good map of what was in the area. "We will get to the bottom of this or at least keep you safe for the time being."

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Saiori, Kaitori, and Miniori were riding in one of the Caravans talking with the occupants. Exchanging information about the area they were in as well as asking about what they came across. The trio was no different than regular people and losing the air most cultivators had about them.

"Senior!" Bai Xing came by with the other students out of nowhere. They had a little blood on them but were fine nonetheless. "We didn't find anything major in the area, I think it best we part the team up here as we have some Missions to take care of far off."

"Sure, you want to sell me what you caught?" Leroy was interested in the Demon Beasts they obtained. If they were in the same state of the Aligators or various other states it would help in finding better treatments for those who were long exposed to it.

"Eh.. it's not much but sure." He tossed over his Storage Bag but the others kept their gains. They were not helped like he was and needed to sell them later. "What's it worth?"

"Nice, here." Leroy tossed him a large Qi Stone for the payment. "About this much."

"Thanks!" Bai Xing took off with no other exchanges. The other students ran with him to try and gain favor still and ride his coat tails. 'Those parts were barely worth that, is this his way of saying he likes me?'

The young Bai Xing was overthinking things as Leroy just saw him as an ok kid. He only cared a little about the principal behind him but the boy himself would not receive ill will unless they clashed.

The more he interacted with Bai Xing the more he was aware that the Akademy had something more going on but not something sinister just yet.

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As things go-

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The Caravan moved through the area pretty wildly the next few days. The culprit was found on day two as Leroy used Spatial Sense the entire time they rode as he refined the Bones of the Aligator according to the Beast Manual.

As for the eggs, they might make it.

One of the Shopkeepers was related to the bandits that attacked them. Who hired the Mercenary group to work for them and then give up after a few days saying it was too dangerous. Earning money from the other merchants who wanted them to stay before cutting out with maximum profits.

As for the bandits themselves, and mercenaries who were not too far away, well they were killed by Spotter and the others for just combat experience. As well as the traitor shopkeeper who lost all his wares.

Leroy took them as compensation and had the rest of the stuff stolen by the bandits given to the Caravan Leader. All of the goods such as personal belongings, he kept himself and had the Caravan spread the word to those who lost personal belongings to come to the Akademy to retrieve them.

This had the chance of having someone involve him in plots and schemes but it also drew more people out. Testing the Loyalty of those close to him and hopefully bringing really good resources to his doorstep in a way.

"Well, at least we have transportation for ourselves." Miniori said while guiding the horses along. It really didn't take much to learn the right way to handle the animal for her. "Too bad they are not tamed Demon Beasts."

"Give it time, they will be." Leroy was riding on one horse as his hand pressed into its back. "Once I figure out how this technique works more, I can help rear them to that state."

"If only they ate Flame Qi as Spotter does." Kaitori muttered looking at the Fire Bird flying in the sky doing aerial tricks. "Wish I could fly like that." Feeling a stirring behind her, she looked at who caused it. "Despite the Formation protecting her, she surely is relaxed."

Saiori was cultivating with her swords, using up the Qi Stones they just received from the dead shopkeeper. She had an additional two swords to add to her collection and was using so many to help develop her Sword Embryo further.

Communing with weapons had that effect for a sword user if they looked hard enough and had the patience to do it.

"Got it!" Leroy exclaimed in surprise. "Well, the rest is up to you for now!" He hopped onto the other horse and did the same thing. Making sure to treat injuries before helping the animal to develop into a Demon Beast. "Now hopefully I can get you finished in time as well."

The horse nodded as it felt its partner looked healthier and pulled the carriage more. Whatever the human was doing it hoped for the relief of not pulling such luggage.

The cargo was a lot of produce, pelts, clothing, and refined lumber. Of course, there were some in Storage Bags but they didn't put all of them in there just in case.

"Almost done already, definitely works better after using it more." Flushing it with more Qi, he made a Qi X-ray of the body to reference later. "With all the hauling you two have done, each of you is at least in the middle of Body Tempering. Just need the right foods and some time to make it up higher."

Once finished, he stood on the horse and went through his Intellect to understand more of CUltivation with Animals to turn them into Demon Beasts. Using Spatial Sense once more, he tried to impart Fire-Lighting Body method onto them.

The pathways and the circulation of Qi for the technique. The Horses became more robust after a few cycles of their Blood Qi. Instincts mixing in and making the process better and more natural for them.

'The Amp Flower would be to much for them at this stage, would regular Qi-infused water be better?' Thinking it over, he went inward into his Internal Space and moved to his Icebeast Dantian. 'Maybe some water mixed directly with the Blood Qi from here will be better?'

Pushing his Icebeast Dantian, after pouring water on top of it, the runoff was collected into a bowl. The water was richer and colder than it was before but he didn't think that was enough.

'The Fire Lighting Body modified was taught to them but here I am using the Blood Qi from the Icebeast Dantian when I should experiment with Qi directly from the Flame Vortex more.' Shifting over that way, Leroy tried refining the Water in the bowl carefully. 'Must make sure not to get to close and burn myself or evaporate the water.'

*Fwoosh!* Qi waffed off the core and circled around the bowl under his guidance. The bowl turned even colder as did the surroundings at the same time within him. Despite the giant ball of "Fire"that was the Flame Vortex, the atmosphere turned into a type of early winter.

'Oh boy... what is this?' Confused, Leroy made sure to check the Formations inside to make sure none of the areas were affected. The temperature dropped but the are directly around the Flame Vortex and he was really cold. 'But it is still Fire, and I can see Lighting bouncing around inside!"