*Rattle!* The Formations and Glyphs actually shook as the Mental energy raged around him into a hurricane of power once he really got started. Having broken into the Calm a few days ago, the first Realm of the mind had to be rechecked to make sure he didn't screw it up. With everything he took into himself, he already skyrocketed through the ranks and stopped at the very limit he could reach without understanding on the first day worked on the mountain.

Everything he read and saw developed new meanings and made him rethink a lot. But he could also feel his humanity restricting or more accurately his emotions turning to a state where he easily entices them or placates them.

'This... will take some getting used to.' Finding the right balance would be the hard part but the epiphany in regards to his techniques was strong and he figured a little more in regards to his changing situation. 'I have become numb a little to the plights of others on an empathetic level, as if I am dead yet I know I am alive and only doing something because I believe I must.'

It was a bit of a Spiritual Quandary he would have to deal with. The various spirits in the tent were also affected. As his place to sleep in for the last few days and work, it wasn't that hard to keep the place secured enough. As for the spirits, they took a lot to keep stable at first. But now... it was easy once he used the Tortured Mind Refining Arts better. The spirits started to lawl into a type of sleep as their minds wandered and the spiritual energy they were composed of solidified further.

The number of Harpy Spirits he took in was large and by far still growing. With a simple thought, he was able to use Soul Siphon on a few that were too rowdy and reduce them into mental energy.

Weaving his fingers the mental energy was pushed towards the other spirits. Making them smarter and strengthening them in a way his Rich Qi would do. Not as strong but not as damaging to them.

"Hmm." Smiling almost cruelly he found a way to gain a foothold over the Harpys that conspired against them or meant him harm. "Know you go to a place that will help some of your former Flock!"

Ghastly hands of Mental energy grabbed hold of the disobedient ones and dragged them towards him. They were literally pulled into his skull visually but were fed into his cultivation itself for the mind.

Before the final day came, Rexford had 1,234 Harpy Spirits under him. With a fair understanding of their old ways but not the new ways since the bodies of the recently deceased were buried somewhere else.

A few special burial rites conducted when they died kept them from getting attached to the land. Unlock those who he currently had that didn't get rights until too late or at all.

One particularly the last Flock Leader who had difficulty getting under control since day 2.

However, he gained insight into the Harpy's Cultivation method before and incorporated a few changes into the Black Gold Sun Art. It was not that difficult and he understood some of the problems they were facing in regard to their Cultivation because of it. One big one was that they needed to be in an open environment with Turbid Qi.

Pure Qi was almost toxic to them believe it or not. Something to do with their Bloodline or an Ancestor. It was too far back in the past for Rexford to deal with in a short or medium range of time. So it was jotted down to give over for later in final deal-making.

Something about the corruption of the body means the soul is twisted or something. Therefore unpure Qi was more suited to them starting off. But as time passes they would need the pure stuff to help them refine their bodies and push out the toxins.

Rexford's Vortex Spirit Enhancing Pills and Vortex Body tempering Pills were made in a way the body and soul were nourished respectfully to prevent that. With it having a touch of his Rich Qi it subtly filled in the damages the cultivation caused.

"Here is some breakfast since you still like food so much." Duru delivered some bacon and eggs. Rexford didn't ask where they came from since it really didn't matter at this point. He knew his body could take it and that it was not poison. "A lot of talk has the Flock divided on how to proceed."

"You don't say." Shoveling the food in and enjoying the taste, he gave the formerly aggressive Harpy a once over. She had been a good host along with the older Apoethcary but still kept quiet about most subjects when asked. "It is almost time for our tentative dealing to be finished, you were given the means to suppress your cultivation problems and help with recovery quicker, that should be good for the older members."

"Griselda, the Harpy from before believes so as do most others. But the elders, those who stick to the old ways do not." Duru had stood back by the entrance of the tent with a weapon in hand as she always did. "Do you need to go back to the cliff to study some more."

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"No, I have all I need. Just waiting for the right time now, I must warn you since in the end it was you who hired me for this part." Stopping his words he shoveled the rest of the food down since he had to tend to a few more matters first. Duru was neither rushed or hurried for him to continue. "What I have found out is really bad and you be wise to gather a few who stand with you later."

Rexford thought the day would have at least continued to go well since his work was simple after a small common ground had been met a few days ago, but no it did not. The older members of the Flock didn't trust him since he had dealings with the Gorgons already. Despite his treatment so far of the younger Flock members and stabilizing their cultivation, it was not enough for the old buzzards.

Especially when he started treating the males who were bedridden for years with some even able to return to duties immediately after a few decades!

Even helping them to walk again with their loved ones. Enough that he even teared up when a child was able to hug their grandpa for the first time. It was a weird feeling and reminded him of an old memory. The Rexford of this Dimension had a grandfather who was alive. The old man was shit so he was glad about that.

The current controlling members talked amongst themselves thinking their protection was strong enough to prevent anyone from knowing what was going on.

The only problem with that was the H-Spirits he gained were starting to get restless as their deaths were bad. Inside his Internal Space and constantly under the effects to remember more and more they were starting to get vocal and found a lot of terrible things within their Flock.

"I think we should eat him to improve a few of us and go from there to heal the others." An older Harpy said. She gave her beak a hungry lick while staring at Rexford through a projection of light. "He has no real standing in the Supernatural community or that of Cultivators in the country."

A few others had made their intention none.

"I am completely against it." Griselda and a few other Den Mothers were united on this matter. With the stress and major problems handled for them, they couldn't help but rally to Duru to help preserve the Flock. "To reward help with treachery is not the way of the Flock!"

"That's right!" Sarp, one of the few strong males voiced out. Having his brothers, cousins, and his father active again was more than he could hope for in this life. "The deals and overall trades for future medicines have been lucrative, we have no reason to risk it!"

"You fools are forgetting he has a deal with the Gorgons! Best to take care of him now to prevent them from gaining an advantage over us!" The old buzzard shouted loudly with a menacing look. "How do we know this is not a trap to lull us into lowering our defenses and those monsters coming to kill us all!"

She played on fears and old prejudices. Poking at those who lost family members in the last few years particularly.

Shouting how that last peace summit for those in the mountain range had ended in treachery. With an entire Flock getting killed off that used to be allies of theirs.

"I can not in good faith do this to the Flock. Especially with us not having any real Connections in the city." The current Flock Leader said sensibly. She raised her hand to stop any protests from getting started. "We have fewer and fewer routes of safety for going into the local town as well. Securing all of that takes priority over creating a new enemy."

"But he leaves today, or maybe tomorrow what if he goes straight to the Gorgon and reports our numbers and situation?" A captain of the guard asked.

"He has Spirits from what we found out, if he wanted to hurt us he could just use them already. Any information he gathered would have already been exposed." The Flock Leader spoke calmly as this was not a big deal. 'I have already checked the number of spirits that have come and gone from the mountain, none have gone back to the city from reports have first said.'

"Spirits?" The outspoken old buzzard questioned slightly troubled. "How many does he have and how many have gone around the mountain?"

"Not many from what we have seen, a few animals and two men that mostly assist with finding herbs along the mountainside. We didn't lend any Harpy's out since most are busy keeping defenses up or recuperating." One of the Apothecaries answered with no issue. "Oh, I do know he cultivates at least three times a day."

"Why is that?"

"To get stronger I would think." The Apothecary shrugged.

"He is only in the Qi Refining Realm, after all, he needs to cultivate diligently." The Flock Leader answered as she moved the topic in a different direction. "How goes the request for those herbs he needed?"

"The Nightshade Flock declined as they are out already." A scout answered with a frown. "Their territory does not look good at all and they were attacked by someone recently, we couldn't find out who."

"Then we will have to look elsewhere to some of the other groups out there. But it will have to be done quickly and quietly while we are rebuilding."

"That is why I say we keep him here with force to pry the secrets he has out!" The old buzzard shouted as she saw a chance. Even more adamant to have him taken care of after hearing about the spirits.

.

Nightshade Flock-

.

Rexford and Damla were currently en route to visit the other Flock to see if they could assist them. The idea of them getting wiped out didn't sit well with the Apothecary but Rexford only saw it as an opportunity and a chance to escape if the situation turned volatile with the Sunset Flock.

It was always good to know your surrounding friends and enemies.

"We should be there soon!" Damla called out as she flew a little faster once she caught sight of smoke. Her eyes looked down as she noticed Rexford kept the pace fairly well on the ground. 'I wouldn't have taken him for a well-rounded cultivator like this. At most, I expected to have left a good gap between us to keep him safe.'

For his part, Rexford was not worried about any ambushes since he sent a few spirits ahead. So far it was bad as most of the spirits reported the surroundings were clear with no animals in the area or traces of some being around for a while.

With the Harpies generally flying the ground for scouting and recon was ignored in favor of keeping air defenses up. It was odd and downright stupid considering the Gorgons who they fought against were land travelers.

*Woom!* A fluctuation of Qi pulsed in his body as he broke through into the ninth stage of Qi Condensation. His heart palpitated as a bad feeling washed over him in regard to his strength.