While Bai Qi asked Grandmaster Li to contact all of his close acquaintances, members of the original [Seven Islands Plane], and the powers supporting either him or the others, even reinforced that by spending a good deal of spirit stones for a secondary message to all of his close companions via the [Golden Hind] services, as to assure them of his safety and avoid any altercation, both methods had already arrived late, after all, the [Eastern Inscription City] incident finalized just a few hours after his escape, and so, was publicized thought the [Teleportation Gates] network before he even waked up in this new state of his, the one he decided to name Qiu Shandian.
He hoped and somewhat expected that most people close to him hadn't acted, even as he learned of the general information and the rumors around the incident, but...
How wrong could he be - when he now worked on that assurance, having no actualized information on what was going on?!
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Yuan Taotu, who had met Bai Qi just a few weeks ago - during the [Void Palace] incident aftermath - could not believe the message he received.
Yuan Taotu had been probably one of the first people to meet and learn about Bai Qi's specialness, not to mention that the latter opened to him first during their time in the [Pocket Realm] in Bai Qi's, or no, Wu Guang's stunt on the [Seven Islands Plane].
Acting on that idea, one supported by every breath spent with Bai Qi, Wu Guang, Chen Guang, or whatever he chooses to call himself at any given moment, Yuan Taotu rushed outside his secluded cultivation on a secret and restricted plateau filled with a mix of wind and water Qi, so useful for his inherited [Peng] bloodline-cultivation, falling on his knees before his master, one that was not a play of fate, but in a good deal the arrangement of the same Bai Qi, High Elder Cai Lao, the one who took him as a semi-disciple, now official disciple, as soon as he arrived in the power best meant for him, something nearly impossible even if with the recommendation of a High Elder from [Shoumen City].
"Master, I can not cultivate idly! My friend and benefactor is being both slandered and requires help..." Yuan Taotu stating over five words in a single sentence was already something strange, but for him to do so with such emotion was such a strange fact that even the peak Warrior King Cai Lao was surprised.
Still, after quickly calming himself and recalling all the information relevant to this genius he was rearing, Cai Lao promptly connected the dots, stopping the outburst of his most promising disciple right away with both aura and words, "I understand what you are feeling, but do maintain the decorum you must have as a disciple of a High Elder."
After admonishing his disciple and seeing that the latter was about to speak back, ignoring any rules and suppression, Cai Lao dropped his pressure, "I understand your worry, but acting in such a manner will not do any good to you. Your friend did escape the battlefield, one resolved just a few hours later... So, he is safe!"
Cai Lao rarely raised his voice even during the training sessions, but he did now. He even continued in the same manner as he admonished Yuan Taotu for acting out of his position, leaving his training, and even asking him, "If he's alive, and all of the bad rumors are just that, rumors, how can you help him if you haven't even been able to reach the level to fight back the rival I prepared for you..? How would you face or help Bai Qi, who, no matter the bad rumors, could and did fight to the peak of the Warrior Lord realm?! Heavens, he even showed Mind Power enough to combat Warrior Kings, so... What can you do? With this childish outrage of yours?!"
Thus, Yuan Taotu couldn't do anything but return to training, hoping that their meeting just during the [New Year] festival that was to arrive would show him the surprise of an alive and well-doing Bai Qi.
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Xue Ru, who had suddenly reached the heiress position of the power she joined, the "Delicate Forest Palace" - thanks to both Bai Qi and his current female companion's decision had been filled up with a strange feeling.
And while one could attribute it to jealousy, Xue Ru had looked both into Bai Qi's and Ma Su's eyes, and neither of them had any love for each other. Companionship and some degree of admiration coming from the latter, but it was clear that they had no actual relationship, or hells damned, planned one.
While the latter question could be easily explained by - the allure of actual power and most importantly, the way to control her fate and actions - something Xue Ru had nothing of in her original plane, the feeling of something lost was still there, as well as Wu Guang, Chen Guang, or as his name was originally, Bai Qi's face surfaced in her mind while plaguing her with doubt.
She hadn't met Bai Qi on his leaving day, both avoiding the issue and stating her position as the new heiress of a recognized power, one that was far above the level when compared to a simple rogue cultivator, no matter his connections.
***
Between Hudie Xiuying's lessons and the commentaries of the only person she could call a friend in the entire [Palace], someone who had nearly her manner of thinking, at least to Bai Qi's and some more, Fan Lin, an assistant elder that just got promoted to an official one.
She couldn't understand her feelings regardless of them going all over her!
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Thinking about the now-official Elder Fan Lin made Xue Ru smile, and Fan Lin herself, who had taken just some of Bai Qi's questioning, which reason was still a question for Xue Ru, as a declaration of both love and intention was not only a welcome talk partner but also a check on herself.
***
One could say that this would be the setting for a full setting of unrequited love, but Xue Ru now understood the reason why Bai Qi had not acted on her, Xue Ru laughed inwardly as she observed the truly infatuated Fan Lin acting strangely, at least for an elder, as she admonished Xue Ru for not meeting Bai Qi when she had a chance.
And Xue Ru was close to rebuking the newly ascended elder, especially with her new status giving the ability to do so, if not for a sudden report about [Dongpo City].
That city, the one ruled by the [Dongpo] clan, and usually called the [Eastern Inscription City], one so far east from the actual frontlines and protected by an actual Warrior Emperor cultivator of the area,
***
While the reports from [Baoshi Hua] were just starting to arrive, the first one, the one that prompted Xue Ru to request the ruling elders for an investigation team to be sent out, one under the leadership of no one else than Fan Lin, could be said to be reaction enough for an emergency as an attack on a nearby 3rd tier power, that while not falling under their power, was still closer to the [Palace] than to any other 2nd tier power around.
But, with the investigation team deporting on their means, the [Dongpo City] [Teleportation Formation] unavailable, Xue Ru received a new report through the talismans, prompting her to, for the first time during these days of her new status, commanding a new team to set off, one with her at the head, and a not-so-reluctant, as one could expect, renowned Hudie Xiuying, the [Brave Hairstreak], who decided to join the trip as well, citing it as an actual emergency.
After all, a close city to them had just been attacked by the enemies, the frontlines which weren't even close to the area, and not only that, but Bai Qi, someone who had just helped their power, was now a possible traitor?!
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Only some days had passed since Wu had been ordered into Cai Zhenkang's team sent towards the [Ninety-fifth Breath of the Saint] on Bai Qi's report, all to check, investigate, and even eliminate if they could confirm the facts, just based on the small amount of proof and words of someone who was just a Warrior Lord, even if his friend.
The mission was an actual success, with even the [Dojo] leader, Wen Wuhan, having nothing to do with the superior Cai Zhenkang, who had recovered to the utmost after getting a good deal of the medicines meant for the [City Lord], ones that the latter couldn't receive, his cultivation very much destroyed.
Surprisingly, not only did they confirm the existence of the prohibited [Three Rabid Paths], made with actual human sacrifices and other frowned upon methods, but destroyed the entire workshop created to do such a pill, all while leveling the 4th tier power previously known as the [Ninety-fifth Breath of the Saint Dojo] and sending its head, Wen Wuhan to an execution promptly executed by the [Great Forest Sect] representatives.
***
"I wish I could have met this young man you call a friend - it seems he is very versed in everything, but such a quick understanding of pills and follow-up? He definitively deserves a place in one of the palaces under me." Pill grandmaster Du Kang, who had both acted as an observer during the raid and the judge in place of the occupied higher-ups from the [Great Forest Sect] as the execution of Wen Wuhan, told Wu in private before giving him a [Void Ring] full of different herbs and weapons, with a good dozen of rare pills along them.
"The weapons and half the herbs are your part after the destruction of the [Dojo] that decided to turn to such means. As for the rest, I hope you can get them to Bai Qi. As well as this invitation letter." The man called Du Kang slightly nodded his head full of messy green hair that appeared as if it was grass and not hair, before sharing a smile on his otherwise stoic face, "And if you do meet him before I do... Tell him that not only can he get support in a smaller power, which he doesn't want, but he is already good enough for the overlords."
***
It was around the same time that Wu and the esteemed pill grandmaster Du Kang were chatting, an already unexpected moment, that the assistant of the still acting Lord of [Zihoadao] brought a message before the latter, "In the [Eastern Inscription City] Bai Qi was imprisoned, his badge activated, so its sure that he is involved." While not feeling much for Bai Qi, who had just benefitted from the lack of another savior, Yi Hai couldn't either go against the orders of his lord to get any information about the youngster or the respect he himself felt for someone who defeated ten champions on the arena while having strength enough to survive the events from just some weeks ago.
"If the badge was checked, it means that someone dares to lay a hand on him, right..?!" It wasn't as if Yi Lao, with all of his experience and time as a Lord, wouldn't know what was happening, his outrage being more of a way to liberate stress before acting, far aware of his situation.
But, before Yi Hai could confirm anything, the still alive, even if crippled Lord of [Zihoadao] continued, "If something like that happened, there are more things to follow. So, hear my command..." Yi Lao stopped for a few breaths as he analyzed everything before giving the command that would be the final, probably even one of the last ones he could give as he barely retained his life thanks to the cultivation retaining formation he was immersed into, he even started with nothing but a rant, "Bai Qi is someone I would have loved to recruit, but it didn't happen. Still, we have a friendship with him, and his friend is a member of our [Clan]. So, let it be like that. Send some people on the land route, using the minimum of [Teleportation Formations] as one could do. If something happened, or Bai Qi had already acted, just support him, if not, then, let them pressure that damn city with everything we as [Zihoadao] can offer. Oh, and before that, send a message that our envoys will be arriving, as we do want to defend whatever Bai Qi's actions were, well, the ones leading to imprisonment without charges."
"It will be done!" Yi Hai bowed before rushing out, requesting a team of half a dozen Warrior Lords to act.
___
Who would have known, that just a day later, as the updated attack and results information started trickling through, sent from the [Dongpo City] after the entire event, Yi Lao would lament not sending his people on the shortest route, or regret, truly regret, he had no cultivation as it was...
***
It could be said that Wu was kept from any information about what happened to Bai Qi right after his message about the [Dojo]. Even the events in the [Delicate Forest Palace] reached him only in rumors, with no actual information but that he had participated. To be expected as the other participants had no desire to publicize they had been overtaken by a rogue cultivator.
Still, he would learn of the facts before Bai Qi's messages reached him, and not by anyone but Du Kang who contacted him without any other idea but to get some information, asking him if he knew what could have happened to Bai Qi to be declared a traitor to the [Great Forest Area].