Inside the Pang Spirit Pavilion
"All of his meridians have been damaged. If not for the Flora Core Pill you obtained from your friend in the Azure Sky Kingdom, he would not have survived—much less endured the repairs we've managed," the healer said gravely.
"How long will he remain unconscious?" Pang De asked. Sitting beside his son, who lay pale and malnourished on the bed, he looked as though years had been carved into his face. This was after Pang Ling had already been pulled back from the brink of death.
"I don't know. It could be a week, a month. But that is not the real problem. It may take him at least three years to return to his former state—energetic and whole. Until then, he must be treated as our top priority," the healer answered.
Pang De's hands clenched into fists, his body trembling as he heard this. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself calm.
"Three years… As long as after three years everything will be fine," he said finally, after a long silence.
"There is more…" the healer said hesitantly. He leaned closer, whispering some things in Pang De's ear.
As the words sank in, Pang De's grip at the base of the bed intensified breaking the wood, as his already foul mood worsened. Now the only thought in his mind was finding whoever had done this to his son—and making them beg for death.
When he entered the next room, where Old Fu and the others were waiting, his anger was plain. Everyone stood immediately and bowed in respect, few were already shaking. Ignoring the courtesy, he strode straight to Old Fu, seized him by the collar, and pulled him close.
"Tell me everything," Pang De growled, his voice low and hoarse.
He interrogated each witness separately, demanding their accounts. A few noses had to be broken before they stopped flattering and started telling the truth. Even in such a grave matter, some still tried to curry favor with his injured son by shifting blame. But Pang De knew his son and knew what he could do.
He wanted the full account because few dared strike his son, injuring him to this extent. Fewer still in the entire Azure Alliance did not know who he or his son was. Whoever the culprit was, it might be someone he could not afford to cross—even for his son. Pang De was angry, but not reckless. The lessons of the past had made him cautious.
At last, he pieced together the story. The culprit was found—but this "fat man with a cat" was unknown to him.
"Patriarch, I may have information that could help," an elder announced, stepping into the hall just as Pang De was preparing to set out with the Grand Elder and a few others.
"Speak," Pang De ordered.
"A few days ago, the Azure Guards were searching for a pot-bellied man with a cat. Normally, They give description and we spread the word and get them information on the whereabouts and othe..."
" Yes, we know our relationship with the Azure guards." One of senior elder interrupted, annoyed by the prolonged speech.
"Usually their investigations are local, but this one came directly from one of the commander and was spread across the entire Azure Alliance. My contact said the matter was so intense that two commanders nearly fought over it, but I'm not sure how true that is."
"Now that you mention it, I recall hearing something similar," another elder added.
"If it is the same person, then he is either very important—or very dangerous," another mused.
"Whichever it is, we will soon find out. Either way, we have the Grand Elder. There are very few who can stand against him," Pang De said, gesturing toward the old man seated quietly nearby. A regal aura surrounded him as he observed in silence.
---
At Azure Headquarters — Jing Tu's Office
Jing Tu was packing his belongings when a knock came at the door. After confirming who it was, he allowed her in.
"Commander, why are you already packing?" Chi Xianyan asked, shocked. "He hasn't even accepted yet, and you don't know if he will."
"There are too many variables," she continued quickly.
"Chi Xianyan, you don't understand. This is the path. I can feel it. And if I am wrong, at the very least, he can lead me to the Azure Sky Kingdom, where I'll find greater opportunities. This place is too small for me… or for you," Jing Tu said earnestly.
"Why are you so desperate to go to the Azure Sky Kingdom? You could still go in a few years, when you reach Heavenly Origin or even Heavenly Core. With your talent, it is very possible. So why risk everything for a stranger?" Chi Xianyan asked, worried he was being reckless and rushing to make the decision too fast.
Seeing she wouldn't let the matter drop, Jing Tu gestured for her to sit. "Then listen. Think of this as perhaps your last lesson from me, if you choose not to come along."
"First of all—weren't you the one always saying that reaching the peak of martial arts was your goal? What changed?" he asked.
"I know. But we have responsibilities, unsolved problems. We're adults. We can't just throw everything away and follow a stranger we know nothing about. For all we know, he may be using a dark technique. The way he can vanish is very… unnatural," Chi Xianyan argued.
"Oh, that." Jing Tu smiled faintly. "I didn't want to say anything in front of the others, but it's related to being condensed into lightning. I can't explain it in details, but his beast does it when it descends from the peak of the mountain which they stay to hunt. I don't know how strong it is, but I know for certain it's stronger than me."
"If it's stronger than you, how does it not sense your presence? And I saw the beast with him, is that little cat really so frightening?" Chi Xianyan pressed.
He laughed so hard he nearly fell from his chair. "Sense my presence? Of course it does! Sometimes it even makes eye contact." He wheezed with laughter almost falling from his seat.
"A beast that doesn't attack on sight?" she asked, frowning at his reaction.
"It just ignores me to hunt other beasts. I think it's under its master's orders. But anyway, we got sidetracked. What were we talking about again?" he asked, finally calming down.
"We were talking about how you could wait a few years till you are strong enough and still reach the Azure Sky Kingdom later. There's no need to rush," Chi Xianyan said, steering away from the fat man topic.
"Then let me share a few secrets that may explain my position. And these goes without saying that they must remain secret." Jing Tu's tone turned serious.
"Naturally," she replied.
"First, do you know how the Grand Commander became a Heavenly Core expert? You likely don't. But I'm closer to him than most, and he once told me. He had what you'd call a fortuitous encounter. He saved an injured expert from the Azure Sky Kingdom who had come here searching for a rare flower. As a reward, the expert gave him a pill—the Yang Nourishment Pill, or something like that. With the pill and a lot of time in the Southern Mountains, the then–late stage Heavenly Origin cultivator advanced to the Heavenly Core realm.
This proves two things: first, it's impossible to break through from Heavenly Origin to Heavenly Core in this backwater shithole, Southern Mountains included. Second, if the Lightning God is as strong as or stronger than the Grand Commander as I suspect, then he most likely has such treasures."
"Him being stronger than the Grand Commander is mere speculation. And if he is that strong, what could an old fat man possibly offer? By age and realm, the Grand Commander is younger and has far more potential. If you truly want to go to the Azure Sky Kingdom, the Grand Commander could take you," Chi Xianyan countered.
"I know you haven't met many Heavenly Realm experts. But tell me—out of those you've seen, how many were pot-bellied and fat?" he asked.
"You mean it's a disguise?" she asked uncertainly.
"Not sure," Jing Tu sighed. "But what you said about the grand commander taking me to Azure Sky kingdom leads to my next point: the Grand Commander cannot take me to the Azure Sky Kingdom… because the Grand Commander himself cannot go to the Azure Sky Kingdom."
"WHAT!" Chi Xianyan gasped.