After Ye Hong was stable and now recovering from his ordeal, Shen Yue dropped him at the City Lord's mansion undetected. He then left to go to his second meeting. Only slightly puzzled by the increase in guards in the place.
Thinking over the clash of changes was interesting enough. Nie Li is involved with the Snow Wind Family more and this early would be something to keep a watch over. But if it allowed the place to change more then so be it. It gave the Dimension a more fighting chance from collapsing.
Nie Li did Afterall carried that aura to change the way things worked. Something like a "Champion" but not as rampant since he was after all a part of "Destiny" for the Dimension. The only individual to notice a change was a guard of the Snow Wind Family.
That was only due to Ye Hong having fallen out of bed while sleeping.
"Eh!?" Opening the door seeing Ye Hong half on the bed and half on the floor in disarray, the guard bit back a laugh. Walking over to help the young master back into the bed he was suprised how much Ye Hong developed. "He looks stronger physically, older, and.. what is that mark?"
As the guard was torn between curiosity and duty, Ye Hong was snoozing away unaware of his state on the outside. Internally he was fighting against visions of Demon Beast Hordes. A letter was clutched in the hand of his cousin Ye Ziyun who passed by in a hurry.
The training and improvements from Nie Li coupled with her own memories with the help of the Temporal Demon Spirit Page from the ruins, she was bolder than before and more sure of herself as the days grew.
*Bam!* Ye Ziyun barged into the main office in the City Lord's Mansion. The elders still not use to her change were startled. But her rampant growth as well that of Nie Li's improvements made the old fossils pay attention.
"Why did no one share this with me!?" The letter was slapped onto the table quickly. "Am I not a part of this family as well!? Does my opinion not matter!?" A stubborn gaze at all the members in the room was met with turn aways and slight looks of embarrassment. "How can I become the next Leader of Glory City if my own family keeps things from me?!"
"It is not very polite to barge in like this!" Ye Xiu admonished. He was trying to gain control of the situation quickly. "he matter happened before you showed such promise, you will have to forgive us old men in this matter."
Originally, Ye Ziyun was not that promising for the position of city lord. She didn't show the conviction or abilities to lead that way at all. But since getting involved with Nie Li and a few talks with Ye Hong and even fewer talks with Yang Xin, she was steadily changing.
Xue Yin who spotted her in the hall before she begin in came in to collect her. But that was not to be. She stubbornly stood back wanting to be involved in the Clan's matters. Xue Yin decided to stay as well.
To watch over her but kept stealing glances at Ye Zong.
As Ye Ziyun's only real friend in the mansion, she wanted to make sure the girl wasn't taken advantage of. She would learn much today about how things worked in the city. Which was quite a shock to the older woman.
.
I told you so-
.
Yang Xin stared out the window from her desk as she twirled the new letter between her fingers. As well as the thin glass from before that seemed to have grown a little. But that couldn't be possible.
Right?
The Black Star Tiger cubs were currently sleeping with the mother inside of her. A sensation she loved more than she would ever admit to anyone. The feeling of being alone was growing smaller and smaller. Ang the Black Star Tiger mother continued to strengthen their connection at times.
The more they communicated, the more their souls resonated in a way that made them a single entity but still different enough. As a Demon Spiritualist, Yang Xin would continue to grow in ways most have never seen.
*Woosh!* A small breeze passed in the room but did not carry a scent which scared Yang Xin a little. She felt the lack of one sense changing spirits was a little off-putting. Shen Yue had to guard against the Demon Beast's sense of smell of course. Sitting on the windowsill, his eyes locked on Yang Xin. Causing the woman to flush a little.
It was after all pretty late.
"So who are you?!" Yang Xin kept her guard up and was ready to fight if she had to. This was the first meeting like this after all. But her "guest" just stayed by the window watching her from under his hood. "To scared to show yourself?"
"Not at all but I act as I must. I will remain hidden for now, until the "rats" are out and Glory City moves to a better position. Right now it is still so weak compared to the other places here in Tiny World." Shen Yue kept Astral Sense around the area. His regular eyes would do just fine in keeping track of the Black Gold Rank in front of him. He was not the only one who pushed themself during the last few weeks. "Do you wish to be a better Alchemist or not? Business is more important right now after all."
Yang Xin mentally kept note of the Tiny World comment. As well as the fact he said Glory City was weak. Meant he was an outsider really. But rumors about different settlements out there had been circulating.
Propaganda to most but something Shen Yue pushed Shen Xiu to spread among the different families that came and did work in the West Gate area. It still was hard for the people to believe but it was getting there.
Resistance from the Snow Wind Family did not help in that regard. They even issued a cease and desist order after finding out who started the rumors. Even they a few knew it was true.
Shen Xiu handled as needed, however. Very maliciously. The moment they left the first time after the order, she pass word for all prices on items sold to the Snow Wind Family and its allies, namely the Divine Family to increase.
They felt the pressure and were forced to buy from the Alchemist Association which in turn had to buy the elixirs and Inscriptions at a negotiated price from the Dark Moon Family. Dian Rei and Dian Mu, were quite overworked during the time Shen Yue was gone.
"Fine, but let us clarify some things first." Yang Xin switched to business mode. "The formulas given to us by Shen Yue, and later sold by Shen Xiu, was that your design?" She received a head nod for that. "Did you teach him how to pill forge and make elixirs?" A headshake to that. Which was true, he did not teach him Alchemy. "Tch!"
"How much do you know about the Dark Guild, Sacred Family, Divine (Chen) Family, and the Snow Wind Family?" Yang Xin had signaled for a few Black Gold Rank members to head to this location. A small Inscription under her desk that barely caused a spiritual disturbance. Not to trap him but to try and learn more about him. Forcefully if they must. "Greed and accidents change people."
'They better hurry up and get here.' Yang Xin did not like how calm he was. And the sentence just uttered was off putting. 'He can't have noticed already?'
"Well?" Shen Yue cocked his head to the side curiously. He used Astral Sense and brushed against her as well as the content on the desk. No sense in not gathering additional intel while he could. 'Him, such hopes on Nie Li to push the Alchemy market. How nice. Well, at least the information given to them before prevented a full monopoly over things. Quite a few little investments for my Dark Moon Family will remain strong.' With all the new formulas he acquired from the Ruins, another wave of Formulas, Inscription Patterns, and overall History would continue to put them ahead. "How is that Alchemist I told you about? Has he given you more than I said he would?"
"Not much to tell really." Yang Xin could not divulge that information. "What's it to you really?" She rather not confirm what was said about Nie Li, in the beginning, being true to the letter. "Forget that matter, the Alchemy Association will handle it. Why the interest in the families?"
"They are some of the threats to the city, even if the Divine Family does not know it yet, they have to many in their midst that they shouldn't now. I am sure you have noticed a few during auctions who do not look familiar to you?" A report that he read after his cultivation time, hinted towards the Divine Family gaining an influx of people. "The Dark Guild might have sights on them now. Who knows what they all obtained in the ruins."
"With such large families, it is impossible to know all the members. As well as bad for business to interfere so closely." Yang Xin would not voice her true opinions on the dubious families activity so blatantly. The change in the Divine Family after the expedition made her very wary of them. "So many involved in that last Expedition have changed. I should know, I was there. To bad not everyone remained during it."
The two then broke into small talks and trading of Business information. Shen Yue trying to find more about the various Families tied with the alchemy Association, Yang Xin trying to obtain more hints about his identity and new Formulas.
The time passed by quickly enough unnoticed. The guards started to get antsy after hearing Yang Xin smack the desk in frustration for the umpteen time.
*Bam!* The doors were smashed open. Barely remaining on the hinges as the guards swarmed in. Weapons were drawn and pointing at Shen Yue whose hand came up.
"How terrible." Shen Yue turned out the window and bolt out literally. All they saw was a white streak of lighting heading to the forest. 'Enough time spent there anyway.'
The guards looked around the room noticing nothing was really disturbed. Beside Yang Xin's desk that had a few handprints embedded on the surface.
It didn't take long before they realized a mistake was made.
"Damn him!" Yang Xin sat back down frustrated. She dismissed the guards and tried to focus on what to make of Liang Yu. "He didn't smell like Shen Yue at all! Doesn't sound like him either! Who the hell is he really!?"
As Yang Xin stewed a little over the matter, the mother Black Star Tiger kept the answer quiet. She had no reason to expose Shen Yue after all he had done for her family. The fact his soul carried the feel of her mate might have had a small reason for that.
Human dynamics were quite odd.
.
Shen Yue-
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Shen Yue walked into his home slightly tired. Not physically but more emotionally and mentally. As soon as he flopped down into his seat, the Flaming Snake moved around to his sleeve. Unlike the Black Star Tiger cub which seemed to spend its time fighting along the West Gate Border with its siblings, the snake was wanting to advance more mentally.
Several runes in the room activated. Shen Yue only opened a single eye to look at the snake in wonder. Its intellect was coming along nicely. More so than what he thought previously.
"What.. are.. you?" The snake asked in wonder. Outside the room, Shen Xiu was passing by. For a moment she wanted to check on something but decided against it. She sped passed back the other direction to pick up some material she left. "The difference between you and Shen Xiu is vast. In fact, the only thing in common between you two is that you have an affinity to fire.