Linjian's group tried to get information off the three killers, Shen Yue brought the scroll to Ye Hong to look over. Pointing out the Inscription Pattern resemblance to those of the Sacred Family members.
Nie Li moved over to help with the interrogation process. Much to the happiness of Linjian who was getting nowhere.
"Well?" Shen Yue waited five minutes after handing it over. If he gave the answer it would make him to biased. "Who could have made this?"
"Just a moment." Ye Hong called Ye Ziyun over since she knew more about inscriptions than himself. "What do you think?" The young teen studied it for a bit before making any comments.
"It looks like.. one sold by the Sacred Family." Ye Ziyun said in almost a whisper. But it was loud enough for the Sacred Family members to her. "I think Nie Li should take a look at it as well." She basically passed the buck. Mindful of the precarious situation she held as the City Lord's daughter.
"Don't say whatever you please little girl!" Shen Fei bellowed. He marched over with his people ready to create a ruckus. Nie Li seeing this left the interrogation process. "You Snow Wind Family people are just trying to suppress others!"
"Humph! That is more the Sacred Family's thing!" Ye Hong was ready to knock Shen Fei down a few pegs. This would be the perfect opportunity to do so. But it was better not to fight it out considering there was more traveling ahead of them. He spotted Chu Yuan and came up with a good idea. "You man Chu Yuan, he knows a little about Inscriptions, right? I am sure he can help solve this problem."
"Hold on there!" A females voice yelled. Huyan Lanruo came over. Most staring at her to small shorts and a revealing top. She was literally wearing booty shorts on a mountain trip! "If this is about Inscriptions, count me in!"
"I can answer any questions regarding Inscriptions!" Chu Yuan having heard his name as well as seeing his crush involved came over quickly. He did know the full situation, however. "What needs answering?"
"This." Ye Ziyun handed over the scroll. "Whose works is this by chance?" Chu Yuan wouldn't pass the chance to impress Lanruo. As well as to show off to others. I didn't take long for him to decipher I with him being a lackey of Shen Fei's. After all, he studied a lot of their work.
"I am done." He passed to Lanruo who passed to Nie Li to inspect. "Huh?"
"Ze Yuyin wanted him to inspect it afterall." She made sure to look at Shen Fei when she said so. "Don't want anyone thinking we are cheating after all."
"Humph!"
"This is done by the Sacred Family." Chu Yuan answered shaking his head. " I have way more experience than some thirteen you old brat." Looking around he started to brag. "Who disagrees with what I judge?"
"No one." Shen Yue said. "After all, I agree with you and so does everyone else but Shen Fei." A few started snickering as Chu Yuan a lackey of Shen Fei actually caused a problem just now. "Even your own man says this is done by your family. What do you have to say for yourself?"
"I say he is a fool!" Shen Fei spat on the ground in disgust. Thinking it would be a good chance to deal with his brother after seeing he didn't take the time to recover after taking two Silver Ranks out, best to strike while the enemy is weak. "Shen Yue, it is about time you stop playing the disobedient son and return to the family."
As everyone focus on these two, a member of the Sacred Family moved to silence the last Silver Rank that was alive. He was on the verge of giving up it seemed.
"Playing? Not even close. Those corpses off the Sacred Family are not worth it." Shen Yue frowned at Shen Fei. "If I didn't know any better, I would swear you were picking a fight with me. But that would be stupid."
"You think you can take me?!" Shen Fei was incensed. "Let me remind you who is the stronger of us!" He sent a punch towards Shen Yue that was dodged easily. "Tch!"
When weaving out the way, Shen Yue sent out a straight jab full of spirit energy. His hand immediately catching fire. He was going for a killing blow off the bat. Someone got in the way, however.
*Schlick!* Nie Li's left bracer was broken as blood splattered everywhere. Jumping in front was a stupid idea that left everyone shocked considering the know beef between them.
"Nie Li!" Ye Ziyun shouted. She went to his side quickly to see if he was ok. "What were you thinking getting in the way like that!?"
"Yes.. what were you thinking?" Shen Yue's eyes narrowed trying to see what he was up to. 'This brat has lost his mind or something.'
"Cough!" Nie spat up some blood looking at Shen Fei. "You owe me your life." Shen Fei shook his head and left disgusted. "Not even a thank you." Looking back at Ze Yuyin he supposed an answer was in order. "It wouldn't be good if Shen Fei was killed by his brother."
"Humph, not my brother anymore." Shen Yue retracted his spirit energy before Nie Li had a chance to keep it. But it was to late as some mixed in thanks to the Cultivation Nie Li practiced. 'This little bastard! He will pay for this in the worse way!' The look of anger was very noticeable on his face.
"I think it best we all cool off." Chen Linjian said. The scroll was placed into his storage ring for later. "I will present this to my elders later to have them look it over. For now, I suggest everyone keeps a tight lip about this."
"Agreed." Most mumbled as they dispersed.
"Have you gotten anything from the interrogation?" Shen Yue asked still angry. He looked over to the dead prisoner facepalmed. "You are not supposed to let the person you torture die! Are you all idiots?"
"Dammit!" Chen Linjian looked over frustrated as can be. As he questioned his people, Shen Yue took the bodies of the two others and moved to the third. "What are you doing?"
"I have ways of finding answers myself. Since you already took the scroll on your own accord I will take the bodies. Do you have a problem with that?" Shen Yue arched a brow and the young teen daring him to argue. There was none. "That is what I figured."
Most thought he was putting them into his storage ring. That was not the case as they were tossed into the Flame Vortex Core for refinement. The sooner it was done the better.
Moving to a spot near the Alchemy Association members, he sat crisscross and focused on refining. The Black Tiger sat down between his legs and went to sleep enjoying the atmosphere.
.
Nie Li-
.
As everyone was still settling down and recovering, Nie Li was surrounded by Ye Ziyun, Ye Hong, Chen Linjian, Huyan Lanruo, and Chu Yuan. Each of them knew there was more to why he did what he did.
Chu Yuan never felt so embarrassed and was only here to vent to Chen Linjian.
"Alright spill it." Linjian was not one for this secrecy considering Shen Yue did everything he was supposed to do during the trip so far. "What is really going on?"
"Shen Yue.. is a Gold Rank Fighter if not a Gold Rank Demon Spiritualist. And he is defintely not at the 1st rank." Nie Li had recovered from the blow well enough. And in fact, used the energy before it was pulled back to step into the 3rd Bronze Rank cleanly. "His Soul Force is very powerful and dangerous."
"How do you know this?" Ye Hong voiced. Out of those in the tent, he could be considered to be on Shen Yue's side. 'We already knew he was Gold Rank but and that is because he told us.'
"When I took the attack I checked his Soul Force. It was the best way to determine his strength." Nie Li answered neutrally. "I had to know if he was using a forbidden technique or an elixer that did this. Unfortunately, I could only tell that it was extremely pure."
"Seems underhanded since he didn't do anything to you as far as I know." Huyan Lanruo did not think Nie Li was that type of guy but she knew little about him. "Your interest in him seems weird."
"It is because he is from the Sacred Family. " Nie Li said coldly. "I do not think he left the family and believe this to be a ruse. In the last few weeks, not only has he started another family and has funds coming in, but he is also an Alchemist with no known teacher and has techniques we have never seen before."
"With all the lost cultivation manuals and battle techniques lost, that is easily explained." Ye Hong shook his head in dismay. " You need more than that considering he has supplied pills to both Alchemy Association as well as the Snow Wind Family. Why would he do that if he wanted to harm us?"
"To have your guard lowered." Nie Li retorted still unconvinced. The hatred for the Sacred Family clouded his judgment. "What about the expansion into the Barren Lands, why would he need that territory?"
"For buildings." Ye Ziyun answered. The looks the other gave her made spaz out a little. " I came across the proposal in the City Lord's Mansion when Shen Xiu dropped off documents. Everything they have done has been submitted through the proper channels."
"I make not like Shen Yue for what he did to me before but your hatred is misguided." Chu Yuan stood up to leave. He had much to think about. "I can say he's at least better than Shen Fei. I suggest you watch your backs."
Leaving the others stared at one another before leaving one by one. Only Chen Linjian and Nie Li remained. What they talked about only they knew.
.
Shen Yue's Area-
.
As Shen Yue finished the refining and taking in the knowledge of those recently killed, his mind drifted to his wife in the previous Dimension for a brief second. It was fleeting but remind him to seek comfort with another for those primal urges as well as to confide in.
"Yaarr!" The Black Star Tiger stirred and yawned before going back to sleep.
With Nie Li knowing his current strength it made things a little peculiar. He lost that advantage held over him in case things went bad. But plans could form to take care of that easily enough.
"This is a good of time as any." Shen Yue spread his Astral Sense out to make sure he knew where people were as well as of any Demon Beasts that could pose a problem. There were none. The ground around him for 30feet in every direction lit up as the Gathering Rune finished inscribing on the surface.
He was going to do the same thing he did in Glory City just on a larger scale. And way more hidden than before considering.
"Ahhhhhhh!" Taking a deep breath, he swallowed the Spirit energy in the surroundings as well as the upper atmosphere. This continued for hours as it was all stockpiled into his Internal Space. 'The best way to nourish that soil inside as well as those herbs growing.'
Slowly the size of his Internal Space, which was no bigger than an Olympic Size field grew. It spread further and further. Between his legs, the Black Star Tiger absorbed energy naturally and stepped up into a few higher ranks without even trying.
"Hmm?!" Gu Yan who was wanting to get some fresh spotted the disturbance with his naked eyes and almost fainted. He turned around and grabbed Yang Xin in the others in rush. "Hurry and put up some Concealment Arrays just in case!"
They obeyed without a second thought. Yang Xin was conflicted but did so nonetheless. Something about what Shen Yue was doing scared her. She could tell the SPirit Energy in the air changed form to then back to rich. It was a strange phenomenon to say the least.