A world of the night, the ethereal, colorful lifeforms, gave life and illuminated the place. A floating river with clear water crossed the land, with nothing hilding in place. Ghosts of all shapes and forms, moved around, forests, with trees as tall as seventy meters towers, and as thick as a small mountain.
Zhi Rui had pictured a world of gray and black, like hell depicted on religion books, but it was nothing like that, the lifeforms inside gave form and beauty to the world.
"What are you all doing!? This is the only way we can start making contributions!" screamed a disciple.
"Fast I remember this! these are thought phantoms! these used to cost a fortune. we must capture them!"
For a moment, Zhi Rui looked at the disciples down there, hunting the monsters that managed to get away through the entrance.As most of them were too weak to enter the underworld they were doing everything possible to gather credits.
Zhi Rui eye shone and she sent a signal to her subordinates. She had given them a book with all the information known about the underworld, if there's something of value, they are to catch it. Otherwise, leave the rest to the disciples.
Silently, someone crept up behind her.
"It's a beautiful view isn't it?"
"Aurelio, speak."Zhi Rui spoke with an almost snort.
"Is this the way to treat elders?" a disgruntled voice came from behind.
"Who in their right mind would take you as their elder? Even Xunhue, backed out from your so-called partnership."
Aurelio gnashed his teeth but held it in. "I came to you with a proposal, I have some strong connections, I can forget everything between us, I'll even offer you starting benefits, I only ask you for us to work together, as a team."
He chukled. The unpleasant sound of his voice rang, and Zhi Rui's eyebrows twisted.
"Scram." She said. without even turning around.
The light on Aurelio's eyes finally shone with anger, he laughed from anger,
"Zhi Rui, oh, my Zhi Rui. The day that you'll regret treating like you did, is coming. And I'll laugh so much at your tragedy."
His eyes widened as if picturing the future, he motioned with his hands, the smirk and elation were palpable his face.Even Zhi Rui who didn't bother to turn around could picture it.
She sighed.
"You ruined my mood." Her cold voice resounded.
"Oh my, did I? Good!" He said.
Zhi Rui finally turned around. She looked at him in the eyes with pity.
"You're a pitiful man. Let me ask you a question, how many times, did I directed any words to you since we met?"
His elation halted he frowned, and laughed with disdain. "You're always like this, so overbearing, Always acting like nothing can affect you. Alw-"
Zhi Rui shook her head. "None, that's the answer."
He frowned. Zhi Rui kept on with a distressed expression, only the fact that she had to wast talk to him was draining the red out of her inner core.
"You went to catch me from the General manor at the first time, then you greeted me on the sect's instruction to new disciples, That's the only interaction we ever head, any other thing, came from your imagination. The only reason you're so bent on resenting me is that you're a sick man. You disgust me, even if I do fall, it won't be because of you, and my last thought surely won't be of you either. You're in no way important in my path. Again, the only reason you're still alive is that I can't be bothered to hunt and kill you.You're like a chore that I keep postponing."
Finished, Zhi Rui visibly became nauseous and turned back to see the huge screen.
Aurelio stood there with a blank look. he wasn't, in any way, angry. There was only blackness in his eyes. After five minutes or so, alone behind Zhi Rui. He nodded to himself and walked away. After a hundred meters or so, he sent a message on his token.
[Girl, start.]
Right after, a small girl with a clearly good mood suddenly landed beside Zhi Rui and held onto her like amonkey. Aurelio watched with a smile. as Zhi Rui smiled amiably and created another platform For Xun Lee to step on. 'Slut, the deadlier blow, comes from the back.' he said under his breath and walked away with a sinister grin.
"Congratulations on our new client." Zhi Rui said.
Xun Lee was smiling beside Zhi Rui. "Saintly Sister really is unlucky, to have something like him sticking to you like this."
"He has his uses." Zhi Rui Said. "Did he paid much?"
Xun Lee laughed. "Of course, at first he wanted it cheap claiming he could help my sister, but I told him she was already thriving, then after some discussion, I took a good amount of crystals from him, He believes we're tight like sisters so we must act like that! Xun Lee said and held ZhiRui's arm.
Zhi Rui and xun Lee giggled away. But unbeknownst to Zhi Rui. Xun Lee had a sharp glint on her eyes.
On a more far away place. Aurelio looked on with glee. "That's right girl, get closer to her, and report everything to me!"
His eyes gleamed with venom.
Hilda, who was stationed on a tree near Zhi Rui, heard everything. She looked at the grinning Aurelio on the other side of the forest, with pure pity, something she could count on her hands how many times she felt it.
A gaze attracted her attention and she looked down,Zhi Rui was looking at her with a gentle smile. But she could feel it hidden withing Zhi Rui. the desire and hunger of a beast. Remembering Silvery's teasings.
Hilda pictured the image of being assaulted by two hungry and thirsty Zhi Ruis, a different kind of chill startled her skin and dampened her legs.
She sighed to herself. Done for, she was done for. there was no more hope for her to leap away of Zh Rui's control.
Hidden in the branches of the trees she lightly massaged her legs. She could hear her own breath going rough, with the picture in her mind.
Even if given the chance, she doesn't trust herself to jump away to freedom.
Zhi Rui turned her eyes back to the big screen when a silhouette caught her eyes,a robed rogue cultivator obviously on the fourth level had obviously looked at her for a second.
Seeing the small patch of pale skin on the man's arm. A bell rang on Zhi Rui's head, and her heartbeat sounded like hammers on metal.
'Zheng Li...' She smiled inwardly and took her eyes away.Counting Ren Zu. He was another monster in her possession.As the Dao protectors dealt with stronger monsters on the surroundings Zhi Rui's mind ran wild with possibilities and expectations.
There, inside that beautiful and chaotic place. she'll take down Bianca and Xu Fenguying, both sixth level monsters.
And once she's done with them both. She'll take everything to herself. A rough and wild excitement overcame her heart. unwittingly to her, she neglected the other five geniuses as enemies.
In the hot midday sun, the disciples watched the screen.analyzing every move the Dao protectors made, learning by observing was one of the arts every cultivator required.
While everyone focused on learning Zhi Rui sought weaknesses and strengths of her enemies.
Through one whole week, the disciple didn't move from the place. They watched from beginning to end as a colony of creatures, were exterminated and scared away, an area with double the size of Light sect, was secured.
The temporary sect leader descended and stood in front of the disciples.
"You all should remember the rules dictated for this competition, but above the competition, you should focus primarily on sect's benefit. focus on taking everything valuable from there, and take it back to the sect."
He threw a pebble on the air, and screen with names of the creatures and ingredients with its corresponding sect credits appeared. "You'll exchange your gains in these values.
Zhi Rui didn't need to look twice, it followed the same order as everything else, the rarer the more valuable.
Sect leader continued
"The Dao protectors cleaned and secured a wide area, it'll be dived in five Divisions; The Unorthodox school, the orthodox school, the formations, and spell art, weaponsmithing, and alchemy.In the center of this area, an interconnected store and warehouse will be built. You'll exchange your goods in the warehouse, and buy things from the store. The place for each Division will be chosen by the Dao protectors."
Zhi Rui frowned, Only five divisions mentioned, the Disciplinary division was left out.Looking at the Dao protectors each choosing large and wide areas. Zhi Rui launched the temporary sect leader a questioning look.
The Venerable sect leader looked at Zhi Ri with a laugh. "Oh, I forgot to add. The five divisions of the sect are of main importance right now. So ex sect leader Xu Fenguying was instructed to find a place for the Disciplinary Division to work on, after the Dao protector decided their places of the divisions.
Expressionless, Zhi Rui looked at Xu Fenguying on the screen. He was patiently sitting cross-legged with his mouth closed while the Dao protector discussed wich land was better for wich division.
Other people's eyesight went to Zhi Rui, filled with sympathy and pity.
"You have a great backer, girl." Chao Cheng commented.
"Yes, he truly befitting of someone of your stature." Bain Bengwan added.
But Zhi Rui's eyes were on the temporary sect leader. His face was a block of ice, but Zhi Rui could see the smug smirk on his eyes and the feeling of finally squashing an annoying fly on his core.
She smiled, for the people to see.'Did you think you got me?' Zhi Rui thought. As a ruthless desire went up to her gut.
'If I don't have a place, The I just have to conquer one.'