Chapter 23: Hint of Evil (3)

Chapter 23: Hint of Evil (3)

"We couldn't find a spirit beast today," Ja Sun sighed and leaned against a crystal. The owls finally woke up as they felt to get a breath of fresh air. Meanwhile, Ah Yin stood over an edge of the crystal.

"What do you think would have happened if Violet was taken away?" She inquired with a curious tone as Ja Sun shrugged.

"The best-case scenario would be being sold to a pervert."

"Why is that the best case?" Ah Yin tilted her head.

"Think about it. Any moralistic individual who tries to save her will have enough enemies despite his or her background. Meanwhile, rich perverts often tend to have higher connections. While Violet may be sexually abused due to her exotic appearance in the latter, if she happens to fall in the arms of a just individual... hehe, would it be any different? She is still sold. If not sexually, then she would be used in other manners."

"And the worst case?"

"Falling in the hands of a spirit master curious about her nature rather than appearance. He may perform tests on her which may break her mentally, physically, and spiritually."

"Why didn't you consider death as a good scenario then?" She jumped down and sat in front of Ja Sun.

"Because it may not look like it, but I believe that being alive in any situation also leaves enough hope. Maybe, she could break free from her restraints someday."

Ah Yin narrowed her eyes, "If you happen to chance upon an organization that possibly holds many slaves and sell them for profits. What would you do?"

"Pfft, rob them!" Ja Sun smiled widely, "Slaves sell for a high price! Think of the good things they must have purchased with all that money! Definitely rob them!"

"And the slaves?" Ah Yin tilted her head.

"Hmm... it depends on who is robbing them but considering the big picture, if I were to rob such a location, I would let go of the slaves. Maybe they can successfully escape and start a new life. Anyway, helping them won't cost me too much."

Ah Yin flipped her palm and two items appeared out of her essence storage item.

It was a rolled-up parchment alongside a small token.

"What's this?" Ja Sun looked at the items curiously.

"See for yourself." Ah Yin let Ja Sun grab them as he unfurled the parchment.

The yellowed item had brown etchings.

Aside from a map with a marked location, there were a few statements written with the top of the parchment boldly marked with the words Hint of Evil.

'Goods worth more than 5000 gold coins...'

'Passive Evil; Mightiest Sin.'

"Hmmm... it looks like a simple arrangement where the marked location is the spot for exchanging goods. The second line is probably their motto, or the secret code between the members. The token may also act as a password aside from identification."

Ja Sun picked the yellow token in his hands and on one of the surfaces, the word Sin was etched.

"This... is good," Ja Sun smiled, "But we can't actually rob them now. This location is in Silvers City. Not only is it too far, the fact that they have tokens and such secrecy indicates that their operation runs much larger than our estimates."

"Of course," Ah Yin shrugged, "And with such a weak partner, I can't expect much support. Let's hope that you can reach the ranks of Spirit Elder by the next year."

"Yeah. Anyway, when you come back tomorrow, be sure to stock some masks for me. The one that covers my face entirely."

Ah Yin nodded.

Once she left, Ja Sun took a deep breath. Spreading his mental energy, Ja Sun closed his eyes.

A yellow ring appeared around him and rotated gently.

'The benefits of having a life contract with a Spirit Soul far outweighs meager mental burden,' Ja Sun reaffirmed his decision.

In the case of Life Contract where the Spirit Soul decides to enhance the spirit master with its entirety in exchange for living alongside the spirit master, it also gains traits from the spirit master's cultivation. After all, the spirit masters gain the entire cultivation of the spirit beast so it was feasible that the spirit soul will earn something, too.

"Violet, why are you following me?" Ah Yin inquired calmly.

"Do you think that the effects of the mutated Three-eyed Golden Lion are the same are the real one?" There was a bit of hope in her voice.

"I wouldn't know. Where can I even meet this legendary spirit beast?" Ah Yin inquired with a clueless expression. Her words and sincere expression actually created a doubt in Violet's mind, "You... really are a human?"

Looking at her own arms, Ah Yin nodded, "Am I supposed to be anything else?"

"You should leave. I and my partner may not hunt you, but that doesn't mean there won't be suitors for your spirit rings." Ah Yin suggested calmly before turning around.

"Wait!" Violet hastily called out, "I wasn't completely honest with you two."

"What?" Ah Yin looked back.

"Actually... I was the first to make contact with the humans. After being discarded by my teacher, I didn't have the heart to return to my tribe. All of them are still beasts without higher intellect and even if they care for me, I couldn't live like that so I roamed and found a spot for myself to call home. Then, I began contacting humans but... almost all of them tried to kill me. Or capture me."

"Almost? That's praiseworthy," Ah Yin smiled slightly.

"Well... the almost part only includes you and the boy with the mutated martial soul."

"And?" Ah Yin inquired.

"And... take me in! Teach me. I believe that once I learn more about humans, I will be able to rise from my current bottleneck."

Ah Yin turned around, "You'll die if you follow me into the city. Be careful."

With that, she left.

Alone, Violet bit her lips as loneliness flickered in her eyes.

Slowly, her body turned invisible and she vanished completely.

When Ah Yin finally reached the nearby town, she observed the distinct lack of spirit masters. The situation itself led Ah Yin completely stunned and she walked into the familiar inn greeted by a kind-looking older woman with white hair and a wrinkled face.

"Granny, what happened? I didn't see fatty and that bearded master fighting outside like usual," she leaned against the counter. Even then inn was relatively empty and all that remained had weaker spiritual energy around them. At least, weaker than herself.

"Xiao Yin... sigh. It's the Silvers City. The word is that the third prince of the Silvers Kingdom and the Second Princess of the Balak Kingdom have just announced war against each other."

The woman shook her head and replied with a distressed sigh.

"War?" Ah Yin inquired again as the old woman nodded, "Yes. The reason is unknown... but both the kingdoms are recruiting spirit masters from all around and offering various resources for participation. The Heaven Dou City announced that no other forces will take part in the war. But the amount of resources offered has made many spirit masters attracted."

After speaking with the old woman for a while, Ah Yin returned to her room and started packing her stuff inside the wristband. She continued to think about the token from the mysterious faction Hint of Evil and their possible relation with the Silvers Kingdom.

"Still need to find a spirit ring for him and reach the level of Spirit King. Two more ranks to go..." Ah Yin mumbled in amazement. This speed was almost divine.

Of course, she knew that after each major title, the speed of cultivation decreases severely.

"Soon..." She clenched her fist in excitement.

"But it looks like the enhancement of cultivation is related to his martial soul only. It would have been too good to be true if the speed of cultivation could increase further."

She sighed and lied on the bed.

"I need to buy a bed, too," she mumbled to herself. If not a bed, then at least, a comfortable mattress. She wasn't going to lie on the ground all over again.

***

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