Quest for Answers

A cold breeze of wind blew away a petal from a peach tree near cliff and slowly fell and landed on Clay’s hair who is currently at lost. Just moments ago, he was inside a hundred meter empty room but a few minutes after receptionist Nivra left, the room transformed into an endless mountains of blossoming peach trees.

The wind, the temperature and even the fading sweet smell of the flowers felt real not just to his five senses but even through his divine sense. He is certain it is an advanced level of Illusion Formation as he did not feel any spatial fluctuations at all. He is tempted to circulate his Qi and activate his Godly Eyes but just now, he felt an almost imperceptible aura scanning him.

“Would you like some tea, human?”

Clay turned around and saw a gorgeous High-Elven wearing a white kimono and is currently on Seiza sitting posture. Another woman who looks like a maid is beside her but this maid is covered on a faceless mask.

“I am Clay, a newly promoted captain and I am unworthy to be in presence of this senior.” Just like his first meeting with the Magistrar, Clay bowed and kowtowed with fists.

“You’re profile says you want to go straight to business. Why don’t you come over here and have some tea?”

Clay was instantly surrounded by a domineering and suffocating aura. “Forgive me if I have offended…”

“If you don’t come over now, I will chop off your legs.”

Five seconds after he was interrupted, Clay moved his legs and walked towards the table and sat at the opposite of a long table before the unknown woman. And as soon as he sat, another masked maid appeared out of thin air and poured him a cup of tea.

“Do you have ill intentions towards any Star System within Navarum Tri-Empire?”

“No, I do not senior.”Clay did not dare hold his cup nor look at the woman’s face and calmly answer the sudden inquiry.

“Have you been in contact to anyone who harbors ill intention to any of the Star Systems of Navarum Tri-Empire?”

“No, I have not senior.”

“Since you’re a newly promoted Captain, I will forgo your ignorance this time but if you dare do this again, I will cripple your cultivation. You have five minutes to use my clearance.”

*Zzzp!

In an instant, the room went back to where it was.

Clay assessed his surroundings and even if even if the Divine Sense scanning him disappeared, he still did not dare move.

(Your five minutes starts now.)

Clay got up to his feet when he heard voice.

“If fate allows, I wish to repay the senior who granted my request. Are you able to tell me her name?”

(You are unqualified to know her name but she is the 4th Disciple of the 18th Master.)

Clay summoned Mur Brung’s token and asked, “This token, tell me who it belongs to.”

(The owner of the token is Mur Brung from Gar Wahger Federation Star System of Valmoor Galaxy and the token was issued by Gar Wahger Science Academy.)

“This person once had a relation with woman called Kei Lithe, is she alive?”

(Yes.)

“The father of Kei Lithe, is he alive.”

(No, Captain.)

“I’d like every available information of Mur Brung sent to my ship, can you that?”

(Yes, but it will take at least 1 month to complete the request. Initial information will be sent in a day.)

“For the past century, has Gar Wahger Federation been involved in any planetary explorations relating Spiritual Qi Vein or Mana Vein production?”

(Classified information. Insufficient level of access.)

“Do you have search results of Captain Ul or General Al’iya who has affiliations with Gar Wahger Federation for the past 100 years?”

(Two matches found.)

“Can you send their information to my ship?”

(Yes but it will take at least 1 month to complete the request. Initial information will be sent in a day.)

“Filter your searches for anything close to Gar Wahger Federation. Do you have any search results for Fitagoras Sanctuary?”

(Zero results returned.)

“What about Re’y Bagu?”

(Zero results returned.)

“Try Luar’y Ifra’im.”

(Zero results returned.)

“What about Midi Ifra’im.”

(Zero results returned.)

“Lift filter. Try Midi Ifra’im again.”

(Multiple results returned)

“Filter it via Sword Dao.”

(Zero results returned.)

“Search for Falling Sword Sect that has affiliation with Gar Wahger Federation.”

(Zero results returned.)

“Do you have records of Immortal Emerald Soul Sect?”

(Classified information. Insufficient level of access.)

“Do you have records of Immortal Green Mist Soul Sect?”

(Classified information. Insufficient level of access.)

“What about Immortal Lao Ayan”

(Zero results returned.)

“Search for Fei Hong and Fire Dao Stones”

(Zero results returned.)

“Flame Emperor Rimar which is mentioned in A’U planet history, are you able to tell me more of his origins?”

(Classified information. Insufficient level of access.)

“What about Liom of Ukacha?”

(Classified information. Insufficient level of access.)

“I have no more questions.” Clay said then stepped out of the room.

Meanwhile, within an unknown base of Peach Blossom Sword Sect, the 4th personal disciple Clay was speaking with earlier went to seek audience to her master. When she received a call from Base Zero about Kantrafeya Tree being threatened to be auctioned, even she got furious.

Since the establishment of Navarum, there is an unwritten law about treasures that can only be traded to Divinity Masters and it is not like there is an endless list of it that many would miss it. In fact, there are only five of them and Kantrafeya Tree is the third from the four. And to avoid rumors of bribing, they are usually handed to the Master’s disciples.

As the fourth disciple, she had only experienced this once and to encounter someone who is ignorant of the obvious, she got mad as the cultivator’s action is an insult and did consider giving her Master a face. She did find out that the cultivator was indeed new and naïve so she only reprimanded the Captain.

Every time lucky cultivators would chance upon those 5 treasures, almost all of them would ask entrance to Hotspot planets and this is probably the first time in history that someone is trading it for information. At first she was apprehensive and not amenable but upon hearing the conditions, she was elated to hear that the cultivator will not force an answer so she agreed.

To ensure though that her access level will not be abused, she still stayed and listened to the cultivator’s inquiries.

The first few questions were predictably mundane but following questions stomped her. The matters about Spiritual Qi Vein or Mana Vein production is at utmost confidentiality that even their first disciple is unable to access. But what really interested her were the names of big sects on the Upper Plane and this prompted her to investigate the human Captain.

“Of all my disciples, you’re the least person to visit.”

Two old High-Elven fogies who seem powerless are playing a board game atop a hill.

“Fourth Disciple Greet Master and Uncle Grandmaster.”

“Why don’t you tell your master what’s bothering thee.” One of the old men casually said as he moved a block of wood on the board.

“Master, I recently had my access level borrowed in exchange for a Kantrafeya Tree but this person seems to know the names of the sects on the Upper Plane. I came to ask Master’s opinion if I should follow the human.”

“Ohhh? Did my disciple decided finally fell in love?” Teased the Master.

“Absolutely not, Master.” Fourth disciple is usually cold and composed but when teased, her feminine nature takes over. “I don’t know Master, but if this human is capable of actually entering those big sects, then I’ll drag a few fellow disciples to stick with him.

“Then tell me disciple, what does thy instinct say?”

“Well, I think the human is just good at covering his tracks. He asks random questions to throw off anyone who might be watching him but in between, he’s asking what he truly needed. If I get to investigate more, I may be able to determine which are important to him and what not.” Fourth disciple was sincere in expressing her thoughts.

“If you came to consult me and ask if you are making a bad decision for not following him, then I must say that whatever decision you make, I will ensure you that I’ll be there to support you when you need me. Your path of self reliance has always been your strongest point. Don’t make it your weakest point.”

“I thank Master for his wisdom.”

The fourth disciple bowed and flew back to her residence.

When the Fourth disciple left, one of the old Elven fogies transformed in to dazzling young Elven. While both of them are Divinity Expert, the younger-looking elf is actually a 7TH Level Divinity and 2ND Phase Dao cultivator. Since the removal of Rimar’s inheritance thousands of years ago, they would still visit from the Upper to observe.

“For a moment I was hoping to make an exemption and take her to Immortal Azure Sky Soul Sect yet I guess she is not fated.”

“I asked young master to forgive and understand this old bones. I hope the next disciple I pick will catch his excellence’s interest.” Navarum 18TH Master apologetically said.

“Please don’t do that. What I’m interested though is that human. Fascinating how he knows Green Mist Soul Sect. Can you make sure the Tranquil Heart Illusion Technique your disciple used was not defective? Then see if you can investigate about his origins.”