It did not matter if the one to speak was Bai Ze. Or that the plan was mainly He Delan's. The one in control and the one whose orders the two, as well as the staying outside Chun Hua, would follow was no one but Bai Qi.

Although maintaining the facade of a follower, he had acted right on time to see the opposing side's reaction, and he was not mistaken. When Bai Qi mentioned the powdered-face Warrior Lord, the high elder of the [Shimmering Elder] had flinched. And no matter how she hid it or attempted to lie from that moment on, Bai Qi was sure he hit the nail on the head.

{Let's continue to play along, but we will not obtain much from them, probably even get assaulted. Be prepared to restrain both. Chun Hua, prepare to act as agreed.} Bai Qi calmly transmitted to his current team of three, including the staying outside Chun Hua.

Not that it actually mattered if the opposing side's elders revealed anything, as while Bai Ze and Bai Rui's link between themselves was shallow, the one between the sisters and Bai Qi was truly deep. And with its help, he could pinpoint any of the beast girls' locations even if they were hidden, restrained, or otherwise impossible to locate by the average cultivator.

Zan Xi still attempted to weasel out of the situation for a few breaths, but judging from the guarded stance that the white-furred beast in front assumed, it would be impossible to solve this peacefully.

Thus, while continuing to assure Bai Ze about their lack of knowledge about the matter, Zan Xi transmitted to the nearly elder, {Dai Lao, I will deal with the beast, but I am unsure about the strength of the two behind her. So, when I release my aura, retreat, and activate the defensive formation. Even their existence can affect the Sectmaster's plan, so it's better they never leave here, understood?}

Dai Lao considered such a plan overly cautious, but he did not dare to say anything but agree. He had sobered enough by now, and he perfectly recalled how the damned beast nearly killed him with no effort, even though their cultivation was on a similar level.

Regretfully for the [Shimmering Earth] elders, Bai Qi was someone who chose to act first and ask questions later, at least if his companions were in danger. And so, Zan Xi had just thought about releasing her aura when she found herself nearly restrained by a 7th level Warrior King one. As for Dai Lao, he was pressed against the ground by Bai Ze before he even started moving.

"It seems we will have to search for our companions ourselves." Bai Qi said without emotion before sending another three transmissions;

{Chun Hua, activate concealment and a qi diffusing talismans in each of the four directions.} While Bai Qi was sure that the town's cultivators would not involve themselves in whatever happens inside this courtyard, it was better to leave neither witnesses nor traces.

Nearly half of his gains from the [Void Palace] had been talismans. Thousands of them had been brought by the besiegers, while the Palace's treasury had a good stock of them as well. So Bai Qi had taken as many talismans as he could. After all, his own supply low-ago finished.

By surrounding the courtyard with qi diffusing talismans, none of the qi and aura flares coming from a fight would reach outside. And with the addition of the concealment ones, none of the fighting would be visible either.

{Bai Ze, I will search for your sister and Ma Su. If he tries to fight back, try to avoid killing him. But, if there is no other way, cripple him.} The previously drunk elder was definitively one of a troublemaker, and while Bai Qi still hoped to solve it without bloodshed, at least much of it, Dai Lao had dared to attack Bai Ze, so he cared nothing about his life or death.

{I doubt that a 5th level Warrior King can pose any problem to you, but it would be better if she remains unhurt, at least for now. Bai Rui's memories contained the images of four 1st and 2nd level Warrior Kings, so it may be that I'll require either your help or this high elder as a hostage.} Bai Qi wasn't so confident of himself as to attempt to fight against several opponents nearly a minor realm above.

He Delan approved of such precaution with a nod while her aura concentrated on Zan Xi, attempting to suppress her and avoid fighting entirely.

***

The courtyard consisted of three nearly identical mansions surrounded by gardens, smaller buildings, and what looked like a few earth mounds.

Between the aura flares and the forceful entrance from before, it was clear that nearly everyone in it was already aware that something was going on. But no alarms had gone on, and as Bai Qi moved towards the west side of the courtyard complex, he found no one stopping him, even though his senses detected several presences that had caught on him in turn.

Here, Bai Qi was being unjust to the [Shimmering Earth] disciples. No matter if they were troublemakers and cowardly ones to the booth, they probably would have attempted to attack him.

It was that none of them had a way to know Bai Qi's level and that he wasn't above, actually being lower than some. Bai Qi's thoughts went on that path, and he found it plausible.

And indeed, how could they notice Bai Qi's strength if his senses were acting separately from his aura? Moreover, not only did he have his aura retracted, but he was also under the effect of a talisman meant to conceal one's cultivation.

Merely, it was that Bai Qi himself would have already found the weakness of such talismans to mind power and by this moment would have been sure of the enemy's strength.

Bai asked himself before thinking After that, he summoned an Earth-tier concealment talisman meant to hide one's presence against any Warrior Lord.

{Bai Rui, I'm coming!}

***

Time passed, and the situation between the elders and Bai Qi's companions remained unchanged.

Zan Xi's prowess wasn't high, only a bit above the average. Thus, faced with the suppression of a Warrior King two levels above, she found herself unable to take action. She could concentrate all of her aura and break free of the suppression, but... If she was suppressed with apparent ease, just what would happen in the actual fight?

Dai Lao did want to fight back, but each time he attempted to stand up or do anything else, he found himself pressed against the ground with even more strength. All while the damned beast's claws penetrated deeper and deeper through his aura cover, clearly indicating what would happen if he decided to try something more aggressive.

{Can you track him? Even now that he's under the effect of a talisman and opened distance?} He Delan asked Bai Ze via transmission, curious about the strange link Bai Qi shared with the [White Tiger] girls.

It wasn't something unheard of, as a similar link was known to appear between any beastmen and human couple. But one of such strength? And with two of them at the same time? He Delan had been interested since she heard about it for the first time, back in the [Void Palace].

{Mmm, that I can. I also sense his emotions, and it does seem that everything is peaceful on his side. Still, are this two the only ones who will try to act?} Bai Ze half-shrugged as she answered back in the same way, while her foot pressed the now curse-muttering Dai Lao against the ground, again.

Beastmen could not use qi transmission, at least usually, but since their bloodline awakening, Bai Ze and her sister had been finding that they could do a lot that they could not before. Qi transmission was just one of these many things. One that they found out by chance during the [Roaring Bay] training.

{It seems so, although if they are the only elders around or the others are mere Warrior Lords, I would say it is reasonable.} He Delan transmitted back, but suddenly she noted how Bai Ze started shivering and immediately asked, "What happened?!"

But Bai Ze did not answer. Her entire body was shaking more and more forcefully, and a low, anger-filled growl suddenly escaped her mouth.

*Swoosh*

Without notice or apparent reason, Bai Ze suddenly bent over, nearly half of her aura gathering on her arms.

*Splatter*

Only to break Dai Lao's defenses as if they did not even exist, proceeding to rip his grounded body in two!

The gore, savageness, and abruptness were enough to shock anyone, even an experienced cultivator. Indeed, they had definitively seen blood, but neither He Delan nor Zan Xi expected such, and they both gasped.

But while the suppressed Zan Xi was only beginning to understand what happened, as the shout of, "What did you do?!" left her lips, probably with curses and threats to follow, He Delan already acted. Only a few weeks had passed since the [Void Palace] siege, something that had far more bloody and shocking events.

*Swoosh* *Thump*

Crossing the few feet that separated them instantly, He Delan landed a qi-infused palm on Zan Xi's dantian area, breaking through her already suppressed defenses.

"Seal!" Along with the defense breakage, He Delan's other hand activated a restraining talisman and sealed Zan Xi's cultivation.

There were dozens of ways to seal someone's cultivation or restrict qi usage. Most of these methods, like the common ones as talismans, could not be used on a prepared target. They required one's opponent to be unconscious or have enough advantage, one enough to completely suppress the opponent with one's aura.

In He Delan's case, Zan Xi was both conscious, and their difference wasn't so significant, with the [Shimmering Elder] still having a chance to fight back. In the end, He Delan would have won, probably without much effort, but sealing her was out of the question before it actually happened.

But after Bai Ze's actions, a mix of emotions surged in Zan Xi, distracting her and allowing He Delan to wound the elder and use a talisman now that her aura was enough.

"What happened?" He Delan asked again after she finished with her opponent, but Bai Ze did not answer, being in a strange stupor, only lowly growling.

*Swoosh*

Then, without answering or reacting to the repeated question, Bai Ze suddenly started from the spot at full speed, moving towards the west.

He Delan had no idea what happened, but she could understand that it was anything good. Thus, grabbing the sealed, wounded, and squirming Zan Xi, she took flight after Bai Ze.

A few breaths before Bai Ze's outrage, on Bai Qi's side.

Concealed from everyone, Bai Qi encountered no trouble reaching the west-side mansion. Entering it also proved of no issue, as seemingly all of the defensive formations he could sense could only be activated by an elder or required the main formation to be active. After all, if it wasn't so, why would the mansion be absolutely undefended?

Bypassing a couple of disciples, or at least what Bai Qi assumed to be as they did not carry badges or used any uniform, he proceeded deeper towards the basement from where he felt Bai Rui.

Bai Qi stepped into the shade of a corner, as his attention on a door he had just now passed. It had no active formations, but he felt several qi currents, and his lowered to avoid being discovered senses could not penetrate inside. He guessed, and feeling that he should investigate further, he returned to it after confirming the lack of anyone nearby.

***

Ma Su was a beautiful woman. And she was used to drawing attention. Both wanted and unwanted alike. Being a rogue, she attracted more of the latter than of the former, though.

Thankfully, her cultivation had always protected her from most of the nuisances and when it did not, the outlaw groups she had been in did.

But as her mind was failing to maintain her awake, she could not help but recall the idiocy of surrendering to what appeared to be a respected elder of a sect to avoid involving Bai Rui and her new companions in trouble.

As her consciousness faded, she curses as her anger-filled eyes shone at the damned powdered-faced bastard standing above her.

Standing naked above a likewise naked woman;

A woman bound and with her cultivation sealed;

A woman with signs of severe beating and several open wounds;

"Hehehehaaha, now let's see how you refuse me! And your damned friend, no matter if she's a beast, she will also be a decent plaything!" Wan Dong vilely laughed as he prepared to rape his captive, unaware that against all expectations, he wasn't the only cultivator in the room...