The next group of Dark Tang assassins managed to get to Chu Xue when Jasmine was a little away from him according to what Leroy received a few days later as a report. The two groups fought one off but fled when the others came around in trained precision. With no other choice, they ran for it from what Xiao Mei and Jing Lin found out when investigating. Since the two were talking to some strang cultivator they came across they didn't look to deeply into the situation and left it be.
This led to Jing Lin departing from his group to study more under this cultivator to learn her martial art. Xiao Mei had parted ways after realizing the woman was not really looking for a discipline to teach and had other plans for the two. But unlike Jing Lin who refused to listen to the warnings she left for those she could trust.
Running into a Nascent Soul Realm demon beast, one that was brutally injured with scorch marks on it. Leroy, Spotter, and the others were trying to take it down but had no luck. But it kept escaping any time his qi built up to do a death blow. And unlike Spotter it had been in the Nascent Soul Realm for some time and knew how to use its body and qi to the best of its abilities.
The instincts of the demonic condor beast were too sharp. On its last escape, it ran into two humans that were chased by a group covered in black. It attacked in an instant trying to recover the pride lost from fleeing the other detestable group of humans and demon beasts.
Chu Xue and Jasmine were pinned. The only option was to fight back between the three parties and have a chance to escape. Using their weapons, they attacked with everything they had. To no avail by the looks of it. The assassins took note of the fact that Chu Xue actually managed to injure the beast and freeze a part of it's wing.
But before this could go further in that direction, the Demonic beast erupted in rage and struck back.
*Bam! Bam!* Both were knocked back with a single swipe. Seeing this, the controlled assassins ran for better prey that the Dark Tand Family needed. Thinking this was how the other group was murdered, the almost hive mind thought of abandoning the pursuit in this region.
They missed a woman and another cultivator coming to save the two from certain death.
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Sometime Later-
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Jasmine was running through the forest pretty early in the morning. She spotted Leroy's group heading back after training and hunting for the demonic condor beast she and Chu Xue had just dealt with. Realizing that things would be bad for the Light Lion-ice Family she needed to go report to someone or give them a heads up at least about the woman who abducted him and Jing Lin.
"Leroy!" She cried out as soon as she got close. Enough that they took notice that something was the matter with her disheveled appearance. "Need your help!" Seeing the uninterested look of the group, she hoped an explanation would help change his mind.
"Calm down then talk." Leroy wanted to sigh but he rather know what was going on as his Spatial Sense was not picking up anything major. 'Has the Government finally arrived to determine a verdict after all the reports I sent or is this something new?'
"We need to hurry!" Jasmine yelled for the umpteen time instead of taking a breather. Leroy did not increase his pace as he walked almost to her in a way he might just smack the shit out of her. A confused look on his face most of the time as he picked up some of the blood and qi on the princess. "What is wrong with you!?"
"Just trying to remember something is all. Just go handle the matter yourself with the help of your fathers' forces." He waved his hand in front shooing her away after determining the blood of the condor he painstakingly hunted was now gone. "I mean if you solve it on your own, I am sure Chu Xue will love you for it. You have taken a further step in his heart getting ahead of Victoria."
Xiao Mei chuckled to the side as she was rooting for the North princess over Victoria for some reason she did not share with the males in her group. Nun Clarissa was about the only one who knew what had happened really.
"Tch! This is not about that!" Jasmine did not like the implication.
"I mean is not like somebody will.." Leroy stopped mid-sentence as he felt the change in the air of someone with power and the corpse of the condor might still be recoverable. Actually, quite a few will have died with how most demon beasts rampage when injured. "..oh yeah. I guess I can settle accounts! I mean .."
"Aren't there kids and other patients in town who are still recovering?" Tang Bo asked. "You spent so much time checking over them you said. I am sure you don't want to let them face such a bad fate due to another obligation that came up."
*Woosh!* A tempest of wind and fire swirled as Jing Lin stepped out with more power than she had before for one. Her disposition was also way different as she looked them all over before focusing on Leroy.
"You that woman who was with the person that took Chu Xue! Where is he!?" Angry, the North princess was ready to fight the woman but held back as the others made no aggressive moves. 'Do they not here?'
Confused, it took the North Princess a few moments to recognize the face more as the Lady of the Jing Family. It had not been that long so how did she change to a blue hair femm fatale with a cultivation in the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm like this?
Leroy and Xiao Mei were shocked as well since they knew that was a major leap in strength and what was worse were the physical changes and clothing that paid tribute to the Light Lion-ice Family. It was more than a small change but the markings on her neck gave pause if she was under someone' control or willing.
"That is why I am here for you, to send you to him. It would be best if he has someone he knows when waking up." Jing Lin spoke cooly and poised. It sounded like her at least and by her unwavering eyes Leroy relaxed that she was not being controlled right now at least. "My mistress wants to share something with you as well as speak with you at some point Leroy."
"Uh huh... yeah don't who so I am good." Leroy arched a brow as he still couldn't detect anything in the vicinity. Moving on the side of caution he rather just go back and not really deal with this at all like he was originally thinking. "Your.. mistress can find me later, what's her name by chance?"
Jasmine was upset but the next words shocked her.
"Lady Chu Hao Yu, of the Imperial Lion-ice Family," with a bit of reverence it was quite a statement as the family had not been called that in a very long time. "I will let her know you have previous engagements." Turning to Jasmine she held up a small crane made of water and wind. "I must not dally with my task."
*Scree!* With a powerful cry that sent a shockwave out, the crane shot forward and wrapped the princess up before vanishing within an instant.
"Holyshit.." Taking a few blinks Leroy was astonished as the name did not bode well if it was who he read about in the countless archives he went over from the families. "..I would have to use every bit of speed just to deflect something like that.."
The rest swallowed hard as they barely even saw what had happened.
"Haa, she is quite the taskmaster but I have learned enough so far." Jing Lin sounded very disappointed as she smiled and returned to her useful self. "So what's this about patients you have?"
"Yeah..." Leroy shot forward increasing his speed to head back and get some answers. Everyone actually running now just on instinct to get away from this area. "..well hopefully they learn from this."
Finding out what she had been up to the last few days was not difficult at all but what was shared about what happened with the various families getting attacked and someone circulating that all the prominent people were dead did not go well at all with her.
Her family's survival gave her a funny feeling compared to a few of the other family heads losing their leaders or strongest warriors by Rebel and Dark Tang Family members. Even with the kill order issued for both of those parties, Tang Bo was free to move as he worked for Leroy and provided intel with his urging.
It was a hard pill to swallow that your family was completely done for but Tang Bo was taking it under stride so far. According to Leroy's basic observation when he was around but not when he and Xiao Mei spoke with Nun Clarissa about the matter.
"I seriously doubt it." Jing Lin shook her head not holding her breath after readdressing what Leroy said before. "The Family is used to being trampled over but my mistress also does not want to get involved after what they did to her either. If all of their hope was on Chu Xue and they believe he is dead.. then depression alone will make things worse."
"What about that apprentice Chu Xing you picked up and the Chu Mu person?" Xiao Mei reminded. "They both show promise and have not caused an issue yet."
"Chu Mu, should be in town with Victoria around this time. Suppose to be waiting on a shipment for me that her family is bringing to make some medicine." Leroy hoped that was still the case. Chu Mu was a good test to see what would develop with teaching the young. Chu Xing even more so with the medical learning he subjected him to while teaching a little about cultivation. "Hmmm, almost there."
Inside the various Family compounds, things were not pretty by the looks of it. A bit of forced entry and wanton destruction at such a terrible time. Sending Nun Clarissa and Spotter one way to handle the situation, though he hated to do it, he also sent away the new Demon Beasts he acquired a day ago to bolster their forces and overall presence.
Tang Bo and Xiao Mei stuck together and shot off to help those in town and rally a counter attack to whatever was going on. It helped a few Akademy students were around fighting back.
Burst through with his Iebeast Martial arts to deliver more physical strikes as he moved, Leroy took out plenty quickly while making a loop to the Light Lion ice Family feeling something was wrong that way specifically. His Spatial Sense kept pulling that way for odd reasons.
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Artifact that gives power-
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The closer Leroy pushed the more the feel of something was wrong permeated the area. Not only did he strike members of various families with plant growths coming out of their backs but a Dark Qi was rising fast.
His Spatial Sense and the use of the Metal Seed helped him pick up a voice that just sounded wrong and twisted.
"Has our Dark Tiger-fire family been providing for trash this entire time?" A purple-haired youth with flames circling his head said in disgust. This was the heir of the Dark Tiger-fire Family. Cornelius the X, whose reputation was not that great even in his own territory let alone among the vassal families. They just didn't know bad till now during the worst time at that. "This old man is useless, your Family is useless. What did we allow you to live for besides to produce trouble for us?"
"Kuff! Kuff!" Old Chu still drew breath and tried to get up after some painful coughs. His family members help as they watch Cornelius with hatred. "Inspector Leroy will not let this pass unavenged!"
A few stepped back at that as the leader of the Shentai Family was rumored to be quite powerful.
"My kin, I will deal with him. Do not worry about that." Cornelius twirled a staff in his hand that swallowed more Qi into and passed some onto him. He was a little fearful if the rumors were true. But enough information given by the Steward said otherwise. "But with such weak bodies, I am sure this will be ok. I mean.. you are just so pathetic to let live."