"...What do you mean by assistance?"
"I mean Father would tell whoever he wanted an alliance with that Tai Yang's Cognitive ability was at their service. They'd then ask him to research topics that they were curious about or ask him to develop techniques for them."
Ji Ru's mouth fell open.
'So that was why Tai Yang was always so afraid... Wait... Tai Yang asked if the King had asked his predecessor to research those things. Does he really know something? Wait, no, I shouldn't get ahead of myself and assume things.'
"What kind of topics are we talking about?"
"I don't know. They were confidential, even to us. We only knew about the topics Father asked him to research." Li Jun said.
Ji Ru bit his lip. "You majesty. This could mean that they killed him because he knew too much about too many nations, and maybe they wanted that intel themselves... Or maybe it was because he figured out that one of them was up to something."
"And how would we prove that? For all we know, they could have been asking him to research flowers and techniques to make them grow." Li Jun said, staring into the fireplace.
"They wouldn't have killed him and extracted a part of his mind simply for horticulture." Ji Ru said.
"Then what should we do now?" Li Jun asked in a snappish way. "Even if we give him his predecessor's knowledge, it's not like he can completely figure out who asked him to research and why what without his personal memories. As you've just told me, his personal memories are gone. We only have his knowledge, and after we give it to him, we can't even delve into his mind to look at what he knows. His personal memories have probably been destroyed by now. Whoever took them wouldn't keep it lying in wait for someone to snatch it away and take a peek at it."
"About that..." Ji Ru winced.
Li Jun narrowed his eyes at him. "What is it?"
"So... Whoever took it was strong enough of a Cognitive cultivator to extract it. I'm sure they must have tried to view it as well, which means they know the seal only permits Tai Yang to see the memories. But Tai Yang also added further protection to his memories... So no matter what, they can't be altered or destroyed. This means that they either hid it or have it in their position. But now that we have a Tai Yang..."
Li Jun's eyes widened. "They'll be coming for him so that he can tell them what was in his predecessor's head."
Ji Ru nodded. "And whoever is aware that Tai Yang's personal memories were stolen will want to assassinate him before he can get those memories."
Li Jun's eyes widened further. "When he was attacked, didn't we broadcast what had happened to the other Kingdoms and Territories?"
Ji Ru nodded. "Your father had mentioned that his memories were stolen too."
"Shit." Li Jun said.
"And even if we can't look into his mind, the other Ruler's may not be beyond torturing him to tell them what he sees." Ji Ru said, leaning forward and holding his head in his hands.
Li Jun exhaled and closed his eyes. "We need to get our hands on those personal memories then."
"How?"
"We'll have to search for it of course."
"But if it's in a Kingdom or Territory..."
"I'll figure it out. Focus on giving him his predecessor's knowledge."
"It'll take at least a month, your majesty." Li Jun nodded. "We should cut off all ground and air routes to Changying in the meantime." He created a silver whisp and sent the glowing, silver orb flying off.
"Was that for Master?"
Li Jun nodded. "He'll need to strengthen the Kingdom further and make a battle plan in case someone declares war. It's possible at this point. Tomorrow, get started on his knowledge. I'll start a training schedule and think about getting those memories back."
Ji Ru nodded. "By the way, what's going on over there?" He asked, glancing at the area near the cage. There were floating containers of building materials and enchanted tools.
Li Jun clicked his tongue and looked towards the area.
"That Mushroom really is an occupational hazard. I need to make that cage child-safe. Everything in there could possibly kill him."
Ji Ru raised his brows. "Did something happen?"
"He almost died on the first day here. Nearly splattered his brains by falling off those steps." Ji Ru stared at him in shock.
"I caught him off course. But I realized how clumsy he is. He can't be left alone." Suddenly his brows knitted and he looked at Ji Ru.
"Wait. You're here. And he was supposed to be staying with you tonight. Where is he now?"
Ji Ru blinked. "In my room."
"Alone in your room?" Li Jun narrowed his eyes.
"Yes..."
Li Jun was quiet. Then, "YOU USELESS DOG! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING LEAVING HIM ALONE IN A ROOM WHEN HIS TRYING TO OUT HIMSELF?! GET OUT! WHAT THE ACTUAL SHIT?! I'M SURROUNDED BY IDIOTS!!!" Li Jun shouted, jumping up. Ji Ru barely dodged the flying fire iron thrown at him like a javelin.
"AH! Sorrysorrysorrysorry-" Ji Ru said running to the door. He stopped before it and then looked back at Li Jun with a sheepish expresson.
"Erm... Only you can open the door, your majesty."
Li Jun gave him a frightening look as he walked over to open the door silently.
"Thank you." Ji Ru said, bowing. In response, Li Jun thumped him atop his head. With a yelp, Ji Ru rubbed the top of his head and scampered off. As he ran, he passed Li Wei who caught him with one arm and moved Ji Ru in front of himself.
"Whoa there. Why are you running? Where's Tai Yang?" Li Wei was rubbing the top off his own head as Ji Ru fidgeted on the spot and he looked anxiously beyond Li Wei.
"I came from Li Jun's room and I left Tai Yang alone so I gotta get back before he accidentally outs himself-"
"Wait what-"
Ji Ru waved his hands and pushed Li Wei's arms off his arms.
"Long story, I'll see you tomorrow, bye!" He side-stepped Li Wei and ran a few steps before he halted, ran back and pecked Li Wei on the cheek, and started to scamper off again, hastily saying, "Bye!" again.
When he got back to his room which was quite far from Li Jun's and Li wei's, many guards had surrounded his door, and the passageway was smokey. "JI RU! THERE YOU ARE!" One said.
"WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU EVERYWHERE! SMOKE'S BEEN COMING OUT FROM THE AIR VENTS FROM YOUR ROOM AFTER YOU LEFT!" Said another.
"WHAT?!" Ji Ru screeched, looking up at the two small air vents near the top of the door. Indeed, there was smoke coming out. With the silencing enchantment soundproofing his room, nothing could be heard from Tai Yang within.
"Everyone step back!" He said, pulling up his right sleeve.
"Master Ji Ru! You can't go in there! Someone call Prince Li Wei!"
"No! It's fine! Just step aside! We're wasting time!" Ji Ru said. The guards frantically stepped away from the door and Ji Ru quickly opened it.
Immediately, an enormous puff of black smoke puffed out at him and Ji Ru winced as he felt the heat of the giant fire currently burning his bedroom up.
Quickly pressing two fingers to the vein of his right arm, he clicked his ring finger and thumb and swiped his arm horizontally across the air.
'*Smother*, *Expunge*, *Ventilate*!'
An invisible blanket of carbon dioxide fell over everything, putting the fire out. Right after, the carbon dioxide and the remaining fumes of the fire dispersed and was replaced with fresh, cool air.
Ji Ru breathed rapidly as his heart raced and his eyes darted about damaged space.
"Tai Yang! Tai Yang! Where are you?" He shouted into the large room. "Everyone, help me look!"
The guards outside who had held the door open started to run in as well, in search of Tai Yang. Ji Ru's room was by no means small, and even had a miniature forest and river.
And it was from that river that Tai Tang popped out of after a few moments.
"Tai Yang!" Ji Ru said, immense relief washing over him as he quickly jumped over a few burned tree trunks on the ground.
"What happened? Are you okay?"
Tai Yang, whose hair had been singed to half the length, and was covered in burns and soot, bit his lip. He looked at Ji Ru with wet glasses, sniffed, and then burst into tears.
Ji Ru looked at him in concern. Thinking that Tai Yang was having difficulty breathing, he tapped his finger on Tai Yang's chest and drew the finger upward, pulling out the smoke from his lungs. Still, Tai Yang continued to cry even after was gone.
"Tai Yang, what's wrong? Are you in pain? Can you still not breathe? Does your head hurt?" Ji Ru asked, pulling him out of the river. Li Jun and Li Wei were suddenly running through the door that was still held open by a guard.
Their eyes widened in shock at the burned space as they took it in. Li Jun looked towards Ji Ru, about to say something when Li Wei held his shoulder and shook his head.
Tai Yang sniffed, coughed, and cried.
"Tai Yang, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong?" Ji Ru said as he moved about, checking Tai Yang for any injuries. Although were a patches of skin that were severely burned, it wasn't anything Ji Ru couldn't heal completely with some of his potions and spells.
"Come on, talk to me." Ji Ru said, sitting him down on the riverbed. He glanced around at the guards and pursed his lips. Li Wei looked around at them when he saw Ji Ru's eyes focus on them.
"Leave now. We'll take it from here." He said. They looked at Ji Ru and Tai Yang once more in concern, but bowed and left right after.
Ji Ru picked some of the small fish out of Tai Yang's hair and removed Tai Yang's glasses. "How did the room catch on fire Tai Yang?"
Tai Yang sniffed and shook his head.
"I d-d-d-don't know! I was only t-t-t-thinking and the next thin-g-g I kn-ew, I w-was o-o-o-on fi-fire. I tri-ed to r-roll on t-the grou-nd but it c-au-ght fi-fire too, and t-then eve-everything was o-on fire." He said through sobs. Ji Ru's eyes widened. He glanced at Li Jun and Li Wei who were wide eyed too.
"What exactly were you thinking about?" Li Jun asked.
Tai Yang looked at him with a confused expression. "W-What?"
"What words, he means. What were the words you were thinking when you caught on fire?" Ji Ru asked.
Tai Yang eyelids fluttered a few times.
"I thought..." He trailed off, and his eyes narrowed. Everyone stared at him, waiting for him to continue. " I thought 'Tai Yang, you're on fire'." He said.
Ji Ru inhaled and looked at the brothers again. Li Wei bit his lip, while Li Jun looked quite astonished.
"Isn't that..." Li Jun started.
"Effectuating, yes." Ji Ru said, looking back at a very confused Tai Yang.
"But he would have had to snap his fingers, wouldn't he? And that is a high-level Cognitive technique. How would he be able to do it?" Li Jun asked.
Li Wei sighed. "If I recall correctly, Tai Yang has a habit of clicking his fingers when he has an idea. And that technique can only be done if one, your mind is advanced enough to cope with the power it brings, and two, you keep an oath of silence for a year."
Ji Ru nodded. "Exactly."
Tai Yang sniffed and looked at them all. "W-what is it?"
Li Jun crossed his arms. 'I'll be damned. This guy was in a coma for one year.' He exhaled.
"Congratulations, Mushroom. You've effectively made yourself even more of a target than your predecessor."