The man was able to deliver the box to the sect leader and the elders as ordered but before he left he was taken to a separate room.
As expected he was immediately questioned about what happened so he tried his best to explain calmly without leaving out any details or being biased. "We originally did as ordered and collected the toll to pass through the gates. It was paid by the Snowflake group that frequently pass through, although they paid their share my subordinate noticed that some people they were escorting had yet to pay their share so tried to grab onto the items within the sleds by force which was a rash decision. The person behind the group released their killing intent at him and placed their hands on their sword to let them know that if he continued to be unruly he would end up losing a body part or even worse die. After the warning I intervened and the box was passed on to me to be passed to only those in a superior position."
An elder sat back in his seat then thought for a moment. "Why didn't a fight break out then? Who was this person that lead you to just let them pass through?"
The man paused a little and then chose to be truthful. "I just had a feeling that they were a dangerous individual that could not be handled by us and if it wasn't for my subordinates rash actions we things would not have turned as bad as they did. The opposite party did well to restrain themselves and negotiate with me calmly after everything was over. I believe they are the leader of a group called the mulberry trading group that wishes to make connections with the north and have a powerful backing or high power of their own. As for the individual… I can only say that they are frightening. They are difficult to read but when provoked they reveal their dangerous edge… what I saw and felt from that person in an instant was of someone who have taken many lives and once they made the decision to draw their blade death would follow. If their priority wasn't to let everyone pass through safely and build up relationships with the north maybe there would be less restraint on their actions in that moment and my subordinate would have lost his life."
He was not wrong in his description at all, the moment Ki picked up the sword of the Evil flame emperor she had renamed it as Evil.
The act of killing was an act of evil to most people in the world but many still do it and continue to do so and the cycle of hate and vengeance continued to create more evil.
Ki decided that when she drew her sword from its sheath it would only be to kill and never wound so the name Evil was a fitting name for it.
It was almost like herself who had been hidden deeply beneath what she revealed on the outside until she let it loose.
Ki would carry her sword Evil within its sheath, she would follow the rules of the world, broker various trades, travel around the world, meet many people around the world and build various relationships but the moment she had made up her mind to kill an individual or group of people she would unsheathe evil and at the same time release what she had kept hidden within herself.
It was a form of training for herself to further become one with her sword but at the same it was a way to conceal her true dark self from the eyes of others but also make use of the killing intent she had built up after many long years of fighting on the edge of life and death.
In the way of the sword many masters struggle to reach the realm of man and sword as one or man and the world but Ki had already reached a point in which she could freely wield her sword in almost every situation and environment or if she couldn't then she could make use of other things to keep herself from being harmed.
Man and sword is one swordsman feels as if the weapon has become a part of their body and they can wield it freely but man and world is more about the individuals ability to master their martial arts and weapon to a realm where they are able to use their weapon within the range of their weapon to cover all the way around their body and above and below themselves.
It is almost like within a certain space around them they are able to defend and attack with their weapon without having many openings but it requires very high mastery.
Ki had already long stepped into the first stage but after many battles and training she found that she was always approaching that stage.
Any flaws that she had with the sword were made up with her hidden weapons, throwing knives or other tools to help her survive.
In fact the reapers main sensory qi art helps to train that spacial awareness and way of dealing with oncoming attacks but in a different way.
If she drew her sword and anyone was within range then they were destined to die a swift death unless they were someone who could defend against her sword.
The man who caused the problem first realised first hand that he should not have rashly approached her and acted so foolishly the moment she placed her hand on the hilt of the sword and released her killing intent.
Even the leader had to be careful when he approached was always keeping a watchful eye of her movements just in case he failed to save the situation.
Still, it was admirable that she could hold herself back so that all the others with her would not be caught up in the chaos.
The elder looked at him calmly then rolled his eyes as he snorted leaving the room. "Making something out of nothing.. I thought it was going to be something important but I guess it's just that."
To him a mere stranger and merchant group passing through and paying the toll was normal, if conflicts broke out then it happened and nothing could be done about it since they would only hear about it later.
Since there was no conflict then there was really no need to remember it to go seek revenge later or come up with ways to put pressure on this group for greater benefits later.
Ki may have used intimidation but she also provided high quality goods to give directly to those in charge of the sect so she could get away with what she did.
Back inside the room the sect leader opened the box carefully and inside was a note containing a list of the goods.
Some were several sets of martial training uniforms that were modified for the colder weather, a couple of wound creams and also around four large bottles of wine.
The sect leaders eyes lit up upon seeing the tailoring skills and workmanship of the clothing and continued to read the list describing the uses.
The clothing and cream were very enticing to the sect as a whole but when he read the description of the wine bottles his eyes lit up.
He looked at the bottles with a hidden glint of greed in his eyes and then took out a small metal cup and opened the wine bottle.
As the small amount of wine entered the cup the aroma was almost overpowering and a subtle wave of heat hit his face and entered his body through his nose as he smelled it.
A wave of excitement went through his body that had been missing from his body for all of his life.
Almost like a breath of life the heat began to travel down into his mouth and down his throat as he lifted the cup to his lips and slowly drank it.
As someone who had long lived in the cold north, the coldness was both a torture to live in but also a part of their homeland so they rarely had the luxury of things like heat even if they knew how to build homes, fortresses or even a fire because the resources required would be huge.
As he drank the wine he was slowly immersed in the joy of his body being given something he had long lacked, such a simple thing called heat.
The immersion deepened as he was in a trance, he felt like he was in his mothers warm embrace keeping him from getting cold, another memory of sitting by the fire place as new logs were placed on the fire and the next was an old memory of his later years of gathering with his war companions around the fire celebrating a victory and ending up in the warm embrace of a woman.
The old sect leader who had been hardened by war and death in the face of benefits sat back in his chair and had tears in his eyes.
A look of nostalgia was in his eyes and he looked down to the wine bottle that was still open then poured some of it into several cups. "Call the elders back and tell them that they can have some of this along with you."
His aide immediately bowed and then left the room to call the elders back into the room to enjoy the sect leaders gift.
The fire or heat based wine that Ki had produced is one of her better recipes and can cause the person who consumes it to feel as if they are experiencing a memory of their distant past where they may have felt warmth in their lives no matter how small they will be able to recall it.
A small sip of the wine can help warm the body and also fight off the cold that constantly is attacking the bodies of the northerners so it was one of the best choices to bring along with her.
It was not overly hot that it caused an adverse reaction to someone's body when drunk but instead gently provides warmth to the person who drinks it.
Before long all of the elders and high level members of the sect had a drink of it together.
The sect leader looked at the elders who now had more rosy cheeks and were more lively and fell into deep contemplation. 'Mulberry huh… we may need to build more of a relationship with them if possible.'
Little did he know that he had already fallen into Ki's scheme and would forever be tied to her.