The trip to the Northern Lands was supposed to further the family business and open up opportunities for Ki to gain more of an understanding of the neighbours she would have to get more acquainted with who were on the other side of the border.
Due to the Bombyx family being located so close to the northern border, it required even more vigilance towards those beyond it and it had presented various opportunities along with it.
There had been several business ventures in mind that Ki had thought of which could be very profitable when introduced to the rich and noble families.
Farming on the still fertile lands near the border was just one project that had been built up over the years but it could just as easily be destroyed in a single moment.
It took a long time to build something but it took even less time to destroy it.
All it took was one force strong enough to invade those lands despite them being protected by her own people then all the years of efforts could be destroyed just like that.
Knowing more about the forces in the capital and more about the surrounding forces in the Northern Lands was to best way to prepare for any possible scenario.
Making alliances was one goal to combat those future challenges but it was also helpful to better understand how the Northern Lands functioned.
Many lived in dire conditions where they had to struggle to survive while some places allowed for a way to survive whether it was in a city or a sect but each one required a lot of work and devotion to be able to live more stably.
One wrong move could ruin a person's life they had built up and if they left the protection of their sect or city then they could risk being looted or killed by those outside.
There existed bandit groups and other types of people that lived in different locations which were less well known but had caused problems for others.
Among such groups, there were some that had bothered her small farming areas and had crossed the borders to cause problems before the Warlord Sect had taken a more active role.
Ki stood before the people who had come from much further north from others that had been living in far worse conditions and had all grown up to become ruthless.
Each person from the farther north was a force that she did not wish to provoke but they had already shown up in front of her.
They already showed their hostility and their willingness to kill so there was no need for her to hold back.
Just because she did not wish to provoke them did not mean that she would hold back against them.
They were all deemed as enemies that were better off dead.
The dead were not able to tell others what happened to them and anything about what they had witnessed.
Ki was not quite ready to go around publicly showing off her power in front of others especially since her two attributes were poison and blood.
It was already very rare to have two attributes of Qi without there being any conflicts within the body so her martial arts would be highly coveted by others.
Another reason why she did not wish to publicly show off her abilities to the outside world was due to the publics view of poison and blood arts.
Poison arts were somewhat more accepted by blood arts but there were still many that saw using poison methods as cowardly and sinister.
There were always people who saw themselves as heroes who fought for the righteousness of the world that would come looking for trouble with her if word spread out about what she was capable of.
It was not that she feared such things happening but there were always future implications that would affect not only her life but her families and business too.
If Ki was prepared to reveal her martial arts beyond the simple forms of swordsmanship, throwing arts and palm arts then it showed her desire to kill.
Anyone that was within her surroundings that would witness her power would not be left alive so that all that witnessed it would be unable to tell a soul about it.
They fell before her as they fell into her traps.
The various attempts they made on her life had been blocked by her solidified Noxious Qi which had resulted in a thin layer of frost forming around the shield she put up.
The Noxious Qi shield had dispersed once the Nether flames stopped being sent towards her.
The enemies had grown smaller in numbers as those injured had been unable to properly seal up and treat their wounds in the icy cold environment.
Ki took a step back and her feet moved gracefully as her light footsteps carried her straight towards those she deemed the most troublesome.
Her eyes glowed red as her murderous intent intensified and the red blood runes on her body had glowed too.
The surrounding blood from the corpses and the wounded that had not yet frozen began to be pulled towards her direction.
It was subtle at first until the force became so strong that those losing blood at a rapid rate had no way to stop it.
"What is.."
"My blood.."
"Oh my… what witchcraft is this!?"
There was no fear shown in the eyes of the Netherflame Sect people who had witnessed it.
It was like they did not fear such a technique and saw it more as a parlour trick but everyone else was stunned and frightened.
The people from the Netherflame Sect saw the blood floating and felt that there was no threat from it since they could just freeze it.
Their main threat was the figure closing in on them.
One shouted out towards the other leader of the current camp which caused him to leap forward and meet Ki head on.
The plan was simple.
Block her to allow for them to gather a more powerful attack and to use it when she is most vulnerable.
Even Ki could understand their intentions as she watched their movements. 'That will be useless.'
Ki got closer with each footstep as she slowly got into her drunken combat form slowly becoming more sluggish.
A fist was hurled towards her chest in a straightforward manner but a simple turn of her body to the side had allowed her to narrowly avoid it and stop her movements in front of them.
A cold murderous glint appeared among the red glow in her eyes as her sluggish movements fluidly shifted to a precise palm thrust that struck in the middle of their chest.
"Guahh.."
There was a cracking noise which followed which showed how much force had been put into it.
Their ribcage was shattered and they coughed up a mouthful of blood as their eyes showed panic and despair.
Just as they were about to drop down to their knees weakly, the hand of Ki that had been retreating a little them turned back towards his throat.
She grabbed his throat and turned her body allowing her to throw him out in front of her towards where another wave of Netherflames came from.
Her figure disappeared as his body was covered in ice and shattered causing the surroundings to be filled with the fragments of his frozen remains.