To Yan Sheng's disappointment, the other sects were not quite enamoured by his sect's senior skill. At first they had been interested in the golem but after that brat from the Si Lak Mercenaries had dismissed it they had also realised that there was always a stronger person.
The Alchemy Guild had one of their disciples refine, according to them, a top grade pill. Spider Lily couldn't resist opening his mouth to comment that a true top grade Meridian Cleansing Pill would be purplish in colour and not sky blue. The disciple reddened at being called out in front of everyone and turned to Cat Whisker to speak up for him. To his dismay, Cat Whisper solemnly bowed at Spider Lily and asked for his enlightenment. Spider Lily went on to point out the reasons that the disciple had produced the sub-par pill in what everyone considered was a generous gesture. To the embarrassed disciple, however, it was not.
It was finally time for the Si Lak Mercenaries to present their own top skill. Puppet King rose up and flew down into the arena without any preamble. Red Monkey or Storm Sword or any of the others did not even rise to announce what the name of the skill was.
Before the shocked eyes of the audience, Puppet King waved her hand as she launched a Reaping Array. An eagle flying overhead was forcefully pulled into the swirling void of the matrix formation. There was a sickening crunch sound and blood splattered out of the matrix array onto the arena ground. Igniting a flame on the tip of the forefinger of her other hand, Puppet King tossed the flame into the void which had now changed form into a see through cauldron suspended in midair. Everyone could see the skeleton left of the corroded eagle. After a retrieved artefact core was thrown into the cauldron, the skeleton started to increase in size and the eagle took on puppet characteristics. The core infused with the heart chamber of the eagle and the hollow eyes of the eagle glinted with a strange light. Snapping her hands, Puppet King released the eagle from the cauldron, and under her control, it flew a lap around the arena and then came to rest on her shoulder.
Puppet King opened her own mouth, and the eagle followed suit with a loud screech that startled everyone but the Si Lak Mercenaries. Puppet King flew back to her seat even as the eagle disappeared into her spatial space.
The spectators didn't even have enough time to react. Their eyes were almost bulging out of their sockets, because what?!?! Did this person just create a top grade war puppet in a matter of minutes?! That was!! That was, if they were not wrong, an spirit core rank nine or above!! The Si Lak Mercenaries were really wealthy! And! Which kind of insane tempering skill did that person have?!? In a matter of minutes! She had incinerated a live eagle into a skeletal war puppet!
It was the Flower Sect's turn to present. Yao Minglan, the sect leader's daughter, rose and floated down gracefully down into the arena ground. She bowed solemnly and declared the name of the skill she would present, which was the Flower Sect's Deviant Steps. Beside Yao Mingyan, Red Monkey stirred a little at the name.
Yao Minglan began her performance, drawing a shiny steel sword from her spatial space. She spun it around her head in a circular sweep and kicked her feet off as she levitated a few inches from the ground. She pushed her palm out beside her outstretched sword, and a strong aura wind blast out and billowed around her. She swung the sword in a semicircle, her other hand drawing a Attack matrix sigil in the air, and a thick flowery scent suddenly diffused out and swirled around an invisible opponent. Storm Sword sniffed irritatingly. This was a clown's play to him, but the strength of the Deviant Step's Skill was not to be treated lightly. Yao Minglan, from Red Monkey's scrutiny, seemed to be teetering on the verge of a breakthrough to Martial Sage. That was something, considering that these sects didn't have the Grand Chief's unique training regimen and forbidden cultivation techniques and modes, as well as the Si Lak Mercenaries location boost which was thick concentration of cultivation essence. These sects were really trying, Red Monkey thought in a patronising attitude. This girl seemed to be in her early twenties and she was already a strong Martial Lord! But the vast difference between the might of the Si Lak Mercenaries and these sects was that Yu Han, Red Monkey's own disciple who was around this Yao Minglan's age stood steady at the cultivation rank of Martial Overlord, which was almost double the power of a Martial Sage.
Finally, Yao Minglan completed the performance to applause and intakes of breath from the spectators. Cat Whisker spoke commendingly to Yao Mingyan who gazed in Red Monkey's direction to see her reaction.
"Senior Red Monkey, what do you think?" She asked when she couldn't guess Red Monkey's expression under the doupeng.
"Nothing. Why is sect leader Yao asking me that?"
"I was of the opinion that you Si Lak Mercenaries had taken on an umpire kind of role, educating us lesser sects," Yan Sheng smirked, placing a ridiculing emphasis on the word 'lesser'. He did it to infuriate Hall Protector Hu, for everyone in the martial world knew that the Scorpion Hall detested being regarded as sub-par to the Si Lak Mercenaries.
"No we haven't. My juniors couldn't stop themselves. Please pay no heed," Red Monkey replied succinctly.
"Hmph!" Hall Protector Hu snorted.
"Hmph you as well, or are you not aware that we have a blood feud with your sect? You should be shaking in your seat, you all," Yi Hei snorted back.
"Black Fox, enough. We shall abide by the Yang Sect's rules," Red Monkey snapped.
"Oh, no, let him talk," Hall Protector Hu snorted, "why would we honourable Scorpion Hall sect members be afraid of you Si Lak Mercenaries? Is there something I'm not aware of? What blood feud are you talking about? There is no such thing,"
"Hear, hear," Boar Claw chuckled.
"We Scorpion Hall sect members have never wrongfully attacked anyone before. I don't know what this person is talking about," Hall Protector Hu clarified loudly, as if he was afraid everyone present wouldn't hear.
"Enough," Red Monkey put an hand on Storm Sword's thigh, before he could open his mouth to retort. Storm Sword, very pleased, quickly seized the opportunity to hold Red Monkey's hand, who was now trying in vain to pull back her hand. They thus engaged in what looked to outsiders as a lover's tussle. As such, the Scorpion Hall had the last word.
Hall Protector Hu gulped as sweat ran down his back. He had been apprehensive since yesterday when he realised that the Si Lak Mercenaries were also participating in this year's Cultivators Gathering. Immediately upon arriving at their own quarters he had sent a message to the sect with a communication artefact as well as a cryptic note with a messenger bird. The answer that came back straight from the sect leader, as said by the person who conveyed it to him, was that he should wait and participate in the Cultivators Gathering and not fret if the Si Lak Mercenaries found him and the others later to make trouble. He was assured that reinforcements would come straight from the main sect to help as long as he an those with him held off the Mercenaries long enough. Ever since he heard that, he had been trying to probe the Mercenaries might to see if he could last for a while in a head to head combat with them but he was not even able to determine the extent of their prowess. Seeing Puppet King's display had given him an idea, though.
"Hall Protector Hu, it's our turn to present," his disciple behind him informed. Hu Lihang nodded. His eyes glinted as he recalled the instructions he had given.
***
"Cough, cough," Red Monkey coughed violently as she shivered, sitting on the bed in the room the girls shared. She was wrapped with a quilt by Yu Han as Yi Hei entered with a disgruntled expression, Storm Sword holding a sword to his neck as he guided him in.
"Take her pulse," Storm Sword ordered. Yi Hei pursed his lips as he used two fingers to push the sword away. He shook his sleeves and then approached Red Monkey who was hedged in by Yu Han on one side and Eagle Beak on the other. Yu Han rose up so Yi Hei could have access to Red Monkey's hand. Yi Hei took her pulse with a calm expression on his face at first, but then it suddenly became ugly.
"What is it?" Storm Sword boomed. Yu Han also looked on anxiously.
"Senior's been poisoned. I suspect it's the work of those Scorpion Hall ants,"
"But how?" Red Monkey managed to grunt, "I -- didn't come into contact with any of them. And why only me?"
Yi Hei thought for a whole but he shook his head.
"The most important thing now is to cure you. And since they have started the battle with this offensive, it'll be impolite of us not to repay their kindness,"
"For the first time in your life, you're talking sense," Storm Sword crossed his arms over his sword, "speak. What do we need to cure her?"
"It's fine. I have all the herbs needed in my spatial space," Yi Hei said dismissively. "The thing is; I think the Scorpion Hall are trying to take us down ome at a time by stealth poisoning. We have to be vigilant. You should know what to do, Senior," he added to Storm Sword, who nodded.
"Leave that to me. We have a blood feud with them anyway. We'll earn merits from the Grand Chief the more of them we kill,"