IN the middle of the night out side of the longevity city, a tall tower standing in the lonely nights and darkness surrounding it with a loud screech a dark feathered bird rushed into the one of the windows in which a bulky old man in cloak alerted by the screech turn his attention from the letters in his hand, he casually reached out for his his hand for the bird as a perch.
It's huge wings folded and it's sharp claws sank into a special tape in his forearm neatly land on the old man's forearm the sharp wind disturbed the things on the room dust rose up he, take on the weight with practice ease and with his nimble fingers he take out the parchment with confused look instead of name of a sender its oneside Decorated with flower petals.
Accompanying with a unique fragrance on it the old man's eyes gleamed he didn't open the letter like the others in the table in front of him he walked out of the room after giving that bird peice of dried meat he walked out.
His steady footsteps kept echoing in the dark corridor then it slowly went up in the dimly lit stairs despite his old age his gait was strong, steady and energetic as he was walking with some strange rhythm he would now and then skip the step if possible after climbing three floors he come to halt.
He seemed little nervous but he didn't dare to delay as he gently knocked in the thick wooden door a door opend on it's own a dignified voice called him in. He adjusted his attire and walked in his eyes firmly looking at the floor.
The room was much bigger than the ones in the floors below the room was covered in dark contrary to the light coming from the center of the room a shadow of seated figure vaguely seen the person eyes locked into the old man.
"Seyin's greetings to Tower Master and The venerable one"
"Speak!" an short order came from the man.
"Lord, this humble one present you this letter and await your orders" he kneeled on the floor lift up the letter with both hands his head still bowing down the letter left his hand it's levitated on it's own and shot towards the seated figure.
The room was strangely chilling but the old man had perspiring seen from his face his hands were shivering he didn't look up, say anything further or get up from his position he was like experiencing this sort of things for long time he very patiently waiting for orders.
"Hmm!" a soft humming coming from the darkness the person also seem heard it he waved his hands to dismiss the old man who suruptiously looking at the tower master he didn't open the letter either he placed them on the desk and slid it to the opposite side of the desk.
The leader politely salute to the empty side of the desk and returned his attention to the ledger he was wroting but his eye darted to the letter and the empty side his entire demaner changed from someone who has the dignity of tower master to the prisoner or puppetery doll.
His pupil shrank when he noticed out of nowhere a person appeared and sitting opposite to him already reading the letter with calm look on his face; the shock on the master face turned into fear his forehead creased with uneasiness ' What short of monster is this? I don't even notice his movements just now'
"Venerable one!" he saluted with shaking hands once again.
"Hmm!" the mysterious man nodded he looked like he wasn't much older than tower master but the fear and reverence could be seen to everyone " Not bad, not bad! it was an such a delightful news for sure"
The Tower Master carefully observed the other party's face before try to asking about his doubts "Venerable one? "
The mysterious man smiled and flicked a finger on his letter " I said My trip here wasn't entirely waste, if this information shed us some light then your status will reach new hights for that you have my word"
The Tower Master face brighten up but soon he quickly bring emotions under his control now there was a trepidation and eagerness in his face " Is there something to your liking in the letter Your highness?"
He was expected something interesting since there was an alliance meeting happening this few days and what more the weekly information was even two days earlier than it should be due 'Was there really something interesting that attract this monster attention' he had his doubts but his face didn't show anything other than curiosity.
But he was also very nervous and apprehensive about the interesting expression displayed on the other party's face he had been very nervous for the last few days because of this person's unexpected visit and extremely worried that the information would disappoint him provoking his rage but he seem rather happy instead ' What happened, has something big happened? May be I should ask for the letter' he wondered.
His thoughts were brought back by the nonchalant voice "What is the name of this child again? Cherry blossom is it? Haha what an talented child." he gave the paper one more look before give it to the other party whose, expression getting weirder.
He subtly glance at the smiling middle age man and take a note of his uplifted mood he wanted say something and hesitated from saying anything further.
The arrival of the other party come to his mind what happened that day was still engraved into his mind. He was never this afraid of anyone in his life before on that day this smiling man killed few his subordinates and tower elders for some petty reason like they took a second glance at him and looked unpleasant to the eye not knowing their place.
He was so terrified of this man he quickly turned into other party's lackey, He was expected the mysterious organization that supported them from the dark would send some representative to take a look he thought there would be some negotiation and stuff as he was one of the few powerful people in the this territory.
He was immediately knew he wasn't match for the other party it might be his attained a higher realm than him so he throw away his plans for negotiation and arrogance.
Since then he has been walking on eggshells and ever so careful with this eccentric powerhouse treating him like his own grandfather and dreaded the day of weekly information he watched the man get gloomy, upset over small things everyday.
He even thought his end has come couple of days ahead and he never hated the dedication and punctuality of his star spy and niece but was he hearing things now? Was his luck finally turned for better.
' It seems like my life would be better, she was really my lucky star. I had to take better care for her ' he thought like this until he read the important information in the letter his expressionless facade crumbled 'What the hell?'
"Your highness, this was indeed about the person the name you were given to us but...." he trailed off didn't dare to rashly saying anything ticking off the disaster for them.
"What are you blabbering about speak clearly" the man commanded with a frown.
"This... Umm, Your Highness i think it would be better If we summon our person for clear understanding. Please allow me arrange a meeting tomorrow " he felt like someone putting a poison dagger on his neck with this kind of unexpected situation.
"OH!" The smile left his face facing his calm eyes Tower Master felt he was stared at by some lethal monster.
"From your hesitants and evasiveness am I allowed to assume you think of me as an unreasonable person tower leader? " his tone was curious not the anger or gloominess he expected but the tower master terrified.
Tower master startled and with swift movement he was on his four his forehead pressed against the cold stone floor his body was trembling as he continuesly apologised for a while only then he dare to explain " Your highness our tower has been constantly collecting the information of longevity sect and it's movements in everyway possible if there has been any strong movement it would have alert me first"
" Since your order a decade ago I have been diligently collecting information about sect leader's daughter it could be said I know her better than her father and family and this information didn't suite her character at all and that child never send letters ahead of time unless it was considered some huge matter."
" Were you implying there is someone intercepting our letters or find about your spy is that right? " his interset didn't seemed diminished there was a tinge of amusement indicating he was probably find it entertaining.
Tower Master had stayed silent but it was along the line of admitting that, it was likely the case ' It was much better than trust some absurd information and die a grievious death in his hand ' for some reason he find that the scary man was waiting for him to slip up.
"Alright, let's do that then." his face became expressionless once again then he disappeared right in front of his eyes ' I hope things go down well tomorrow' he thought to himself.
It was just a small time information selling business a few decades back and his father was the one running the business at that time he was in his early teens years one day they got visited by this group of mysterious people who offered a deal promised them rise up the business and better future.
Things quickly went up from there, they got powerful martial arts techniques and resources with the people informing his father he has decent talent for Martial arts if he trained suitable techniques he would be powerful person when he grow up and with his father's support he did transformed from a rookie to a very powerful figurehead in the twin mystic lands.
As their thrill and greed slowly cool down in time his father suspect the praise for this would be something they couldnt pay after all there are no free lunch in the world but they never showed any interest in them but the support and resources weren't stopped.
He clearly remembered one of a few unusual conversation with his father and couldn't help but agree with him now that he think about it at that time he doesn't thought something like that possible from his point of view that time.
The old tower master thinks it wasn't only in the twin mystic lands but all of the flowing light Empire might be has such information network under they control as for what their goal they couldn't decipher although he didn't agree with his father that time he too put up his guard seek to escape from their claws if possible.
With his talent and motivation his martial arts attainment growed and comparable to that of top experts in Twin Mystic lands and this finally give him some confidence to hold his own against top powers.
He then naively believe even if they had more people with his strength they would at least acknowledge him in a way and let him take control of his tower as a recognized expert then subordinate or pawn.
A decade ago this mysterious group contacted them and given him the task of monitoring someone which he did gladly with some curiosity on his part ' Was they finally starting to showing some interest? '
He send his most talented and only niece for this task, who agrees to personally collect and observe the target. She send him weekly information which he, he latter send them as a collective informations about every six months but who know a mysterious powerhouse would visit them without even informing him before hand and shattered his ambition with iron fist.
He should have known there was people with higher attainment in their rank, he has heard about this realm but didn't think quite real for someone talented like him trying bitterly for this so called higher realm but to no avail.
Deep down he know there was a possibility of such a experts to exist but he was sure they should be hidden powerhouses and retarded from secular world wouldn't show interest he guessed they should interested in reaching higher realm.
' What could they possibly interested in the affairs of ordinary people ' he thought at that time. Even he thought such an affairs were cumbersome and showing interst in this was beneath him but when he meet this visitor he understand how ignorant his line of thinking all this year and what made him desperate was this visitor was working under even more powerful people.
There and then he know his hopes are nothing but vain and he started understand more things he was never truly free and could never free himself from this peoples he guessed there are already spies planted and monitoring his movements if it was a week ago even if it was true he wouldn't bothered by it this much.
But what made him speechless was their way of doing things despite their unfathomable strength they didn't forcibly take the business to their hand even the empire if they want and from the casual killing he know their motive was something he couldn't understand ' Tch, what are they truly after? And what is their interest in the child from longevity sect?'
He was puzzled by their motives it become even more bizarre after he read the letter and the other party's interest and uplift in the mood but however much intrigue he were the tower master didn't dare to butt in their business.