Xia Tao
Lin Zhi definitely needs something done about him; otherwise, he'll scare everyone off. Hmm, I need to introduce him to the protagonist's girls. Hahaha, maybe he'll like one of them. I should somehow arrange for him to go with the protagonist! That would be perfect. He won't die there, and he might even find a lady. He's too hyperactive for our mountain; we're just developing and chilling here. We don't need dramas and tragedies of that sort.
Hmm, I need to find Mei. I found her in the office with Lin Qing and Liu Qing.
"Uh, what's this little gathering about?" I asked as I entered the office.
"Don't worry, Master, we were just chatting" Mei said somewhat evasively.
"Lin Qing and Liu Qing, leave us" Mei instructed.
Once the girls left the office, Mei turned to me. "What did you want, Master?" she asked, reclining in her chair.
"It seems someone is starting to forget who the master is here" I said, walking around her to stand behind her.
"Master, I assure you, that's not the case" Mei replied.
"It seems to me that some ass needs a spanking" I said. "But I think we'll get to that a bit later. Remind me on auction day" I continued, placing my hands on her shoulders and whispering in her ear "that I wanted to punish you."
"Yes, Master" Mei said in a low voice.
"Alright, now to business" I said. "Seriously, what were Lin Qing and Liu Qing doing here?"
"Liu Qing asked to join the clan, applying for the position of your maid. Lin Qing was just reporting on a certain matter" Mei explained.
"Oh, how and why did Liu Qing ask to join our clan, and especially to become my maid? Considering her reputation, is that appropriate? Liu Qing has had an interesting past—she was married and is known for several public relationships, including, if I recall correctly, with a pair of brothers?" I said, walking around the desk and taking a seat.
"No matter how her life unfolded before, she is pure and has never been with a man" Mei's response surprised me greatly.
"Interesting. Well, alright then, I have no objections if she pledges her loyalty to me with dao oath"
"She already has."
"Oh, well, that's secondary. I actually came here for another reason. I recently went to the city, and we were confronted by local gangs. Given that we were on a commercial street where, as far as I know, no such activities should occur, I think it was deliberate. But why is unclear."
"Who?" Mei asked.
"The Red Raptors, but again, it could have been a setup. Considering that the main elder of the outer region favors us and likely instructed that we not be disturbed, those suicidal intruders who tried to climb our mountain, as well as this blatant harassment, might be connected. It's unlikely to be a mere coincidence."
Mei closed her eyes for a moment, deep in thought.
"I heard you, Master. I'll handle this matter" Mei replied in a cold tone.
"Good, good. By the way, where's Zhang Jing? I haven't seen her around lately."
"Don't worry, Master. She's fine. She's been so captivated by the Book of Illusions that she's practically living with the people translating it."
"Oh, are there any useful updates from that front?"
"Not exactly useful, it turns out it's a basic illusion book from a sect that specialized in arrays, or at least relied heavily on them for their illusions."
"By the way, did you know that Xia Lina has apparently mastered the thread technique to an unimaginable level, according to our disciples?"
"That's the first time I've heard of it. Are you sure about this? I haven't seen her practicing it at all" Mei responded, puzzled.
"Summon her, and Hui Ying" I instructed.
Mei closed her eyes, and after a few seconds, opened them again. "We'll wait, they will be here soon."
After about 30 seconds, Hui Ying arrived, and I asked her to sit. A minute later, Xia Lina entered.
"You called for me, Master?" she asked, ignoring everyone else in the room. Hahaha, my dear, always reliable and straightforward.
"Sit down, dear" I said, placing a chair next to me. Xia Lina sat and looked at me expectantly.
"Xia Lina, tell me, it's said that you've mastered the thread technique exceptionally well. Is that true?" I asked.
"I don't know, I just train like all the other clan members" Xia Lina said, looking at me with a slightly confused expression.
"Okay, let's start from another angle. How many threads can you control and at what distance?" I asked.
"Around 35, and if I concentrate, I think I can manage 40. At a distance of about 25-30 meters," her words shocked everyone present.
"Mei, for comparison, how many can you control?" I asked.
"22, maybe 25 if I really push myself, and the radius is about 15 meters, maybe a bit more."
"Hu Mei?" I turned to her.
"10-12 threads and a radius of 10 meters."
"Hu Mei, you mentioned something about an unusual way of using threads" I said, turning back to Hu Mei. "What were you talking about?"
"Yes, Xia Lina, could you show us what you demonstrated in the hall?" Hu Mei prompted.
Xia Lina looked at me for confirmation.
"Please show us" I requested.
"As you wish, Master" she replied, and suddenly she floated into the air, gracefully gliding back and forth across the room, occasionally making sharp changes in direction. It seemed as though she was teleporting at times, resembling our Dragonfly Technique but in the air. Everyone in the room, including Mei, sat with wide eyes. After a few seconds, Xia Lina slowed down and gently descended to the floor.
I almost caught up with the other disciples, but it turned out I wasn't even close to those who had talent or dedication for this technique.
"You are magnificent!" I said enthusiastically. "Is this the thread technique? I thought you were training levitation, but you were training threads to such an extent."
"I'm afraid you missed something else" said Hu Mei. "Xia Lina, can you float in the air for a minute?"
Xia Lina looked at her, then at me, and finally floated up.
"All of you, activate your observation techniques" Hu Mei instructed. Her eyes glowed, and within a second, I was observing Xia Lina but couldn't pinpoint what was bothering me. Only Mei's voice could articulate what I couldn't grasp.
"Why don't I see the threads if this is the thread technique?" Mei said.
"Xia Lina, last time you already controlled threads that no one could see, but there were small flashes of your spiritual energy showing where you were releasing the threads. Now those flashes are gone too. Did you manage to hide those as well?" Hu Mei asked.
"Yes, last time you were watching them, and I didn't like the extra attention, I improved technique so the emissions became not visible" Xia Lina explained.
"To give you an idea, she releases threads in all directions, and not only are they invisible, but she does it constantly to maintain the smoothness of her movements. Xia Lina, how often do you change threads now, and how many do you use at once?"
"I use 35 threads and change them 3-4 times a second, depending on how I move."
This revelation left us stunned for the second time.
"Xia Lina, I need you to record everything you know about this technique onto a crystal: how you use it, everything you think might help me master it at the same level. Describe everything you do, think, how you use spiritual energy, even any slight sensations. I know it's a lot and takes time, but it will be very useful to me" I said.
"No problem, Master. I'll give you the crystal tomorrow morning" Xia Lina replied.
"Excellent. As a token of gratitude, if you have any wishes, please let me know."
"Yes, Master, I do have a small wish" she said, glancing around and then lowering her gaze slightly. "I'll tell you later."
Wow, she's showing some initiative and has some desires, even if small ones. This is already a victory! She's truly remarkable, reaching such a level in this technique and even surpassing Mei in both quantity and control. I must find out what she wants as a reward and ensure she gets it!