In a restaurant named 'The Hidden Alley Willow', four cultivators sat in a corner table, and were deep in discussion. Jiang Da, Fan Chao, Ma Bao, and Zhan Xue had previously decided to meet again at the location for lunch to discuss their findings.
As they enjoyed their meal, Ma Bao got down to business first, "My stay here has been very eye opening, I'm confident that everyone here will agree."
"This place is very beneficial", Jiang Da admitted, "I want to stay another week, but if we don't return to the sect soon, we will lose the advantage of finding this place first."
"We are already lost some advantage", Fan Chao complained, "Do you know how many times I lost duels against the cultivators of the Nanying Continent and the beastkin?"
"Typical for muscle of brains like yourself", Zhan Xue lifted a fan in front of his face, but Fan Chao could still see his taunting eyes, "I'm guessing you only fought others, and didn't fully explore all the different methods of training."
Fan Chao snorted, "The only way to train the body is to temper it through combat, why would I bother with useless training?"
Jiang Da lightly flicked his junior sister's forehead, "Remember what we are here for, and don't fight with them."
Fan Chao had a disgruntled look on her face, but obeyed his commands.
Jiang Da decided to ignore her and looked back at Ma Bao, "Shall I start, or do you wish to?"
"I would be happy to start", she replied, "The restaurants here have all been outstanding. I felt it was weird when we first arrived that everyone here ate meals everyday. I mean, when you have substance pills and mediation, why bother eating? I have tried many restaurants here, and not only is everything delicious, but my body and Qi feel stronger than ever."
Fan Chao, "I think I will breakthrough to Martial Expert soon, the food here is on par or better than what our elders eat."
"As I was saying", Ma Bao continued, ignoring the younger girl, "The QTV shows and the movies are entertaining, but I don't feel they are worth watching more than once."
"I have to disagree with you on that", Jiang Da countered, "I have found and began to adapt many new and useful techniques and methods from the shows and movies."
"How is that possible, Senior brother?", Fan Chao looked shocked.
Jiang Da's eyes narrowed, "Don't tell me you saw all the martial techniques, and instead of learning from them, you just watched and enjoyed the show?"
Fan Chao had a guilty look on her face before changing the topic, "Those QR pods are so amazing, I never seen an artifact that could make such a lifelike secret realm before. Not only that, but as I fight I can feel the purest Qi being refined by my body."
"The pods aren't that great", Zhan Xue dismissed the prior statement, "Combat is necessary to advance in cultivation, but you are in no danger, so how can you take it seriously?"
"Ara?", Ma Bao responded, she had purchased a Qphone and some episode of something called 'anime'. She didn't understand this phrase, but she started using it since she heard it.
Zhan Xue had heard his senior sister use the phrase more often lately, and for some reason, he felt uncomfortable when he heard it.
"I guess I must have heard someone else yelling and crying after trying Synopsis for the first time", Ma Bao acted like she was talking to herself.
As Zhan Xue did his best to ignore his senior sister, Jiang Da spoke, "The Synopsis realm was a difficult experience, but the mirror match is one of my favorite. I never fully realized how much potential was still untapped at my current level."
"Have you decided when you will return?", Ma Bao asked.
"We will leave tomorrow", Jiang Da answered, "I have everything I need to return to the sect and convince them to clean out the vaults and libraries of useless junk."
"We shall join you for the return trip then", Ma Bao commented, "a few of the outer disciples and servants broke through while we stayed here, and they need to update their status. I also believe we have some items that are uselessly rotting away in our storage, and will convince my elders that we should use them to strengthen our sect."
"Senior brother", Fan Chao inquired, "Why would we bring and sell mysterious materials and techniques here. Wouldn't it be safer in the sect's treasury?"
Jiang Da sighed as he looked at his junior sister, "I'm guessing you spent all your time fighting, and didn't investigate anywhere else."
Fan Chao pouted, "That's not true, I tried many places to eat."
"I will explain it to you then", Jiang Da told her, "If had visited the market here on the the island, you would know if we bring materials from the sect's treasury that have been collecting dust for thousands of years, and have it identified, we can choose what to do next. We could sell or trade it if we have no need for it and use the spirit stones to claim merits, keep it and refine treasures for ourselves if we can use it, or throw it away if it turns out to be something completely useless. Also, had you been to the cultivation center, you would realize that they take the cultivation methods and techniques they buy, improve them, and sell for a fair price."
"But we have the cultivation techniques and methods from the sect", Fan Chao reasoned, "Why worry about the ones here?"
"I have noticed that the cultivators and beastkin use that evaluation artifact in cultivation center", Jiang Da explained, "So I tried it out and decide to purchase and practice one of the techniques it advised. I noticed the difference once I integrated the technique into my combat strategy. This is one of the reasons you've been losing in duels, junior sister."
"Well since we leave tomorrow and the meal is done, I have to get some things from the market", Ma Bao said as she readied herself to leave the restaurant.
"Agreed", Jiang Da replied as he stood and the four of them left the restaurant.
Margaux Whitetail sat in his chair planning the defense of his city with his advisors and commanders inside the war room. The last few months had been tense following the events of the Bristlehair incident. The Whitetail clan had to arrange a quiet burial of the murdered princess to hide the fact that the boar prince had consumed enough of the corpse that she was no longer recognizable.
Just when the other tribes and clans were assuming that the deer clan would retaliate, tens of thousands of soldiers from the boar tribes attacked the border cities between the two sides. The Whitetail clan was about to defend its lands and cause heavy casualties to the Bristlehair tribe, but a uncomfortable situation was brewing. Boar beastkin were well known for their large families and willingness to eat almost anything, so Margaux was aware that if they were forced into a battle of attrition, they could lose.
"Commanders", Margaux called out to get everyone's attention, "We can't let the Bristlehair overwhelm us with numbers. We have to call upon our allies and makes some concessions because if we don't, we will suffer the same fate as my niece and our soldiers during the first attack."
Everyone in the room felt uncomfortable remembering what happened when their finally succeeded in defending against the boars. The tradition of all clans and tribes of the beastkin was to allow the families of the deceased to bury their dead according to the rituals, but the board blatantly ignored this. Each beastkin in the room remembered as the surviving board from that battle not only grabbed their casualties but the dead of the deer clan as well, sometimes eating the corpse in front of everyone. Seeing this atrocity, Margaux had led his soldiers outside the walls to reclaim their soldiers' bodies and drive the offenders away.
"What is the plan, Lord Whitetail?", one officer asked.
"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this but I have four swift wing falcons that I raised from an egg", Margaux told the crowd, "I'll send messages asking for help to the Elk, Moose, Reindeer, and Yak clans and tribes, and I believe we should receive reinforcements before the next wave of attackers arrive."
The sound of a bell being struck three times interrupted the meeting but no one moved afterwards.
"Another attack by a few small units", another aristocratic man said in response to the warning, "Why did they change their strategy?"
Margaux replied, "They are trying to decide the pace of the battle. They probably expected the first attack to do more damage than it did, so they have keep us guessing while a much larger second wave needs time to gather. I'm not sure what our chances are if their numbers exceed twenty thousand."
A scholar who had been recording all the important information from the meeting 'accidentally' said something loud enough for everyone to hear, "I wish we had what the Bloodclaws had against the Swiftpaws."
A few members at the table stood up and was about to admonish the scholar for speaking out of turn, but Margaux raised his hand to stop them.
"I should punish you for speaking out, but this will accomplish nothing right now", Margaux said, "We have been very busy defend our borders, and I haven't been paying much attention to the news outside of what's happening here. I want to hear about this incident you speak of, but if you just waste my time, you won't have a second opportunity to waste it again."
"Lord Whitetail", the scholar said while bowing on the ground, "Please forgive my disrespectful remarks, I spoke out of turn."
"Are you deaf man?", Margaux replied in an irritating tone, "I won't ask a second time."
"Yes, my lord", the scholar replied while shaking, "A few weeks ago, I spoke with a member of the crane clan and heard a piece of news. He told me that the Swiftpaw Rabbits had broke tradition by trading the bodies of their dead with the Snake tribe to acquire poison. The army then set of to attack the Bloodclaw wolves, but when they arrived, the wolves counterattacked using artifacts never seen before. The results were a one sided victory as the wolves easily destroyed the Rabbit army."
The table stayed quiet when the scholar finished his sentence.
"It's a shame we aren't allies with the wolves", Margaux said in disappointment, "Your life is spared, scholar, but this mistake will not happen again. You will be reassigned to a new post."
Margaux stood up and everyone else did too, "I will send the messages now, keep the soldiers ready, but make sure they don't collapse at an inconvenient time."
He turned around, left the room as everyone saluted, and began writing letters for his allies.