Feng Zhiming stood before the two elders Lu and Bu with Anissa by his side, in his hand he held a storage ring which held all of the wealth of the Flowing River sect along with Tian Yu's wealth.
The battle had been grand and nearly ninety percent of everyone involved had died, out of the five thousand attacking disciples merely one thousand remained.
A grand total of 120,000 spirit stones alongside a few weapons, cultivation techniques and scriptures.
He removed half of the spirit stones and kept them for himself before throwing the ring to Lu and Bu.
"You two, take the remaining disciples and leave for the city built of spirit stones, take refuge under a faction known as the Forgotten Circle, tell them the Forgotten Vessel sent you."
Lu and Bu nodded and were about to leave before Feng Zhiming added something else.
"You may keep 10,000 of those spirit stones for yourselves, the rest of the ring goes to the circle, it will nurture the remaining disciples."
"Thank you for your generosity, esteemed Forgotten Vessel."
They both vanished.
Feng Zhiming smirked, they really knew how to blow whichever way the wind pushed them.
…
A few days later the sun shone brightly as Anissa and Feng Zhiming emerged from the teleportation array.
They had returned to Wildland city.
They had separated from the sect and returned to claim that which was promised.
They began to walk towards Wu's workshop.
"How powerful was that man? Krimin, I believe you said his name was." Feng Zhiming asked as he drank another one of those mango drinks he loved so much.
Anissa furrowed her brows.
"If we fought I'm fifty one percent sure I would win, however one thing is certain. In terms of combat prowess within the same realm he approaches the peak."
Anissa chose her words very carefully.
Feng Zhiming now firmly believed that the man was a participant, although it would have been nice to dispose of him, it would have been too risky.
He was not ready to go against heavenly eye cultivators yet and it was a near guarantee that someone from the orthodoxy would arrive to survey the destruction regardless.
Right now he was happy with the stage he had set, two sets of ashy corpses where the sect leaders were and thousands of corpses of various disciples.
The obvious conclusion was that Tuan Yu had gone mad and attacked the Flowing river sect, this story keep him away from the prying eyes of both the orthodoxy and any other force who had stakes within the two sects.
Feng Zhiming was unconcerned about being caught, in the mental state they were in Feng Zhiming had brainwashed a few survivors of the Flowing River Sect to corroborate his story.
As Feng Zhiming and Anissa arrived at the shop, they walked in to find that there was no one there.
Anissa suspected the worst but Feng Zhiming knew, he knew that the old man would not run from a shop he used to seclude himself from his past, it did not fit human nature.
Feng Zhiming exited the shop and found a familiar face, the annoying merchant from the first day they arrived here.
He had come to pick up the robes he sold from Wu.
"Ah dear cus-"
Feng Zhiming handed him five spirit stones.
"Where's the old man."
The merchant greedily stored away the stones before replying.
"A few hours ago members of the Elysium guild escorted him to their headquarters. I came to check if he was back yet, but I guess not."
After that he quickly left, searching for other customers.
"The Elysium guild!" Feng Zhiming spoke as his eyes darkened.
It had been menial task after menial task that he completed just so he could find the creature, and now someone else had blocked his path once more.
…
A few hours ago.
"Lyra, I've told you not to trust strange people giving you information." Ellia said as he followed her lead.
Lyra looked at him and stuck her tongue out.
"We tried your way, there's no way to track it through your stupid ways, now if this old man wants to give us a path, let's see if he has it."
Ellia shook his head in defeat, he could not refute what she had said.
Wu sat at the counter of the shop waiting for the damned merchant to come pick up his robes.
The door swung open as a bickering couple walked in.
"I'm gonna set your leg ablaze if you talk one more time."
Lyra spoke to Ellia in a serious tone as she assessed the shop.
Ellia unwillingly gave into his fate and shut his mouth.
Lyra walked up to the counter.
"Old man, I've heard that you sell information."
Wu stood up and beckoned them to enter the back of the shop.
He repeated the entirety of what he had told Feng Zhiming and Anissa, about his life and his conditions for obtaining the compass.
"Old man, your condition is an almost impossible task, you want us to raze an entire sect."
Old Wu didn't respond, he knew it was a great ask but it was all he wanted.
Ellia despite being told to shut up, decided to speak up.
"Good sir, It's not merely the effort but murdering recruits who joined years after your tragedy, how can you possibly make such a grim request?"
Lyra nodded, when Ellia brought out his old vocabulary, she knew he was serious.
Old Wu gritted his teeth and lost his patience.
"I DON'T CARE, I JUST WANT THEM DEAD, CAN YOU DO IT OR NOT!?"
Lyra looked at Ellia and sent over a mental transmission, killing intent evident in her eyes.
"I can always disconnect the soul bond between him and the compass."
Ellia responded with a mind transmission as well.
"Killing him?"