Chapter 420: Tracking the Source of the Crystals

They reunited that night to share information, just finding a hotel where they could sit together instead of any grand institutions. Kai far preferred that, since all he really wanted was Zae Zin Nim and Omilaena without interruption. As they explained what they'd learned, however, he realized they could have a problem of split incentives.

"Our best lead on the poison is the Purple River sect," Omilaena said, "but frankly I don't think the chances are high that they were really the culprit. We might as well stay in Floodisle City city and take it for all it's worth."

"I won't deny that we could gain a great deal here." Zae Zin Nim shifted uncomfortably, frowning at nothing in particular. "However, if we get on the wrong side of the Masterful Crown clan, they will cause trouble for us throughout the entire region. They could even draw the sort of attention that might get us noticed in the Eastern Plains."

"Do you think we would, taking down one little silkpants idiot?"

"No, but it could escalate. I have been investigating their strength, and the clan has many Sky Soul cultivators, so they could be a nuisance. I... don't want us to have to join or ally with more sects here. We should be able to keep traveling together."

"Aww, I knew you just couldn't contain your lusts."

While they spoke, Kai was staring out the window of their room, thinking about the anger on the young man's face, Fhazi, and different paths taken in life. Eventually he turned back, glancing over both of them but focusing eventually on Zae Zin Nim.

"Do you think there's actually a significant risk?" he asked. "We can go if you insist, but I really want to track this down."

"He was only important because of his connection to the Masterful Crown clan," Zae Zin Nim said. "Perhaps he will never dare to return to face you. Even if he does, and even if he can find you, at worst he will bring his father. We can remain, if you wish."

"I'm in favor of staying," Omilaena said, "but is this actually decisive evidence? We haven't seen a single pebble from Deadwaste, so why here, in the biggest city in the whole region?"

"Analyze for yourself." Kai tossed the crystal he'd taken to her, but Omilaena only caught it with her pipe and set it aside.

"Already did. Yes, it looks like the Krysali cultivation, but all my research suggests that there are common patterns. Anywhere you go in the world, if you combine the Cultivation aspect with the Essence aspect, you're going to create crystals like this. Maybe they're engaging in some experiment."

Zae Zin Nim immediately shook her head. "Doubtful. Cloudspire may be wrong about some things, but I agree with the consensus: crystal cultivation is inferior in most respects."

"Even the Frontier elites using it?"

"I said most respects. But regardless, I have a very difficult time imagining any self-respecting cultivator, much less one from a major clan, building qi in crystals like this. The impulse to drain it into your dantian would be too strong, and they lack those crystal cores."

"So what does that mean?" Kai asked. When neither woman answered, he continued on himself. "You say there's a low chance someone here created the crystals themselves and I'll accept your judgment on that. So does that imply that someone from Krysal is here?"

"I know there is a small amount of trade between Krysal and the Eastern Plains." Zae Zin Nim chewed on her lip for a moment. "Compared to the size of the ocean, going around the southern side of the continent is not so far. It is not impossible, just very strange."

"I know we have a lot of other things to look into, but I want to figure out what's going on. So are we set?"

He expected to have to persuade them, but to his surprise both women agreed immediately. Omilaena seemed a bit intrigued herself, while Zae Zin Nim was very solemn about anything she considered her duty. In any case, he was glad to have them on his side.

.

..

.

After another day of work, Kai headed back to their room tired and irritable. Not physically tired, because his body was basically untouched by minor physical labor, but frustrated by the lack of progress he'd made and annoyed by the endless complaints of the workers. Half of them griped about not having wives and the other half griped about their wives.

When they nudged him on the issue, he just grunted in vague agreement, since he didn't think that they'd like to hear he was going back to two wives who loved him. Kai was looking forward to seeing them in general, and even more so when he saw them in serious conversation.

"Find anything?" Omilaena asked.

"Nothing." Kai dropped down into the chair in their room. "You look like you had more luck?"

Zae Zin Nim nodded. "Yes, the channels of the city are more open to us due to our rank. I have a simple answer for you: some foreign materials are being purchased by the alchemists of the Grand Crown sect because the Verdant River sect has allegedly discovered a new path to immortality. However, most of the materials are believed to be methods to obscure their real formula."

"And I have a more complex answer for you." Omilaena smirked as she leaned back. "I was trying to find out where the crystal shipment went, and it turns out... they leave the city to the south and they just disappear. This is gray market trade, if not black market."

"The law is only what the Masterful Crown clan says that it is, here."

"I was asking around in shady parts of the city and it turns out that region to the south is involved with slave trading. Slavery isn't illegal here or anything, but it's apparently kept in the shadows."

"It is considered low class." Zae Zin Nim frowned to herself, almost as if she would go quiet, but then continued. "Large sects or clans typically have many outer sect disciples who can be used as servants, so direct slavery is used for... more unseemly work."

"Alright!" Kai slapped his knees and got to his feet. "Let's fight everyone in the city and free the slaves!"

For a second they both stared at him, then Zae Zin Nim giggled and Omilaena relaxed back with another smirk. He sat back down and sighed.

"In all seriousness, isn't this worth investigating? If someone from the Masterful Crown clan did poison the Pureflower matriarch, they wouldn't do it through official channels. It seems more plausible that they would use clandestine means. Figuring out how the underbelly of the city works could be helpful."

"Honestly," Omilaena said, "I'm skeptical that they're responsible. But there could be better poisons there, or a connection to the Purple River sect, so I'm in."

"They might use the Dark Crown sect," Zae Zin Nim pointed out. "Hidden sects exist to perform actions that could not be done officially. However, I am also open to investigating."

It was decided just that easily: they left Floodisle City the next day, flying away from the island to the south. The banks around the lake were still filled with farms, outposts, and other signs of the city, so Kai felt as though he'd barely left. As they got further away from the outskirts he began to feel as though they were investigating new territory again, though the region was an unpleasant swamp.

Since clandestine meeting points didn't exactly put out signs, they needed to investigate the whole area. Omilaena had gathered some information about the general operations, but not exact time schedules, which were negotiated between buyer and seller. Rumor had it that another shipment would be coming in, which still left them with countless miles of territory to scout.

Kai was fully prepared to spend days on the search: they could trade off training or cultivating, so that just meant spending more time with his wives. There was no one to judge them out here, so in some ways it was better than the city. Zae Zin Nim groused about the lack of amenities at first before gradually softening up and enjoying herself, so the trip became increasingly pleasant.

And so Kai was almost disappointed when they spotted something just two days in.

"Is that a shroud?" Omilaena peered over one railing, so Kai moved to join her. The swamp was hazy with power that could be mistaken for symbols of spiritual sight at the wrong angle... but she was right, there was a shroud within the miasma.

"Found by their shroud?" Kai glanced over at her. "I can't sense anyone else, so would someone really use a shroud that's actively counter-productive?"

"The thing is, I can only make out one or two. There have to be more people, so my guess would be that most of them are invisible and they only have one or two making a mistake. It could be incompetence, or it could be something else..."

"Let's intercept them," Zae Zin Nim said.

Kai walked over to where she was seated and bent down. "Can we? I assume they've already noticed us, since we're a lot more obvious."

"Only someone with teleportation or an advanced flight technique could escape us, and if they had those, they wouldn't be traveling along the river. Let's just go get them."

Despite this strategy, they still flew down under the treeline, instead streaking along the river's path. Soon enough they spotted them: the camouflaged caravan moved alongside the river, being pulled by some sort of sacred beast that swam within it. The beast itself was camouflaged to spiritual sight, so it was a clever method of transportation, but now that he got close, the ropes were obvious.

As for the caravan itself, Kai could see that it contained a large number of cages carrying human beings. He couldn't see well through the trees, so he didn't recognize anyone... but he was sure that there were a few Krysali shrouds among them. The crystal cultivation shrouds were bulkier and stiffer than the native Cloudspire ones, so they stuck out enough to attract attention. What the hell was anyone from Deadwaste doing here?

Before he could investigate further, a force burst out of the trees... not from the caravan, from the opposite side of the river. Kai whirled to that side of the deck, ready to fight, but the group of cultivators swept up beside them on a swarm of flying swords. A full dozen, at least one Earth Soul... he wasn't sure what to make of it.

"Are you really trying to traffic women?" The leader was a tall, handsome man who stared at Kai imperiously. "I honestly didn't believe it and expected this to be a waste of time. But it seems you really are scum."

"I don't know who you are." Kai shrugged and kept his hands at his sides, readying Tyrant's Claws.

"But I know you, barbarian."

Some of the cultivators in the group looked slightly familiar, but Kai didn't have much time to look at them because his attention was drawn by the leader's soul.

<

Name: ???

Total Power: 821

Cultivation: Earth Soul 90% (475)

Physique: E-0 (80)

Immortal Body (+150)

Soul Level: 4 (16)

Flowing Crown (+100)

>

The man had a total of 821 Power, which would be unremarkable except that he was only at Earth Soul. He was getting a huge percentage of his power from an Immortal Body and something called a Flying Crown... the conflict had just become a lot trickier.