The room was minuscule. There were no furnishings, no windows, and no decoration. The only thing at the center of the room, mounted on a pedestal of black stone, was a small blood core.
It was not pulsing and alive like the one at the main fortress. This one was smaller, the size of a fist, an opaque and matte crimson color, with a surface smooth as glass.
It emitted an aura of pure Blood Qi, but contained, like a dormant ember.
Kyrian looked at the object with mild curiosity.
i Li saw his expression.
"Ah, you must never have seen one of these," she whispered.
"There’s one in every minor branch, hidden away. It’s a... communication and information core, linked to the Court’s main network. You just have to use your own blood as a key and ntally project your query."
Kyrian did not hesitate. He stepped forward. From the tips of his five fingers, without any visible cut, five perfect drops of blood, dark and gleaming, welled up from his pores. He extended his hand and touched the cold, smooth surface of the core with his fingertips, the drops being absorbed instantly.
He focused, projecting the thought clearly.
’Is there any Bloody Court property available for lodging in the Cloud Empire?’
There was a delay of a few seconds. The core remained inert. Then, a voice erged directly in his mind. It was a hoarse, dry, aged voice, emotionless, as if recorded in a very ancient artifact.
"Crimson Lotus Residence. Fifth district..."
An address. Kyrian morized it instantly. But he had more questions.
More blood, a slightly greater flow this ti, ran from his fingers into the core.
’I want a list of the main items confird for the Centennial Auction.’
The delay was a little longer this ti, as if the core were consulting a more extensive record. The sa hoarse voice returned, listing items in a monotonous tone.
"..."
The list was long. Kyrian listened attentively. The Blood Formation was there, as expected. But the final item made his eyes narrow slightly.
He now had two primary targets. But a problem arose. Resources.
The stones Dong Zhen had given him were a fortune, but would they be enough to secure two items of that level at an auction of this caliber, in addition to possibly eting the desires of the other five? Unlikely.
With determination, more blood, a significant amount this ti, flowed from his fingers into the core.
’What is the fastest and most profitable way to obtain a large volu of spirit stones within the capital over the next fifteen days?’
The response ca faster, as if it were a common query.
"Three main paths. First: Cloud Circle Alchemy Competition. Begins in three days. Grand prize: fifty thousand dium-grade stones and access to the Imperial Herbarium."
"Second: Jade Palace Formation Tournant. Begins in five days. Grand prize: thirty thousand dium-grade stones and a set of rare arrays."
"Third: Cloud Coliseum. Reopening for open challenges in seven days. Rewards vary according to ranking and challenges won. The fastest path to significant gains."
Kyrian processed the information. Alchemy? He knew the basics to identify ingredients, but competing? Impossible.
Formations? He had deep theoretical knowledge from the library, but assembling one under pressure and competition was unknown and risky territory.
That left the Cloud Coliseum. Fighting. That he could do. That he understood.
"The fastest path to significant gains." It sounded like spilling blood for wealth. It sounded... viable.
Satisfied, Kyrian released the core. The artifact’s dull glow faded, returning to its dormant state.
"You take care of what you need," he said to i Li, with a nod of his head. He had the information he wanted.
He left the small room and returned through the dark corridor to the main hall of the tea house. The scene awaiting him was almost comical.
Bai Zhu, Yan Ling, Kai, and Li Fen were seated at a table. In front of them, the man in the gray robe had served a steaming teapot and a plate of dry pastries.
Bai Zhu was devouring the pastries with an expression of pleasant surprise.
"Huh, these cakes are good!" he grumbled between bites.
Yan Ling sipped her tea carefully, examining the simple porcelain cup. Kai drank his in large gulps, like water. Li Fen sat motionless, his cup untouched, his eyes scanning every centiter of the dark hall.
He had noticed that there were people from his branch hidden there.
The man in the gray robe was back at the counter, arranging cups, completely ignoring them, as if they were ordinary custors.
Kyrian approached the table.
"Let’s go. We’ve got a place."
They stood up. Bai Zhu grabbed two more pastries before leaving. The man at the counter did not look up when the teahouse door closed behind them, the wind chi tinkling one last ti.
Outside, in the brightness of the alley, i Li erged from the corridor, her face serious.
"I managed to get so updates on the factions present."
Kyrian processed i Li’s information with a curt nod.
"Speak. As we walk."
The six then proceeded along the main avenue, Kyrian guiding the group once more.
They continued on. Kyrian asked a guard for directions and learned the location of the Fifth District.
The Fifth District lay away from the capital’s great central avenues. It was neither poor nor decrepit, but it carried a different atmosphere from the white, open streets near the Gates of Heaven.
There, the buildings were lower, closer together, and the colors varied among softer tones of blue, jade, and dark wood.
Kyrian guided the group. As they advanced, the details began to align with the address provided by the core.
"It’s close," he said, slowing his pace.
The Crimson Lotus Residence did not stand out at first glance.
It was a walled complex, with two visible stories above the street and, likely, more levels below. The main gate was made of dark red wood, reinforced with bands of black tal engraved with discreet floral patterns. Above it, a simple symbol. A stylized lotus with sharp petals, carved from matte crimson stone.
No sign. No na.
But the scent was there.
Subtle, clean, almost imperceptible to ordinary cultivators. To Kyrian and the others, it was unmistakable. Refined, stabilized blood is used in long-term formations.
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