Regressor Sect Master

These past few weeks, the streets of Verdant Leaf were hard to walk for most mortals. The narrow alleys and shops were filled with new visitors from afar, many of these came from powerful families or had a name in the world of cultivation. To the mortals, it is as if the town was a gathering of heroes.

With crowds came opportunity, and the streets saw it's space expropriated by the new vendors that popped up, most of which never sold a thing in their lives before this day.

A wedding by an Elder of the Verdant Snow Sect!

A joyous occasion!

Weddings are common, but many were not public spectacles, and instead just quiet, family affairs.

The town decorated itself to meet the crowd. Inns were packed, new taverns were built over the past few months to accommodate the surge. There were visitors from nearby towns. Visitors from faraway cities. Visitors from friendly sects. Visitors from not-so-friendly ones too.

More than five thousand guests would attend the wedding, though most would dine at the large dining halls. Merchants, traders, powerful civilian families would be here. A more select group, those from the sects and the sect's many peers, would instead be treated at a smaller dining hall capable of hosting a thousand.

The cross made all other elders busy, Julia and Agnia even had to act as security during this time, and Tundra himself double checked his security formations.

Then, there were the actual wedding formalities.

***

First, was the wedding procession through the city. The two beautiful brides were carried on wedding palanquins, decorated in red, accompanied by a large retinue of performers, gift bearers and all that. There was also a band, hitting bronze gongs.

Once the procession arrived at the Yavin's mansion, there would be an exchange of gifts. Tundra stood at the gates and represented the groom's family.

In many parts of the world, disciples pay respects to their master and are viewed in equal standing to their own blood parents.

"For the bride's family, a gift of the wondrous thousand-year heavenly earth lilies, perfect for improving spiritual energies in your home." Tundra said as he presented a pot of a prized flower. It is something that Yavin actually gathered himself from a sacred, preserved mountain within their territories, and would often be used as a sixth realm spiritual pill.

Patriarch Blackshore presented a similar gift, with an unnatural smile. "And from us, a pure Firestream Stone for the groom's family." A stone, both blue and red, an unnatural fusion of fire and water, was placed in a box. A gift generally for those in the fifth to sixth realm.

As sect master, he received it graciously, even if he could feel the sinister undertones. "Ah, it is an honor, and I am sure my disciple, Yavin will be a great son-in-law."

Patriarch Blackshore's face looked exceptionally calm and relaxed, but a man like him only behaved that way when there was a plan. He was predictable, in a simple, scheming way.

The wedding, at first, went on swimmingly.

In fact, it was a little too smooth, and Tundra soon realized Patriarch Blackshore's son was nowhere to be found.

As it turned out, desperation has a way of bringing the worst out of people.

"Our guests are from the cult, and it seems, the son is also one of them." Tundra commented, as he felt the presence of Zuja within Caden Blackshore's flesh. It was still fairly small, and must be fairly recent, since the Zuja Parasite felt quite weak, as if it wasn't properly settled in the boy's body.

When Tundra reported the matter to the rest of his elders, Severian asked. "I see. What's your plan?"

"Let's rule out the most direct way of dealing with it. First, we should be quite safe. If they attack us at the wedding, I intend to use the Princess's spiritual guardian. If this sect msater so happens to make a fuss during the wedding, I'll deal with it. Once he transforms into the Zuja, we then activate the spiritual guardian."

"What if he doesn't transform? What if he does nothing?" His elder countered and proposed. "Is this even aimed at us, Tundra?"

"Maybe not. The Zuja is likely to have its eye on us already." Tundra tried his best to figure out when Zuja started making moves on his own family in his first life. Was it when he started conquering far too many sects?

Unfortunately, his memory for the sequence of events so many years ago in his first life was fairly spotty.

He wasn't sure, and as Severian suggested, Tundra concurred that the Zuja was just spreading its agents around and waited to see which one reacted to their presence.

In fact, it's much more possible that after that incident at Prince Gomerl's banquet, someone within the Zuja noticed they were a rising sect and so made some moves to spy on them.

"Or do we wait and deal with them as they leave the sect? I suspect they are here just to sniff us out and do a show of force." Severian asked. "If we get rid of the Southeastern Fists Sect directly when they are leaving, we would just be telling them that we know they are behind it. They would definitely retaliate."

Tundra weighed the odds, and nodded. That was a good point, and so, first he should figure out what they wanted. What was the scheme between Patriarch Blackshore and the Southeast Fists?

No. It's likely they are provoking him to respond, and if he did right now, then they would suspect him. Right now, the best person to deal with the Southeastern Fists Sect would be him, and they likely believe he doesn't know much about them. If he wanted to deal with them, he needed to deal with them in a situation where no one could link back to the Verdant Snow.

Attacking them at a wedding would not be a good move. At least, not for him.

"Let's not do anything and observe how things go. I will see whether we can uncover whatever plot they have, and if necessary, engineer an unfortunate accident. Keep your ears open."

***

"Lord Baljuk! A pleasure to meet you again." Tundra approached one of the invited dignitaries, and his old acquaintance, the Alchemist Lord Nuan Baljuk of the Hailstorm Temple. They came early for the wedding. "A moment of your time?"

"Oh?" The two walked the corridors of the Verdant Snow Sect, and finally stopped somewhere with a privacy formation. "My boy is well, and I think in time, I will need some of your help once more."

Tundra nodded, as he understood the request to refer to Azin. "Indeed, indeed. Actually, there is someone I want you to look into. I believe they are one of my new, rather skittish friends."

"Skittish?" Nuan Baljuk smiled. "Now, who might it be?"

"The Southeastern Fists Sect. I believe they are compromised. From the head to toe."

"I see. What made you suspect them?"

The regressor sat. "They were strange."

"Strange. Heh. I suppose that's instinct for you, but you are not exactly wrong. They live quite near to the Zaran Swamps, so it is not surprising to me that they are already a little deep underwater. How are you two linked?"

"The newfound allies of my elder's soon-to-be in-laws."

"I see, I see. Weakness often leads to such places, and dangerous partners." Lord Baljuk rubbed his chin. "I can see why it is quite difficult to deal with them directly. But what do you have in mind?"

"What are the odds that you could trigger an Imperial Order? Fabricate evidence and get imperial forces into the area." Tundra suggested. At this point of time, the strength of the Imperial powers are still quite strong, and an imperial order could compel even higher realmed cultivators to act. He should thus leverage on their strength to weaken the Zuja.

Using the imperial forces against the Zuja also reduced the forces fighting each other. "What do you intend to use to compel them-"

"What are your thoughts if we use the blood as bait?" Tundra proposed, not exactly sure it was a good idea. "The Golden Dragon takes the bloodline of a great progenitor beast seriously. Plant it there with the right set of evidence. My belief is that these cults cannot help themselves."

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Lord Baljuk gave the regressor a horrified stare. "You plan to weaponize it?"

"The Southeast Fists is clearly a cover for them to act legitimately, and find more allies. Can you get an imperial investigator to visit the area, perhaps on the pretext of something more mundane?"

The elder of the Hailstorm Temple sat. "The imperial involvement would be a good idea, though the matter of the blood is not a wise one. I would not do so. If this is revealed, it could spark a great search for the great bloodline once more. The tenth realmers would not rest until they found it."

Getting the tenth realm involved was not something he wanted, so Tundra paused again and thought of alternatives. No. He wasn't ready to deal with it yet. He's not his tenth realm self, so he can't do this. There was no way of protecting himself, or Azin if this matter slipped. "You're right. Then we must deal with it in other ways."

He wasn't a fan of royal maneuvers, and in his first life, he tried to limit his dealings with the royal family. The regressor thought of the Grandduke Edrian and Duke Hadrian, and wondered whether he could use them in some way to hit on these Southeast Fists.

Nuan Baljuk touched his chin for a bit. "I will try to speak to some folks and see whether they have any unresolved grievances we can tap into, but if they are the skittish folk, I fear it would require some investment."

Tundra needed to borrow someone else's knife to remove these Zuja operatives.

Someone who could face off against them. Maybe, if he couldn't get the royal family to move, could he get the Ancient Titans involved?

He thought about his guest elder, and realized they must've seen something in Tia Truehaven that caused them to revive her as a Zuja operative. Now, what if he displayed Tia Truehaven as a bait.

Would the Zuja make a move on her?

***

The wedding banquet was busy, but Tundra decided to go on the offensive, and dragged Tia Truehaven along. Spirit wine flowed, and food. They hired entertainers from nearby towns to serve the guests.

They mingled with various guests along the way, but eventually, the two made their way to where the Southeast Fist Sect was seated.

Tundra's eyes briefly took measure of the Sect Master, an old man in the sixth realm, and knew that he likely would not have even made it to the sixth realm with the Zuja's assistance. The elder too, seemed mediocre. Both were old, relatively physical folk, but it was just a gut feeling.

A hollow sense of their presence. They were like the alchemist who faced a failed breakthrough.

Even so, Tundra mustered his will and put in his acting skills.

"Ah, come, come. Lady Truehaven, I wanted to introduce you to these rising stars!" Tundra led Tia Truehaven to the Sect Master of the Southeast Fist Sect and a fifth realm elder with a giant smile. At this distance, he was certain they were both Zuja operatives, and Tundra could feel the foul emanations of the parasites within their body. The very words tasted bad, but Tundra did his best to look excited to meet these Zuja-possessed folk.

The two old Zuja operatives looked like the regular ambitious, greedy cultivators, and there was a great deal of it pouring out from their very expressions. The way they bowed and stared at Tia Truehaven was all she needed to feel.

They were not very bright either, Zuja's corruption may have given them access to a stronger power, but their minds remain the same. "Ah, I heard of your dealings with my disciple's in-laws!" Tundra baited. "They are quite the lucky family, they already have my sect's backing, and now they have yours!"

The Sect Master seemed to take it at face value. "Ah, indeed, indeed, one cannot have too many backers! Especially one with such lucrative resources on their land!"

"Oh, had the Patriarch made a deal on the Driedbark Lizards?" Tundra set a bait, and wondered whether they would act. If they pushed the influence into the family.

They didn't. "Ah. Not yet, not yet. But perhaps in time, if circumstances... change." The Sect Master of the Southeastern Fists said, and Tundra could sense the implications of those words.

"Ah. Things always change, don't they?" Tundra grinned. "It was a pleasure meeting you. Safe travels, visitors."

They exchanged a few more words of greetings, but even Tia Truehaven could feel something was wrong. The words spoken are normal, but their presence creeped her out.

***

"Why'd you introduce them to me?"

"Oh, they are rising stars, and allies of my disciple's in-laws! Really talented folk."

The woman gave him a scowl that was all the answer he needed. She didn't believe him, in fact, she even thinks of him as an idiot because of what he said.

"Their rise has been exceptional. Truly rising stars of this part of the world. It's almost as if they have some special treasure or inheritance." Tundra said absentmindedly, but he knew she would pick up on it.

"You can just mention you'd like me to look into it." Tia countered.

Tundra smiled. "I believe you'd be walking into a trap if you did."

"So is this how you'd like to get rid of me?" She frowned.

"Is it that obvious?" Tundra laughed, but it wouldn't be a good thing if she died. In fact, given the way they looked at her, they would clearly convert her into a host of Zuja. "In fact, I believe from the way they look at you..."

She glared at him. "What are you implying?"

"Let's just say, I suspect they have greater plans for someone of your talents and spiritual roots."

"And yet you introduce me to them? Are you not just leading me for the slaughter?"

"Ah. On the contrary, I thought it was appropriate for you to learn of your enemies."

"And you are certain of this just from their expressions?"

"No. I am not certain." Tundra shook his head. "I don't have a talent for mind reading, though I do wish there were the arts that allowed one to glean insights into another's thoughts."

"You're not answering the question, Lord Fox." Tia declared.

"Consult with your elders, Lady Truehaven. Not all answers come from a single teacher." Tundra prodded, and wondered whether he could, through these little hints and tidbits, trigger the Ancient Titan's powerful elders to act.

"Consult my elders?"

"If you don't know the answer, is that not what you should do?"

The woman stomped off in protest, but she would act. He was certain of it.

***

There were more drinks and toasts. Tundra, as the disciple's master, and a few of the elders did most of the socializing, while the groom himself walked from table to table to thank the various guests for coming for the banquet.

There were many presents for the groom and the two brides, and there were comments, whispers, really, of how the groom dared to wed two at the same time.

It was a long, lengthy process, and Tundra could even tell Yavin looked exhausted by evening. Then, there was a tea ceremony, where the brides and groom offered tea to their parents, and their masters.

"Weddings are such tiring things, but as your master, I am proud to see you grow up." Tundra smiled, as Yavin and the two brides knelt in front of him to receive a cup of tea. As master, he reached into his robe and gave the three each a red packet, within them some spirit stones, and a protective charm.

Yavin received it, and thanked his master.

In his first life, Yavin did not get married.

The boy died in one of the battles, and now Tundra knew that first path, that first version didn't make the most of Yavin's talents. "But, I still have greater ambitions for you, my disciple. Our journey together to expand and grow the Verdant Snow is only beginning."

Yavin knelt once more. "I will do my best to fulfill them!"

He needed more disciples and elders like Yavin.

***

The Ancient Titans alone was not enough. Even if Tia Truehaven eventually led some attention to the Southeast Fists, Tundra needed more. He had to be thorough, and so, he looked for something else.

Someone else to act.

The fact that the Southeast Fists dared to step outside of their own territories suggested that they felt confident in their home ground.

"Who else are the enemies of the Southeast Fists?" Tundra sat along with his elders after the festivities were over. "Who lost out when the Southeast Fists rose in strength in their part of the world?"

Elder Jashen placed a map on the table, and present was all of his elders. "The Yellow Body Temple lost most of their territory over the past ten years." Jashen said. The Southeast Fists chased out some of the Yellow Body Temple's branch offices in a series of smaller towns between the two.

"The Yellow Body Temple is fairly weak." Elder Severian said. "Their Sect Master is in the mid Sixth realm, and I think he wouldn't even last in battle if the Southen Fists's master is host to a greater power."

Jashen nodded. "In fact, there has been talk that the Yellow Body Temple's Sect Master is avoiding battle with the Southeast Fists for this very reason. It seems there was a battle between the two and the Sect Master lost."

"Yet he was spared." Tundra touched his chin, and thought about the case. The Yellow Body Temple retreating so easily also seemed suspicious. "Is this possibly a ruse? Also, I believe this makes it clear why we need a shadow sect. An arm to attack without a link back to us directly."

"Would you want a visit?"

"If I go, it is sadly too obvious." Tundra said. "Unless I can somehow move discreetly without anyone recognizing me, but if I am away for too long, that would also be risky."

Tundra has been teaching the ability to sense and notice the Zuja's spiritual rhythms to his elders. The Zuja parasites 'breathe' spiritual energies at certain intervals, and even then it can be easily mistaken for something else. It took Tundra hundreds of years of constant encounters with the Zuja to truly learn what gave them away.

Even if his elders now already understood the basics, it was still a while more before they could do it.

"If their goal is to infiltrate Lakeshore and gain access to Patriarch Blackshore's resources, I believe the alternative is to have Patriarch Blackshore and his brother eliminated." Severian proposed. "I believe that is probably a lot easier than dealing with these bug folks at our current strength."

Yavin looked slightly conflicted, but he steeled himself. "If they consort with such dark powers, then there is no other choice. At least, if they try to approach us then, we know how to deal with it"

Tundra nodded. "That is right. We'll have to protect our turf. Now that you are lawfully married, if something happens, the claim over the Blackshore family goes to you."

"The Southeast Fists will suspect us."

"They already do anyway." Tundra countered. "But if we don't attack them, the Zuja won't think we know they are involved."

Severian reached into his pockets. "Do we want to dirty our hands ourselves, or hire someone to do it?"

Tundra closed his eyes and thought. "I'll do it. As the master, it is only right that I make this decision."

Lakeshore was near enough that Tundra could reach there fairly quickly without anyone detecting.

Not only that, given his wide range of experience and abilities accumulated over 10,000 years, he was the perfect candidate. He could use techniques he learned from various sects and even use those techniques to frame them for a crime.