Emperor's Reckoning

With a clap of her hand, she said, "Well that's it, I wish you good luck, Lyon," but before she could get up of her chair, Lyon said, "I have a few questions that you must answer Naeya."

His tone made her crossed her eyebrows but she still willing to hear him out. She was an elder of the Mist Clan yet someone from below her realm told her that she must answer his question, how domineering was this.

"Tell me the identity of the bald man, the one inside this room just right before me," said Lyon. He was just 'testing waters' when he said under his breath the word 'Legion' but to his amazement, the bald monk actually looked surprised. This particular event made him curious, thus he sought information of the bald monk.

In his mind, there were only two possibilities about his identity, first, he was one of the Legion, second, he was someone who knew about the Legion. However, realizing that the bald monk didn't chase him inside made him tend to agree of his prior deduction.

"Hmm? Why do you ask that?" asked Naeya with her eyebrows still crossed.

"It is regarding Legion," said Lyon.

His sentence was like a thunderbolt inside Naeya's mind. She knew the severity of the Legion did to her master. "Are you saying that..."

"Yes, I suspect that man to be one of the Legion," said Lyon flatly.

"Are you sure? What proof do you have?" asked Naeya.

"I don't have any proof right now, thus I ask you about his identity, I might come up with something then," said Lyon.

Releasing her breath, she calmed down once more. "Since it is regarding Legion, I suppose I should tell you."

While crossing her arm she said, "That man is called Samhok, a strong cultivator live in the temple Ming in mount Yong. He was their representative and always come here every two weeks or so to deliver batches of Ming Tea Leaves. He is known as an honest and kind man even here in Mist clan, so I highly doubt he was one of Legion."

"I see, is there anything unusual in the past months or so?" asked Lyon.

While pressing her index finger on her lips she tried to recall anything unusual in the past months. "Nothing worth mentioning," said Naeya while shaking her head.

"I see, thank you the-" before he could finish his sentence, Naeya interrupted him

"WAIT!, there is something but I doubt it would worth something," said Naeya as she lightly bit her lips.

"Tell me, anything is better than nothing at this point."

"Fine, the batches of Ming Tea Leaves was dropping from about six months ago and it still decreasing. Usually, we got around three thousand or so per batch but now it hits around five hundred max."

"Do you know why?" asked Jugen.

"I did ask him about it but he only shook his head with a smile. He is rather the quiet type," asked Naeya.

"How can I get to temple Ming?" asked Lyon.

"Big bro, are you gonna go there?" asked Jugen before Naeya could even answer Lyon's question.

"Yes, we must go there,"

*ehem

"The way to temple Ming is not that hard, just look at mount Yong and go there," said Naeya flatly.

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Lyon and Jugen had blacklines over their head, (NO SHIT!)

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"C-can you direct me more precisely?" asked Lyon with a wry smile.

"Ugh, fine," Naeya then opened the top drawer of her desk and retrieved a scroll tied up with red ribbon. "Here, this is the map, follow the route written there from Mist clan and you'll be there."

Lyon took the scroll and slowly gave it to Jugen as he recalled what happened last time. (Wait, I still haven't learned how to read!! Why can I read the pills in the pill shop but not this?! Is it a different language?).

Lyon decided to not overthink it, as long as he was with someone he won't need to read. Although deep inside him he knew how fundamentally crucial it was to learn how to read, he always forgot about it since the language which he spoke was understandable by the people here.

"Hm, okay then, just contact me when they are looking for me, I won't be going outside of the Mist clan anytime soon anyway," said Lyon while cupping his hand and left the room.

Left alone inside the room, Naeya was feeling perplexed as she never included the possibility of Samhok being a member of the Legion. (Is it possible? If so what is his purpose?).

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Outside of the restaurant, Lyon took a deep breath before walking nonchalantly with his hands behind his head while occasionally whistled and Fenrir was sleeping peacefully on top of his head with a soft snore that could only be heard if one decided to concentrate on listening. From the outsider's point of view, they seemed like they didn't have any problems at all.

"Hey look, that's him," whispered one of the people nearby.

"Yeah, that guy is the one that has been the talk of the town, a rising legend, the only outsider who could kill an elder while being a Soul Cultivator." said one of his friends.

"True that, but have you heard the latest news?" said another one from behind them.

"What? c'mon you gotta tell us!" said both of them.

"There was an incident inside the Snake Den that was very interesting. I heard that he killed the only son of the Kafrin Clan, the last generation was dead by his hands!"

This news shocked both of them, but they doubt the validation of the fact their friends just spoke out. "Oh c'mon there is no way that would happen."

"It's true, my cousin was inside the restaurant when it happens, besides, you guys saw him being escorted by the Kafrin Clan's guard right?"

Indeed, they did saw him being escorted by the guards, but they were soon dismissed including the captain.

The rumor soon spread like a stone falling into a calm water. The more they spread the more it got exaggerated.