The great eagle glided through the sky with grace. It flew way high above the clouds. Very few creatures below mythical beasts could reach such height.
Amon was cultivating when the trip began. However, since they were alone and after relentless teasing from Tuang Yin, they ended up copulating. Amon had half a mind regretting his refusal of Madam Lin’s offer to teach him the dual cultivation method.
"I heard you recently accepted a female member into your faction," Tuang Yin said among her panting.
"What about it? I have plenty of female members in my faction," Amon returned.
"I also heard you regularly spent alone time with her at her residence," Tuang Yin said. "Are you cheating behind my back?"
"If I cheat, I will do it in front of you, not from your back."
"So, you are saying you feel nothing for her?" Tuang Yin asked.
"I feel nothing for anyone," Amon replied.
There was a slight change in Tuang Yin’s expression, but it lasted only an instant. She was back to her usual cheery and teasing face.
"If that is so, then why do you seem to enjoy fucking me so?" She said teasingly.
"You are right. This is a waste of time. I want to cultivate," Amon ended their activity. He dressed up before sitting cross-legged to cultivate.
Tuang Yin came to him again after loosely putting on her dress. She said, "This girl, Yang Li, I believe her name is? Why did you recruit her? I heard she was from the same hometown as you and Wuming. Wuming also told me that you have been trying to recruit her for a long time."
"Xin Wuming told you, or you force him to tell you? Why do you keep asking about her?" Amon asked.
"Why? Because I’m jealous, of course! Is there a need to ask?" Tuang Yin asked back.
"Jealous? Hmph, such a worthless notion."
"You are right! Why am I jealous? I am way prettier than her. There is no way you will fall for her when you have me!"
"Pretty has its usefulness, but only when you want to entrap a naïve simpleton."
"Wow, you are so romantic," Tuang Yin said sarcastically.
"Really? This is the first time someone says that about me," Amon remarked.
Tuang Yin couldn’t tell if Amon was making fun of her or being serious.
"Anyway, if you need to know why I am interested in her, it is because I believe she will be a useful asset to me. Aside from me, in this academy, she is one of the two who I believe can rise to the top in terms of combat ability."
"One of the two? The other one is me, I assume?" Tuang Yin said.
Amon closed his eyes to focus on his cultivation.
"Hey! I’m just joking! Don’t ignore me! Who is the other one? Are you going to recruit this other one into your faction as well?"
"No. It will be pointless," Amon said without opening his eyes. "His sense of justice is too high. He will end up clashing with me if we cross paths too often."
"Sense of justice? Who is he?" Tuang Yin asked.
"Stop disturbing me! Go and cultivate. You have fallen by one rank in this junior class. I’m not interested in people who slack behind. If you don’t improve properly, don’t blame me if I leave you behind."
"Meanie!" Tuang Yin pouted, but she still obeyed Amon’s instructions. She sat next to him and started cultivating.
After flying for one day and one night, the great eagle arrived above Grimwich Village the next morning. The village was surrounded by hills and mountains. A winding road through the hills served as the only entry point to the village.
Tuang Yin had briefed Amon about the mission. The mission was to investigate the village and find out if there was any demon cultivator or sign of demonic activity. The suspicion regarding demonic presence in the village came due to the discovery of a mutilated corpse near the entrance of Bleakford City.
The corpse was torn to pieces. The corpse was later identified as an inspector sent to Grimwich Village. Grimwich Village was a settlement isolated by the terrains. Not many spirit beasts lived near the village. That’s why it could survive all this time despite its isolation. Still, the kingdom occasionally sent inspectors to these remote villages to make sure everything was okay.
The reason there was a suspicion of demonic activities was because of a piece of paper grabbed tightly by the dead inspector. Written on the paper were the words ’Demon in Grimwich Village’.
After reporting this finding to the kingdom, Bleakford City sent another inspector accompanied by a squad of kingdom soldiers. They arrived at the village and investigated the inhabitants but couldn’t find anyone who practiced infernal cultivation. They couldn’t stay long because the kingdom’s soldiers were needed elsewhere, and the inspector wasn’t willing to stay without the soldiers. Why he wasn’t willing was not mentioned in the mission brief. So, they left together.
The inspector couldn’t find anything noteworthy during his time there. However, he noted that the villagers were rather strange. What was strange about the villagers was also not mentioned in the mission brief.
Due to the inconclusive investigation, the kingdom handed this matter to the royal academy, which turned it into a mission for interested students. Hence, the reason for Amon and Tuang Yin here.
There was not much space for the great eagle to land. The streets in the village were rather narrow. The largest field in the village was a small park, which was not large enough to accommodate the landing. The area around the village was filled with trees and vegetation. So, the great eagle hovered slightly above. Amon and Tuang Yin had to jump.
After its two passengers landed on the ground, the great eagle turned around and shot back up into the sky. It was on its way back to Qishurg City. The Sky Stable’s service was a one-way ticket. It didn’t wait like Ha Gild’s Great Eagle. Amon and Tuang Yin had to go back on foot or at least walk to Bleakford City. In Bleakford City, they could use the service of another Sky Stable to return to Qishurg City.
It was in the morning. Yet, the streets were quiet. Amon caught a villager peeking from the window of a house. This villager quickly closed the window when he saw Amon noticed him.
"So unfriendly," Tuang Yin remarked. "I thought village people are more friendly."
"Not really," Amon said. "Many villagers are wary of outsiders. But still, this village is too quiet. Let’s go somewhere to find information first."
"Where?" Tuang Yin asked.
"Either the village hall, the tavern, or the inn," Amon answered.
"You know where to find those?"
"We look around. It’s not a big village."
The two walked following the road. Very few villagers were doing their activities outside. Some which they saw did their best to avoid contact. Tuang Yin even called an old man who was taking a walk outside. When the old man saw it was a stranger who called, he turned around and walked away.
"So rude," Tuang Yin complained.
"The report was right. This village was strange indeed," Amon said.
"That’s right. How can everyone be so anti-social."
"That’s not what I mean," Amon said. "I don’t see any animals. I don’t even hear the sound of birds despite the woods around the village."
"Hm... Now that you mentioned it. It is so. Even in the city, there are some stray dogs or cats."
"Let’s go there," Amon pointed at a building that was slightly larger than the others. Its gate was open, and a wooden sign was hanging beside the opened gate.
"Nightfall Inn," Tuang Yin read words carved on the wooden sign.
The two entered the inn. Behind the gate was a small courtyard with tables arranged around it. This was where the inn served its customers with meals and drinks. Beyond the courtyard was a lobby with more tables for customers who preferred to be indoors. The two looked around. There was nobody.
"Hello!" Tuang Yin called. No one responded.
"Well, considering how isolated this place is, I will be surprised this inn has any customers," she said. "The owner is probably out. What should we do?"
"This place is cleaned regularly," Amon said while touching one of the tables. "This means people frequent this place. The locals probably use this place as a tavern."
"Not much use if no people are here now. Should we go look elsewhere?"
As they were talking, someone entered the door. It was an old man who carried two big jugs. "Who are you, people?" He asked.
"Customers," Amon answered. "Are you the owner of this place?"
"I am," The old man answered. "What do you need? If you want a meal, I haven’t prepared anything. If it is an accommodation you want, I have only two rooms for guests, and both rooms are occupied."
"You only have two rooms?" Tuang Yin asked.
"I have three, but I use one myself. What do you expect? This is a small village. I can’t even remember the last time someone rented my room. I earn my living by serving meals and drinks."
"You said your rooms are occupied? So, there are outsiders in this place aside from us?" Amon asked.
"Funny, isn’t it? Aside from kingdom inspectors who came on rare occasions, we rarely got visitors. Now, we have four visitors in the span of a week. Anyway, I don’t have rooms or food for you."