Jack watches the spinning energy for some time but gets bored with it quickly as he attempts to ask Xueli a couple of questions.

"How do you speak to me?"

'I use my divine sense, don’t you know how to do it?'

"Nope, how do you see anything?"

'I use my divine sense.... how else?'

"What about going into the tattoo on my arm?"

'Ugh, stop asking me so many questions, that’s just one of my abilities, you should be able to do it since you have such pure white dragon bloodline’

"I have white dragon bloodline?"

'How else could you awaken me?’

"Umm, I don’t think that’s right"

'Only people with extremely pure dragon bloodline can shift from human form to dragonified form like you did yesterday’

"That still doesn’t sound right, are you sure there aren’t any other methods because why would I be able to use phoenix qi too?"

Jack and the little white snake, Xueli, speak for more time but can’t come to a conclusion as she can’t understand his body with her limited knowledge causing frustrations as the carriage pulls up outside a nondescript building where Tahel is already waiting.

"Lord, please come inside" 

Jack follows the bunny man inside the building that blends into the surroundings, the system cities have a restriction on player factions owning property within the city until they hit a certain rank which Jack hasn’t reached yet that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways around it.

Jack walks through the house that has a large attached storage room to where Bane and Albert are waiting by a large table, they both have serious expressions on.

"Lord" both of the men respectfully bow towards Jack.

"No need for that, tell me what’s going on"

Bane and Albert look at each other when Bane is the one to step forward, "Lord, we have infiltrated most of the smaller organisations in this city and recovered a lot of paperwork, there are many influences at play here and it will take some time to go through all the information we have received"

Bane motions at several boxes near him, he opens up one lid where Jack can see at least 1 metre of stacked paper.

"Are there any pressing concerns? I noticed a lot of guards hanging out by the teleportation plaza"

Albert sighs while Bane smirks, "Haha, Lord there are many pressing concerns and they mainly involve you"

"What? Explain"

"The first issue is that technique crystal you… acquired"

"Yes, the crystal I won from the stupid dice game, what about it?"

"That crystal was actually stolen from the White Flower Church by the City Lord’s son, it seems he passed it off to one of his underlings and that’s how it ended up on the street"

Jack suddenly feels enlightened as one question he’s had about the qi within his vision of ‘Heavens Piercing Thrust’ is answered, "What of it?"

"The city lord has tasked his lovely daughter to recover it, the same daughter that has close ties to the Shadow Sect"

"That explains what that Shadow qi person was doing blocking my path, why does that matter?"

"Well, she has made you a wanted person in every system city in the region, luckily they only have your appearance"

Furrowing his brows Jack responds, "That’s a problem but what of the link between her and the Shadow Sect?"

"We’re still trying to work it out but the Shadow Sect’s presence is everywhere over this city and you have already had a run in with them, it’s best if we don’t give them a reason to serious hunt you down as they’re distracted by something else"

"Ok agreed but we can’t always react to them, we must find out what they’re doing"

Jack adds, "What other issues?"

"Your large order via White Flower Church, are you even aware of what you ordered?"

"Equipment for our village right?"

"It’s for our village but it’s not equipment, the amount of equipment they provided us with already is enough to last several years"

Bane hands Jack 2 pieces of paper. ‘Request to review active capture or kill warrant, the White Flower Church is seeking review of the newly issued warrant against 'Player X' because of the belief that the appearance is similar to one of a respected guest from the Northern Continents with a large outstanding order’ the second piece of paper reads, ‘White Flower Church is seeking a supplier of Dragon Jade, over 1,000,000m³ minimum’.

Jack reads through the information several times but can’t uncover the meaning, "So sounds like White Flower Church is helping me but what of the Dragon Jade, are we going to find their supplier?"

"No Lord, you are the person that placed the order for Dragon Jade"

Jack thinks back to the interaction he had with Lisa from the White Flower Church, he handed her the piece of paper that Hilda wrote which had the Dragon Jade at the very top, "So… we just need to ensure we can purchase it, how much is it?"

Albert speaks up, "Lord… that much Dragon Jade, even if it can be found in the quality needed, will cost us 300 billion gold coins"

Jack’s eyes go wide upon hearing this amount, "Well that’s another problem…"

"Lord you cannot afford to draw their ire because they’re truly the only force within this region that can keep the system cities under control" Bane speaks out.

Jack pauses a moment to consider, "How about this, we’ll use this as an opportunity to drag out a settlement by saying that I have been wrongfully accused and do not wish to conduct any trades until this issue is resolved, perhaps even include the trading of the technique crystal by saying that you have contacts within the player factions"

"Ok Lord, we’ll get to work on that"

The trio summarise their activities since they have parted, Bane is particularly interested in hearing about the village while Jack is interested in hearing about the deals that Albert made including the setting up of several supply chains to continue supplying the village without the function of teleportation.

Jack passes Albert the storage ring while remembering Xueli’s words, "I would like to visit the Demon Suppression Palace at the top of the hill, is that possible?"

Bane looks at Tahel who has handled most of the important infiltration, the bunny man nods his head.

"Lord, Tahel will take you there as most of the guards are patrolling the teleportation areas"

Tahel steps forward, "Lord, there’s an energy barrier surrounding the cathedral while the roads leading there are mostly blocked off so we must sneak there"

"That’s fine, let’s go"

The two parts from Bane and Albert who are packing up, Jack boards a carriage while Tahel uses his stealth skill to chart out a path.

Back at the village, Jessica is playing the flute as her vision spreads over the surrounding region.

She is searching the region for anything that looks like a path underground but not having much luck, a few strange stone formations have caught her attention but being unable to direct the Luan birds as they fly, she cannot get a closer look at them.

Her vision is desperately searching over the plains area, but she’s limited to the small section of the plains within this region.

‘Where can it be? She said it was close’ she inwardly mutters.

Her vision stops over the kobolds who are digging the foundation layer for part of the city wall, they are trying to dig out a large vine buried under where the wall will pass over when they suddenly dig into a rocky area that opens into a hollow expanse roughly 10m under the dirt.

Jessica wonders what that is when the kobolds cover it back up with various rocks causing her to stop playing the flute.

"Mai, you said that there are tunnels going everywhere over the plains right?" Jessica’s vision returns to her body.

The little girl is playing with a little flower garden within the tent, the various flowers shiver with excitement as the little girl touches them, when she speaks up, "Elder Sister knows more about that stuff than me but that’s what she said"

"Want to go exploring one?"

"Is Big brother going to go with us?"

"Nope but why can’t we go exploring by ourselves, it’s not too far away"

"Can’t we wait for Big Brother?"

Jessica sighs but suddenly smirks, "Maybe Jack will reward you with lots of blood for helping him like this, remember he hates centipedes so if he sees some dead ones, he will like that a lot"

Mai suddenly perks up, "Promise?"

"Un" Jessica smiles and nods, Mai jumps up and drags Jessica out of the tent.

"Let’s hurry up then!"

The two girls walk to the training area where Tyson is currently drilling some of the newer spawns as per usual, he reluctantly agrees with their proposition to explore the underground area just uncovered by the kobolds. Drakon will be back shortly allowing him to join them so the two girls get ready for their small adventure.

Back at Sacred City, Jack’s carriage has left the carriage and is following Tahel through side streets as they make their way through the wealthy district towards the higher section of the city, the Bunny-man is very cautious as they silently make their way to the gate out the front of the grand pockmarked Cathedral sitting at the very top of the city.

Not too far away, 3 people wearing blue robes with animal masks are also making their way to the gate as they talk much more candidly than usual.

"Why have we been summoned to the Demon Suppressing Palace?" a person wearing a ram mask asks.

"Junior Disciple, The ancient treaty requires us to attend to the Demon Suppression Palace if we have been summoned

, the heavens barrier blocking us from leaving is also affecting the qi from entering so perhaps that’s the reason"

 a person wearing an owl mask says as they look to the person wearing a tiger mask who has no reaction.

"The ancient treaty, the one enshrined by the 8 great sects? The one forced upon the world by the godly entity?" the ram mask person asks the owl mask person.

"Yes, The 8 sects duties include ensuring the continued operation of the Demon suppression Palace but it wasn’t forced upon us, it was our choice to adhere to it"

"But what of our duty to monitor the Northern Continent Saint-realm cultivators?"

"They will have been summoned too and they will be the first ones to respond to the summons."

"Why?"

"Their goal is to seek individual strength and the demon suppression palace is a place of countless chances"

"How so?"

"Well.…" the owl mask person looks to the tiger mask person who’s eyes are glaring through the mask, "you’ll find out when you’re stronger Junior Disciple, you are young and there are some things that are best left unknown. The demon suppression palace will not allow you to descend unless you are above Saint-realm or have innate Demon Suppressing qi"

"That doesn’t answer my original question, why have we been summoned?"

"Ahh Junior Disciple, it’s your first time out of the sacred lands but can’t you feel it? How there’s a flow of tainted qi that doesn’t stop coming from underground that even the Demon Suppression Palace can’t contain? We’re just lucky the sovereign Region Protector can use wide range poison control skills, otherwise we might be forced to go out in the field."

"Isn’t senior Sister Gabriel out in the field still?"

"Gabriel... is undertaking a special task as she reported the gate leading to the Trials of the Mountain God had been opened by someone but she quickly sealed it. Sister Gabriel is monitoring the situation out there while also undertaking another task given to her by the Sovereign Region protector. The people out in the field should be thankful for her assistance as we’re hearing reports of rabbits tainted by the demon moon which are unkillable."

"Can’t the people in the fields just flock under protection of someone stronger?"

"Oh Junior Disciple, if it were that easy then there wouldn’t be a need of the 8 great sects but these lords, councils and the people suddenly elevated to leadership position with actual combat strength to back it up for little to no effort... They’ll just run at the first sign of danger, it’s just our nature to preserve ourselves first and no one can blame."

"What of the players then? Couldn’t they protect the people?"

"They’re even worse than the northern continent cultivators, they’re an unkillable army of people given skills and blessings from the god realm that are only looking out for themselves and they don’t even need to attach to a larger influence to be given incredibly powers, they’re a plague and a danger to everyone"

The tiger masked person coughs, "Disciples, please do not allow your mind to be tainted with thoughts of greed and envy"

"Sorry senior Master" the two other masked people bow their heads as they come up to the gate, an invisible barrier covers the gate as the tiger masked person pushes open the gate, their body glows blue that covers the other two masked people and they enter the Demon Suppression Palace grounds.

Peering around the corner, Jack watched these people go through the gate before deciding to try himself, there're no guards or anything, just an old-looking iron gate.

Waiting a few moments for them to leave, Jack walks over to the gate.

Pressing down on the gate he feels a barrier blocking him initially but a golden glow is emitted from deep within his body, causing the Cathedral to shine gold for a moment before settling down as though nothing happened.

The gate swings open as he’s greeted with a bunch of information coming into his mind.

'We placed the Demon Suppressing Palace within each region to suppress the demons from below… the demons imprisoned below. We imprison them because of their betrayal towards the one Being in hopes they’ll reform and not cause another calamity…'

Jack reads back the information as he’s left in a daze by the gate, the blue-robed people noticed the change in the Cathedral and turn around returning to the gate area inspecting Jack.

"Player, what did you do?" the owl masked person asks with their androgynous voice.

They draw Jack out of his daze, "According to the treaty, anyone displaying innate Demon Suppression qi is allowed to enter the grounds of the Demon Suppressing Palace"

"That’s true but you are also far too weak to be called by the Demon Suppression Palace, what’s your purpose here?" the owl-masked person questions Jack.

"Violet004, please be respectful, Sir we do not mean offense but we have been called by the Palace because of a summons, is that why you have come here?" the tiger mask person respectfully cups their hands to Jack.

"No, I just wished to gain a technique to use the innate Demon Suppression qi and felt this place appropriate after hearing the name, are you able to assist me?"

Jack respectfully returns the cupped hands, the information he’s speaking is the information provided by the golden glow but it was just information, nothing useful but these people before him could be very helpful.

"Sorry Sir, we are not from the Demon Suppression Palace but…" the tiger masked person summons an ice crystal and gently throws it to Jack, "Perhaps this will be useful for you"

Jack uses his divine senses to inspect the crystal, the tiger masked person goes wide eyed upon sensing Jack use it.

The crystal contains information on sects and groups that previously used innate Demon Suppression qi with their technique names and characteristics proving helpful. They embed another piece of information, a location on the southern continent high in a mountain region.

"Thank you for your assistance" Jack respectfully cups his hands and bows.

"It is no problem young Sir, please visit us when travel ability starts again as I believe our Grand Mistress will be very interested in you"

Jack respectfully bows at each of the people and leaves the Cathedral grounds, following the same path back.

"Senior Master, I am sorry but Disciple is curious, what did you tell him?"

"That young man has phoenix qi, dragon qi, demonic qi, demon suppression qi and one of the celestial senses, divine sense" the tiger masked person responds, "That’s not all, he also has the pure first flames of a high level phoenix, an ancient dragon aura and he has a heavy tribulation aura"

"How can one person have all that?"

"I don’t know but if he can survive the tribulations coming to him… I hope they can forgive me for giving him the location of our sacred lands"

Jack cannot hear all of this as he makes his way back to where Bane and Albert have packed up, they need to make their way to the teleport plaza without Jack getting discovered while Jessica and Mai are setting out with Drakon to the hole the kobolds just covered up again.