As my eyes drift over the group, the murmurs from the main portion die down to nothingness.

Their attention is on me.

“As you all already know, I am looking to create a personal group. One that will be based in mutual support, but with a focus on me providing more to you all, in exchange for deeper commitment.”

I take a pause, in accordance with the conversation scan.

“That commitment will require a contract. One that has the consequence of death and worse, if you decide to betray me or the group. If you have any doubts or concerns that this would be an issue for you… now is your time to leave.”  

No one moves or even flinches.

It looks like this isn’t the first time they’ve heard this. Likely because the Yellow Sashes have already weeded out those who were just here for curiosity.

But what is much harder to find is the plants, people who are meant to be used to gather information about me.

By this time, information has spread regarding my known abilities: healing, taming personal creatures, and alchemy prowess. There is the possibility that aspects of my scan may be known, but I don’t believe the extent of it would be revealed.

Any parties interested in me would look to insert their people into mine.

My eye drifts over to the Yellow Sashes beside me.

Even them. I’d be foolish to think that just because their ties are severed, that this isn’t a calculated move on Wu Qing’s part. Having former members as part of my inner circle means more consistently favorable decisions to her and her group.

For other groups, it might be a similar goal or a more straightforward third-party spying.

Unfortunately for the latter, the contract has a nasty surprise for them.

Just to make sure, I’m going to do a light scan… one that shouldn’t set off any cultivation alarms, but will give me information on if a person would be a bad fit for my group. I think I’ll add sub-functions of ‘if they can grow to be a good fit’ or ‘if they have bad intentions.’ And obviously the potential scan.

With these tenets in mind, I run my scan out over the entire room, from the foundation to even the air above the ceiling.

I find a few interesting things.

First, that there are definitely some spies here. It’s not obvious to where the Yellow Sashes members here would know, but clear to someone with their ‘ear to the ground.’

There are about 7 of them here that fit that category. Out of those, 2 of them, I believe, could still be good assets for the group based on the scan criteria.

Second, there are about 20 people who I just shouldn’t allow in the group, because of personality issues. Things like being more predisposed to abusing others or performing evil actions. Whether by my word or the contract, eventually they would die in the group from these tendencies.

While I could try to rehabilitate them… I need to stand on my own feet first before I try that with them. As these don’t have the abilities or skills that would make it worth it to try.

For the ones that have the skill, they aren’t worth it based on their previous actions. Even now I can see one of them leering at the Yellow Sashes, in the corner of their eye. A look that they used on people they planned to take advantage of.

And third, are a group of 50 or so people that have been ‘bugged’ by third parties, looking to discover information on me and my activities.

I speak out a list of names with a confident voice.

“I want the following people to come forward and stand here. Mu Tao. Ja Se, Ru Kan. Te Ch…”

I direct each of the groups I recognized into separate areas.

Quickly shuffling forward, the majority seem to be excited, believing this to be an opportunity, as I know their names. However, many of the sharp ones recognize the fact that none of my trusted individuals are here. This leads many of them to have scowls on their faces as they recognize a clear pattern.

The whole time, I use my scan to catch any micro expressions from these people, to gather more information on their relationships and potential dynamics.

This led me to add 5 more people to the spy and bugged groups, as I did a deeper dive on each of them and found issues.

I turn to the second group, the troublemakers first.

“For your group, thank you all for coming, but unfortunately, I do not believe we are fated to be joined together as a group. I sincerely wish you the best of luck with your future endeavors.”

There are two foundation establishment cultivators with the Yellow Sashes here, who I had previously healed during my trip to their area. I turn to one of them and ask softly.

“Could you please escort this group out of the building?”

She gives a nod and walks over to them, indicating to move on.

The standard rejection answer shocks many of them, but despite their rough natures, facing down a cultivator of that level would be asking for a beating. Even for the ones who already had body cultivation and have touched the first level of qi condensation.

Well. Except for one person.

One that I pretty much expected to come forward.

“Unlike these buffoons, I cannot accept this slap to my face! In what ways am I not worthy of your group?”

A wild young master appears.

The yellow sashes cultivator turns to me with a strained face, as this young master is from the prestigious Wang clan.

Which is also why he’s here in the first place. The Yellow Sashes here don’t have the authority to get him to leave. Not without escalating things, at least.

Internally, I can’t help but shake my head.

This guy is nothing like Wang Xue, the polite kid that was part of the Shonen Trio…. I mean the three young guys that were yelling their affection at each other on the steps.   

But he’s also part of a higher ranked branch family of the Wang family, so there’s that.  

Ugh… still getting used to the main and branch family concept.

I step forward to take the heat off of her. She sees this and gratefully steps back.

“Well, young master Wang, it is not so much your worthiness that is in question… but your life.”

A collective gasp rings out, as this is basically a threat. His face blanches as he looks around with a twinge of fear.

“… Y-Y-YOU DARE?!”

 

Probably one of the few rightful reasons this was said. Albeit, with a stutter.

But I’m doing this to throw him off guard… and warn the others.

“To be specific, the contract that you would sign would have a few… conflicts with some of your contacts and current allegiances. While you all may know of the contract, I should mention that it not only will kill you if the privacy terms are violated, but will wipe your memory completely, disperse your cultivation base, and harm your soul to a generally irretrievable state.”

His face goes pale at the explanation, as does some of the other people here.

The key about this, is the extent.

Just the dispersal of the cultivation base with a complete memory wipe without limits shows this is a high-end contract. Adding in soul damage only takes it further. Speaking to both the entities that could provide me with such a contract and to the dangers of signing onto it.

Some spies are prepared to die for their causes.

But if your memory is wiped and your soul damaged, then even if your dead soul’s memory was plundered by your allies, then it would be near impossible to gather the information. Making their sacrifice useless.

And I don’t believe any of the spies here are willing to test that for this.

Particularly for him, it seems that he had taken the death portion of the contract when I mentioned it earlier lightly. To directly tell him he would die immediately with no gain because of the contract, seems to shake him to the core.

Which is curious.

Why wouldn’t he fear death from a contract?

One of the guaranteed ways to lose your life? Unless he was planning on a loophole from the start. Staying with the group, but getting off with a lighter punishment. Possibly because of a threat to my life from a higher realm cultivator.

Glad I did this now. That… would have been difficult to deal with.

This proclamation of mine seems to have done its job, though. As I’m essentially saying the smallest punishment will ruin his life and all their plans.

Not that it's actually the case. I can almost always reduce the price paid, depending on the person.

He quickly comes up with a fumbled excuse to leave and walks away at a fast pace. Putting as much distance between us as possible.

 

… this is going to cause issues later. But even my conversation scan didn’t see a way around this. Young masters are just too stubborn.

 

Now I turn to the first group. The spies.

At least those who remain, after my words.

Now there are only three. The ones that could have been a good asset have already left. So, now it’s two spies and a potential asset.

I level with them.

“You all might have issues as well. Considering your current commitments, I mean.”

I can see a shiver pass through them.

And similarly, to the young master, all three rush out the door as well.

I didn’t stop the two potentials… because there’s always a chance to get them later. It’s not like their skills are irreplaceable, especially with the Yellow Sashes members here. They have some intelligence gathering people here too. The only difference is that they are actually currently committed to the group.  

But all this fuss with the first and second group, has led to the third group of 50 people being nervous.

Before some of them can leave out of fear, I stop them.

“I implore you all to pause. Unlike those people before, you all do not need to fear. In fact, for those who stay… I can guarantee that you will reach heights you could have scarcely imagined before. In fact, I believe it is word of some things you’ve heard me do, lead you all are here now. Most of which I can say is true, in some sense. Which is the whole reason I have such measures to protect us all.”

The carrot and the stick.

Which parts are true? Which of the rumors is he referring to? Can he really do all the things I heard about?

These questions are naturally raised by my words, but not vocalized.

“Trust me when I say that you all will look at this, as the moment you took your destiny into your own hands. That you realized you made the right choice.”

The way I say it calls for a dramatic pause. One to make them think on my words.

After some time, I speak back up.

“The reason I have you all up here… is to speak to those who are listening in on this meeting.”

 

I attack the issue head-on.