The first day after, Rein went about his business, and though he kept his ears open, he failed to hear anyone speak of anything regarding House Larne or contaminated medicine.

The second day after, nothing was said again.

Then a third day passed.

By now, Rein had started to wonder if maybe the low concentration of the beastkin crystalline sand led to a lack of effect. He only had a single bamboo chute of the crystalline sand from shattered beastkin cores, and had spread this across many locations as the method to confuse any potential investigations.

Rein sighed in disappointment as he refocused his attention on Blacksmith Rahr. Unlike the many herbs and potential mutations he had to learn under the alchemist instructor, memorizing the names of useful ores and materials was much more straightforward.

Blacksmith Rahr had begun explaining the connection between weapons and advancer skills. A water art could be inscribed on any type of weapon, but the type of weapon would slightly alter its effect.

Before Rein and the other disciples under Blacksmith Rahr stood three pillars with a mandarin orange on top of each.

“Watch,” Rahr’s deep voice boomed.

“Slash intent.” He stood at a distance and picked up a sword, performing a slashing motion. A  white crescent concentration of aurae flew forth, dissecting the first mandarin into two clean halves, causing the juices of the mandarin wedges to flow down the sides of the pillar.

“Pierce intent.” He then picked up a spear, and performed a stab that sent a pointed concentration of aurae to puncture a hole right through the second mandarin.

“Blunt intent.” He picked up a club and swung, releasing a concentrated block of aurae that smashed the third mandarin into wedges against the wall behind the pillar.

“All weapons are a combination of these three, and it is up to us as blacksmiths to enable advancers in their methods.”

Rahr picked up a saber and a sword, and angled them such that the fires of the forge glinted off their exquisite blade. “These sharp edges assist an advancer in forming a concentration of aurae to slice through objects. The more curved design of the saber compared to a sword requires a slightly different pattern of aurae release on the part of the advancer.”

“The carrying density and aurae conduction of the material that make up the weapon can also have an impact on this. A quality weapon will allow the blunt aurae block projected to be far heavier and devastating.”

“The inscribed skills are best when matched effectively. A wind-based skill is highly unlikely to go well with a blunt classified type of weapon, and would be far better paired with a weapon that has a blade.”

“Each weapon is a combination of these three types of intents, and mastery of a specific weapon is mastery of that specific combination. A sword is primarily slash, with a medium amount of pierce, and little-to-no blunt. A saber has even more slash potential, but less pierce. A spear is primarily pierce with some blunt. You get the idea.”

Rein attentively listened to every word coming out of Rahr’s booming voice. He understood that quite obviously, such ejection of aurae through the use of a weapon required one to be an outer advancer first. Perhaps a peak shell advancer might be able to forcibly eject aurae in such a manner as well.

The knowledge revealed by Blacksmith Rahr also helped Rein understand the value of limpite and lumite coins. These two materials used as common currencies were also an important material to distribute within a weapon to increase aurae conductivity. If concentrated on a blade’s edge, it would certainly help an advancer focus their aurae on forming a concentration of slashing type aurae projection.

He had also come to learn of fictite. That was the aurae conduction material that stood above limpite and lumite, rare as the cloudiest of jades.

A sudden dangerous whistling of a bird’s screech sounded in Rein’s ears, and he spun his head around! His vision was filled with an approaching stabbing aurae-shelled hand in the form of a bird’s beak.

Rein immediately responded with a right hook using his durable fist, and he felt a slight sting as he successfully deflected the approaching beak sideways.

A backward leap and Rein created distance to give himself time to assess the situation.

It was none other than Larne Beincen!

“For a shell advancer to sneak attack one of the inner realm. How shameful.” Rein barely managed to restrain his glee as he commented pompously. Of course, he knew that this must mean that his attempt to poison Rekcen must have been at least somewhat successful.

“It was you! I know it was you!” Beincen’s howls traveled as far as the moon. The man, now fully encased in a shell, gained the speed of a type of soaring bird and his form looped towards Rein again, only to be met with a concentrated block of whitish aurae that sent him tumbling backwards.

“Larne Beincen.” Blacksmith Rahr roared with a club weapon in his hand. “If you continue your actions, I will no longer provide weapons for House Larne! Not only that-- I might even decide to sell weapons to your rival noble houses and clans for a discount!”

That threat cleared Beincen’s mind, and he came to a fuming standstill.

Meanwhile, Rein was wondering if Beincen actually had any evidence. Doubtful. Rein knew he had burned the bamboo chute he had used to carry the crystalline beastkin core sand. He had turned it to crisp inside the very forges of Blacksmith Rahr!. The mortar and pestle, he had shattered.  He had discarded the shattered pieces into a random stream. The beastkins cores? He had none left, and no one even knew he had any in the first place.

A few figures flashed into existence within the forge.

Rein was taken aback as he recognized a few of those faces. Was the situation this serious?

Overseer Jeahz was there in his primarily yellow Halls robe. Even Baejenh had appeared with Darhge! Rein knew that the Fusion Sect did not see eye-to-eye with the Halls. Well. Rein acknowledged in his heart that he did contaminate quite a number of medicinal houses in the whole of Green Trout City as cover…

A man that Rein could not identify stood beside Overseer Jeahz. This man wore a deep violet robe lined with the typical Halls golden edges. However, he also had two jet-black lines that symmetrically ran down the two sides of his robes.

“Control yourself, scion of Larne,” so ordered Overseer Jeahz.

He stepped forward and Rein discovered himself immobilized to the spot.

Blacksmith Rahr brandished the club only to be glared at sternly by the Overseer.

“Rahr. I will be fair. Do not act impulsively.”

Overseer Jeahz examined the Soak Staff, even forcing the bloodline art upon it to appear.

“Hah!” he scoffed. “What a joke. You said you traded all your mortal belongings for this? A lucky encounter, but that deity played a joke on you. Such simplistic inscribed advancer arts with such a high level defense skill. You won’t be able to sell or trade this weapon for one better with this over-the-top protection.” Jeahz displayed his disapproval of Beincen as well. “For you brother to lose an arm for such a weapon…” A shake of the head.

The sack that Rein carried around was also examined. Rein already knew that there would be nothing.

“Sir!” A man in a full-deep violet halls robe appeared. “Nothing in his cave abode. Just some remnants of aurae infusions he had gotten from the Hall of Treasures, and knowledge booklets.”

If there was one potential source of trouble, it would be the ‘Shifting Mask’. Rein was, in fact, wearing it this very moment! He had it controlled to display his normal appearance. Unless meticulously examined, no one would even know he had a mask on.

“I must request your assistance,” Overseer Jeahz bowed towards Baejenh with fingers hooked. “How accurate is your Heart Probe Art?”

“Accurate enough,” replied Baejenh curtly.

She flashed beside Rein and placed her cool two fingers on Rein’s right wrist. She was cold and expressionless in her snowy-white robes. None would suspect that she had any relations to Rein.

“Who contaminated the city?”

“Contamination…?” Rein plastered a confused expression on his face.

“The crushed sand of demon cores.”

“Crushed sand…? Is that collected from the banks of a stream? I’ve yet to come across it under the alchemist instructor. As for demon cores, I have just joined the Hall of Heroes. I am quite unable to hunt down demons on my own for their cores,” so replied Rein.

“Do you have any desire to harm the citizens of Green Trout City?!”

“No…” Rein replied while putting on the mask of a muddle-headed man.

“House Larne?!”

“Well… yes,” Rein admittedly openly.

“See?” Beincen yelled in fury as he gestured with a pointed finger.

“Of course he would,” snorted Blacksmith Rahr as he bowed towards Overseer Jeahz. “I had thought to let it slide, but Beincen attempted to bribe me into making it difficult for Rein on his initiation day.”

“Oh?” Overseer Jeahz raised an eyebrow at Rahr’s words, while Beincen’s mouth was once again sealed shut by an invisible pressure.

Rein soon discovered himself free to move again. Did he pass the test? It honestly felt odd. Baejenh hadn’t really asked that many questions.

“Elder Baejenh!” A cool and serene voice tickled everyone’s ears. Lyne of Xuere Clan had appeared! “I will provide assistance in the investigation!”

“Overseer Jeahz. I have confirmed that he is not the culprit.” Baejenh hooked her fingers towards Overseer Jeahz. “I need to clear out the contamination and provide healing to the people affected. Farewell.”

She and Darhge disappeared, completely ignoring Lyne. Lyne lost her calm composure as she activated a full aurae shell, the form of a black-striped white tiger. She sprinted towards the direction of the Hall of Heroes exit.

Rein was inwardly filled with mirth. At least, it seemed to him that Baejenh had wanted to escape from Lyne. He wondered if there was an underlying story there.

“This means nothing!” Beincen was unconvinced, and his declaration disrupted Rein’s thoughts.. Rein had a wide-eyed innocent expression as he observed the Larne scion prancing about pulling his hair out.

“Calm yourself. Supreme Guihnes has already promised you his bloodhounds. Highly effective at tracking the auras of advancers. You should worry far more about the rivals of your house that may have chosen to take advantage of your brother's current situation.”

“Remember the rules of the Halls,” Overseer Jeahz reminded as he left. Beincen could do nothing, and had no choice but to follow. Beincen understood-- he was not allowed to severely injure Rein here. If Rein was to die, it must be in the western wilderness and not here.

Blacksmith Rahr exhaled in relief.

“Heart Intent Art. A truly formidable art. The closest art to sensing the truths of one’s heart. I’m surprised you passed it.” Rahr patted Rein’s shoulder.

“Heart Intent Art?” Rein was curious. He had never fully understood Baejenh’s skills. He had thought that the woman was sensing his pulse to determine the truth of his words.

“It's rare for one to master this art,” explained Rahr. “It is actually an art centered around the concept of detecting the wisps of killing intent in one’s heart. Outward killing intent? Most can sense that. To sense the killing intent buried in one’s heart-- that requires unique talent.”

“For example, if a thief stole a priceless treasure, when questioned, that thief would undoubtedly have a trace of killing intent in his or her desire to protect the possession of said treasure, but it would be deeply buried in the heart.”

“As for a crime such as murder? One might think detecting killing intent to be pointless. Not so. It is said that Baejenh can detect the fluctuation in intensity of killing intent. A murderer should, in theory, restrain the killing intent in his or her heart to hide their crime. With the right probing questions, that killing intent will fluctuate, and Baejenh would successfully determine the truth of the matter, so it is said. Though, if one was outright murderous in terms of action, there would be no need for this art,” Rahr laughed uproariously.

So, that was how it actually worked. Rein couldn’t help but wonder if his own killing intent fluctuated, and Baejenh had intentionally covered for him. Or… was it perhaps that he had made no attempt to obscure his desire to sever Beincen’s string of life, and thus his killing intent did not fluctuate?

Rein thought of his first encounter with Baejenh outside the east walls of the Green Trout City. His understanding of that encounter had changed with Blacksmith Rahr’s explanation. Rein now understood that those questions might have been to probe for his killing intent. It made sense. He imagined that for most humans, repetitive probing of a sensitive issue would evoke a tinge of underlying killing intent, which could be subsequently further provoked to determine truth.

______________________________________________________________________________

In the Larne Mansion.

“How is my son?” The Larne Patriarch stood beside the unconscious supine Rekcen. The originally wrinkled arm that had been progressively getting better? It was now a deformed with lumps and various beast furs sprouting everywhere.

“Larne Patriarch.” A man in a verdant green halls robe with two symmetrical jet-black lines said. “I have already explained to Beincen of our assessment. He was the one who informed us of this issue before you came out of seclusion.”

“We will have to …it’s highly unfortunate. But we must… remove this arm, then cleanse his body of the contamination. As for regrowing the arm again… it is unlikely for that to be possible.”

“What?!” The Larne Patriarch began pacing back and forth, very nearly attacking the Halls healer for his devastating words. “You mean to chop off his arm and turn him into a cripple?!”

“Patriarch Larne.” The Halls healer had no fear-- he is protected by the Halls! “You surely understand how it works. When one reaches the telekinetic realm, they construct a soul within their body, and that soul is imprinted with the physical information of the body. It is why telekinetic advancer are capable of reforming their physical bodies even if ‘killed’. “

“We reformed this arm of your son by drawing on this hidden potential that all of us have the capability of developing. A secret art passed down the ages. However, we cannot keep performing such healing arts. We already drew on your son’s potential such that his body would regenerate this arm. If we attempt to do so again, his future will become limited. Far better for him to train hard and reform his own arm upon becoming a telekinetic advancer…”

All this, the Larne Patriarch knew. He himself was an outer advancer, and had long developed a degree of understanding towards the next realm. Yet… when would his son even reach such a realm? Centuries? Or perhaps even never?

“Patriarch!” An attendant prostrated. “Supreme Guihnes have sent a pack of aura bloodhounds!”

“We will find this…murderer yet!” In the Larne Patriarch’s eyes, whoever did this might as well have murdered his son’s future!

____________________________________________________________________________

In the Garden of Rapture.

This was Supreme Guihnes residence, a private area carved out for his position in the back of the Hall of Heroes’ mountains-- a peak belonging solely to the supreme.

Supreme Guihnes’s appearance was a handsome man with flowing golden-brown hair. He had a pale face with high cheekbones and slanted eyebrows. His chin was sharp and his jaw angular, giving him a well-defined face of nobility.

One might think it ridiculous that such a man would bow his head. Yet even in his own residence, he had to, for before him stood Overseer Jeahz!

“Restrain yourself, Supreme Guihnes. I doubt it would amount to much, but you should not have lent your bloodhounds to House Larne.”

“Overseer. It is my mistake, but may I ask why?” Despite his bowed head, Guihnes slow and deliberate voice indicated that his bowed head was but an act of subservience.

“I have a task for you.” Overseer Jeahz cared not for Guihnes attitude. He understood that many supremes would sooner or later, climb above his station.

“See this?” Overseer Jeahz’s hand revealed a piece of jade with a single strain of cloudiness.

Guihnes widened his eyes as he raised his head.

“Benicen used this to bribe the combat instructor Puhnz. House Larne must have ancestors in influential positions within the Great Sects. I want the jade mine.”

“The Allfather has already given the word,” Overseer Jeahz continued. “If you can capture this mine, your whole clan will be allowed to leave this lowly realm and ascend to a better world. Your position will rise.”

Supreme Guihnes widened his eyes at the news. This was his chance. He also was not just a supreme for no reason-- he had to beat out quite a few nobles repeatedly to rise to this position.

“Then… “ His eyes brightened in epiphany. “You wish to use this… man named Rein to draw out the location of said mine?”

“Indeed.” Overseer Jeahz smiled. “Rein should have the bloodline of a fiend. If he can survive in the western wilderness… sooner or later, these hidden ancestors of House Larne will act. You understand what you must do then, yes?”

“Yes, Overseer!” Supreme Guihnes stood tall.