NOVPUBAksai let out a slow breath.
"Brother Haitin, things will get difficult from now on."
"They already have," Haitin replied and chuckled mirthlessly. "The elders are starting to move. Everyone's pretending to mourn, but their eyes are on the sect leader's seat."
Aksai looked at him. "What will you do?"
"I'll do what I must," Haitin said, his voice cold and firm.
"The Blackblood sect always deals with its trouble-causing members with a heavy-handed approach. But I'll try not to start a war unless I have to.
After all, the greater the "internal bleeding" I cause at this point, the worse I would have to suffer in the future if and when the Yaksha Lord or his sect makes their move.
Anyway, my father has already struck deals with the Haan Di Lord and the Green Glory Lord before his death. In exchange for providing them access to Holy Land Torel, they would help me from the shadows in limited capacity. I just hope that I don't have to make use of their help.
But at the same time, I would rather make use of their help instead of relying on my younger sister. Because relying on her would attract more troubles in the future."
Aksai gave a faint smile.
He had to say that Haitin had a talent for managing the affairs of a large organization. His capabilities and cunning as a leader couldn't be questioned.
One could say that Haitin was even better than Aksai when it came to running a big organization. Unlike Aksai who liked to do things alone and rarely took interest in acting as a boss, Haitin was born a boss. Plus, Haitin liked wielding leadership powers.
Of course, Aksai had also come to realize this after spending so much time with the father and son. He wondered if there was a way to make Haitin work for him in the future.
"It's all good then. If you ever need help… I'm just a message away."
Of course, these words were– more or less– just a formality at this point. Both Aksai and Haitin knew that they couldn't ask each other for help just yet. At least not openly.
Otherwise, they both would face multiple problems in the future for very different reasons.
Aksai needed to be wary of the Lords of the righteous faction's Lords and their respective sects. His closeness with a demonic sect would attract trouble for the Emerald Cove.
Whereas, Haitin needed to prove his worth as a potential successor of the Blackblood Lord with his own might and influence. Receiving help from outside the sect would only damage his reputation, which was not a good thing at this point.
This kind of situation was a lot like the leaders of the democratic countries faced from Aksai's previous world. Whether it was democracy or dictatorship, optics were important to rule the hearts of the people that made the organizations.
Haitin clapped a hand on Aksai's shoulder, his expression softening. "I might take you up on that someday, brother-in-law. But for now, take care."
Haitin then walked with Aksai as they stepped away from the crowd. The two talked about various things and told each other about their plans.
After a while, Haitin reached into his robe and pulled out a small whistle made of dark metal carved with faint glowing runes.
"I know you're going to do something very personal in the Duya Forest," Haitin said quietly. "So I won't ask what it is. But I will ask you to be careful."
He handed the whistle to Aksai.
"This is a runic whistle," he explained. "Blow into it once when you're outside the sect barrier, and a Bluewind Eagle will come to you. I've already given you everything I know about the current situation in Duya Forest.
That place… it's dangerous even without their being a possibility of the demonic beast tide anytime soon. So watch your back."
Aksai looked at the whistle in his palm, then at Haitin.
"Thanks, brother," he said simply.
Haitin gave a half-smile and patted his shoulder.
"I hope you achieve success in whatever you're doing," he said. "And come back safe… brother-in-law."
Aksai chuckled lightly, but there was a warmth in his eyes.
"I'll be back," he said. "Take care of the sect until then."
With that, he turned and walked out of the Blackblood Sect's main gates.
Outside, the skies were calm and clear. Aksai stepped into the open clearing, looked around once to make sure no one was nearby, then raised the whistle to his lips and blew.
A sharp, clear note echoed through the air. At first, nothing happened. But then the wind shifted slightly. A gust of cool air swept over the land.
A shadow moved in the sky.
Moments later, a large bird appeared from beyond the hills. Its wings cut through the air with grace and strength. As it came closer, the shimmer of its deep blue and silver feathers became clear under the sunlight.
The Bluewind Eagle let out a sharp cry as it circled once before gliding down with ease.
Aksai watched with admiration as it landed a few steps from him. The bird stood tall, with sharp eyes that held a trace of pride. Its long feathers fluttered with each breath, like waves in a still pond.
He remembered this majestic beast. It was the same kind he had seen when Haitin had first picked him up from Jaishin Lake. Even back then, he had liked this demon beast. There was something noble about the way it carried itself.
Aksai reached into his storage pouch and pulled out a ripe Spirit fruit. He offered it to the Bluewind Eagle, who accepted it with a quiet click of its beak before eating it slowly.
"Finally… I finally have a flying demon beast. My trip to the Duya Forest would be a bit easy with this guy around," Aksai whispered.
He placed a hand on the bird's side and gently stroked its feathers, feeling the strength beneath its wings.
Then, without waiting any longer, he climbed up onto its back and settled in place. The bird gave a small shake but accepted his presence with calm patience.
Aksai leaned forward and spoke firmly. "Take me to Duya Forest."
With a loud cry, the Bluewind Eagle spread its wings wide and launched into the sky. The ground fell away beneath them as wind rushed past Aksai's face.
He looked ahead, the world stretching out before him, and his thoughts turned to what lay ahead in the mysterious, dangerous forest.
"Once I get my Aether Beast…. It'll be time to go into a long seclusion."
The Spirit farmer thought to himself and smiled.
