NOVPUB1130: Harbored suspicions
1130: Harbored suspicions
“Have you ever interacted with them?” Yang Qing asked.
Rogue cultivators were among the most well-traveled and well-informed people.
Given how long Dong Ping had been one, there was a chance he had encountered members of the mythical races.
Maybe, just maybe, he had even come across someone from the Aurora Dark Winter Jade Spruce Tribe or the Black Yin Water Oak Tribe.
The odds were highly unlikely, but one could hope.
“Not a pureblood,” Dong Ping said, shaking his head.
“I’ve met three—one was a half-blood, while the other two had very thin bloodlines.
But even with diluted lineage, the abilities they possessed were prodigious.” His voice carried a hint of envy, and a bitter smile crossed his face.
Yang Qing’s mind flashed to two sect members he had encountered during his ranking valuations in the Summerfield Kingdom.
The Heart Stone Steele had revealed that one of them carried the bloodline of a treefolk tribe—the Scattering Gold Light Palm Tribe, to be exact.
“Were they affiliated?” Yang Qing asked.
“Two were rogue cultivators, the ones with the thin bloodlines,” Dong Ping replied.
“The half-blood, however, currently holds the post of junior healer at the Medical Saint Garden Sect.”
“Medical Saint Garden Sect,” Yang Qing murmured, his expression turning thoughtful.
A treefolk descendant, even one without pure lineage, finding a place in one of the continent’s premier healing sects wasn’t surprising in the least.
While it likely wasn’t the case for all of them, treefolk were naturally gifted with Daos tied to the Supreme Dao of Life.
This, for all intents and purposes, granted them an exceptional aptitude for healing—if they so desired.
So it came as no surprise that the number one healing sect on the continent would have someone with their bloodline among its ranks.
In fact, Yang Qing wouldn’t be shocked if pureblooded members were there as well.
A part of him even strongly entertained that possibility.
And a more audacious part of him entertained an even wilder notion—that perhaps some members of the Aurora Dark Winter Jade Tribe had taken refuge within the sect.
It seemed far-fetched, considering the tribe hadn’t been heard from in tens of thousands of years.
But it wasn’t entirely beyond the realm of possibility.
After all, the sect’s official name wasn’t actually the Medical Saint Garden.
It was simply the Medical Garden.
However, due to its unparalleled reputation and the miraculous feats it had accomplished, outsiders had branded it with the word saint, and the name stuck ever since.
For a sect with such an esteemed legacy, offering sanctuary to the Aurora Dark Winter Jade Tribe wasn’t unthinkable.
More importantly, they had the strength to do so—even if it meant defying the entire continent.
With their sheer power and the countless favors they were owed across the land, Yang Qing had little doubt.
If there was one place capable of sheltering the tribe and keeping them safe, it would undoubtedly be the Medical Saint Garden.
His confidence in them was so high that he believed they could handle the matter even more efficiently than the Order itself.
The Order’s primary means of deterrence and protection lay in its overwhelming strength, whereas the Medical Saint Garden had both strength and the goodwill of countless people across the continent.
Too bad I don’t have any deep connections there to confirm my hypothesis, mused Yang Qing.
But just as a glimmer of disappointment surfaced, a spark of hope followed.
But Ren Shu definitely does.
A nigh-imperceptible smile formed on his lips as he felt increasingly pleased with himself for reaching out to the two Soul Formation experts and picking their brains on the case.
Since Ren Shu was already aware of the particulars—and considering that it was them who first brought up the two treefolk tribes—it stood to reason that any suspicions Yang Qing had regarding the Medical Saint Garden and the Aurora Dark Winter Jade Spruce Tribe were likely shared by them as well.
Unlike Yang Qing, who lacked the connections to confirm such suspicions, Ren Shu certainly did not.
The Order’s Medical Valley and the Medical Saint Garden Sect had a long history of exchanges and cooperation.
Since the valley’s inception, the two factions had regularly shared insights, exchanged personnel, and built a mutual rapport.
Members from the Medical Saint Garden often came to the Valley, and those from the Valley ventured to the Garden.
Through this ongoing relationship, a deep sense of camaraderie had been fostered between them.
Almost every member of Medical Valley had interned at the Medical Saint Garden Sect at some point, while a significant number of the sect’s new members had practiced their craft within Medical Valley’s walls.
This exchange even extended to the valley’s higher-ups.
From what Yang Qing knew, Ren Shu had served as a guest instructor at the Medical Saint Garden Sect over a dozen times since becoming acquainted with the Deputy Valley Master—and who knew how many times he had done so before that?
Leveraging those relationships, Ren Shu might be able to discreetly inquire about the Aurora Dark Winter Jade Spruce Tribe.
Now, all Yang Qing had to do was wait and see what he uncovered.
“Do you happen to know what tribes they belong to?” Yang Qing asked.
It wasn’t relevant to the case, but he couldn’t help his curiosity.
Dong Ping rubbed his beard slightly before answering.
“The one from the Medical Saint Garden has the bloodline of the Ember Flame Adler Tribe, while the two rogue cultivators—one had the Crimson Thunder Sequoia bloodline, and the other had the Mirage Camphor bloodline.”
“Thanks for indulging me,” Yang Qing said, mentally filing away the three tribes for future research when he had the time.
For now, he still had work to do, and two of those tasks involved Dong Ping.
“How well do you know the Vast Blue Merchant Company?” Yang Qing asked.
“Considering their clientele, I’d say well enough,” Dong Ping replied, a flicker of curiosity flashing in his eyes as he wondered where Yang Qing was going with this.
“Is it well enough that you can tell me why one of its branch chiefs would risk transporting something valuable using outsiders instead of handling it in-house?”
Dong Ping paused briefly, then a small smile tugged at his lips.
“I believe so.”
