After that, they began to discuss the array formation that Jin needed the man to make.

"So, you want me to make an illusion of your manor?"

Jin nodded.

"And without going to see it personally?"

Jin nodded again.

Master Fang looked at him incredulously before he sighed. Then, he began to explain: "Vice-Captain Jin, As I am sure, you are already aware that the veracity of the illusion depends on the knowledge of the one creating it. If I do not get myself familiar with the layout of your manor, how could I possibly create a decent illusion of it?"

Jin explained: "My goal is precisely to have a fake manor in the illusion. Something that looks the part but is, internally, nothing like it"

Master Fang's brows rose and he began to ponder for a few moments before he said: "This is quite an ingenuous way of thinking, Vice-Captain Jin. Are you taking into account the possibility that people could break out of it? Is that why you want the internal lay-out to be completely different?"

Jin nodded. It was not the reason but he would let the man think however he wanted. An answer you came up with was far easier to trust in than one that was given to you. It was a truth he knew very well himself. As such, he decided to go with this explanation.

He could not quite talk about the fact that he wanted to try out his theory on illusions and reality...

Master Fang squinted his eyes and stated: "Does that mean that you would let me have free reign to design the internal mechanisms of the illusion?"

Jin nodded and added: "My only requirement is that it imitates my Manor from the outside appearance. It needs to be realistic enough for people to mistake it as real. As for whatever is inside, it is up to you"

Master Fang smiled. Rarely was he being given the opportunity to let his own creativity run wild. After all, the value of an illusion array had always been on its resemblance to reality. To him, this would be a very enjoyable project for which he would also be paid handsomely. Nothing more was required to motivate him.

Master Fang asked: "Would you like me to incorporate some additional arrays within? Killing arrays for example?"

Jin rejected his offer: "No. I only need it to be able to trap someone"

Master Fang hurriedly replied: "Of course, of course, once the hand is cut, it is no longer linked to the brain, my apologies, Vice-Captain Jin, my thoughts were too shallow!"

After that, they began to discuss the time it would take. Surprisingly to Jin, the man would need several months to finish the task. He told him that three months to five months would be required... Jin had no choice but to comply with this arrangement.

He would likely not be able to find someone as good as this man and, to be honest, mere months were no longer a long time to him.

And so, time went by.

...

Until finally, the 11th Corp finally received its first mission.

Jin had nearly forgot about all this by that moment. Having been so engrossed in his study of illusions, his cultivation and his training, he did not take much interests in outside matters.

Ame berated him quite a lot for it but only affectionately in her own way.

As they sat together at the restaurant after receiving their orders, Jin asked her: "Do we really need to all go?"

This had been a question he asked many times already. The answer never changed but he was not too fond of it. Ame did not even bother to answer and simply glared at him this time. He sighed.

As he drank some Frone, he believed that his theory was being proven right once more. This 'first mission' was one he lived countless times already. However, that one was different from the one he knew.

This time, they were supposed to go knock at the door of a Demonic Sect and ask for the late tribute to be paid... Very different from the one he was familiar with which had been to go slaughter an evil band of bandits...

"Still, Demonic cultivators, uh..."

Ame nodded, focused in her own thinking. For a first mission, it was considered neither too difficult or too easy but it still was not what she expected. She turned to Jin and asked him: "What do you think of this? Do you know that sect?"

"The Boiling Blood sect...No, never heard of it before"

She sighed. She hoped that Jin would have known them. Since he came from the outside and all... It would have made things easier for sure. To be honest, even though she had been given the task of taking care of relationships with foreign sects, she lacked knowledge of them.

In fact, she had never come into contact with a Demonic sect before. Not explicitly and so directly at least.

She asked him: "How about Demonic Sects?"

Jin organized his thoughts and stated: "They are quite peculiar due to their traditions and cultivation ways. That difference is what led them to being called Demonic. In truth, I believe that they are similar to any sects"

Ame probed further: "Do they not kill en masse?"

Jin scratched the back of his neck as he recalled some memories of his time with Hae-Hyuk. They stayed in a few Demonic sects along the way after all. It was true that the atmosphere within was different and their culture was also quite freaky but, in the end, every cultivator was a human willing to kill for his own benefits.

Of course, some Demonic sects were utterly evil and their actions damnable. Jin had never come into contact with such sects though. Even within the ranks of Demonic sects, there were some good and some evil.

Jin answered Ame in the way he thought was the closest to the truth: "There are some like that but not all of them. As for this one, we will have to see by ourselves"