Standing yet again in the presence of the elders and the sect leader worried me slightly. I had just finished retelling what I saw in the village and my theory of a dark cultivator or cultivators'. I hoped it was just one man or woman that we could hunt down and bring to justice. I was feeling like I was always being put in the middle of these situations.

I understand I'm a hero. But come on, I'm a chef. I made the sect gumbo for dinner the other day. That was where I shined. Cooking good food for people was my passion. I was more at home in the kitchen than hunting demon beasts or fighting dragons. But here I was doing both regularly. The only good thing about that was the meat I harvested from demon beasts. I was experimenting with the meat to come up with some new recipes.

My musing was interrupted as Jiutian Xuan spoke. "We must inform the Emperor, then alert the other sects. A single dark cultivator is bad enough, but multiple might mean a dark sect or cult. The great purge a thousand years ago was a dark and terrible time. We don't need a second one. We must purge these dark cultivators on our own terms or else the Emperor will be forced to take action."

There were murmurs of assent from the other elders. The sect leader turned her attention back to me. "Excellent work Master Ivory. I would like you to work with elder Huan Ping. As the Gate Guardian of the sect, I want the two of you to make sure our filial villages don't become victims."

I nodded and bowed to Jiutian Xuan. "As you wish, sect leader." Huan Ping and I walked out of the hall, bidding everyone farewell. Walked to his house and entered his study.

"I'll be honest, Huan. I don't think I'll be much help here." I told him.

He waved that away. "Of course. You're a chef with considerable martial art skills. You're not a general or a strategist. I'm neither, but I've spent many years protecting the sect and its holdings." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "What I need is for you to speak your mind. Be honest and tell me what you think of my plans."

I nodded my head and patted his back. "I'll do what I can."

Five hours later, Huan and I were tired and hungry. Mei and Xiu his disciples, brought us food and some sweet fruit wine. We ate in the pavilion and sipped our wine. The mountain range provided natural barriers for the three valleys that housed most of the sect's filial villages. No, the problem was the few villages at the foot of the mountain range. There were three, and each was crucial to the sect. Each other three villages were major trade hubs. The sect traded most of its goods through the villages.

If they lost any of the three, it would affect the sect's treasury. After all, how would the sect pay its members with soul stones if they couldn't trade the weapons, gear, pills, or demon cores?

Currently, our solution is to send sect members to guard the towns. But that wasn't a long-term solution. The sect is in the mountains because the environment in the mountains is conducive to cultivation. If we tried to protect the villages for an extended period, it could potently hear our members' cultivation.

The pressure to find and eliminate the dark cultivator was on. Dark cultivators were common, but they didn't wipe out entire villages. This was a level of the dark cultivator that needed to get dealt with. I knew vaguely of the Great Purge. A thousand years ago, there were several dark sects that tried to summon a demon army to destroy the world. The Emperor sent his armies after the dark sects. He was successful in defeating the dark sects, but he also killed many innocent sects at the same time. It was a tragic occurrence in cultivators' history.

Dwelling on the past wouldn't help the present. As it was Li Mei, Liu Feng, Long Hai, Qiang Wei and I would be stationed at Hunan village. It was my idea. I knew all four of them and trusted them. The last time I had worked with them, they had come back to save me. Well, them and the other 27 members I was in command of.

But that would all happen tomorrow. After having supper with Huan Ping, I wished him a good night and returned home to inform Liu Feng and Li Mei of our assignment.

The following morning, Li Mei left to inform Long Hai and Qiang Wei. We'd rendezvous with them at the Gate to the sect. With the possibility of facing dark cultivators, I paid a visit to Gōngjiàng peak where the sect smiths and alchemists lived.

Gōngjiàng peak was a wonder to behold. Everywhere I looked were smithies, pill shops, and talisman makers. The level of activity here was beyond anything I'd seen in the sect before. The inner and outer sect members were restrained and formal, almost to a fault. There were a few exceptions, but here in Gōngjiàng peak, there was a refreshing air of informality.

I shouldn't be surprised. Most of the men and women here were far too busy with their work to be concerned with formalities. I loved that. I loved that their work came first before social nonsense.

I stopped by the first smithy I came to. "Morning." I greeted the young attendant that stood behind a desk.

He smiled and bowed. "How may I help you, Master Ivory?"

"You know me?" I asked, a little surprised. I didn't remember meeting this man.

The attendant chuckled. "There are few who don't know your face, Master Ivory."

"Am I famous or infamous?"

He seemed to think about it before answering. "Both I think."

I nodded my head. "I see. A set of armor is what I need. In your estimation, who is the best smith in Gōngjiàng peak?"

"My master. I can assure you he's the best." He scoffed a little, as if it was silly I didn't know.

I shrugged. "How fast could he make me some armor?"

"For a full set, it would take about a week."

I grimaced and nodded my head. "Very well. I'll take a set of the best armor he can make me." The attendant handed me a form to fill out, and I spent a few minutes filling it out before leaving the shop. I bought some pills and talismans. Best to be prepared.

I was a little disappointed that it would take so long. I was grateful that smiths in the sect could finish their work faster than in my world. A full set of armor could take a month to complete in my old world. Here it took a week.

When I approached the gate to the sect, I was pleased to see everyone waiting for me. I greeted Long Hai and Qiang Wei. It was good to see them and I was happy to see they grew stronger.

Lian wasn't big enough for all of us to ride her, so she walked beside us as we made our way down the mountain. I was so very grateful that I had reached late QI Refining. Thanks to my cultivation, the journey down the mountain wasn't painful at all. I wasn't even winded.

More than once, I was grateful that I had taken my cultivation as seriously as I have. The walk to the village took the rest of the day. We arrived after dark. The Tea Leaf inn had rooms ready for us and stayed open late, awaiting our arrival.

The rooms were very opulent. Li Mei and Liu Feng were with me in my room. The bed was gratefully big enough for the three of us. Our first night in Huan village was uneventful. The following morning was just as uneventful. We split ourselves into teams of two and patrolled the village. The other four would patrol during the day, and I'd patrol for most of the night.

They were initially against this arrangement, but I didn't give them much choice. The first few nights, they did what I told them. But by the fourth night, Li Mei joined me on my patrols. I won't lie and say I didn't enjoy her company. Because I did. It was on one of these nights that I had the biggest surprise in my life.

We were walking down the main road of the village, arm in arm with Li Mei. The night was cool, with a soft breeze ruffling our robes. A scent carried on the breeze. It was familiar and foreign. Li Mei was instantly on guard. I placed my hand on the hilt of my sword, just in case. From the shadows of the nearby homes, several figures emerged.

Li Mei stepped in front of me and growled menacingly. I snapped my finger and summoned orbs of light to appear and illuminate the street in front of us. A dozen Huli Jing stood in the street. I blinked a few times, not sure of what I was looking at. They all looked like Li Mei before I named her. Beautiful and feral. Thankfully, they were all dressed. Among them, I saw several children clutching at the skirts of the older women. I stepped around Li Mei and faced the group. "Why are you here?"

"We came looking for you." An elegantly dressed Huli Jing stepped forward. Her robes were a pale blue with gold hairpins in her hair. She curtsied. "Word has traveled far and wide of the hero who took a Huli Jing into his service. We wish for you to do the same for us." She motioned to the dozen women behind her. "We would serve you well Master Ivory."

Oh boy. I looked at the women before me and ran a hand through my hair. I didn't regret Li Mei joining me and she had been a big help to me. Did I really want to say no to these women who were ultimately doomed to a life of persecution and eradication? The answer was simple. No, I didn't.