Most if not all of the sects, clans, families, and even rogue cultivator groups had some means to sense if one of their members died.

For lower-tier realms, it was usually a sensing formation, which was both easy to create and easy to maintain.

In the case of the 'Seven Islands' Plane thought, with no formations available, it was via a system of sensing rune sets. With one rune on the target, and the rest of the set inside the respective headquarters.

But middle and higher tier planes? Any power or group with enough resources would hire or recruit, at least if there was none originally, a Talisman Grandmaster.

This Grandmaster would create a life-sensing talisman, one that was directly connected to the body, soul, or consciousness of a cultivator. And whenever its link was cut short, the talisman would rupture - signifying the death of the related person.

Usually, talismans were just a simple piece of spirit paper inscribed with its runes or formations. Still, almost every power tried to individualize their 'Life Sensing' method, and so, the talismans were engraved, inserted, or fused into something.

For some powers, it was a statue representing a trait of or the image of the person;

For some, it was a symbolic thing, like a tree or a flower;

And for some, each talisman would be merged into one of the bricks or planks of their lodgings;

As for the Ke clan, a lineage that had lived through a power struggle, assassinations, and even exile... It was fused into smoke-filled orbs that via shades and consistency represented the talent and current cultivation of their respective members.

***

In a hidden room somewhere below the main residence of the Ke Clan, located on the border of the 'Ten Families' and 'Great Forest' regions, an orb cracked. And a few moments later, it shattered with a loud cracking noise.

Inside the room, there was an old man. Dressed in everyday grey robes that looked like the ones only a servant would wear, he had approached the location of the orb as the first crack had sounded. And at first, his expression appeared just somber, changing only as his gaze rested on the nameplate below the orb - Ke Xiang.

A few moments later, the old man could be seen rushing outside the room, through the intertwined corridors and even a courtyard's inside garden. Everything in his movements, expression and even lack of greetings to the similarly dressed people that greeted him screamed of disaster.

As he reached a big wooden palace, probably the main mansion of the courtyard he had crossed and was forcefully stopped by two guards dressed in black robes, he only said four words "Someone underground was killed". Even before he finished wording the last two words, he was allowed inside and disappeared into the mansion as both guards resumed their positions. And only a careful observer, if there was even one here, would notice how their faces had paled.

***

Two signal orbs, inscribed with notice formations activated at the same time in Shuomen City. One was located inside the Void ring of a Warrior Emperor, while the other was in a simple pouch hanging from the belt of a Warrior Lord retainer of the Shou clan.

Notice formations, like the ones inscribed on the orbs, were nothing more than a simplified version of a message talisman. They could not send more than a few predetermined words, but they had the benefits of being practically instant, as well as nearly undetectable.

"Ke. Killed. Zone"

Such was the simple phrase that entered the mind of both cultivators as soon as they touched the orb. And both of them, located several miles from each other had the same reaction.

"The truth can not be allowed to emerge"

Bai Qi wasn't a supporter of wanton killing, even though he accepted that any path, especially Cultivation was one strewn with bones of both enemies and rivals alike.

But neither did Bai Qi consider that letting someone dangerous live was something acceptable.

But what use was life for someone that could neither leave nor cultivate?

Thus, as soon as the forced mind-searching had finished, Bai Qi decided to kill the young man called Ke Xiang. And deep inside, he even considered it like doing a favor.

With Ke Xiang's soul bound to the formation, there was nothing for him to expect but to grow old and die. Or encounter anyone of the stronger participants, just to be killed as well. And probably in a far more gruesome manner.

*Swoosh*

But Bai Qi did not kill him. A palm with enough qi as to kill stopped just an inch from the body, and in turn Bai Qi's free hand landed on Ke Xiang's head.

*Plop*

Reinforcing the spell that he had put him to sleep and severing any possible life-sensing talisman connections.

***

Even if the man he had captured had bloodstained hands, Bai Qi considered neither Ke Xiang nor his companions evil. In fact, Bai Qi could only feel anger for them. And how could he not? Forced to enter the training zone, and then seal their fates by binding their souls to the formation. With no way to leave and not a single idea of if what they did had been useful for their Clan.

Bai Qi had not found who had been the mastermind behind the plan, as neither the memories that surfaced from the Ke Xiang's last day nor the ones of his arrival inside the formation had any indications.

"But I will find it out. If not with the remaining four, then outside. Someone that can order children, as I can not consider them anything else, to seal their fate just because of some petty revenge plan? Such a person does not deserve an easy death" Bai Qi muttered while moving towards the spot that he had gleaned from Ke Xiang's memories after hiding the unconscious body with the use of a couple of concealing talismans taken out from the cloak.

___________________________________________________________________

Bai Qi used about an hour to capture and then search Ke Xiang's memories. But as he was trying to find out information from his captive, the other four members of the Ke clan planned to do so as well.

Being far less knowledgeable than the opponent whose existence wasn't even suspected by them, the four Ke clan members had no other option but to try to ask, or resort to strength as to find out anything.

But even though they had killed before, not a single one of them wanted to torture someone. Granted, they hated the Sheng clan and the Shou one that had simply turned into the former's lapdog. But after completing their orders five years ago, by killing 21 members of the aforementioned clans... Something had changed.

Something that not even the so-called leader of their small group felt and could not prevent the others from doing so.

***

A few dozens of feet from the place where Gao Ping, Gao Heng, and Sheng Fang were lying a separate concealment formation was present.

Inside, one could see three men and a woman standing and discussing something in an agitated manner. But unknown to the four people arguing for the last hour, there were five pairs of ears listening since a few breaths...

"We weren't seen, so let's just kill the Sheng clan boy and let the other two go free"

"We can't! If anyone outside finds out about us, they will send Sages at the utmost limit of the zone next time to hunt for us!"

"But killing unrelated people? That would make us equal to our enemies!"

"Let's interrogate them first and then decide"

"Decide what? Is there any option?"

"If the Sheng clan is still unmovable, then it is one thing. But what if they have already fallen? Or are close to doing so?"

"What do you mean, Xiuying?"

"We haven't gotten any information for five years. And you know that a lot could have changed in this time!"

"That still does not affect us in the slightest. Have you forgotten? We are bound to die here"

"So say you, but I believe that someone can free us from here!"

"Free us? Even if someone did, we would be either immediately killed or used to locate our Clansmen. Do you want to be a traitor, Luoyang? To bring demise to our Ke Clan?"

"It can be your clan, but I do not consider myself a part of it. Heavens, we were sent here without even an explanation of what will happen after the ritual! Or at least some of us were"

"That's!"

"What, treason? And what will you do, kill me? I will gladly accept it! Five years, damn, we spent five entire years without being able to do anything!"

"Stop it, both of you!"

"Xiuying is right, we should try and avoid any quarrels between us"

"Sorry"

"That sounds good an all, but what do you propose, Liuxian?"

"We should go with Xiuying's idea. Let's try and interrogate them. I can not assure you that we will learn anything useful, but any news is better than none"

"And then?"

"And then we will decide what to do. We can always make them swear an oath and let them go. At least the two that are not related to the Sheng clan"

"Agreed, but how do we do it? Reveal that we are from the Ke clan? Conceal our identities?"

"Not to mention, how the heavens we will be able to determine that they are saying the truth?"

"Let's do it like this. Chun, you are the one that is closer to their age, and so you probably could pass for a participant. So, before we try and force them to anything, try to use..."

***

Knowing the location of the camp used by the five, as well finding out all the protective measures that they had placed around it, Bai Qi had managed to sneak in unnoticed. But he did not try to attempt and free the trio right away. In place, he decided to allow the Ke clan cultivators to act for a while first.

He located their improvised meeting and listened. Now that they left, he examined each of the four while correlating what he saw and the memories he had obtained.

Ke Liuxian, a 22 years old 4th level Sage realm cultivator. The designated head of the team. A direct descendant to Ke Huo, and during the escape 15 years ago considered the only person to inherit the Clan Head position.

Ke Chun, the youngest member of the team, just recently turned 18 years. Cultivation of the 1st level Sage realm, and before the seal considered one of the brightest stars of Shuomen.

Ke Luoyang, 19 years old 1st level Sage realm cultivator. The pointy hair and spiked mace he used earned him the nickname of 'Hedgehog' between his peers in Shuomen.

Ke Xiuying, a 20 years old 3rd level Sage cultivator. Not only the only female of the group but also the strongest member of it. Someone blessed with both looks and talent, she had been one of the most sought-after girls in Shuomen just five years before.

***

Sheng Feng wasn't sure for how much time did he and his two companions wait until one of the captors appeared before them.

Having been captured with ease he could never forget, and then sealed, Sheng Feng expected anything. Be it a plan of the participants to get rid of competition, an infiltrated assassin to take his life, or even the supposed plot that his Uncle had mentioned a few times.

But in all of his thoughts, he expected to see a face that he could recognize. After all, the formation was entered only by 94 people more, and he had made sure to memorize every one.

So when an unknown young man, with messy hair, slightly dirty and discolored robes appeared, Sheng Feng did not know how to react. His chance to speak up was in turn taken by Gao Heng, who immediately asked the question that was in the mind of the three captives - "Who are you?!"

***

Going to the extremes of caution, Bai Qi had used not only the cloak but also prepared himself with several concealing spells, spending almost his entire mind power and leaving just the bare minimum for shielding his consciousness.

He was just three hundred feet away from Ke Chun and the three captives, and neither of them had managed to see him.

"Speaking the truth is normally effective, but what do they expect from them? Neither the Gao siblings nor that young lord can be aware of anything about the Ke clan anyway" Bai Qi thought while listening to the exchange between captor and captives.

He was now at a crossroads. From one side, his orders were clear, prevent incidents and try to find any clues about the happening five years ago. But from the other one, killing five people that were sent here, probably with a far less than enough explanation of what would happen after? It just appeared incorrect.

"Well, let's just hope they are reasonable enough" Bai Qi muttered while disengaging his concealment and flaring his aura as a beacon for everyone to notice.

"Who?!" A shout from the three male Ke clansmen resounded, and Bai Qi calmly...