Bai Qi had always believed that a premonition required attention. Especially if it was one of something grim, and even if there were no known enemies. Such thoughts had made him believe the feeling he had before his assassination and thus made him prepare the plan that then made him be here in place of simply dying.

And the same feeling now made Bai Qi rush towards his manor as crazy, using his full speed even though the city prohibited it.

Not that anyone could tell him anything in any case, with the two Warrior Lords dressed in the city colors flanking him.

But as he arrived and entered the 'Purple Haze' manor, he found the feeling had come late...

***

Bluesteel served Xie Fan's golem body as the dominant material, and although a rare and coveted material on the 'Seven Realms' plane, it wasn't so here on the 'Sky Tear' one.

Even taking from the equation the plane qi density requirements for the birth of the ores required to refine it, one could name its strength as the reason.

Indeed, Bluesteel was great material and one that was very resistant. But it was so only against Yellow Realm cultivators. A Warrior Lord being able to destroy it with ease.

Xia Fan's soul, the true strength of a golem, was not enough for the plane either. After all, a Soul realm cultivator was hardly anything more than a mortal here.

Bai Qi knew that and had made her remain with him because of it. Training her in refining and her silent company was even enjoyable. Still, his reasons have always been her lack of ability to fend for herself.

Thus, Bai Qi had decided to leave her guarding the mansion. It was neither taxing nor dangerous. And so, she could safely wait there until he had both time and cultivation enough to start working on improving her. Or at least that had been his thoughts, ones that seemingly were very mistaken.

***

The closer Bai Qi got to the mansion, the more he was sure that his feeling was right - Something happened!

The gate was closed, and everything looked fine, but Bai Qi was now sure that something had indeed happened. After all, Xia Fan would not have left the mansion, as she neither had the need nor liked interacting with people.

And so, when he did not sense her presence, Bai Qi thought of the worst.

Regretfully, he was right. As he forcefully opened the gate and crossed the entrance until he reached the main gate, Bai Qi's senses caught on some remaining aura strands.

The main gate showed signs of being opened by force, with the protective formation missing and one of the sides crooked.

And past it, signs of a conflict were even more present. The lake that embellished the courtyard and was Xia Fan's preferred place had not a single drop of water. The few trees and flowers around it were either torn out or directly stomped out. And even the walls and doors of the main building and wings had been cracked, torn apart, or kicked in.

The guards assigned by Sheng Huangye to Bai Qi had not asked any questions when their charge had run. Neither they did as he rushed into his manor. They had been informed of his special status and asked to look after him. Or better said, protecting him and immediately reporting to Guard Commander or even the City Lord of anything.

They knew that this manor was of their charge's property. But the palace guards had no idea about who or what was inside. Still, just a glance was enough for them to understand that something had occurred. As one followed their charge, Chen Guang inside, the other immediately sent a message talisman, only then going after his companion.

Bai Qi had never truly cared about material possessions. Granted, he was greedy as any other cultivator and would prefer to obtain a treasure than to lose it in turn. So even if his entire manor, one that cost him a small fortune, was destroyed, he would hardly care about the matter. Oh, he would go after the people that did it, but it would not truly make him feel much anger or later, satisfaction.

And such was the view of Bai Qi for a lot of other things, be it mortals, powers, and so on. If he could prevent, help, or enforce the so-called justice, he would. And if he could not, well, it wasn't anything that would affect down the road.

But there was a single thing that Bai Qi truly cared about, his word. Be it a promise of doing something, an established relationship, or just some kind of commitment. Bai Qi would risk everything to stay true to it. How he would do it or what would happen later was irrelevant for Bai Qi.

And he had given his word to Xie Fan. He had promised her that he would help her improve. And if the heavens willed it, even help to rebuild her body. And although he never showed or spoke about it, even the half-silent, half-hostile golem had been someone he considered close.

Even if it was just Bai Qi's usual reluctance to consider any worthless or unbound by obligations towards him as such.

The attacker, or attackers, had destroyed her Bluesteel body. And if that had not been enough, the soul had been obliterated as well. Furthermore, the body had broken and bent to leave a message - "The first of many in repayment of your deeds"

"GRAAAAH" Bai Qi's furious roar resounded through the entire 'Fallen Leaves' district just a minute after he entered his manor.

His usual calm form also disappeared for a brief moment, and along with his roar, his natural aura flared.

*Swoosh*

Both of the Palace Guards assigned as his escort were Warrior Lords, and their charge was just a Sage. And not a peak Sage realm cultivator, just a 4th level one!

Still, neither of the two could resist the anger-filled aura he released, being forced to retreat a few steps.

If someone asked later, they would not cite the pressure as the reason for their dread. After all, the pressure was hardly one that could make someone with their cultivation feel an itch. No, it was the combination of both fiery anger and glacial killing intent.

Although that would be inaccurate, they neither felt nor understood that the aura had been controlled. Even in anger, Bai Qi did not allow himself to show his true, concealed Soul strength.

Bai Qi regained his senses quickly, and he even chastised himself inwardly for allowing the event to provoke such a response.

He also asked himself about his anger while taking it under control. After all, Xie Fan should not be so close to him, right? "She wasn't even a friend, but she was under my protection" His inner voice answered immediately, and he agreed with it. Indeed, someone had killed a person, or golem, that he had decided to protect. And that, that was something he would not allow to go unpunished.

In truth, his anger was still there, but he had concealed it under the facade of his usual calmness. And only a few people from his past life would be able to say what such a thing signified.

"The aura traces here are several days old. Notify whoever you need to, and make them send Grandmaster Li here" Bai Qi spoke up in a low voice and without turning back. But still, both guards shivered and then, ignoring the difference in cultivation, or even status, immediately bowed, each taking a message talisman.

___________________________________________________________________

During the time of Bai Qi's and Sheng Huangye meeting.

To avoid incidents between the participants, each of the gate areas was heavily guarded by the moment that they returned. Usually, the number of guards was about fifteen, but as most of the participants had come from smaller groups, the City Lord decided that the best would be to allow the groups to send their people in their place.

For one, it allowed him to wash his hand from any incidents. And the presence of their relatives or masters would prevent the youngsters from overly gloating or picking up fights with the Overlord participants.

And so, the only person present who was closely related to the City Lord was Deng Guiying. The Gate Elder never took part in guarding, but Sheng Huangye had asked him to go for a far more delicate matter. Namely, picking up the allegedly not present Sheng Feng without making a show.

Deng Guiying knew that the City Lord had prepared a formation to bring Chen Guang to him directly and wondered why the Lord avoided doing the same for his nephew.

And reaching the conclusion that probably he wanted Sheng Feng to be chastised, Deng Guiying did so, all the way back to Shuomen City.

"It's just a shame that I will not be present for Chen Guang's report" The old Gate Elder thought as he purposedly slowed down as to add a few more words about Sheng Feng's irresponsibility.

***

Zhen Zexi had been picked up by an elder of her clan right away. And then, without more than a couple of words, escorted back to its main manor. Such treatment wasn't a surprise for her, who was usually considered a disciple of the Patriarch. In a slightly more vile wording, his little pet.

Reaching the manor, which only looked second to the City Palace itself, one of the remaining signs of the Zhen Clan's past, she was immediately brought to the Patriarch's wing.

"Leave us" A slightly raspy voice coldly commanded from the shadows, and the Zhen clan elder disappeared right away. As he did, the voice slightly changed, and with an unexpected kind note asked "How did it go?"

*Putt*

Zhen Zexi kneeled with a resounding sound, and while practically kowtowing asked for forgiveness.

"Although I did instruct you on how to act, I did not expect that you would be able to find one of the 'God' sets just like that. Or that you would have an easy time killing someone inside. Still, two people died, and I want to hear why one of them wasn't the Tang boy" This time the voice returned to the cold manner, but it still lacked the anger that Zhen Zexi had expected.

"I am sorry, Master. This disciple made a blunder and had no way to fulfill your wish. But this disciple was lucky to find a hint on the Fire element god!"

"A blunder? A hint? Explain yourself! No, don't. Open your mind, I want to see what happened by myself"

Hearing the command, Zhen Zexi immediately followed it, liberating all her barriers and allowing Zhen Qigang's consciousness to enter her own.

Although it took the Patriarch only a few moments to find out everything that happened, it was only an hour later that he spoke up.

"It will take us five years more, but the hint proves that the set is still there. And it proves that we can not believe the City Palace. Directly obtaining a Set from the Challenge? What a joke! A hint that you have to absorb inside the formation and then dedicate the entire next opening to follow it. No wonder no one except them found the 'God' sets! Or why they try to avoid anyone from entering twice!" Zhen Qigang said first and then spent some time in silence again. Only continuing after coming to some kind of plan.

"And this Chen Guang seems like an intriguing youth. So you agreed to pay a ransom for the puppets? And a compensation to the Mao Household? Usually, I would punish you for such, but the hint was worth all of that and even more" The Patriarch's voice calmed, and Zhen Zexi found with surprise that it even had a few notes of interest.

Notes that were far clearer during the next phrase, which contents were probably even more shocking than anything else. Especially when considering that the Patriarch, Zhen Qigang, had not left their manor for over eight years!

"I will send someone to deliver a few gifts to the Mao Household and be done with it, but this Chen Guang... He said he has a manor in the 'Fallen Leaves' district? Good, then I will visit him personally. And you, you will accompany me"

Zhen Zexi did not respond, simply bowing while trying to understand her master's intentions. But if they were a mystery, Chen Guang's actions were a bigger one. "Did he know that such a thing would happen? Is that why he wanted me to reveal everything to the Patriarch first in place of trying to simply request some treasures?"