Unaware of Miren Fei's pondering's, Feng Yu had a thoughtful expression as he stared at He Xiu while thinking to himself.
'Oh, her cultivation base has striven by a small amount; it seems she's taken the experience from the battle at the Devil's Nest and further consolidated her Peak Aura Disciple realm strength. Not bad... still, that technique of hers seems different from the others.'
When Feng Yu thought to here, his eyes flickered when he noticed He Xiu's actions, each time her arms moved up, down, left, right, it left behind tails of afterimages as they glowed with her aura.
Looking even more intently, one would notice that the threads used by others were flowing around on their own, guided by magic. It started to weave a peculiar kind of cloth at a speed countless times faster than the others. Yet, even so, because of how complex the cloth's martial, the progress was more or less similar to everyone's work.
It was known when, but Leon had arrived by Feng Yu's side, his eyes beamed when he saw He Xiu's techniques, his arm holding onto the handle of the Bright Hammer as if he could feel his spirit for forging slowly rekindling.
'Incredible... I truly do wish to see the technique of their master; if so, then maybe... maybe I'll be able to find that light I've always been searching for,'
Leon thought to himself with a slight change in his thoughts; he felt that coming here might just become a turning point in his life.
Feng Yu noticed Leon's arrival; he gave him a good look noticing the look in his eyes; he smiled, saying nothing as he could guess his thoughts.
At this moment, Dai Lin had neared Feng Yu and asked, "Young Master, is she—?"
The others look over when they heard Dai Lin spoke, even more so for Miren Fei, who clenched her slender fingers tightly, seeming to be anxious about something.
Feng Yu glanced at Dai Lin and replied, cutting off his words, "Yes, she's that friend I was talking about, and her name is He Xiu. Once we speak with her, we can decide about the next course of action."
Dai Lin had a thoughtful look on his face for a moment before he nodded and responded, "Alright then."
While Feng Yu and his party waited, Tao Shen had already entered the rose field and arrived before He Xiu. As if disturbed by his arrival, the threads floating around her fell into the basket as her aura faded.
"Young Mistress, we have a few guests."
He Xiu, who only now opened her eyes, stared at Tao Shen with a somewhat discontented look as she spoke, "Senior Brother Tao, you know I don't like being distracted, and what's all this about, young miss, humph! I won’t bother to complain again, who is it that's come this time?"
Tao Shen shook his head before getting to the crux of the matter, "It's like this, on my journey back from a recent mission, I just so happened to encounter a friend of yours."
"Oh, who?" He Xiu asked with a look of interest on her face; she now seemed to have forgotten Tao Shen's previous form of address.
The two continued to speak for a while until He Xiu's eyes beamed with liveliness; she hurriedly sprung from her feet and spoke dismissively to Tao Shen.
"Okay, okay, I got it, you can go now, Senior Brother Tao, I'll handle the rest from here on out. Besides, we have to properly prepare for the Grand Exchange; things aren't looking so good."
Tao Shen gave her a good look before shaking his head and leaving, his voice sounding in her mind.
'I'll go speak with the Eldest Brother about those above; we might have a troublesome time during this time's Grand Exchange.'
He Xiu's eyes flashed before she nodded, saying nothing in reply. She gave his back a look before turning towards Feng Yu's direction. When she saw the familiar grim-looking crimson masked individual, she couldn't help but show a smile as if she saw a good friend.
Not wasting a moment, she took a step forward, flickering before appearing a meter’s distance away from Feng Yu; she then spoke to them with a welcoming smile on her face.
"Hehe, Mr. Crimson Mask, you sure took your time in getting here; what took you so long?"
"Haha, I was nothing, but as I said before, I wanted to find my travel companions, that naturally came with its own complications, but... we're here now, aren't we?"
Feng Yu said with a curious smile.
"Complications?" He Xiu asked with a puzzled appearance.
Feng Yu shrugged as he recalled Yu Fu and Wuqi Shao before casually answering, "Nothing worth mentioning."
He Xiu paid no mind to it since Feng Yu didn't want to disclose it, she wouldn't ask. Her attention soon turned to Feng Yu's party. Once this happened, she couldn't help but show surprise as she knew upon seeing Dai Lin, Lang Kuang, Toram, and the others, their strengths were in no way as simple on the surface.
'Wow, where did so many experts come from? I can barely feel their breaths, but even that is enough to make me feel oppressed.'
When He Xiu's thoughts reached here, her eyes unknowingly fixed onto Miren Fei, who was staring, or rather... glaring at her. A strange and majestic power shrouded her figure that made her gulp due to its prestige.
'This... is she angry at me?'
He Xiu thought as she had no idea why Miren Fei showed such hidden intention; the more she thought on, the more confused she got, so she decided not to pay it any mind.
"Sir Crimson Mask, these friends of yours are quite something; each is special in their own right. May I know their names?" He Xiu asked as she looked at Feng Yu.
Feng Yu smirked as he then gestured towards the others and spoke, "Of course, to my right is Dai Lin, then there is Lang Kuang, Miren Fei, Toram, Tira, Tiana, Tuzi Baoli, Leon and Myria."
Dai Lin and the others gave He Xiu a short greeting as He Xiu made a corsetry bow towards them. After greetings were over, He Xiu then stared at Feng Yu and asked.
"Great, it’s a pleasure to meet your friends, are you still planning on finding somewhere else to settle down during your time in the south? Or, are you going to stay here at the enclave?"
Miren Fei frowned at those words as she thought to herself, 'Hmph! Why is she so hung up on the Young Master staying here?'
Tuzi Baoli giggled at this, poking Miren Fei's side as she gave her a knowing look; Tira also saw this and said nothing, making a light laugh.
Feng Yu made a thoughtful look before he replied, "For now, I haven't come to a decision yet; right now, we've only stopped by for your help regarding a matter."
"Our help? What kind of help do you need?" He Xiu asked with a hint of curiosity on her face.
Feng Yu stared at her and answered, "It's like this, this mask of mine was custom made by one of yours; I bought it from a store owner in the Southern Pass, it is quite special made with such skillful means that it can not only hide my face, but even shroud my abilities. I came here hoping that I could find its creator and commission a few more similar items for my friends, but sadly, it would seem that I might have come here in vain."
He Xiu had a look of surprise on her face when she carefully stared at Feng Yu's mask and replied, "Huh? Really, oh... now that I look at it, it truly does carry a familiar aura; I noticed it before, but I was too preoccupied to pay attention back then; even those markings are exclusive to our master's arts. Hmm, since that's so, for such a high-level item to be sold so far, I can assume that it's master's work."
He Xiu spoke with excitement as she observed Feng Yu's mask, but that mood soon faded when she recalled their current circumstances. She then said again with a slightly solemn tone, "You are right, you've come at a bad time for commissions, and as I'm sure that you've probably heard from the rumors outside, our master has gone missing. Right now, our enclave is surrounded by quite a few tigers lusting for our secrets, not to mention enemies with which master has quite the conflicts."
"So I've heard, but... I still came here hoping that someone else would be able to make items of a slightly similar nature, even if it's only with the features that can shroud one's identity. If you can weave such an item, then my companions and I would be willing to p
ay any price., even if you'd need us to give a helping hand during this conflict of yours."
He Xiu had a surprised look when she heard Feng Yu's words; she gave him a good look and spoke, "Huh? Are you sure about this? You do know that our enemies right now aren't a joke like those darn Cui brats from that time."
Feng Yu chuckled at her words, even more so when he looked at her young age compared to Cui Zexian and his sister. He soon after replied, "Of course, but so long as you can give us your word, we will naturally take actions if requested."
He Xiu made a thoughtful look on her face as her fingers played with her hair curls. Not long after, she sighed, preparing to speak, but before she could say anything, a voice sounded nearby, startling everyone in the vicinity.
"Well then, since you're willing to help, who are we to resist such an offer. We shall accept your aid, but only if we need it; for now, I shall personally create your items, think of it as thanks for helping out both Little Xiu and Senior Yang."
When the voice sounded, Feng Yu and the others cast their eyes towards the direction, even He Xiu looked towards it with a tinge of surprise in her eyes; she knew full well that the person who spoke wasn't the type to easily make such statements.
As a figure soon started to come into view, the air grew strange, causing Feng Yu, Dai Lin, and the others to narrow their eyes, knowing that a mighty character had arrived.
Chapter 303
The Eldest Senior Brother
As the air changed, a thirty-plus-year-old man appeared from a different section of the Flax Field. He was a tall man with curly black hair with a stubble of beard on his slim square-shaped cheeks. His eyes had having a tinge of experience and a trace of sharpness as he stared at Feng Yu and his party in silence.
Looking at his garments, one would notice that he sported simple loose-fitting trousers with wooden sandals and a spiraling string-patterned shawl over his neck and chest area. His muscular torso was bare, having a few black wrappings around his waist and arms, as his wrists had similar golden rings much like those worn by many others.
He Xiu looked at this individual and spoke with a hint of respect in her voice, "Junior He greats Eldest Brother Liao."
The person who arrived was other than the strongest disciple of He Wuhan, Liao Xinyan, a man whose fame is no lesser than any of the Core Elders in other major factions.
"Haha, Little Xiu, you don't have to be so modest in front of a friend; address me as you always do. Right, now these friends, what do you say to my proposal?"
Liao Xinyan said with a welcoming smile towards Feng Yu's group.
When Feng Yu and the others heard this, they stared at the new party with interest, recalling his words, Feng Yu thought for a moment before he gave a reply.
"Agreed. It's a pleasure to meet you, Fellow Practitioner Liao."
Liao Xinyan smirked at Feng Yu's reply, noticing that he didn't address him as a senior or elder brother, but he didn't mind it. He glanced at Feng Yu's party members before fixing his eyes onto Feng Yu himself, his pupils shining in a strange ray which caused an unusual scene.
Suddenly, the mask on Feng Yu's face trembled a bit before it reverted back to the norm. Feng Yu felt alarmed by this, but before he could even understand what happened, Liao Xinyan's voice sounded in his head.
"Ah, that face... so that's why your hidden, huhu... it no wonder..."
Liao Xinyan smiled as he waved his hand and beckoned towards Feng Yu's party after saying such words.
"Come now, follow me, let's get you all to a place where you can rest; I'll start taking the measurements and details once you've settled. In the meantime, you can chat with Little Xiu."
After saying those words, Liao Xinyan then turned around and walked off to a large cylindrical building.
'This guy... to think he'd have such a trick up his sleeve.'
Feng Yu thought with a frown on his face; he could tell that the other party had used some method to peek at his face, he felt uncomfortable about this, but as he didn't do anything such as threatening or blackmailing him, he decided to let it pass for now.
Dai Lin noticed the change just now; he stared at Feng Yu and asked with a mental message, "Young Master, just now, did he—?"
As he heard Dai Lin's inquiry, Feng Yu raised his hand to cut off his words as he replied, "Yeah, but it's nothing worry about, let's go, we have to learn more about their enemies, this way we can know what kinds of role to play when the time comes."
Dai Lin had a flicker of lightning in his eyes before he nodded and replied, "Understood."
Leon gave the back of Liao Xinyan a deep look before glancing at Myria, who was now standing atop Miren Fei's shoulder, the two nodding at each other but saying nothing as if they could understand each other's thoughts.
Lang Kuang and Miren Fei felt the little strangeness from before, but they didn't push it as Feng Yu remained indifferent. The group then followed behind Liao Xinyan, who guided them to the Weaver's Enclave's central housing area.
While walking, He Xiu spoke endlessly about various things, until finally, Feng Yu, who seemed to have recalled something, asked a question.
"I couldn't help but notice, but where is Old Yang and that brother Hai."
He Xiu had a slightly complex look on her face as she replied, "Senior Brother Hai is now focusing on observing the movements from those within the Oasis. But as for Uncle Yang, he... he left a few days ago, ever since he heard about our master going missing, he didn't sleep a wink, right now, we have no idea where went off."
Feng Yu frowned at this; he couldn't help but to recall Old Yang from the Devil's Nest. He spoke with a strange tone, "He left? Odd, how would he be able to find her if no one else can't?"
He Xiu made a helpless smile as she too didn't have a clue, but Liao Xinyan, who escorted them, had an odd look on his face as he smirked and replied.
"Sir Crimson Mask, while we are not at liberty to tell you too much, I can state that Senior Yang is a more capable man than you can ever imagine, if he can't find our master, then no one will."
He Xiu's eyes lit up when she heard this; she was the youngest of the disciples. As such, she didn't know as much as everyone else. However, unlike her, Feng Yu only had a deep look in his eyes when he stared at Liao Xinyan's back with a thoughtful expression on his face.
'Interesting... I knew his sudden outburst of power was a bit unique, but it would seem that there might be more to Old Yang than I'd initially thought. Still, it does make me wonder, for a man such as himself, how could he so easily succumb to an Element Storm, even more so be captured by persons such as those Cui's?'
The more Feng Yu thought, the more he found the previous matters a bit strange, but as he didn't have anything to go on, he could only push the affair down in the back of his mind.
As Feng Yu wrapped up his own thoughts, Liao Xinyan had already brought the party to a spacious room with many flowers; he then gestured towards it as he spoke to the group.
"We are here, please do make yourselves comfortable; I'll come back to take your measurements and a few small details in a second. Little Xiu, do keep your friends company in the meantime."
He Xiu's face scrunched up as she didn't like the name, but she didn't curse but forced a smile and replied, "Will do."
Liao Xinyan soon vanished into thin air with a sly smirk, leaving no trace of his presence. Feng Yu looked at this with slight praise as he felt that this disciple's power might be more than the norm.
'I can't tell if he's either a Half Step True Soul realm or an actual True Soul realm practitioner. Hmm, but I doubt that's the case. After all, he is still a disciple. Maybe, he is just quite skillful in masking his actual strength.'
As Feng Yu contemplated, He Xiu and the other had already arranged themselves within the room; the group then continued to discuss various affairs until Dai Lin asked a question.
"Miss Xiu, when does the Grand Exchange actually begin?"
Everyone focused as He Xiu looked at them and
replied, "It's two days from now, we'll be holding it in the core trading quarters of the Weaver's House."
Dai Lin thought for a bit before he asked again, "Is there anything we need to know about it?"
He Xiu gave everyone a look before she responded, "There is, but it's nothing you don't already know. The groups taking part this time are none other than our trading partners from the Pill Pavilion of the Redlands and the Desert Shaolin Temple. Other than them, we have neutral factions such as the Black Sand Commerce, Fox Lion Commerce, a few other minor trades, and then those troublesome natives of the Black Dune. The Bandit Faction's Dessert Hunters, Burning Totem Palace, and even more meddlesome Crypt Sorcerers of the Everlasting Crypt."
"Hmm, it's quite the gathering indeed, even more, in-depth that we've gathered."
He Xiu gave Feng Yu's group a surprised look as she spoke, "Huh? Really, this is all common knowledge."
Dai Lin and the others chuckled as Feng Yu shook his head and replied, "Indeed, we only knew of some groups, except for a few of those forces and the Pill Pavilion. In fact, I don't recall a land listed as Redlands on the True Yuan Continents map. Is this a new location?"
He Xiu thought for a bit, tilting her head to the side before she replied, "Strange, I thought you'd have known, but it seems that the map your using must have been outdated. We of the south use a more comprehensive map that divides all domains into three core sectors. One is the northeastern regions where we reside with quite a few other forces. This is known as the Redlands. The southernmost regions are classified as the Black Dunes, and the westernmost areas are known as the Revolutionary Territories."
"Oh, well, that's new; I suppose it does make the south a little more structured compared to the past." Feng Yu said.
He Xiu nodded in reply; Dai Lin seeing that they finished, took this chance to speak again.
"You say that those of the Desert Shaolin Temple and that Pill Pavilion are frequent partners, but judging by the words outside, it's claimed that they might have come here with bad intentions. We also did a bit of digging and found that the Burning Totem Palace has a great grudge with your faction, but we are unclear about the Bandit Union and Crypt Sorcerers. Is there anything we should know about these forces?"
Dual Sword God: Book 7: The Crimson Devil of the Redlands Page 13