Bai Qi, now known as Qiu Shandian, departed from the [Golden Hind] tower, feeling that the time and money were well spent.

  The information and resources he obtained from the [Golden Hind] helped him understand what was happening around him and replenish his dwindling stock of materials.

   Bai Qi inwardly lamented a bit his lack of financial ability to buy what was considered the crown of the [Golden Hind] 13th floor, which he didn't even need to visit as during his touring of the 12th he got a full catalog of everything offered there outside the auctions for the most precious treasures.

  Still, the fact that he could buy ingots to start repairing his weapons and even a few trinkets that could serve him as the [Teleporting Rune], even if the latter was only usable for something like half a mile, a distance he could cover nearly instantly, and all without even entering the 13th floor for even a breath time, Bai Qi could not say it wasn't a good service, even when comparing it to the level of his previous life.

  ***

  Among the services he bought on the 12th floor, there was also a pair of discreet bodyguards. While Bai Qi doubted even the thought of requiring one, he still contracted one for himself while sending the peak Warrior Lord of the pair to guard Li Xia while keeping the 7th level one as his own.

   Bai Qi once again half-questioned himself as he observed the medium-aged woman who followed him nearly as a shadow, mirroring every step and keeping her aura half-restrained, just enough so it could both survey the surroundings and act to open his way during what could be said the rush hour of the city.

  Seeing her professional style - and with Li Xia's guard being this woman's husband, an actual peak Warrior Lord - Bai Qi even allowed himself to relax for a few moments before calling Shen Xiaohui over, "While I am acting as an envoy, the journey wasn't either comfortable or easy, and so, I need to somewhat both show who am I, as well as earn something, could you please direct me to whatever board or request system you use around?"

  "Lord Envoy, forgive me, but you mean actually to go to battle?" Shen Xiaohui was curt and she didn't mask her reasons for questioning, especially with Qiu Shandian's lack of cultivator aura, at least recognizable, nor forgetting the fact that he was an envoy, a diplomacy-oriented speaker that should rush out to meet the higher-ups of the city and just paid for protection to avoid any issues.

  "Oh, I understand..." Bao Qi inwardly smiled as he saw the dutiful guard hold back her intention to berate him or call him out as an idiot before continuing, "You are being mistaken in one thing, and that is the reason why I contracted a guard."

  "Huh, what do..?" Shen Xiaohui wouldn't be able to articulate the question when she felt pressured by a power above herself, and while a martial cultivator suppression she could at least fight back with her aura, even if for a brief moment, this one came from a different flank, "Lord Envoy, you..!"

  With Shen Xiaohui showing an understanding face, even before she spoke, Bai Qi quickly retracted his mind power, which he had used to pressure her to convey his plans, proceeding to lightly smile as he explained, "When I was sent as an envoy, the council considered my strength as a follower of the mind path and cut down on the escorts." Bai Qi's expression changed to a wry grin as he continued while waving both of his hands to indicate the result, "And so, I ended up here alone and nearly killed."

  Shen Xiaohui didn't require more explanations to understand what her contractor was getting to, as indeed, as an envoy without either fame or escort, how could he meet and negotiate with the higher-ups of any place, no matter his background, if they didn't have at least something to show and cling to?

  "While the task board or even the mercenary groups would get your esteemed self a few results, I would recommend against that, especially as the tasks there are considered below any of the true rulers of the city. And so, anyone who completes them, they wouldn't be recognized outside of the so-called city force, or possible members of it." Careful to avoid calling out names, Shen Xiaohui still indicated to Qiu Shandian that his intention wasn't bright.

  "I see, so what could you recommend to me, considering I am asking as not your employer but as a cultivator?" Bai Qi had learned about an arena to solve disputes between the smaller families and clans that comprised the entire city. And Bai Qi was very interested in getting into it, especially with Li Xia's situation being both good and bad, ruling powerhouses protecting them and smaller ones trying to get into what they considered a trove of treasures, the saved inheritance of the [Seven Strokes Hall], especially now that just a girl of Sage level was the sole leader of the remnants.

  And, as expected, the expensive bodyguard of his didn't disappoint him, as Shen Xiaohui offered, "If what my contractor requires is to show a bit of its prowess, why not participate in the [Grudge Arena] as a free cultivator? While not being at the same degree of showing off one's prowess, and far safer, as no duel goes to a level of actual life loss, you would also be able to meet the minor noble characters of our city, and even interact with them, as you fight." Shen Xiaohui knew she was overstepping her boundaries far above the level a client would tolerate, especially with a client that could freeze her on the spot just releasing his mind power - but she still had to speak out, especially, as she had no desire to die protecting some noble outside the city. Even if the noble was stronger than her.

  "Hmm, an arena, meeting the subordinate respectable people of the city, huh..?" Unaware of any listeners as he couldn't expand his senses, Bai Qi acted as if he was thinking it out, all while, internally, he was laughing at maximum,

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  Bai Qi inwardly smirked as he completed the thought,

  Even with joyous thoughts, it wasn't like Bai Qi had lowered his guard, as he asked in a far more direct manner than before, "But that arena... you need a recommendation to get in - right? So, can you get me that so I can get a few known results before meeting with the [Gao Clan], the latter's known to acknowledge more prowess than the backing?" Bai Qi forced himself to contain any emotion as he obtained his objective when he saw his guard nodding. Something that proved his decision to contract the best guards for both Li Xian and himself, the latter, by just some play of the heavens, also a member of the minor powers that used the [Grudge Arena] to solve their issues.

  Li Xia had no way of knowing that the man she considered her benefactor but also held responsible for the events she had survived had arrived in the city. And the more she worried about the real matters of the now, almost based on her, [Hall], the less she knew about that just a challenger towards winning her over, declaring that he would beat any others. Someone hailed as the only heir of an entire 4th-tier power as hers but close to becoming a 3rd-tier one, something not even imagined for years by the senior elders, a challenger and probable future husband had appeared, and even declared him to be so.

  Coming from the [Azure Sky Sect], and even someone backed by the new heroic promise, [Qing Long], or [Azure Dragon] which served as the new genius of the otherwise power, one that thanks to some events were about to reach the 3rd-tier powers, thanks to some of his participation in the [Eastern Inscription City] - where he was hailed as a hero, even if he only evacuated citizens, with a hero faction, even if created around a bare peak Warrior Lord, one that didn't even participate in the battle but somehow saved even Emperor-level individuals.

  *

  Still, a man actually suddenly registered and claimed both the former and the latter as unworthy of attention with someone as Bai Qi disappearing and having no chance at them, quickly garnering both hate and consideration from the entire city. Especially Xiao Qing, the [Little Azure Dragon] being, at least for him, nothing but trash.

  The reaction first coming from the common citizens who observed the duels, with them wishing for a hero, no matter how weak they appeared in this world of Half-Sages and Emperors. The actual man, Xiao Qing, even if hugging the fame of the older, still spewing words about how Bai Qi who escaped as soon as the situation wasn't good, even if just sharing something he would do without any reason, sharing what he, as for a leech-like-being he was, would do. Still, these fools who had nothing to do with the events at the [Dongpo Clan] ruined city were... useful to some.

  *

  Unknown to her, the new Bai Qi acted as the one she had met and traveled with before, making her feel something even for a person she hadn't even met yet, with the dozens of reports suddenly arriving, some cultivator placing not only a bet but also challenging the so-called Sage-realm powerhouse Xiao Qing.

  A person who rode on another's usefulness, added by some of his mind power pressuring down the so-called peace parties, actual Warrior Kings that tried to dissuade him from challenging the so-called hero and his relatives. Regretfully, though, they would face an absolute dismissal for anything that they felt as if being as good-intentioned, as they tried to prevent him from challenging both the relative and the actual so-called hero one after another, all without requesting either rest or recuperation.

  Hells, the young man actually even went to suggest the no truce rule, basically signing his death without any reason. And yet, as it was actually her future in play, one that she had no desire to share with a known adulterer as the man now openly claiming himself over her, and taking even the still protected items of the [Hall] as nothing but a forced dowry, Li Xia somehow felt at ease, even if very worried for the sudden man that appeared and cleared all of the intentions for herself, ones that she had just learned before the actual fight between challenger and challenger commenced.

  Shen Xiaohui intended to discourage her client from dangerous opportunities, especially with the protection she could provide, all to earn her keep without having to act. And yet, the man-actual-envoy from a city that was no less than the one she worked for and who had paid fully for her week didn't show any disappointment as he was criticized about external missions and actually accepted to both look at - and entered the newly-renamed [Grudge Arena] - something that she, as an experienced Warrior King, ended up doing something that she could not even expect.

  *

  Which would end in an actual nightmare for her, as the usually calm arena was, at that moment, a place of showdown for one of the young masters hailing from a power that could be represented in the hall of powers, even if it hailed just from a 4th-tier one, was not only challenged but also his senior, the one that was hailed as a hero during one of the latest incident, and someone who had propelled that power to nearly a 3rd-tier position was well challenged as well, with the gall to say that some run of the mill Warrior King was too below the level one should mention.

   Even if she couldn't openly disparage a client of hers, and she wasn't worried about the so-called [Azure Dragon] killing the former, especially as the latter was just someone that at the utmost just managed to save a few people while under siege, failing to even participate in that shithole of actual powerhouses, even if it went so straightforward as to mean more defeat than a win, latest reports to be believed, She couldn't even think straight, especially with a brother of her husband missing during the events, and the so-called savior having nothing to say? Not to mention that her so-called guard suddenly forced unto her the difference between them, and not using a talk and demonstration as before, but an actual and successful force that had no equals..?

  With this latter question, it was even easier to understand, at least for Shen Xiaohui, as it was easier to cheer for her lacking cultivation but for someone who was far above such a low level, her client actually stunning herself. And yet, as she acknowledged the power of the latter, she also understood that the people on the receiving party, or the person in this case, had no actual possibility of winning.

  And so, as the so-called duel started, and with her being asked by a good deal of past clients, including some related to the person, who with no other choice she could only treat as a victim, she could only sheepishly smile, sending a half-true emotion towards the unexpected guests of this battle, feeling more pity than anything to the people that still expected this opposer of her contractor to win.