Chapter 113: Hesitation

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“Black Feather?”

Chirp.

“Fierce Talon?”

Chirp.

“Bright Claw?”

Chirp.

Liu Jin sighs as his eagle says no to yet another name. Already, his pet’s body is taking a sleeker shape as his baby feathers start to fall off. No longer is he a ball of fluff. No longer does Liu Jin need to wear a nest on his head, something he is quite thankful for. It would have been awkward if he had gone into the Armory like that.

It is already late in the afternoon, and Liu Jin and his bird are relaxing in the same spot of green where they met Feng Hao. Khong Hu may have told him to avoid being alone, but he doesn’t have to worry about being attacked by someone like Xi Mou here. That is not to say this spot is entirely safe, but his eagle seems to like it for some reason.

Liu Jin really should have come up with a name for him already.

Bei Hong and Lu Mei have suggested plenty of names over the past few days, as had some disciples of the Apothecary. Had Huang Shing not been in an isolation chamber, Liu Jin doesn’t doubt he’d have come up with a few as well. Even Khong Hu has done so.

However, Liu Jin had turned down every single one.

They simply did not feel right.

He frowns.

No, that’s not it. Rather, it’s hard for him to decide on a proper name with so many things on his mind lately.

The Crimson Cloud Tournament, for starters.

Liu Jin had learned of it from Xiao Nan a long time ago. It is a tournament held every four years in the capital of the Crimson Cloud Empire. Only those under 21 are allowed to compete, and every sect and clan in the Empire sends their best there. It is a momentous event that allows the many factions of the Empire to compete against each other in a relatively safe way.

However, to him, it had just been, “A Tournament in which Elder Brother had participated in.” Nothing more. Nothing less. Its relevance only extended as far as Xiao Nan’s role in it. That was the scope of Liu Jin’s interest.

He can no longer afford to think like that.

He is no longer Liu Jin of Eastern Port City. He is Liu Jin, son of Liu Jianguo and disciple of Old Jiang. He is Liu Jin, brother-in-law of the Xiao Sect’s future Patriarch. He is Qing Jin, disciple of the Eternal Flame Clan.

The Crimson Cloud Tournament is not something he can ignore.

Four years ago, the Xiao Sect made it to the Top 100 thanks to the efforts of Xiao Nan. In terms of talent, not a single person in the main branch came close to him. Liu Jin is sure the same can be said for the other branches of the Xiao Sect. Furthermore, the best disciples of the Xiao Sect all lived in Eastern Port City. Without them, the various Branch Masters would have to agree on who to send.

Without a central authority, Liu Jin does not dare to imagine the mess that ensued.

Besides, is there any point in doing so?

The Crimson Cloud Tournament has already begun. The Xiao Sect has already chosen its participants. Is Liu Jin meant to leave the Eternal Flame Clan and go to Xiao Fang’s side? No. From the beginning, he had decided this was more important than the fate of the Xiao Sect. Xiao Fang… he had probably understood that. That is why he had not once mentioned the Crimson Cloud Tournament in the message he sent through Lei Kong.

What Liu Jin needs to do right now is focus on how the Crimson Cloud Tournament is affecting the Eternal Flame Clan.

Liu Jin snorts.

It is amusing, really. The way a person can simply fail to connect the dots. Liu Jin had noticed some of the older disciples had been busy with something, but it had never occurred to him to look into it. At the time, it had simply been something to be thankful for. It guaranteed Huang Shing and Bei Hong’s antics wouldn’t attract the attention of someone much stronger than them.

Now, everything is clear to him. The disciples had been busy because they had been putting more effort into their training in hopes of being chosen for the Crimson Cloud Tournament. That had been far more important than a few unruly Inner Disciples.

Unfortunately, those who had selected the participants for the Crimson Cloud Tournament had not done so in an impartial way.

That is why Feng Zhi had not been chosen.

Even though he is only in the First Level of the Earth Realm, someone as important as Feng Zhi would usually be sent along with the delegation, if only so he’d gain more experience. However, that had not happened.

Once Liu Jin had started asking his fellow disciples in the Apothecary about it, it became surprisingly easy to piece everything together. It is just as Lu Mei had said when they had been traveling to Night Phantasm City. Sometimes asking is all it takes.

The Division of External Relations and Internal Disputes both support Lord Feng Shang. Those two divisions are largely the ones in control of selecting the participants for the tournament and had chosen disciples aligned with them. That way, when they won, it’d be Lord Feng Shang’s victory.

From the beginning, it had been impossible for Feng Zhi to be chosen. That is why Elder Xue had sent him on the mission to Night Phantasm City. In that way, she was able to control the narrative. It wasn’t that Feng Zhi had been rejected. Rather, he had been busy attending other duties.

Still, while that saved Feng Zhi’s image to some degree, it did nothing for the larger picture. If the disciples chosen by Lord Feng Shang can claim victory in the tournament, that will boost Lord Feng Shang’s reputation. During the last Crimson Cloud Tournament, it had been his son, Feng Zhuo, who took first place. If the Eternal Flame Clan won again, this time without Feng Zhuo, it’d be further proof of Lord Feng Shang’s qualifications.

However, things do not seem to be going so smoothly.

The Core Disciple Liu Jin met the other day, Xi Mou, is someone who has already been eliminated from the tournament. The Department of External Relations has been trying to control most of the information sent from the capital, but such is simply not possible, especially when petitions for supplies keep arriving.

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Said petitions have apparently been repeatedly delayed by the Armory and the Apothecary. Only the Medical Pavilion has consistently sent supplies. That is why that Core Disciple had been in the Amory.

However, it is unlikely he will accomplish what he was ordered to do.

After all, Lord Feng Shang is in the capital right now. In his absence, it is Lord Feng Gui who wields the most authority within the compound. Patriarch Feng Zhang may be the absolute authority in the Sect, but he is far too focused in his cultivation to pay much attention to the day-to-day affairs of the Eternal Flame Clan.

That is why the Division of External Relations has not been able to make more out of Feng Zhi’s lukewarm performance in Night Phantasm City. Had they tried, Lord Feng Gui would have stopped them. Besides, any potential disgrace suffered by Feng Zhi would fade away all too soon if they happened to perform poorly at the tournament.

Liu Jin sighs and shakes his head.

He knows all of this, yet what is he to do with that information?

“Am I scary?”

A startled gasp comes from above. The corners of Liu Jin’s mouth twitch upwards.

“You sensed me.”

Feng Hao does not make any sound as he steps into the ground. The tree in which he was hiding barely rustles. Just like before, he looks at Liu Jin with dubious eyes. The expression, however, is ruined when Liu Jin’s eagle instantly jumps on top of his head.

“I did.”

Feng Hao frowns at him. Liu Jin gets the feeling he’s attempting to be intimidating, but he’s still too young and round-faced to pull it off.

“I hid my Qi.”

“You lowered your Qi,” Liu Jin corrects him. “That is not the same thing.”

Feng Hao’s frown deepens. Once again, the effect is ruined. This time because his eagle is playing with his hair.

No matter how much Liu Jin looks at him, he’s just a kid.

“It’s not?”