"Hmm~... this is quite interesting"
Song Minfu looked at Wu Long with clear surprise at his willingness to participate in such an event. He did not take him for someone interested in such things, but Wu Long's thoughts remained unreadable to him no matter how he tried to see through him.
"The Winter Forest Hunt does not have an exact date, since it happens when the beast tide becomes saturated enough to start moving, but by our estimates it should happen around two months from now"
Qiu Yilan looked at Wu Long with a similarly interested expression. She knew that he was likely interested in a certain resource their Spiritual Land was abundant with, but it did not matter much since there was no shortage of it, especially in the deeper parts the Winter Forest valley was located in.
"But I have to warn you, this time the tide is estimated to be bigger than any previous recorded one"
She then had a sharp look, her hand grasping the armrest slightly tightening.
"I understand"
Wu Long nodded, as he expected as much. He knew that this world was going through changes in the last decade or more, ones he noticed a year ago when he awakened.
As they talked, another earthquake shook the surroundings, but considerably less intense than the one that happened the day before.
'Heh, a lingering echo of yesterday's shift'
Despite the lower intensity the people in the hall looked around as they raised their caution while Wu Long narrowed his eyes slightly.
'Still, the situation is gradually progressing. The problem is that the pace of progression and the changes in that pace are unpredictable'
He thought as he felt noticeable improvements in the quantity of Spiritual Qi after the earthquake the day before, and it was quite possible that this effect would carry over to the rate at which the quantity and quality of Spiritual Qi in the air constantly improved.
This meant that adjustments were required in his estimations of how the events would progress from now on.
'Would it affect the coming turbulence on this continent?'
Wu Long wondered. He did not base his confidence on predictions, only the ability to deal with whatever comes his way, but it did not mean that he did not at least partially rely on them to deal with his problems efficiently.
That is to say, he could handle his plans going wrong, but it would be more work for him than if everything unfolded by his estimations.
'I may need to visit my gardeners sooner after all. At this rate the Violet Retribution Hydrangeas will bloom ahead of the time I predicted'
His thoughts then switched to the Corrupt Path cultivators he met in the Gugong Kingdom on the Wood Spirit Continent, and the medicine that was preciously raised by them.
Though it did not mean that he had to depart immediately, the initial estimate of one year he gave was now likely off by a couple of months.
As he was going over the repercussions the changes that were occurring would bring about, the Crown Prince exchanged a conversation with the Sect Leader that was mostly about the health and well-being of older Sect Members who were in closed-door seclusions.
"Would you be staying in the sect for today?"
The Sect Master finally asked as she was prepared to extend hospitality for the guests but Wu Long and Song Minfu both shook their heads.
"We appreciate the generous offer, but we do have a long travel ahead, and there are preparations to be held"
Wu Long replied for the group and the others nodded in agreement.
The group then said their farewells and left the hall, led by Grand Elder Wen Mei who greeted them.
As they reached the gates, Wen Mei warmly smiled at Sui Luxiao.
"It is a pity you would not be staying, do not take the Sect Master's attitude to heart. She can be a strict person, but deep down she is as happy to see you as I am"
"I understand, Grand Elder Wen. Please send my regards to the Sect Master and everyone"
Sui Luxiao nodded and bowed in farewell as the group left the premises of the Frozen Garden Palace and descended the mountain, arriving at the town inns they were staying in a few hours later.
"Hmph! Those stuck up meanies!"
Wu Mengqi snorted as soon as they entered their room as Wu Long chuckled.
"Wu Long..."
Sui Luxiao looked at him with a worried expression and he nodded.
"Yes, there is definitely a problem there, but don't worry. Frozen Garden Palace will not fall that easily"
"Eh?"
He reassured her while Wu Mengqi made a confused sound with a lost expression.
"There is an internal struggle within the Frozen Garden Palace"
Sui Luxiao explained, as Wu Mengqi's and Bi Rui's eyes gradually widened while she talked. It did look like there was some tension between the Grand Elders present in the Main Hall but they did not expect that the problem was so dire.
"I do not have any attachment to being a member of the Frozen Garden Palace, but it still worries me that there seems to be a traitor in their midst. One that could possibly turn them into our enemies"
Sui Luxiao then turned back to Wu Long who smiled at her reassuringly.
"As I said, don't worry. We will be coming back here for the Winter Forest Hunt anyway, so we can deal with that later. Not to mention that there is a merit in letting the trouble brood"
"Merit? Is that somehow related to the reason you don't deal with the trouble in the Yin Yang Unity Palace?"
"Correct"
Wu Long nodded, as the three looked at him with rapt attention. He chuckled and proceeded to explain.
"Do you know a certain type of wood peckers that put acorns into the wood?"
He asked and Bi Rui nodded while Sui Luxiao had a look of realization on her face.
"Yes, the Imperial gardeners were often frustrated because of them. If I remember correctly, they put the acorns into the trees so that insects lay their eggs in them, and then when the larvae hatches they can harvest them easily... you mean?!"
She started remembering what she knew of the bird and then came to a realization at the same time with Wu Mengqi.
"Yes, I am using the exact same method to cleanse the Yin Yang Unity Palace of future troubles"
He nodded, making the three gasp as they finally understood his laid-back approach to a seemingly grave problem. If Wu Long dealt with the problem immediately without letting it fester, there would remain those who waited for the last moment to switch sides, undiscovered, laying low in the sect until later times.
"Does it mean that the Palace Master too...?"
"No, the Palace Master was just too lazy to deal with the problem before"
Wu Mengqi asked with astonishment, her words trailing off as she was starting to feel that the impression she was given of that woman was wrong, but Wu Long wryly smiled as he shook his head.
"Ah~ I see"
Wu Mengqi chuckled as that seemed about in character with what she heard about Lian Zhiqiu.
"Hmm~... this is quite interesting"
Song Minfu looked at Wu Long with clear surprise at his willingness to participate in such an event. He did not take him for someone interested in such things, but Wu Long's thoughts remained unreadable to him no matter how he tried to see through him.
"The Winter Forest Hunt does not have an exact date, since it happens when the beast tide becomes saturated enough to start moving, but by our estimates it should happen around two months from now"
Qiu Yilan looked at Wu Long with a similarly interested expression. She knew that he was likely interested in a certain resource their Spiritual Land was abundant with, but it did not matter much since there was no shortage of it, especially in the deeper parts the Winter Forest valley was located in.
"But I have to warn you, this time the tide is estimated to be bigger than any previous recorded one"
She then had a sharp look, her hand grasping the armrest slightly tightening.
"I understand"
Wu Long nodded, as he expected as much. He knew that this world was going through changes in the last decade or more, ones he noticed a year ago when he awakened.
As they talked, another earthquake shook the surroundings, but considerably less intense than the one that happened the day before.
'Heh, a lingering echo of yesterday's shift'
Despite the lower intensity the people in the hall looked around as they raised their caution while Wu Long narrowed his eyes slightly.
'Still, the situation is gradually progressing. The problem is that the pace of progression and the changes in that pace are unpredictable'
He thought as he felt noticeable improvements in the quantity of Spiritual Qi after the earthquake the day before, and it was quite possible that this effect would carry over to the rate at which the quantity and quality of Spiritual Qi in the air constantly improved.
This meant that adjustments were required in his estimations of how the events would progress from now on.
'Would it affect the coming turbulence on this continent?'
Wu Long wondered. He did not base his confidence on predictions, only the ability to deal with whatever comes his way, but it did not mean that he did not at least partially rely on them to deal with his problems efficiently.
That is to say, he could handle his plans going wrong, but it would be more work for him than if everything unfolded by his estimations.
'I may need to visit my gardeners sooner after all. At this rate the Violet Retribution Hydrangeas will bloom ahead of the time I predicted'
His thoughts then switched to the Corrupt Path cultivators he met in the Gugong Kingdom on the Wood Spirit Continent, and the medicine that was preciously raised by them.
Though it did not mean that he had to depart immediately, the initial estimate of one year he gave was now likely off by a couple of months.
As he was going over the repercussions the changes that were occurring would bring about, the Crown Prince exchanged a conversation with the Sect Leader that was mostly about the health and well-being of older Sect Members who were in closed-door seclusions.
"Would you be staying in the sect for today?"
The Sect Master finally asked as she was prepared to extend hospitality for the guests but Wu Long and Song Minfu both shook their heads.
"We appreciate the generous offer, but we do have a long travel ahead, and there are preparations to be held"
Wu Long replied for the group and the others nodded in agreement.
The group then said their farewells and left the hall, led by Grand Elder Wen Mei who greeted them.
As they reached the gates, Wen Mei warmly smiled at Sui Luxiao.
"It is a pity you would not be staying, do not take the Sect Master's attitude to heart. She can be a strict person, but deep down she is as happy to see you as I am"
"I understand, Grand Elder Wen. Please send my regards to the Sect Master and everyone"
Sui Luxiao nodded and bowed in farewell as the group left the premises of the Frozen Garden Palace and descended the mountain, arriving at the town inns they were staying in a few hours later.
"Hmph! Those stuck up meanies!"
Wu Mengqi snorted as soon as they entered their room as Wu Long chuckled.
"Wu Long..."
Sui Luxiao looked at him with a worried expression and he nodded.
"Yes, there is definitely a problem there, but don't worry. Frozen Garden Palace will not fall that easily"
"Eh?"
He reassured her while Wu Mengqi made a confused sound with a lost expression.
"There is an internal struggle within the Frozen Garden Palace"
Sui Luxiao explained, as Wu Mengqi's and Bi Rui's eyes gradually widened while she talked. It did look like there was some tension between the Grand Elders present in the Main Hall but they did not expect that the problem was so dire.
"I do not have any attachment to being a member of the Frozen Garden Palace, but it still worries me that there seems to be a traitor in their midst. One that could possibly turn them into our enemies"
Sui Luxiao then turned back to Wu Long who smiled at her reassuringly.
"As I said, don't worry. We will be coming back here for the Winter Forest Hunt anyway, so we can deal with that later. Not to mention that there is a merit in letting the trouble brood"
"Merit? Is that somehow related to the reason you don't deal with the trouble in the Yin Yang Unity Palace?"
"Correct"
Wu Long nodded, as the three looked at him with rapt attention. He chuckled and proceeded to explain.
"Do you know a certain type of wood peckers that put acorns into the wood?"
He asked and Bi Rui nodded while Sui Luxiao had a look of realization on her face.
"Yes, the Imperial gardeners were often frustrated because of them. If I remember correctly, they put the acorns into the trees so that insects lay their eggs in them, and then when the larvae hatches they can harvest them easily... you mean?!"
She started remembering what she knew of the bird and then came to a realization at the same time with Wu Mengqi.
"Yes, I am using the exact same method to cleanse the Yin Yang Unity Palace of future troubles"
He nodded, making the three gasp as they finally understood his laid-back approach to a seemingly grave problem. If Wu Long dealt with the problem immediately without letting it fester, there would remain those who waited for the last moment to switch sides, undiscovered, laying low in the sect until later times.
"Does it mean that the Palace Master too...?"
"No, the Palace Master was just too lazy to deal with the problem before"
Wu Mengqi asked with astonishment, her words trailing off as she was starting to feel that the impression she was given of that woman was wrong, but Wu Long wryly smiled as he shook his head.
"Ah~ I see"
Wu Mengqi chuckled as that seemed about in character with what she heard about Lian Zhiqiu.
