Heaven's Daughter

Chapter 43-Darkness Within the Heart

Over the next few days, word got around that a powerful female cultivator with a black token black tassel was staying in Hu City and she even managed to gain a group of followers. Since there weren't many black token holders, Kairi was recognized easily by the city people.

"Master, I thought you said to keep a low profile," Xiao Huo joked. Kairi glared at him and held up her fist and he quickly snapped his mouth shut. Since her little debacle at the tavern, people had been staring at her like an animal from the zoo.

"They keep staring at us," Xiao Huo whispered feeling a little self-conscious.

"Just ignore them. Once something new happens in the city, they'll forget about us," Kairi told him and it was indeed true because that very same day as the two of them were heading for the mercenary core to accept the job she heard about yesterday, news erupted about an extremely dangerous job and the reward for it was three legendary treasures.

"Did you hear about the new job that was listed at the mercenary core?"

"Ah! The one about protecting a beautiful maiden?"

"Yea, that one! Apparently a notice came out about an extremely beautiful woman has become the target of the infamous Evil Cultivator Sect. I've seen her portrait and she's a real beauty!" Kairi heard one of the passerby say. Xiao Huo raised a perfect eyebrow as he grinned at his master.

"Three legendary treasure for protecting a beautiful maiden? Master, let's take the job!" Xiao Huo exclaimed. His eyes lit up at the thought. Kairi sighed heavily and massaged the bridge of her nose. She wondered where her innocent and naïve baby bird had gone.

They made it to the entrance of the Mercenary Core and happened to see Gao Yang greeting fellow mercenaries.

"Ah, Young Master Gao Yang," Kairi greeted him. He kindly returned the same gesture.

"Have you two heard about the newest mission?" he asked.
"The one about protecting a beautiful maiden?" she asked.

"Correct. The one who commissioned it is willing to give up three heavenly treasures," he said.
"I see. Do you know who commissioned the job?"

"I'm sorry but it's classified. A few others have already signed on. They're asking for as many help as they can since the Evil Cultivator Sect is quite a hard group to go against. Why don't you two sign up for it?" he suggested. Kairi has never heard of this Evil Cultivator Sect before so she figured it must've been formed after she left Xiao You's body.
"Can you tell me more information about this Evil Cult sect?" Kairi asked.

Ah, my curiosity never ceases to amaze me...

"No one knows for sure who the leader is nor how it was formed but they appeared about five years ago. According to sources we received, every single member of the sect uses dark energy to cultivate instead of spiritual energy, which is why they were deemed the Evil Cult Sect," Gao Yang explained.

"Strange..."

"Stranger yet is once a year, a woman is abducted by the sect and is never seen from again. What's even worse is they send out a notice a month ahead of time as if to mock the family of the woman's. I've also heard that every woman who was abducted all looked similar," Gao Yang said with a frown. Kairi had initially wanted to take on the job that was willing to pay in gold coins but this job was just as interesting and she was quite interested in the heavenly treasures.

"Let me think about it before I decide," Kairi said.

"I've also signed up for this job. I'll be expecting a good reply," Gao Yang told her before he took off on his rounds.