The aftermath of the battle was a study in contrasts. The surviving Pavilion guards moved with grim efficiency, their movements sharp and practiced as they tended to their wounded comrades, secured the perimeter, and bound their two unconscious captives. Yet, an undercurrent of profound gratitude and wonder had replaced the tension of the fight, a feeling as palpable as the salty coastal air. All eyes, filled not with fear but with sheer, unadulterated awe, kept finding their way to the calm figure of Li Yu.
Captain Feng, his own armor bearing a fresh network of ugly gashes, approached Li Yu, his usual stern demeanor replaced by a deep, unwavering respect. He performed a full, formal bow, his fist clasped over his heart.
"Guest Elder Li," he said, his voice rough with emotion. "On behalf of all my men, I thank you. You saved our lives today."
The other guards, overhearing him, paused their work to offer their own bows, a silent, unified wave of gratitude. They no longer saw just the kind young man who offered advice on their beasts; they saw a guardian whose power defied all logic.
"You fought bravely to protect Elder Quan, Captain," Li Yu replied with a warm, reassuring smile. "I am glad I was here to help my friends. The victory belongs to all of us." He had no interest in being seen as a hero; he had simply protected people he cared about from an unprovoked attack.
Elder Quan, having regained some of his color, approached with a complex expression of relief and wonder. "Li Yu, that was… I have no words. The Black Reef Syndicate are not common bandits. They are a plague upon these coasts. And you…" He trailed off, shaking his head in disbelief.
"They are awake," a guard called out, gesturing to the two Syndicate leaders who were now stirring, their bodies bound tightly with spiritual-energy-inhibiting chains.
Captain Feng's professional mask snapped back into place. "Good. Bring them. We will find out why they dared to show their faces in broad daylight."
The two captives, the greatsword wielder and the chain master, were dragged before them. Their bravado was gone, replaced by a sullen dread, their eyes darting fearfully towards Li Yu.
"I will ask this once, dog of the Black Reef," Captain Feng snarled, pressing the flat of his longsword against the greatsword wielder's throat. "Who hired you? Who gave you the information about Elder Quan's travel plans?"
The Syndicate leader spat a mouthful of bloody saliva onto the ground. "Go to hell, Pavilion dog. We saw an opportunity, and we took it."
"He is not entirely lying," Li Yu's calm voice cut in, drawing everyone's attention. He took a step forward, his gaze leaving the defiant greatsword wielder to settle on the silent chain master, whose eyes were fixed on the ground. "The big one is telling the truth as he knows it. He's just a hired thug who followed orders. But you…" Li Yu's voice became soft, yet carried an immense weight, "...you are the one who is truly afraid. Why is that? Perhaps because you know more than he does?" He paused, letting the silence stretch as the chain master began to tremble slightly. "Let me guess. Someone hired the Syndicate for this job, didn't they? A 'concerned competitor' who wanted to ensure Elder Quan never made it to Coralspire Harbor. And you were their point of contact."
The chain master's head snapped up, his face a mask of pure terror that this young man could so easily and accurately guess his secret. His silence was a potent confession.
Elder Quan's face hardened. "A competitor… So, this was a targeted assassination. Someone is trying to stop us from helping Branch Master Jing." A flicker of anger showed in his eyes. "This changes things. This isn't just a beast running mad; there may be a human hand guiding this crisis."
"It seems your problems run deeper than a single rampaging beast, Elder," Li Yu noted, his tone filled with concern for his friend. "I am glad I came. Whatever this is, we will face it together."
"Thank you, my friend," Quan murmured grimly. "Captain, take them with us. Let Branch Master Jing's experts learn what they know."
The convoy resumed its journey, the atmosphere fundamentally changed. The guards now saw Li Yu as their ultimate assurance of safety, their conversations filled with hushed, excited speculation about the true extent of his power.
Inside the carriage, Elder Quan finally let his own curiosity overflow. "Li Yu, I must ask. My senses are not deceiving me; your cultivation is at the 7th-level of the Foundation Establishment. Yet, the power you just displayed… you defeated two peak experts as if they were children. How is such a thing possible?"
"The quality of one's spiritual energy is more important than the quantity, Elder," Li Yu replied with a friendly smile, happy to share a piece of his understanding with his friend. "My cultivation path is… unique. It allows me to wield a purer, denser form of energy than is typical." He had no intention of revealing the secret of his sanctuary, but he could at least offer a truthful explanation.
For the next two days, they traveled, meeting no further resistance. On the second day, as they passed a wide, shallow estuary where the river met the sea, Li Yu suddenly asked the convoy to halt.
"Elder, if you would permit me a moment," Li Yu said, his eyes scanning the sparkling flats. "I sense a few unique life forms in that water. Small things, of no combat value, but their energy is new to me. I would like to collect some specimens for my research."
"Of course, of course!" Elder Quan agreed enthusiastically, intrigued. The guards watched with interest as Li Yu walked to the water's edge. He didn't cast a net or use a flashy technique. He simply dipped his hand into the water. A gentle, azure light spread from his fingertips, and the water began to swirl.
A moment later, he lifted his hand, and several small, strange creatures floated in a placid sphere of water above his palm: a half-dozen crabs whose shells shimmered with the colors of an oil slick, and a pair of long, slender eels that were as silver and bright as polished needles.
With a flick of his wrist, the sphere of water and the creatures within vanished, drawn into his Koi's Sanctuary. To the onlookers, it seemed they had disappeared into a beast bag.
Late on the third day after the ambush, they crested a high, windswept hill, and their destination came into view. Coralspire Harbor was a breathtaking sight, a city of white and blue stone nestled against a reef of vibrant coral spires.
But a low, dissonant thrum of chaotic energy pulsed from the city, a feeling of deep-seated agitation. A deep, resonant BOOM trembled up from the bedrock beneath the harbor, a concussive wave of pure, unfocused power.
Elder Quan's face went pale. "The Behemoth," he whispered, his voice tight with dread. "It is growing worse."
Li Yu stared at the city, his calm expression unchanged, but his eyes were sharp with focus. He could feel the beast now. It was a colossal vortex of rage and pain, a storm of spiritual energy so powerful it was warping the very fabric of the space around its prison. It was magnificent. It was terrifying. And his friend's friend needed help.
The convoy pressed on, descending the hill towards the city gates, the rhythmic tremors growing stronger with every mile. They were no longer just visiting a troubled branch of the Pavilion. They were entering the cage of a wounded guardian.