A nautical chart lay spread across the Papal Hall.
Vast Sea City stood on the western edge of the Heaven Dou Empire, beyond it stretched a boundless sea. In the past three months, two Spirit Hall patrol ships had vanished there. The merchant convoy listed in Gengxin City's ledgers as carrying the Ten-Thousand-Year Sacred Soul Grass had also gone silent in those waters.
Bibi Dong sat behind the long table, one fingertip resting on a red circle on the chart.
"Vast Sea Branch Hall sent half an urgent report last night. It contained only two words: Black Sail."
"Not many words," Bai Jin said, leaning against the table. "The budget really must be tight."
Yue Guan stood to one side of the hall and couldn't help glancing at him.
Bibi Dong was used to it. She tossed a Sea Route Token in front of Bai Jin. "Take Qian Renxue and the Golden Generation there. Investigate the Branch Hall and find our missing people. Handle any hall members involved according to the evidence, regardless of rank."
"And bring back the Sacred Soul Grass while I'm at it?"
"That was seized on a Spirit Hall mission." Bibi Dong looked at him. "Do you intend to use it to save that Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?"
The hall fell silent.
Bai Jin picked up the Sea Route Token and turned it over. "Let's find it first, then discuss what to do with it. If Tang San wants it, he'll have to offer something Spirit Hall finds satisfactory."
"You really dare make deals on my behalf."
"On Spirit Hall's behalf." Bai Jin smiled. "If that grass can buy a ceasefire that actually holds, it's worth more than it is growing mold in a storeroom."
Bibi Dong neither agreed nor withdrew the order.
She took another list