"P… Princess Cha, to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?"

Outside the sect's main gate, Cha Jin-ri was currently talking with the Heaven Bamboo sect master. There were three robed individuals behind her, their faces slightly hidden by a hood.

"Although, I am afraid we can't invite you inside since we are doing… renovations"

The sect master could not look at Princess Jin-ri in the eye as he gulped nervously. What exactly was the Imperial Princess doing here? They did not even receive any notice from the Palace that someone was visiting, let alone the Princess of all people?

"A renovation?", Jin-ri slightly tilted her head to look behind the gate.

The sect master awkwardly moved to block her sight, "Y...yes", he stuttered as he bowed his head, "It would be our shame if we show our sect in such a state to the respected Princess"

"It's no shame at all", Jin-ri smiled, "Let us inside"

"But… we are renovating?", the sect master let out a nervous breath.

"I heard you the second time", Jin-ri opened her fan as she covered her mouth, "Let me see how the Imperial Palace can help return the prestige of the Heaven Bamboo sect"

Hearing the Princess' words, the sect master could not help but grit his teeth, "We… apologize, Princess", he said as he bowed deeply, "We thank you for your generosity… but we really can't shame ourselves by showing you our dilapidated sect"

"Oh, is that so?", Jin-ri started waving her fan, "Then I will just send a team of contractors to help you"

Jin-ri then nodded as she turned around. But before she can even take a single step, the sect master called for her.

"W...wait!", he howled, "Please, please come inside!".

The sect master then sneakily whispered something to the disciple that was standing beside him, "Hide them. Make sure they don't make any noise"

The disciple nodded as he quickly ran towards the building where the drifters were being held.

"Hm… It really does look old, doesn't it?", Jin-ri hummed as she entered the sect gates, her eyes were like that of a wolf's as she immediately started scanning the inside of the sect.

"But I don't really see any renovation going on?", she continued to look around as she waved her fan.

"That…", a complicated expression instantly painted the sect master's face, "That's because we are still making plans", he then said as he chuckled awkwardly.

"Oh… is that so?"

The sect master could not help but quietly click his tongue. It felt as if he was digging his own hole deeper and deeper with every word that comes out from the Princess' mouth. What exactly does she want here? She still hasn't stated her purpose for being here.

"Y...yes", he replied, "We will be starti--"

"Heeere!"

Before the sect master could finish his words, a loud scream reverberated throughout the sect.

The sect master's eyes could not help but widened in shock as he heard the bellow. He gritted his teeth as he wondered what exactly the disciple he sent was doing. He ordered him to hide the young drifters, not agitate them.

"T...those are our newly captured divine beasts", the sect master reasoned as he chuckled nervously.

"Please help us!", the screams, however, continued.

"..."

"Haha. They are talking divine beasts--", the sect master was going to reason some more, but in the end, he just clicked his tongue as he summoned his weapon, "God damn ancient titties!", he howled as he pointed his spear towards Jin-ri.

As soon as he did this, 8 old men suddenly appeared along with many disciples, completely surrounding Jin-ri and her robed companions in a circle.

"We are sorry for this, Princess", the sect master's voice turned cold, "But we can't let you out now"

"Oh, is that so?", Jin-ri closed her fan, "Are you opposing the Imperial Palace?"

"No one will know if we kill you right here and now!"

"Oh wow… Threatening me, the Princess?", Jin-ri slightly let out a short giggle, "Now I don't even need to see the children you abducted to have a reason to seize your sect"

"!!!"

As soon as the sect master and his elders heard Princess Jin-ri's words, they could not help but widen their eyes in shock as they were taken aback.

So, the Princess already knew!?

"By my Imperial decree, the Heaven Bamboo sect and members are to be arrested and seized for the crimes of kidnapping, illegal trafficking of drifters, treason, and threatening to kill a member of the Imperial Family"

Princess Cha Jin-ri shouted as she raised a small black plate in the air, "Surrender, or you and your family will face the wrath of the Imperial Palace!"

As soon as she finished her words, her 3 robed companions removed their hoods.

Xing Cai slightly rolled her eyes as she summoned her sword. She did not bring her greatsword, as she had a feeling that she wasn't going to use it here.

Jiff immediately took up his stance as he looked around the people surrounding them, his nervous sweat trailing on his face.

Sofia fixed her glasses, she has been gathering her mana since they entered the sect.

Seeing the small black plate in the Princess' hand, the sect master could not help but grit his teeth.

"There's only four of you!", he shouted, "Do you really think you are a match for the whole Heaven Bamboo sect!?"

Anger started to well up inside the sect master's mind. Does the Princess really think they can fight them off with only four people? Did she really think that the Heaven Bamboo sect has regressed that far not to be able to handle a pampered brat like her!?

His thoughts, however, were interrupted by a giggle.

"Do you want to know the real reason why your sect has lost its prestige?", Princess Cha Jin-ri continued to giggle, "It's not because of your old ways", she then shook her head as she once again opened her fan.

"It is just because you are… weak"

She then threw her fan in the air. The branches of her fan quickly separated, turning into blades as they playfully hovered in the air.

And without even having the chance to react, 5 disciples were struck down as the blades flew straight into their brains at a blinding speed. The only thing that the disciples heard was a whistle, and after that, they were dead.

"We need the sect master alive", Jin-ri tone was cold as the blades returned to her, dancing in the air as she waved her fingers, "The others do not matter"

The sect master took a deep breath as he tightened the grip on his spear,

"We will never surrender! We will show you the might of the Heaven Bamboo sect!"

***

"P...please don't kill me!"

The sect master was now kneeling on the floor. The disciples and the elders that were still alive also had their heads on the ground, not even daring to look the Princess in the eye, unless they wanted to suffer the fates of their comrades.

Some attempted to run away, but sadly, their whole sect was now surrounded by a gigantic wall of earth, completely blocking off all the exits they could take.

Princess Cha Jin-ri could not help but raise her eyebrows as she rotated her body to observe this wall. "You really are surrounded by the most interesting people, big sister Xing Cai"

"Who is your sister?", Xing Cai could not help but shiver as she heard Jin-ri call her big sister.

"Where's your Patriarch?"

After admiring Sofia's work, Jin-ri placed her attention towards the kneeling sect master.

"He… he is gone", the sect master meekly said.

"Dead?", Princess Cha Jin-ri tilted her head.

"No… he chose to remain in the first Portal we explored"

Hearing this, Princess Cha Jin-ri let out a burst of mocking laughter, "He probably thinks his disciples have become useless"

The sect master could only twitch his eyes in dissatisfaction. He couldn't really refute now, can he?

"Take us to the children"

Xing Cai interrupted Jin-ri's laughter as she lifted the sect master from the ground.

"A… At once!", the sect master quickly trotted as he guided Xing Cai and the others to the building where the drifters are being held.

"They are inside", the sect master said as he gently opened the door to the drifter's building. What he saw inside, however, almost choked him to death.

The disciple he sent earlier was standing on the side, along with a few other inner core disciples.

And the drifter children, who were supposed to be hidden, were relaxing on the ground as they were having… a feast.

"This…", the sect master's jaw dropped. And it dropped even further as he saw an elder. Kneeling and bent over on the ground.

A golden-haired kid was casually sitting on top of him. And besides the golden-haired kid, was another inner core disciple. The disciple was feeding him some sweets as he held a parasol, blocking the sun from hitting the kid.

"Why is this happening…", the sect master could not help but kneel on the ground, the last embers of his pride slowly tearing into pieces.

Xing Cai could not help but chuckle as tears slightly appeared from her eyes. She remembered the first time she and Viel went inside a dungeon, something similar to this happened.

"Ah!", Viel, who noticed them coming in, waved his hand to signal the disciple feeding him sweets to go away,

"We have visitors. Give them some food"