Shui didn't sense any other disciples in the area, but it didn't seem like the mastermind was among those trapped in the colourful cube. This meant that the outsiders might still gather to attack them. It was unlikely given that this area was being watched, but not impossible if they were serious enough.
Kate, Shui and Pon all waited to see what choice the mastermind would make, and he didn't make them wait long. Soon after the disciples for the ambush had been captured, several groups of presences moving at eerily similar speeds approached the elemental lakes. Shui and Pon returned to Kate's side as they monitored the incoming groups.
"So he's really willing to go this far. Shui, you said you had a way to deal with them. Is that still the case?"
"Yes. Though they do lack the ability of true Earth Realm cultivators, it would still take some time to deal with all of them. However, their weakness is clear."
Instead of explaining, Shui thought that showing what he meant would be more effective. He waited for the outsiders to appear within their sight and then made his move.
"All of you, sleep."
With his voice amplified to reach all of them, Shui's command had immediate effects. The charging outsiders fell to the ground and began crashing into each other in an almost hilarious fashion.
"Wow!"
"What? How did you control all of them in such a short time?"
"It's simple. Despite having the power of the Earth Realm, they haven't formed their phantom palaces, which makes them susceptible to spiritual attacks. Plus, it seems that they're under some heavy brainwashing. As long as I don't directly interfere with their original orders, bending them to my will isn't difficult. Even Cassandra could do it."
"For some reason, I don't think you were trying to compliment me."
Right as Shui had forced the outsiders to sleep, Cassandra appeared on the scene with Luke and Reinhart close behind. Unlike everyone else in the group, Cassandra had entered the Spirit Nest with her most talented maids, but none of them had the privilege of staying for the second day. Perhaps this was why she seemed extra irritable as she approached with a frown.
"Everyone! Did you run into any trouble on the way here?" Kate asked.
"There were a few voyeurs, but they ran instead of confronting me," Cassandra responded.
"I had a similar experience."
"Me too."
While they hadn't been attacked, Cassandra and the others had sensed presences following them. They didn't know the whole picture, but the disciples inside the sealing array that Shui set up and the collapsed men made it rather obvious that trouble was afoot. While Pon and Shui gathered and restrained the two groups of enemies, Kate explained everything to the others.
"I see. It's good that you're safe, Kate."
"I agree. We all knew that Mater would make a move, but I didn't expect he would use such underhanded means just to distract us. Do you know of any place in the Spirit Nest that could make him do this, Luke?"
"No, it's a surprise to me too. However, I think Senior Pon would be able to expound on it."
After hearing about the situation, Luke made no intention of hiding the suspicion as he looked at Pon. He wasn't the heir of his clan, but he was still part of the main branch of the Rai clan, so he naturally knew a few more things that made Pon not as innocent as he claimed.
Shui was still moving the sealing array and adjusting to fit both groups of enemies, but Pon had finished restraining the outsiders and could respond to Luke's comment.
"I understand why you would think otherwise, but I'm not certain of Mater's objective either. However, I have one of my retainers searching for him, so we'll be alerted once he finds something."
No one thought Pon was being completely honest, but they didn't think he was an enemy either, so they reluctantly accepted his presence. Kate had said that she would consider their alliance if his information was right, but for now, she felt it was best to keep it as an alignment of interests.
"I set up a protection array around the lakes, so we should be safe for now. Since we're waiting to get news on Mater's location, I'll be trying out the elemental lakes in the meantime. Anyone else?"
Having dealt with the enemy forces while listening to the conversation, Shui shifted his interest to the elemental lakes. Refining his body would be difficult, but he could definitely improve his insights into the natural elements.
"It has indeed been many days since I last enjoyed a swim. Very well boy, bring me to the most concentrated fire elemental lake here."
"I still don't remember becoming your servant."
Despite the reluctance in his tone, Shui went towards one of the fire elemental lakes.
"I forgot to ask, but what, or rather, who's the creature on Shui's shoulder?"
Reinhart's question addressed the thoughts that both Cassandra and Luke had as they watched the two converse.
Kate shook her head in response, "I don't know any more than you do. She appears to be a powerful fire spirit, but that's about all I know and I haven't had the chance to ask Shui."
"I see. Given her high level of intelligence, she's definitely not an ordinary spirit, but I've never heard of a spirit like that in the Spirit Nest, either. What about the rest of you?"
Even Pon and Luke didn't have any information on her, much less everyone else. It wasn't just their group either, the elders presiding over the event also wondered about the identity of this spirit.
"Could that truly be a spirit? I thought only high-rank spirits could take human form."
"It's possible for very experienced mid-rank spirits as well, but even then there hasn't been a sighting of one for thousands of years.
"Even we only know that the Spirit Nest is a space that has existed since antiquity. Perhaps a mid-rank spirit took residence inside it long ago."
"That's certainly possible."
They discussed the topic with great enthusiasm, but their interest in this matter was actually not much compared to the details surrounding the outsiders that had been restrained. They weren't certain of the method used, but there was obvious foul play involved. Nonetheless, an official investigation would have to wait until the disciples returned from the Spirit Nest.
In a separate area inside Storm Court, there was an elder who actually had more interest in the red spirit than the outsiders. Guest elder Kerr had only been casually looking at the scenes being played by the spirits while polishing his high-quality spirit gems, but his entire demeanour changed once he saw the red humanoid spirit. He couldn't confirm his guess without feeling their presence, but he was almost certain that this was a high-rank spirit, which was basically a myth in the current world. Amateurs wouldn't know, but mid-rank spirits could only maintain human form for a limited time.
His main reason for becoming a guest elder for Storm Sky Manor was to find rare spirits and resources in their spirit sanctuary, but even mid-rank spirits were only suspected of being inside with no confirmation. As a rare spirit walker, he could earn respect in almost any average-level force, but in pure might, he wasn't much better than a core disciple. However, all of that would change if he could contract a high-rank spirit.
He was only allowed to enter the Spirit Nest on the last day, but for the chance to contract a high-rank spirit, giving up his position as guest elder wouldn't make him hesitate.