Having made all the necessary arrangements, Yang Qing decided to go to the Medical Valley to inform Ma Yuan of his departure, whilst he was there, he would also try and help out for an hour to further hone his abilities.

After losing the use of his physique temporarily, and realizing the gains he had made after, when it came back, Yang Qing promised himself to continue with the same practice of his spells and techniques without the aid of his physique, and with its aid so he could hone his base abilities, and increase his sensitivity to the effects his physique had an all his abilities.

When he arrived, he found Tan Jue had already begun her daily treatment of Ma Ling, with Ma Yuan waiting patiently at the side still wearing the same nervousness he had on him the first time he saw Ma Ling surrounded by a silver water cocoon.

Yang Qing told him of his departure without getting too much into it which he wasn't sure Ma Yuan heard, as he was a bundle of nerves.

Yang Qing then left for the general admissions hall, to deal with the never-ending stream of injured cultivators. It was during his duties that he got a call about someone and something he had forgotten about.

"Yang Qing where are you? I heard you were back, I already prepared the list for you.."

"Vice Warden Shao An! Sorry, it had escaped my mind. I'm at the Medical Valley doing my rounds, but I am just about done, I could come over..""There is no need for that. I was about to meet up with Ren Shu later anyway, I might as well do it now. Give me a few seconds.."

When the call ended, Yang Qing couldn't help but take a deep breath of relief. After his first experience at the Requiem, he did not want to step in there. He still couldn't forget the terrifying presence he felt lurking at the bottomless abyss beneath the twelve humongous mountains. The thought of going back there again blood run cold.

As promised, in less than ten seconds had already appeared silently beside Yang Qing who was startled at first before he smiled as he cupped his fists in greeting at the taciturn-looking youth in black robes whose eyes showed the vicissitudes of life standing next to him.

"Vice warden Shao An.."

"Yang Qing.."

Before Yang Qing could suggest they move to a different place to talk as they were currently in the middle of the medical hall, Vice Warden Shao An calmly said,

"We are already isolated in my domain.."

Yang Qing couldn't help but raise his eyebrows in surprise as he didn't notice a thing. Curiously, he started looking around him trying to sense anything out of place. He was pulled out of his investigation by Vice Warden Shao An's mirthful comment.

"You can't feel it, not even someone in the middle stages of the domain realm can notice it. Only someone at the same level as I am can notice it's there.."On hearing that, Yang Qing promptly gave up on his curiosity with a sheepish grin. The Vice Warden before was rumored to already have half a foot into the soul formation realm if only those of his level could sense the domain's presence, an early-

stage palace realm weakling had no business sensing around for it.

"Since I broke through, instead of feeling stronger, my interactions and experiences only make me feel weaker and weaker..." Yang Qing aggrievedly thought.

"Here.." Vice Warden Shao An said as he handed Yang Qing a light blue jade slip filled with complex runes.

"The list you wanted is in there. I've provided seven names, as per your new role, you can only supervise three. They are all from the horse mountain, while you'd be able to handle those from the ox mountain with the restrictions we have in place, I think it would be easier to handle those at the same level as you..."

Because they were dealing with sensitive information as it involved prisoners of the Requiem, Vice Warden Shao An could only hand over the slip personally, as the runes inscribed on the slip could only be activated by him. He helped Yang Qing register his spiritual imprint on the sip that would grant him and him alone, access to its contents even without Shao An being there.

Once he was done, Vice Warden Shao An said,

"Sorry, I can't stay too long, my schedule is rather hectic of late. Once you have made your decision please inform me and don't take too long as I am about to go into seclusion in the next two or three months, hence the busy schedule.."

"I am about to leave for a few days to establish contact with my network. I will look over the list during my travel, and hopefully, by the time I'm back, I will have already made my decision. Thank you for your help with this, Vice Warden Shao An.."

"It's nothing, besides, in a way you're lessening my workload.." Shao An said with a smile as he disappeared a second later leaving an envious-looking Yang Qing who wondered when he would get to be that powerful.

He couldn't detect Vice Warden Shao An's coming or going, despite him being in front of him. Facing such an opponent, he wouldn't even realize how he died.

"I might as well do what I am good at.." Yang Qing muttered as he used the remainder of the few minutes remaining to heal as many cultivators as he could in a bid to lift his spirits, which it did when he saw the dumbfounded looks on the faces of his patients and the medical valley trainees who looked at him like he was like some sort of monstrous saint.

Soaking in the looks of admiration and awe, Yang Qing's mood improved as he sauntered away, making his way to Gold Eagle Town.