Ken and the other four entered the sect's stables and approached one of the boys working in the place.
"Hey, Junior Brother, we are taking an urgent mission, it was mentioned that we can use a flying beast to reach our destination, how do we do that?" Miles asked the stableboy.
"Hello, Senior Brother, show me the mission token. It should include the permission inside," the stableboy greeted him back and explained.
Ken produced the token from his storage ring and handed it over. After scanning it with the same device all facilities had in the sect, he nodded.
"Wait outside, I will bring Eta and Rikka, they will carry you to your destination. Try to distribute your weight equally between the two of them, or one will turn grumpy. Those girls are really sensitive about equality."
"Sure," Miles said and the group left outside.
After waiting for a few minutes, the five heard the scream of a bird from the sky, and raising their heads, they saw two large birds gliding above, gradually nearing the ground for landing.
Ken and his group of four observed as the two brown-feathered birds descended gracefully from the sky, their wings cutting through the air with an inherent elegance.
Landing gently before the group, the avian duo generated a strong gale with their wings, making the men's hair flutter behind them. The birds presented an impressive sight, their feathers a medley of earthy browns with red hues that blended seamlessly with the natural surroundings.
The stableboy jumped off the back of the right bird.
"This is Eta, this is Rikka. Treat them nicely while they work with you and don't forget to feed them. You need to return in one week, but there's enough food for two weeks here. You will be charged 200 medium Qi Stones for every hour you're late to return the girls, which is the hourly renting price for a flying fourth-rank beast."
With keen eyes, the birds regarded the companions before them, a sense of curiosity emanating from their demeanor. Their presence, though unassuming, carried an air of respect, as if acknowledging their duty to serve the cultivators for the next week.
"All right. Miles and Henry will go on Rikka, while the three of us can ride Eta. We will switch midway," Ken instructed. Henry and Miles were the bulkiest in the group, hence, Ken placed them together. He also mentioned they will switch in case one of the birds still found it unfair.
"AAhhh!" The birds called in satisfaction, displaying their contentment with the arrangement.
The five climbed on the birds' backs, holding the brown feathers gently so as to not pluck them by mistake.
"Try to hug their necks or use Qi to stabilize yourselves on their backs until you are used to the ride. Don't pluck any of their feathers!" The stableboy shouted as the birds took off.
"I will lead them. Rikka, follow us," Ken said. He was already experienced in navigating on the back of birds from his time in the desert.
He sat comfortably on the bird's back, or sometimes even stood up just because he could. He enjoyed seeing the other four, especially Max and Jake, struggle to remain on the birds without falling off.
The travel took 13 hours, a great improvement compared to the day and a half they'd need if they chose to travel by foot. The birds circled in the air as they slowly landed, and Jake was thrown off the bird to the ground with a thud.
"Argh"
The rest of the group jumped off more gracefully and a few city guards ran to them. They didn't dare unsheathe their weapons yet as they knew reinforcement was coming from the sect, but they were tensed.
"We are disciples of the Phoenix Feather Sect, we were sent here to help you deal with the beast tide."
The five showed their discipleship tokens and the guards bowed.
"Hello, Lords. Thank you for coming, the first wave just ended a couple of hours ago and we are preparing for the next wave. Would you like to come to the mayor's manor to rest and get briefed?"
"Sure."
Miles was the spokesman of the group as Ken couldn't be bothered with it and Henry did not like to talk. As for Jake and Max, they were the weakest of the group, so it was inappropriate if they were the ones to represent them.
The group was led to a large manor made of white stone. The design was simplistic, but it was clean and elegant. The dining room included a long table that could accommodate up to three dozen diners and large chandeliers were hung across the room, providing it with decent lighting even after the sunset.
ραΠdαsΝοvεl ƈοm Currently, it was early afternoon. Ken took the mission from Sherry on Wednesday afternoon and left the sect 12 hours later. Along with the 13 hours of travel, he arrived in the afternoon.
"Hello, Junior Brothers, you can call me Steven" the mayor greeted them with a friendly smile and gestured toward the seats by his side. The five sat down and looked at him curiously while the food was served.
"Are you a disciple of Phoenix Feather Sect as well?" Miles asked, following the mayor's way of addressing them.
"I used to be. However, I was only an outer disciple of the sect, and I've reached my limit at the early phase of the sixth stage, so although I'm stronger than you right now, you will surely surpass me in the future," the mayor said with a hint of envy in his voice.
"I did not know the outer disciples could reach the sixth stage," Miles said insensitively. It could not be helped, the culture of the inner sect was to look down at those from the outer sect.
"You're right, most of them can't. I was hard-working and always remained at the top of my age group, which is how I also got the position of mayor here. "
The group of six ate while having a casual conversation, avoiding any serious topics during the meal.
"Now, it's time to talk about the real issue. Let me brief you about the beasts," the mayor's face turned serious as everyone reclined back in their chairs after the meal.
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