Haitin could tell that Aksai wasn’t fully engaged in their conversation.
It seemed as if Aksai’s mind was preoccupied with something far more pressing than their current situation.
Haitin assumed Aksai was worrying about his safety and the security of Emerald Cove, especially after killing Bai Yu, a prominent figure from Silver Moon Palace.
“Brother Aksai, are you worried about Silver Moon Palace’s retaliation against you and Emerald Cove because of Bai Yu’s death?” Haitin asked, his voice calm but laced with concern.
In truth, Aksai was more concerned about the potential dangers lurking in Acarnis and Sharang—the two worlds he planned to revisit soon. But he saw no need to correct Haitin’s assumption.
Sometimes, it was better to let people think what they wanted. His silence was answer enough for Haitin, who took it as confirmation.
Haitin smiled slightly, then continued, “It’s understandable. Dealing with the entirety of the Silver Moon Palace is no small matter. Honestly, I never intended to put you in such a difficult spot. At that time, I just wanted to steer you away from the righteous faction.
You were critical to me and the demonic faction—especially since you held Mao’s inheritance. But looking back, if I had known what I know now, I probably wouldn’t have created this headache for you.” His words were sincere, with a hint of regret in his tone.
Aksai raised an eyebrow but remained quiet, curious about where Haitin was going with this.
Haitin paused, clearly weighing his next words. “Brother Aksai, I understand the gravity of the situation I put you in. But… you really don’t have to worry too much.”
Aksai’s curiosity piqued. “Hmm? And why is that?”
“It’s because of Nuya Netherfrost,” Haitin said casually, as though the name explained everything.
Aksai blinked, confusion flashing across his face. “Nuya? I don’t follow. What does she have to do with all this?”
Haitin chuckled lightly at Aksai’s puzzled expression. “Brother Aksai, how much do you know about your fellow island owner?”
Aksai frowned, not sure where this was leading. “Nuya Netherfrost. As far as I know, she’s been a drifting cultivator like me who has some connections with the Purple River Sect.”
Haitin nodded. “That’s true. Nuya is a drifting cultivator who doesn’t get involved in the usual conflicts between the two factions. But you’d be surprised how much influence she holds. Nuya is not just any island owner—let’s just say she has a deeper background.”
Aksai raised his eyebrows. “Please speak freely, brother Haitin,” he said, curiosity clearly piqued.
Haitin scratched the back of his head, looking a bit hesitant. “Actually, brother Aksai, I don’t mind sharing this information. But, it’s about sister Nuya. Her personal matters, to be exact.” He paused, glancing at Aksai to gauge his reaction.
“Um… What kind of relationship do you have with her? I’ve heard that you two are close. I don’t want to cause any conflict between you by revealing things she hasn’t told you herself. Maybe she’ll tell you in the future, but if I say something now, she might get offended.”
Aksai shrugged with a casual smile. “She is my good friend. Don’t worry too much. It should be fine.
I can always pretend I’m hearing things for the first time when she eventually tells me. In fact, knowing in advance gives me a chance to practice my reaction when she finally opens up. Consider it an exercise in diplomacy.”
Haitin couldn’t help but smile at Aksai’s response, his unease melting away. He nearly raised his hand to give a “thumbs up” but quickly stopped himself, remembering the sect elders standing outside the room, watching them from afar. The gesture would have been too casual in their presence.
With a small nod, Haitin continued. “Brother Aksai, have you ever wondered why sister Nuya has such close ties with the Purple River Sect? And, despite those connections, why does she remain a drifting cultivator? It’s quite an anomaly, don’t you think?”
Aksai leaned back slightly, thoughtfully considering the question. “I’ve wondered about that more than a few times,” he admitted.
“But in the end, I didn’t dig into it too deeply simply because it didn’t concern me.
Honestly, Nuya’s odd position with the Purple River Sect is one of the reasons we were able to seize Emerald Cove in the first place.
If she didn’t have any influence in the sect, it would have been difficult for us to legally establish ownership of the island. And if her influence in the Purple River Sect was too great, we wouldn’t be the ones in charge of the island’s affairs.
Our authority would’ve been overtly or covertly redefined by the Purple River Sect itself. After all, influence is never a one-way street. We’d have been turned into puppets, more or less.
So, Nuya’s awkward positioning with the Purple River Sect worked out in our favor. It still has its advantages.
So why would I mess with something that’s clearly benefiting us?” He smiled, though there was a hint of curiosity in his voice.
Haitin nodded, understanding the pragmatic approach.
“Besides,” Aksai continued, “Nuya’s a close friend. I didn’t want to pry or pressure her into explaining things until she was ready to talk about it herself. Everyone has their reasons for keeping certain things private, right?”
Haitin leaned in slightly, lowering his voice as if to underscore the weight of his words. “Brother Aksai, what I’m about to tell you is confidential to some extent, but among the upper echelons of the Dadangar Subcontinent, it’s something of an open secret.”
He paused, studying Aksai’s face for a bit before continuing.
“The only reason I’m telling you this is because you have a good relationship with Nuya, and, well, you’re co-owner of an island with her.”
Aksai simply nodded, signaling Haitin to continue.
“Brother Aksai, you know how complex the relationship is between the righteous and demonic factions here,” Haitin began, his tone steady.
“It’s not exactly a secret that we don’t get along. Most of the time, we try to stay as far away from each other as possible, but when the beast tides hit, it’s a different story. In those moments, we’re allies, working together for the greater good.”
He paused, letting the idea sink in before continuing. “But after that, it’s back to business as usual—like oil and water. Or rather, like frost and fire in this case. We’ll come together for a crisis, sure, but we can never fully mix.
But sometimes… ice and fire do mix because of various reasons. Do you know what happens when these two opposing forces meet? They give birth to a special child that has a special status in both factions. Special and odd in its own ways.”