As it turned out, even cultivators didnt go to war zones for no reason. Velvet knew that, and also that cultivators could always co up with a reason, but while wealth, fa, and power were all valid reasons for so, the actual excuse she needed was a connection. As a lone individual, she would stand out in a place with relatively fewer individuals. It also happened to be where security would be the highest, as they were watching for enemy spies. And she just so happened to be one of those, despite having no connection to the western barbarians.
It took several years for her to properly build up an identity that would be sufficient, especially since she also wanted to avoid the Limitless Edge without seeming like she was doing so. As it turned out, fanatic sword cultivators were quite fond of war zones. There wasnt a lack of opportunities for violence within the Exalted Quadrant, but the violence was certainly restrained throughout most of the region.
Velvet took ti to review her reasons for going to the border before she actually committed. She wanted more information, and detailed information wasnt available where she was. Not without spending too long interacting with a single sect, building up reputation with them. She could easily reveal too much about herself over a long ti, and a single mistake could ruin everything. As an Integration cultivator, while she wasnt exactly a rarity, their total numbers were probably in the thousands. Perhaps tens of thousands, given the at many hundreds of highly populated systems in the Exalted Quadrant- though that information wasnt easily available. The important part was that soone who actually had access to all of that could morize every single individual. And even if being unknown wasnt an instant red flag, it would be another way to slip up if she interacted with the wrong people.
Perhaps she was being paranoid. The Exalted Quadrant overall acted as one entity, but it had many factions within who were likely unwilling to share all of their information. But that was another reason they would want to learn all they could about others of note.
Could she learn about the western barbarians on the battlefield? Surely there would be so information available. But she might learn more among them. Of course, trying to infiltrate their side ca with another layer of dangers, and would bring her even further from the Scarlet Alliance. Though they were already too far away to help her.
Gaining a position as a scout without revealing the whole of her abilities had been difficult but at least it would give her a good reason to sneak about and nobody would necessarily think that she might be spying on both sides during her excursions. Because ultimately, while these western barbarians were important, it was only for how they might cause trouble for the Exalted Quadrant. Velvet hoped they were a big source of trouble, because the Scarlet Alliance needed that as much as possible.
-----
Devon wasnt certain whether he should be excited or disappointed that it only took a few years for others to begin confirming his discoveries concerning Vrelt. Specifically it was through the use of technology, essentially giant telescopes pointed at the planet from the edge of their system. Except instead of looking for visual information along any spectrum, they were only interested in natural energy and specifically the auras of cultivators.
Apparently, the devices could detect connections to the upper realms. Specifically, how certain cultivation thods tied to the formations that would draw in ascending cultivators. Each sect had their own specifics and the process was inexact, but it seed to track to a connection within a few hundred lightyears. Which was sufficient enough to confirm that everything pointed to the Trigold Cluster.
Devon was happy to have spurred such developnts forward- they might have already been in the works, but to confirm his words they had been pushed to the forefront of the production chain. As for whether that ant people believed him or didnt, Devon was uncertain. At least it ant they took his word seriously. And while they seed to make it seem easy, he was a cultivator developing a technique on his own and they were a team of many people working together.
Ultimately, it wasnt as if they were trying to replace him. And honestly, if they did Devon might find that acceptable. As long as their various thods of oversight in place kept people working towards the sa purposes, he didnt terribly mind if he beca insignificant. It might even open up so opportunities.
But for now, plans were being made to deal with them. They couldnt leave a festering wound near their territory. The only issue was trying sothing that would result in the least unnecessary casualties. So people were for an all-out assault, gathering as many people from their alliance as possible and crushing their cultivators- but most likely that would end up with conflict with the locals not part of the Trigold Cluster sects. And since they had Assimilation equivalent cultivators, that ant risk for the alliance forces and a significant loss for the local developnt any ti one of those died. At a certain point, they might as well just destroy the planet and be done with it.
But of course, that option was never actually entertained. There were wise voices from Ceretos, Weos, Rutera, and even Ekict and the current Sylanis Cluster. Other relatively smaller mbers of the alliance such as Udre and Gnadus also had good leadership. The Lower Realms alliance was based on cooperation and growth. While there were many stumbling blocks along their way, they tried their best to maintain peace with those they could. Which ant not the Trigold Cluster, since they had made their tactics quite clear. And the Exalted Quadrant was relatively disfavored as well.
The point was, many of the people had dealt with the infiltration of the Trigold Cluster, and thus wanted to give Vrelts natives their own chance. Vrelt had so far refused diplomacy, and the infiltration of the Trigold Cluster was deep so they couldnt just point out a minority of bad eggs and tell Vrelt to deal with themselves.
So the decision had been made that there would be diplomacy, even if they had to be a bit heavy handed about it. Devons interest in the system and his mobility made him a good candidate though not for a diplomat. Instead, he would be a guard for whoever it was being sent over. Preferably soone who could honestly say they hadnt been spying on the planet themselves.
There were any number of ways things could go wrong, of course. There was a risk to Devon and any other mbers of the diplomatic group, since powerful influences on Vrelt didnt want them around. But they were going to make it clear they had more power to back things up. That would hopefully at least keep Devon from getting killed, because he personally didnt think sacrificing his own life as an excuse to attack the planet would be worth it.
But now the plan was under way, the envoy scheduled to arrive in only a few months along with a show of force. In the anti, Devon continued to try to find useful information. His first goal was to apprise himself of the strongest cultivators, but he knew that those werent always the most influential. Sotis there were so with ambition who hid behind others, or simply lacked sufficient talent to stand on top. They could be more dangerous than others, in the right circumstances. Hopefully, whoever was sent would be able to deal with such things. Devon would prefer to stick to just keeping soone alive, as that was easier than wading through the mire of politics.
-----
I still cant believe you dragged to the Everheart system, Vari complained to Chikere.
Chikere shrugged, Didnt you advance to Augntation? I dont think you should be upset about that.
Did you know I was going to? Vari asked.
Chikere tilted her head. I dont think so?
You should know if you know things!
Hmmn. I knew you were the right person to bring. Besides, you could have stopped .
I could have let you go alone, Vari countered. Which would probably lead to you dying. And while I dont have as much history with you as Catarina and the rest, I still want you to live. And I couldnt just explain letting you run off to them.
One of the very people in question approached them on their return to Xankeshan. Catarina looked at Chikere and frowned. It seems we will have to reconsider certain aspects of our grand formation, if you were able to cut your way out so easily. Its not tuned to specifically block you, but still. It should have sufficed. And I would have liked so warning you were going.
Its her fault, Vari said. She dragged us along without giving ti to prepare.
Obviously, Catarina agreed.
You had a few minutes, Chikere countered.
I couldnt exactly do much with you dragging around, Vari reminded her. But whatever. We made it back.
And not without so benefits, it seems, Catarina said. Both of you reached Augntation? This might be the biggest single day in the history of the Scarlet Alliance.
Yeah but Chikere didnt even let us stick around to complete all of our business with my un- with that guy.
Chikeres eyes widened. I forgot to see all of his techniques! We need to go back right now!
Absolutely not, Vari said. I cant stand to see that guy more than once a decade. Also Id prefer to et him outside sowhere as a matter of proper caution.
I suppose in a decade or two Rahayu will have gained more value as a sparring partner, Chikere agreed.
There was a long silence. Then Catarina spoke up, Its good to see you back to your old self.
I dont think I will ever be that specific person again, Chikere confessed. But I am closer than I was before. Chikere nodded and smiled to herself, Oh, I need to go kill the Limitless Edge, Chikere said as if shed forgotten sothing on her shopping list.
Absolutely not. We need you here around the Scarlet Alliance not potentially causing a war before we can handle it.
Last ti I ca back with allies.
And the beginning of a war, Catarina reminded her. Im expecting further action every day. We did kill an Augntation cultivator, after all. They dont have an unlimited supply of those.
I suppose I still have not reached the halfway point of testing the infinite variety of possible sword slashes, Chikere said. And while testing them in combat is more valuable, so ti in contemplation would not be misplaced.
... Good, Catarina said. Then she turned to Vari. Next ti, please do beat her into submission to keep her here. Or just contact the rest of us.
Will do, Vari said.
Chikere was already checked out of the conversation, pulling up images on her communicator. Ooh! Half Oink killed a lion!
... Okay? Catarina tilted her head.
Agom will be jealous. There arent any lions to kill here, are there?
There might be so in the Garden, but please rember to follow the rules of conservation.
Hmm. Maybe Ill just take Agom on a training journey with . Its okay as long as we stay within the borders of the Scarlet Alliance, right?
You cant go unsupervised, Catarina declared.
Very well. Ill take Chidi, then.
I would say you have to convince him to go but I imagine hell say yes. But at least there will be soone responsible with you, Catarina said. You have to promise to actually listen to him, though.
Chikere nodded. I will. I do like being alive, and hes good at making choices that keep people that way.
That was about the best Catarina could expect to get. And it while she would worry about her son, it wasnt because he was weak or vulnerable. Apparently that was sothing that all parents dealt with. And grandparents too, according to Anton. And various levels of great-grandparent. So all Catarina could do was acknowledge her feelings and make certain there wasnt so actual reason to worry. If there was, she would deal with it.
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