Elder Cultivator

Chapter 836

Binding her wounds on the go wasnt the most comfortable, but Velvet wasnt willing to sit in one place simply hoping she wouldnt be pursued. She was taking a long, circuitous route through territory she was fairly certain was safe. The energy she was replenishing was all going towards concealing herself and her traces. Medicinal pills were consumed to boost the process of healing, but she wouldnt recover any relevant amount in the next hours or even the next day.

She was lucky, really, to not have died or even received any crippling wounds. Her armor was in shambles. With the damage it had taken, its enchantments were weakened leaving it little better than cloth where it still held firm. Durable cloth, yes, but nothing relevant to higher tier cultivators.

Her steps carried her silently onward as she pondered. She had the feeling she would reach Augmentation at some point- even soon, though that was more considering it as a matter of years or decades. Velvet simply hadnt expected it to happen like this. It wasnt the crisis situation- breakthroughs were much more common in such a case, even if they didnt always result in survival. No, it was simply the way her power had manifested.

For all her focus on concealment, the first abilities she had displayed had little to do with that. It was one aspect of light she hadnt anticipated advancing in. She couldnt really complain about how it had happened, since it led to her survival. Even the complications that would still be coming could only be experienced by a living individual.

She should have turned and left the instant she recognized the Limitless Edge. If she had things would have gone differently. Even so, she couldnt guarantee they would have gone better. It was only a few moments before she was spotted anyway, and moving back out into the camp might have revealed her earlier. And perhaps she would have been right next to someone from the Limitless Edge who could cut her in half.

Speculation was pointless. What mattered was what she was going to do next. It was more than a question of her immediate survival. The Spirit Slicing Sect was not her ally, and that would be even less true of others who she didnt know as well. Best to find somewhere to hide until she recovered, and then figure out a route back towards the Scarlet Alliance. There wasnt much else she could do here, after all.

There were a few problems. She would need some time in safety to heal. The Exalted Quadrant would be hunting her- and not just casually. It would be hard for them to have missed that she had just stepped into Augmentation, and they wouldnt want to miss the chance to take her out. Worse, the Limitless Edge seemed to have recognized her as she feared. She might not be connected to the Scarlet Alliance, but she would at least be known as a spy.

No settlement would be good as a shelter. She would stand out too much, and would likely be reported to someone. She needed something else. She found a cave- though she only intended to stay for a short time. A few hours, then she would move on. Around to the east, where at least she might be found by members of the Chaotic Conglomeration who didnt know much about her. They shouldnt immediately recognize anything was wrong.

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Plans were made, but they were always meant to be adaptable. Velvet had no delusions that her plans would work out perfectly. But at least if she recovered to a sufficient extent, she could simply leave. Flying between systems without a ship was not something she was used to, but after a certain level of power flying was possible for every cultivator. Perhaps not effective, as she had demonstrated just a few days prior, but possible. With an increase in her strength, moving between systems would likely not be worse than a cheap ship.

Her plans were overturned entirely when she sensed someone approaching. There had been a tingling sensation as someone had scanned her most recent hideout, but Velvet thought she concealed herself properly. By the time they got close enough for her passive perception to pick them out, they were far too close for comfort.

Time to run.

Velvet! A voice called out from afar. I know youre there!

Well, that was that, then. But why did it have to be her? How unfortunate. She should probably still run, but she wanted to at least talk to Runa, even if it was a bad idea.

How did you sense me? Velvet said as Runa reached the mouth of her burrow.

I didnt, Runa said. I just assumed you would be hiding somewhere like this. This is like the twentieth one today.

Dammit. So she wouldnt even have known if Velvet just fled? How embarrassing. Shed fallen for one of the easiest tricks in the book. Thats what she got for trusting a new person.

Wow, youre pretty beat up, huh? Ive seen corpses with fewer cuts than you.

How was she supposed to respond to that? Theyre healing.

Good. So Runa didnt hide her senses probing Velvets cultivation. They were right, huh. Youre in Augmentation now.

Thats right, Velvet said. Without her wounds her recovery might have been quick enough to fully hide it by now, but unfortunately shed been spending nearly as much upper energy as she drew in ever since her advancement.

Youd think someone like you would be more famous in the Chaotic Conglomeration.

I dont like the limelight, Velvet replied truthfully. The truth was always the best deception.

Apparently so, because the Order of Light and Darkness didnt even remember you existed, Runa folded her arms across her chest. So vulnerable. If Velvet was not so weakened, it would be a prime opening.

Velvet wasnt going to fall for the same thing again. If youd actually contacted them, they would have. Perhaps she was wrong about this, but in that case she was fully compromised.

Hmph. We wont get a response for a while, true, but I doubt my father will wait to pass judgment.

For what? Velvet had some ideas, of course, but she wanted to see what Runa thought she knew.

Being a spy.

And what makes you think Im a spy? Or rather, an enemy spy. Everyone needs some of their own.

The fact that you didnt come back to base after the incident, and that you didnt look happy to see me.

This was the problem with making new friends. It left you vulnerable. Perhaps shed gotten too much into her role because of mutual enemies. Its hard to be happy while injured.

Plenty of people are happy while injured. And after huge advancement. Which Im surprised youre not.

Didnt plan on advancing, Velvet shrugged.

So? Augmentation is literally one step short of the greatest power in anything. Do you know how few there even are?

Velvet did not. Because it was frustratingly difficult to get accurate information on that. Depends on where. I know its not many.

Not many? Even big sects are lucky to have one in their entire history. Entire planets will go by without seeing one.

That shouldnt be right. Because the Scarlet Alliance had a few, now. Tauno, Catarina, Chikere, and maybe Timothy and Hoyt by now. Most of those were from Ceretos. Engineer Uzun should also be on the list soon enough. How many does the Exalted Quadrant have?

Im not quite sure, Runa admitted. Ten? Twenty?

It has to be more. The Citadel of Exalted Light has a Domination cultivator.

I- what? Runas eyes widened.

Yeah. Probably. Its not like Ive seen him, but it should be them and a few others. Which means they have to have quite a few Augmentation cultivators around. Velvet thought they were tied up fighting the Chaotic Conglomeration. Was that not it? Certainly, she hadnt seen any here on Taon- but that was hardly sufficient.

How do you know that? I havent even heard that.

I was spying on the Exalted Quadrant, obviously, Velvet said. She didnt really have any proof. Shed just surmised the fact. Before I came to reinforce you.

Oh right! Runa pointed her finger at Velvet. I almost let you distract me from the point! Youre totally spying on us! But I dont get why the Exalted Quadrant tried to kill you. Is it because youre deep undercover?

Were just enemies, Velvet shrugged. Its not that complicated.

That doesnt make sense, though. That doesnt leave anyone for you to be spying for. And we know you are. Come on, you have to help me here or I wont be able to convince my father youre alright.

... You intend to do that?

Why not? Were friends, right?

Velvet thought about that. Her instinct was to say no, but it hurt to think about. I suppose we are, now.

Listen, if youre not an enemy, wed be so glad to have you with us. Wed do pretty much anything to get more Augmentation cultivators on our side. Its just if youre an enemy Runa shook her head. We cant let you be part of them. And while your wounds are certainly real, the fact that you survived could be a ploy in itself. So tell me.

But she couldnt. That would ruin everything.

Wouldnt it?

Velvet frowned. At this point, her position here was compromised regardless. The only risk was information about her being passed along to the Exalted Quadrant. It wasnt impossible that it would happen because of other spies, but it wasnt as if the Chaotic Conglomeration could get angry at the Scarlet Alliance sending her and do anything about it. The whole of the Exalted Quadrant was between them, and even having barely visited a single path of planets she understood how much that was.

What do you know of the Scarlet Alliance?

... The what? Runa looked genuinely confused. Havent heard of them.

The Scarlet Midfields?

Is that, uh Runa frowned. Nope, that was the Fields of Crimson Death. Yeah, dont know it.

... The region in between the Exalted Quadrant and their rivals the Trigold Cluster?

Runa furrowed her brow for a while. I think I heard about the Trigold Cluster once. There a place there?

Velvet sighed. The people here were so far from caring about the Scarlet Alliance. She should have realized. The entire point was that the two groups were flanking the Exalted Quadrant. But until she was deep in Exalted Quadrant territory, she hadnt heard of the Chaotic Conglomeration either. And half of that was as the western barbarians.

Well, we have a faction there, Velvet explained. Were not on great terms with the Exalted Quadrant so as their enemies, I came to see if we could make use of your conflict.

Okay, Runa said. That makes sense. What do you think?

About what?

Is what were doing here useful?

Velvet shook her head. I dont know. Because for all of the things I have pretended to know about your group, I dont really know much. The mines werent a great place of study, and I was careful around your sects library.

Oh yeah, Runa nodded. That makes sense. So.. you didnt want one of these, she gestured to her void metal knife, To steal the formula for the Exalted Quadrant?

Would that work? Velvet asked. If so, they would probably have it already, right?

Uh, I suppose it wouldnt. Or they dont think theyre worth it.

Yeah well, I just thought they were useful, Velvet said. And I use daggers so its not that far off from my style.

Thats great, Runa said. Then she held out her hand. So, come with me and well explain all that. Dad will try to poach you from this Scarlet thing but I dont mind if you just want to help us out for a little while. As long as were friends still?

Velvet took Runas hand. Shed expected it to be a symbolic gesture, but instead her friend grasped her hand and yanked her away. Come on, we have to get you out of here. All sorts of annoying sword and tree guys are looking for you.

Ah, right. That was all still happening, wasnt it?

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