In the main command tent of the besieging army, the oppressive, terrifying aura of the Soul Formation expert had vanished, but the chilling memory of it lingered like a phantom limb. The air was thick with a mixture of terror, humiliation and a stark, undeniable relief.
General Zong stood breathing heavily, his hands clenched into white-knuckled fists at his sides. The two princes were pale, their earlier arrogance completely stripped away, leaving behind the frightened, entitled young men they truly were. That would have gone really badly if the deity had decided to attack them.
The silence was finally broken by the Sect Master of the Soaring Dragon Sect, a proud man who could not stomach the absolute loss of face his entire army had just endured.
"General," he began, his voice a low, resentful growl, "should we not send a small, elite team to follow them? Not to engage, of course, but simply to shadow their ship and ensure they are truly leaving the empire's borders? It would not be wise to simply let them go without any kind of observation."
General Zong turned his head slowly, his eyes burning with a cold, murderous fury that made the proud Sect Master flinch.
"Observe them?" the General repeated, his voice dangerously soft. "You want to send men to potentially upset that… that deity?" He took a step forward, his own powerful 9th stage Core Formation aura flaring, filling the tent with a crushing pressure that was a mere echo of what they had just experienced, but was more than enough to make the Sect Master stumble back. "If you so much as suggest that again, I will kill you myself, right here and now. Do you understand me?!"
The General's gaze swept over every other commander in the tent, his voice rising to a furious roar. "Let me make this perfectly clear to all of you. That man could have wiped every single one of us from existence with a single thought, and there is nothing we could have done about it. He is leaving. That is a gift.
That is a mercy we did not earn. If he wants to strip naked and dance his way slowly out of this empire, then you will all stand here and applaud his technique! No one is to stop him. No one is to follow him. No one is to even look in his direction for too long. We will count ourselves fortunate that he was only here for his own people. Is that understood?!"
No one dared to speak. They could only nod, their faces a mixture of fear and shame. The unquestionable hierarchy of the cultivation world had just been demonstrated in the most brutal and direct way possible.
Far to the south, aboard the Golden Shell Guild's transport ship, the atmosphere was one of quiet, contemplative relief. The hundreds of rescued workers and their families were being attended to, given food, water, and simple quarters to rest. The constant, oppressive fear that had been their companion for weeks was finally beginning to fade, replaced by the deep, bone-weary exhaustion that follows a prolonged period of terror.
In the ship's main strategy room, the four leaders of the expedition were gathered once more.
"Director Orson and his staff at the capital are all accounted for," Kui began, formally concluding the first phase of their mission. "Including the personnel from the smaller towns and outposts, we have successfully evacuated every Guild employee and their registered family members from the Boreal Empire. Phase one is complete."
Jian Xuan, who had been standing by the viewing port, watching the northern lands recede, nodded. "My task was to ensure a safe path for our people. That path is now clear. The army at the capital should not dare to move against us again."
"They won't," Li Yu agreed, he could see the discipline they showed in their fear. He then looked at the others, his expression serious. "But that doesn't mean the danger is over. The people for the guild are safe now, but now we need to figure out what is truly going on up here."
He quickly recounted the details of his brief, brutal battle with the reinforcement squad, emphasizing the strength and discipline of the 8th stage Core Formation commander. "They were not a simple group. They were elite fighters, probably those rarely challenged and well-equipped. And their leader was most likely an important operative, not a disposable pawn judging from her power. Whoever they are, they are powerful, organized, and they are playing for stakes far higher than this civil war most likely."
Kui's brow furrowed. As the Guild Master, he was a master of logistics and information. "The mass disappearances… it's the only part of this that doesn't fit a standard political conflict currently. Armies conquer and control, they don't erase, at least not forces who don't fight them."
"Jian Xuan's theory of a large-scale ritual is the most likely explanation," Cyra added. "If they are harvesting cultivators and mortals for some kind of summoning, we cannot simply leave. The consequences could be catastrophic. We might not even be able to run away when the time comes if it happens."
Li Yu nodded, his gaze firm. "Exactly. Which is why we need to change our strategy. The ship is a massive, obvious target. It's perfect for a show of force and an evacuation, but for an investigation, it's a liability. It's too slow, and it draws too much attention."
He laid out the plan that the group had roughly discussed before but wasn't finalized. "Kui, your place is with our people. You are the Guild Master; you need to oversee their resettlement. There are hundreds of families on this ship. They will need to be re-established throughout our other branches and headquarters in the south. That is a massive logistical undertaking that only you can manage."
Kui nodded in immediate agreement. His duty was to the Guild and its people. "Wise Host! You're right, while I do want to stay by your side and fight, it looks like I can't. I will see to it personally." His expression was without any kind of regret, clearly he didn't want to actually stay and fight.
Li Yu then turned to Jian Xuan. "Jian Xuan, your power was the key that unlocked this entire operation. Now, we need you to protect them and see it to its conclusion. I need you to escort the ship south, to ensure that no one, from the princes' faction or this new, mysterious group, can interfere with their journey home."
Jian Xuan inclined his head. "A simple task. I will guarantee their safe passage." He was filled with confidence and still had the glow from seeing all those looking up to him. He was constantly getting thanked on the ship for saving all of them, he couldn't stop smiling.
Finally, Li Yu looked at Cyra. "That leaves us. Once we are clear of any immediate pursuit, you and I will leave the ship. We will move on our own. We are faster, quieter, and your mirage techniques can be used for additional stealth. We will go back, suppress our auras, and start checking on those towns and cities. We will find out who this mysterious group is, and we will find the source of these disappearances."
There were no arguments. The logic was sound, the division of labor balanced. Kui was the administrator, Jian Xuan was the guardian, and Li Yu and Cyra were the investigators.
The ship continued its journey south for awhile, putting a vast, safe distance between itself and the capital a desolate landscape of wind-swept plains and jagged hills, Li Yu and Cyra made their preparations.
They stood on the ship's ramp, looking back at their friends.
"Be careful, Wise Host," Kui said.
"We will," Li Yu replied. He then looked at Jian Xuan. "See you in the south, Jian Xuan. Take care of everyone and retreat if needed."
Jian Xuan gave him a nod and said. "Try not to start a war without me."
With a final nod, Li Yu and Cyra leaped from the ship. In mid-air, with a shared, silent act of will, they drew their powerful auras inward and Cyra used one of her illusion techniques to further hide their aura. To any outside observer using spiritual sense, their spiritual signatures vanished completely, their presence no different from the mundane air around them.
They became like ghosts, their figures blending into the landscape below. They watched as the massive transport ship continued its journey south.
They began the long journey to investigate, flying low and fast over the barren land, two silent shadows returning to the heart of a growing darkness.