Hmmph... this junior is a good seed [Cultivation Management Quest]

[Katana1515]

Minervina Barda 23: The Great Circle

Minervina's consciousness rested inside the comforting embrace of her dantian as she started putting the finishing touches on almost two centuries worth of work. That's what Cultivation is really. A vast construction project, with the end goal of building a brighter, stronger, more perfect self. It had to be done with patience, forethought and diligence. Simply plugging away stubbornly at the breathing exercises will only get you so far, even if you have a will tougher than spirit-steel. Much like a grand monarchs palace, if your foundation is faulty, or even only average, you can only reach so high into the starry sky before you risk total collapse. Claw too greedily at the heavens and stalling out forever was among the kindest fates you could face.

Minervina was confident in her foundation. Her Dao of Transformation could be considered peculiar, but that didn't bother her, her path was hers alone to walk. She had laid out the stepping stones almost a century past. Sketched out the blueprint in the years before she even broke through into this Realm. She would seek out elemental energies and higher concepts that wrought transformative effects on man, beast and the natural world, her Pillars would be reflections of the greatest of these forces and once she was ready she would combine them. Merging these potent forces together would form a single Crucible of Transformation, a single Core capable of transforming both the material and the spiritual as her whims desired.

The purple lake of her Dantian had swollen to a vast, tempestuous sea in the years since her breakthrough. Decades of constant effort and a fortune of potent pills and natural treasures had given its currents power and depth she couldn't have imagined back then. The churning waters never ceased in their motion, constantly flowing, testing and changing.

Her Pillars stood tall. Lonely islands in this stormtossed sea.

Guided by her choice of profession, she had started with transformative physical forces. Since the very first faltering steps of her journey, she had always had great faith in the power of Life. It had guided her through the first Tribulation with ease. Her great oaken Pillar still stood tall, its roots buried in the bones of her enemies, its bark a resolute defence against the worlds perils, its boughs and blossom a testament to Lifes capacity to take base matter and make it breathe again. It no longer stood alone like it had when it bathed in the ire of heaven during her Tribulation. It was matched with two others in what she called 'The Circle of Flesh' and stood equidistant with the other two pillars that represented physical forces. The Pillars of Fire and Water existed in an odd, contentious harmony. The Fire was that of the Alchemist, a refiners flame that sought to catalyse, to create and forge dreams into reality. It took the form of a pill furnace, roaring and teetering on the edge of a cataclysmic explosion, after all, the best concoctions always come from riding on the edge of failure. The Water Pillar was an endless geyser rising from a bronze cauldron. Water in motion, a force that turned mountains into valleys, but controlled by human ambition, cleverness and will. These were the tools with which I forged my weapons, the alchemical arsenal that had earned me my place and reputation. The conjoined forces of the trio fed upon each other, one of my two virtuous circles, ramping up and storing power for my attempt at ascension.

The Circle of the Soul stood in a similar formation beside it. The creation of these pillars had been a more personal experience. She had mulled over the contents of her mind and soul, looking for the three concepts that could drive personal growth and change. Death had been the obvious choice. Cultivation is often envisaged as a fight against it, an attempt to slay ones own mortality. For Minervina though, death was an old friend. Her father's death had put her on the long road to the Dawn Fortress all those years ago, and since then it has been a constant companion. She had resolved to work with Death, not against it, to take the fruit of the tree of bone that stood proudly in the purple lake and share it freely with her enemies.

Revelation and Intent were the remaining Pillars of the Soul Circle. Two sides to the same coin. They looked similar at first glance. Tall, transparent columns of fine glass, both representative of clear thoughts and calm decision-making. The intelligent choices of a rational mind pursing wisdom, distilled and given physical shape. Minervina was certain the mythical philosopher-kings of the ancient Optimatoi would have sat on thrones forged of similar substances. Reach out and touch them though, and the little differences become apparent. Intent is a thing of grit, determination, the discipline to get up each damned day and keep making the right choices, keep grafting, keep ploughing on through the tedium, the pain and the frustration. Its surface is rough enough to take the skin of your hand, and it's strong enough to hold up the world. Touch Revelation and you will either find it as downy as a princesses pillow or sharp enough to cut Old Gold himself. It's a wild thing, originality and imagination barely bridled and wrestled into a somewhat concrete shape. With these combined powers her mental acuity and more importantly her self awareness had reached new heights. Transformation could be a deliberate process as well as a natural one, and with these tools, she carved out each individual paving stone of her golden road, building her path to enlightenment with exacting care and precision.

By conventional wisdom, her Dao of the Eternal Crucible should be almost complete. So why did she feel like something was absent? Like a child constantly prodding the cavity of a lost tooth, the Poison Witch can simply not leave the sensation alone. Perhaps once she conjures the final Pillar, it will finally fade.

Finding the seventh pillar had been difficult, but she had achieved it after much reflection. It had always been there, every year of her life, a constant presence that guided her thoughts, her actions, shaped and moulded the core of her very being. More than anything else, it was the reason she was here. Outside of just herself, it was the greatest power her species had developed, the foundation for all civilization and advancement. The bedrock of culture and science. Without it you were lost, an animal in human skin, pitiful and sickly. It was the reason she risked her life over and over, why she committed almost every waking hour to advancement in one form or another.

It was a vast, amorphous idea. She could feel her Dao stretch and buckle trying to contain it. It was too much, too ambitious a concept for one so small to try and touch. Had she ignored her own warnings? Had she overreached in her eagerness to grasp the stars?

In the material world, Minervina clutched an iridescent jewel the size of her own head, it gleamed with light from its finely cut facets, its glassy surface unmarred apart from the wax seal of a Clan that was coming to hate her with a passion. With a shudder, it first dulled, then cracked, and finally collapsed into a cloud of sweet-smelling ashes. Divine power, wrenched from the marrow of the earth, floods the Golden Devils body. Power enough to defy heaven a moment longer, power enough to take one more step down her path.

The seventh pillar rises from the watery depths of her Dantian in a single, smooth motion. Its gold gleam a mirror of her own skin, the patina of verdigris a testament to endurance and longevity. The Clan, her service and her home, had always been at the centre of her journey. With this seventh Pillar, Community, her soul would always reflect that truth forevermore. She smiles, full of pride at this accomplishment.

Proud, but still not satisfied.

"It's not finished, something is missing. Perhaps…." Without breaking her meditation, Minervina reaches into her spatial pouch and procures two more of the plundered Jingshen Core Level Spirit Stones. An obscene amount of wealth, but she has to find the source of her dissatisfaction. If she can push just a little further.

Twice more in rapid succession, immense power rocks the Qi Sea of Minervina's dantian. Lightning storms form overhead, waves crash into the Pillar-Islands with the force of collapsing castle walls, and winds strong enough to flay the flesh from bone circle mindlessly.

Rather than shattering, the Pillars strengthen under the onslaught. Some blaze brighter, others grow taller, all of them shift position in a manner both incredibly minuscule and deeply significant. The resulting sound and sensation reminded Minervina of the first good stretch after a nights sleep when your joints and bones snap back into place, only magnified many thousand times over.

"Alignment….true alignment. So, this is the Great Circle realm?" Minervina took a moment to indulge in the miracle of her achievement. Conventional wisdom stated it was the work of fifty years to go from forging your final pillar to being ready to even attempt to forge a true Core. She had done it in a single afternoon.

"Well, the kings ransom of stolen Stones certainly helped."

Even now, she saw how it would happen. With her new Community Pillar to act as its heart, she could see how the Pillars could seamlessly meld into one another, giving birth to her Eternal Crucible, a source of power far beyond anything she had grasped before. It was in her grasp already, oh she might not find her breakthrough tonight, but the path was clear before her, it would be smooth and steady and safe even from the cursed Tribulation that was her Optimatoi birthright.

"So why am I still not satisfied?" Despite the evening's achievements, the sensation of something being missing was stronger than ever.

She had achieved her goals, the path she had drawn up all those years ago, after all the tears, pain and suffering down the decades, she was finally here. She should be jubilant.

"Is this really everything? Is this really enough?" The Legates and the Council tried to keep it quiet, but for all their praise for the Stoic virtues, her Clan members were all terrible gossips at heart. The Heavens were calling forth a wave of geniuses, a Heroic Era. Heavens Chosen would do battle for the fates of clan's, sects and empires aplenty. But the Optimatoi lacked heavens favour, our good seeds didn't get divine omens to signal their birth. Only through stubborn work and innate brilliance would our champions have a chance of standing as their equals. She had seen proof it could be done with her own eyes, her peers claiming powers previously thought of as myth and legend. She liked to think she had kept pace, contributed in her own small way. She could keep doing that, take her place as one of the Core Formation Cultivators we so desperately needed. It would be enough.

With a determined sigh, the Great Circle Cultivator waved her hand and broke her trance. With an effort of will, she halted her Pillars attempt to merge. "Its not enough, not yet."

She stood up, brushed herself down and made to leave her apartments for the first time in days. She needed to report her breakthrough to the Elders and her decision.

The first draft of that plan for her cultivation, the one she drew up as a Qi Condensation child, had not had just seven Pillars planned out. She might not have what it takes to climb into those mythical realms beyond the Orthodox path, but it seemed she would have no peace if she didn't at least make the attempt.

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Rough Draft, but I need to sleep! Will be back tomorrow to edit.

First Omake of Turn 10: Minervina is going to Quigai (First ever secret realm!) so I am going to try and beat my current record for wordcount. Figured we would start strong with 2000 words here before the Turns even properly begun!

The Plan for Min's pillars have remained pretty much unchanged since the very early days of the quest, It was good to finally put them in writing in an in-universe way though. Apologies if it made for a rather dense and description heavy read though.

For Omake Bonuses: A Life Saving Treasure would be appreciated (This will make 4 of those)

 

[Katana1515]

Minervina Barda 24: Guesting at the Centennius Manor.

Minervina had genuinely intended to bury herself into the numerous commissions for her venomous products for the last part of the century leading up to the trials. The Legates of the various legions seemed to have an inexhaustible hunger for them and she desperately needed the Points if she was going to keep her Cultivation on track and still afford to keep her exquisite but high maintenance suite in the Dawn Fortress. However, when Parakoimenos's request for spies and saboteurs had arrived at her door she had not been able to resist. The bounty for the Experts who managed to disable the Jingshen's precious drill was the siren call that lured her away from the laboratory. Points enough to run her new homes growth enhancement arrays, spatial formations, and pill furnaces for a solid century if she was parsimonious. It would free up so much lab time for experimentation and the dozens of other projects she had lined up.

Of course, this was never going to be a one-woman job. The Jingshen were a true top tier power of the Flipper Region, and just because they didn't have much of a martial reputation didn't mean they wouldn't have invested their best in the defense of such an important artefact. More than that Minervina had seen too much down the years to underestimate the Righteous Path when it came to skullduggery. Just because they publicly disdained the kind of unorthodox arts she practised didn't mean they wouldn't use them liberally in the shadows, and the constant political infighting between the sects and their various internal factions gave them plenty of tempering when it came to the finer points of sabotage, blackmail and infiltration.

That's before you throw in that even scratching an Artefact capable of drilling through Core Formation Spirit Stones was going to be a substantial challenge in and of itself. If we were going to try and develop a Qi-Venom capable of rendering the device useless for a substantial amount of time, then we would be looking at craftsmanship and reagents that scraped the boundaries of what was possible for mere Foundation Establishment Experts.

And that's what brought her to the home of Magnus Centennius. It had been a long time since they had worked so closely together, so Minervina had been excited at the prospect of seeing her colleague again. The many-armed man had come a long way since his recent breakthrough, and she hoped they would be able to once more achieve something notable together.

She detected the slightest degree of trepidation during the initial exchange of pleasantries when she arrived at his large country estate, perhaps a legacy of his injuries at Pleuron, but he seemed to relax when she genuinely complimented him on his marvellous home and he remained a gracious host for the entire length of her stay.

It was a pleasant and eye-opening few years for Minervina. More gregarious than her, the Puppet-Lord had established a large staff around himself, including several profound experts in various artistic and culinary fields. While she would never admit any fault to her own isolated tower accommodations, She grew to enjoy people-watching after dinner at the Dark Gold Restaurant over a cup of one of Teamaster Mei's finer blends. Perhaps she might vacation here a time or two when she got the chance after the Trials were complete?

As well as the superior amenities, the other advantage the Centennius estate had over the Dawn Fortress was space. Not having to pay a premium as she had in the capital, the other Cultivator was laying the foundations for an impressively ambitious alchemical foundry. His 8 pointed star of a Poison Hall contained a wealth of reagants, implements and helpful arrays that made sure even the most intricate venom-work went smoothly and safely. The work on developing a Qi-Venom potent enough that the Jingshen could not easily mitigate it continued apace, leaving Minervina to ponder exactly how they were going to deliver it to the well-guarded device.

It's not like she was totally unfamiliar with undercover operations, having more than once disguised herself as a common mortal woman while traversing Blood Cannibal lands. But there was a qualitative difference between passing through a Demonic Sects mortal farm and infiltrating a secure military complex. A few simple Soul Veiling Pills and some quality make-up weren't going to cut it.

After a little thought, she had narrowed the possibilities down to two options. The first and probably the easiest path was to master some kind of deception technique. With her Dao of Transformation, she could almost certainly draw on her Water or Life Pillars and master any number of concealment or shapeshifting arts. After millennia of persecution, the Clan Archives had no end of such techniques stashed away, most invented in a vain attempt to escape the ire of Heaven's hunters. It would definitely be a useful course of study, being able to sneak anywhere wearing someone else's appearance was an attractive thought to the reclusive Cultivator

The alternative plan was to lean on her speciality. Poison's that warped memory, hallucinogens that blurred even Cultivator senses, toxins that could turn reality upside down and see friends murder each other in cold blood. Such mind-altering substances were a rare and treacherous branch of the Poison Dao and rarely seen below Core Formation. It was only thanks to the legacy of the Barda family that Minervina had access to such poisons at all. The 1111 recipes of the Scarlet Crow Scroll had a number of concoctions that should work.

However mastering the refining methods and then brewing a substantial enough supply of Memory-Hole Poison, Confusion Concoctions and the like would definitely consume all of her remaining preparation time. She would have to choose between the alchemical arsenal and mastering a shapeshifting technique. It was not a simple decision. The Technique seemed the more sensible approach, it wouldn't use up a wealth of high-end resources, and once learned it would be a skill she would inevitably use many times in the future.

However, Minervina wasn't just thinking about this mission. The Trials were on the horizon once more, and the Hunters of the 5th Sea were quite practised at penetrating all manner of illusions and veils. Alchemical weapons though, had more than proven their worth at Pleuron. The time and Points invested here would allow her to create a plethora of mind-altering toxins. These might well work as life-saving measures for herself and, assuming she could produce them in quantity, any number of her Clan-Mates.

Decision made, she invested the bulk of her remaining stockpile of Contribution Points in the relevant ingredients and took full advantage of Magnus's capacious laboratory to start producing vat after vat of the stuff. Pure Bliss.

------------18 Months Later, Jingshen Territory----------------

The Poison Witch gritted her teeth. It was all she could do to keep from swearing. She was currently clambering through a wastewater pipe in her effort to circumvent the city wall and the smell was less than pleasant.

Why exactly couldn't Magnus's opulent caravan have had two resident alchemists?

Or better yet, he could have been the exotic foreign alchemist and she could have travelled incognito amongst his retainers. Hells, she would have consented to play the role of 'adoring wife' if it had got her out of wading through literal faeces.

"Don't you fucking dare!" She hissed at the latest payload of human excrement that came flying down the pipe alongside a torrent of water. No idiots, the Jingshen guards flushed these pipes at irregular intervals to dissuade smugglers. Any poor mortal or low tier cultivator trying this trick would find themselves washed out at backbreaking speed on a wave of crap.
Blessedly Minervina was no low tier Cultivator. With a defiant wave of her hand and a flex of her Water Pillar, she took control of the disgusting flood and it flowed obediently around her, saving her from a dunking. It didn't do much for the stench though.

The woman known in some quarters as the Slaughter of the Sands groused loudly to herself as she trudged further and further up the pipe. Unsurprisingly, at the top, it was secured with a heavy iron grate that was reinforced with a few of the Jingshens attempts at array-craft. If she worked carefully at the edges with Death Qi, she should be able to subtly weaken them…. She heard the sound of men approaching, probably to dispose of another bucket or six.

"That's it. Fuck being subtle!"

She snapped her hand forward with a flare of her cultivation base and her poison constitution. The iron grate shattered like thin glass and she stepped on through, bristling like an angry cat as she tried to get 'something' out of her hair without inspecting too hard exactly what it was.

"HALT! WHO GOES THERE!"

Still snarling and trying to straighten out her hair, Minervina pulls the first of the 783 vials of Forget-Me-Poison she had prepared out of her dimensional pouch. At least she had managed to infiltrate the city.


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@TehChron @ReaderOfFate @Kaboomatic : Omake for the Omake Throne!! Another 1500 words to throw on the pile.

@LordEdric Dialogue is indeed hard I had a whole version of this that I scrapped that had more of a conversation between the two Seeds, but it's felt wrong to try and predict what Magnus would say on his end. I have basically contented myself with writing Minervina's perspective on the story as you wrote it. If theirs anything about your Seed or his home that I got wrong or you want me to edit, let me know and it will be done post-haste.

I will try to get the final part with the actual sabotage posted in the next week or so.

 

[Katana1515]

Minervina Barda 25: The wrath of the Memory Stealing Shade

Jingshen Hui 'Mist Turtle' Lui was a respected member of his Clan. An Expert of three centuries standing, he had seen all manner of horrors emerge from the blood-soaked desert to haunt his family and its domain. In all that time he had stood as an unflinching bulwark, shielding his juniors so fearlessly he was nicknamed after one of the most durable Spirit Beasts known to his people. It had been his great honour to be given charge of protecting this city and its valuable mines from all of the Clans many enemies.

Today, his hands shook. He clamped down on the motion almost instantly, but he feared the Disciples who brought him the news saw it.

"Another sighting?" He asks again as if it might change the answer.

"Yes my lord, the Dark Lady was seen down on by the market again. The commoners are terrified, most of them only remember going to bed yesterday. It seems most of them have lost between 12 and 16 hours to the Memory Demon."

There was an awkward pause, and Lui could almost feel the collective will of the Disciples urging their spokesman on. Sweat heavy on his brow, he bows lower and clasps his hands together in a great show of subservience.

"Honoured Master, this Disciple fears he must ask that Senior take action. This spirit is clearly beyond the means of mere Qi Condensation disciples to contain. We are…. Uncertain… how many times we have tried and failed now. Disciples Long and Hanying are unable to even rise from their rooms anymore, so muddied have their thoughts become. We fear the damage might well be permanent at this point."

With clearly rehearsed motions all twenty of Lui's strongest disciples put their palms together and shouted the ritual request. "JUNIOR ASKS FOR SENIORS GUIDANCE."

Lui sighed, looking at his beloved students, many were nephews or cousins, he certainly viewed them all with the proud eye of a father. He rose from his meditative pose, taking up a huge trident of white jade in his left hand and answering his followers salute with his left. He was the image of an indomitable warrior, more solid than stone. "Senior hears your pleas, sleep easy and be about your duties, know that I will personally take up the hunt and banish this fiend."

After much applause, praise and jubilation, the Disciples disperse, content in knowing that the problem would soon be resolved.

Lui on the other hand visibly sagged once he was sure he was alone. He leaned heavily on his trident, taking a moment to rest his head on its cool surface. What the Disciples didn't realise was that this was the fourth time they had asked him to step in and intervene.

He trembled, centuries of iron discipline undermined. "At least, I remember them asking at least four times…."

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Minervina had not been having a fun time lately. The city was increasingly on high alert, with the guards and locals starting to get more than a little jumpy. Feints and maneuvres by other Golden Devil Experts had drawn away much of the local Jingshen garrison, which should have made her job easier, but it was like every set of eyes in the city was constantly on the lookout for infiltrators. It wasn't a large town and most of the locals knew each other on sight. Without advanced stealth or disguise techniques, she had been spotted dozens of times already. On each occasion only deploying her various mental poisons had allowed her to escape without bloodshed.

As a result, the locals were increasingly terrified and confused. Most of the mortal population had taken to shunning the streets entirely, and the local Cultivators refused to move in groups of less than a dozen for fear of encountering the terrifying Memory Stealing Spirit. Which did make snooping around at least a little easier, though it did mean the sentries were very much on guard.

It had taken two weeks of ineptly skulking around the mining compound by night and squatting amongst the penniless residents of the cities slums during the day, but Minervina finally thought she had everything in place. Sneaking a note into Magnus's depressingly opulent rented mansion had been simple enough. She departed the humble apothecary hut she had been sleeping in on midnight of her 15th day in the city with a few kind words for the woman that ran it along with a handful of minor medicinal pills for her failing kidneys.

Getting to the mining compound only took another dozen doses of mental venom. Over the last few nights, she had painstakingly planted a dozen small containers full of carefully prepared hallucinogen all over the area. Each was marked with a variation on the spell seal she used for the Deathly Opiate Orchestra, one that allowed her to inscribe a time delay before the effect would activate.

The compound was still and silent as she made her final approach, wary sentries on the walls and gatepost keeping a weather eye out for intruders of all sorts. The air had an expectant hum as if the Jingshen Cultivators had been waiting for some kind of assault for a long time now.

"Well, it's probably not going to play out quite as they expected." Calling on all the power of her Late Stage Foundation, the Poison Mistress snapped her fingers and sent forth a subtle, but profound, wave of power. At this invisible signal, the dozens of carefully prepared cauldrons burst open, spilling her latest masterpiece into the air.

Six Silk Veils of Mourning or as it was more commonly called 'Confusion Concoction' was a recipe she had only ever found referenced in the Scarlet Crow Scroll. She believed it had once been a speciality of her branch of the Clan, and now that she could observe its power in a live test she could see why it was such a closely kept secret. Colourless, odourless and almost tasteless, it travelled quickly through the air and even only a few mouthfuls would have devastating effects on Qi Condensation Disciples. Its efficacy against Foundation Establishment Experts varied somewhat depending on Dao and Consitution, but even a Peak Expert should have only a scant few minutes before he is addled beyond easy recovery.

If all it did was fog the mind, it would be a valuable but far from unique recipe. Properly brewed Barda lineage Confusion Concoction did far more though. It drastically heightened the victim's stress and fright response, all while subtly twisting their perceptions so that just about anything that moves will register as a lethal threat.

The first screams and Qi explosions signalled the success of the Poison Witche's strategem as she slowly and carefully made her way through the servant's entrance. Its two guardians were far too busy fighting each other in an increasingly spectacular duel to notice her.

"These Jingshen do love their flashy tools," She remarked under her breath as one guard lost an arm to his companions flying sword. Fortunately for him, the sword was gleaming with magmatic heat, so the wound cauterised instantly. His erstwhile clanmate was less fortunate, as he was torn apart by a single-use talisman that looked something like an exploding ball of barbed wire.

Similar scenes played out all around her as she descended through the Jingshen stronghold. She would have to be quick, the Concoctions primary flaw, beyond being ruinously expensive and time-consuming to craft, was that the effects wore off fairly quickly. Her previous forays into the compound had only penetrated so far, so she wasn't entirely certain of the Drills location, but she had a general idea. She took to the stairs and kept going down, past more and more scenes of chaos and slaughter. She took a moment to feel sorry for the Jingshen's mortal servants, they would no doubt make up the majority of tonight fatalities, but in the end, it couldn't be helped. While the Golden Devils rightly went to great lengths to safeguard their mortal vassals, Minervina would happily exchange a dozen of her enemies employee's for one Bronze Blessed life.

Eventually, she reached the mineshafts deep below the fortress, and from there it was a simple task to find the Drill. A towering monstrosity of a thing, it was still running even in the wee hours of the night and the violent grating sound it made as it chewed through the raw veins of Spirit Stone led her to its location. It was a whirling column of white jade, gold filigree and a masterwork of finely carved arrays and spiritual craftsmanship, she took a moment to take it in before she set about trying to despoil it.

She was so distracted by her artistic admiration that she almost didn't notice the hulking presence in the corner of the room. Only almost. She kept her distracted pose, curious if the Righteous Cultivator would throw away his pride and attempt an ambush. Emilia lingered and roiled just under her skin, ready to pounce at the slightest aggressive motion.

Hui Lui ground his shimmering stone trident into the dirt of the mineshaft, frustration and hate tainting his melodic voice. "What brings you here Devil. Your charade might have got you this far, but I will permit you to take not one more step forward, even if I must spend my life in the effort. You know your kind are unwelcome in this land. How dare you crawl out of your blood-soaked abyss to bring your black arts to bear on my juniors. I will grind your bones into dust and send them back to your infernal fortress to let them know my Clan will not tolerate such insults."

Since it was clear that the Jingshen Expert wasn't inclined to attack without a chance for the traditional exchange of insults Minervina turns to face him. She placed her hands casually on her hips and a curious expression on her face. She quickly notes a band of blue silk on his arm that's slowly turning black, a powerful protective charm designed to block poisons of all sorts, she judged it to be the work of a Core Formation Elder. A truly heavenly treasure. Her venoms would need time to sap its reserves of Qi.

Well, witty banter wasn't her strong point, but it only seemed fair to take the Jingshen man up on the offer. Besides Magnus should be along shortly, and his support should remove any doubt from the contest.

"Did you think us 'demons' deaf, dumb and blind? Do you not think we count every stone that flows down the Scorpion Road? Every Pill and Treasure that comes back up from the Plains? Did you think your high and mighty little family could sit here in your pitiful fortresses forever, stockpiling the means to destroy us at a whim and that we would simply do nothing? Perhaps you thought that the shared stench of the Righteous Path would serve to ward off the predators in the night? That the likes of Strength Purity and Sabre Palace would stir themselves from their ivory thrones to aid you?" Her smile was a wicked thing, if the man wanted to see her as a demon, Minervina was more than happy to play the part. "Well, your minders are busy with their own problems and now the time has come to see who is strong enough to claim this desert for their own."

"Every word that drips from your mouth is just another venomous lie." The prideful warrior hisses. "Fitting at least for the so-called Poison Witch of the Golden Devils. Oh yes, we know who you are." He lifts his talisman wrapped arm, its length stained roughly one-fifth black. "My Elders had the forethought to give me everything I need to defend this Drill from pests like you. Now, I will give you this one chance, Witch. Break your spell, free my Juniors from your black arts and flee. I might yet look the other way while you run back into the wastelands you call home."

'Ahh' Minervina thought to herself 'So that's why he turned down the chance at a cheap shot in favour of all these theatrics.'

There had been the slightest wobble in the warrior's tone on the word 'juniors.' He must genuinely care about at least some of the hapless disciples killing each other up there. She watched the black trickle another millimetre up the enchanted sash and made a decision. The time for talking was over, better to rile him up and see if she could encourage a mistake.

"I'm terribly sorry" She lied "Theirs no cure when the malady is this far along. Looks like your oh so wise Elders did a better job watching out for you than you did for them." She saw terrible pain cross his features and recognised it immediately, it was a pain she was deeply familiar with after all. The agony of letting down your juniors. She knew just how to twist the knife.

She shrugged her shoulders casually, twisted her lips into a mocking grin and said lightly "If only they had put someone competent in charge here, they might have lived."

The hurled trident came at her faster than the mortal eye could follow. It flew with far more than mere physical force behind it. It hit the stone tunnel wall with the force of a charging dragon. The impossibly loud crack of impact could be felt all through the city a half-mile above them and the resulting cloud of choking dust and flying fragments would have crippled any first realm cultivator in seconds.

Minervina however, had not been a first realm Cultivator for nigh on a century, she predicted the rage-fuelled attack and sidestepped it with casual grace. A swirling cloud of mist summoned by her Water Pillar suppressed the debris and left her unhampered. Sharp devil eyes latched on to Hui Lui, who looked to be in the process of mystically conjuring his weapon back to his hand.

"I'm pretty sure we were supposed to have a bit more back and forth before the exchange of pointers? I'm sorry, I don't know how you Righteous guys usually play these games." As she speaks the Golden Devil crushes the Ash-Born Viper Pearls she has been keeping hidden in her palms since she walked into the chamber.

Her Vipers had evolved once more as her power began to scrape at the boundaries of the Great Circle realm. Where before they were substantial constructs made of spite and venom, now her completed Circles of Flesh and Soul could affect a far more complete transformation.

Two serpents as broad as wagon wheels and over thirty metres long sprang from her outstretched palms. They were living, stinking creatures made of powerful flesh and bone bound in granite-tough scales. Their eyes gleamed with feral intelligence and their fangs and short horns radiated the power of her Death Pillar.

The serpents initial impact more than rivalled that of the Jinghsen trident and they were canny enough to pincer the bulky warrior, preventing him from dodging. They smashed the enemy Cultivator several metres into the stone wall before setting about him with their fangs.

Minervina drew her sword from her spatial pouch and called forth an aura of black flame. "Since you were thoughtful enough to offer me my life. I'll return the favour. Stay down and Old Jingshen has one less expert to replace today."

Hui Lui''s enraged cry was all the answer she needed as his hands, glowing with emerald power, emerged from underneath the massive snakes. Somehow he had gotten a grip on each of the serpents throats and with a mighty effort, he snapped both their spines in a single motion before casting their broken remains aside. He was covered in wounds, the horns and fangs of the serpents having scored a dozen hits or more. The Sash was still suppressing the venom, though it was now three-quarters black and growing more stained by the moment.

Still roaring defiance, Hui Lui wrapped himself in a cloak of stones and came at the slender poison mistress with the power of an avalanche. Crude arrays in the ceiling of the shaft flared, and spat sparks, desperately trying to prevent a cave in, but neither Cultivator could afford to hold back.

Stone armour met netherflame, and the stone cracked, withered and flaked away. However much he struggled, Lui couldn't land a blow on the Devil woman, whose movements flowed like water. Every crack of her sword on his armour almost rent it asunder and putting his hands into the greasy flames that cloaked her was bitterly painful, despite the protection from his Sash. He lost track of everything but the next attack, confident that he could end this if he could only get his hands on the slighter combatant.

Minervina on the other hand kept a close eye on that Poison Suppressing Sash. Keeping pace with a peer cultivator who focused on close combat was eating through her Qi reserve at a rapid pace, but the treasure was reaching its limit much faster.

As the fight reached a pivotal point, Minervina seemed to launch an attack powered by pure desperation. A single sword slash with all her weight behind it landed on Lui's stone armoured brow, shattering his earthen armour and dazing him. However, the wild strike had pulled the Devil off balance, leaving Lui with the chance he had been looking for. He thrust out with both hands and surged forward, intent on grappling the slippery woman.

The witch slapped him with her off-hand, gouging three long lines into his exposed face with her nails, but he gladly took the blow in exchange for putting his hands around her throat. With a roar of victory, he prepared to snap her neck just like he had her conjured servants. Finally, he could rid his town of this Demon and then rush to save what he could of his beloved juniors.

Only, nothing happened.

His muscles froze as if his veins had turned into ice. His QI refused to flow and even the seven Dao Pillars that resided in his soul seemed weakened. It felt as if they might shatter at the slightest gust of wind. Despair seized him as he realised what must have happened, but he couldn't even turn his head to see the ragged remains of his life-saving treasure sloughing off his arm as it turned into worthless scraps of stained cloth.

Minervina let out a long, slow whistle as she eased out of Lui's frozen grip. "I gotta admit, your Elder didn't half-ass that talisman of yours." She waved the fingers of her left hand at him, his blood still glistening on the nails. "Even after absorbing everything else, it blocked the brunt of three doses of Core Formation Scorpion venom. You even have a good chance of surviving, if your heart doesn't give out before the paralysis wears off." She leaned close and tapped the unmarred side of his face in a fond gesture. He teetered from side to side under the gentle pressure, his consciousness starting to fail. "Stay strong! I'm rooting for you. If you do survive, tell the Jingshen higher-ups that the long days of milk and honey are over, the Devils are coming to haunt their nightmares." That was the last thing Hui 'Mist Turtle' Lui heard before he slipped into oblivion.


---------------------------------

As dawn rose on the wounded city, Minervina was already well outside the walls. She turned to look back on the place with an almost fond expression. After the impromptu duel, the ritual to poison the Drill had gone off without a hitch, and Magnus had shown up eventually, a little late but equipped to do his part. Hopefully, the Drill would be out of commission for several years.

She tapped her spatial bag fondly as she turned towards the horizon and started the long trek home. She had even had time to loot the place on her way out. The bounty of Core Formation Spirit Stones she found in that overseer's office was going to fund her advancement for a long time.

She hadn't been greedy, she had left one of the valuable stones out where Magnus would find it. He deserved the bonus for all his hard work on the Qi Venom, even if he had been late to the party at the end.

She didn't feel the slightest bit guilty about pocketing the other eight though. She had climbed through literal shit for this mission, and she deserved to be rewarded appropriately.

-------------------------------

Another 3500 words, this one fought me every step of the way, but I think I am close to a personal best for wordcount per turn and we aren't even at the Trials yet.

@LordEdric That's the last part of the Drill Attack. Let me know if anything doesn't fit what you wrote before or if you want me to change anything.

@no. @Kaboomatic @ReaderOfFate Threadmark please!

 

[Katana1515]

Minervina Barda 26th: The 698th Legion. The Three Starred Furnace.

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- - - - - -

Legion Name: The 698th Legion, commonly referred to as the 'Thrice Great Furnace.'

Lineage: The 698th is one of the few legions to have been consistently staffed and on the rolls since its founding in the latter part of the first millennia after the arrival of the Sea Conquering Army. It was first founded by Elder Zosimus Panopolis, an Alchemist who is reputed in some legends to have been one of the first to discover how to grant 3rd Sea natives the Blood of Bronze.

Legate: Legate Auxillary Cassius Panopolis. A Great Circle Expert who has taken on the mantle of Legate in the absence of a Core Formation candidate. Known as the Peacemaker, he is renowned for his excellent diplomatic and administrative skills, he is often requested as a neutral arbiter in disputes between legions and vassal states alike.

Sigil: A silver pill furnace surrounded by three bronze stars on a black field.

Motto: Per Ignem ad Lucem "Through fire to the light"

Territory: Disdaining the responsibility to patrol or garrison any notable territory, the Legion instead maintains control over a number of Spirit Herb plantations and Beast hunting grounds. Most of these are focused around the Pill-Forge Forest, a region in which the 698th is considered one of the top 10 landowners. The majority of the Legion maintains the Enclaves that serve as the 698ths dormitories, strongholds and refineries at dozens of major forts and cities throughout Clan territory for its Legionnaires.

Headquarters: The Argent Pinnacle. A fortress and refinery in the Pill-Forge Forest. The tallest structure for miles around, its gleaming spire can be spotted from the Dawn Fortress on clear days.

Composition: At the time of writing the Legion has 6821 Qi Condensation Disciples and 91 Foundation Building Experts. The Legion's only Core Formation Elder in recent history, Furnace-Mistress Amelia Panopolis, was slain during the trials of 100 KM. Her son and Great Circle of Foundation Building Expert Cassius has been safeguarding the Legion since then.

Description: The 'Thrice Great Furnace' is a very loosely organised Legion that holds no territory or cities. Its atypical structure instead sees its members cluster in fortified enclaves outside most of the Clans major Scorpion Road forts and trading cities. In these Refinery-Forts they work together on the production of a sizeable percentage of all the Cultivation aids and consumables in Golden Devil territory.

The Legate and his most trusted Centurions operate a specialised sub-section of the Clan Contribution Board from a rare and treasured Division Anchor that is kept at the Legions greatest fortress, the Argent Pinnacle. Legion members can access this 'Private Board' from terminals anywhere in Golden Devil territory. Here the Legions Alchemists can access a heavily discounted supply of common reagents that the Legion either gathers itself or buys in bulk using Legion Contribution Points. This is also a valuable tool for members looking for work, as the Legions large staff of administrators and communication officers work tirelessly to ensure the most valuable contracts and opportunities in the Alchemical field are shared on this sub-board first before hitting the wider contribution board.

This practice has been the source of some controversy in the past, with critics feeling that this goes against the communal nature of the Clans approach to resources. To date though the Legions vital role as the most consistent large scale supplier of life-saving pills and bottleneck breaking elixirs has ensured that no Archgetes has taken exception to its practices. During the times of Trial or when the Clan goes to war, the Private Board is rapidly militarised, converting the Legion from a loose confederation of aligned cultivators into a potent industrial force, ensuring that the correct supplies and medicine are sent to the correct fronts of ongoing conflicts. While they scarcely ever march in Formation under a shining Hoplite, many battles have been won by the speedy arrival of a supply caravan bearing the 698ths sigil.

Outside of an expectation to remain productive, maintain a reasonable Cultivation schedule and a positive Contribution Point balance, the 698th keeps an extremely laissez-faire approach to its member's activities. The Legate and his officer cadre prefer to use incentives and the Private Board to direct members activities during peacetime. While almost all 698th Legionnaires follow some kind of Pill or other Craft Dao, it's quite typical for members to pick up a subspecialty or branch out into some other area of Cultivation in order to round out their skills. The Legion has a significant number of sub-groups and Legacies handed down over the centuries. For example, the Brotherhood of Mercurious is an ancient tradition of warrior-alchemists who turn their vitriolic green Pill Flames into potent weapons and constructs. Some of the Legions most prominent members are Poison Masters, who frequently take secondment missions to frontline legions, eager to test their latest concoctions under battlefield conditions.

While not a rival for the specialist medical legions, the 698th does have a healthy tradition of raising up talented Spirit Doctors as well. When not working on medical research or assisting with medicine production, these expert practitioners earn a large share of the Legions Contribution Points placing themselves under secondment of various front line units. The most common interaction between a rank and file member of a different legion and a member of the 698th is being patched back together after a particularly fierce battle.

Socially, members of the Thrice Great Furnace have a reputation as loners and eccentrics who reject the close camaraderie of traditional legion life in preference for the solitude of a laboratory. This author, however, was pleasantly surprised by the strong sense of community he found in each of the Enclaves he visited while researching this piece. I found a tradition of researchers and crafters who take great pride in their work and relish the opportunity to contribute to the furtherance of the Clans ends in a way that allows them to remain close to their families and maintain a more settled lifestyle than is offered to many of their peers. The pecking order in these enclave communities is usually established through friendly competitions of alchemical prowess. Communal events with much feasting and music, I could not imagine how nerve-wracking it must be for the participants to attempt their difficult crafts when surrounded by such noisy onlookers, all of whom are also experts in the field and quite willing to chip in if they think you're doing something stupid.

Since, outside the Trials, members are rarely found on the front-line of conflicts they have something of a reputation as a sinecure for those who fear direct combat. This rarely goes beyond friendly ribbing between Clan-Mates though, as a certain percentage of Thrice-Great do earn Points by doing secondment work as Spirit Doctors and Poison Masters, and any Legionnaire with an ounce of sense knows better than to speak badly of the man in charge of the healer's tent.

Trivia:

• The 689th has a small but bitter long-running feud with the Soup Sect. Both sides claim the other is guilty of stealing a particularly potent recipe for Establishment Attacking Broth, an invaluable elixir for those facing down their first Tribulation.
• At meetings where only 689th members are present, the Legionnaires will often use an alternative set of titles that reflect their emphasis on the Pill Dao. These titles are Ember, (Qi Condensation) Blaze, (Foundation Establishment) Furnace, (Core Formation). Non-legion members are encouraged to not use these titles, as it's seen as over-familiar at best and insulting at worst.
• The name 'Thrice Great Furnace' is a reference to the Legion's founders most powerful tool and weapon. Said to have had been able to manifest power in the Nascent Realm and to have been lost during the great diaspora from the Hard Shell Mountains, the Legion has funded a great many exploratory missions to try and recover it over the centuries but none have ever succeeded.
• The 689th is one of the Legions often labelled as a 'Family Legion,' one of those legions whose membership is in some way dominated by one branch family of the Clan. This assertion is of dubious historical value. Certainly, the Panopolis are well regarded as the founding family of the Legion and have featured heavily throughout its history, but more often than not the Legate of the Thrice-Great Furnace has not belonged to that family.

------------------

Another 1700 words! @Kaboomatic @Humbaba @ReaderOfFate

I started writing a separate Omake where details about Min's legion were important and then realised it would be more fun to throw them all into the essay above first.

The 698th might make a good home for any other alchemically minded Good Seeds, people should feel free to use the ideas here if they like. Let me know if you do and I might edit in a 'Notable Members' section.

 

[Katana1515]

Minervina Barda 27: Charge of the Scorpion Brigade

In the years leading up to Minervina's second set of Trials being 'Sent To the Ranch' had become an idiom for a fate worse than death amongst her fellow disciples. It was most often bandied about in the Dawn Fortress, particularly in the canteens and bars popular amongst the rank and file of the Legions. A grim-faced warrior would relate a tale of how a brother in arms had come to some gruesome end, perhaps he was devoured alive by Yin Fang Cicada's or crucified by cruel 5th Sea Hunters. The listeners would nod solemnly, perhaps drink a toast to the fallen. Then someone will remark "well, at least he wasn't sent to the Ranch" and his peers would nod and finish their drinks, shivering all the while.

The Poison Witch spent very little time in Legion bars, but she got to find out how terrible the Ranch was first-hand.

----------------------The Ranch--------------------------------

Minervina sighed as another stinger pierced her bronze skin. Hissing a vicious war cry, the spirit beast wrapped its distinctive blue and black body around her, exerting enough pressure to snap a brick wall into splinters.

"No little one. You won't get fed if you can't behave." With practised motions, she extracts the cat-sized juvenile scorpion from her elbow and throws it back into the pen with the rest of its clutch. She had finished measuring it anyway. She put the corpse of the Yin Fang Cicada she had been using as a lure back in her storage pouch and pulls out a jade slip so she could record her findings, observing the dozen fresh hatched 'Nymphs' in their pen.

'Clutch 283 contains 32 juvenile subjects. The sixth generation bred from the bloodline originally collected from the Peng Kingdom. The Mistress's physical alterations have taken well. Looking at the musculature and chitin development I am confidently predicting a fourfold increase in the species normal size upon the specimens maturity. Should be plenty large enough for mission specifications.' How Destasia got funding for breeding an army of Spirit Scorpions big enough to ride was one of those mysteries a Foundation Establishment Junior didn't dare poke her nose in.

Observing the far end of the pen and pressing a few buttons on the nearby control array, Minervina released a dozen more fist-sized bug corpses at the end of one of Destasia's 'Test Gauntlets.' A mess of deadly acid traps, swift-moving saw blades and various other tricks, only a creature with modest intellect and incredible speed would be able to reach the nutritious treats in one piece. Starved beyond reason, the juvenile scorpions don't hesitate. They set off, streaks of chittering lightning.

The first six died swiftly, eviscerated by bronze blades, pierced by obsidian darts or melting in voracious acid. The others though learned caution surprisingly quickly. After devouring the remnants of their dead siblings, they approached with much more caution. Minervina actually applauded when one bright young arachnid discovered the trigger plate for the dart thrower and then tapped it repeatedly until the trap was expended. It took around a half-hour, but the remaining thirty eventually reached the end of the Gauntlet and started to feast.
Nodding, Minervina keeps up her monologue, talking to the Record Jade. "We have a new record. Subjects displayed a high level of physical coordination, seem comfortable with the enhanced speed and display impressive deductive skills. I recommend this batch be preserved for now while we attempt domestication."

She is about to end the recording and move on. She has twenty more such batches to judge before she had to present her findings to the Councillor this evening. On her way out of the room she remembered the most important part of today's assignment, Lady Duca had underlined it three times on the note she had got that morning. She turned around and squinted at the Scorpions as they tore into the mess of insect corpses.

"Chitin is a powder blue hue, with distinctive black markings that should help with telling them apart. It certainly reflects light in a way that's pleasing to the eye. I can conclude they are aesthetically suitable enough for the Lady to consider." What was the other part of the request? "Umm, I think that the way this species uses its pedipalps to communicate and point out threats and food sources could certainly be described as 'cute.'"

Boxes ticked, she hurries on to the next clutch of test subjects. "I can't believe I'm doing this. Why did this have to happen to me!?"

----------------------The Argent Pinnacle---------------------

Once her time as an Aspirant was done, Minervina had gone to quite some lengths to get herself recruited into the 698th legion. Infamously loosely organised and laissez-faire, the Three Starred Cauldron were unusual in that they didn't have responsibility for a specific district or territory. Their members tended to congregate in close-knit enclaves surrounding the largest forts and cities in Clan Territory instead. There they could best contribute with their focus on alchemical crafts and research, producing a notable percentage of the Cultivation aids and consumables.

Since such craft was vital to the Clans future growth, the Legion was rarely short on Contribution Points and adopted a more mercantile than military approach. Their unique sub-section of the Contribution board had been an incredible boon over the decades. It was the best network in the Clan for matching individual alchemists and Poison Masters with potential clients. It also offers heavily discounted supplies of raw materials collected from the Furnace's holdings in the Pill-Forge Forest. During the Trials and wartime, it would also use that infrastructure to post massive orders for the most essential drugs and toxins that Legionnaires across the entirety of Devil territory would feverishly work together to fulfil.

It had been a perfect fit for the better part of two centuries. Hardly a gregarious soul, Minervina had no trouble declining a post at one of cushier Enclaves. She had been largely left to her own devices to hone her craft with a ready source of work and reagents close at hand. Her occasional secondments to front line legions and tours of service at the Night Devil Fortress and the Xin Kingdom during the Blood Path Wars had won a fair share of renown for the mercantile Legion, which didn't often have a huge number of fresh battle honours to brandish. Now as she Ascended to the Great Circle of Foundation Building and set her eyes on the realms beyond, she had become something of a symbol to her Legion-Mates, many put about that she might soon become their first new Elder in three centuries.

"And that's why my Legate is trying to kill me" She reflected as she stood to attention in said Legates office.

----------------------The Ranch--------------------------------

Minervina sighed as 16 scorpions attacked her at once. She was immune to the venom, but those stingers were the size of a gladius and at least as sharp as spirit steel blades. They fucking hurt, even if they couldn't really harm her.

"NO" She let the power of her Intent Pillar soak into her voice and the word hit the horse-sized arachnids with obvious force. Her attackers are thrown back a few paces and freeze, uncertain what to do next.

"How many times do I have to tell you Batch 283. You won't get fed if you can't behave." Her words are met with a chorus of frustrated hissing as she puts the food she had out back in her pouch. She turns to walk back out of the pen. Another failed experiment, she would most likely have to declare this lot too unruly for further breeding and tag them for destruction.

She paused. "What happened to the last of you?"

This batch had been whittled down progressively as Lady Duca introduced ever more dastardly gauntlets and devious logic puzzles for them to face, but she was certain there had been 17 specimens left when she walked into the pen.

One of the Scorpions, a large female with rather pretty markings reminiscent of abstract strokes from a calligraphy brush, hadn't attacked her. Instead, it was stood a little distance away from its Clutch-Mates. It seemed utterly calm. Both pincers on the ground, no threat display, and its body low to the ground in a submissive pose.

Taking slow, deliberate steps, Minervina approaches the Spirit Beast and crouches down, deliberately exposing her back to the things deadly tail. With her left hand, she palms another giant bug and holds it out to the docile scorpion. With the right, her fingers form the gesture to summon a spell that will strike the thing down if it lashes out. She had been stung quite enough these last few months.

With ladylike grace, the scorpion scoops the treat out of her hand with its pedipalps and then starts to delicately strip it apart. It shudders for a moment as the Poison Mistress pats her on the head, but doesn't look up from its meal.

"Wonderful. I was at the utter end of my patience as well. I think I will call you Omega."

She leaves the pen a few minutes later. She waves a hand to get the attention of a Qi Condensation attendant. "Let the Lady know, I think we have a good prospect for the next round of the breeding program. If she doesn't look like she's listening or claims she's cultivating, tell her 'Barda says she's adorable.'"


----------------------The Argent Pinnacle---------------------

"I just want to be absolutely certain Furnace-Lord, you want me to volunteer for what?" She strived to keep incredulous outrage out of her voice. She failed.

Legate Auxillary Cassius Panopolis, a vain old man who revelled in the nickname 'The Peacemaker' stroked his verdigris stained beard with a knobbly hand and declaimed. "For the good of the Legion, we need to contribute to the Chartoularios Tou Kanikleiou's latest project. It's a great undertaking and the 689th must be seen to be doing its fair share.." His voice was striving for the role of All-Knowing Senior. Unfortunately, Minervina didn't really count him as a Senior now they were peers in cultivation and she was quick to talk over the older Cultivator.

She no longer bothered to try and keep her agitation to herself.

"You want me to be one of Destasia 'The Absent-Minded Demon' Duca's lab rats! We both know how that goes. I've spent years carefully not going anywhere near the damn woman. If she takes a fancy to my Constitution she will have me strapped to a slab and screaming under the knife before I can blink."

Cassius snorts noisily, His whispy, green-stained, beard vibrating with anger. "You're the only Expert we have who is immune to poison. You have a better chance of making it back in one piece than any of your peers. Moreover, I'm your Imperator damned Legate and you will do as I say, Centurion!"

-------------------------The Ranch-------------------------------

Minervina had quickly learned the most vital lesson to surviving as one of Lady Duca's subordinates.

Whenever you walk into her office, make sure you have something more interesting than yourself on hand.

She still cringed at the memory of the day she learned that lesson. The infamous researcher hadn't quite strapped her to a slab and cut her open as she feared, but in some ways, it had been worse. It was definitely more embarrassing. She had vowed to never just walk into the Disciple Mistress's office with forms to fill out ever again. The threat of paperwork seemed to stir terrible things in the darker parts of the Ladies mind.

Working out exactly what the Lady might find interesting had been something of a trial and error affair. Shiny trinkets worked well, the eccentric woman enjoyed jewellery, particularly if it gave her a chance to dissect exotic talismans or criticise foreign array work. Sometimes though, that would remind her of actual work and could backfire disastrously. Minervina really wasn't certain how someone so flighty could reach Core Formation, though her genius was certainly not in question.

Alcohol worked best, she had a strong taste for Venom Wines. Yet you could never catch her interest with the same vintage twice. Minervina had opened a substantial line of credit to the Centennius brewery in the last few years, making sure she had a stockpile of their latest experimental concoctions. She found she could get the Lady to focus on the actual task at hand around 80% of the time if she paired it with a well presented 'gift' of a few bottles.

Today though, she was utterly confident that Duca's full focus would be aimed at something other than her. She took a moment outside the office door to fuss over the little companion on her shoulder and feed it a few flies before letting herself in. You could knock for days without getting an answer if the Lady was in the middle of one of her 'experiments.'

Today it looked like the respected Master of Disciples was coming to the end of one of those experiments. She was sprawled across her desk and snoring loudly. 'Drug fuelled binge' might be a more accurate description than an experiment, but Minervina knew better than to entertain that thought, even if it looked like the older woman was dead to the world. Instead, she busied herself swabbing up the various glimmering powders off the table and organising the various papers that had been strewn across the room. She took a brief glance at the pages of hastily scrawled brushwork. How the Elder managed to write her thoughts in a new code each time she got…. Enlightened… was beyond her. She made sure they were stacked and dated neatly anyway, even if she could only guess at what the intended page order would be. In her experience, there was a roughly even chance that the work was some brilliant new alchemical discovery or more terrible erotic fiction about the Archgetes.

Minervina had long since given up cracking Lady Duca's codes. It wasn't worth the nightmares.

She had the room largely restored and a pot of tea brewing merrily by the time the older woman finally stirred from her stupor.

"Good Afternoon my lady, I hope you slept well." She handed over a cloth for the drool that marred the beautiful woman's features. She reached up for the baby scorpion that had been drowsing on her shoulder this entire time. "I have someone I would like you to meet."
----------------------The Argent Pinnacle--------------------

"I'm your Imperator damned Legate and you will do as I say, Centurion!" He slammed his hand on his hardwood desk, cracks emerging in the lacquer. His aura cut loose with his temper, an invisible wave of power that should make anyone below Core Formation pause. His erstwhile Centurion though refused to flinch, her own aura easily matching his own in intensity.

And that, Cassius reflected, was the entire problem in a nutshell. This stripling of a girl from a disgraced branch family refused to mind her place in the greater order of things. Minervina's rapid ascension meant that her presence in the 689th had become a destabilizing element, one that he needed to either control or remove.

"You set out tomorrow, at first light. I have promised Lady Duca a perfect candidate for the role of a personal assistant. You will perform that task to the best of your abilities, or I will see your accounts frozen for insubordination." He paused, watching how she would react to his challenge. It was theoretically possible for her to appeal such a sanction, but the Dawn Fortress was generally inclined to favour a Legate in any internal dispute. Moreover, between the oncoming Trials and the colonisation efforts, it could well be decades before an arbitrator would be appointed.

The Poison Mistress looked utterly livid, but after a few moments visibly calmed herself. She quirked an eyebrow and said. "Very well then. I see how it is." And then she left. No apology for her tone, no request for permission to leave, none of the required salutes or formalities. Her final words didn't even really commit to completing the task!

He slammed the desk again. This time there was an audible crunch as splinters bounced around the room.

He had worked too long and too hard for Family, Legion and Clan to lose face like this. Cassius knew he was the subject of unflattering gossip amongst the rank and file. 200 years. He had spent almost two centuries desperately trying to break through to Core Formation, to secure the legacy of the Panopolis family. In his youth, he had been hailed as a prodigy, his cultivation smooth and easy. Maybe that had become the problem, a lack of tempering and trials to hammer his Pillars into the correct shape? Whatever the exact nature of the blockage, something about this next step was utterly beyond him, no matter what technique he tried or treasures he expended.

He had given up on further advancement, refined his administrative and diplomatic skills and made himself indispensable to the Legion that way. His mother, Imperator Bless Her, had been young still. Perhaps another child of hers would achieve what he could not, take up the torch and carry the Furnace into the future. The Panopolis legacy would still be secure.

And then the Trials had struck. Worse than they had in the memory of anyone outside the Archgetes himself. His mother struck dead out of hand by some 5th Sea Nascent Soul. An entire generation of top tier Cultivators cut short in a single engagement. He had refused to believe the news when it reached him.

When the call for Legates Auxillary had gone out, it had spurred in him an ambition that he had long since given up for dead. He had traded in decades of stockpiled favours, spent a fortune on bribes and even indulged in some modest skullduggery to ensure he was the only suitable candidate. His family name was the driving force behind this urge to fight tooth and nail. He had been building up a vast reserve of contribution points ever since, going out of his way to solicit 'gifts' and 'tokens of appreciation' from juniors looking to climb the ranks of the Legion. In the depths of the Dawn Fortress, there was a set of ancient Array Flags, The Lesser Key of Thanatos, with access to that array, even he should be able to break his Pillars from their lethargy and forge a Core. The ancient artefact can only be used once a millennium, so the price was astronomical, far beyond the means of any run of the mill administrator. As a Legate though, anything was possible. All he needed to do was keep hold of the Legate position and keep skimming just enough benefits from the job to avoid censure.

Then along comes Minervina Barda, the aggressive young Cultivator who crosses the span of the entire 2nd Realm in less than a century and is already knocking on the door of Core Formation. Mere Cultivation alone wouldn't have been enough to threaten Cassius's seat though, Alchemical skill had always been the way the Furnace decided its pecking order. Such a young Core might have been encouraged to form her own legion or to simply wait a century or two to hone their skills before taking up the mantle of Legate. But this was the Poison Witch, the woman whose skill with a pill furnace was feared the length and breadth of Clan Lands, Whose alchemical creations made the Miracle at Pleuron possible and had been the bane of the Growling Dervishes.

If she overtook him and broke through first, she wouldn't have to press the issue, his own subordinates would demand he step down in favour of her. Then his narrow road to saving the family legacy would be shut forever.

"Well, I just have to make sure that doesn't happen." He pulled out pen and paper and started drafting a letter to Lady Duca, explaining that he had a perfect candidate for a research assistant.

-------------------------The Ranch-------------------------------

It was always a little terrifying how swiftly the Mistress of the Disciples flipped from fun-loving hedonist to deadly serious scientist. She hadn't even finished wiping her face before she started asking questions. "Barda. Invading my rooms again I see." She focuses on the sleeping Nymph, her tone and expression becoming excited. "Who do we have here?"

With a tone reminiscent of a proud mother introducing her child Minervina explains. "This darling is the result of Omega's latest pairing. The one with the male we imported from Turtlebone mountain. Only a week old and she's already close to her first molting, I think this variety is going to be big enough to pull a wagon when it's full-grown, without losing any of its mother's speed or intellect. Your suggestion of adding a small infusion of the Blood of Bronze during gestation has worked beautifully. Not only has it refined the changes to their constitution but this is the most docile and agreeable breed I have ever seen." She demonstrates by gently stroking the creatures tiny chelicerae with her index finger, the scorpion responds by arching its back and nuzzling the Cultivator in a manner eerily reminiscent of a pleased cat. "I think just about any Clan member should be able to handle one with minimal training using the very basic Beast-Taming art that our specialists are putting together."

Destasia has stopped listening, instead, she scoops up the scorpion and hugs it, making various undignified sounds of excitement and pleasure. Startled, the scorpion does strike out with its pincers and stinger, but they could no more pierce the Elders skin than they could sting the sun, and she doesn't even notice.

"She's perfect Barda, put this lineage into production as quickly as possible. The Archgetes has arranged a little field test for our adorable babies. I was starting to worry I wouldn't be able to get Sheng Yu those mounts I promised him. Oh I can't wait to see the look on that crusty old fossils face!"

-------------------------The Present-------------------------------


The Bells ring once again.

This is the third time they have rung in her lifetime.

The first time, the conflict between Cultivators had dashed her plans for the future, cut her father's life short and set her on a path of vengeance and Cultivation.

The second time, she had saved countless lives, vented her hatred on the Hunters at Pleuron, and had crippled herself in the process. That crippling had set her on the path towards one of her greatest feats to date, her Poison Constitution.

The trials were monstrous, a cruel testament to the hatred the Heavens still harboured for the Optimatoi. Yet they were also a crucible, more than any other factor, the Clans current culture and outlook had been shaped and moulded in response to the Trials. Bronze was a metal that needed fire and force to bring out its best lustre.

She wondered what changes this set of Trials would bring to the Optimatoi.

Already, the first reports of Hunters arriving were coming in. Those with keen eyes could see the lightning-fast shimmer of great glass lances flying through the air as the Clan's greatest array strived to winnow their numbers. A task she shared today. Pulling herself from her musings, she patted Omega's grandaughter on her head fondly and had her pivot so she could review her troops. She strived for her best 'Command Voice.'

"Centuria! The time has come once again for us to be tested! Let's show these thugs what real Devils can do. We Ride!"

At her word, a hundred Cultivators set out into the Desert, their gigantic scorpion mounts making for an intimidating wall of chitin and anger as they devoured the miles in front of them.

They would not all return, but they would not go quietly or easily into the next life.

-------------------------------------

Last Omake of the Turn, it's been cooking all week, so just happy to get it in under the deadline.

The Trials are upon us, fingers crossed everyone!

@Humbaba @Kaboomatic @ReaderOfFate

 

[Katana1515]

Minervina Barda 28: Conspiracy in Quigai Part 1

"Revenge is a dish best served cold." This was the wisdom told to Jingsheng Hui Lui when he asked his Elders for guidance. After months of grieving, painstakingly slow physical recovery and emotional desolation, they were exactly the words that he needed to hear.

His heart was full of fire and pain ever since that Poison Devil had walked into his life. Her callous black magic had slaughtered his disciples, his nephews and cousins, all of whom he loved like sons. As soon as he regained consciousness he had searched the scorched and blasted remains of the compound for hours, worsening the wounds to his body and cultivation base as he fruitlessly searched for survivors.

He had sworn a Dao Oath of vengeance that day and had since dedicated every moment to that end. He had spent wealth like water, liquidating centuries of assets and treasures. His path to Core Formation, the labour of centuries, severed forever as he exchanged all the reserves of Tribulation mitigating arrays and Breakthrough Pills he had squirrelled away.

Even his Dao was willfully undermined in his quest for bloody satisfaction. He had cast aside his chivalry and scorned the code of honour that had defined him for so long. What use were the Laws and Rules of the Righteous Path if the Demons could wantonly slaughter the most upright of men? How blind was Heaven that such injustice could be allowed to stand?

As he pushed open the door of the seedy bar, the Witch's mocking voice rang in his ear again, as it did so often these days. Finally, coming to see things my way then?

His face took on a pained expression as he shook off the vision before concentrating on the denizens of the sleazy bar. Even his Qi enhanced eyes struggled to penetrate the thick haze of fog left behind by all the opium and other more exotic narcotics.

It had cost the better part of three decades of effort, his life savings and his faith, but he finally had almost everything he needed to claim his vengeance. He knew where the Devil would be and he had the tools to bring her to justice. Now he just needed a team of fellow Foundation Building experts insane, angry or impoverished enough to try and hunt down one of the Golden Devils most infamous Poison Masters in the midst of the seething pit of madness that is the Quigai Secret Realm.

"Stop looking so glum Hui! Tomorrow we finally set off on our quest!" A jovial bear of a man, Kong Mo was his first and most steadfast companion. Lui grimaced but let his blood brother press a jar of wine into his hand and guide him to the table he had prepared for the forthcoming interviews.

He still felt a little awkward and ashamed around his old friend. His beloved firstborn was amongst the disciples he had lost, but instead of blaming Lui for his failure, the indefatigable man had joined him in his vendetta. To the casual observer, he would seem untouched by grief. He was always quick to make a wry comment and eager to embrace life's pleasures, but Hui Lui could see the yawning chasm that lurked under the thin facade. While his left arm tapped merrily on the gameboard set before him, his right was an angry white as it clenched too hard on the hilt of his Jian under the table. Whatever the disreputable nature of their other companions on this quest, Lui took heart that at least his fellow Clan member would march into the shadow of Death with him, whatever Tribulation the Heavens might set on their path.

"Introduce me to our new acquaintance," Lui asked while peering at the board. Across from it was a plainly dressed man of indeterminate age who seemed to consist almost entirely of knobbly knees and awkwardly gangly limbs. Despite his unfortunate physical aspect, he clearly had some gifts, as he was definitely dominating the ongoing game of Go. No blade sat beside him, but a fine Erhu instead. Not waiting on Mo, he introduced himself. His voice was soft and low but somehow painful to Lui's ears. like the scrape of chalk against the grain of a blackboard. "Call me Cricket. It's a pleasure to work with such distinguished gentlemen."

With that pronouncement, he placed a final stone that definitely sealed Mioa's fate. After his opponent let out a defeated groan, the loose Cultivator deftly pocketed the handful of coins they had laid on the table. Lui had never experienced the difficulties faced by those stubborn few who tried to reach Heaven without a Sect or Clan, but he guessed the man needed to take what wealth he could. "You know what you are getting into then little 'Cricket'? This isn't a task for those faint of heart or lacking in resolve. Our quarry is one of the darkest and most depraved evils to have crawled out from the deep desert in centuries. Why should I find a place for a bug in so hazardous an expedition" He had already decided to be brusque and straightforward in these interviews. Brother Mo had done the legwork of vetting and inviting them, but he had insisted on having a final say on their chosen companions. While he could scarce afford to frighten away potential allies, he could afford a comrade who would flee or baulk at the key moment even less.

Lui had expected bluster, the venting of a wounded ego, but he was perhaps too used to the prideful mannerisms of his Clanmates. Cricket, instead took the jibe with the self-assured humility of a peasant. This was a man who had reached the Great Circle of Foundation Establishment on his wits and fortuitous encounters alone, he would not be so easily drawn.

"I assure the Master, an Adept on the Path of Discordant Strife is exactly what you need for this mission. My Arts have undone Poison Masters before when I sought my fortune in the Demon War. With my Erhu at your side, the Demons wiles will not lead your eyes or ears astray, and when the time to kill arrives, you will not find this humble insect wanting." The man's soft voice rang with painful notes that scratched at more than just the ears. Lui suspected that if the man was to merely raise his voice, a lesser cultivators skin would be cut open in a thousand places. No doubt a side effect of whatever partial legacy or forbidden technique the rogue had been lucky enough to uncover. Traversing such a perilous Dao spoke of bravery and commitment if not necessarily wisdom. Lui suspected the coming days would find him needing unorthodox courage far more than pompous sagacity. Without further questions, he fished out two tokens from his robes and placed them on the table.

"Very well then, I look forward to seeing the truth of your words. As agreed, one slot for the Quigai Secret Realm. A treasure beyond any but the favoured Disciples of a major Clan. Once the deed is done, you will be free to pursue opportunities as you see fit. The other token will only activate on our return but will give you access to the rest of your payment." He pauses for a moment, his voice growing solemn. "The cash payment is good only once the Demons death is confirmed. Even if neither I or Mo make it out, so long as the bitch is dead you will get your money."

After a few more brief exchanges about schedules and other practicalities, Cricket departed. The Jingshen duo refreshed their drinks and ordered a large meal. Their next guest had a reputation as a big eater.

---------

"Little Brother Hui! Is it true you are giving out entry slips to the Quigai Secret Realm!"

The cacophonous voice belonged to a barrel-shaped man clad in so many axes it was hard to pick out exactly where his body ended and spirit steel began. Exiled long ago from the Bear Enslavement Sect for crimes unknown, Huang Ken was a virtuoso with those blades and over four centuries of warfare had played the part of bodyguard, assassin, monster slayer and bounty hunter. If you were going to wade through blood-drenched battlefields, you could not ask for a better guide.

Subtlety though. That was not among his strengths. At the loud mention of Entry Slips, the raucous bar noticeably quieted as its denizens started to listen in. Sighing, Lui pulled a privacy talisman out of his Storage Ring and slapped the enchanted paper on the table. There was a pop as an almost imperceptible bubble of air qi surrounded them, a barrier against both sounds escaping and intrusive espionage techniques.

"The cost of that talisman is coming out of your fee Ken. My letter said to be quiet about the details. The devil we are hunting is a slippery one."

Lui's tone was quite different with Ken compared to Cricket. The Axeman was a known quantity, and they would need his skill at arms if they were to safely traverse the Secret Realm. This interview would be less about whether the two blood brothers wanted to hire the burly Cultivator and more about whether he thought the quest worth his time. Lui couldn't afford to let the veteran expert get too cocky, or his terms would become ever more outrageous.

Laughing and stroking his copious beard, Huang Ken threw himself down into a seat, utterly failing to apologise for his lack of concern for information security. "Ai! I have heard a few tales about this shiny devil woman you have taken such a fancy to. Now, I understand as well as any man the urge to give chase when the pretty ones play hard to get, but don't you think you're taking it a bit too far? The Quigai secret realm isn't the safest place to go shopping for a bride. Now I have a granddaughter who's quite the looker, would be a good match, gets all her looks from her mother's side thankfully…."

To Lui's eternal surprise, it was Mo who broke his composure first. His fist slammed the table so hard that not only did it shatter, the flagstones beneath it did too. "How dare you! Why would you even come here if you only intended to insult our purpose? We are here to kill the whore, not carry her off you addled wastrel!"

Of course, Lui's pricy talisman had been destroyed along with the table, so now the whole bar was watching the fracas open-mouthed. Huang Ken was watching Lui, ignoring Mo's increasingly frustrated ranting, a small smirk on his face and his eyes calm and calculating.

So, that was his game. Well, it looks like the old dog wins this round.

Lui grabbed Mo's arm, quieting him with a gesture and gently pulling him back into his seat. That done he put his hands together in a warriors salute. "Big brother Ken. We have clearly gotten sidetracked here. Let's start the conversation again, properly this time." A flicker of his cultivation base silenced the rabble in the bar, most of them little better than mortals. He retrieved two genuine Mid Grade Spirit Stones from his robes and left them on the debris of broken furniture and crockery. "A private room, with a better quality meal."

"And much better wine!" The older Cultivator nodded and clapped his hands together, for all the world a magnanimous senior elegantly preserving the face of the junior generation.

'All the better to scalp me when the bartering finally starts' Lui mused helplessly.

----------

Their last interview took place a few weeks later. Mo had been circumspect about some of the details, but he had assured Lui that this particular Expert was eager for her own revenge against the Poison Witch and had been happy to forgo the promise of a monetary payment if it assured her a spot on the team.

Since Huang Ken had gleefully helped himself to much of what was left of his life's savings, even going so far as to demand payment in advance, Lui wasn't inclined to look a gift horse in the mouth. He did start to develop a few misgivings when he heard the meeting was to take place outside the arrays and wards of the city. Those misgivings blossomed and grew fruit when he scanned the woman's peculiar cultivation base and noted her distinctive attire.

"Seriously Mo, A Xin Sorceress? Why are we meeting with a scion of one of the Devils servant clans? Why would one work with us? She could easily be a spy for all we know."

Mo tried his best to reassure him. "I have done my research brother. Her grudge with the Poison Witch is real, and her skills should be invaluable. If she can deliver what her letters promise, then you will agree with me that we could ask for no better companion on this quest."

With a 'hmmph' of doubt Lui approached the woman. Her steel-grey hair and matronly green dress gave her the air of an aged and kind grandmother. Not exactly the qualities he was looking for. The delicate-looking porcelain teapot and tray she had out didn't do much to alter his impression.

"You are Leling, correct? Prove to me why this is not a waste of time."

The sorceresses answer was a mere quirk of one immaculately sculpted eyebrow.

That was all the warning Hui Lui got before the vines almost killed him.

Writhing like serpents and with the strength of a giant, they burst from the ground all around him. The air filled with the iron tang of fresh blood as they latched onto every conceivable part of his body and held him fast. In shock and sudden fear, he thrashed around with the full power of his Cultivation. The vines bent, but did not break, he was bound and helpless.

"My name Sir Hui, is Zhou Leling. You can call me Miss Zhou for now." She sipped her tea as the vines tightened uncomfortably in some undignified places. "I take it that we can continue on a more professional basis now I have proven my suitability?"

With a nod and a word of acquiescence, the sorceress let the vines retract into the ground. She poured the stunned warrior a cup and passed it to him.

Lui took it, but did not drink. He had learned his lesson about witches the hard way. That technique… it was far more potent and fast than he had any sorcery he had seen before. All accounts of Xin Cultivation indicated it was a broken path, flashy and with a degree of utility, but ultimately limited in both combat prowess and growth potential. This display did not tally with those reports at all. The aura of blood and death that surrounded it….

The revelation hit him as he glanced back at Mo in horror, who stood to one side in silent vigil, looking sternly at the ground, refusing to meet his blood brothers eyes.

Blood Path.

And what's worse, Mo had known. True, they had pledged to discard all honour in their quest for vengeance, but this? It was unthinkable. Evil.

A nightmare vision of Barda rose in his thoughts again. A slim black outline of pure horror and spite. Rampant destruction and entropy given physical form. Vast power, knowledge and lethal intent, wrapped up into one terrible package and set loose on the world.

Must he accept one evil to slay another?

Leling, no Miss Zhou, looked at him silently, as if she could hear his thoughts. Heavens have mercy, maybe she could.

"Why. Why are you here speaking to us? Mrs Zhou."

"Because my coven has been trampled on by Minervina Barda twice now. It seems fate has a habit of drawing her near us at the worst possible opportunities. I will not risk her interfering a third time, not now, when the work is so close to being complete." She smiled, the first expression he had seen on her face. It chilled him. "And because I want to see her ground into bloody paste at least as much as you do."

He considered. He weighed his choices. He had always taken pride in being a diligent and rational man. With a heavy heart, he damned himself.

"Well, its a pleasure to have you on the team."

---------------------------

(2850 words)

I am late starting this turn, but I do have a bit of an arc planned, of which this is part one.

In terms of admin. Minervina will be attacking the Yuan Secret Realm, and is willing to risk up to 2 Life Saving Treasures to maximise her chance to benefits.

For Omake rewards, I would like a new Life-Saving Treasure.

A quick note on who the 2 recurring characters are.

Hui Lui was the Cultivator in charge of guarding the great Drill that Minervina destroyed in chapter 25

Hmmph... this junior is a good seed [Cultivation Management Quest] Original - Fantasy

Minervina Barda 25: The wrath of the Memory Stealing Shade Jingshen Hui ‘Mist Turtle’ Lui was a respected member of his Clan. An Expert of three centuries standing, he had seen all manner of horrors emerge from the blood-soaked desert to haunt his family and its domain. In all that time he had...

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

Zhou Leling was an uncooperative ally in the Bad Moon Rising Arc. Hmmph... this junior is a good seed [Cultivation Management Quest] Original - Fantasy The twist of her turning out to be a Blood Path Super Sorceress is based on a small part of an old fate roll I never quite got around to using much.

During this time she uncovered a minor conspiracy among some members of the Tower of Wood to betray the Xin Kingdom to the Cannibals, and was forced to kill a considerable number of Xin Kingdom cultivators before bringing her proof to the Clan.

Click to shrink...

 

[Katana1515]

Gaius Antonius, Amaranth Castellanos & Minervina Barda - Toxic Hate Part 1

'No Devil loves the desert.'

It was a koan Gaius had learned as a boy, and one which he had come to comprehensively understand through gruelling experience. It was meant to convey that just because you get used to or adapt to something doesn't mean you actually learn to like it. It was also literally true. The Golden Devils had lived in the Organ Meat Desert for as long as it had existed, and yet still Legionnaires on patrol would gripe to each other, weary of the heat and the sand and the dry skin and the endless days of scrubbing to finally clean themselves after a mission.

Indeed, no Devil loves the desert; Gaius much preferred the mountains. There was a harshness to them to be sure; patches of verdant green were cut through by the cruel, jagged edges of stone that made up the harsh slopes of the natural towers. Spirit Beasts were both more common and more powerful, necessitating more deadly combat in one week than he usually saw in three weeks in the desert. And there was of course the thinness of the air near the peaks of the taller mountains, which snatched away his stamina and made his head feel light.

But the mountains were alive. That fact was what made all the difference. The desert air tasted of despair, of a slow, quiet, unstoppable death. To live in the desert was a violation of what it represented. To live in the mountains was not a violation, but a competition. Life flourished here, albeit only strong life. It was motion, not stillness.

When The Seeker stood astride the peak of ___, charcoal and half-finished map in hand, and looked out upon the landscape below, he felt invigorated. Nine more years to go until the Yuan Clan turned on their array. Nine more years until this fertile territory would be filled to bursting with life, like overripe fruit. He had to be ready.

Drawing a rough outline of the shape of the valley below, Gaius took notes on anything that looked interesting; a particularly broad river holding all sorts of spirit beasts here, an abandoned spirit stone mine which might be filled with riches by the array there. A Three Horned Leopard, filled with powerful, corded muscle and horns chipped from a long life of combat, stalked Gaius from behind, clearly hoping to take advantage of his distraction. How foolish.

In a single blur of motion, he turned, drew a knife and threw it. The leopard tried to leap away, only to be impaled where its shoulder met its chest. Gaius gave a satisfied smile as the big cat yowled and tried to limp away through the pain - not a one-hit-kill, but pretty good. In a few steps he was there, and the beast's life ended in one painless, merciful slash. Lipita could probably make something nice with those horns, Gaius thought as he began to extract them along with a few other choice parts.

Blood began to coat The Seeker's hands as he worked, and he pulled up his sleeves to keep them from getting any more stains. Not that it mattered that much; the brown-red soil of these mountains found a way to rub its color off on everything, as if the mountains were wet ink blots bleeding across a page.

With the most valuable and easy-to-carry parts tucked away in preservative containers, Gaius stood up and checked the position of the sun. As it turned out, the yellow orb was not yet at its apex; still morning, then. A large multitude of fluffy clouds lazily drifted through the air, and though he had left the desert many times before, Gaius still found himself surprised by their number. Even more so, he was surprised by how low to the ground they could get. Many of them, in fact, were lower than the tallest mountain peaks, breaking around the stone when the two made contact.

Beautiful. Even if Gaius got nothing out of this reconnaissance in nine years, he'd still be glad he made this trip. With long, confident steps, he began his trip down the mountain. A rust-red cloak swayed with his movements, rather than the usual black. He needed camouflage the most when he was high up in the mountains. Then, when he descended into the forested valleys, he would reverse the cloak, revealing a dark green color on the other side.

"North next, right? Yeah, north…" Gaius mumbled to himself, angling his descent toward that river. He would follow the water to the north for a while, charting this valley up close, then climb another mountain to search for other places of interest.

He didn't even realize that his decisions were not fully his own. Deep within Gaius' pack, a large ___ fang weakly pulsed, urging its bearer in a certain direction. It could feel it; other fangs were near. While the Dao Fang of Anush Naag was relatively mindless on its own, it possessed an instinctual desire to become complete.

And so, The Seeker went north.

----

Amaranth noisily munched on his twelfth raw potato as he watched the Yuan Clan members pass on by, sack slung over his shoulder.

Ever since his tribulation where he had attained the Single Pillar, his appetite had significantly increased. He supposed it made sense, taking something adjacent to the essence of Consumption into himself this deeply was the sort of thing that should have side-effects.

That being said, at times it really just felt absurd. Here he was, hiding from some Yuan Clan members while scouting the area before the Man-And-Mountain Array activated, and Amaranth couldn't hold himself back from eating all the while.

After his supply of carrots had run out, he had moved on to the beets, which he had expected to last his whole trip. Apparently not. So, all he had left were the potatoes he was planning to throw into a soup at home and a few other assorted vegetables.

He distinctly recalled disliking having his potatoes raw, but now, the feeling of actual resistance behind his bites felt wonderful. Odd, but he supposed it wasn't that bad of a quirk to arise from all of this.

If it wasn't for the fact that he was easily able to Consume any sound before it escaped too far, this would definitely be a liability.

But since he could, well. There was no real reason to hold back. After shoving the last piece in his mouth, he soared over their heads with a single bound, and walked off.

Now, where to head next?

As he considered a few locations, Amaranth noticed a wide-eyed Qi Condensation guardsman staring straight at him.

Guess he was being sloppy, huh.

Amaranth sighed. "Is there any chance that you can just forget this?"

As the guardsman proceeded to yell out for backup, it seemed that there wasn't.

Well, that wouldn't do. With a momentary pulse, the noise was strangled before it arrived to any ears.

"Sorry about this. Can't afford any witnesses, you know?"

The second Emanation was an unrefined blast, shaped only in the sense that it targeted a single person.

That was more than enough.

The last thing the guardsman saw was a Pillar, twisting and shifting with sparks, raised high to the sky and carved with images of beasts and humans. Then, there was a horrific noise of ripping and tearing, and viscera fell to the ground.

Amaranth pulled out a beast core of one of the Foundation-level beasts that lived in the area from his sack, and spread some of the Qi on the mauled remains. It wasn't uncommon for spirit beast attacks to occur in this region, so maybe this would go overlooked. It was unlikely, but it would at least delay the search for long enough that he would be long gone by the time they had realized it was a person's work.

He sighed. He really needed to get better at this sneaky stuff, didn't he? Oh well, he supposed that would only arrive with time.

So, where to go next, that was what he was thinking about before this, right? Right.

North felt good to him. He wasn't exactly sure why, but it sounded like a decent idea. Amaranth shrugged, and moved forwards.

In his sack, next to a head of cauliflower, was a smooth metal fang, flickering with energy. Grey sparks now ran over the surface of what was the pure essence of the Ninth Prince only a few years ago, but it called to its own nonetheless.

Outside of Consumption, or perhaps just related to it, there was one principle, one piece of the underlying nature of things that Amaranth tapped into rather often.

It was that like bound to like. And so it did.

----

Minervina had taken a liking to the mountains immediately. The climate was a pleasant change, with the foggy mornings and rainy evenings a stark contrast to the searing sunlight of her homeland. The rigours of mountain traversal meant little to her Bronze body, neither thin air, treacherous avalanches or vicious rapids could really stall her progress. A short burst of the Two-Headed Eagle formation was more than enough to deal with the occasional bottomless chasm or vast tarn filled with man-eating trout.

The flora was a particular delight to her, being unusually distinctive and vibrant. The Spirit Herbs here tended to be more expressive than their shy desert cousins, bursting with colour and scent that announced their presence for miles around. The sheer variety and potency of the blooms put the desert to shame, she could only imagine the bounty that would emerge once the Man As Mountain Array finally triggered. Unfortunately, it wasn't as easy as picking flowers from a summer meadow. The easily spotted Spirit Herbs were almost always heavily guarded.

"Of course, we should just see that as another opportunity to profit" The Poison Witch spoke aloud as she pulled out her skinning knives and set about butchering the remains of a Iron Blood Bear the size of a barn. The only external wound on the mighty beast was a few gashes on its snout from her fingernails. Something about the Mid-Foundation Stage beasts expression, even in death, conveyed the idea that it was utterly baffled to have met this fate.

As if summoned by her Mistress's words, Emilia the Spirit Serpent pours forth from the skin on the back of her neck. The toxin she used would spoil the hide and meat, rendering them useless apart from as a small snack for the serpent. She hacked into its belly with gusto regardless, since its Core should still be intact and viable if she moved swiftly. Another small boon of this long journey to the furthest, most isolated, corner of Yuan territory. It's the work of a few minutes to retrieve a round purple crystal from the giant beasts abdomen

"Not the biggest boon though, not at all." She mutters to herself as she returns to her makeshift camp, her prize glittering and gory in her hand. The camp is a relatively crude affair, mostly constructed from green wood hacked into shape with inhuman strength and covered with beast hides to keep the rain off and the warmth in. A handful of small arrays provide a degree of creature comforts such as light, heat and clean water. Altogether it speaks of a semi-permanent abode, the domain of a wandering Cultivator who has set down roots for a season or two.

Trespassing into the territory of a neutral power was a risky choice, yet Minervina had already found the opportunity she had set out to capture, she just had to prise it open. Beneath her rough-hewn home, a small innocuous cave led to a much larger cavern, one that contained six sealed coffers that bore the seals of the Barda family. Minervina had always known her family's legacy was old and had once been grand, but she had never expected the latest mystery the Scarlet Crow Scroll had given her. Instead of a new toxic recipe or cultivation method, it had revealed a map of the Yuan mountains, marked with the location of this ancient cache.

The coffers were safe in her dimensional pouch, unopened for the moment.The Barda family had lived up to its feared reputation with their construction and defence. It had taken months just to work through the traps in the cave, and she suspected accessing these last fragments of her ancestors' legacy would be the work of centuries.

She could have left by now, but there was one last piece of that legacy that remained, and she wasn't quite willing to leave it behind.

She entered the cavern and looked up at this last treasure. Over twenty feet tall, the guardian construct was roughly humanoid in shape, its steel skin moulded to give the impression of scales and its head shaped moulded into features suggestive of a dragon. Toxic Qi flowed from dozens of cracks and rents in its frame, polluting the cavern to such an extent that most Cultivators below Core Formation wouldn't survive the short stroll across the space. It was glancing into those wounds that made her certain the golem was Golden Devil work, the countless impossibly fine array carvings visible in its inner workings were iconically Optimatoi in style and design. But she had never seen records of the Clan deploying such sophisticated constructs, either in battle or as guardians. If she could only get the thing operational and bring it home, such a feat would surely be counted as a massive contribution to the Clan. Perhaps enough to buy the wealth of Pills and Stones she would need to smooth her path to the 8th pillar.

She took the bear's Spirit Core in her hand and pressed it to the most significant piece of battle damage, a busted open section of bronze plate approximately over the spot where a man's heart would rest. She muttered a mantra, unpracticed at channeling Beast Qi, pushing the stored power from the organic crystal into the construct. Naturally, she had tried power from her reserves of Spirit Stones first, but it had been wasted, the constructs' internal channels refusing the smooth, concentrated power of the earth. She theorised that since it was constructed here in the mountains, it might have been built with Beast Core power in mind instead.

It certainly seemed to take the power readily enough, the Core shimmered one last time before turning to dust, its Qi greedily slurped up inside the construct. Minervina tensed, waiting to see if anything happened.

----

An epoch of starvation, pain, frustration and despair. Its body and soul were wounded in a thousand places. Rendered motionless and sightless but robbed of the mercy of death or unconsciousness. Its sanity, ever a fragile thing, long since cast aside as a useless affectation. It dreamed spiteful fantasies. In each it inflicted countless tortures and bloody indignities, its claws rending flesh and snapping bone, its breath rotting flesh and its Qi mauling souls. This was its only salvation; to dream of sharing a tithe of the injustices that had been piled upon its spirit with the vile creatures that had condemned it to this failed Grave Bronze coffin.

Even eternity finally ends.

A droplet of power, angry and snarling is hovered within its reach. Like a starving dog sighting a bloody steak, the spirit snaps, gobbling the Qi as fast as it had appeared. A flicker of power flows through its leaden limbs. Life and vigour! After untold millennia, it could move!

No….. No, not yet. It's not enough power, perhaps enough to open its eyes for a minute or to lift a limb, but not yet enough to set out on its path of vengeance. After so many millennia of tortured petrification, the spirit in the statue had gained in patience even as it lost its sanity. If someone had fed it power once, it was only a matter of time before they tried again. It would bide its time, luxuriating in the relief from starvation, and indulge in freshly inspired dreams of bloody slaughter. It's time was at hand.

----

For a moment, Minervina is certain the construct is about to stir and activate, but after a few minutes of waiting it becomes clear that it remains moribund.

"I suppose I will just need to find more Cores?"

——

Gaius sat cross-legged at the edge of a rocky cliff, the wind lightly whistling past his ears. Other than that, the world was still here, no errand sound getting in his way; exactly what he needed right now. There was something out there, that much he was sure of. Something that felt familiar. More than ten miles to be sure, and definitely somewhere to the South.

He gazed down the dizzying heights of the cliff and into the valley below. It was a small valley, barely more than a canyon, and was dominated primarily by a river. There were narrow stretches of muddy, grassy land on either side of the river, enough for perhaps five men to walk side by side. If Gaius went down there and followed the river south to what he was sensing, he wouldn't be able to hide himself. And so here he sat, waiting for it to come to him.

He idly bit into a raw beast core as he waited. This was from a mere Ninth Heavenstage beast, a pittance to him by this point but not entirely worthless - a drop in a bucket was still more than nothing. The core of a beast above his great realm would be too much for him to digest - he would need to cultivate from it like a stone, which would not only be much less efficient than eating it but would distract him from following this signal. Before he knew it, the Ninth Heavenstage core was finished and he pulled out a second, eating that one in turn.

A few hours passed in this peaceful silence, and the signal grew stronger and stronger. It was only a few miles south of The Seeker's position by now, which meant it was much easier to make out. The aura was Foundation but also… not. It didn't map to either Foundation or Core very well, seeming like a mix of both. And within, there was something much more potent than the aura which surrounded it, like an ocean beneath a thin layer of ice.

Ah. That was a King. In fact, now that Gaius knew that… yes, he knew exactly which King it was.

----

Finishing the somewhat perilous climb down the rocky wall without too much difficulty, Gaius landed on the riverbank and walked toward the incoming signal, the bearer of which obviously knew that Gaius was also coming by now. After just another mile of walking, as his boots made soft squelching sounds in the mud, Amaranth came into focus around the bend of the canyon wall.

"To think I'd see you here, of all places." Gaius chuckled. "Same reason, right?"

Amaranth casually glanced over. It was almost like he had been expecting him, though with the senses of Foundation, that wasn't very surprising. "Oh hey, Gaius! Well, I'd imagine so. There's few other reasons to come this deep into Yuan territories, I'd think, especially around this time. So, have you had luck finding any place in particular you'd want to beeline for once the Array starts up?"

"Nothing overwhelmingly amazing, I'm afraid." Gaius chuckled. "But I do have a few ideas. In particular, there's this old mine; very big, but pretty much tapped out. That's gonna fill back up for sure. If I get there fast enough, maybe I could hide underground and draw from a few dozen at once…" He muttered to himself, still considering his options. "Not exactly the stuff of legends, but it'd help."

Amaranth nodded. "Areas flush with spirit stones do tend to be nice places to wait out during the chaos on the surface, I'd think. At least, if Yuan was anything like Qiguai, there's going to be a whole lot of killing and stealing going on, with us Devils targeted like usual, so grabbing hold of a place in advance would definitely help a whole lot." Amaranth looked like he was considering something for a few moments. "As for myself, I can't say I found something especially spectacular, or rather, I think I'm properly beginning to experience the downsides of getting the Single Pillar. This power is certainly extraordinary, but the sheer level of resource consumption to maintain it, forget even advance…" Amaranth shuddered. "It's kind of absurd."

Gaius sighed, leaning on the canyon wall. He looked down and winced at how obvious his footprints were in this mud - would it be worth the effort of erasing those? "It's quite something, I've heard. One King is like three Centurions and the Centuries they came with, in one body. But they eat just the same. Literally, in your case." He looked Amaranth up and down, pondering something. "Sorry if I sound like a broken array, but how unlikely is this? I can't help but feel a little suspicious. I hope you're not my soulmate, because I'm already taken." The Seeker smirked.

Amaranth laughed. "Yeah, no. I'm fairly sure that isn't even a thing. Though, I admit, I did have a strange feeling to move to the north. At the time, I just thought it was my instinct, but something feels off about that thought." Amaranth frowned. "You know, there are spirit beasts that prey on people with tricks like those. I'm not sure why that didn't come to mind earlier."

"If you're a beast powerful enough to mimic a King's aura, then you'd have to be in Core, which means I'm dead either way. As for me…" Gaius held up a hand and, with scarcely a thought, summoned the Aegis. "Test it if you'd like. I'd like to think no beast could copy it perfectly." Gaius smirked. "And on top of that… there's something else, isn't there? Some kind of pull, are you feeling it too?" He squinted, trying to locate the sensation.

After giving the Aegis a light poke, Amaranth looked satisfied. After Gaius continued, however, he looked like he was thinking of something. "Actually, yeah, a pulling sensation is exactly how I'd describe it. One second, I'd like to test something." Amaranth covered the cracks of his Pillar as much as he could, and hit the sack he was carrying with the barest piece of an Emanation. The feeling of the pull was momentarily snuffed, but in short order, it snapped back in place. "As I thought." Amaranth pulled out a smooth grey piece of metal from the sack, shaped like a fang. "It must be this thing. But why here?"

Gaius retrieved his compression pouch and dug his arm in it, rifling around through pockets. "It was around… oop, don't wanna prick myself on that. There we go." He pulled out another, nearly-identical fang. Like a tuning fork, it vibrated slightly, pulsing in tune with Amaranth's. "That would explain it, I suppose. If we were already in the same country, they might have pulled us closer together." Before he could say more, Gaius' head turned to the West. "And… wow, that's a lot stronger than before. Could that be lucky number three?" Holding the fang up in his palm, Gaius watched as the tip slowly rotated in the direction of the signal, like a compass needle.

"That would fit, considering precedent, but, hang on—" Amaranth actually lurched forward, such was the Fang's psychic pull. "Okay, yeah, that's crazy. I have to know what happens if more of these come together. Plus, if an outsider has stolen a piece of the Prince's legacy, we have to get it back."

——

While array-craft would never be her speciality, Minervina had never regretted getting a thorough grounding in the traditional crafts of her Clan. As a result of that diligence, the subtle network of alarm arrays and conjured tripwires that covered the territory for miles around her rough-hewn home gave her plenty of warning that two powerful Cultivators were approaching. They were strong enough to make her wary, but not enough to convince her to give up on her prize just yet.

She withdrew from the camp and moved instead further up the mountain to a covered spot with a good view of the valley below. She took a moment to leave a light in the window to attract her visitors' eyes and lure them closer. She was confident her perimeter defences would be more than a match for any unsuspecting Yuan patrol. Even if the Heavens had cursed her and an Elder had decided to visit this nameless and desolate valley, enough exploding caches of Forget-Me Poison should give her enough time to make good her escape.

It was almost too late that she recognised her Clan Mates. Their bloodlines were evident even from this distance, and she couldn't miss the unique fluctuations of a Single Pillar Cultivator. She had never been one to listen to tales or gossip about fellow disciples, but the number who had matched Callista's famous accomplishments were vanishingly small. She guessed this was Centurion Amaranth, perhaps accompanied by a favourite student or assistant.

She almost considered not calling out to them, suspecting some kind of ruse. Why in the Heavens would they be all the way out here?

In the end, she decided she had no reasonable choice but to call out to them. The Yuan had no reason to prepare such elaborate deception. If they knew she was out here, they would simply send a team of Experts or an Elder to arrest her.

Using the same technique she used to command legionnaires in war, she whispered and the wind carried her words to the two men just as they neared the first of seven lines of poisonous traps.

"What brings two Optimatoi so far from the desert? You know the Man-As-Mountain Array isn't due to awaken for quite some time yet. I wouldn't come any further forward by the way, unless you want to forget why you're here."

"Can, uh… can she hear us or is it one-way?" Gaius asked his friend. "Like, if she's this fortified, maybe she doesn't want us to yell. Or is having us yell a power play thing?" He thought for a moment longer. "She did call us… you know. So at least we know a foreigner didn't steal the Fang."

After a few more seconds passed in silence, Gaius decided to take the initiative. "Uh, hello!? This is Legionnaire Gaius Antonius and Centurion Amaranth Castellanos! We come in peace!" he called out, cupping his hands around his mouth. It wouldn't do to use qi this close to a sensitive tripwire.

Amaranth took some time to answer, so he ended up being late. "I'm a bit new to being a Centurion, though if my memory doesn't fail me, it depends on the variant, though I'd imagine that in this particular situation she'd be able to hear us clearly. Probably, at least. So that's probably not needed, Gaius, not like that's useful to say now that you've done it."

"If I've already offended a Senior then I'd rather keep making sure she can hear us. And if I haven't then that's great." Gaius said after a moment. "Both of us are bearers of… a certain man's legacy!" He yelled up to the listener. "If you are too, I think you'll know what we mean! They're resonating somehow! They pulled us here! Can we please come in and speak with you, Senior Sister!?"

Minervina's face twisted into a confused expression at the mention of a Legacy. After a moments thought she put a hand into the voluminous dimensional pouch she kept at her waist. Inside she grasped the Fang that the Prince had left with her. It shifted and twisted in her grasp, a subtle hissing voice ringing in her ears, full of secrets and a hint of mocking glee. Was this meeting His work? Even in death, the Prince's schemes marched apace. She sent her words on the wind once more.

"No need to shout, I can hear you just fine. I am Centurion Barda, here on a private expedition. Wait a moment and I will come and guide you through the trap field."

She came out of her concealed position, taking a moment to make herself presentable. Her dress was probably too covered in day-old bear blood for it to make any difference, but she should at least try and make an effort.

Walking through her own trap maze was simple enough, the invisible tripwires were already aligned to her Qi, taking the other two Devils through would be a bit more time-consuming. She really hadn't designed it with houseguests in mind.

As she approached the two Optimatoi she lifted a hand in casual greeting and spoke in her normal voice. "A pleasure to meet Clan out here, I can't say I ever expected that."

Gaius bowed low at the waist to his Senior. Her face seemed familiar to him, but he couldn't quite place it at the moment. "Thank you for having us, Senior Sister. We came because of these." He pulled out his own Dao Fang, which shook slightly in response to Minervina's. When Amaranth revealed his own Fang in turn, the shaking increased in intensity.

Amaranth bowed more shallowly. Similarly to Gaius, he could swear that he had seen her face before, but he remembered it being a lot more old. Perhaps a relative? It seems like she also worked with poison, that was for sure. This place was absolutely filled with the stuff, and that was only what he could sense. Someone who had reached the Great Circle of Foundation almost certainly had tricks that were less visible than these. "As Gaius said, that is indeed why we came here. I admit, I was a bit worried earlier that some of the Fangs might've gotten into the wrong hands after the Ninth Prince died and all, because as much as I trust his plans, that matter was rather direct. But now, I see my concerns were completely misplaced. Someone at your level is more than enough to make sure of that."

Minervina responded "Well, at least we know these fragments of his legacy are still intact and accounted for. I wouldn't be surprised if this encounter was part of his design somehow. What was your reason for visiting this distant region? If you don't mind me asking."

Gaius wanted to speak up, but held his tongue. It struck him how out of his depth he felt; whereas just a decade ago Amaranth had felt like a peer, now it was as if he stood at the heels of two giant monsters.

Amaranth doesn't notice Gaius's inner turmoil, and responds. "Well, it's mainly because the Man-And-Mountain Array is about to fire up soon enough, so we came to get the lay of the land in advance before heading into the chaos. You know how things are in Secret Realms for us Golden Devils, after all. It's best to get things like that out of the way before getting jumped by a group after some more luck."

"I was here for the same reason." Gaius hesitantly speaks up after a moment. "We both came alone and ran into each other later; we suspect it was the Fangs' resonance."

Minervina takes a moment to think, before replying "I suppose I'm out here for a similar reason. I got a solid lead on a cache of Golden Devil relics out here in Yuan territory. I wanted to beat the crowd and have it safely back home before the Array activated." She pauses again, clearly a tad reluctant to ask for help. "The last of the cache is proving difficult to move though. I wouldn't mind sharing the credit if you would be willing to help me?"

Amaranth visibly thought about it for a moment, and nodded slightly. "Sure, might as well. My sect point balance has been running real low as of late, so it'd probably be a good move. Besides, as a fellow Optimatoi, it's to be expected." The second nod was more decisive. "So, where's this cache anyway?"

Gaius nodded as well. "Gladly. I'm spending every point I earn right away these days, I'll take any work you have to offer."

Looking relieved at the easy acceptance Minervina gestures towards her humble hall. "It's located in a cave under the house. I'll show you through." The process of negotiating the minefield with the two cultivators is moderately laborious. Minervina makes a note to come back and move some of the mines around to clear a path if the other two Devils are going to be here for a while.

Once they are in the rough cave under the house, all three Cultivators can see the last remaining artefact. The gigantic golem dominates the chamber, its beautiful bronze lines and intricate runes clearly mark it as Optimatoi craft. "It's a treasure beyond anything I have seen before. I haven't ever seen a more potent looking battle construct. I think it's still intact enough to move, I'm just having trouble getting enough power into it for it to activate."

Gaius loudly whistled in appreciation. "Potent? You can say that again. These array-circuits, these cycling patterns…" he took off his hat and got closer, pressing his palm to the huge breastplate. "It's so complex, it's like a real meridian network. How does an autonomous construct even get this big and this complex, and still be efficient?" All previous thought of propriety had left his mind, consumed as he was by this mystery.

"A real meridian network, huh." Amaranth was speaking softly, almost like he was talking to himself. He stretched out a hand. "I wonder if... " Then, he shook his head, almost violently. "No, no, that'd be a horrible idea. Sorry about that." Amaranth proceeded to pretend like nothing had happened. "Yeah, this is one impressive piece of work, that's for sure. Based on the Qi that's left, the original must have been a peak Foundation artifact! Not too many of those."

"I suspect it might have even scraped the boundary of the next Realm in its prime." Minervina opines. "But we won't be sure until we can get it reactivated. I recently discovered that it only seems to accept Qi from Beast Cores into its reserves. A Mid Foundation Core barely seemed to touch the sides of its capacity though. I suspect It's going to be a lot of work gathering enough Cores to restore functionality."

"Well, if there's one thing I can do, that's hunt spirit beasts. You've asked the perfect person for the job, if I may be so bold. How many, you may ask? Well, how many pieces of bread have you eaten in your life?" Amaranth strikes a dramatic pose all out of the sudden, right hand raised over his face in an odd fashion, his other hand outstretched to the side. "Ah, the Ninth Prince must be rubbing off on me." He sheepishly stands normally again. "Well, that's enough of that. I should probably get to it soon."

"If I may also be bold, Senior, I… well, I'm not a King yet, but by now I don't think any Qi Condensation in the Virtuous Flipper Region is a better scout and hunter than me." Gaius' face is a bizarre mix of anxiety and smugness, as he attempts to perform the ultimate humble-brag. It just makes him look constipated. "I'll help as much as I can. I can at least bag Early Foundation beasts if I'm patient and careful enough."

Minervina turned to the Legionnaire "A skilled scout will be appreciated, though if your eyes are as keen as you say, I suspect your energies would be best spent on locating targets for myself and Amaranth. I can't speak to the Centurion but my woodcraft skills aren't up to much, which is reducing the efficiency of my own hunting."

At that, the three Cultivators withdrew back to the rough living space above the cavern, to discuss their plans over tea. They had a great deal of work ahead of them.

Over the next month, the three quickly fell into a consistent and comfortable rhythm. By day Gaius followed tracks, marked out territories and noted ideal paths of travel. By night Amaranth followed that advice and brought down the prey in question. And in between, Minervina harvested the last day's bounty, feeding the core to the mysterious construct and setting other useful reagents aside for later.

When having a discussion about spirit beast-derived regents, Gaius at one point brought up to Minervina that he had bonded with a Sacred Carp. That led down a digression about the difference between Dragonfire and regular fire, and whether the difference was chemical or entirely spiritual. Minervina was eventually forced to conclude that she could not in fact chemically synthesize Dragonfire without a sample on hand, but forced Gaius to promise to loan Scylla to her for a few weeks once she manifested the ability.

Perhaps the most eventful hunting trip came when Amaranth found himself snapped up by a huge carnivorous plant, its small and colorful flowers serving to lure in prey which it would crush between its two-ton jaws that hid beneath the surface. In an ironic bit of turnabout, Amaranth ate the monster from inside far faster than it could eat him. He was unable to bring in an intact core that day, but Minervina found its digestive fluids fascinating.

After much experimentation she discovered that the viscous liquid would dissolve an incredibly broad array of materials and even break down almost every type of Qi. While the effect was too slow and gentle to be of much use in a poison, Minervina took great satisfaction in bottling up great quantities of it to act as gifts and bribes for the various alchemists of her Legion on her return. Such a potent substance would be invaluable for any number of cleansing and bottleneck breaking elixirs. Who knows, it might even turn out to be the base ingredient for the mythological Alkahest, the mythological Universal Solvent whispered of in such erudite circles.

Finally, after months of bloody butchery and effectively dismantling the local spiritual ecology, the three Devils gather to review the fruits of their labours.

"How in the world does this big bastard need so much just to wake up?" Gaius sighed, watching as the dragonoid machine siphoned out energy from yet another beast core.

As the artificial beast core that circulated the construct's power finally, finally began whirring to life, Gaius took several generous steps back - that was quite a lot of smoke and steam pouring from its joints. "I'm choosing to assume that's a good thing, and it's purging impurities."

Gaius whipped out a sheaf of parchment and scratched out a new line of script. "So, to recap, we've fed it: Three Platinum Bears, one Devouring Hidden Tree, four Phantom Wolves, two False Rainbow Carp, one Hill Giant and…" he scratched his head. "I feel like I missed one, right? A bug, I think…"

"A Three Star Vermillion Wasp Queen. Getting into her hive was tricky even for me, though I have to admit the jelly was worth it alone. I suspect her Core was the greatest prize of the lot, though that troop of Mourning Monkeys had surprisingly potent Qi for their size as well." She looks at the Wasp Queen Core in her hand, a smooth multi-coloured pebble of congealed power. It smelled of sweet grass and spite. "I can only hope it will be enough…."

"It had better be. It's looking almost ready to explode." Gaius took another half dozen steps back for good measure and tilted his hat down to keep the smoke out of his eyes. It was incredibly acrid - these really were impurities!

Amaranth leaned closer, looking rather excited. "That's for sure! I haven't seen something this jam-packed with Qi while still in Foundation in— ever, actually." His voice took a considering tone. "You know, I'm kind of surprised that clouds aren't gathering by now. Then again, I suppose the builders must've taken that into account."

Gaius shut out his sense of touch and taste to amplify his spiritual sense further, observing the construct's artificial meridians. "The blockages are mostly cleared. That last core you're holding should do it."

With a nod all doubt falls away from the Foundation Experts face. She lifts the glowing crystal to the Construct and with muttered word and a whisper of will it dissolves. A rainbow of twisted bestial Qi coils in her palm like a snake, before being pulled into the Constructs own core with a greedy plop. Taking a few steps back, she crosses her arms behind her back. "I suppose now we simply wait."

——

Power. So much power.

Crocea Mors (though no one had said that name in so very long) squirmed as it was filled to bursting. So many millennia of waste was forced out, and mechanical systems of a sophistication and complexity that no one alive could replicate whirred to life.

Set into its gold-scaled head, a pair of green eyes flashed brightly. It could move. It could really move!

Joints, servos and motors loudly protested as the weapon's head moved from side to side, surveying its surroundings. Excess qi sunk into its ammunition tanks, brewing chemical and biological horrors within.

If Crocea Mors could grin, it would. It had been so long that even its programming had fallen away, dozens of restrictions on its mind crumbling to the ravages of time. Free to see the world without blinders, it felt something far above its head - a distant but powerful intent, full of anger yet promising change.

Such things were best left for later. Step one: revenge.


---------

Part 1 of a huge collab between myself @no. and @ReaderOfFate. Its been a pleasure working with such fine fellows.


Comes out at 7200 words.

 

[Katana1515]

Minervina Chapter 31: The turning over of a hand

Never before had Sun Mei been glad to be a mortal.

Most days it seemed that the entirety of her short life she had been consumed with envy for the many powerful Cultivators that passed through their city. It seemed only natural, how else should the plain daughter of a seamstress and a day labourer feel when confronted with such wealth, grace and beauty?

She was certain that each of these distant lords and ladies must live carefree lives, full of abundance and leisure. She had longed to join their number. To transcend the painful realities of mortal flesh, to laugh in the face of age and disease and say goodbye to the hunger pangs that tormented them when times were hard.

Then, what her grandfather called 'The Time of Trials' began.

Sun Mei resolved that she would never dream of Cultivation again as she stepped through the market square, clutching her groceries to her chest. She flinched and looked away from the dozen groaning victims staked to the same poles they normally used to hold festival banners. Their beautiful bronze skin was marred now, by blood, tears and the lashing of the whip.

It turns out crucifixion kills Immortals just like it does regular men, it just takes longer.

----------

It had all been going so well.

Minervina allowed herself a wry chuckle as she recalled how this, her second Great Trial, had begun. As an Expert at the peak of her realm, she had been given command of a small squadron of fellow Centurions. Equipped with some of the best of the new Scorpion mounts, they were to dash into the desert and attempt the most dangerous of tasks. They would hunt the Hunters.

The heavenly power that brought the Hunters to this Sea always scattered them in the process. Alone, they would be far more vulnerable and the incredible speed of Lady Destasia's latest projects gave them a chance to take advantage of that narrow window of opportunity.

Of course, this was where the infuriating rules of this murderous farce came into play. Qi Condensation against Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment against Foundation Establishment. A thin veneer of gentlemanly conduct from the Heavens, or more likely a way of ensuring its favoured disciples shared the wealth from their hunts more efficiently. Either way, they had to overlook the vast majority of potential targets as a quick spiritual probe revealed them to be too weak for them to attack.

It was a very different experience from her earlier battles at distant Pleuron, when they had fought with ferocious desperation against all comers. That had been a glorious day when somehow Qi Condensation strove against Core Formation and arose victorious.

This work was necessary, worthy even, but not glorious. Of the two dozen Foundation Expert Hunters they tracked down, all but three snapped their blasted tokens and escaped back to the homeland when they realised how badly outnumbered they were. Of the remaining three, she had personally taken the lives of two of them. She had taken some satisfaction from the confused expression on their faces. Clearly even in their distant land, delivering contact poisons instantly across hundreds of metres via an ancient space warping device was an unusual method of attack.

Back in the present Minervina felt her off-hand trace the outline of the delicate enchanted hand jewelry that decorated her right one. Her time in Quigai, for all its strife and bloodshed, had been worthwhile. She had emerged from the Secret Realm stronger in mind and body, the exotic talisman was just one small part of that.

Perhaps the early work going so well had been her downfall? After triumphing again and again over the Hunters, had she let herself become arrogant? She had set aside her fear of death a long time ago, even before she planted a Pillar of its Dao in her soul, but she didn't think she had lost her good sense.

Yet how else was she to explain it? When word of a powerful Foundation Stage Hunter terrorising her peers reached her, she didn't do the sensible thing. She didn't stir her group in the other direction looking for easier prey. She didn't even send off to the Dawn Fortress to ask the Elders for permission to engage or more information on the foe. She had simply ordered the march, confident in her ability to match anyone in the same Realm.

Aasmi, The Heavenly Star. Had she even been truly human?

A slip of a girl with power almost beyond comprehension for her Realm. When she first revealed herself Minervina's first thought had naturally been of Rina Callista. Was this another of the near mythical Kings of the 13th Heavenstage?

She didn't think so. Her power had lacked that hungry edge that seemed to be the trademark of the SIngle Pillar Cultivator. That was a Path that directly opposed the will of Heaven, that shoved both hands under the skin of the world and wrestled out meaty chunks of power and shoved them in the practitioner's mouth still raw and bleeding, desperate to consume it all before the blind and merciless eye of Heaven could exact its vengeance.

This girl? She turned over her hand and Heaven meekly moved to please her.

In half a heartbeat she had been surrounded by two dozen venoms and toxic dweomers, Minervina's countless hours of patient labour at the cauldron and drilling with her new weapon showing their worth. However before that heartbeat had even ended, the Hunter was surrounded by an aurora of burning, wrathful light, and the toxins were burnt away.

Don't be fooled into thinking this was some mere chemical reaction. The Poison Witch had tangled many times with Cultivators of Flame, Heat or Light. Her finest toxins operated on many levels beyond such petty physical interactions, and she had not dared to restrain herself. Mental toxins that exist only in the perceptions of the victim, conceptual venoms that attack the soul directly, subtle vapours that warp space and flesh alike. Digging deep into her reserves she included the tiniest dose of a poison that could wound the Dao of Causality itself, rendered from the blood of dead Time Shatter Disciples. The world dimmed as it materialised an inch from the girl's forehead, a crackling mass of spiteful annihilation.

A flash of heat and light, and it was gone, a fortune of time, money and labour evaporated. Aasmi hadn't even used a technique or spell, it seemed possible she was not even consciously aware of what she was doing, instead relying on some automatic function of that Heaven Sent artefact she drew on.

The next instant, she had fallen. A single casual step had brought the monstrous cultivator within arms reach. A smile on her lips and a taunt in her eyes, the Hunter had grabbed her by the throat and tossed her aside. That simple gesture had carried the power of a collapsing castle wall and had thrown her clear across the field, into the face of a nearby cliff and several paces into the hard stone of its foundations. She would have no doubt died right there and then if not for the twin blessings of her Bronze blood and Poison body. As it was, she was left broken and gasping, bones bursting out from the skin of her torso and arms. She could hear her subordinates cry out in surprise and fear, but realistically, she could no more for them. They had all gone into this mission knowing the odds were against them ever coming back. With a tear that had nothing to do with physical pain, she activated the escape talisman she had crafted specifically for the Trials.

Her pain faded away along with her physical form. She was no longer Minervina Barda, Optimatoi and Poison Mistress. Instead she was the flock, a rush of countless eyes and wings that wasted no time reaching for freedom.

To an outside observer it would look like the centurion hit the cliff side and burst into countless tiny shadows. Each shadow took the form of a dove as they took to the skies in all directions. Just a single one would need to reach safety to reform the whole and save her life.

Aasmi didn't even move to acknowledge the enchantment. Surely she could have struck down each of these shadows with but a fragment of her Light, but her eyes were elsewhere, the poison mistress far beneath her notice as her next opponent arrived. Another of the Optimatoi had arrived on the scene.

Her consciousness shattered between a thousand spiritual constructs, Minervina still found the presence of mind to wish Centurion Ceres luck. He would definitely need it.

--------

She came back to herself days and hundreds of miles later, a quivering wretch as shadows congealed in the abandoned husk of a peasants house in the depths of one of the countless cities that lined the Scorpion Road. The flock-mind had proven incredibly difficult to control and she was unpracticed at dealing with the consequences of this kind of personal transformation The shifting first to shadow and then back to flesh had at least put her bones back in their rightful place, but the blood in her vomit indicated that the internal injuries were far from entirely healed.

She managed to choke down a healing pill and take a meditative pose. She had a lot to think about.

After short jagged breaths turned to longer restful ones, she turned over the day's events in her mind over and over again, inspecting her Cultivation base all the while.

Her pride had taken quite a beating. In the century since Pleuron she had worked hard to develop a certain reputation for ruthless competence both on the field and off it. In the Blood Cannibal war she had stepped out of the shadows and led men in battle, scoring victories and saving lives time and time again. Her alchemical works had won accolades aplenty and her position in her Legion had soared so high it threatened that of her own Legate. When it came to trickery and espionage, her mission report on the infiltration and destruction of the Great Jingshen Mining Drill had become required reading for the latest batches of Lady Xie's spies.

A foundation built entirely on such triumphs could be revealed to be nothing more than a loose pile of sand when put under the pressure of such a defeat. For many a prodigy, this could have been a death blow. To be cast aside like a whimpering child and forced to abandon ones juniors? It was a profound humiliation. The image of Hui Lui flashed through her mind, he must be laughing at her all the way from the underworld right now. Exactly such a blow had shattered his Dao, severed his path forward, and that of many other fine men and women like him.

As for her Dao Heart, her will to power, the internal drive to grind ever onwards in the face of Heaven's spite? It was unharmed. The more she inspected her memories the more certain she was of that.

The triumphs might well be the bricks and stone of her foundation, but her struggles had given her plenty of mortar to hold it together. How could one petty tyrant, no matter how powerful, take those away from her?

Yes, she had left her men to die. Centuries ago she had watched powerless as her father died a cruel and pointless death. That had spurred her on, not slowed her down.

Yes, to lose was humiliating, but she was no stranger to losing face. She was the Devil who had masqueraded as a mortal chef for a full half-year, serving drunks and blood path fiends for a mere chance at a treasure.

Yes, her body was wracked with pain, the Hunters raw strength and blinding Light still hurting her even now, but pain and Minervina were old friends. She had for almost twenty years been condemned to the life of a crippled, poisoned old woman who polluted anything and everything she touched. Compared to that, this was nothing more than a scratch.

Her struggles had always benefited her more than her triumphs, and Minervina cut away any regrets or indecision with a scalpel's precision, promptly deciding that running into the 5th Sea princess would just be one more stepping stone on her own path to power.

In a way, the existence of such terrible threats justified her latest steps on her Path. Her decision to forgo Tribulation and attempt the 8th Pillar had drawn many Golden Core it could foster. After Quigai, she had become a little worried they were right, the sheer quantity of power needed to reach the unorthodox realm was daunting. Now she was certain again that she had made the right decision. Could any of the Elders have actually stood up to Aasmi blow for blow? She imagined even the Grand Elder could not casually have quashed that divine instrument of hers. In an age such as this one, mere orthodox methods would never truly be enough.

She was broken from her musing by the opening of the door. A mortal girl walked in, holding a bag of groceries to her chest like they were made of solid gold. She seemed distracted and full of thoughts, so it was no surprise she didn't notice the intruder until she was well into the room and had shut the door behind her.

When she did spot her, Minervina had gotten to her feet and put a hand around her mouth before she could scream. Looking over the dark house again, she realised the pain of her wounds had addled her more than she thought, the house was run down and ill kept, not abandoned.

"I mean you no harm little one. Why don't I make us some tea and have a little chat."

---------

Sun Mei had daydreamed about taking tea with a Cultivator many times.

Of course, in those daydreams, she had power herself, or at the very least wealth. She would be wearing a fine silk gown and laugh merrily with the beautiful ladies and flirt with dangerously handsome swordsmen in an ornate flower garden or impossibly grand hall.

She did not foresee herself fluttering around the squalid shitpile of a one-room house she shared with her grandfather, trying to simultaneously store the groceries, surreptitiously square away the worst of the mess, and hopelessly attempt to find a teacup worthy of her unexpected guest.

Fortunately, the Cultivator seemed not to notice her struggles in the least. She ignored her obvious poverty, and instead pulled out a set of worn but fine quality tea-things from an impossibly small pouch by her waist. A simple tap on the lid of the kettle set it to boiling.

"Sit child, your fussing is giving me a headache"

Mei sat down before she was even consciously aware of her legs moving. Beyond the obvious things like her bronze skin and metallic hair, something about the woman's presence seemed deeper and more significant than the town cultivators she was used to seeing.

What followed was a polite, but thorough interrogation on the state of the town and its new occupiers. After that Mei was surprised to find herself being asked about her own circumstances, her parents passing, her life with her grandfather and their struggles to find stable work. As they lapsed back into silence, she eventually dared a question of her own.

"The Devils in the square. Are you here to save them? They're in the most terrible pain?"

The answer she got was foreshadowed with a sad smile. "Do you know the best way to catch a Tiger Scorpion when it's threatening a town?"

"Erm, no?"

"You peg a goat to a convenient spot in an open field. Cut its side so its cries and blood fill the air. Then all you have to do is sit back and wait."

She pours herself more tea. Mei notes the other woman palm some kind of shimmering silver pebble in her hand that she takes alongside it. Was that a Cultivation Pill? The type she had heard about in stories?

"I can sense at least one Core Formation hunter in town who is letting his presence leak out from behind his veils. It's a trick of course. It means there are at least two more lying in wait that I can't sense. Your entire town has become a trap for a Legate. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the poor sods down there in the market is a favourite descendent, lover or personal disciple of such an august personage. The goat and the scorpion."

She pulls herself to her feet, gesturing that Mei should clean away and pack away the utensils as she gathers herself. "I can't save them. The Cores can't kill me, not if they don't want to face consequences, but they can pin me down and block me just fine while their juniors finish the job."

She puts the kettle and cups back into that wondrous pouch before pulling something out of it. A tiny sliver of green stone. She stares at it for a long moment before passing it over. "You have been helpful. Once the Trials end, take this to any Devil you can find, they will see you are well rewarded for your efforts."

Sun Mei took the jade slip reluctantly, and the question burst from her lips despite her best attempts not to ask it. "If you can't save them, what are you going to do?"

The woman turned and looked back at her, her eyes harder than bronze and colder than the moon. She clenched her right fist, the elaborate arrangement of interwoven metal bangles that covered it clattering a little as she did so. "The most, and the least that I can. I'm going to end their pain."

----------------

I am still not happy with the other part of the Quigai arc, but I wouldn't have been happy if the turn ended without my response to Mins defeat by Aasmi being written up and included, so apologies for the chapters not being put up in chronological order.

I will be asking our wise and beloved Thread Markers to jiggle things around so they read right when I finally finish Conspiracy in Quigai Part 2.

Another 3100 words, so I at least keep my 3 Omake a turn commitment!

@ReaderOfFate @Humbaba Threadmark if you would be so kind.

 

[Katana1515]

Link for the Minervina + 9th Prince Omake.

Post in thread 'Hmmph... this junior is a good seed [Cultivation Management Quest]' Hmmph... this junior is a good seed [Cultivation Management Quest] Original - Fantasy

Was genuinely loads of fun to write.

May the Prince live in death!

 

[Katana1515]

Conspiracy in Quigai Part Two:

The Poison Witch frowned and groused under her breath "This is why leaving survivors behind is such a bad idea."

Minervina couldn't believe it when an entire squad of Righteous Cultivators ambushed her. Beyond the fabulous wealth and exotic opportunities on offer, one of the key reasons Quigai was so popular with Sects and Clans throughout the Flipper Region was the potent whirlpool effect that greeted Disciples who entered it.

Upon arrival, hopefuls were pulled remorselessly into the vortex and scattered across the vast territory that made up the strange realm. You never know where you could end up, and many visitors go their entire trip without running into a familiar face. While this might sound like a problem, this phenomenon has a potent hidden benefit.

It makes orchestrating an assassination very difficult.

Unless one invests in incredibly expensive arrays and talismans beforehand, arranging locations and meeting up with co-conspirators is practically impossible, and tracking your target is even more arduous. This means that Sects, both Demonic and Righteous, can send their most precious darlings into this dangerous realm confident in the knowledge that their best sproutlings will not be cut down by their rivals. Conflicts between disciples are still common of course, but those are mostly random affairs. While the vast majority of aspiring adventurers do certainly perish, the well equipped and trained Young Masters still invariably dominate the surviving fraction.

As a result, Minervina almost felt flattered when her journey through the wilds of Quigai was cut short by the sudden appearance of a half dozen assassins. A number of whom were quite familiar to her.

"Witch Bitch! Today I will finally have my Justice. At least as much Justice as the Heavens will allow." Time had not been kind to Jingsheng Hui Lue, he was still a powerfully built man, thickly muscled and radiating a potent aura, but something in his posture indicated exhaustion and his eyes were glazed. But a broken man can still kill. He threw his gleaming white trident with the force of a collapsing castle wall, Minervina dodged by the barest of margins, the resulting impact obscuring her position with a vast cloud of dust and shattered stone.

The battle took place in a dry and dusty ravine. Barren and unnoteworthy as it was, it did have plenty of good spots to hide. So Minervina didn't realise how badly outnumbered she was until two more Jingshen Experts dashed out of cover to close the distance with her. One was a hulking man with jian who slashed at her wildly, shouting about a dead son. The other was clearly a veteran, a hirsute giant dual wielding axes with the grace of a dancer. All three were at the peak of Foundation Establishment.

Not quite enough pressure to make Minervina truly worry.

Channelling the grace of her water pillar and swathing her sword in deathly black flame, she kept pace with the three of them while preparing a counterstroke. With her off hand she reached into her dimensional bag and dug out three Ash-Borne Viper Pearls, casting them at her enemies feet with precise motions. A fourth poison pill she crushed in her hand, a glimmering red thing that released copious amounts of hallucinogenic gas all around her.

The three conjured constructs threw themselves on the attackers. A massive horned snake made of venom, spite and toxic sludge rocketed from each of the spots where the Pearls landed, pushing the assassins back and buying time for the hallucinogen to worm its way past whatever defences they had assuredly invested in before hunting a poison mistress.

"CRICKET! NOW!" Hui Lui bellowed, and his command was answered by a song.

It was a song of pure discord. As if some monster who despised the concept of music had taken a vast compilation of errors, bung notes and disharmonies and somehow woven them into something that could technically be called a melody. It rolled through the battlefield, cutting both flesh and figment with equal gusto. The three assassins each took surface wounds, losing long strips of skin and small gobbets of flesh to the searing, toxic notes.

It was Minervina's arts that took the majority of the damage though as if the 'song' had been aimed at them specifically. Conjured Serpents cried out in agony before falling apart and her cloud of poison gas was ripped asunder.

At this point, Minervina became somewhat concerned.

She didn't recognise the Demonic Tune in question, but creating such an effect below Core Formation should be incredibly taxing. This 'Cricket' hadn't chosen to show himself, so it was possible his arts made him vulnerable in melee as well. She just had to keep ahead of her attackers and keep pulling out new alchemical weapons. It would tax her reserves, but she was willing to gamble that her dimensional bag had more deadly tricks stored away than her enemies had Qi to counter them.

The battle continued in this fashion for almost an hour. The three assassins would press her in close combat, almost managing to corner the Poison Witch. Each time they got close, she would reveal some new horror to push them back, slow them down and wear them out. It would buy her a few moments of respite, then the horrifying tune would return to dismantle whatever venomous aura, transmutational curse or conjured creation she had summoned.

Bleeding from countless wounds, his fine clothes largely destroyed by acid or marred with venom and his chest heaving with exhaustion, Hui Lui should have looked a sorry sight. Instead, he smirked, a look of pure triumph. "This ends here Devil! I will cleanse the world of your evil! Now Mrs Zhou." Right on cue, a veritable tide of clinging vines, rich with four-inch-long thorns, burst from the barren soul beneath Minervina's feet and seemed to swallow her whole. She cried out in surprise and pain as the glistening red thorns pierced bronze armour and skin with equal ease.

The infamous resilience of the Bronze Bloodline and the hidden wonders of her Natal Poison Constitution was all that saved her. She kept her feet and didn't panic or blackout from the agony. Instead, with just a thought her blood became the most potent plant killer she could concoct quickly. Fortunately, most of her blood was in contact with the vines, so they smouldered and rotted away in seconds.

Minervina mentally upgraded her status from 'concerned' to 'alarmed.' A fifth peak expert, fresh to the fight and possessing techniques that seemed perfect for slowing her down and preventing retreat. She couldn't be certain more reinforcements weren't lying in wait either. She would need to change tactics, fighting to wear down her enemies for the kill wasn't working. Instead she should work to enable a tactical retreat. Only a fool would continue to fight when it became clear that her enemy had put this much work into preparing the battlefield.

Her next trick was something she had been keeping in reserve for a rainy day. A bottle of Forget Me Venom, brewed long ago for the very mission that had put her at odds with Hui Lui. She crushed it in her hands, and its colourless vapour covered the three fighters she could see stalling their movements. Their minds were too fogged to call their assistants for help, at least for a moment. Instead of using that moment to strike one of them down, she muttered the words of her latest incantation, something she had been working on in the long lead up to her Quigai expedition. A powerful art that draws deeply on her Dao of Transformation. She had been inspired after seeing the Grand Flood Dragon Elder practising her own arts around the Dawn Fortress.

When Hui Lui recovers his senses, the Poison Witch is gone, the only sign of life beyond his group is a large golden eagle flying high into the sky. Slapping himself and his bewildered colleagues he points at the bird and shouts. "Curse the Heavens! She's getting away!"

With much-frustrated yelling and cursing, the five assassins regroup and head in the direction they saw the transmuted Minervina flee to.

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A much-delayed continuation of the Conspiracy in Quigai arc. I've sat down to write this 4 times now, and I'm still not happy with it. Hopefully, the final part where Minervina finds the spatial slingshot and uses it to put down her attackers won't be so painful. My requested bonus?

CULTIVATION SPEED

The 8Th Pillar is a hella hard mountain to climb and I need all the help I can get to reach that lofty apex.
So happy this is back. Hopefully I can get back into my usual 3 Omake a Turn groove!
Threadmark please @Alectai @ReaderOfFate @Kaboomatic
1450 Words.