Whatever technique was being used to track me, clearly wasn’t working. The senior cultivators did their technique, but nothing happened. They repeated it again, but nothing happened a second time. No one whispered or commented.
I was in the back of the group and had to look between others. While I was quite small there were other smallish cultivators in the group. That was the thing about demonic cultivation, you could advance quickly in the lower stages by killing people and using them as resources.
Everyone using hooded dark robes didn’t help either in terms of identifying people. The arrays and formations protecting the entry ways, gave the demonic cultivators a sense of over confidence.
The senior cultivators who tried to use the technique a second time got togeather in a group and began discussing quietly. All the lower ranked cultivators watching didn’t talk, but there was a sense of unease in the air.
Infiltrating a sect wasn’t as hard as one would think. I had often thought about how one would infiltrate the Cloudy Moon Sect when I had been sweeping the stairs. If someone had the right robe they could just walk in. The main thing was the sect token that was used for points.
For a Demonic Sect, having a badge on their person would be incredibly stupid. There would be ways to trace it back to the formations and arrays it was tied to, revealing the sect. The same issue applied to more detailed attire and knowing other cultivators.
Even the best non-demonic sects did not place a huge value on getting to know others and friendship. The yearly get togeather the Cloudy Moon Sect had was the most sects would do. In reality, someone could put on the Cloudy Moon Sect robe and walk about the sect without being discovered.
A Demonic Sect wasn’t any better. This wasn’t the military or even a very secure facility with constant ID checks. In regular sects people would be incentivized to work by giving them assignments and sect points. In a demonic sect, these people weren’t rule followers. They obeyed the mentality of the strongest person who made the rules.
So, while top level people could mobilize the lower ranks, they had to provide benefits, and even that would only work for so long. No one wanted guard duty. Everyone wanted to get stronger. And even if there was a guard, then they could shake down other cultivators of the same rank, leading to infighting.
All of this went through my head, but I still couldn’t believe how much I was getting away with right now just standing around.
“The target has used a counter technique or piece of equipment. We will try again in a day. For now, everyone rest and recover,” one of the leaders said. “Rewards will be distributed as planned once the assignment is complete.” Everyone began to disperse.
“A shame, at least the rewards promised are quite good,” the demonic cultivator who I had been talking with before spoke up. I had no idea what kind of rewards would be offered so I didn’t comment on that. Instead I focused on the issue I was much more concerned about.
“I wonder what technique or piece of equipment they are using,” I said, hoping to get information.
“It has to be something powerful. But only an elder cultivator has a chance to counter the blood pool,” he replied. “Which room are you assigned to?”
“One of the one’s up there,” I gestured up towards the door I had been heading towards.
“If you don’t want to share that is fine. But us blood cultivators need to stick togeather you know.” That line was a trap and clearly I couldn’t avoid creating tension. Regular cultivators weren’t this friendly, and for a demonic cultivator to be this friendly was the biggest red flag out there.
“I prefer not to,” I said while my heart began to beat quickly as the tension increased. After a long moment the demonic cultivator I had been talking with shook his head and walked away. Someone might have been trying to make a friend or get some benefits for showing me around. I turned away as well and went to a nearby wall next to the staircase and leaned against it, looking back at the blood pool.
There were still small groups of cultivators hanging around. Most had left to go to their individual rooms including the elders. I took a minute to think about this entire group. I noted that no cultivator went near the blood pool. Also its elevation had dropped slightly. It was probably being used as some kind of external energy source or technique focus. Like a sword technique, requiring a sword. A scrying technique would require a pool or something similar that could show images.
I considered how I had gotten to this point. I had a lot of luck and could leave. But they planned to use the pool once more on another day. This place was obviously protected. Normally a searching technique would require a link to the individual in question, but Aoyin had me in his grasp. Whatever was being used would be held by a senior cultivator involved in the technique.
When they had attempted it, I hadn’t been able to see what they had used to create a connection to me. But that didn’t matter. Destroying this base would be the best option, but I didn’t have any explosives. Even if I had any, setting anything up to activate after a period of time would set off the cultivators’ danger sense and reveal me.
As weird as it was, the best option was to rest by leaning against the wall in the shadows and waiting until they tried to find me again. There was no rush to leave and I had no idea about the procedures of this place. While I could have talked to the demonic cultivator a bit more, I was content with the conversation ending.
There was no way I could sabotage anything in this place and get away with anything. It was tempting to think I could get lucky twice, or I should make a run for it right now, but both options were likely to fail. While the blood pool and the roots dangling from high up looked unprotected, there was a reason it was the center of this facility and the doors all opened facing the blood pool.
I had no doubt the blood pool was useful for demonic cultivators, cultivation. They would know that too. While I couldn’t spot any array or formation around the pool itself, it would be watched regardless. It was protected by the sheer number of cultivators hanging around in this place.
Even if things were quiet, I had no doubt there would always be two or more cultivators watching each other to make a move on the blood pool. As I waited against the wall, this appeared to be correct as I counted four other people standing around as well as we all glanced at each other.
Being a demonic cultivator did not create an atmosphere of trust. If a person thought they could steal resources and get away with them, they would do so. That was the problem with an evil organization, everyone was looking out for themselves. Tempering that greed while still motivating people was the real challenge.
Another guess I had, which seemed quite reasonable, was that there was a lot of strength gathered in this location. Most demonic cultivators would be out getting resources or doing missions to trade in for resources. It was clear that Aoyin really wanted me and was investing a considerable number of resources to ensure my capture.
Just waiting around was incredibly hard. One of the hardest things I had ever done. Doing absolutely nothing but waiting and watching. I thought back on the steps that led me here and didn’t find anything unusual. No one would run through the Blood Forest, so turning to the correct side was a fifty percent chance. But not really since there appeared to be multiple entrances and exits.
Running into multiple groups that were returning for further instructions also wasn’t surprising or out of the ordinary. Which allowed me to enter between two groups. Why would they only search for me after I got here? I considered that question carefully.
There was some kind of limitation to the technique they used to scry for me or multiple limitations. Resources was one limitation. But the second limitation was probably number of elder cultivators, or waiting until there was a critical mass of people reporting a failure in tracking me down.
Waiting was the correct option, if they failed again tomorrow, then there was a good chance the pursuit would be called off and I could escape. That was also why I hadn’t tried to leave. It was clear the demonic cultivators were gathering strength. If I left now, it would raise a lot of suspicions and possibly alert them to my presence.
I had gotten lucky once, by getting into this base, I needed not to waste this chance. Occasionally someone would walk through the main floor, but for the most part it was quiet. The other people standing around, we all occasionally glanced at each other, but no one moved towards the blood pool.
Most of the people were larger than me, but not everyone had a large stature. That was probably why I wasn’t being bothered either. Being so short was a threat to everyone else, indicating I was either really good at cultivation, and that there was a high chance I had some kind of senior cultivator supporting me.
The dark robes with hoods helped hide my identity and everyone else’s. These people lived in the shadows. Their identity, or lack of one, was one of the strongest assets everyone here had. Also no one would trust food, or supplies traded between each other either. The biggest threat was after the next scrying ritual if people were broken up into groups to search. My hope was that I would not be found, so everyone would be dismissed.
Another bad outcome from waiting around would be that a much more senior cultivator would show up and begin to check everyone’s identity. That would be an absolute nightmare. The worst possible outcome would be for Aoyin himself to show up, but if he wasn’t here already or hunting me down, it was clear he was delegating.
My personal guess was that he was dealing with the fallout of attacking the Cloudy Moon Sect. I had no idea if this meant fighting or talking with the Immortals of the Imperial Sect. Regardless of either outcome he wouldn’t be around.
It was honestly surprising how much effort was being put into locating me when the attack on the sect failed. But sticking around for too long wouldn’t have been a good idea. While the distances were vast, I had no doubt the Immortals had ways to monitor things in the area they controlled.
Also, someone like Aoyin was not someone to just sit around and wait. He would be proactive in any number of plots. He didn’t seem like the type of individual to prize patience and steady growth. His nature as a demonic cultivator meant he would be desperate to cross the last bottleneck to reach immortality. Just betting on me seemed like a poor idea. This meant he probably had a couple of plans ongoing.
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The lack of powerful subordinates, or high-ranking elders, was another issue that plagued demonic cultivators I could imagine. Less resources and if the resource were valuable enough, Aoyin would just take it for himself. Regular cultivators prescribed to the mindset of finder keepers. While there were fights, most just gave up if there was a clear difference in power.
Demonic cultivators would scrape and fight for every advantage and not let anything go. I could easily see Aoyin offering a reward for me, that was less valuable than myself, but still valuable to the elders. These elders in turn offered rewards to their subordinates.
There had been five elders and there were five levels. One level per elder in this area, which is why that demonic cultivator knew I wasn’t where I gestured. He thought I was from a different faction. There were no markings or signs to give any hints, but I felt I was on the right track.
The fact there were only four other cultivators watching the blood pool was concerning. If there were five groups here, then there should be a fifth person watching the pool. Or that group figured the rest of the groups were watching, so they didn’t bother.
The real trick was that I didn’t want to assume things I didn’t have facts for and come to the wrong conclusion. But the fact I was left alone was a huge boon. It was a shame I couldn’t get all the information about the demonic sect, but information was power. Basic knowledge questions, could lead to me being found out. I could live without knowing everything about this place.
There was no way to tell time underground and leaning against the wall wasn’t comfortable. Still, I wasn’t in the rain, and this underground base was reasonably warm. The ambiance was mostly dark. Why not have more lighting so there were less shadows? Possibly a technique, save spirit stones, or they just wanted the creepy aesthetic.
At a certain point, it was less about function and how the people in charge wanted things to appear. If I ran a demonic sect, I would have made it bright and cheery. Offset the gloom and death in peoples’ hearts. But I suppose having a depressive and dark atmosphere was one way to make the place seem intense. Make it dark so people think darker thoughts.
Nothing happened until everyone was called to gather once again. I stood at the back and the technique failed once again. There was a heated conversation between the elders but was too quiet for me to hear. I knew it was heated since there were a couple of gestures between the group and one of them pulled out a sword before putting it away.
“The target is out of our range. This gathering is dismissed. There will be no rewards due to failure,” one of the elders said. There were shouts at that from some of the nearby cultivators.
“Silence! Failure is not rewarded. If you want rewards, go out there and find the target. Improve your cultivation. You are not dogs begging for scraps,” the elder who had been speaking sneered at the lesser cultivators.
“Then why should we gather again?” someone shouted out from above. I looked up, but no one was there. A technique of some kind most likely to move one’s voice.
“Who said that!” the elder shouted, but no one stepped forward. “You gather, because we say you will gather. No disperse, or else.”
“Liars! Kill the elders! Seize the Blood Pool!” I was very glad I was at the back as the demonic cultivators rushed forward. I leapt back as a cultivator next to me was swallowed by the shadows, leaving only their robe and a spatial ring behind on the floor.
I landed near the stairs and quickly retreated up them. As I reached the second floor, over a fifth of the lesser cultivators had already been killed along with one of the elders. This is why you pay your troops if you promise payment. That was the other thing about demonic cultivators, they all thought themselves invincible, with a very poor ability to analyze threat levels.
This fight was the perfect example. The demonic cultivators were fighting each other as much as the elders. I suppose the people running away would get less resources, but they were willing to enter a brawl with techniques being thrown about. I could see plants burst out of corpses, corpses rising up a zombies, and blood weapons being thrown about and exploding in several different colors of flames. I continued up to the third floor.
It was tempting to think I could win by sticking around and dealing with the survivors, but it didn’t escape my notice there were several groups hanging around the outside of the main floor, taking advantage of people leaping into the center. The elders were just going around killing wantonly, clearly targeting the subordinates of the other elders to gain an advantage.
By the time I reached the fourth floor, around a third of the cultivators were dead along with two of the elders. The idiots had died off, but now blows and techniques were being traded between cultivators. I noted a couple of other people had fled, which was good for me.
I saw one of the demonic cultivators reach one of the exits and tried to open the door. An array activated and their was a pulse of energy. I had seen a lot, including death and violence, but what came next made me feel ill. The cultivator was turned inside out. Organs, meat, and bones fell to the ground in a humanoid shape as the ill-fated cultivator let out a tortured scream.
Looking at the other exits across the chamber, I noted another cultivator run into a similar fate. The fight on the ground floor had slowed down, but still hadn’t stopped. There were three elders left. While tempting to think I had a chance, I didn’t have a chance if I tried to ambush them.
I might get one with my gun, but then I would be targeted by the rest as a major threat. I could handle a technique thrown at me, but multiple techniques would be impossible. The entire fight on the ground floor was just one group ambushing another group, that was ambushing a person, who had tried to ambush an elder. Just constant ambush attacks, and then retreats if they weren’t ambushed in turn.
The only people really holding their own were the elders. And I didn’t want to tangle with them. If I killed one, I had no doubt the remaining two would kill me right away. I went to the exit door I had planned to go through before.
I could see the formation was active. I began to look it over, but I was not an expert. While I had some knowledge I had picked up on the Floating Island of Death, it was like saying I had familiarity with some letters. There were parts of the formation I had no clue on and how they interacted with each other. I kept near the exit door, but outside of the danger area while keeping an eye down below.
Over half the cultivators had been killed and things had mostly stopped. There was a long moment of silence. “Well, that solved the issues of rewards quite nicely. Claim the corpses as you see fit. Kill all the cowards who ran away to the upper levels or to their rooms. I will open the doors,” one of the elders said.
Why?! I didn’t know this was some kind of sect event. Of course, a demonic sect would have a murder party. The weak would be culled, while the strong got stronger. More cultivators would be recruited in time. It felt like a waste of resources, but that didn’t seem to matter to the elders running this place.
The active formation around the exit door deactivated. I double checked it and then opened it up. Hunting people down was probably another test. I quickly entered the long exit corridor, rushing up the sloped hallway.
I had to get out of this place as quickly as possible. It made me wonder about the back ground of all these demonic cultivators, but I could easily imagine criminals being recruited in various cities. And unlike regular sects that might pull from three to five cities, they could pull from hundreds of cities. They would get the crazy mortals, who didn’t have the mental strength to cultivate normally.
Not for the first or last time, I was clad I had joined the Cloudy Moon Sect and didn’t have to go through this headache of constantly fighting. I didn’t like to fight or kill people. I preferred to use my wits and business acumen. Unfortunately, cultivation land, was incredibly bloody. Far bloodier than I had initially imagined. No wonder my first master had warned me ahead of time.
About halfway through the exit tunnel, I glanced behind me. There was no one following me. I thought about that, then realized, that the sect members probably had some way they were able to be traced and they were busy cleaning up the sect. A demonic sect wasn’t a military organization. So, the orders to kill the cowards and hunt people down, were followed, but no one wanted to chase someone who had run out of the door at the first opportunity.
They would want to collect the corpses and items that had dropped in the conflict. The elders might have created some order, but they were exhausted as well having to fight. They wouldn’t want to run off, but seize benefits for themselves, or at least make sure the other elders didn’t get ahead of them in some way. There was no trust.
If the demonic sect was even slightly more organized, then I would have had no chance to infiltrate or escape. It was honestly quite hilarious, but this wasn’t a military base, where everyone was checked for ID regardless of rank, and with set procedures. It was a demonic sect, which meant cultivators nominally working togeather in hopes of getting benefits from those stronger than them in exchange for completing tasks.
The elders couldn’t reward people for failing, but the lesser cultivators hadn’t seen it that way. They had seen it as a betrayal of the promises made to them. There might have been mind altering techniques in play or the elders might have started the fight themselves, since they didn’t want to give up anything either. If their fellows died, that was less competition, and resources from their corpse, along with their corpse.
As I got closer to the exit, I checked behind me again, still no pursuit. I didn’t plan to stop running for a while to get away from this place, but I felt the greatest danger had passed. All the surviving demonic cultivators were exhausted and wouldn’t be chasing me. Instead, they would try to process all the benefits they had gotten.
I was happy to leave without a fight. While it would have been nice to get more spatial rings and other valuable items, the risk wasn’t worth it. I let out a small sigh as I neared the end of the tunnel under the Blood Forest.
It had been an interesting experience, but one I didn’t plan on repeating, anytime soon. There was just too much risk. I had to keep telling myself that over and over, since it felt like I was giving up a big opportunity. Just whipping out my gun and killing enemy cultivators.
That kind of mindset was the kind of mindset that made serial killers think they were invincible before dying. That their luck would keep going and going and they wouldn’t be harmed no matter what odds they went up against. If I had a higher stage of cultivation and be able to ignore or dodge techniques used like the elders had to a certain extent, then it would have been possible to stick around. But if I was that strong, then there would have been no value to sticking around, since it would just draw the attention of a higher ranked cultivation for items with little value.
The ten times factorization of wealth per stage of cultivation didn’t just cripple business in cultivation land, but it crippled looting and combat as well. It was frustrating, but also understandable. The low leveled demonic cultivators had trash on them. And unlike demonic cultivators I didn’t plan to cook people in pots or process them in a coffin.
That just left me with me doing things my way. It hadn’t been going so well, but I would be making it to the fourth stage of cultivation at the very least. After that things would get complicated and I would have to travel. When I sold my business, I needed to make sure I got more than the resources for the third stage of my cultivation, but also enough resources to have a fund to start me off with.
It just ate at me that all this had happened. Stupid Demonic Blood Sect attacking and chasing after me. I reached the exit to the base and checked the formation linked into the door. There would be an alert of some kind, but I wasn’t worried about that. Even if people chased after me, I had a head start and could defeat a couple low level cultivators.
Opening the door, I left the base back into the forest. I sensed the Blood Forest off in the distance. I had maneuvered under the entire thing entirely. It didn’t really save time since I was down there for a day, but getting to rest a bit was nice.
I saw someone approaching, their cultivation put them in the sixth stage. I hadn’t seen them since the walls of the tunnel had blocked my sight. It wasn’t human but a beast based on how their energy looked. I quickly got out my gun and loaded one of my remaining nine rank 5 bullets. I had a rank 6, but only a single one. I quickly moved off at an angle away from the entrance, since the beast was clearly headed in this direction.
The beast reached the entrance and then followed me. I frowned at this development. I wasn’t going to get out of this without a fight. They weren’t that quick to pursue me, which was also concerning, but I had no complaints, since I wanted an open place to fight. I came to a grassy swamp. I would have preferred a mountain top, but this would do. Unlike a wet swamp, most of the terrain was soggy grass with only the occasional deeper area filled with water.
I chose my spot to make a stand as a large rock in the swamp, which gave me a commanding view around me. There was no one else that I could spot either beast or human, except the one beast pursuing me.
My gun was put away, so I wouldn’t be immediately recognized either. I was ready to pull it out at a moment’s notice. I only hoped I could talk my way out of whatever this confrontation was.