The eastern border of the Scarlet Alliance was seeing as much if not more activity as it was during the war, as among other things they worked to fortify the border region. Previously, much of the territory had only been loosely claimed by the Scarlet Alliance- now all of the populated systems were actively trying to maintain their support.
The Scarlet Alliance had no intentions of abandoning them, especially not after they had gone to war for them. Or at least, in part- since the Silver Fang’s assaults had been a direct strike at their legitimacy. They hoped that the Silver Fang was now filled with regret… though it was unfortunate they hadn’t been able to deal a finishing blow.
Defensively, the greatest asset of the Scarlet Alliance was their grand barrier covering their core systems. It didn’t simply prevent intruders, but redirected them to fortified locations. That allowed the Scarlet Alliance to defend a much larger space more successfully.
The grand barrier only extended so far, but it had always been intended to be modular to some extent. To do that, it had to be slowly built outward. That meant that it would take time for the eastern systems to be properly encapsulated- anywhere between a few decades and a century or two. Until that time, the Scarlet Alliance was working on integrating the various systems to work together for mutual defense.
Upgrading their capabilities was an expensive undertaking, but one that the Scarlet Alliance couldn’t afford to skimp on. They needed the trust of their citizens, as well as those within their broader claimed domain if they wanted to expand. And while the Scarlet Alliance wasn’t in a rush to grow larger, remaining static in size was riskier than focusing on a pattern of growth. Especially if they were going to be targeted by sects from the great powers on either side of them.
Those weren’t the only plans underway. While it was tempting to try to assassinate the Domination cultivator Koronis- or the near Domination cultivator by Chidi’s estimation- there was nothing to be gained from such a move. They could cut off a potential threat in the future… and draw in immediate repercussions. The Creeping Fire Sect would not stand idle, and merely adding their presence to the crippled Silver Fang would put the Scarlet Alliance in an untenable situation.
Nor was Koronis a great risk to their Alliance in the near future- just an annoyance, for forcibly ending the war just as they were about to secure a key victory. Directly entering into conflict with her would be a waste. Nor would they risk her wrath by attacking the Silver Fang once more after she returned to the Creeping Fire Sect. Instead, they made other plans.
They couldn’t get away with killing the higher ranking cultivators in the Silver Fang or wiping out their forces… but they still had knowledge of some of their citizens who had been taken as slaves- not as a practical matter, but merely to provoke them. They didn’t intend to leave behind a single person, as long as they could be found.
Koronis might protest such action, if she ever heard about it. But she had very much expressed her only interests when she stopped the battle. As long as it wasn’t affecting the prestige of the Trigold Cluster as a whole, she likely wouldn’t interfere. Though they would still be waiting for her to return to her own territory, whether that took months or years. They hoped it would be a shorter time period, given her advancement appeared incomplete.
-----
Given the recent revelations about Koronis, the Scarlet Alliance was justifiably concerned when Creeping Fire Sect cultivators appeared at their border a few months later. However, there were nowhere near enough to form a proper threat, even with an equivalent number of cultivators from the Distant Shadow Sect, and one Augmentation cultivator from the latter group.
When they crossed into one of the Scarlet Alliance systems, the local fleets cautiously moved to intercept. But the Augmentation cultivator quickly made clear her intentions. She reached out and spoke to the incoming ships. “I know that you have had no previous contact with the Distant Shadow Sect. My name is Vlasta and I have been sent as an Ambassador to represent both the Distant Shadow Sect and the Creeping Fire Sect- and to a lesser extent, the interests of the Trigold Cluster as a whole. You will escort me to someone capable of making decisions.”
Though Vlasta was rather haughty in her approach, she was correct in her understanding that they could not ignore her approach, and soon she was on her way deeper into Scarlet Alliance territory- carefully watched. Three members of the council gathered to meet with her outside of the core systems- Zazil, Prasad, and Catarina.
An ambassador from the Trigold Clusters was concerning, as it meant they had caught their eye in a greater fashion than before- though that had likely been the case since the incidents with Zaur Beridze and the Citadel of Exalted Light. Since they had already been noticed, sending a proper ambassador was in a way a recognition of legitimacy. Regardless of the exact reasons, she had to be taken seriously.
“What is the purpose of your arrival?” Zazil asked straightforwardly.
“What is the purpose of any ambassador?” Vlasta grinned, swirling darkness around her. “To facilitate diplomatic communications between our groups. And to spy on people.”
Prasad raised an eyebrow. “That’s a rather… blatant admission.”
“You will constantly be monitoring me. It is only fair that you understand I will be watching you as well.” The woman’s face was nebulous and vague, though that did little to hide her true self when her energy was on full display. “My personal involvement will only be for a short time. Two decades at most. After that, I imagine I will be replaced. But by that time we should be able to communicate more directly… instead of needing to send a terribly busy sect head in person.”
Catarina frowned. “It doesn’t sound as if you have much respect for Koronis.”
Vlasta held up a hand. “That is not my intention at all. Someone of her strength is deserving of all the respect they can get. It is not every day that one is able to meet a Domination cultivator. But though our interests are aligned, she is not my own sect head.”
Zazil looked over Vlasta carefully. “Does the Distant Shadow Sect have a Domination cultivator of their own?”
“Not publicly,” Vlasta confirmed. “But I would never say that we don’t, either. I trust you will treat myself and any successors with due respect regardless, as the Scarlet Alliance doesn’t appear to have a Domination cultivator either.”
With no proper excuse to reject her presence- and hopeful that they might at least stave off future wars through diplomacy- the Scarlet Alliance accepted Vlasta as an ambassador. There was some minor debate about whether it was safe to trust her on Xankeshan itself, but they ultimately decided that it was both appropriate that any ambassadors be housed on their capital world… and that she could actually cause the least damage there. Because while the greatest secrets were there, they were also best able to monitor her.
Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.
-----
Velvet didn’t trust the new ambassador. It wasn’t just her job as spymaster, but something personal she couldn’t quite put a finger on. She didn’t let it bother her too much, because it was also her job. That included feeding her seemingly valuable information that was either incorrect… or insufficient to bring risk to the Scarlet Alliance. Though Velvet wasn’t personally involved in information warfare to a great extent.
Checking into her past, Scarlet Alliance spies had revealed all too little about Vlasta’s past. They had been aware of her existence as an Augmentation cultivator previously, but little more. Every Augmentation cultivator was worth knowing about- and some exceptional Integration cultivators who seemed likely to advance. Below that level, there were simply too many people to track, especially without getting clear details. Having information on billions or trillions of individuals would likely hurt more than it helped, if it couldn’t be confirmed as accurate.
Maybe Velvet’s problem was that she so readily admitted to being a spy. Clearly, that had to be meant to put them off guard somehow. Right? Or was she drawing attention to herself with the intention to remove focus from the hundred or so cultivators in her entourage? Monitoring all of them was not too difficult, especially since they could do it openly, but Velvet couldn’t help but wonder if the Distant Shadow Sect had some sort of trick. A secret technique to appear to be in one place but actually be in another.
It was literally a baseless theory… but Velvet found that she couldn’t help but keep them in her focus. And maybe, that was just to keep her from looking outside the Alliance. Which… could then put her in a loop. Maybe that was what bugged her the most.
-----
The people of Xaphiot might wish that Anton never visit Airus, but they also seemed to recognize that trying to stop Anton would make him even more inclined to do the same thing- and then be inclined towards the other planet’s wishes. Though ultimately, Anton intended to try to only act if it would better the lives of everyone involved. He didn’t wish to cause unnecessary conflict.
When he flew to Airus, he found another Grounding cultivator waiting for him, openly displaying his cultivation as he stood, the lone figure on the surface. Anton assumed they used the same terms for the cultivation level, at least. They seemed to have some sort of communication. Anton wasn’t quite aware of how things worked, but clearly a message had gone ahead of him.
“I wasn’t expecting to have anyone waiting for me,” Anton admitted. “I am Anton. In case you were not actually expecting me, I must say that I come with peaceful intentions. I have just come from Xaphioth, though they were reluctant to speak much about your planet.”
The man nodded. “I was informed of your approach. I am Limbani. The conflicts between Xapioth and Airus stretch long into the past, but we have learned to live with our situation.”
“Good. And how do you feel about cultivators from outside the system? Both those from the lower realms… and others from the upper realms?”
The man had a clear reaction to the latter. “We want nothing to do with the upper realms.”
Anton nodded seriously. “Indeed, the Exalted Quadrant is quite… problematic. So is the Trigold Cluster, though I would imagine you haven’t had much interaction with them. They are a great distance away.”
“We’ve only heard of them secondhand,” Limbani admitted.
“What of the Chaotic Conglomeration?”
“Much the same. The Exalted Quadrant had little good to say about them. Though… our records indicate they had little positive to say about us either. Have you… interacted with any of them?”
Anton gestured to himself and then the world around broadly. “I am bound to the lower realms, much like yourself. So the only interaction I have had with the Exalted Quadrant and Trigold Cluster is that of war… with the rare exception of a few sects planted many generations prior who thought it best to cut their ties to a people who cared nothing about them.”
“And the Chaotic Conglomeration?”
Anton shook his head. “None of our people live this far west. I have no personal interactions with them. Though I’ve heard of peaceful contact.” That was sufficiently true without giving away anything that might need to remain secret. “I don’t mean this in a negative way, but your planet’s energy feels quite similar to that of Xaphioth. Both are quite healthy given the conditions on the surface, but… I know they could be greater.”
Limbani frowned. “What do you mean by that?”
“A planet’s ecosystem itself is much like a garden of potent herbs. It can develop and grow strong, if well cared for. The total quantity and quality of natural energy can be improved over time, though it takes concerted effort.”
Limbani was clearly curious about that, but he chose to move past it for the moment. “I see. You must be quite knowledgeable. But come, we should not stand around on the surface, even though the Tides of the World are calm, but they have been tempestuous as of late.”
“I actually have a question about that. Since I haven’t been able to speak with any permanent residents this far west before… what were the length of your cycles? Some few decades past ended one of six centuries, and before that… an unnaturally short cycle of two centuries. According to all the records we could scrounge, six centuries should have been the norm.”
“That is my understanding as well,” Limbani agreed. “As for the Tides… they were unbalanced at three and five centuries. Though it made little difference to us, as we remained safe underground for both.”
“Were you able to experience both?” Anton asked. “I have seen three cycles- though only the last slice of one of the first.”
“I was born after the last standard cycle,” Limbani replied. They began to make their way underground, into tunnels developed in much the same style as Xaphioth. Either they changed very slowly, or continued to influence each other in recent days.
“Thank you for being so open with me. If I understand correctly… your planets lived underground like this since even before that time, correct?”
“Yes. We have concealed ourselves from the Exalted Quadrant for countless generations. We have not had… any visitors at all.”
“I apologize for breaking your isolation,” Anton said. “But not making contact at all would have been inappropriate, should you have required aid against the Exalted Quadrant. If you wish, I can declare this system forbidden- or not mention it at all, which should keep you unbothered for some centuries at least. We are still quite far from the main body of the Lower Realms Alliance.”
“...Why?” Limbani asked.
“Why what?” Anton smiled back.
“Why give us the option? You are strong enough that we could not protest whatever choice you made.”
“What’s the point in being strong if I can’t do what I want?” Anton asked. “And what I want is to make powerful friends that can wipe out cultivators from the upper realms who are trying to take what is ours. Is that too much to ask?”
Limbani chuckled. “Perhaps it is. But I can’t help but notice your true interests seem to lie elsewhere.”
Anton’s senses had mostly been focused on their underground farms. They were not that different from Xaphioth in design. “I have a friend who farms underground. I carry with me quite a few varieties of fungus and mosses, if you’re interested. Ready to be grown, of course.”