My thoughts jump to a variety of different things from my world. They all stem from one assumption, though.

I don’t believe that he would be shameless enough to take her if she actually reaches the main group, where the cultivator escort is.

If that’s the case, then all I have to do is delay them from catching her. If I can put people and things in a way that blocks their line of sight and potentially makes it so they have to move around them, it will buy her some time.

There are two of them moving through these groups, so it will be quite the challenge. Luckily, this is a market area, with plenty of trash, papers, and random materials around.

Plenty of things to work with, to distract and catch a person’s attention.

What I will use are the tactics from the magicians of my world.

Sleight of Hand. Perception. Deception.

And plenty of distractions.

Cultivators, by definition, typically have enhanced senses. Whether that is sight, smell, touch, or any of the other senses.

Which can make deceiving them that much more difficult than deceiving normal people.

Or so one would think.

In fact, it is because cultivators can trust their senses so much that is that much easier to pull off different illusions.

Normally, illusions work because normal people’s brains prioritize different things and can’t handle everything at once.

Thus, will subconsciously ignore some things while focusing on others. One example from the modern world was the fact that some people couldn’t see a gorilla walking across the screen, as a bunch of other things were going on at the same time.

For early cultivators, this has not changed. Even for cultivators in the Qi Condensation level, their brains are not looking at everything. At least, when they aren’t consciously trying to do so. They may have an increased ability to discover something is up, but generally they will catch more detail in the one thing they are actually searching for.

Of course, unless they’ve trained themselves to look at everything at once, at the start of their cultivation journey, then their brains won’t develop in a way that gathers that information in that way. Not until they start into Foundation Establishment, which really revamps the different aspects of a person’s body. Even then, it wouldn’t be as strong.

Luckily for me, because of my awareness training, my scan, and my healing constitution, my brain is slowly growing to see things in this way. Unfortunately, this means that I won’t naturally catch as much detail with my senses as a normal cultivator.

But I have my scan for that. So, there’s really no need. What would be a slight advantage after balancing for others, turns into a tremendous advantage for me.

Huh, I sound like one of those self-congratulating cultivators in those novels I’ve read.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

Back to the issue. I need to start the operation and get to work.

Bringing my scan back up to its previous levels, I attempt to use it slightly differently.

This time, I’m using it to determine people’s perception, line of sight, and point of view. I’ll also be working my awareness and stealth capabilities, while using high speeds to move around them. This will require me to read the air flow, so I don’t disturb other people, but instead evenly flow through the air currents. Not only that, but I will need to use my increased physical abilities carefully, to not be noticeable.

While doing this, I also need to make sure my personal safety is high. So, I am maintaining the previous capabilities, as well.

Unfortunately, this will utilize slightly higher scanning strength to do so, even when using my awareness ability to compensate. So, I am feeling more than a bit dizzy and can’t concentrate on anything else. I can only maintain this for 5 minutes, before I can tell it will put me in a disadvantageous state.

Even now, the buzz of conversation around me dims, as I focus in only on my task and these aforementioned people’s actions and words. The pain in my skull vibrates even harder as my eyes blur. While I can still see, it is through a combination of the scan and my awareness, as much as my eyes.

Besides that, I tame the nearby birds, insects, pests, and even some of the local animals, both above and underground.

Sneaking closer, I use my scan to make sure I’m hidden from their perception.

Based on what I can tell, no one can perceive me. I should be safe in that respect.

I’ll use the scan to determine the branching paths the two henchmen are most likely to follow as they pursue her.

After doing so, my scan actually begins highlighting the items and creatures that should be triggered and at what time, in order to slow and trick them. It appears to be using an alternate version of my combat scan to do this.

… I fucking love this ability.

The lackeys are already on the move.

The line of stalls currently obscures their view in the middle of the market. Both of them are approaching at an angle to her, as she weaves between the stalls to move up towards the carriage where the cultivator is.

It is at this point that I begin my first effect.

The furthest most lackey is near a bunch of cloths laying on the ground. Underneath them, I have tamed a bunch of snakes. All of which are venomous, but would be more of a nuisance to someone that’s been body cultivating.

But they would still be a nuisance.

Noticing these causes him to stop, and move in a direction closer to his ally and away from them.

For the other lackey, I have one bird carry a shiny item that resembles a piece of jewelry that she was wearing. His eye catches the glint and a look of recognition crosses his face.

Before he can verify anything else visually, a branch falls from the tree directly in front of him, obscuring his view with its leaves. This was caused by one of the squirrel creatures in the tree. The bird quickly drops the item in this moment, and flies up, in the direction of the furthest lackey.

While it does this, a flock of birds settles a bit further along their path.

The girl moves quickly by them, but they don’t even move an inch in response.

Obviously, because I told them not to.

As that furthest most henchman goes to support his ally, he finds a bird poop lands directly in both of his eyes. Yelling in rage and disgust, he’s basically blinded. His arms flail at his face to wipe it out of his eyeholes.

As this occurs, I see that one merchant stall has far too many promotional papers that haven’t yet been put up.

It appears to be along the path, so I zip by in a way that causes the air currents to throw them in the air. My scan verifies no one saw me, despite my speed, because of how I manipulated the situation and lines of sight.

They fly up into a curve into the sky, not yet floating down.

Something that will be used, soon enough.

All the young master has only seen, is that his henchmen look like total idiots. Scrambling about and barely able to get a few meters without an accident.

To any bystanders watching, it just looks like there are some animals running around and a branch managed to fall in front of one of them. But, they are stumbling around like idiots. Looking around, trying to find her, even as she is right there.

Young Master Shui’s jaw hangs slightly open, in confusion.

Clearly, these guys are normally not this incompetent looking.

Even in these beginning steps, it’s chaos.

Beautiful, beautiful chaos.

Let’s do some more.