The night is peaceful, with the sound of the forests and jungles below creating a natural white noise even at the height of this overhang. Despite flying over this earlier, the sense of scale from the height I viewed this at is completely different. The width of the overhang has been at the least half a kilometer and at the most 1-2 kilometers.
Which is technically small in cultivation world scales, but when you can walk in the middle of the road and have some difficulty seeing the edge of the road, it definitely feels like quite a bit of space.
And we are on one of the side roads that will help us get to the tower quicker, as it isn’t just a straight shot there otherwise. The main roads that head up the mountain are, of course, larger. Which is to accommodate the truly large amounts of supplies that can come into the sect in bulk.
Despite the peace, slowly we hear the sounds of truly terrifying beasts.
Roars of ferocious animal. The gifted can even feel the bellows of massive creatures.
These sounds indicate that a large amount of movement is occurring in the area below us. Which can only be because of our presence, as such large shifts only happen from great opportunities or wars between the competing beast groups.
And in a terrifyingly present sense, the flight of giant flying creatures that float just at the edge of the road.
Giant insects. Flying bird-like creatures. Soaring reptiles. And even some creatures that I can only compare to aquatic abominations.
Just waiting there at the edge.
While some are preying on each other, the majority seem to be waiting for something. Everyone here is terrified because of this.
From what my scan had gathered, there are several factions of spirit beasts in these open areas. Of course, being on the sect’s mountain means that the rule, even among them, should be that sect members are off limits.
… Should be.
Even with the sun going down, no one is ready to sleep.
In fact, from the fearful mutters I can hear, they are sure they will attack once the darkness comes. The city people are scared by the lack of lights around, but even the country people in the group are worried, for good reason.
Things are getting louder and louder from them. A panic is rising within the group.
Those with cultivation have already been singled out and have already positioned themselves at the edges of the group, providing a bulwark. Looking plenty scared themselves.
And it’s not that they were pushed there, it just gives them a better view of the surroundings.
My scan is observing any movement towards us, but it seems they aren’t preparing for an attack once night hits. It has to be a ‘someone’ that they are waiting.
This is a great opportunity. Times of strife are great to bring solidarity.
Having been using my conversation scan constantly lately, I’m getting a feel about how to say things to people for a positive response. This allows me to use less of it on that and keep it on the combat/trap scan. I’m keeping the combat on, to help in case I’ve misread the situation.
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The sound of people worrying is only growing louder as the sun continues to drop. Coming ever closer to the horizon.
The hum of fear only makes the spirit beasts on the edge salivate, as it means less organized prey.
I only say a few words, but at a level where they can all hear.
“Calm down everyone.”
Things go silent.
Normally, that wouldn’t work in a group like this, but they all were subconsciously looking at me for direction this whole time. The most important this is to maintain confidence and project surety for them.
“Some of you may not know this, but the areas between towers, the halls, and the inner court pagodas are filled with beasts, spirit beasts, and tamed creatures.
“Dangerous in their own way, but the sect has an understanding with the ruling creatures in these areas that they will come down hard on anyone that preys on the sect members.”
I look out at the flying creatures hovering at the edge of the road.
“There’s a reason they haven’t already come out here to come after us.”
Visible and audible relief comes from many in the group. Particularly, those of no status or body cultivation. In a fight, they’d be the first attacked by the groups. The cultivators in the group seem a little relieved, but still wary. Their senses are telling them the same thing that I can feel.
The beasts are out for meat.
My tone changes to a serious one. Breaking their relief.
“Don’t relax, though. The mere fact they are doing such a thing means we must remind them of this. No one’s been in our towers for quite a while. So, we need to prepare for the worst.”
Everyone turns tense again.
“Here’s how I want you all to be positioned. Let’s circle the carriages. I want everyone without a weapon to grab one of the daggers from inside them.”
With some merchants and carriage drivers in the group, they hasten to do the simple, but effective tactic of creating a circular barrier of carriages. A well-known tactic for people in the trade.
However, the type of carriage here won’t be as effective as a wagon, as the luxurious-looking design isn’t meant for defensive positioning. To compensate, I have a little spacing in-between each wagon, where the cultivators stand and prepare their weapons. Some have also climbed on top, if they have ranged attacks.
Despite its weaknesses, it still provides another major benefit. The feeling of safety.
Adding to that, each carriage provided by the Yellow Sashes comes with daggers inside.
The daggers are normally meant not only for fighting enemies, but the occupants themselves. This is because prostitutes usually won’t have a good life if they are captured. Some may prefer death or fighting to that.
There are even a few left.
And all of this happened pretty quickly, as I used my scan and my knowledge of the subjects to correct anything that might prove a defensive weakness.
There’s only one big flaw to the whole thing.
The enemies here fly.
But, even with that, this should allow us to reduce their angles of attack and give some kind of counterattack.
The hum of the flying creatures has certainly diminished, as the disorganized rabble from before seems much more prepared and ready for an attack. Something any predator is wary to face.
As I continue to work within the group, nothing happens for the next few minutes or is looking like it will, so I move my attention back to what I can do to help the situation.
Subconsciously, I reach toward my back and pockets.
As they have been this whole time, some of my spirit beasts are lying dormant and cultivating on my body at this very moment.
The turtle, on my back and the appearance of a shield.
The earthworm, giant frog, and the carp that lives in the frog’s mouth hide in my pocket. Shrunken down for convenience.
And the curious plant that could walk, which condensed itself, entwining into my clothes and over my body like tattoos.
Last, but not least, I can sense the panther stalking in the distance. It’s stealth capabilities still allowing it to be unnoticed, even against these creatures.
Each is in the varying stages of Qi Condensation. But with my healing power, should be much stronger in a fight.
While Dana and the hero group might put up a fight, they would likely get crushed against true spirit beasts with cultivation. Even Dana would have trouble with the internals of a higher cultivation spirit beast.
Either way, the only thing we can do is wait for darkness. And either a fight or a tense standoff awaits us. In the meantime, we still have another half-hour until it becomes truly dark.
I setup a shift schedule and have some of them try to sleep.
I suspect that whoever is coming will come in the dark, dead of night. We’ll have a bit before then.