"What the hell!" I gasped even as I tried to follow Pearyin, but the gate was already gone, leaving only a persistent glow where the gate was, showing the outline of the gate. That glow allowed me to practice my techniques far more efficiently, but I didn't care about it.

I was trying to understand what was going on, but no matter how much what formation I had used, it didn't help. My knowledge about it was truly limited.

After an hour, I stopped trying to find out what had happened. It was clearly above my understanding. The best I could hope was to hope that, just like other events that had been triggered when skills had reached their next stage, it was harmless.

At least, that was what I hoped.

The only good thing was that the door stayed, giving me the hope that it might also allow her to return. Assuming, of course, it wasn't destroyed. Though, it didn't matter. I had to keep the area safe whether the gate could be destroyed or not.

If I let someone else capture it, even if the gate couldn't be destroyed, Pearyin would fall into their hands. Not something I would allow for her.

I was planning to stay in the dojo until the evening, waiting to see if Pearyin could appear soon … when I felt a warning from the formation. Another cultivator was here. One that was stronger than the others. Foundation Establishment, and from what I could feel, not a weak one either.

"When it rains…" I muttered in frustration as I continued running toward the capital. I was confident in dealing with a Foundation Establishment cultivator, but only if I was already at the capital and activated some of the protections.

I didn't have any confidence otherwise.

As I continued to run, I wondered why the other faction in the Verdant family reacted so rapidly. I had already covered the distance halfway before I realized that I hadn't misjudged it.

The Foundation Establishment Cultivator was not moving toward the capital, but circling as if they were searching for something. They must have been looking for me —

Then, I noticed another Foundation Establishment cultivator, this time near Markas, staying the range of formations before going away. Another appeared … then another.

"Can they be looking for Pearyin?" I asked. I had done my best to contain the aura, but there was a chance I failed. After all, what happened was too mysterious. However, even with that possibility, I didn't return to the formation.

There was very little I could do if I returned.

I had done my best to keep that valley concealed. And, even with the hundreds of spirit plants, the formation had its limits. I could keep a Foundation Establishment cultivator away for a time, but not for long. Eventually, that Qi would be depleted, and I would be defeated.

I could defeat two Foundation Cultivators if I took the offense rather than defending passively, maybe even more … but considering the speed they mobilized at least two Foundation Establishment cultivators, they would send more and more.

"Damn," I growled. I didn't want to abandon Pearyin. But, I couldn't just trust my formation would stay hidden. I had no idea just how many cultivators that would be searching.

I needed something stronger, something that would give me an edge over the sect cultivators if they decided to move on en-masse. My mind inevitably went to the mysterious being imprisoned under the capital, wondering whether I should try to earn their pity. It would be risky, but it felt like the best method.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Or, maybe I should risk it and improve my cultivation. That seemed like the best way —

"The Kartpa Valley artifact," I suddenly muttered as I interrupted my own thoughts as I reversed direction, and moved deeper into the Markas territory. I had long identified the location of the artifact they had been using to boost the growth of the plants and savage beasts.

While that artifact wouldn't be enough to support the formation, it would be different if I could recycle it once through Aisnam. Of course, I needed to find a creative way to do so that would not only prevent her from getting suspicious, but also trigger the System.

But, I didn't want to waste time thinking about the exact method, because the size and the nature of the artifact they had been using to generate Qi mattered. It would be easy if it was something palm-sized, and less so if it was as big as a house.

I had to admit, whatever the source was, they hid it well. If it wasn't for my gardening skills, I would have to spend weeks searching for the source. Instead, I immediately reached the source, which was sealed with a formation.

"Pathetic," I muttered even as I examined the formation despite the intimidating power it was radiating off it. Most of the intimidation came from the material of the formation. It was still Qi, but unlike what I had been using, which was less dense than the air itself, it had a more liquid, robust feel.

It was applied by a Golden Core cultivator, one that wasn't very skilled. The condensed nature of the Qi made the formation far more intimidating, but the strength of the walls didn't matter when the lock was not complicated.

A few touches, and the formation shifted slightly, creating a small gate for me to enter the protected area, without disrupting the rest of the formation. "Skills are amazing … if only they didn't come with a spontaneous disappearance feature," I muttered, unable to resist thinking about Pearyin's sudden disappearance.

Every single detail about the process made me feel that it was harmless, but regardless, I didn't want to experience it myself, not unless I had no other choice. I had already experienced spontaneous interdimensional travel once, and I wasn't looking to repeat the experience.

Especially since I had no idea what was on the other side.

"In a way, I was lucky," I muttered even as I stepped through the gap I had created. While I didn't appreciate the risk Pearyin had experienced, it was better than the alternative. With the way I had been using the System, it would have been long before I would have a chance to surpass the Major Integration stage, and once that chance arrived, I would have traveled to Misty Mountains to trigger it.

I would have set formations, but none of those formations would have expected the coordinated search of Foundation Establishment cultivators. And, with I was lost in whatever mysterious place that gate led, the remains of the gate would be inevitably discovered, surrounded, and maybe destroyed…

Not exactly a good fate.

"I have just avoided a calamity, lucky me —" I muttered as I finally arrived at the other side of the formation, only to be slammed by a wave of Qi so thick that, for a moment I thought I was under attack.

I was already ready to defend myself when I realized it was just the density of Qi, alone to make it difficult to breathe. It was a lot. I realized whatever artifact Kartpa Valley had used was not simple.

I didn't try to measure just how much Qi there was in terms of strands. It would be as meaningless as trying to measure a lake by drops. As always, the answer was … too much. The good news, it was enough for me to use a lot of Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Bad news, since Kartpa Valley had put such a valuable artifact here just to take over a mortal city, there had to be something even more important. Even worse, I didn't have the luxury of just turning back and leaving the place.

Even now, I could feel the number of Foundation Establishment Cultivators above Marks and Capital increasing. Currently, there were five, and inevitably, there were even more nearby.

The only saving grace was that their search pattern indicated that they didn't all belong to the same force, and they were afraid of each other. That, and they were clearly searching blindly, showing that my formations were at least somewhat effective.

I thought about how best to use the artifact to counter them. I hoped that it was enough to be carried easily, allowing me to add some more confusion, but even if it wasn't, I should be able to move it with my formations. It wouldn't take long, but as long as it was under my base, everything would be fine. "Still, it's lucky. At least, it'll solve my current problem once I —" I started, only to freeze when I reached a large underground cave.

With a huge spiritual vein.

"Damn it. When I will learn about tempting fate," I muttered as I looked at the mystical crystal, one the most famous wonders of the world. A treasure that was even more valuable than a giant oil field back on Earth, enough to trigger wars.

A treasure that was already discovered by one of the strongest sects of the continent.

Suddenly, the problem with Pearyin didn't look too bad.