Chapter 212
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Chapter 212
Over the course of a week, many questions were asked to Anton and the others. Others got involved beyond guard captain Aaron, though the answers were always the same. Before the attack they didnt know anything about the three, nor did they find anything revealing afterwards. It must have been a dozen times that Anton allowed his storage bags to be searched, though hed kept everything from the Essence Collection cultivator hed slain in the mans own bags.
The investigation wasnt the only thing that delayed the group- many people still had injuries to recover from. Even though cultivators often healed more quickly, a deep stab wound still didnt suddenly recover overnight. Though after a couple days traveling wouldnt have been difficult, if they were to end up in another battle there was some worry about whether they would survive again.
During that week, Anton took stock of his spoils. The enemys bow ruined. The string was good, but the bone bow Anton had couldnt make use of it. He didnt think modifying it to have a string would be the correct option. But he certainly wasnt strong enough to use it consistently yet. Unfortunately the other man didnt have a backup bow- like Anton, he hadnt really considered losing his bow. Anton just liked to use the bone bow for practice.
It was a shame that so many good bows had been destroyed in Antons hands or related to him as of late. That seemed to be related to engaging in higher level combats with more powerful cultivators, where material strengths could be outstripped by energy.
His opponents armor hadnt been all that much better than Antons own- at least if Anton included the diamondsilk layer he wore. With a big hole in the chest, it was of little use. Anton resolved himself to get a full layer of diamondsilk along with some upgrades in every department. He didnt want his equipment to hold him back. With the wealth of an Essence Collection cultivator, in coins as well as in commonly traded and valuable materials, he had the potential to accomplish some of that. Though of course a good portion of the value had been in the two destroyed pieces of equipment. Anton wondered if parts of them could be reused for something.
The most valuable thing he gained from the battle wasnt anything he could sell to someone. The closer he got to Essence Collection, the easier it was to constantly have the Vessel of Insights active. He kept it constantly supplied with any excess energy, and the natural energy in the area had been sufficient for it to be active during the combat. Being able to review his own insights as well as those of the enemy archer was a great boon.
Anton only hesitated briefly before pulling out the strands of insight from the man. Though his actual cultivation level wasnt quite at Essence Collection, he should be able to handle the mans insights.
The Vessel of Insights worked in mysterious ways. Nobody had been able to fully explain it, but it didnt exactly capture the thoughts of cultivators. He could tell who an insight was from, the circumstances they were in, and of course the contents of the insight itself but he didnt get access to their deepest thoughts and motivations during that time. Instead, it was just a memory of him performing a certain action. Sometimes it was just a very tiny change in stance, a slight shift in how energy was circulated. Repeating parts of the battle from his own perspective also helped deepen his understanding of archery, as well as Fleeting Youth.
The insights of the enemy archer were harder to digest than his own as he absorbed them into himself, but they werent overwhelming. The level of energy that could be called essence was actually easier to understand than what Fleeting Youth provided. Anton still had no ability to gather it himself, but he felt that once he completed the final stars of Spirit Building the insights would ease his transition to the higher stage of cultivation.
The investigation into the background of the cultivators quickly hit a dead end, but Anton secured permission for the Order to send someone to investigate them. Doubtless many others from Droca would be coming as well, interested in seeing who was causing problems. Guard captain Aaron swore he would keep them preserved and that was the best Anton could hope for. It was possible someone might try to destroy the evidence, but it was also possible that there was really nothing to be found.
Yet the region didnt have so many Essence Collection cultivators that one could go completely unknown. Surely something about the man would come up at some point, some connection. Though Anton had some guesses about what it would tie into anyway.
-----
Caeus and Printzas Iron Fist Sect wasnt large, but it still had an Essence Collection elder. Though theyd previously been intending to make their own way back, after the attack they got in contact with their sect. It took longer to get a response, but Anton and the others were willing to wait. Instead of a messenger, the Iron Fist Sect sent a full delegation along with elder Nonus, several late Spirit Building cultivators and a smattering of disciples.
Though their primary purpose was to inquire about the attack, they did offer to escort the group to the Graotan border, before bringing their own disciples home. Everyone was fully willing to take them up on the offer, even Hein.
I might want to look for work elsewhere now, he explained. Better to be somewhere Im less needed than somewhere people might look for me.
Anton nodded. Id rather not try to fight an Essence Collection cultivator again. Any change in the circumstances could have flipped that on its head. The battle was extremely close, and he likely only survived because his opponent didnt think Anton was a true threat to his life. It encouraged him to continue improving his skills beyond where his cultivation lay, but it might be better to never get attacked at all.
-----
That doesnt count, she rebutted. Youre never serious.
Neither are they. We dont want to hurt each other.
Alva has a point, Catarina commented. If you really wanted to kill us, you have a significant advantage. Especially with that special energy.
You all have a counter for that, though, Anton pointed out. At least enough of one.
Thats right, Catarina said, But Im betting the Essence Collection cultivator you fought didnt. How close was it, really?
Anton held up his thumb and forefinger. About this close, really. The distance between his fingers might have seemed far, but if he was actually talking about how far he was from a specific attack killing him, ten centimeters or less wasnt much. While other attacks might get that close to hitting someone, dodging by a hairs breadth didnt necessarily mean someone was that close to dying.
Neither of his granddaughters- with different routes and number of people between him and them- let him be on his own for the rest of the day. Though since his injuries had already healed up there wasnt really anything they could do for him. But he enjoyed their presence nonetheless. But Devons absence was telling, and caused Anton to have his own worries.
-----
Grand Elder Kseniya had basically dragged Anton up the mountain. She plopped him in front of Vandale. Guess what this one here did.
Vandale looked at Anton with his one eye smiling.. There are many things Anton could have done. I could spend hours guessing. But Im sure youll tell me.
He killed an Essence Collection cultivator. Another archer.
Oh yes, Vandale said. I heard something about that. The information that came from Droca on that was incomplete. They focused more on the fact that a group of attackers was defeated than the details. I was going to ask for a more thorough report.
You dont sound excited, Kseniya said.
Should I be? Vandale smiled. Im happy that you lived, of course, but Im not particularly surprised. Both of us accomplished something similar back in our time. Vandale shrugged, Its the curse of having high expectations for someone.
I just thought I should tell you personally, Kseniya said. So when we went missing for a few months you wouldnt be worried.
What? Anton raised an eyebrow.
Its training time, Kseniya said as if it were only natural. And we dont have a moment to waste.
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Chapter 212
Over the course of a week, many questions were asked to Anton and the others. Others got involved beyond guard captain Aaron, though the answers were always the same. Before the attack they didnt know anything about the three, nor did they find anything revealing afterwards. It must have been a dozen times that Anton allowed his storage bags to be searched, though hed kept everything from the Essence Collection cultivator hed slain in the mans own bags.
The investigation wasnt the only thing that delayed the group- many people still had injuries to recover from. Even though cultivators often healed more quickly, a deep stab wound still didnt suddenly recover overnight. Though after a couple days traveling wouldnt have been difficult, if they were to end up in another battle there was some worry about whether they would survive again.
During that week, Anton took stock of his spoils. The enemys bow ruined. The string was good, but the bone bow Anton had couldnt make use of it. He didnt think modifying it to have a string would be the correct option. But he certainly wasnt strong enough to use it consistently yet. Unfortunately the other man didnt have a backup bow- like Anton, he hadnt really considered losing his bow. Anton just liked to use the bone bow for practice.
It was a shame that so many good bows had been destroyed in Antons hands or related to him as of late. That seemed to be related to engaging in higher level combats with more powerful cultivators, where material strengths could be outstripped by energy.
His opponents armor hadnt been all that much better than Antons own- at least if Anton included the diamondsilk layer he wore. With a big hole in the chest, it was of little use. Anton resolved himself to get a full layer of diamondsilk along with some upgrades in every department. He didnt want his equipment to hold him back. With the wealth of an Essence Collection cultivator, in coins as well as in commonly traded and valuable materials, he had the potential to accomplish some of that. Though of course a good portion of the value had been in the two destroyed pieces of equipment. Anton wondered if parts of them could be reused for something.
The most valuable thing he gained from the battle wasnt anything he could sell to someone. The closer he got to Essence Collection, the easier it was to constantly have the Vessel of Insights active. He kept it constantly supplied with any excess energy, and the natural energy in the area had been sufficient for it to be active during the combat. Being able to review his own insights as well as those of the enemy archer was a great boon.
Anton only hesitated briefly before pulling out the strands of insight from the man. Though his actual cultivation level wasnt quite at Essence Collection, he should be able to handle the mans insights.
The Vessel of Insights worked in mysterious ways. Nobody had been able to fully explain it, but it didnt exactly capture the thoughts of cultivators. He could tell who an insight was from, the circumstances they were in, and of course the contents of the insight itself but he didnt get access to their deepest thoughts and motivations during that time. Instead, it was just a memory of him performing a certain action. Sometimes it was just a very tiny change in stance, a slight shift in how energy was circulated. Repeating parts of the battle from his own perspective also helped deepen his understanding of archery, as well as Fleeting Youth.
The insights of the enemy archer were harder to digest than his own as he absorbed them into himself, but they werent overwhelming. The level of energy that could be called essence was actually easier to understand than what Fleeting Youth provided. Anton still had no ability to gather it himself, but he felt that once he completed the final stars of Spirit Building the insights would ease his transition to the higher stage of cultivation.
The investigation into the background of the cultivators quickly hit a dead end, but Anton secured permission for the Order to send someone to investigate them. Doubtless many others from Droca would be coming as well, interested in seeing who was causing problems. Guard captain Aaron swore he would keep them preserved and that was the best Anton could hope for. It was possible someone might try to destroy the evidence, but it was also possible that there was really nothing to be found.
Yet the region didnt have so many Essence Collection cultivators that one could go completely unknown. Surely something about the man would come up at some point, some connection. Though Anton had some guesses about what it would tie into anyway.
-----
Caeus and Printzas Iron Fist Sect wasnt large, but it still had an Essence Collection elder. Though theyd previously been intending to make their own way back, after the attack they got in contact with their sect. It took longer to get a response, but Anton and the others were willing to wait. Instead of a messenger, the Iron Fist Sect sent a full delegation along with elder Nonus, several late Spirit Building cultivators and a smattering of disciples.
Though their primary purpose was to inquire about the attack, they did offer to escort the group to the Graotan border, before bringing their own disciples home. Everyone was fully willing to take them up on the offer, even Hein.
I might want to look for work elsewhere now, he explained. Better to be somewhere Im less needed than somewhere people might look for me.
Anton nodded. Id rather not try to fight an Essence Collection cultivator again. Any change in the circumstances could have flipped that on its head. The battle was extremely close, and he likely only survived because his opponent didnt think Anton was a true threat to his life. It encouraged him to continue improving his skills beyond where his cultivation lay, but it might be better to never get attacked at all.
-----
That doesnt count, she rebutted. Youre never serious.
Neither are they. We dont want to hurt each other.
Alva has a point, Catarina commented. If you really wanted to kill us, you have a significant advantage. Especially with that special energy.
You all have a counter for that, though, Anton pointed out. At least enough of one.
Thats right, Catarina said, But Im betting the Essence Collection cultivator you fought didnt. How close was it, really?
Anton held up his thumb and forefinger. About this close, really. The distance between his fingers might have seemed far, but if he was actually talking about how far he was from a specific attack killing him, ten centimeters or less wasnt much. While other attacks might get that close to hitting someone, dodging by a hairs breadth didnt necessarily mean someone was that close to dying.
Neither of his granddaughters- with different routes and number of people between him and them- let him be on his own for the rest of the day. Though since his injuries had already healed up there wasnt really anything they could do for him. But he enjoyed their presence nonetheless. But Devons absence was telling, and caused Anton to have his own worries.
-----
Grand Elder Kseniya had basically dragged Anton up the mountain. She plopped him in front of Vandale. Guess what this one here did.
Vandale looked at Anton with his one eye smiling.. There are many things Anton could have done. I could spend hours guessing. But Im sure youll tell me.
He killed an Essence Collection cultivator. Another archer.
Oh yes, Vandale said. I heard something about that. The information that came from Droca on that was incomplete. They focused more on the fact that a group of attackers was defeated than the details. I was going to ask for a more thorough report.
You dont sound excited, Kseniya said.
Should I be? Vandale smiled. Im happy that you lived, of course, but Im not particularly surprised. Both of us accomplished something similar back in our time. Vandale shrugged, Its the curse of having high expectations for someone.
I just thought I should tell you personally, Kseniya said. So when we went missing for a few months you wouldnt be worried.
What? Anton raised an eyebrow.
Its training time, Kseniya said as if it were only natural. And we dont have a moment to waste.
Chapter 212Over the course of a week, many questions were asked to Anton and the others. Others got involved beyond guard captain Aaron, though the answers were always the same. Before the attack they didnt know anything about the three, nor did they find anything revealing afterwards. It must have been a dozen times that Anton allowed his storage bags to be searched, though hed kept everything from the Essence Collection cultivator hed slain in the mans own bags.The investigation wasnt the only thing that delayed the group- many people still had injuries to recover from. Even though cultivators often healed more quickly, a deep stab wound still didnt suddenly recover overnight. Though after a couple days traveling wouldnt have been difficult, if they were to end up in another battle there was some worry about whether they would survive again.During that week, Anton took stock of his spoils. The enemys bow ruined. The string was good, but the bone bow Anton had couldnt make use of it. He didnt think modifying it to have a string would be the correct option. But he certainly wasnt strong enough to use it consistently yet. Unfortunately the other man didnt have a backup bow- like Anton, he hadnt really considered losing his bow. Anton just liked to use the bone bow for practice. It was a shame that so many good bows had been destroyed in Antons hands or related to him as of late. That seemed to be related to engaging in higher level combats with more powerful cultivators, where material strengths could be outstripped by energy.His opponents armor hadnt been all that much better than Antons own- at least if Anton included the diamondsilk layer he wore. With a big hole in the chest, it was of little use. Anton resolved himself to get a full layer of diamondsilk along with some upgrades in every department. He didnt want his equipment to hold him back. With the wealth of an Essence Collection cultivator, in coins as well as in commonly traded and valuable materials, he had the potential to accomplish some of that. Though of course a good portion of the value had been in the two destroyed pieces of equipment. Anton wondered if parts of them could be reused for something.The most valuable thing he gained from the battle wasnt anything he could sell to someone. The closer he got to Essence Collection, the easier it was to constantly have the Vessel of Insights active. He kept it constantly supplied with any excess energy, and the natural energy in the area had been sufficient for it to be active during the combat. Being able to review his own insights as well as those of the enemy archer was a great boon.Anton only hesitated briefly before pulling out the strands of insight from the man. Though his actual cultivation level wasnt quite at Essence Collection, he should be able to handle the mans insights.The Vessel of Insights worked in mysterious ways. Nobody had been able to fully explain it, but it didnt exactly capture the thoughts of cultivators. He could tell who an insight was from, the circumstances they were in, and of course the contents of the insight itself but he didnt get access to their deepest thoughts and motivations during that time. Instead, it was just a memory of him performing a certain action. Sometimes it was just a very tiny change in stance, a slight shift in how energy was circulated. Repeating parts of the battle from his own perspective also helped deepen his understanding of archery, as well as Fleeting Youth.The insights of the enemy archer were harder to digest than his own as he absorbed them into himself, but they werent overwhelming. The level of energy that could be called essence was actually easier to understand than what Fleeting Youth provided. Anton still had no ability to gather it himself, but he felt that once he completed the final stars of Spirit Building the insights would ease his transition to the higher stage of cultivation.The investigation into the background of the cultivators quickly hit a dead end, but Anton secured permission for the Order to send someone to investigate them. Doubtless many others from Droca would be coming as well, interested in seeing who was causing problems. Guard captain Aaron swore he would keep them preserved and that was the best Anton could hope for. It was possible someone might try to destroy the evidence, but it was also possible that there was really nothing to be found.Yet the region didnt have so many Essence Collection cultivators that one could go completely unknown. Surely something about the man would come up at some point, some connection. Though Anton had some guesses about what it would tie into anyway.-----Caeus and Printzas Iron Fist Sect wasnt large, but it still had an Essence Collection elder. Though theyd previously been intending to make their own way back, after the attack they got in contact with their sect. It took longer to get a response, but Anton and the others were willing to wait. Instead of a messenger, the Iron Fist Sect sent a full delegation along with elder Nonus, several late Spirit Building cultivators and a smattering of disciples.Though their primary purpose was to inquire about the attack, they did offer to escort the group to the Graotan border, before bringing their own disciples home. Everyone was fully willing to take them up on the offer, even Hein.I might want to look for work elsewhere now, he explained. Better to be somewhere Im less needed than somewhere people might look for me.Anton nodded. Id rather not try to fight an Essence Collection cultivator again. Any change in the circumstances could have flipped that on its head. The battle was extremely close, and he likely only survived because his opponent didnt think Anton was a true threat to his life. It encouraged him to continue improving his skills beyond where his cultivation lay, but it might be better to never get attacked at all.-----That doesnt count, she rebutted. Youre never serious.Neither are they. We dont want to hurt each other.Alva has a point, Catarina commented. If you really wanted to kill us, you have a significant advantage. Especially with that special energy.You all have a counter for that, though, Anton pointed out. At least enough of one.Thats right, Catarina said, But Im betting the Essence Collection cultivator you fought didnt. How close was it, really?Anton held up his thumb and forefinger. About this close, really. The distance between his fingers might have seemed far, but if he was actually talking about how far he was from a specific attack killing him, ten centimeters or less wasnt much. While other attacks might get that close to hitting someone, dodging by a hairs breadth didnt necessarily mean someone was that close to dying.Neither of his granddaughters- with different routes and number of people between him and them- let him be on his own for the rest of the day. Though since his injuries had already healed up there wasnt really anything they could do for him. But he enjoyed their presence nonetheless. But Devons absence was telling, and caused Anton to have his own worries.-----Grand Elder Kseniya had basically dragged Anton up the mountain. She plopped him in front of Vandale. Guess what this one here did.Vandale looked at Anton with his one eye smiling.. There are many things Anton could have done. I could spend hours guessing. But Im sure youll tell me.He killed an Essence Collection cultivator. Another archer.Oh yes, Vandale said. I heard something about that. The information that came from Droca on that was incomplete. They focused more on the fact that a group of attackers was defeated than the details. I was going to ask for a more thorough report.You dont sound excited, Kseniya said.Should I be? Vandale smiled. Im happy that you lived, of course, but Im not particularly surprised. Both of us accomplished something similar back in our time. Vandale shrugged, Its the curse of having high expectations for someone.I just thought I should tell you personally, Kseniya said. So when we went missing for a few months you wouldnt be worried.What? Anton raised an eyebrow.Its training time, Kseniya said as if it were only natural. And we dont have a moment to waste.
