Chapter 852
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Chapter 852
Traveling from planet to planet, Velvet learned about the issues they faced- or at least those raised by their loudest members in their largest cities. Obviously any individual would have different ideas about what was important, but either way Velvet couldnt care about the details of everyone. Even Anton couldnt do that, though he was more likely to pick up on local troubles and desire to help.
She wondered what he would do here, in enemy territory. She supposed it would be much like Ofrurg. Solving problems on a small scale first, then fixing the larger societal issues. But even if Velvet had the time or inclination to do such things, she would prefer to work closer to home. On the galactic scale, she might be neighbors with these planets- but on a practical scale, she was deep into enemy territory. Getting involved at all was foolish.
Her current disguise was that of a Life Transformation disciple of the Western Mirage Sect. A traveler that people would expect to see one moment and not the next, continuing about their business. Strong enough that nobody would bother her, but not so strong that she stood out. She had answers prepared about her identity, should anyone ask- but in general, people should not.
Spying required some level of curiosity to find pertinent information which was also a risk. So when she heard a conflict and approached to see what was happening, it was both exactly what she was supposed to be doing and a risk.
It should have been a small one, she had calculated. She was just going to take a peek at the conflict from a distance. But a minute later, she was one of the few people left in the area after a rapid disaster, and by the time she considered fleeing she was already too late to not look suspicious.
A half dozen Life Transformation cultivators surrounded her. Nothing significant, even in straightforward combat. The man in the Integration stage was also not a threat, even combined with them. Not physically, anyway. She could take them all out in a few moments, but then she would truly have to flee.
You there, the man said, his aura flickering and twisting around him. The Northern Mirage Sect, which made things a little awkward but also would hopefully smooth things over. What happened here?
I only saw part of the conflict, Velvet said. Several of your disciples got into conflict with some light element cultivator. Velvet tilted her head as if trying to recall something. It felt like the Citadel of Exalted Light, perhaps? She was more than certain of that, but accusing a powerful sect of murder in the middle of the street was problematic. Even if those who had been harmed were asking.
What happened with this conflict? the man demanded.
I dont know what started it, Velvet said truthfully. I only noticed after the battle had already begun. I thought it reasonable to see what was going on, and arrived just in time to see an older man in Integration drive arrows of light through your disciples. Velvet lied about that part. She observed the whole battle, even if it was only a bit longer than that. Then he fled to the east.
I have further questions, the man said. Are you not a disciple of the Mirage Sect? How could you be so callous about the deaths of your fellow disciples?
Velvet shook her head. It was not my intention to seem callous. I was merely unable to respond in any way. And as for being fellow disciples, I am merely a member of the Western Mirage Sect. She held up her acquired token, mostly to prevent him from inspecting her cultivation too closely. Though we share similar origins, our connection has long been severed. Even so, I would have gladly aided them if I could have managed it. A mix of truth and lies. She was physically capable of interfering. She was more than strong enough, after all. It would simply have compromised her position here a position that was also in jeopardy in this very situation.
The man folded his arms in front of his chest. Fine. And you said this man fled east? We came from that direction, but did not feel him pass by.
I sense the fiend! Rainer said. We must catch him! At that, he and the other disciples began running ahead. Velvet put in the effort to speed up, appearing as if she reached her maximum limit. But of course, she wasnt anywhere close.
She passively followed them with her senses, taking in the fluctuations of their energy. They didnt feel like much once they reached the cave, but she could feel more details when the battle began.
Velvet considered simply leaving. They were severely distracted, and they would never be able to track her down. However, they might notice her disappearance and that would make them more likely to be suspicious and remember her. A delicate balance.
Ultimately she decided to follow through on this whole endeavor. She continued at her current pace, happy to find that she would most likely arrive after the conclusion of the battle. The Integration cultivator in question might be able to swiftly kill three Life Transformation cultivators, but six and another who nearly matched him in power? That was clearly out of his ability. With the Northern Mirage Sect blocking the cave entrance, he was trapped inside with them.
During the final moments of the battle, the killer tried to rush past them- but he ultimately fell near the cave mouth. Velvet arrived just in time to see Rainer standing over the body.
You avenged them, good, Velvet tried to show some level of enthusiasm. Though not too much, given the tenuous connection. Rainer quickly picked some sort of mirror out of the mans bag, appraising it visually. Time to blend in as much as she could. Senior, I led you here so what portion of the spoils am I entitled to?
Ah yes. Your contribution did indeed speed up the process, Rainer nodded. He casually grabbed something from the mans storage bag, tossing it to her.
A packet of medicinal pills. Not terribly high quality, Velvet determined, but certainly not valueless. Thank you very much senior. I will be continuing on my journey now.
Hopefully, now that their business had been settled she would fade from his mind. That was why she had asked for payment but not haggled about the amount. If he was begrudging about the amount, he might instead choose to hunt her down and try to take it back. Or the others could, as they were likely more concerned with smaller values.
And then they would be dead, and her later attempts to spread rumors about a conflict between the two sects would be stifled by a lack of living examples. Even if it was true, nobody cared about a few dead people. But deaths on both sides, and the possession of some sort of valuable loot? That was something people might talk about. And from there, maybe more of these disciples would kill each other because of grudges.
She could only hope, of course. But hope was something she never went anywhere without. It guided her steps in the past, and it would bring her into the future. She had all sorts of hopes, mainly hinging around the Scarlet Alliance.
Which was exactly why she needed to get back to them alive. Because not being around to see better futures would be disappointing, and she had quite a few things to report that she couldnt risk getting intercepted somehow. Just because she didnt think anyone could do it didnt mean the Exalted Quadrant didnt have some method. And if they did, they wouldnt want to make it known. Optimally, they would sit on the very fact that they could gather such information and accumulate a mountain of secrets, using information only when most beneficial to them.
At least, that is what she would do. And discounting the possibility would be foolish. But her information arriving at the Scarlet Alliance in some form was also quite important, and she had some contingencies in place that hopefully would never come into play.
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Chapter 852
Traveling from planet to planet, Velvet learned about the issues they faced- or at least those raised by their loudest members in their largest cities. Obviously any individual would have different ideas about what was important, but either way Velvet couldnt care about the details of everyone. Even Anton couldnt do that, though he was more likely to pick up on local troubles and desire to help.
She wondered what he would do here, in enemy territory. She supposed it would be much like Ofrurg. Solving problems on a small scale first, then fixing the larger societal issues. But even if Velvet had the time or inclination to do such things, she would prefer to work closer to home. On the galactic scale, she might be neighbors with these planets- but on a practical scale, she was deep into enemy territory. Getting involved at all was foolish.
Her current disguise was that of a Life Transformation disciple of the Western Mirage Sect. A traveler that people would expect to see one moment and not the next, continuing about their business. Strong enough that nobody would bother her, but not so strong that she stood out. She had answers prepared about her identity, should anyone ask- but in general, people should not.
Spying required some level of curiosity to find pertinent information which was also a risk. So when she heard a conflict and approached to see what was happening, it was both exactly what she was supposed to be doing and a risk.
It should have been a small one, she had calculated. She was just going to take a peek at the conflict from a distance. But a minute later, she was one of the few people left in the area after a rapid disaster, and by the time she considered fleeing she was already too late to not look suspicious.
A half dozen Life Transformation cultivators surrounded her. Nothing significant, even in straightforward combat. The man in the Integration stage was also not a threat, even combined with them. Not physically, anyway. She could take them all out in a few moments, but then she would truly have to flee.
You there, the man said, his aura flickering and twisting around him. The Northern Mirage Sect, which made things a little awkward but also would hopefully smooth things over. What happened here?
I only saw part of the conflict, Velvet said. Several of your disciples got into conflict with some light element cultivator. Velvet tilted her head as if trying to recall something. It felt like the Citadel of Exalted Light, perhaps? She was more than certain of that, but accusing a powerful sect of murder in the middle of the street was problematic. Even if those who had been harmed were asking.
What happened with this conflict? the man demanded.
I dont know what started it, Velvet said truthfully. I only noticed after the battle had already begun. I thought it reasonable to see what was going on, and arrived just in time to see an older man in Integration drive arrows of light through your disciples. Velvet lied about that part. She observed the whole battle, even if it was only a bit longer than that. Then he fled to the east.
I have further questions, the man said. Are you not a disciple of the Mirage Sect? How could you be so callous about the deaths of your fellow disciples?
Velvet shook her head. It was not my intention to seem callous. I was merely unable to respond in any way. And as for being fellow disciples, I am merely a member of the Western Mirage Sect. She held up her acquired token, mostly to prevent him from inspecting her cultivation too closely. Though we share similar origins, our connection has long been severed. Even so, I would have gladly aided them if I could have managed it. A mix of truth and lies. She was physically capable of interfering. She was more than strong enough, after all. It would simply have compromised her position here a position that was also in jeopardy in this very situation.
The man folded his arms in front of his chest. Fine. And you said this man fled east? We came from that direction, but did not feel him pass by.
I sense the fiend! Rainer said. We must catch him! At that, he and the other disciples began running ahead. Velvet put in the effort to speed up, appearing as if she reached her maximum limit. But of course, she wasnt anywhere close.
She passively followed them with her senses, taking in the fluctuations of their energy. They didnt feel like much once they reached the cave, but she could feel more details when the battle began.
Velvet considered simply leaving. They were severely distracted, and they would never be able to track her down. However, they might notice her disappearance and that would make them more likely to be suspicious and remember her. A delicate balance.
Ultimately she decided to follow through on this whole endeavor. She continued at her current pace, happy to find that she would most likely arrive after the conclusion of the battle. The Integration cultivator in question might be able to swiftly kill three Life Transformation cultivators, but six and another who nearly matched him in power? That was clearly out of his ability. With the Northern Mirage Sect blocking the cave entrance, he was trapped inside with them.
During the final moments of the battle, the killer tried to rush past them- but he ultimately fell near the cave mouth. Velvet arrived just in time to see Rainer standing over the body.
You avenged them, good, Velvet tried to show some level of enthusiasm. Though not too much, given the tenuous connection. Rainer quickly picked some sort of mirror out of the mans bag, appraising it visually. Time to blend in as much as she could. Senior, I led you here so what portion of the spoils am I entitled to?
Ah yes. Your contribution did indeed speed up the process, Rainer nodded. He casually grabbed something from the mans storage bag, tossing it to her.
A packet of medicinal pills. Not terribly high quality, Velvet determined, but certainly not valueless. Thank you very much senior. I will be continuing on my journey now.
Hopefully, now that their business had been settled she would fade from his mind. That was why she had asked for payment but not haggled about the amount. If he was begrudging about the amount, he might instead choose to hunt her down and try to take it back. Or the others could, as they were likely more concerned with smaller values.
And then they would be dead, and her later attempts to spread rumors about a conflict between the two sects would be stifled by a lack of living examples. Even if it was true, nobody cared about a few dead people. But deaths on both sides, and the possession of some sort of valuable loot? That was something people might talk about. And from there, maybe more of these disciples would kill each other because of grudges.
She could only hope, of course. But hope was something she never went anywhere without. It guided her steps in the past, and it would bring her into the future. She had all sorts of hopes, mainly hinging around the Scarlet Alliance.
Which was exactly why she needed to get back to them alive. Because not being around to see better futures would be disappointing, and she had quite a few things to report that she couldnt risk getting intercepted somehow. Just because she didnt think anyone could do it didnt mean the Exalted Quadrant didnt have some method. And if they did, they wouldnt want to make it known. Optimally, they would sit on the very fact that they could gather such information and accumulate a mountain of secrets, using information only when most beneficial to them.
At least, that is what she would do. And discounting the possibility would be foolish. But her information arriving at the Scarlet Alliance in some form was also quite important, and she had some contingencies in place that hopefully would never come into play.
Chapter 852Traveling from planet to planet, Velvet learned about the issues they faced- or at least those raised by their loudest members in their largest cities. Obviously any individual would have different ideas about what was important, but either way Velvet couldnt care about the details of everyone. Even Anton couldnt do that, though he was more likely to pick up on local troubles and desire to help.She wondered what he would do here, in enemy territory. She supposed it would be much like Ofrurg. Solving problems on a small scale first, then fixing the larger societal issues. But even if Velvet had the time or inclination to do such things, she would prefer to work closer to home. On the galactic scale, she might be neighbors with these planets- but on a practical scale, she was deep into enemy territory. Getting involved at all was foolish.Her current disguise was that of a Life Transformation disciple of the Western Mirage Sect. A traveler that people would expect to see one moment and not the next, continuing about their business. Strong enough that nobody would bother her, but not so strong that she stood out. She had answers prepared about her identity, should anyone ask- but in general, people should not.Spying required some level of curiosity to find pertinent information which was also a risk. So when she heard a conflict and approached to see what was happening, it was both exactly what she was supposed to be doing and a risk. It should have been a small one, she had calculated. She was just going to take a peek at the conflict from a distance. But a minute later, she was one of the few people left in the area after a rapid disaster, and by the time she considered fleeing she was already too late to not look suspicious.A half dozen Life Transformation cultivators surrounded her. Nothing significant, even in straightforward combat. The man in the Integration stage was also not a threat, even combined with them. Not physically, anyway. She could take them all out in a few moments, but then she would truly have to flee.You there, the man said, his aura flickering and twisting around him. The Northern Mirage Sect, which made things a little awkward but also would hopefully smooth things over. What happened here?I only saw part of the conflict, Velvet said. Several of your disciples got into conflict with some light element cultivator. Velvet tilted her head as if trying to recall something. It felt like the Citadel of Exalted Light, perhaps? She was more than certain of that, but accusing a powerful sect of murder in the middle of the street was problematic. Even if those who had been harmed were asking.What happened with this conflict? the man demanded.I dont know what started it, Velvet said truthfully. I only noticed after the battle had already begun. I thought it reasonable to see what was going on, and arrived just in time to see an older man in Integration drive arrows of light through your disciples. Velvet lied about that part. She observed the whole battle, even if it was only a bit longer than that. Then he fled to the east.I have further questions, the man said. Are you not a disciple of the Mirage Sect? How could you be so callous about the deaths of your fellow disciples?Velvet shook her head. It was not my intention to seem callous. I was merely unable to respond in any way. And as for being fellow disciples, I am merely a member of the Western Mirage Sect. She held up her acquired token, mostly to prevent him from inspecting her cultivation too closely. Though we share similar origins, our connection has long been severed. Even so, I would have gladly aided them if I could have managed it. A mix of truth and lies. She was physically capable of interfering. She was more than strong enough, after all. It would simply have compromised her position here a position that was also in jeopardy in this very situation.The man folded his arms in front of his chest. Fine. And you said this man fled east? We came from that direction, but did not feel him pass by.I sense the fiend! Rainer said. We must catch him! At that, he and the other disciples began running ahead. Velvet put in the effort to speed up, appearing as if she reached her maximum limit. But of course, she wasnt anywhere close.She passively followed them with her senses, taking in the fluctuations of their energy. They didnt feel like much once they reached the cave, but she could feel more details when the battle began. Velvet considered simply leaving. They were severely distracted, and they would never be able to track her down. However, they might notice her disappearance and that would make them more likely to be suspicious and remember her. A delicate balance.Ultimately she decided to follow through on this whole endeavor. She continued at her current pace, happy to find that she would most likely arrive after the conclusion of the battle. The Integration cultivator in question might be able to swiftly kill three Life Transformation cultivators, but six and another who nearly matched him in power? That was clearly out of his ability. With the Northern Mirage Sect blocking the cave entrance, he was trapped inside with them.During the final moments of the battle, the killer tried to rush past them- but he ultimately fell near the cave mouth. Velvet arrived just in time to see Rainer standing over the body.You avenged them, good, Velvet tried to show some level of enthusiasm. Though not too much, given the tenuous connection. Rainer quickly picked some sort of mirror out of the mans bag, appraising it visually. Time to blend in as much as she could. Senior, I led you here so what portion of the spoils am I entitled to? Ah yes. Your contribution did indeed speed up the process, Rainer nodded. He casually grabbed something from the mans storage bag, tossing it to her. A packet of medicinal pills. Not terribly high quality, Velvet determined, but certainly not valueless. Thank you very much senior. I will be continuing on my journey now.Hopefully, now that their business had been settled she would fade from his mind. That was why she had asked for payment but not haggled about the amount. If he was begrudging about the amount, he might instead choose to hunt her down and try to take it back. Or the others could, as they were likely more concerned with smaller values.And then they would be dead, and her later attempts to spread rumors about a conflict between the two sects would be stifled by a lack of living examples. Even if it was true, nobody cared about a few dead people. But deaths on both sides, and the possession of some sort of valuable loot? That was something people might talk about. And from there, maybe more of these disciples would kill each other because of grudges. She could only hope, of course. But hope was something she never went anywhere without. It guided her steps in the past, and it would bring her into the future. She had all sorts of hopes, mainly hinging around the Scarlet Alliance.Which was exactly why she needed to get back to them alive. Because not being around to see better futures would be disappointing, and she had quite a few things to report that she couldnt risk getting intercepted somehow. Just because she didnt think anyone could do it didnt mean the Exalted Quadrant didnt have some method. And if they did, they wouldnt want to make it known. Optimally, they would sit on the very fact that they could gather such information and accumulate a mountain of secrets, using information only when most beneficial to them.At least, that is what she would do. And discounting the possibility would be foolish. But her information arriving at the Scarlet Alliance in some form was also quite important, and she had some contingencies in place that hopefully would never come into play.
