Chapter 122 - 86 : Borderfront (2)

Chapter 122: Chapter 86 : Borderfront (2)

Elder Han Rui’s gaze settled on him as he briefly explained what had happened with the Blood Demon, from the bounty issued by the sect to the groups that had gone after him and failed to return. The latest reports had brought more concerning information. The cultivator had already reached Late Qi Refining, and nearly a hundred cultivators had been involved in the latest confrontation, including two Mid Qi Refining cultivators.

The formation continued humming beneath them as Elder Luo Cheng’s expression changed after hearing everything.

"So headquarters has decided to deal with him directly?"

"Yes."

Han Rui folded the scroll once.

"The bounty has produced results, but not the results they expected."

Han Rui paused briefly before continuing.

"Several groups took the bounty and went after him. Most were killed. A few managed to escape the latest confrontation, and they brought back information about what happened."

Luo Cheng’s expression became more serious.

"And that information has spread?"

"Yes." Elder Han Rui’s gaze remained on the two elders. "The Blood Demon is no longer being spoken of as some low-level demonic cultivator hiding in our territory. After what happened, people now see him as a much greater threat. He surrounded himself with dozens of rogue cultivators, slaughtered them, and even killed two Mid Qi Refining cultivators who had joined the fight. The rest could only flee."

He paused for a moment.

"He has already killed multiple groups sent after him and continues moving through our territory as though no one can stop him. That is the impression spreading now."

Elder Gu Yan’s expression hardened.

"So the problem is no longer simply the failure to collect the bounty."

Han Rui gave a slight nod.

"Exactly. The sect leader’s decision to deal with him directly is meant to put an end to that impression before it grows any further."

Luo Cheng was silent for a moment before speaking.

"I understand."

Elder Han Rui nodded slightly as his eyes lowered slightly toward the formation beneath them.

"What was meant to remove a threat has instead made that threat appear even greater."

Han Rui continued before either could respond.

"The first bounty notice described an Early Qi Refining cultivator. Since then, his strength has continued to rise. The latest group that went after him consisted of nearly a hundred cultivators. Most were Body Tempering and few Early Qi Refining."

"Nearly a hundred?"

"Yes."

Han Rui’s fingers tapped once against the scroll.

"And there were even two Mid Qi Refining cultivators among them."

Gu Yan’s eyes narrowed.

"And the Blood Demon?"

"He survived."

Han Rui paused.

"The survivors claim he killed through the group while consuming the blood of the wounded."

Neither elder spoke.

They had heard enough about forbidden demonic cultivation to understand where such paths could lead. Blood-based techniques in particular carried a reputation for leaving death and destruction in their wake, often drawing upon the vitality of others to strengthen the cultivator who wielded them. Whatever the exact technique might be, none of the stories surrounding such methods ended well for those caught in their path. So when they heard that the Blood Demon could slaughter groups of cultivators and continue moving through their territory unchecked, they understood what that meant. This was not a threat that could be treated lightly or allowed to grow.

The third Elder finally Luo Cheng finally broke the silence.

"If those reports are accurate, sending more ordinary bounty hunters will only make things worse."

"That was the same conclusion reached at the sect headquarters, after the sect leader and the elders discussed the matter."

Elder Han Rui looked toward the formation beneath them.

"The Crimson Purge Sect is already putting considerable pressure on us along the frontier, forcing us to commit more of our strength just to keep them in check. We barely have the attention or resources to deal with another threat, let alone one that is growing stronger and moving through our territory unchecked."

Elder Gu Yan nodded slowly.

"He is becoming a growing threat too big for our sect to ignore."

"Exactly."

Elder Han Rui looked at both of them.

"The message from the sect was clear about what needs to be done. Now, the question is how we are going to carry out the order and deal with the Blood Demon."

Elder Luo Cheng considered this for a moment.

"Then send several Late Qi Refining disciples."

Gu Yan glanced at him.

"Several?"

"Yes. Not one at a time. We need enough cultivators at the same realm to surround him and overwhelm him before he has a chance to break through the encirclement."

Elder Han Rui did not immediately answer. His gaze lowered to the formation beneath them, following the steady flow of spiritual energy through the inscriptions as he considered the situation. He remained silent for several breaths, weighing the options in his mind before finally speaking.

"If they fail?"

Luo Cheng’s expression tightened.

"They shouldn’t."

"That wasn’t my question."

Elder Luo Cheng went quiet.

Elder Han Rui continued.

"The Blood Demon has already shown that his strength increases during battle. If his blood cultivation works the way the reports suggest, what happens when several Late Qi Refining cultivators goes after him and fail?"

Elder Gu Yan understood first.

"They become resources."

Elder Han Rui nodded.

Elder Luo Cheng’s fingers tightened around his sleeve.

"So we cannot afford to give him anymore opportunities to grow."

"Not unless we know exactly what he is capable of."

Gu Yan looked toward Han Rui.

"Then what about a Peak Qi Refining cultivator?"

Elder Luo Cheng considered it.

"Stronger than his current realm, but still below Foundation Establishment."

Elder Han Rui shook his head as he replied.

"Too uncertain. Sending someone only slightly stronger than him would be leaving too much to chance. We already made that mistake when we thought he was only at Early Qi Refining, only to find out he had reached Mid Qi Refining. We cannot afford to make the same assumption again.

Elder Gu Yan’s gaze lowered.

"Then... Foundation Establishment."

The words hung between them.

Elder Luo Cheng let out a quiet breath, his expression tightening slightly.

"Are you suggesting one of us?"

Elder Han Rui remained silent for several breaths, still weighing the implications of the choice before him. There was little left to consider.

The answer was already clear.

"No." He paused, as if to let the words sink.

"We cannot leave."

"At least not all three of us." Luo Cheng said.

"Not even one." Han Rui’s voice was firm.

"If one of us leaves, the defensive formation loses one of its anchors. If Crimson Purge attacks while that happens, the entire outpost will have to compensate for the missing pressure."

Luo Cheng frowned.

"And we have no other Foundation Establishment elder available?"

"There are others within the sect."

Han Rui looked back at him.

"But they are not here."

The distinction was enough.

The frontier was not held by a single cultivator alone. It depended on a chain of positions, formations, patrols, supply routes, and the people maintaining them. Removing one Foundation Establishment cultivator from such a position would leave a gap in that chain, and Crimson Purge might notice it before they had a chance to fill it.

Elder Gu Yan remained silent for a while.

After a few breaths, Elder Han Rui spoke again.

"There is, fortunately, someone who fits the requirements."

Both elders looked at him.

Elder Luo Cheng’s expression shifted with surprise, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied Elder Han Rui.

"Who?"

"A disciple here at the borderfront who recently broke through to Foundation Establishment."

Gu Yan straightened.

"Recently?"

"A few weeks ago."

Han Rui’s expression remained calm.

"He spent years at Peak Qi Refining. He gathered his resources instead of forcing his breakthrough, waited until he obtained a Foundation Establishment Pill, and succeeded."

Elder Luo Cheng thought for a moment, then his expression shifted as the name came back to him.

"I know who you mean. He’s been very active over the past few months, taking on one mission after another and doing well enough to earn a name for himself among the other disciples."

Elder Gu Yan looked at Elder Han Rui.

"If I recall correctly, the sect has already sent word for him to return to the sect headquarters. He’s being recalled for his promotion to an Inner Sect disciple."

Elder Han Rui nodded, a faint smile touching his lips.

"He should be setting out any moment now. He has been getting accustomed to his new realm and familiarizing himself with his increased strength these past few days, which is why he hasn’t left yet."

Elder Luo Cheng’s eyes shifted toward the border map hanging on the wall.

"And you intend to send him after the Blood Demon?"

"Not only after the Blood Demon."

Han Rui reached for the map. His finger stopped near the western side of the territory.

"Lunar Echo."

Elder Gu Yan’s eyes followed.

"As an envoy."

"The same disciple can do both."

Luo Cheng’s expression changed as the pieces came together.

"The plan is simple. He can travel toward Lunar Echo territory while searching for the Blood Demon along the way. Once he has dealt with the matter at Lunar Echo, he can return to the sect."

"Exactly."

Han Rui moved his finger across the map.

"The Blood Demon is believed to be somewhere in this general region. We don’t have an exact location. But we no longer need to search blindly."

Elder Han Rui reached into the storage ring on his finger and withdrew a small wooden case, setting it beside the formation.

He opened it.

Inside lay a dark-blue talisman covered in fine silver inscriptions.

Elder Gu Yan’s eyes settled on it, and a hint of surprise crossed his face.

"A high-grade tracking talisman?"

Elder Han Rui nodded.

Elder Luo Cheng looked at the talisman, then back at Elder Han Rui.

"You refined this?"

"I happened to have the materials and refined one."

Elder Han Rui picked up the talisman and examined the inscriptions.

"The sect has only been using the information and tracking methods included in the report. Their existing tracking talismans are low-grade. We can use the spiritual signature recorded by one of them and transfer it onto this talisman. The range and sensitivity will be far better."

Elder Gu Yan considered the talisman for a moment.

"So the sect wouldn’t need to prepare another one."

"No."

Elder Han Rui closed the wooden case.

"Once the signature is transferred, it will be enough to track him over a much greater distance."

"Now the situation is different."

Elder Han Rui handed the case to Elder Luo Cheng.

"His cultivation has reached Late Qi Refining. His movements have become harder to predict, and the bounty has failed to remove him."

Elder Luo Cheng accepted the case while Elder Han Rui gaze moved toward the door.

"Once the talisman gives him a direction, he can use the terrain and established routes to narrow the search."

Elder Luo Cheng nodded.

With the range of the high-grade tracking talisman, there would be no need to actively search for the Blood Demon along the way. As long as he traveled toward Lunar Echo territory, the talisman would alert him once the Blood Demon’s spiritual signature came within range.

"He doesn’t need to find the Blood Demon immediately."

"No."

Elder Han Rui’s gaze returned to the map.

"He only needs to reach Lunar Echo while keeping the talisman with him. If the Blood Demon is anywhere along that route, he won’t be able to miss him."

A brief silence followed.

The arrangement became much simpler once everything was considered together. He could return to the sect, continue on toward Lunar Echo as the envoy, and let the tracking talisman handle the search along the way. If the Blood Demon crossed within its range, he would know. If not, he could continue to Lunar Echo, complete the sect’s business there, and return afterward.

For the disciple who had just stepped into Foundation Establishment, the journey would serve more than one purpose. It would fulfill the sect’s request, deal with the Blood Demon if their paths crossed, and give him an opportunity to establish himself before entering the Inner Sect.

"He has just entered Foundation Establishment. This mission will give him a chance to establish himself, but it also serves another purpose. Now that he has reached the same realm as us, extending this opportunity is a way of showing goodwill. We may have many dealings with him in the future."Han Rui said as he looked once more at the formation.

Then he stood.

The movement was enough to make both elders rise as well.

"Whether he earns that recognition will depend on what he does with the opportunity."

He walked toward the door.

"We will summon him."

The door opened.

A waiting disciple outside immediately bowed.

"Elder."

"Find Kael, the newly promoted Foundation Establishment disciple. He should be returning to the sect soon."

Han Rui’s voice carried through the hall.

"Tell him to report here immediately."

"Yes, Elder."

The disciple turned and hurried away.

Behind him, the door closed again.

The formation continued its quiet hum beneath the three elders as the wind swept across the walls outside, stirring the Azure Cloud banners above the stone battlements. Beyond the frontier, the Crimson Purge Sect remained in place, watching the border just as closely as Azure Cloud watched them.

The scene shifted elsewhere.

Ethan was still moving through the territory, unaware of the discussion taking place at the outpost.