Demonic Tribulations - Chapter 32 preview (Patreon)

Chapter 32 – Fa Yuan

For all that she was tempted to meddle, it was not her place. Certainly, her curiosity about what was happening was insufficient reason for her to cause further trouble. Better for her to attempt to cross without causing trouble, and so she drifted across the ground, dancing along bare branches as she attempted to cross the area between the checkpoint and fort without alerting either group. To do so, she constrained her aura to her immediate surroundings, leaving her spiritual awareness somewhat truncated.

It was the price all high level cultivators paid. They restrained themselves amongst their juniors, lest they damage their fragile souls and bodies with the unrestrained strength of their own cultivation bases. Being about an immortal spirit – even one still developing with a Core Formation elder or, half-formed in a Nascent Soul – for a mere mortal was like being drowned in water; the liquid too thick to breathe, the fluid filling lungs and souls.

Unrevealed, though, she would be a beacon. So bright that all might notice her presence. So she banked her presence, flew through the trees and bet on her ability to spot the numerous traps and wards that had been strung between.

There, a formation built amongst a dozen trees. Developed over the course of a few years, the fast growing bamboo shaped so that the natural energies of the environment had warped the surroundings. If someone attempted to pass through – or close by – the trees, they would snap. The explosion of wood and sap would alert the fort and potentially injure the covert.

Dangerous to leave such a ward about, when wild animals might appear. Thus a compromise had been made, such that it registered only life force at a certain strength. Such life force could be detected via the aura all living creatures gave off, and it was thus the simplest thing in the world for Fa Yuan to constrain hers even further.

The reading, decision making and alteration all happened in seconds. Then, she was on the twisted bamboo shoots – literally – and pushing off against it with her foot, her qinggong methods making her as light as a feather.

She flew on, pass the formation ward. Spotted the yellow talismans hanging not far away, ready to explode upon contact with her a cultivator’s aura. Much higher up, meant for those who had some degree of training.

Hair pins flew from her fingers, striking and disabling the yellow talismans with a surge of her own chi. Those were more sensitive, and she dared not leave them alone. Worst, she had noted how the paper had begun to yellow, the ink decay. At any moment, they might have exploded through no fault of hers.

Wasteful to use such precious talismans on a simple border. Even more careless to let them degrade in this manner. Another symptom of the fall of the kingdom she was leaving behind.

Other signs of the long-standing nature of this border could be seen, markings of passage by soldiers and patrol routes often taken. Newer indicators – stranger ones – were all about. Formations of trees and planted metal and cloth flags whose origin and purpose she did not understand hung all about. Almost, she was tempted to study them, so well concealed had they been that she had not spotted them till now.

Oh, for Ah Mu’s expertise in formations. For all that she might have been a successful merchant, the woman had missed her true calling as a formation master. Her ability to understand the flow of energy, to decipher new and strange formulas was a remarkable gift.

Pity she was not here. Fa Yuan had not the time to review these workings, though she memorized their placement. Perhaps another time, in her next letter. It might distract her friend from her recent loss.

On she flew, noting that she was across the land. Bypassed most of their wards, though more lay before her. She had almost begun to relax, believing herself to have bypassed them without incident or even alerting the Cai of her presence.

Then, in the distance, a familiar series of energy signatures. The patrols that had been following her arriving, their own auras blaring in full force. No need for restraint or sublety here, not for these courageous elders and harriers.

In response, the aura from the fort awakened. Strengthened further, as energy pulled from the surroundings. Fa Yuan stumbled as she landed on the next branch, for the entire tree swayed and shifted as the one within drew upon the energies of the surroundings.

Trees wilted, plants shriveled and grass died in an expanding ring around the fortress as the one within reinforced himself with the world’s chi. She hissed, righting herself with ease as she stood on the dying tree, her gaze fixed on the fort itself.

The fort and the fast expanding aura of a Nascent Soul cultivator – though one who was only at that stage through borrowed strength.

“I had meant to bypass you. But this…” Fa Yuan spoke out loud, no longer bothering with silence. “You trample upon all that is right and true with your actions. You bring forth destruction, all for a show of power, not knowing I was here.

“I could not call myself an orthodox cultivator if I left such blatant actions alone.”

She unfurled her own aura, let it pulse outwards. It slammed into the others, pushed against it and crumpled the newborn aura inwards. Her pursuers, her harriers – many powerful cultivators at the peak Energy Storage stage and a single Core Formation cultivator – strained against her sudden presence. Their armour and shields flared to life, protective script offering shielding against her attack while the cultivators and mortals on the road staggered to their knees.

Then, the other pushed back. Shoved her aura back, after her display. It took effort, but still, borrowed strength was strength. She retracted her own aura, but not before striking back. Carefully emplaced formations, their reason for being revealed were torn apart.

Funny, how easy it was to destroy, when it might have taken the creator months to emplace and develop them all. The backlash of the destroyed formations resulted in a scream and new fluctuation of energy from the fort. It shook leaves from trees and threw recovering birds into the sky, fleeing the surroundings lest they be caught in the coming battle.

Not that Fa Yuan intended to stay.

Her own attack finished, she ran, knowing that the other bled now from her attack, energy pouring out from the hole she had created. Her actions had not been without intention, and now her opponent had to choose – revenge, or healing.

Nor did it surprise her, when the energy and focus of the other concentrated and once more, a voice roared.

“I’ll get you, you foolish woman! I’ll smash you and show you your place!”

Subtlety. Civility. Sense.

All things that the Cai had little use for, one and all.