Elder Cultivator-Chapter 1253

When the formations were activated, there was no large wave of energy. In fact, it didn’t feel like much at all… which was good. If it had failed, there would have been a surge of energy as the formations collapsed.

As far as most people were concerned, nothing had happened. The spatial shifts would only occur in thin planes in very particular locations. Of course, it wasn’t possible to entirely keep the project secret. Aside from all the people working on it, if the shipping industry hadn’t been ready for massive changes they could screw up the economy that kept the Scarlet Alliance going so strongly. Not every planet could produce every kind of good optimally. Sometimes, obscure environments were required- or simply industry that wasn’t prioritized in a particular place.

Catarina did feel changes deep beneath the surface. That was because her senses were spread out over a large portion of their territory, expanding from various solar platforms serving as her anchor. Everything was aligned like intended, thanks to their previous testing which had revealed various flaws.

They wouldn’t have created something on such a scale without absolute certainty- which meant seeing it work and not just cultivator insights. Because the latter could be wrong, but when combined with the former both became more reliable.

What did it mean for the alliance? Nothing and everything. It was options, it was speed. It was faster communication and travel… the former of which might soon be invalidated by other studies. But when they built their designs to take advantage of the spatial distortions, they could already relay a message several times as fast. It wasn’t all communications, because if they simply moved through subspace they wouldn’t necessarily interact with the spatial distortions- or if they did, it might not be in a beneficial way.

The goal was to draw together more of the Scarlet Alliance- not just making certain systems closer to Xankeshan. The goal was to improve the prospects of every citizen under their banner. Which, yes, would make their Domination cultivators stronger- but that should be considered a benefit for all. Especially since they’d just gotten a bonus one.

Zazil’s apparent demise was undone. And another success would improve the prospects of future advancements. After all, they only had limited records on attempts. Some less prominent Augmentation cultivators had made the attempt, but they’d been looking to catapult into the spotlight more than they were looking to bring forward the Scarlet Alliance. Needless to say, none of them had been successful.

If they’d come to any of the Domination cultivators for advice, they doubtless would have been told not to make the attempt. Or maybe a few had been mentally ready, but otherwise unprepared. There was a lot that could go wrong, as exampled by Hoyt and Prospero.

The Scarlet Alliance was already fortunate. Though it seemed the Swirling Swarm had a reliable method as well. Or perhaps their cultivators reincarnated somehow. It was unclear, because they relied on obscurity among vast numbers. There wasn’t any significant degree of communication with them, even for theoretically allied factions.

Catarina’s job for the next few years would be to travel and observe the formations personally. It would be a shame if they just assumed everything was doing well and it eventually failed. She believed in those working with her, but trusting their intent and their methods didn’t mean it wasn’t worth verifying the results. They’d be much happier to need a little patch than to see their segment fall apart- possibly causing a chain reaction.

She really wanted this to work. It likely already had, she just wasn’t willing to celebrate yet. It could bring great prosperity, as well as helping defend against their enemies.

Most people would actually miss their current setup, if they were attempting to sneak in. They would avoid most occupied systems near the core which included the inner layer, approximately the middle of the galactic plane. If they were coming in force, they might go directly- in which case they would find themselves quite confused to end up in the ‘wrong’ place.

Verifying the adaptable locations would be easy. They’d already done it, technically. Individual ships swapping from place to place. It was just on the fly changes that would be riskier. Hopefully, they didn’t have to do it too much.

But the Scarlet Alliance was not at peace. Not as long as the Guardians of the Veiled Brilliance were under attack. At least they were closer now- fleets from Xankeshan could reach the border of the Trigold Cluster in a fraction of the time. They were working on expanding their influence beyond that ‘border’, perhaps even shattering it. It was just a perception, after all. If people wanted to join the Scarlet Alliance instead…

Well, that was a project for the future. Mostly they’d be looking to take a small route that they could secure to connect to Ratna and her sects. Or maybe just the Guardians, since that was the public one.

-----

The lower realms were peaceful. Even with a nest of particularly powerful distortion beasts, that was true to the widest extent possible.

They were long past the journey of Second Gift, since it had spent more than half its journey in the upper realms. It was merely another achievement that drew people together. Spectacular in its own way and praiseworthy, for certain. It opened up so many possibilities, as people were less willing to say any projects were impossible.

But as much as there was peace, it wouldn’t last forever. Far to the east, the Free Planet Guardians had been discovering more populated systems. That wasn’t a surprise, and wouldn’t necessarily have been a source of conflict. Individual systems weren’t much of a threat to any part of the Alliance or the other peoples of the lower realms. Not unless they had a backer, such as influence from the upper realms.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

These matters at current were hundreds of lightyears beyond In’istra and Azun, which marked the vague eastern border of the Lower Realms Alliance. But they could not be ignored forever. At some point, people would expand close enough. Perhaps not in decades, but the Alliance had to survive long term. And they preferred to grow.

That growth was part of what made them strong. Not because they strictly needed more people and resources, but because it gave those people a sense of choosing their own destiny. Some preferred to live in well established areas, while others wanted to settle a frontier. Some did so multiple times throughout their lengthy lives.

Th𝓮 most uptodate nov𝑒ls are publish𝒆d on ƒreewebηoveℓ.com.

To the west, the Unified Sector was no longer isolated. The Alliance had extended a trail of systems at first, but now they were a bulky arm. The same with the direction to the east. Once a narrow trade route, now one could go five or ten systems across and stay within their territory. Towards the border and south deeper into the lower realms were also growing, slowly spreading outward.

Anton personally thought it was great. There was no rush to expand, but instead people did so as they found reason. The only true requirement was that they build up wherever they established a colony. It had to become better. The few exceptions were certain mining operations on asteroids, though even then a particular system was meant to improve in natural energy when people of the Alliance established themselves. It was only right, and they ultimately got back more than what they put in.

The wide ranging aspects of the lower realms were a perfect place to have Bear Hug help with communication. They had already settled into their role in various places, though mainly Bear Hug liked the people.

A spatial distortion network like the upper realms was not currently planned, though they were always looking for ways to improve travel and communication speed. The differences in energy simply made that sort of network impractical, though perhaps some of the bright minds in the lower realms could come up with a reasonable alternative. That would take time, however. Maybe a few generations to come up with some new geniuses, mixing with those who were experienced to spark new ideas.

The eastern systems weren’t any real concern at the moment, as removed as they were. But Anton’s thoughts couldn’t help but go back to them… and to a particular dead planet near the border. Because a name he hadn’t heard in an age had once again come to his ears. The Tilki clan.

Currently, they were a problem in the upper realms. But like most of the Trigold Cluster and Exalted Quadrant, they had a habit of sticking their grubby fingers into the lower realms. Occasionally they had gotten pinched for their efforts… and the Tilki clan was the sort to break open a cookie jar and say nobody could have it if they were briefly denied.

Anton had only speculation about where else they might have influence in the lower realms, but if any was found… he would love to deal with it. Because they had destroyed a planet for the sake of a single individual- one who had knowingly gone into a battlefield to kill and steal. They were the worst sort of cultivators, petty and terrible… while still possessing concerning strength.

He had hoped that they were out of reach. In a way, they were. It would be quite a journey for them to reach most of the Lower Realms Alliance. That single border planet had probably been a test. One that had ultimately failed… after which they shoved a planet out of the habitable zone just because they could.

It was nearly the opposite of the Alliance. Bear Hug had literally taken a planet that had no sapient life and protected it with all they had- and when that wasn’t enough, all that a great number of others had. Why had they done it? Because it seemed like the right thing.

Instead of killing countless people because one fool got themself killed.

Anton understood to some extent. If some of those he had known had gotten themselves killed, he would have been filled with anger even if it was their own fault. Many of his descendents had died, before he could really do anything about it. But none of the first had been at their own fault. A few others had begun a journey of cultivation without the talent that some of the others had.

Anton had been saddened at their deaths, and sought out vengeance once or twice. But even if they had gone into dangerous areas, they still had died at the hands of villains, not natives simply trying to protect their homes. Though perhaps the Tilki clan didn’t see things like that. No doubt they had successfully dehumanized anyone from the lower realms. Probably anyone not in the main branch of their clan, if the information he was receiving was correct.

He hadn’t studied them deeply after the incident- except to make certain they weren’t an imminent threat to allies in either the upper or lower realms. They had faded to the back of his mind.

Now he wished they lived closer to the southern border, so he could fill them full of holes. Would it be an overreaction? Perhaps. Would it be fair? It was difficult to say. But assaulting Ratna’s territory clearly wasn’t something they had to do. It wasn’t an inevitable result of border friction. They traveled far to cause trouble for allies of Anton… and they deserved the consequences.

Anton considered rallying people against them, but that was a foolish idea. At least, the lower realms should leave them alone… as long as they stayed where they were. The shift in the Tides were not too far off, but the lower realms really didn’t need to be sending their people into the upper realms where they lost their advantage. A single incident to distract them from the Scarlet Alliance was one thing. A prolonged assault on a powerful clan? Not wise at all. They would lose much to gain nothing.

That wasn’t saying Anton thought they should give up on protecting their friends. He just didn’t think this particular group of his friends should be the ones to get involved. That was what they had all those Domination cultivators for. But they could make their own decisions about when and where they would fight the Tilki clan.

Anton seriously doubted that there could even be a question of ‘if’. Unless Ratna wished to give up her longstanding territory… including Second Gift. And the upper realms wasn’t likely to give up even a single system without a fight.

Anton wondered if the fancy new spatial distortion system could toss people near the borders of the lower realms. He didn’t think it went that far… but if it did, he’d be happy to provide some covering fire. And ‘near’ was an ever expanding concept. His growth in range was slow, but it hadn’t ceased yet. And as long as he continued to live, which also included improving his power, it probably never would. Not entirely.