Elder Cultivator

Dozens of arrows flew back and forth across the battlefield, each carefully controlled to minimize damage to the battlefield. People still had to live here, after all.

Thought it might have seemed like several squads of archers facing off against each other, it was merely two individuals. Anton and Kseniya fought, the trajectories of their arrows designed to be as difficult to predict as possible. The arrows targeting Anton were running into a snag, however. There were only so many ways to shoot a stationary target.

Kseniya had been far ahead of Anton at the beginning of his cultivation career, but he’d gradually gained on her until the prime tempering in mid Life Transformation. The delay there had set him behind again, only for him to eventually catch her at the ninety-ninth star. Now he had taken one step beyond… a very significant one.

Three energy bows formed the core of his offensive capabilities. Using his physical bows would improve his maximum power somewhat, but the fatigue would be another issue. His body was in fairly good shape for a two hundred year old man that had recently undergone a near death experience, but he preferred to minimize the strain. That was part of the reason he was standing still… the other was as a sort of taunt.

While it might have seemed like an insult, Anton hoped to bring out the best in Kseniya through the restrictions he had placed on himself. Though he wasn’t yet fully recovered, the increase in his energy was great enough that he could simply overpower Kseniya. After all, she was in Life Transformation still, while he took the next step. And unlike the Ascension level invaders, Kseniya had no special techniques to knock him down a peg. As for comfort in the current environment, Anton felt a much greater connection to the world than Kseniya had.

Three energy bows let him output the maximum amount of power he could continuously maintain, a serious challenge. The sky was filled with streaks of light and fire, one side trying to find a way through the wall of power while avoiding the incoming hail of arrows. It was expected that Kseniya would be worn down, as her recovery of energy was far more limited. And that was how it worked… at first.

Now, Anton found that it took more than two or three of his own arrows to intercept one of hers. He could not simply remain stationary, and three bows was not enough either. He also had to think about how he was attacking. There were a few shots he’d made where he’d pulled the impact… this was training after all. But Kseniya was more the type of Chikere, who did better when the situation was serious. He might have to bring a bit of risk into things, and Kseniya had already approved the possibility.

Almost immediately, he landed a hit. It didn’t break through Kseniya’s guard, but it staggered her for a moment. She hadn’t been able to react, because the time it took the attack to reach her was practically nothing. His light arrows had been swift before, but their speed didn’t even begin to approach actual light. Now, even if they still had vaguely comprehensible speed they were several times faster with more power behind them. Three more hit, but the fifth was dodged, Kseniya beginning her movements before the arrow was even fully released.

“Not bad…” Anton muttered to himself. There was still a lot he could learn from her in the aspect of one-on-one duels, but he focused on another path.

The tempo of the battle increased, with Anton being forced to block some hits directly instead of deflecting them with arrows. Kseniya was actually forcing him to overspend his natural energy, and he was starting to feel the drain. But of course she would tire herself long before it truly mattered. Both of them knew what was coming, however.

Anton had five bows firing as he pleased, harrowing her from all sides, but she was still able to guide the battle to a more advantageous position for herself, where she had shelter on at least one side. Anton could have likely shot through the nearby cliff-face if necessary, but his attacks would have been hampered enough it was better to go around.

Then his attacks synced up, groups of five firing and combining into something like a single arrow as it approached Kseniya, forcing her to pull upon the limits of her power. Once, twice, three times… and she began to stagger. The movements of her hands and arms could only do so much.

When one of Anton’s attacks was halfway to her, she pulled a crystal arrow. Her draw was slower and more methodical than the others, though most would have barely been able to comprehend the movements regardless. As the arrows came together in front of her, the crystal arrow she fired collided with them, breaking through. But instead of the attack turning towards Anton, it streaked off into the sky. Kseniya followed.

Anton let out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding. It was a loss for the Order to have her moving on, but the younger generation could pick up the slack. Besides, they would probably need everyone they could to ascend if they were to establish some sort of presence in the upper realms.

Though he’d somewhat gained the upper hand against his old teacher, Anton still found he’d learned something from the battle. That was the optimal, where both sides were close enough in power to train each other. And he was more confident in what he could do in a serious situation as well. He didn’t know his actual limits, and he knew that pushing himself too far could set back his recovery but he was confident he could handle any reasonable threat the world might throw at him.

-----

Confidence was good, as long as it was well placed. A proper understanding of one’s own power was required for a cultivator. Because of that, Anton made sure he wasn’t going alone to visit the Hardened Crown Sect. He had Velvet and Devon with him, as well as a number of up-and-coming members of the Order he needed to get more familiar with. He knew their names and strengths, but he didn’t really know most of them to the level he might like. Then there was Kohar, because she was most familiar with the terms of all the contracts and treaties involved. Finally was Elder Paula of Marvelous Rabbit Mountain, as not only a witness but also a representative of Aicenith, since that was where the incident had occurred.

The Hardened Crown Sect was serving as a neutral location for resolving the dispute with the Soaring Air Sect, though ‘neutral’ still involved going significantly into unfriendly territory. Though Anton had to admit it was more neutral than the Soaring Air Sect coming to Brogora. Anywhere on the continent would gladly help Anton cut off the head of someone from the Exalted Archipelago.

A small fleet from the Hardened Crown Sect was waiting to escort Anton and the others, though he might have felt better if it didn’t seem necessary. If any other ships came within a hundred kilometers he had in mind to sink them, assuming they were enemies. Though when it actually came down to it once they were actually within the archipelago there were far too many… and most didn’t carry Life Transformation cultivators. They had their own destinations and were probably blissfully unaware of his presence.

The Soaring Air Sect was not present when they arrived, though they should have been close. Though it was likely they could send a skyship over within a day, and the timing wasn’t that exact. It did give some time for Anton to speak with elder Naamah, at least.

The two of them sat in a private chamber. There was some risk to that, but not much more than coming in the first place. The Hardened Crown Sect had stayed out of the war before, and the possibility that they would be willing to trigger a new war now was extremely small- though Anton had to admit the continents’ power was dipping briefly with all the ascensions taking place. Though the upcoming generation was not something that could be ignored even if they were not at the peak of cultivation.

Naamah looked over Anton carefully. He could sense her cautiously probing with her energy, and he wondered if he should stop her. Mystery was a great factor in keeping people on the back foot. However, he had something he wanted to see. He found it, with just the tiniest bit of change in Naamah’s eyes. Surprise, perhaps. And maybe some small bit of recognition. “Rumors said you had been injured. It seems you are recovering well.”

Anton nodded, “Thank you for your concern. I was fortunate to receive nothing permanently debilitating.”

Naamah nodded slowly. “Rumor has it you were attempting to emulate something akin to the Soaring Air Sect’s technique.”

Anton raised an eyebrow. “Now that’s a surprise. Why would they say that?”

“Some people… sensed your energy high up in the sky, passing over us.”

That reduced the chance that someone had given a tip on his injuries. He hadn’t realized that anyone had felt him, but at least at a certain point it would have been more surprising if nobody noticed. Despite being quite far away, a strange energy phenomenon should have piqued some interest. “Did you?” Anton asked.

“I noticed you on the way down,” Naamah admitted. There was little else forthcoming in the way of information. Naamah kept a level of caution, but was pleasant enough. A short time after Anton felt a skyship incoming, Naamah looked up. “It appears they have arrived.” She stood up, “We will keep the peace here. Speak whatever words you will, but we will not tolerate weapons drawn or raised energy on either side.”

Anton nodded. He currently had his energy tightly wrapped around him, capable of being used defensively as well as hiding some details about his current cultivation- enough to not make it obvious, at least. Some people had to have at least surmised he was trying to advance, but he thought it was more likely they would believe he failed ascension rather than the truth.

A woman that had to have been Sect Head Kaluza swaggered her way off the skyship down the ramp, walking past Anton with bare acknowledgement. “Let’s get this over with quickly. Some of us have important work to do.”

Anton smiled, “That’s simple then. Just hand over your head and the incident will be written off.”

She turned, her eyes sharp- but the way Naamah stood half between the two of them, stopped her from doing more than that. “We’re here for a serious negotiation, not petty threats.”

“It’s not a threat. That is our primary demand,” Anton turned to the entourage following her, “It is the best deal we are willing to offer the Soaring Air Sect. And I would say it’s even better than anticipated, given that,” he vaguely gestured at Kaluza.

Only silent hostility was exchanged on the way to the proper chambers where the rest of the discussion would ensue. Naamah spoke first, her strong voice filling the room without the need for adding natural energy to boost it. “Today we gather here to discuss the conflict between the continents of Brogora and Aicenith and the Soaring Air Sect, concerning possible violations of the postwar treaty. Both sides are aware of the basic information. The Soaring Air Sect has been accused of unlawfully entering the continent of Aicenith and committing acts of war. The Soaring Air Sect denies the claims and conclusions unilaterally.”

“That’s right. Now can we get this over with?” Kaluza looked her best to look both bored and authoritative at the same time. “We won’t even force reparations for this slander, so we can just be done with this.”

Elder Paula reached into her storage bag, “So you don’t recognize any of these figures?” She pulled out the bodies, reasonably well preserved. “Because everything from their auras to their equipment indicates they were from your sect, and we found them intruding on our land with the guts to attack continental citizens.”

“I’ve seen them,” Kaluza declared, “But they have nothing to do with us. These five have had their membership in the Soaring Air Sect formally renounced.”

Kohar cleared her throat. She was the weakest person in the room, but she still held her own air of confidence. “The announcement only came weeks after the incident, which is far from insufficient to meet the terms of the treaty. According to the definitions this constitutes an act of war.” She turned her eyes to Naamah, “If your offer of reparation is insufficient, we will be formally demanding the Exalted Archipelago follow through on sections seven, thirteen, and twenty-one, resulting in the complete destruction of your sect.”

“That’s completely invalid. They weren’t part of our sect.”

“Your word is not good enough,” Elder Paula said, “Especially as it came late. Then there is also the matter of the skyship that carried them.”

“There was no skyship,” Kaluza countered. “Not one of ours, at least.”

“Interesting,” Elder Paula said, “Because it was spotted a dozen times along its route, circling over the continent at extreme altitude. And I don’t believe any others have skyships capable of such a route. Such a skyship violates…” she turned to Kohar, who read parts of various relevant sections.

“None of this proves anything,” Kaluza flipped around, “Go ahead and make your claims if you dare.”

“Understood,” Elder Paula said as she began to walk out. “Kohar?”

Kohar handed a stack of papers to sect head Naamah, “For distribution. Our claims, as well as the declarations from the continents of Aicenith and Brogora combined that the Soaring Air Sect is hereby forbidden from coming within two hundred kilometers of the continents, as well as anywhere in the sea between them. Any vessel that carries one of them will be confiscated, and anyone who trades with them directly will be forbidden from setting foot on the continents for the next century.”

Kaluza looked calmly back, “You may make your threats, but the Exalted Archipelago will see through your ploy and support us.” Anton was surprised at how confident she was with that declaration. The Soaring Air Sect couldn’t have worked alone. “We have no interest in trading with you anyway.”

“The silks you wear beg to differ,” Paula said as the final word, but Kaluza didn’t stop until she reached her airship and departed.

“A question,” Anton said to Naamah, “Would you be obligated to stop me from… shooting random arrows out over the sea?”

She chuckled slightly, “We need to escort you out of the boundary of the Exalted Archipelago. What you do after that is not our concern, but we take no responsibility for your life if you enter the wrong territorial waters.”

Anton wouldn’t have actually shot down the departing diplomatic ship, even if they sort of deserved it… but he did strongly consider whether he could. For the moment, he had to contact the continent. It was a simple message, just declaring that the deal had… gone as expected. That information would be disseminated to the ports, and trading with anyone from the Exalted Archipelago would be immediately halted. Anton wasn’t sure how long that would keep up, but the favors he had would at least be enough to keep that up for a few months.

As for after that, he wasn’t sure. A display of power would be necessary at some point, and he was unsure if it should be his own. The Exalted Archipelago still thought they were better, and while that was true in some part… things were going to change. And some sects would likely be willing to give up trade with the Soaring Air Sect to keep up their newfound trade for different luxuries and resources that the continents had. The first to formally vote against the Soaring Air Sect would be the first to return to that trade. It was possible things could lead to war- but if the Exalted Archipelago was going to act as if they were at war regardless, that was how it would have to be.