Chapter 207: Chapter 205 – Stacking the Deck

Concern fills my heart, as just after I’ve already gone through one stressful situation, I seem to go into another.   

Despite my healing of the trauma from the previous situations, I can still clearly remember the attacks that the Guild has already directed at me.

 This doesn’t even include the machinations that they had performed on the way up the stairs, as well as for my testing. Something that had led me to do this journey in the first place.

 This leaves only one question.

 Why would they be out here so amicably, unless they had leverage or wanted something?

The Alchemist Guild woman and the other cultivator guards seem to wrap up their conversation, not giving me any inclination to what they were previously discussing.

 I definitely need to know what they were talking about, so I can approach this in the correct way. I’ve learned my lesson about not using the scan when I should.

Though I still shouldn’t do direct scans. Even more so for well-connected individuals.

 This leads me to come up with an idea. 

Using my scan, I actually have it picked up the reflections of sound that were occurring in the area. In addition, I read the plants nearby and essentially see the history of vibrations that they went through. The goal? To bring all this information together to find out what they were saying as far back as I can go.

 Similar to a high-end computer, my brain and the scan successfully combine the information I gathered together, allowing me a decent idea of what it transpired.

 Huh. Its only pleasant things be said.

 Strangely so.

 They actually introduced themselves as my acquaintance. They also seem a little more down to earth than other cultivators I’ve met over here. Asking questions about their families and at least attempting to look like they care.

 Of course, that could just be because they are still teleporter guards, which has its own sort of prestige. Not as much as being part of the sect would, though.

 With this information and their demeanor, it’s very unlikely that they would turn hostile in front of guards who are meant to protect this area.

 But the more I look at this woman, the more a sense of unease goes through my heart. A feeling that I’m missing something that I can’t put my finger on.

 I look at her closer and closer using the scan, without actually scanning her. Studying everything else around her to figure it out. Until I get it.

 This was her. The assassin that killed me.

 Not only me, but that young woman who was diced like pork.

 After learning this knowledge, I have expected her to turn towards me and frighteningly look in my direction.

… But no such thing happens. 

They just keep talking and they don’t seem to have known anything happened.

 In a way, this calms my heart. I’m in control of this situation.

 So… What do I do?

 There are a few signs this person would be that assassin. With the right information at work, it would be pretty easy to find out and know this person. In some ways, it’s a test by the Guild to see how far my information reaches.

 Which ultimately means the best path forward is to acknowledge that fact and treat them as not a threat.

 I previously mentioned a secretive master, so that might be the best way to approach this situation. And while doing so, find out what they want from this meeting.

 Those two approaches. That’ll make it seem like I’m not putting them in my eyes in terms of combat and that they wouldn’t be able to hurt me, anyway.

 It will only reinforce this because I’ll have Qi Condensation creatures following me.

  I plan out a few more things before I start my approach, but instead of just going alone, I bring four of the tamed creatures with me.

The tiger, turtle, praying mantis, and a bird.

All of my tamed creatures here are in the Qi Condensation realm, but are at different stages.

 I make a mental note of where each of them is in their cultivation.

3 birds- 1 High, 2 Middle Qi Condensation

3 giant centipedes- 2 Low, 1 Middle

2 moles – 1 low, 1 Peak

2 butterflies – 2 Low

1 snake – 1 Middle

1 turtle – 1 High

1 praying mantis – 1 middle

1 earthworm – 1 middle

 1 crocodile – 1 Low

 1 carp – 1 Peak

 1 giant frog – 1 low

 1 tiger – 1 Middle

 1 walking plant – 1 peak

 

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And of course, the panther who is a middle tier… but she does her own thing.

 

 So, I essentially will come in with 3 middle stage and one high stage spirit beast. Even if she wants to pull something, it’ll be difficult to do so with them there.

 It’ll also add to the fact that I won’t have to put them in my eyes. There’s a reason spirit beast tamers are feared. Adding alchemy to that makes that even worse. For enemies, at least.

 I performed some last-minute checks, just to make sure that I’m not missing anything.

 I quickly realized there’s one area that I’ve left a huge gap in that has already almost hurt me with these guards.

Being scanned with spiritual sense.

 It’s typically a courtesy to not scan another cultivator, but you can’t rely upon that when you are already enemies.

Although this appears to be a benign situation, I don’t want to take that risk if they have allies on the other side of the teleporter. Or if others may come in later.

 Put into numbers, I have only just over 3 units of Ki.

 Which is still higher than the one that a first stage cultivator would have. Not only that, but I have exceptionally better control and retention of it than a normal person would.

 If I want to hide and defend against spiritual senses, while also still being able to use my healing abilities, I will need to use at least 1 of that Qi.

 Diving deep into myself, and regulating the incoming Qi, as well as the amounts that I circulated more slowly throughout my body, I form a small layering of Qi on the outer skin of my body.

 And then I harden it into several shapes, very similar to those found in certain types of audio studios Back in my previous world. It is a combination of absorptive and reflective styles in shapes and structures. Primarily, the upper layer of the Qi reflects away as much of the incoming spiritual sense as possible, potentially even reflecting it back into other streams, thus confusing it.

The deeper and closer to me it gets, the more it changes into absorptive shapes, textures, and properties. All down to a final hardened layer that won’t shatter if some parts get through.

Doing this allows me to Withstand an intense spiritual sense from a middle stage Foundation Establishment expert. It still allows them to see me with the sense, at this level, but I’m able to defend some of my secrets.

 And for higher levels than that, I can put in more Ki, but it’ll take time to set up. Unfortunately, it’s not a quick process.

 Even this first level took me an hour or two to complete. All of this is only possible, because I’m able to use my scan to directly position each and every piece of my Qi.  

I’m actually not that talented at it, but my scan allows me to determine whether I messed up, slowly getting to the right answer. Someone with actually good control could complete it within minutes, if they knew what to do and could look that closely.

Of course, the cultivator that I’m currently facing against is only a qi condensation expert. And cultivators below the foundation establishment realm cannot use spiritual sense unless they have some sort of special ability.

 It’s the reason abilities such as Mei Lin’s are so valuable. Which makes me wonder why she revealed it so easily to me.

But now I feel safe. 

Casual glances using spiritual sense should fail, even from higher levels.

By the time I’m done, the cultivator it’s just relaxing and looking around the open plains of the area.

 

 Feeling confident that I covered everything, I finally move forward.

 

  Once I’m within around 5 kilometers of the guards, they quickly notice me as they were sending out a sense as part of their duties.

They react first with Glee and then with surprise as they see the surrounding creatures. Since I’m technically not supposed to know that they can see me, I wait until I reached the tree line to wave at them and acknowledge their presence.

 Although they’re massively stronger than me, something that I’ve now physically realize because of my battle in the jungle, they’re bowing unceasingly and asking me about my journey. Being clearly subservient.

 The alchemists' Guild cultivator stays back, almost as if they weren’t involved with me. They seemed shocked at the creatures beside me and their obedience. They also seem wary of how the cultivator guards are treating me. In their conversation, they didn't get this level of impression from me.

Whatever the Alchemist was originally planning on doing, has now turned into a much more cautious approach.

As I move with the guards, they still follow, but the most they’ve done is give a small bow.

I nod my head back, but I make sure not to address them. Setting the tone of the relationship.

 I say some casual and generic statements to the cultivator guards’ questions, but quickly ask them to direct me to the family member that I know needs healed.

 Of course, they quickly bring me there and matching my expectations, I’m able to quickly heal his daughter using my cultivation method. I leave my creatures outside, as many of them are too large to bring in.

 The cultivator guard in question, with tears in his eyes, hands me a bag with something that he assures me is a rare and interesting item that he ‘confiscated’ at some point. I tried to give it back, especially after hearing that, but even without my conversation scan, it is easy to tell this would be extremely offensive to him.

I’m forced to accept it with a smile.

 A quick glance in the bag with my scan, despite my apprehension, shows that there is an interesting jade Pearl within it. All I’m able to glean with a cursory glance from my scan is that it wouldn’t be harmful to me and doesn’t have any trackers. It’s just something I need to look into more, to discover its secrets.

 The whole time, the cultivator was observing this situation. Watching the daughter carefully and seeing the changes with their own eyes of what happened.

 It was a disease that would be an expensive fix if potions were used. Very profitable, if only treated and not cured. However, the alchemy cultivator doesn’t seem to be dissatisfied. Rather, they are growing more impressed by the second.

 Almost as if they’re there not to say a statement, but to judge.

 Wait a second, I think they’re trying to recruit me…

 

 Almost as if in response to my thoughts, the Alchemy Guild cultivator speaks up.

 

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