Elder Cultivator

Chapter 983

The question of how to extract someone from a secret realm without entering said realm was a tough one. In some cases it would have been trivial to bring Durff out, as most secret realms had consistent exits and entrances. However, this one seemed to have been built like a trap. Even with the paranoia gone, that part stood true in Velvet’s mind.

“Does anyone know where the information on this place came from?” Everyone shook their heads. Even if they had the answer, it wouldn’t have been useful at the time. “Any ideas?”

“We might be able to extract the space of the secret realm into our dimension,” commented one of the formation experts. “But that would take a great deal of time not only to modify the formations but also to clear the necessary area. Air is easily displaced, but with the entrances being underground we’d have a catastrophe. So the entire structures would have to be pulled down and the area dug out while keeping the formations stable…”

The old woman, Jyotasana, sighed. “This is where we could use the straightforward thinking of Durff.”

Misi frowned, and looked at Juli. His twin looked back. ““I have an idea,”” they both said at the same time.

“What is it?” Velvet asked.

“Simple. It won’t take long to test, at least,” Misi explained.

“That’s right,” Juli nodded. “We just have to return to the entrances here. It seemed they were proper portals. So they should be two dimensional.”

“And then what?” Jyotsana asked. “He’s far in the middle, and we can’t extend our energy that far. Do we just yell for him?”

“Good idea,” Velvet said. “That could actually do it.”

“What about the others?” the formation expert asked. “Won’t they come to look at the portals?”

“We try to get them out too,” Velvet said. “Once the paranoia drops, it shouldn’t be an issue. Also, what’s your name?”

“Jensen,” he replied. “Strange that I thought it important before.”

“Names have power,” Velvet said. “But not in such a way. Anyone have a better idea than the twins? With a focus on speed, obviously.”

Everyone shook their heads.

With all of the entrances, they would have to be solo or in pairs to visit all of them- which seemed to be a requirement for activation. Thus, they split up. Velvet volunteered to be the one doing the most yelling- because everyone calling would be a distraction, and it wouldn’t be safe for some people to draw in other people.

She could also work effectively away from others. Even if she would be revealing her location in general, she could actually obscure her precise location in the hall. Velvet didn’t think there was anyone around who could be a danger to her, but she also didn’t intend to be careless.

Still, Durff had to be saved. A lovable idiot that didn’t seem to have a drop of suspicion in him was someone that needed to survive this place.

Velvet arrived at one of the various entrances. They were clearly separated from each other on purpose, now that she had some information about the area. She was somewhat concerned when they didn’t activate immediately. It shouldn’t have taken anyone more than a few minutes to get in position.

If it wouldn’t work, they needed to connect with each other to discuss their next plan. But if they didn’t wait long enough and someone left their position…

Fortunately, she didn’t have to dwell on that too long. The dead end opened up into a portal. “Durff!” Velvet called. She could bolster her voice, but the formations inside would limit the normal projection through the spreading of energy. Thus, she had to actually shout. She was lucky that could still be supernaturally loud, enough to travel through a few kilometers of hallways. None were particularly closer to where they thought Durff would be, in the center. “Follow my voice, Durff!”

Others would doubtless hear her, and they might also notice the portals opening up independently. However many were left, that was. There had been a hundred or so to begin with, and there could easily be half that many. Maybe their twenty or so had been the only ones to survive. It was possible. Either the ‘sect’ could have killed them, or each other due to the paranoia.

“This way, Durff!” Velvet called out. She could only hope he could hear her. Perhaps he might respond, but he might not realize how loud she had to be. Or maybe her voice was dampened, never making it to him. It might not even pass the portal.

Then Velvet heard something from inside, indicating it was properly bidirectional. An old woman rounded the corner, looking straight at her. Her face was more wrinkles than anything else, but her look was anything but friendly. “What’s the racket for? Trying to call in some sort of monster, huh?”

“Don’t need one,” Velvet said. “I’m safe here.”

“So you can speak reasonably instead of hurting my ears!” the old woman grumbled. She clutched something sheathed at her side. “Safe from what, anyway?”

“People like you,” Velvet commented.

The old woman flashed, suddenly appearing next to ‘Velvet’. Her weapon pierced through an illusion, a good portion of the hallway away from where she actually was.

“Hey,” Velvet’s voice spun out from her chosen location. “Take a moment to think, will you? Why attack me?”

“Because! Because- hmm.” The old woman lowered her weapon. “Wait, why was I doing that?”

“The formations inside made you paranoid. One moment. You might want to shield your ears now. Durff!” Velvet called. “This way, please!” She returned to normal volume. “You should go wait in the main hall or something. I don’t think you want to return to that place. There’s no good way out.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“Except this one. How’d you get out?” the old woman asked, looking around. Her senses brushed past Velvet, but her actual location wasn’t so simple to pinpoint.

“There’s a portal generator in the middle… that specifically cuts off the person who activates it from reaching it. Durff!”

“Yeah I’m coming!” a response finally came. From the right person, as well. “Just found some people who want to get out along the way!”

Velvet could guess he was only around a few corners. Maybe a couple hundred meters. “This way!” she said.

“Well, I’ll be out there,” the old woman said. “Seems you have things handled here.”

Durff rounded the corner with three others behind him. “See, here’s an exit. I told you they’d find a way out.”

“Well look at that,” one of the three said. “It’s really true. Why don’t you head through first.”

“It’s just a portal,” Durff said, stepping through easily. “Everyone knows how portals work. You go in one side and come out the other.”

Well, Durff was right on that.

“Hi Sybella,” Durff said, using Velvet’s cover name as he walked up to her. “That didn’t take very long.” He looked around. “Is this the entrance? I guess it’s the exit too. Makes sense. Thought they closed though.”

“Anything that closes can be opened,” said one of the three following him, stepping through the portal.

“Indeed,” Velvet agreed as the group approached. “Come on Durff, let’s head back to the entrance. We should have people waiting for us there soon.”

She ‘turned’ towards the entrance, though she didn’t actually intend to leave yet. Better to try to see if they could get everyone out first. Well, almost everyone.

Three blades flashed through the air, curved weapons aimed at Durff’s back and ‘Velvet’. In the actual Velvet’s grip was her void blade. She sliced at the elbow of all three in the same instant, cutting both their body and the flow of energy that made their weapons dangerous. Two blades went straight through ‘Velvet’, and one hit Durff’s back- though without upper energy it didn’t even make him flinch.

A dozen following strokes targeted every vital organ insufficiently protected by armor, the attacks snaking their way through gaps. Velvet didn’t hold back at all. The three were well out of the ‘sect grounds’, and the paranoia should have faded pretty much immediately. Which meant that these three were the sort of people who wanted to hurt Durff normally. She wasn’t particularly concerned about them trying to kill her, though they would have still died for it.

“Aww man,” Durff said as the weapons clattered to the ground behind him. He turned to look over his shoulder. “Did the paranoia thingy last extra long on them?”

“I think they were just terrible people,” Velvet said. She could feel at least a dozen other people’s equipment in their bags. “Also, you noticed the paranoia effect?”

“I noticed people weren’t acting right. I didn’t really feel anything, though. Just the normal thoughts.”

“What are those normal thoughts?” Velvet asked.

“Well, they were a bit more frequent. Sometimes you have thoughts like ‘you shouldn’t trust that person’ or ‘what if I smashed my fingers with the hammer’ or ‘what if I broke that wall’. I try not to listen to those. There were more of the first in there but it’s not really me.”

So he did recognize it… tangentially. Intrusive thoughts were actually something that many cultivators trained away to have absolute control over their own actions, but it seemed Durff just… ignored them? Apparently it worked, though. And potentially overcame things approaching mind control.

“So are we going to the entrance now?” he asked.

“We need to wait to see if there are other people who might come through,” Velvet said. Speaking of which, she shouted through the portal. “Anyone else! Last chance!”

“But you said we were going to go?”

“Just because I knew those guys wanted to stab us.”

“Oh wow, you can tell things like that?” Durff asked.

“They were radiating violence. Any Insight would tell you.”

“Usually I just get stabbed,” Durff said. “I figure at that point it’s okay to smash people. Or sometimes I’m with other people who figure it out.”

-----

In the end, a total of thirty people made it out. Based on the sets of equipment, there were about a quarter of people missing. Perhaps others who hadn’t come to the entrances. They could have died further inside, to the sect defenses or otherwise. Or maybe a few people were still holding back information. There had been a few skirmishes at other entrances, but people had been able to hold off long enough for the paranoid to fade.

Somehow, basic human decency had won over cultivator greed- though it was entirely possible that some of those who came out recognized it was in their best interest to be peaceful. Given a few moments to think, most cultivators could put together the idea that there were joint efforts to get people out, after all.

Ultimately, Velvet didn’t intend to worry about who killed who. Durff was alive, and so were the other decent individuals she knew. Now they could return to their vessel and report back. She still had no idea where to go with her next step, but at least she had an established position near her final destination.

“So how did you do the fancy stabby thing?” Durff asked without subtlety after they were on the ship.

Velvet immediately gave them a screen of privacy. “Lots of training, how else?”

“Yeah, makes sense. I was wondering if you were a member of the Guardians of the Veiled Brilliance. They do stuff like that. Getting stabbed while not getting stabbed, I mean.”

“Illusions?” Velvet asked.

“Sure,” he nodded. “I think so.”

“Well, it’s something like that but unrelated. I’d be interested in studying their techniques though.”

Durff nodded. “They’re pretty hard but I think you could figure them out. Not me though,” he rubbed his head. “None of it really stuck.”

“What do you mean?” Velvet asked.

“Well, my great great great great great… or something aunt lives there. My family visited the sect occasionally, and were friendly.”

That… wasn’t that weird. There were probably a billion people with real connections to the Guardians within ten lightyears. Maybe ten billion. It was lucky that Durff was one, but it didn’t sound that strong. Still, it might get her to a planet.

“Do you think you could contact them and see if I could visit somehow?” Velvet asked. “I understand if they wouldn’t want to teach me secret techniques, but I’d be interested in sparring with people.”

“Sure,” Durff said. “I’ll… try to remember how to contact them.”

If she got inside… she could make some contacts and maybe learn a few things about Ratna. People would obviously have something to say about a Domination cultivator, and not everything would be secret. There was a lot that could be learned from fully public and seemingly innocent information.