Elder Cultivator-Chapter 1212

Not all of the Trigold Cluster was full of massive sects that had powerful cultivators in Augmentation or Domination. Many were far smaller, spanning a few systems, a single planet, or sharing the area with a number of small neighbors.

Ylvali could tell that the Starstriker confused some of them. They probably thought the requests for permission were a test- either by some surrounding sects to see if they would allow strange individuals within them, or by the crew of the Starstriker itself to see if they would reject them. She expected people would grow more used to the situation as time went on. For the moment, however, she just went with the flow of things.

Adsila was still a problem, as much as a pleasant individual could be. Ylvali was inclined to let her act as she pleased, but the consequences would be dire if she was wrong. She was slowly given more opportunity to interact with the crew. They would monitor her actions- and judge her intent. Where one or two might fail, all of them together could discern greater secrets. She and the crew trusted each other with their lives in battle and out.

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“Where are we landing next, Captain?” Adsila asked as they returned to normal space. It made little difference whether or not Ylvali was on the bridge for such events.

“The planet Niont,” Ylvali explained. “In the territory of the Dry Ocean Sect.”

“Oh, I’ve actually heard of this one,” Adsila commented. “I wanted to visit someday. I heard they have beautiful oceans.”

“You might be a bit late for that,” Ylvali shrugged, pulling up the image of the planet. “I’m not sure if that blue patch is even qualified to be a lake.”

“Hmm. So you don’t have all the information, then,” Adsila grinned.

“Well, that’s true,” Ylvali agreed. “We haven’t been dwelling among the Trigold Cluster, so famous planets are only referenced in documents we’ve seen and little more.” Except where they sent scout ships, of course. “They don’t have everything convenient to search up in a database. So, what can you tell me?”

“Mostly that you can’t judge a planet by its surface.”

“That works for most of them,” Ylvali pointed out. “But if that’s not some sort of cryptic message…” she tapped her comms. “Please focus the scanners beneath the surface of Niont.”

That wasn’t something they normally did. It seemed a bit rude to poke around in people’s caverns and ogle their planet’s mineral composition. Well, the scanners probably picked some of that up still.

“Scans incoming, captain,” came the response a few moments later. Presumably, that meant there was something of interest- though the person on duty might have figured she wanted to see anyway.

Ylvali changed the nearby display to show the incoming information- helpfully visualized by the computer. From a brown planet, it suddenly became blue. There were a few patches of other color, but by and large it showed oceans over ninety percent of the planet. Subsurface oceans. Did the top layer of crust float, or was the surface material a durable structure that could stay in position with minimal support? Ylvali found it fascinating.

“I see how there might be some beautiful oceans here,” Ylvali commented. “I’m betting on a lot of bioluminescence.”

“That’s… glowing plants and animals? I certainly heard something about that,” Adsila agreed. “Think I could see for myself?”

Ylvali considered for a few moments. “Alright. You can come with me.” Unless Adsila was a spy with plans to cause trouble in this very particular place, it wouldn’t be an issue. And if she was, it was about time to find out.

“Hm. I didn’t think it would be that easy,” Adsila admitted.

“I can deny you, if you’d like?” Ylvali raised an eyebrow. “But you know what our purpose is here.” It wasn’t much more than intentional tourism, really. Though maybe tourists weren’t a thing in this region of space. At best, they’d be called wandering cultivators since few others would risk the journey.

“I just thought you wouldn’t like to be seen with someone from another sect.”

“We have many sects within the Scarlet Alliance,” Ylvali pointed out. “It would not be strange for me to be seen with a wide variety of them. My crew is special because of our style,” she explained. “Also, are you really part of a different sect?”

“I suppose I haven’t been, except long before you arrived,” Adsila replied. She’d either made a really terrible slip-up with her previous comment… or she was as she appeared- an old woman who lost her previous support structures. Ylvali’s insight judged her truthful enough so far. Watching her in different environments would be useful. “Should I… leave my things?”

Adsila meant her poisons. But disarming her of the potential to misbehave wasn’t actually optimal for determining if she actually wanted to. “That depends on the rules of the sect. But if we run into trouble, I’d prefer you be able to defend yourself.”

Ingested poisons likely wouldn’t be much good, but she doubtless had others. And some weapons in her storage bag, which she could certainly use well enough to not die.

Of course, it would be best if they were never attacked at all. Ylvali thought it was less likely that she would be a target, but as an Integration cultivator she was low enough on the tiers of power that it might come to pass. Not that she would truly fight alone at any point.

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The Dry Ocean Sect lived among a sea of salt flats. The ocean had clearly once made it home there, before it… retreated underground? “Do you know what happened with the oceans?” Ylvali asked Adsila.

“I do not. Everything I have heard is from this lifetime, and there wasn’t any mention of vast changes.”

That made sense, as she was expecting the underground seas.

The S.A.S. Starstriker landed at what amounted to a starport in the small sect- or at least, the small branch of the sect on the surface. Once they got close, Ylvali could feel more underground, clearly practicing the same style. She didn’t actively look for the connections she presumed must be available between upper and lower. She did want to give Adsila the opportunity to see the oceans, but she also needed to be diplomatic.

Ylvali approached the waiting disciples. Then she and some of the crew- joined by Adsila- went to meet some of their above-ground elders. Though they were just called elders. Ylvali wondered if they cycled people out or they were split into different substyles.

Trading was one of their missions. Ylvali was able to offer some goods they would want- but no pillows, strangely. Maybe they were uncultured. Sadly, the Starstriker carried no plants that grew in salt deserts. The Scarlet Alliance actually had some- a fact that the elders seemed incredulous about, but they’d see when she returned. The route just hadn’t been so specific as to come to this particular planet, and it would have been a waste of storage otherwise.

In turn, the elders offered salt- which was honestly expected- and fish. So they weren’t hiding the connection. Then again, people from far away planets like Adsila knew about that. Ylvali just thought maybe she’d been exceptionally well informed.

Ylvali had no personal need for various exotic fish. They certainly didn’t need any live ones. However, they could preserve the others for future trade. People liked variety in their food, after all.

Before Ylvali had to get particularly obvious about her prompting, one of the elders made an offer to show them beneath the surface. That was excellent, because Ylvali wanted to see it now- and she wanted to fulfill Adsila’s desire.

They descended a long series of stairs that went on for at least a vertical kilometer in total.- Ylvali was going to suggest they look into something like an elevator.

At around that point, Adsila commented, “Could use a tea shop halfway down.”

Ylvali agreed. Especially if the tea wasn’t poisoned. Which, presumably, would be the case for most of it. “Indeed. This is manageable for those who have completed Body Tempering, but even if it is useful training for others, it might be more comfortable.”

One of the elders gave them a curious glance. That did seem to be the whole suggestion, though. Adsila didn’t seem to be planning to plant a tea shop herself, for example.

Everything appeared to continue on in a repetitive pattern until Ylvali suddenly felt the stairs twist ahead of them. It wasn’t all at once, but as she traced their path ahead she spotted a full one-hundred and eighty degree flip. Then it stopped and continued… up?

Ylvali was fairly certain it was up, simply because as she began to experience the turn in the stairs herself it was… extremely normal. Without her energy senses telling her anything, she wouldn’t have noticed much at all except slightly odd angles. But soon enough they were standing with their feet towards the bottom of the crust.

“Fascinating,” she said. The scans had missed the gravity distortions. Or perhaps the crew had wanted her to experience it firsthand. Was the cause some sort of material? Would the locals be concerned if she asked about it? “From here, we go… up into the oceans?”

“And the main body of the sect, of course,” the elders explained.

Much of the sect was built into the stone around the stairwells- they began to see openings to active hallways. It could have still used a teashop on the longer segment. Maybe they would eventually expand into that area.

“Let us take you on one of our ships,” one of the elders said.

They pretty quickly reached the ‘surface’. The stairs halted before a series of airlocks brought them out into a large glass dome. It would have been visually impressive if the stairway continued straight up into it… but it also would have been a disaster if the dome ever failed, flooding the majority of the sect. This was a reasonable enough compromise.

“It’s like the stars,” Ylvali commented. Not quite, of course. The sparkles of light were all different sizes and in more intense colors than distant stars. However, little else could be seen except those points of light. Up against the glass she could see a couple dozen meters, noting some barnacles and corals growing on and around the glass dome. There were also some other forms of sea life, doubtless attracted to the light.

Ylvali wondered what the point of being called the Dry Sea Sect was if they had so much not dry sea to work with. She didn’t ask, though. Perhaps she’d have an opportunity to figure it out, or perhaps it was just a name.

The ship in question was essentially a submersible made of glass. It had few moving parts, but neither did it need them. Ylvali could see a few leaving and docking, and they were all clearly operated by cultivators. Using their energy, they moved the waters around the ships to propel themselves. All they had to do was maintain a neutral buoyancy and it would be quite efficient. Or they could likely allow the ship to sink and lower. She could see some water filling up chambers inside the thick glass- hidden among the scrawled enchantments.

Even thick glass wasn’t strong enough to resist deep pressures on its own. At least, not normal formulations- or anything less than a couple meters, which made vision awkward.

Ylvali looked over at Adsila. The old woman was smiling slightly, and they hadn’t even gotten out into the sea. No doubt it would be even more wondrous. She was glad she allowed her to come along.

Soon enough, they had gotten into a small glass sphere- small in that it only fit four of them, including two elders. They were comfortable enough. Some of the senior crew were receiving the same treatment in other ships.

Ylvali let the Dry Sea Sect elders guide them. They passed close to anything they could, fish and jellies and strange sea creatures. Some glowed, others tried to keep a low profile- though to cultivators they still stuck out. They weren’t terribly far from the sect, the glowing dome still visible- though far smaller- when dark shadows began to block out other points of light.

“A great entangler!” one of the elders called out in fear. He looked over at Ylvali. Was this her fault? Did she smell tasty? Well, she was full of fairly powerful energy.

The elders didn’t place any blame, though. Indeed, they began to form up the ships with the others around them. All the while, lights went out- and Ylvali still couldn’t properly sense the creature trying to surround them. It was big, though.