Eternal Cultivation Of Alchemy

A few hours before morning on the 10th day, two people found Alex’s group and challenged them. As usual, they all conceded the moment they were challenged and handed over their stars, sending the two on their way.

Even Battlesage, who was happy to be challenged, decided to do so as well, since he was deeper in cultivation this time around and did not wish to break the momentum.

Then morning came, and a few minutes after the sun rose, 3 more came. Once again, they gave them the stars and sent them away.

Not even an hour had passed when 2 more people came.

”God! There are so many today,” Ronron said with slight annoyance. ”We’re already down 5 stars, and it’s barely morning.”

Alex was mostly focused on cultivating, so he didn’t think much about it. When the two people came, he gave them the 2 stars and sent them along. As they left, Alex noticed something intriguing.

He didn’t think about it too deeply though and kept cultivating.

An hour later, 3 more people came.

Barely 3 hours into the day, Alex’s group was about to lose 10 stars. If this continued throughout the day, they were bound to easily lose 40 stars. That was quite high.

Alex thought of stopping to actually take part in the challenges, but it was easier to just give up the stars and continue cultivating. The others thought the same, so they did the same too.

However, when 2 more people came just half an hour later, the group understood that something was very wrong.

”What’s happening right now?” Ronron complained. ”Are we being targeted or what?”

Helen opened her eyes and watched the two approach. ”Maybe there’s some sort of trial taking place nearby. Not all of them were taken away, right?”

Liz focused on cultivating, not opening her eyes.

Alex slowly stopped cultivating as the people came toward the rock structure where they were hiding. He watched them approach and turned toward the women.

”Give up again. And continue cultivating,” Alex told the group.

”I’m ready to fight, Father,” Ronron said.

”No, give up. It’s better if you do that.”

Ronron nodded.

The two cultivators came with happy smiles on their faces and challenged the group with a loud shout.

”I concede.”

”I concede.”

Both Alex and Liz, who had been challenged first, gave up. They threw the stars in the direction of the two newcomers.

The two took the stars happily and turned to the next targets, Alex and Ronron. They got another 2 stars.

Then Liz and Ronron. Then Helen and Battlesage. Then Battlesage and Helen.

They got 2 stars from each, for a total of 10 stars, and then walked away.

”At this rate, we’re about to collectively lose 100 stars in just a day,” Helen said, her eyes moving toward the two who had left. ”Also, did you notice that? They are returning the same way they came from. It’s almost like...”

”They know where we are,” Alex said and slowly stood up.

The women looked toward him. ”What are you doing?” Ronron asked.

”I think I understand what is going on, so I’m going to make a ripple in their plans,” Alex said. ”You guys stay here and cultivate. It’s possible more will come. If they do, accept their challenges and offer up some mind-numbing, time-consuming challenges you can think of. Enough so that they would rather concede than accept that challenge.”

Ronron looked toward Alex. ”But they can reject our challenges.”

”Yes, but then they will have to place the difference in the number of stars as collateral to hold a neutral challenge. They don’t want that.”

”I think we have more stars than they do,” Ronron said.

”Most likely,” Alex agreed. ”But they don’t know that. They will be taking a risk if they reject your challenge without conceding. Anyway, I’ll go and see the situation with them.”

Battlesage turned. ”Can I come?”

Alex paused for a moment and shook his head. His figure slowly vanished before them, turning invisible.

”This task requires a bit of covertness, so I will do it alone for now.”

His words moved along with him as he jumped down from the rock structure, all invisible, and left behind footsteps in the sand as he followed the two far ahead of him. Due to the constraints of the suppression on their spiritual senses, neither of them noticed Alex following behind them as he remained far enough away.

On the off chance that they turned to check if anyone was following them, Alex had become invisible so he couldn’t be seen.

He followed the two for about 20 more minutes through the sand in a somewhat straight line before they arrived at a large canyon built between two large rock cliffs, whose sections had been carved through years of wind into a smooth pattern.

As Alex got closer, he could hear people talking normally.

”How is it?” someone asked out loud to the two who came by.

”They’re still cultivating,” one of the two answered. ”You can easily get 5 stars if you go now. Any others found yet?”

”Two people say there are 3 weaklings in the west, so a group has been sent there too. But that’s all we’ve found for now. Others are still searching all around.”

”Did you decide who’s going next?” the other person asked.

”Yes. 3 people have been chosen. Go in and send them on their way.”

The two walked in, going past a small group that stood by the opening of the canyon. Alex realized those were watch guards, looking around for anyone coming by.

”So, it is as I thought,” Alex told himself. ”They’ve formed a community here, and they’ve found us. And now they think they can leech off of us just because we’re busy cultivating.”

He wasn’t sure if he was supposed to be angry here or amused that they had found such a method. Whatever the case, he planned on making this not as easy as they thought it was going to be.