Within moments, the air behind the Green Glory Lord shifted, and three figures materialized, the grand elders of the Green Glory Palace.
Clad in the signature deep green robes of the sect, they bowed their heads in reverence, awaiting their orders.
Without turning around, the Green Glory Lord spoke, his voice measured and serious. “One of you is to head to this location in the Wild Devil Lands,” he said, tossing an Array Disk in their direction without a glance.
“The coordinates are rough—you may have to search the surrounding area. Find out what you can and report your findings back to me.”
The disk was caught mid-air by one of the elders, who nodded silently.
“The rest of you,” he continued, “will go to Haan Di. I want you to coordinate our plans there. There are some things that need to be arranged.”
His tone was calm, but the unspoken urgency in his words was clear. The Wild Devil Lands was a volatile region, and he needed eyes there, now more than ever.
The grand elders, in perfect synchrony, bowed deeply. “Yes, Lord Sect Leader,” they replied in unison before vanishing just as swiftly as they had arrived.
Liyen remained still, his gaze fixed on the setting sun as it bathed the horizon in a golden hue. His posture was calm, as if he were merely admiring the beauty of the evening, but his thoughts were racing.
Whoever had tampered with his plans was skilled—more skilled than he had anticipated. He had the power to stop his probing. It could only be another Core Formation Lord, right? But something about the assumption didn’t fit right in his calculation.
After all, only he and the Sun Ocean Lord were supposed to make their move in the Wild Devil Lands after the Haan Di Lord’s serious injuries. The other Core Formation Lords in the righteous faction should still be unaware of the mysterious opportunity that had appeared in the demonic faction’s backyard.
As for the three Core Formation Lords from the demonic faction themselves? It was even more impossible for them to make a move.
The Green Glory Lord knew that the Sun Ocean Lord wouldn’t reveal anything about the mysterious opportunity to the other three Core Formation Lords under normal circumstances. Was there another Core Formation Lord in the Dadangar Subcontinent that he was not aware of?
For now, though, there was no point in showing any reaction. He simply watched as the sun dipped lower, casting the world into shadows.
Soon, the Wild Devil Lands would be stirring with answers, and he would be waiting to claim them.
***
Back at Aksai’s side, the forest had long since quieted. He stood at the base of a mountain, surveying the rocky face. His hands worked swiftly, weaving a complex series of Spirit sigils in the air as the earth in front of him trembled and parted.
Bit by bit, he dug out a modest cave entrance, making sure it blended naturally with the surrounding terrain. From a distance, no one would guess it was there at all.
Satisfied, he stepped back to admire his handiwork, then set about sealing the entrance. A thin layer of dust settled over the opening, making it appear untouched by human hands.
It wasn’t the most impressive hiding spot in the world, but it didn’t need to be. He wasn’t planning to stay here long—just long enough to be sure no one was watching.
Next came the array formations. Aksai moved methodically, placing small, intricate talismans around the cave’s perimeter. There was an Array Diska placed in the middle of the man made cave.
With each one, he infused a trace of his Spirit essence, activating layers of defensive arrays. Some were meant to alert him if someone tried to break in, others were meant to mislead, casting illusions or diverting attention away from the cave entirely.
To an outsider, it might look like overkill. Who would bother looking for him out here in this nameless mountain range? But Aksai knew better than to underestimate the lengths a Core Formation Lord might go if sufficiently provoked.
As he stepped back to survey his work, he mused silently to himself. Paranoid? Maybe. But better that than dead. He wasn’t foolish enough to think the Green Glory Lord wouldn’t notice Lini’s sudden disappearance.
A valuable pawn vanishing from the board without a trace was enough to raise anyone’s suspicions, let alone someone with the resources and power of a Core Formation cultivator.
But it wasn’t fear that drove him—it was simple pragmatism. Aksai had no intention of facing the Green Glory Lord head-on. He could imagine what cultivators of that level could do, and he wasn’t eager to test his own limits against one. Instead, he planned to stay several steps ahead, slipping through cracks before anyone even realized he was gone.
With the preparations complete, Aksai dusted off his hands and took a deep breath. He could feel the layers of protection humming around him, a comforting shield of energy that made him feel a little less exposed.
“Not bad,” he muttered to himself, a slight grin tugging at the corner of his lips. “Not bad at all.”
Satisfied that he had done everything he could to cover his tracks, Aksai finally allowed himself to relax. He closed his eyes, centering his thoughts, and with a quiet exhalation, his figure shimmered and disappeared as he teleported himself back to the Enchanted Everwood Farm.
The transition was seamless, the familiar feeling of spatial energy enveloping him as he crossed the dimensional threshold. When his surroundings reformed, he found himself standing in the serene, ever-verdant fields of the farm.
It was a stark contrast to the tense, hurried work he’d just completed. Here, the air was thick with the sweet scent of greenery and the gentle hum of Spirit energy.
Now, it was time to check on his “guest.”
Aksai emerged from the treeline of the Enchanted Everwood Farm and immediately spotted Lini Lowanfield. She was standing just outside the farmhouse, rigid with a mix of shock and fury.
A handful of his Sentient Scarecrow Puppets were still posted around her, standing guard with their usual blank, emotionless expressions.
Despite their eerie presence, Lini’s attention was elsewhere.
Her eyes darted between the various other puppets scattered across the farm, each working diligently—tilling soil, harvesting Spirit herbs, and maintaining the various magical plants that made this place what it was.
‘Is this even a puppeteering technique at this point? This man… Aksai Everwood… What is he? Where the hell is this place?’