Chapter 564


    The Dark Ring had practice avoiding the notice of the Harmonious Citadel. At a basic level that involved simply not being somewhere they would look, scattered across asteroids throughout systems instead of dwelling on majors. They also had members of other sects that did not publicly support them, who only acted when the objective was sufficient to risk exposure.


    They also had the skills to build stealthy ships- it didnt require asking dubious sources for such knowledge for those from Ceretos to put together a ship. With some design help from the lower realms, they had vessels that wouldnt be noticed as long as nobody was looking for them in particr. That meant staying out of battles entirely, but if being used for transport or war there were better options-rger or more sturdy vessels rather than sleek spy ships.


    Acquiring a standard stealth vessel would have been quick and easy, but getting something better took time. All told it was years of drafts and acquiring materials and construction work. Whether that was particrly slow or surprisingly expedient depended on perspective.


    There was yet no rush to learn the details of the Trigold Clusters borders. A handful of decades or more remained before the tides of the world would allow another invasion of the lower realms- though the exact timing seemed inexact, potentially varying by location. Working from limited information could only help so much.


    I dont like being this slow, Alva frowned. Theres so much to search, and then actually <em>doing</em> something about it


    Unfortunately, Velvet said, Even if we had all the information at our disposal, we couldnt act immediately. Lets say we take out an entire somehow, everyone who was nning to invade Ceretos already there and conveniently easy to kill. Then they have decades to react, to do something <em>worse</em>. Velvet shook her head, It sounds nice to go out in a ze of glory, but the end result would be everything being <em>gone</em>. Every person and ce we ever knew in the lower realms. And no, we cant count on reincarnation for any of that.


    I wasnt going to say that, Alva folded her arms in front of her. I know Prospero Vandale is an exception. Besides, grandpa cant reincarnate- more than anyone else. I cant say I know how it works but she sighed. By now I both know people cant live forever and still want them to. I dont n to go out in a ze of glory either, but just waiting how will we know were not toote?


    Well have to figure that out when we get closer. Before that, Velvet reminded, We have to be sessful on at least one scouting mission. Probably many more, unless they conveniently leave boxes of information floating in orbit above theirs.


    That would be nice, Alva said. Though I suppose they might, in a way. They have to ferry people back and forth, right?


    Presumably, Velvet said. But if they notice ships going missing, that will also tip them off.


    I suppose that will depend on how many there are.


    -----


    The first system, they and their small crew slowly curved their way arounds, using the natural motion of orbit to carry them without using much active energy. They had a pre-nned route to go by all of the major targets, as well as several potential sources to recharge- though they should be able to return without refueling unless something went wrong.


    They felt for signs of life, upper energy molded in formation patterns or simply acting abnormally. Of course if they sensed any extremely powerful cultivators that would also be a sign, but they were keeping their distance so as to not be sensed in return. They trusted in the functionality of the ship- the Ster Wave- but pushing things too far was asking for trouble.


    Im not sensing anything, Alva admitted after they circled a number of rings around the first- theoretically surveyingrge swaths of terrain beneath them. The had a surface that was nearly molten- in some ces it was, while away from the sun it was cooler.


    You have a better range than myself, Vari said. I didnt expect anyone to live here anyway.


    They moved on, more days and weeks spent around a with caustic clouds but no signs of life or especially human cultivators.


    Alva clicked her tongue, I hear theres some stuff that barely uses energy at all, technological stuff from Rutera, that could sense immediately if there were any cultivators in a ce like this. And my grandfather could probably cover a lot more


    It is unreasonable topare yourself to Anton, Velvet shook her head. The man is a sniper without match. And that would include Kseniya.


    Why didnt we bring <em>her</em>, anyway?


    She was upied with other missions, Velvet admitted. Perhaps we should secure her help for our next rounds. Though I would postte weve found nothing because there <em>is</em> nothing.


    We could at least find nothing <em>faster</em> with someone like her, Alva said.


    Thats also true with you, Velvet shrugged. There is always someone more suited for a task, but sometimes people simply have to undertake what they can aplish.


    Then there was silence. Notplete, of course. More than that, there were various shifts for the sensing duties and people had to have personal time to train or study or whatever they wished to do. Otherwise theyd go crazy after months of constant activity with nothing really <em>happening</em>.


    They moved further out in the system, generally away from the sun catchings in their orbits as they could. Though thes themselves changed, there were consistently no signs of cultivators. Thergests, gas giants, were mainly ignored except for their rocky moons. It was true that cultivators <em>could</em> settle inside such a ce, but it wouldnt be simple to find them unless they were plentiful.


    They circled around the system to cover all thes, as they werent neatly arranged in a line or spiral going outward from the sun. Ultimately, they found nothing.


    What was our estimated chance of there being something here? Alva asked.


    Over sixty percent, Velvet said.


    That seems so assured. But its also really not, Alva sighed. I just dont want to miss anything. But I guess we have to move on.


    Even if they are excellent with concealment, Velvet said. <em>Someone</em> will mess up. We will find them at some point, so even if we miss some opportunities we cant worry about it.


    -----


    Back in the lower realms, after exploring several systems away from the trifold alliance operations further in distance were held back. From the scientific perspective of Rutera there was more than sufficient things to study nearby. The others were also not in any specific <em>need</em> of further contact at the time. In the scope of time they had, anyone further away would be impossible to coordinate with for the invasion. Messages might take several days up to weeks and travel months, and there was no way to be certain that whoever they met would be friendly. So they restrained themselves, content to expand mainly within their own systems, or between them.


    None of them were over the losses from the war with the Snis Cluster, though all had poptions that were rapidly growing as they found room to expand. Even the less hospitables had tempting reasons for cultivators to settle upon them, filling out the system like Weos- though instead of billions there might be between thousands and millions on the harshers.


    Anton could not help but think about the hidden system sometimes, but he avoided any further interaction, keeping themunication device upon him safe and secure. Likewise, he remained rather unadventurous and safe within systems he had Assimted stars. Not out of fear, but because growing stronger was the most important thing at the moment.


    Heat washed over Anton from a star, so close he could nearly reach out and touch it. If he did not have a connection to it and some control over its intensity, its power would simply wash away his energy in a few moments and turn him into something less than ash. That was the magnitude of power of which he only controlled a small part. Even up close, though everything he could do <em>seemed</em> significant to himself, great rivers of me ors of fire hundreds of kilometers across and able to entrap a fleet of ships, it was simply not that much to a sun.


    The most difficult part, up close, was not resisting the external temperature but the internal pressure. Antons connection would make it simple to open himself up to more than he could control. That was something he <em>knew</em>, to a greater extent then he knew his body, the exact curve of every bow he had. A certainty that he would be destroyed- but he didnt consider it a danger, really. He was in control of that connection, and it was his choice not to let too much through.


    Knowing that for certain had taken some time cautiously approaching Ceretos star closer and closer. It was an amazing thing, so bright that sight didnt mean anything. Even facing away, his eyes wouldnt have been able toprehend anything.


    Anton slowly pulled away, building up speed that would eventually carry him to the far reaches of the system, and beyond. Now, he would be stretching his limits in the other direction. If at all possible Anton would prefer <em>not</em> to fight outside of the optimal range of his power draw. But his enemies wouldnt necessarily give him that luxury. While the exact details werent known, what could be purchased from ck markets in the Snis Cluster and even the trifold alliance knew that he drew his power from stars. He hadnt killed everyone who had seen him fight, after all- and from inside the alliance people had gotten a good look. Out of thousands or tens of thousands, there would always be someone willing to sell for a price.


    But even if they had exact details, Anton wasnt going to make it easy to use against him. He could continue to expand his range and then the weakness would be less pronounced. Anton was certain it would always remain a weakness, but if he was strong around everything he wished to protect, he simply had to not be lured away.


    The core of burning fire he had ess to grew distant, but he opened himself to it fully, drawing upon the power of Ceretos star and very slightly upon the others, all others together less dwarfed by the system he was in.


    He did not know that the next threshold for advancing stages was- only that he would not reach it before the invasion. Even so, he would be as strong as possible, along with everyone else he could push to greater heights. It was hoped that Rutera would not be targeted- they had been unknown and all known methods of spying to the Trigold Cluster had been cut off- but nothing could be certain.


    There <em>was</em> still the Exalted Archipgo. Even if the Exalted Quadrant was in conflict with the Trigold Cluster, they were still inmunication with each other- and thus the Exalted Archipgo in the lower realms. Anton had been assured by those he trusted that the amount ofmunication between upper and lower realms was quite limited, but that was not as helpful as he might like. On the other hand, the current state of the Exalted Archipgoprised only allies and those who were willing to work together. Trying to wipe them out because they theoretically <em>could</em> betray them would be unfair, especially since <em>other</em> parts of Ceretos, specifically those friendly with the Order, had much bettermunication with certain individual in the upper realms.


    But it was still so much easier to be suspicious of <em>them</em>, even with nothing yet having gone wrong. Simply acting against those not in his in group was a simple way to be a crazy tyrant. If there really was going to be some sort of betrayal, it would have to be dealt with after the fact. Or if any spies found usable information, they would work with that. Until then, there was nothing to do but be ready for what he <em>knew</em> wasing.