Chapter 265
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Chapter 265
It was difficult to plan for an invasion at a vaguely known time in an unknown place. The elders of the Order of Ninety-Nine Stars were no different in that regard from any others. Grand Elders Kseniya, Matousek, Fodor, and Zajoc were meeting along with the handful of others who were at least temporarily filling the positions. It was somewhat uncomfortable how temporary those positions had been with all the turnover in the last decade.
This is a serious problem, Kseniya wasnt the most senior Grand Elder by a great deal, though strangely enough she was now in the top half despite her only being in the position for a few years. However, she spoke with the confidence of someone whose words were important. And they were, even if her perception slightly deviated from the norm. At best, I can see less than a sixth of the way across the country. From this height, that distance of a hundred and fifty kilometers or so is my limit for how far I can shoot right now. Even if I expanded that, its not enough.
You are not responsible for defending the whole of Graotan yourself, Elder Matousek reminded her.
Who else will? They could show up anywhere. Our position here is the best for our training, but its far from centrally located. If attackers appeared in the east, even if a message immediately reached us we wouldnt be able to respond for days, or at least a handful of hours.
I dont think that is as important as improving our defenses, Grand Elder Zajoc commented. Theyll be coming for the sects primarily, from what we know. Places with concentrations of resources.
Maybe we shouldnt have any then, Fodor suggested. When he saw the blank looks on peoples faces, he clarified. If we minimize the amount of extra resources we have, preferably by using them to increase everyones combat capabilities as much as possible, then even in the worst case scenario they get less. And in the best case, we drive them off with fewer casualties. He shrugged, Obviously equipment will need to be distributed for use, since it would be foolish to give up our combat potential.
The problem there is when and how to allocate resources, as it always is, Matousek commented. There should yet be decades until it is time. Unfortunately we dont quite know more than that. Perhaps we will get a clearer picture as it approaches. For now, I suggest we continue our steady approach to raising our disciples. With the swelling numbers our resources will be used up naturally anyway.
Zajoc grinned, With Vincent and Anton, I cant think of a time recruitment has ever been so high. Our numbers could triple in a few decades. Thats compared to before the recent conflict, even. Depending on the timeframe, we might even swell our ranks of Life Transformation cultivators to higher than it had been before.
Matousek nodded her head. There are more than a handful of promising candidates.
Lets be candid here, Kseniya said. There are five who are guaranteed to reach Life Transformation in that time if they dont die, and there are a couple dozen promising candidates on top of that.
If they survive, Matousek nodded slowly, Which is far from a guarantee, despite their success so far.
Vandales grandson wont die, Zajoc commented.
You cant guarantee that, Matousek said. Even at the price of your own life. And even if it did, it would only be of marginal benefit.
Oh, his value would be much more than mine, Zajoc smiled slightly. But Ive seen him fight. More than just cultivation talent, I know hell just refuse to die.
He looked directly at the rising sun. His first thought was to look away, to shield his eyes but in truth he didnt need to do so. A tempered body alone might not have resisted some amount of damage, but the steady infusion of energy enhancing his sight also helped reduce the incoming intensity.
It didnt stop Anton from almost falling off his feet, though. It was staggeringly beautiful, even as it reminded him of Vandales death with its intensity. Red, orange, yellow, white. It was all of those things, and transitioned through them as it moved throughout the sky. Its intensity drowned out all of the other stars to the point they couldnt even be faintly glimpsed. Anton felt the heat on his skin, the sensation of the greatest fire that anyone he knew had ever felt, yet distanced enough to be simply pleasant instead of destructive.
Not that the sun was stagnant or calm. He could see many different shapes swirling on its surface, though he only knew they were moving from long experience. He knew they might be incredibly fast, but the various bits and pieces seemed to be standing still due to the vast scale of the star.
Having reached the midpoint of Essence Collection, Anton had been searching for an area of focus. His Essence of promoting growth could lead towards many things, but in the end it brought him to this point. Anton wouldnt have considered providing the widest possible spread of growth a focus, but he certainly felt it to be possible. Anton wondered how he could reconcile that with caring about specific people, but it was easy enough.
Even the sun shone more on some places than others. While Anton knew that was simply due to the angles involved and not a choice on the part of the sun, Anton wasnt a burning ball of fire in the sky. He was a person. A cultivator. He wasnt restricted to being exactly like the object of his focus. Otherwise he would have to burn up, and the Grasping Willows would have to actually become trees.
As he watched the sun move across the sky, Anton wondered what that particular focus might mean for his cultivation. While cultivators advanced mainly through the intake of energy and using it to temper themselves, for Essence Collection it was more related to concepts. He might indeed be able to advance by focusing on the wide growth of the world, not too different from what hed already been doing but how would that affect him in battle? His techniques?
He didnt know exactly, but he would have plenty of time to think about it, as long as he didnt spend too many nights and days staring up at the sky. If he was going to do that, he at least wanted to make sure he took time for practical things as well.
-----
Though nearly everyone would have been quite content if the world continued peacefully for the next several decades, that simply wouldnt happen. Not everything required the attention of Essence Collection cultivators, but Anton couldnt resist the call of former allies. To the south, in Droca, trouble was brewing.
Perhaps most people might not have considered people they traveled with one time for a few weeks as close companions, but that didnt stop Anton from being willing to answer the call for help from Caeus and Printza, two young members of the Iron Fist Sect. They were not even located particularly far from the Order, though the general terrain of Droca was much rougher and less habitable than Graotan.
Most of his frequent companions were occupied, and none of them had ties to the pair regardless. Anton had only met them when on his way back Cruhull during the height of the Twin Soul Sects killings. As it turned out, it was the best decision all of those traveling together could have made, since there had been an attack.
Anton could have gone alone, but he still recruited some people to come with him. Devon was free and inclined to seek out new experiences. There was also Alva, who was unoccupied and absolutely not going to let Anton leave her behind for any reason. It wasnt as if he could say anything was too dangerous for her now. If it was too dangerous for her, he also shouldnt be going. While the difference between early and mid Essence Collection was not insignificant, it wasnt so strong of a divide as Essence Collection and Spirit Building.
So even if he still felt the desire to protect his young granddaughter, he knew he couldnt do so by excluding her from anything. So instead he would simply have to make sure both of them were as strong as possible so they could handle anything that came up.
Anton cared about Devon too, of course, but he didnt have the advantage of being young or cute. That was probably just as well, since it would help Anton make more logical decisions about how to fight with him. He worried about a possible day where he was in a battle along with all of his granddaughters and how he could focus on battle properly instead of unnecessary worry. Perhaps the mentality of a warrior still hadnt quite overtaken him, even after a decade.
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Chapter 265
It was difficult to plan for an invasion at a vaguely known time in an unknown place. The elders of the Order of Ninety-Nine Stars were no different in that regard from any others. Grand Elders Kseniya, Matousek, Fodor, and Zajoc were meeting along with the handful of others who were at least temporarily filling the positions. It was somewhat uncomfortable how temporary those positions had been with all the turnover in the last decade.
This is a serious problem, Kseniya wasnt the most senior Grand Elder by a great deal, though strangely enough she was now in the top half despite her only being in the position for a few years. However, she spoke with the confidence of someone whose words were important. And they were, even if her perception slightly deviated from the norm. At best, I can see less than a sixth of the way across the country. From this height, that distance of a hundred and fifty kilometers or so is my limit for how far I can shoot right now. Even if I expanded that, its not enough.
You are not responsible for defending the whole of Graotan yourself, Elder Matousek reminded her.
Who else will? They could show up anywhere. Our position here is the best for our training, but its far from centrally located. If attackers appeared in the east, even if a message immediately reached us we wouldnt be able to respond for days, or at least a handful of hours.
I dont think that is as important as improving our defenses, Grand Elder Zajoc commented. Theyll be coming for the sects primarily, from what we know. Places with concentrations of resources.
Maybe we shouldnt have any then, Fodor suggested. When he saw the blank looks on peoples faces, he clarified. If we minimize the amount of extra resources we have, preferably by using them to increase everyones combat capabilities as much as possible, then even in the worst case scenario they get less. And in the best case, we drive them off with fewer casualties. He shrugged, Obviously equipment will need to be distributed for use, since it would be foolish to give up our combat potential.
The problem there is when and how to allocate resources, as it always is, Matousek commented. There should yet be decades until it is time. Unfortunately we dont quite know more than that. Perhaps we will get a clearer picture as it approaches. For now, I suggest we continue our steady approach to raising our disciples. With the swelling numbers our resources will be used up naturally anyway.
Zajoc grinned, With Vincent and Anton, I cant think of a time recruitment has ever been so high. Our numbers could triple in a few decades. Thats compared to before the recent conflict, even. Depending on the timeframe, we might even swell our ranks of Life Transformation cultivators to higher than it had been before.
Matousek nodded her head. There are more than a handful of promising candidates.
Lets be candid here, Kseniya said. There are five who are guaranteed to reach Life Transformation in that time if they dont die, and there are a couple dozen promising candidates on top of that.
If they survive, Matousek nodded slowly, Which is far from a guarantee, despite their success so far.
Vandales grandson wont die, Zajoc commented.
You cant guarantee that, Matousek said. Even at the price of your own life. And even if it did, it would only be of marginal benefit.
Oh, his value would be much more than mine, Zajoc smiled slightly. But Ive seen him fight. More than just cultivation talent, I know hell just refuse to die.
He looked directly at the rising sun. His first thought was to look away, to shield his eyes but in truth he didnt need to do so. A tempered body alone might not have resisted some amount of damage, but the steady infusion of energy enhancing his sight also helped reduce the incoming intensity.
It didnt stop Anton from almost falling off his feet, though. It was staggeringly beautiful, even as it reminded him of Vandales death with its intensity. Red, orange, yellow, white. It was all of those things, and transitioned through them as it moved throughout the sky. Its intensity drowned out all of the other stars to the point they couldnt even be faintly glimpsed. Anton felt the heat on his skin, the sensation of the greatest fire that anyone he knew had ever felt, yet distanced enough to be simply pleasant instead of destructive.
Not that the sun was stagnant or calm. He could see many different shapes swirling on its surface, though he only knew they were moving from long experience. He knew they might be incredibly fast, but the various bits and pieces seemed to be standing still due to the vast scale of the star.
Having reached the midpoint of Essence Collection, Anton had been searching for an area of focus. His Essence of promoting growth could lead towards many things, but in the end it brought him to this point. Anton wouldnt have considered providing the widest possible spread of growth a focus, but he certainly felt it to be possible. Anton wondered how he could reconcile that with caring about specific people, but it was easy enough.
Even the sun shone more on some places than others. While Anton knew that was simply due to the angles involved and not a choice on the part of the sun, Anton wasnt a burning ball of fire in the sky. He was a person. A cultivator. He wasnt restricted to being exactly like the object of his focus. Otherwise he would have to burn up, and the Grasping Willows would have to actually become trees.
As he watched the sun move across the sky, Anton wondered what that particular focus might mean for his cultivation. While cultivators advanced mainly through the intake of energy and using it to temper themselves, for Essence Collection it was more related to concepts. He might indeed be able to advance by focusing on the wide growth of the world, not too different from what hed already been doing but how would that affect him in battle? His techniques?
He didnt know exactly, but he would have plenty of time to think about it, as long as he didnt spend too many nights and days staring up at the sky. If he was going to do that, he at least wanted to make sure he took time for practical things as well.
-----
Though nearly everyone would have been quite content if the world continued peacefully for the next several decades, that simply wouldnt happen. Not everything required the attention of Essence Collection cultivators, but Anton couldnt resist the call of former allies. To the south, in Droca, trouble was brewing.
Perhaps most people might not have considered people they traveled with one time for a few weeks as close companions, but that didnt stop Anton from being willing to answer the call for help from Caeus and Printza, two young members of the Iron Fist Sect. They were not even located particularly far from the Order, though the general terrain of Droca was much rougher and less habitable than Graotan.
Most of his frequent companions were occupied, and none of them had ties to the pair regardless. Anton had only met them when on his way back Cruhull during the height of the Twin Soul Sects killings. As it turned out, it was the best decision all of those traveling together could have made, since there had been an attack.
Anton could have gone alone, but he still recruited some people to come with him. Devon was free and inclined to seek out new experiences. There was also Alva, who was unoccupied and absolutely not going to let Anton leave her behind for any reason. It wasnt as if he could say anything was too dangerous for her now. If it was too dangerous for her, he also shouldnt be going. While the difference between early and mid Essence Collection was not insignificant, it wasnt so strong of a divide as Essence Collection and Spirit Building.
So even if he still felt the desire to protect his young granddaughter, he knew he couldnt do so by excluding her from anything. So instead he would simply have to make sure both of them were as strong as possible so they could handle anything that came up.
Anton cared about Devon too, of course, but he didnt have the advantage of being young or cute. That was probably just as well, since it would help Anton make more logical decisions about how to fight with him. He worried about a possible day where he was in a battle along with all of his granddaughters and how he could focus on battle properly instead of unnecessary worry. Perhaps the mentality of a warrior still hadnt quite overtaken him, even after a decade.
Chapter 265It was difficult to plan for an invasion at a vaguely known time in an unknown place. The elders of the Order of Ninety-Nine Stars were no different in that regard from any others. Grand Elders Kseniya, Matousek, Fodor, and Zajoc were meeting along with the handful of others who were at least temporarily filling the positions. It was somewhat uncomfortable how temporary those positions had been with all the turnover in the last decade.This is a serious problem, Kseniya wasnt the most senior Grand Elder by a great deal, though strangely enough she was now in the top half despite her only being in the position for a few years. However, she spoke with the confidence of someone whose words were important. And they were, even if her perception slightly deviated from the norm. At best, I can see less than a sixth of the way across the country. From this height, that distance of a hundred and fifty kilometers or so is my limit for how far I can shoot right now. Even if I expanded that, its not enough.You are not responsible for defending the whole of Graotan yourself, Elder Matousek reminded her.Who else will? They could show up anywhere. Our position here is the best for our training, but its far from centrally located. If attackers appeared in the east, even if a message immediately reached us we wouldnt be able to respond for days, or at least a handful of hours.I dont think that is as important as improving our defenses, Grand Elder Zajoc commented. Theyll be coming for the sects primarily, from what we know. Places with concentrations of resources.Maybe we shouldnt have any then, Fodor suggested. When he saw the blank looks on peoples faces, he clarified. If we minimize the amount of extra resources we have, preferably by using them to increase everyones combat capabilities as much as possible, then even in the worst case scenario they get less. And in the best case, we drive them off with fewer casualties. He shrugged, Obviously equipment will need to be distributed for use, since it would be foolish to give up our combat potential.The problem there is when and how to allocate resources, as it always is, Matousek commented. There should yet be decades until it is time. Unfortunately we dont quite know more than that. Perhaps we will get a clearer picture as it approaches. For now, I suggest we continue our steady approach to raising our disciples. With the swelling numbers our resources will be used up naturally anyway.Zajoc grinned, With Vincent and Anton, I cant think of a time recruitment has ever been so high. Our numbers could triple in a few decades. Thats compared to before the recent conflict, even. Depending on the timeframe, we might even swell our ranks of Life Transformation cultivators to higher than it had been before.Matousek nodded her head. There are more than a handful of promising candidates.Lets be candid here, Kseniya said. There are five who are guaranteed to reach Life Transformation in that time if they dont die, and there are a couple dozen promising candidates on top of that.If they survive, Matousek nodded slowly, Which is far from a guarantee, despite their success so far.Vandales grandson wont die, Zajoc commented.You cant guarantee that, Matousek said. Even at the price of your own life. And even if it did, it would only be of marginal benefit.Oh, his value would be much more than mine, Zajoc smiled slightly. But Ive seen him fight. More than just cultivation talent, I know hell just refuse to die.He looked directly at the rising sun. His first thought was to look away, to shield his eyes but in truth he didnt need to do so. A tempered body alone might not have resisted some amount of damage, but the steady infusion of energy enhancing his sight also helped reduce the incoming intensity. It didnt stop Anton from almost falling off his feet, though. It was staggeringly beautiful, even as it reminded him of Vandales death with its intensity. Red, orange, yellow, white. It was all of those things, and transitioned through them as it moved throughout the sky. Its intensity drowned out all of the other stars to the point they couldnt even be faintly glimpsed. Anton felt the heat on his skin, the sensation of the greatest fire that anyone he knew had ever felt, yet distanced enough to be simply pleasant instead of destructive.Not that the sun was stagnant or calm. He could see many different shapes swirling on its surface, though he only knew they were moving from long experience. He knew they might be incredibly fast, but the various bits and pieces seemed to be standing still due to the vast scale of the star.Having reached the midpoint of Essence Collection, Anton had been searching for an area of focus. His Essence of promoting growth could lead towards many things, but in the end it brought him to this point. Anton wouldnt have considered providing the widest possible spread of growth a focus, but he certainly felt it to be possible. Anton wondered how he could reconcile that with caring about specific people, but it was easy enough.Even the sun shone more on some places than others. While Anton knew that was simply due to the angles involved and not a choice on the part of the sun, Anton wasnt a burning ball of fire in the sky. He was a person. A cultivator. He wasnt restricted to being exactly like the object of his focus. Otherwise he would have to burn up, and the Grasping Willows would have to actually become trees. As he watched the sun move across the sky, Anton wondered what that particular focus might mean for his cultivation. While cultivators advanced mainly through the intake of energy and using it to temper themselves, for Essence Collection it was more related to concepts. He might indeed be able to advance by focusing on the wide growth of the world, not too different from what hed already been doing but how would that affect him in battle? His techniques?He didnt know exactly, but he would have plenty of time to think about it, as long as he didnt spend too many nights and days staring up at the sky. If he was going to do that, he at least wanted to make sure he took time for practical things as well.-----Though nearly everyone would have been quite content if the world continued peacefully for the next several decades, that simply wouldnt happen. Not everything required the attention of Essence Collection cultivators, but Anton couldnt resist the call of former allies. To the south, in Droca, trouble was brewing.Perhaps most people might not have considered people they traveled with one time for a few weeks as close companions, but that didnt stop Anton from being willing to answer the call for help from Caeus and Printza, two young members of the Iron Fist Sect. They were not even located particularly far from the Order, though the general terrain of Droca was much rougher and less habitable than Graotan. Most of his frequent companions were occupied, and none of them had ties to the pair regardless. Anton had only met them when on his way back Cruhull during the height of the Twin Soul Sects killings. As it turned out, it was the best decision all of those traveling together could have made, since there had been an attack.Anton could have gone alone, but he still recruited some people to come with him. Devon was free and inclined to seek out new experiences. There was also Alva, who was unoccupied and absolutely not going to let Anton leave her behind for any reason. It wasnt as if he could say anything was too dangerous for her now. If it was too dangerous for her, he also shouldnt be going. While the difference between early and mid Essence Collection was not insignificant, it wasnt so strong of a divide as Essence Collection and Spirit Building. So even if he still felt the desire to protect his young granddaughter, he knew he couldnt do so by excluding her from anything. So instead he would simply have to make sure both of them were as strong as possible so they could handle anything that came up. Anton cared about Devon too, of course, but he didnt have the advantage of being young or cute. That was probably just as well, since it would help Anton make more logical decisions about how to fight with him. He worried about a possible day where he was in a battle along with all of his granddaughters and how he could focus on battle properly instead of unnecessary worry. Perhaps the mentality of a warrior still hadnt quite overtaken him, even after a decade.
