Elder Cultivator-Chapter 1236

Some planets were more attractive to cultivators than others. Typically, they tended towards the extremes representing some particular feature- and of course it had to have high energy. Zazil expected that cultivators from the Fire and Ice Palace would love the particular planet in front of her.

From what she understood, that sect had the potential to be just as influential as the current One Hundred Stars was, but none of the primary cultivators had ascended. Indeed, for some time the lower realms sect had languished after the loss of one of their founders. They seemed to have recovered, but stuck more to the lower realms.

Zazil preferred to take some time in systems she passed through, slowly shifting her anchor around. Her Domination energy didn’t come from a particular point, but rather everything in a system. Letting it spread through a system a little bit at a time before moving on as it rolled towards the next system seemed to cause the least disturbance. She wasn’t calling upon the local energy, but instead everything that wasn’t. The lack of regard that cultivators felt for seemingly insignificant pieces of their territory.

It was a fascinating planet. One side grew cold enough at the deepest points that the normal atmosphere turned to liquid or even solidified. The other side was beyond boiling, what little water the planet had only existing in liquid form along the leading band of the slow daylight.

A difficult planet, but one that surprisingly had life. Only the most robust individuals seemed to survive. Zazil thought it might be an interesting place to have a base, though it would need to be buried far beneath the surface. She didn’t currently intend to establish any structures within enemy systems, but in the future she might bring others with her.

She watched with fascination as underground ‘lakes’ boiled, releasing the typical elements of an atmosphere at temperatures that most would consider deep into freezing. The surface was covered with only small amounts of frozen material, with most having found its way to various underground pockets, pockets which grew as more material expanded… and occasionally collapsed.

The cycle provided a powerful strength to the planet, though all of the living things had trouble resisting death from the extremes. Plantlife was brutal in protecting itself even as it grew greedily for a time, before dispersing seeds- only some of which would survive the night. Rather than proper seasons, each day and night would effectively bring a rapid year, with individual ‘seasons’ that were caused lasting less than a month. Then the cycle repeated.

Only those creatures with the greatest energy could resist both great heat and cold. Most didn’t even try, instead hiding in their burrows for one or the other- though it seemed the daylight was the most active time.

Zazil took special note of the planet for the future. Perhaps Scarlet Alliance cultivators would find an opportunity to visit.

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If Bear Hug had human anatomy, no doubt they would have been holding their breath and sweating profusely. Not from the heat- even if the temperature was rapidly climbing, Bear Hug wouldn’t have been bothered for quite some time. In fact, they were recovering and growing rapidly with the limitless sun. So much that they sometimes even looked for shade. They never expected to long for the night, even briefly.

No, the sweating would have been from fear, which they absolutely did feel. A cultivator of tremendous power passed over the planet. If said cultivator had been interested, they absolutely could have eaten all of Bear Hug’s friends… and Bear Hug themself. Even if humans didn’t normally eat badgers and cats, apparently cultivators consumed all forms of powerful beasts. And Bear Hug knew that some humans ate plants. Or plantlike things, especially medicinal herbs.

Bear Hug would probably be good for things to eat, but unless they were friends he didn’t want to let that happen. Even friends probably shouldn’t be allowed to eat very much of them.

Slowly, Bear Hug came out of hiding. Bear Hug had blocked the entrance to their tunnel- once again courtesy of Mister Dig. If anything had happened, they would have protected their friends, even if they were the first to be hurt. How could they protect Second Gift if they didn’t care for their friends first?

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The Starpiercer had already been on its way to investigate a particular planet when a strange energy was detected. Conclusively pinning down anything more than that it was strange would be a bit premature. Ylvali barely sensed it herself, and the ships’ sensors only noted that it was abnormal. They would need to take further recordings and then perhaps pass the data elsewhere to be analyzed. While the ship’s systems were sufficient to perform any necessary calculations, they might not have the proper specialists.

“It’s not as pretty as Niont, is it?” Ylvali commented. “Well, the oceanic part of Niont, obviously. The surface there is pretty lackluster.”

Adsila watched the screen. “I suppose that depends on your perspective. I think the foggy effect at the border is rather interesting. And there’s a primal beauty to the part of the planet that is on fire.”

“Wanna land there?”

“Of course not. I’d prefer the tolerable zone. Imagine what sorts of unique herbs might grow there. Though I suppose the same could be true of the frozen or flaming segments.”

“It doesn’t seem that the mysterious energy is particularly stronger or weaker on the surface of the planet, so we can take some time there. Give the crew time to stretch their legs.”

The Starpiercer had room for people to walk around, but it was still conservative enough with its usage of space. More relevantly, remaining within the same walls long term wore on the mind. The crew wasn’t actually that bothered, but there was no reason they couldn’t take a break or at least perform different work scanning the planet. Information about the Trigold Cluster as a whole was valuable to the Alliance, after all, not just the occupied systems.

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There were rarely opportunities to set down on habitable planets that didn’t have some human presence, which meant getting permission from the locals to dock and then spending most of their time on diplomatic matters. Sometimes, Ylvali just wanted to spend some time on a deserted planet. And some of this one was nice enough.

The Starpiercer approached slowly, making sure that where they were going to land would support the ship and that the atmospheric composition was breathable. It wouldn’t be as relaxing if people had to walk around in atmospheric suits or to use their energy to produce the same effects.

Surprisingly, the planet’s atmosphere retained a mixed composition despite the extremes- it managed not to be worn away by the cycles of freezing and heating. Or at least, the current levels seemed reasonable for a planet maintaining a stable composition.

Ylvali mostly let Adsila lead their wandering. She didn’t have any particular interest in plants, but her older friend was interested in them for their medicinal properties… or just if they would make good tea, which wasn’t necessarily the same. Poisons were obviously one of the factors as well.

“It’s strange how barren the planet is,” Adsila commented. “Yet at the same time, there are things like this. A bean stalk a kilometer tall. What do you think the benefit of that is?”

“Maybe its seeds get carried away in the high winds, scattering far and wide. Or maybe it is supposed to fall on anything that eats it.”

The stalk itself was durable enough to not easily be bitten into, its body reinforced by the potent energy of the planet. It continued to grow at a rate that would have been easily visible if the upper end did not waggle so far back and forth in the winds. As for how it avoided toppling over without any support, it seemed to actively react to being off center, bending and twisting to balance once more. It likely took a lot of energy, but it had a great bulk to absorb energy as well.

That was likely the most peaceful of the plants they observed, one that entirely stuck to itself. Adsila did indeed find many poisonous specimens- though at the same time there were certain animals adapted to eat their fruits. Others ate them but didn’t survive long, stumbling off to die… at which point a new plant would spring from within their rapidly decaying body.

Adsila was very careful with how she harvested samples of the various plants. Half of them tried to eat her. The poisonous ones at least she could easily ward off with her energy, though it required active concentration. Most beasts wouldn’t be prepared to resist airborne spores.

“Hmm.” Ylvali’s perception wandered from Adsila’s work. “I sensed something particularly strong for a moment. Did you notice?”

“I’m afraid not,” Adsila admitted. “I was focused on collecting these seeds. I’m sure this plant won’t mind too much as long as I scatter a few of them more intentionally.”

“Let’s check it out. Starpiercer,” she called the ship. “Focus sensors on my sector.”

She, the ship, and the crew were tied together. Those sensors were almost herself- though she did still need to receive the majority of feedback indirectly. But it could help narrow down the location of the energy she had sensed.

She might have lost it without the Starpiercer’s addition. Not because the flow of energy was faint, but because it was particularly odd. It was clearly concealed to some extent, but when Ylvali got closer all she saw was… “A plant? Is that it?”

“No. Beneath it there are some animals,” Adsila commented. “It’s… clearly covering them.”

“Strange,” Ylvali said. “Is that… water? A bubble of water around it?”

In this particular place, it was stranger to find liquid water than liquid nitrogen. Obviously liquid water could survive at the current temperatures- little more than a warm summer day- but it certainly wasn’t normal for it to cling to the surface of a plant like that.

Obviously they had to approach. It was so interesting. What sort of symbiotic relationship did animals have with this plant- just strands floating in the water, it seemed. Ylvali realized soon that the strangest part was how there was no structure there- it was actively being held in shape with energy. Actively.

That was even more clear when they got close and it surged forward, energy flaring towards the pair of them. The energy spoke of violence… quite clearly. Violence that would flow from the strange being to the two of them. Strands of energy twisted and turned in bladelike shapes… but they didn’t actually attack.

“... Do you think it’s bluffing?” Ylvali asked. “It’s afraid, right?”

“I would say that but… I think it’s stronger than me?” Adsila tilted her head. “Maybe close to you… without the Starpiercer, obviously. Like a new Integration cultivator.”

Ylvali nodded. “I’m certain it’s strong enough. Do you think we should-”

She was interrupted by additional jabs of energy. They twisted around the pair, but clearly pointed at them. Then the energy stretched off into the distance, a constant flow indicating that they should go. At least, Ylvali felt that was it.

“Are you getting the same sense as me?” Ylvali asked. “Like it’s communicating?”

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Before Adsila could communicate, the thing transformed from a dome shaped blob into… a human shape. Vaguely human, at least. The two arms wagged in a gesture that was clearly a shooing motion.

“I… have no idea what is going on,” the older woman replied. “But it’s clearly… intentional. This is far too complex for an instinctual response.”

Ylvali felt like there was something she was missing, tickling the back of her mind. But ultimately, it didn’t matter. She kept her distance and projected her voice. “I don’t suppose you can speak?”

It didn’t seem it could. But it kept gesturing with body and energy. Ylvali tried to respond in kind. She was unfortunately interrupted by the animals creeping towards the rear of the planty being.

The bubble of water didn’t exactly turn around, but its energy was clearly gesturing to the big badger and some sort of scrawny snowcat. And then there were a few little things riding around on those two. The bubble of water spread out as the badger growled towards the two humans.

Ylvali didn’t actually know what she wanted to say, but she prodded with a strand of her energy to try to draw attention. Feeling the energy of the strange thing, she came up with a question. If she could somehow figure out how to ask it, it would be great.

Was this strange algae being even from this planet? It didn’t feel like it.

She gestured to the thing. To its energy. Then to the planet and space. That could mean so many things, but she was improvising. And she’d learn pretty quickly if the thing didn’t actually have communication skills.