"From Great River Bank Settlement? Was this caravan truly from such a Settlement?"
"Yes, it was. In fact, if you still have that Jade Slip, I can request an expedition party to retrieve us along the way."
"Unfortunately, I do not know where that Jade Slip is. I suspect the Settlement Lord used it to get in contact with those Demonic Cultivators, or the Demonic Faction they were in. Could you find anything on Life Taming Monarch's corpse?"
"No. I assume he detonated his cores without restraint, destroying just about anything on his person."
"I see..."
Silver Extreme fell into deep thought once again.
'Should we try to evacuate the people to Great River Bank Settlement? I remember when Star Gazing Settlement fell, Lord Immortal Union brought in their refugees...'
It was a solemn thought, being reminded of the Immortal he once served.
'If Dawn has connections to the Cultivators of Great River Bank Settlement, then we could persuade the Immortal Settlement Lord to annex the people of Iron Mountain Quarry Settlement.'
'It would be great if we still had that Jade Slip, but we have no other choice but to arrive unannounced. I wonder if we have any other methods of sending notice?'
Suddenly, knocking Silver Extreme out of his thoughts and grasping Dawn and Heart Tethering Maiden's attentions, a faint pressure could be felt.
It was approaching at a steady speed, yet also quietly.
"It can't be..."
"Dawn, can you assuredly check what that is?"
"Yes."
Saying so, Dawn exited the tent and looked towards the West-Southwestern direction.
A jade green light was approaching rapidly from a distance.
"So, it was another Jade Slip. Who could this be from?"
Awaiting its arrival, the Jade Slip arrived in front of Dawn, who held out her hands beneath it.
"It was for me...?"
She stared at it for a few breaths' time before bringing it inside the tent.
There was a subtle shock on Heart Tethering Maiden and Silver Extreme's faces.
"So it was a jade slip... and you were its receiver?"
"It seems so, Maiden, but who could have sent this?"
There were only three Immortals whom Dawn knew personally.
Her Father was long since dead. Immortal Union died recently.
"It couldn't have been Lord Immortal Adamant...?"
"Check the contents stored within."
Nodding, Dawn hesitated no longer as she instilled the Jade Slip with her Qi, receiving a small flood of information.
Dawn's brows tightened subtly before releasing, allowing her shoulders to relax as she breathed out a breath of turbid air.
"It seems to be from Warrior of Spring... Corpse Mountain Settlement seems to have suffered a similar fate to Iron Mountain Quarry Settlement, having been attacked by a powerful Demonic Faction."
"So it has? I figured that this Settlement wasn't the only victim, but hearing my thoughts confirmed is not reassuring... has he said anything else?"
"Their message has a short retelling of the events which happened, from their first tide, to the initial appearance of the Demonic Cultivators, and the arrival of Call of Winter."
"Call of Winter? She was a State Cultivator, I believe...? So the situation was much worse on their end, I suppose."
"I may be so. Currently, they are planning to evacuate to the site of Union Settlement, but why do that?"
"Hmm..."
Silver Extreme grabbed his chin as he thought. Heart Tethering Maiden chimed in with her thoughts.
"Why don't we join them? I assume that this notice was not merely to share their idea, but to recruit others with them."
"But why would that be? To take refuge at a ruined Settlement, where Demonic Cultivators have laid it to waste?"
"Considering the situation, all subsidiary Mortal Settlements have lost their Immortal backing; they are too weak to stand alone during these times."
"I suppose that is true, especially if you consider the fact that Demonic Cultivators have been acting rather audaciously."
"Indeed. With the beasts, Spirits, and Demonic Cultivators active, the Mortal Settlements are facing incredible strife. I assume that Warrior of Spring and Call of Winter wish to unite anyone they can."
"But what would these mean for them? What do they get out of it?"
"Foundation? Alliances? The wealth and resources of a Mortal Settlement are immense, albeit not as great as an Immortal Settlement."
"Hmm. Either way, we can not be sure for now. Should we send a reply, or a question?"
"I don't think we should do that."
That last voice, that last opinion, was thrown in by Dawn.
"Why so, Dawn?"
"I believe that there was a reason why we received the message first."
"Oh? Do tell."
"The Jade Slip was sent to me; its movements were very precise. I assume that Sun or Warrior of Spring was behind this... But that true intention was to hand it to you, Senior Silver."
"To me...?"
"If what Maiden says is true, that Warrior of Spring or Call of Winter wishes to annex the other subsidiary Mortal Settlements, their word alone would not be enough."
"So they wished to contact me, but had no other choice but to send it to you first..."
"Considering you are a disciple of Union Settlement, your word carries more authority over the other subsidiary Mortal Settlements. Not only that, if you make the mere decision to move, that will allure the other Settlements, too."
"So he wishes to use me to unite the other Settlements? I see... such a subtle scheme that I overlooked."
"I would not have come to this conclusion if not for Maiden's perspective."
Heart Tethering Maiden snorted with pride. Once again, Silver Extreme was drowned in thoughts.
The current situation kept changing, demanding that he change his plans accordingly.
"If we join with Warrior of Spring, then the other subsidiary Mortal Settlements will follow along, falling into the grasp of the Four Seasons' Cultivators."
"But if I refuse to join them, to deviate from whatever scheme they may have set up, then what will the other Settlements do?"
"Truthfully, I do not see an immediate problem with uniting the other Settlements with Warrior of Spring and Call of Winter. They may simply wish to secure the Settlements without backing. But if they have any other harmful ideas, we would not be able to resist."
"Not only are Warrior of Spring and Call of Winter State Cultivators, but also the fourth member of the Four Seasons' Cultivators, Herald of Summer, too."