Chapter 9: The Tribal Council and a Shadow's Invitation
The Cloud Serpent Tribe, once a small, vulnerable cluster of huts on the edge of oblivion, slowly began to transform. Liam, now universally hailed as 'The Protector', worked tirelessly alongside Elder Kai, guiding the rebuilding efforts. The beast core, extracted from the Crimson Earthwing Behemoth, proved to be an invaluable resource. Its spiritual essence was used to fortify their newly constructed homes, imbue their tools with subtle enhancements, and, most importantly, to establish a far more robust and complex defensive spiritual array around the entire encampment. This new array, far superior to their shattered old one, hummed with a potent energy, a silent sentinel against future threats.
Liam's unique perception, enhanced by the residual influence of the Star Empress's essence, allowed him to see the intricate flows of spiritual energy with unparalleled clarity. He could detect the subtle flaws in the tribe's traditional formations, suggesting minor adjustments that maximized their efficiency. Under his direction, the defensive array absorbed energy from the surrounding earth and the twin suns with unprecedented speed, making it almost impenetrable to common beasts or low-level cultivators. This practical display of his wisdom further solidified his position, silencing even the most stubborn doubts. Old Man Grumbles, though still grumbling, often found himself nodding begrudgingly at Liam's insightful suggestions, his skepticism slowly giving way to grudging respect.
Beyond defense, Liam also focused on improving the tribe's cultivation methods. He observed the tribe members' dantian with his star-mark vision, discerning their elemental affinities and the blockages in their meridians. He shared simplified meditation techniques from the Star Emperor's Scripture – not the full, profound cosmic arts, but basic principles of energy circulation and absorption that dramatically purified their meager spiritual energies. Many tribe members, who had struggled for years to break through to the Qi Condensation Realm, found themselves making breakthroughs in mere days. A new generation of cultivators began to emerge, their faces filled with fervent gratitude for their young benefactor.
"Liam, your wisdom… it is boundless," Elder Kai declared one evening during a small tribal council, his eyes shining with awe. He sat at the head of the circular gathering, Liam beside him, a position of honor Liam had implicitly accepted. "Our tribe has not seen such rapid growth in centuries. You are truly a blessing from the heavens."
Liam accepted the praise with a quiet nod. He felt a profound sense of responsibility for these people. They were his only family, his anchor to this mortal realm. He knew he couldn't abandon them, not yet. But the allure of the Sanctum, of Lyra's guidance, and the boundless knowledge within the crystalline pillars gnawed at him constantly. His own cultivation, though slowly consolidating at the Foundation Establishment Initial Stage, craved the pure cosmic energy of the Stellar Core. The Star Emperor's Scripture hummed restlessly within him, urging him to ascend, to unravel more of its profound mysteries.
During these weeks, Liam had managed to find a few hours each night to delve deeper into his own cultivation. He meticulously reviewed the knowledge of 'Celestial Wind Arts' and 'Fire Beast Clone' that had been implanted in his mind. He found that without the direct influx of the Stellar Core's energy, progress was indeed slower, but his perception remained sharp. He could still sense the subtle shifts of the wind, manipulate it with increasing precision, and even conjure a small, stable Fire Beast Clone for brief periods. It was a crude manifestation compared to what he achieved with the Empress's essence, but it was his power, earned through his own arduous effort. The headaches from the blue particles were now almost completely gone, mere phantom whispers of the pain they once inflicted, as if his body had finally adapted to the constant influx of cosmic data.
One day, as Liam was inspecting the outermost layer of the new defensive array, a young scout from the tribe, no older than twelve, rushed towards him, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and excitement. "Protector Liam! Outsiders! A large group! They are approaching the tribe!"
Liam's senses immediately flared. He felt a disturbance in the spiritual energy of the surrounding lands, a heavy presence, far more numerous than any beast herd. He quickly perceived their cultivation levels – several dozens in the Qi Condensation Realm, a handful in the Foundation Establishment Realm, and... two, maybe three, in the Golden Core Realm!
The Golden Core Realm. A realm far beyond Foundation Establishment, where cultivators condensed their spiritual energy into a solid, luminous core, granting them immense power and longevity. Elder Kai was still struggling at the peak of Qi Condensation. Liam himself was merely at the initial stage of Foundation Establishment. Facing even one Golden Core cultivator would be a severe challenge, let alone three.
He rushed back to the newly fortified heart of the tribe. Elder Kai and a few other elders were already gathered, their faces grim. "Liam, the scouts report a large party from the 'Desert Viper Clan'," Elder Kai explained, his voice laced with concern. "They are a notoriously ruthless and ambitious clan from the deeper Outer Reaches. They must have sensed the spiritual fluctuations from the Behemoth's death or our new array."
"What do they want?" Liam asked, his mind already formulating strategies.
"Power. Resources. And perhaps... revenge," Elder Kai's eyes narrowed. "The Desert Viper Clan has long coveted the Forbidden Sands. They might believe we have found a treasure, or perhaps they simply wish to assert their dominance. Their leader, Old Man Vile, is a notorious Golden Core Realm cultivator, known for his cunning and cruelty."
Liam knew this was the external challenge he had been anticipating. He could not abandon his tribe now. "Gather all able-bodied cultivators," Liam commanded, his voice calm and authoritative, despite the looming threat. "Activate the full defensive array. Prepare for battle."
Within minutes, the Cloud Serpent Tribe transformed into a disciplined fortress. The new array shimmered with golden light, its intricate patterns radiating immense spiritual pressure. Tribe members, though fearful, moved with a newfound determination, their belief in Liam almost absolute.
The Desert Viper Clan arrived at the perimeter of the array moments later. They were a formidable sight – dozens of hardened cultivators, their faces stern and expressions ruthless, their bodies radiating a sinister aura. At their front stood two imposing figures. One was a wiry old man with a long, braided beard and cold, calculating eyes, whose aura was indeed that of a Golden Core Realm expert. This was Old Man Vile. Beside him stood a beautiful woman, her features sharp and alluring, clad in tight leather armor that accentuated her lithe figure. Her cultivation aura, too, pulsed with the power of the Golden Core Realm. She held a wicked-looking whip, its tip subtly sparking with spiritual energy.
"Cloud Serpent Tribe!" Old Man Vile's voice boomed, imbued with spiritual energy, echoing across the plains. "We know you possess treasures from the Forbidden Sands! And we know you slew the Earthwing Behemoth! Surrender your treasures and submit to the Desert Viper Clan, and we shall spare your pitiful lives!"
Liam stepped forward, his figure small against the shimmering backdrop of the defensive array, but his presence radiated an unyielding will that defied his size. Elder Kai stood beside him, ready to fight.
"Old Man Vile," Liam's voice was calm, cutting through the tense air. "The Cloud Serpent Tribe has nothing to surrender. This is our land. You trespass."
Old Man Vile scoffed, his eyes narrowing. "A mere Foundation Establishment brat dares to speak to me? You slew the Behemoth? Hmph! Impossible! It must have been a fluke, or some ancient relic that expended its power! You are nothing!" He looked at the tribe members with contempt. "You cling to false hope. I offer you mercy. Refuse, and your tribe will join the sands!"
Beside him, the beautiful woman with the whip, whose name was Viper Princess Sael, let out a soft, cruel laugh. Her eyes, like a snake's, fixed on Liam, assessing him. "He may have killed a beast, Elder, but he's just a newly ascended Foundation Establishment cultivator. A single flick of my whip could shatter his bones." Her words dripped with condescension.
Liam's eyes, still subtly infused with the pure perception from the Stellar Core, scanned Old Man Vile and Viper Princess Sael. He saw their spiritual energy, their techniques, their strengths, and their subtle weaknesses. Old Man Vile's Golden Core was stable and powerful, his experience evident in every subtle twitch of his aura. Viper Princess Sael, though younger, possessed a volatile, aggressive Golden Core, her whip technique rooted in speed and piercing strikes. They were formidable, truly on a different level than the behemoth he had faced with borrowed power.
He knew he couldn't rely on the Star Empress's essence this time. That power was gone. This would be a true test of his own strength.
"This array is stronger than you imagine, Old Man Vile," Liam stated, his voice resonating with quiet confidence. "You will not break through it easily. If you insist on hostility, the Desert Viper Clan will face the wrath of the Cloud Serpent Tribe." He omitted mentioning his wrath, unwilling to incite their full force just yet.
Old Man Vile's eyes flashed with anger. "Arrogant brat! Break the array! Let them see the true power of the Desert Viper Clan!"
With a roar, dozens of Desert Viper Clan cultivators surged forward, unleashing a barrage of cultivation techniques. Fireballs, wind blades, earth spikes, and spiritual arrows rained down on the Cloud Serpent Tribe's defensive array. The shimmering golden light of the array pulsed, absorbing the attacks, holding firm. But the sheer force of the Golden Core cultivators' attacks caused visible ripples, and the array groaned under the immense pressure.
Liam watched calmly. He directed Elder Kai and the stronger tribe members to channel their spiritual energy into specific points of the array, subtly reinforcing its weaker sections. His cosmic perception allowed him to anticipate where the most concentrated attacks would land, and he directed the tribe's limited resources with precision. The new array, designed with his knowledge, withstood the assault, surprising Old Man Vile and Viper Princess Sael.
"Hmph! A slightly stronger array!" Old Man Vile snorted, his patience wearing thin. "But it will not hold forever! Sael, deal with this boy. I will break this pathetic shield!" He then channeled his immense Golden Core energy, unleashing a torrent of destructive techniques directly at the array, his attacks far more potent than the combined efforts of his subordinates.
Viper Princess Sael's eyes glinted with a cold, predatory light. "With pleasure, Elder." She flicked her wrist, and her whip, crackling with green spiritual energy, shot out like a venomous snake, easily bypassing the array and striking directly at Liam's chest. Her speed was astonishing, her technique flawless, leaving no room for evasion.
Liam's eyes widened. He hadn't expected her to bypass the array so easily. The whip, imbued with piercing Golden Core energy, struck him squarely. A searing pain erupted in his chest, forcing the air from his lungs. He felt as if a thousand needles had pierced his skin, attempting to rip apart his meridians. He stumbled backward, gritting his teeth, his new Foundation Establishment cultivation base churning wildly to resist the corrosive spiritual energy.
"Foolish boy," Viper Princess Sael scoffed, her lips curling into a cruel smile. "Did you think a mere defensive array could stop a Golden Core cultivator? You are far too naive." She flicked her whip again, preparing for a follow-up strike, her intention clear: to cripple him.
Liam recovered quickly, his body's resilience, honed by the Stellar Core's energy, pushing back against the pain. He knew he couldn't fight Golden Core experts in a direct confrontation with his current strength, not without a secret weapon. And he had one.
He channeled the Fire Beast Clone. This time, however, he didn't manifest a small, wolf-sized figure. He pushed his control to the absolute limit, pouring every ounce of his Foundation Establishment spiritual energy and nascent fire affinity into the technique. The blue particles in his eyes pulsed rapidly, guiding his every intention, forcing the raw fire energy to take a form far beyond what he had managed before.
A massive, roaring tiger, easily three meters tall, its body made of swirling, incandescent flames, erupted from the ground before Liam. Its eyes blazed with intelligent fire, and its claws, sharp as obsidian, emanated scorching heat. The Cosmic Fire Tiger Clone was majestic, terrifying, and pulsed with an intimidating aura that made even Viper Princess Sael's eyes widen in surprise. This was Liam's true power, a manifestation unique to the Star Emperor's Scripture.
"What?!" Viper Princess Sael gasped, her cruel smile vanishing. She hadn't anticipated such a potent manifestation. This was no ordinary Fire Beast Clone. This was... something else entirely. Her whip hesitated in mid-air.
"You underestimate the Cloud Serpent Tribe, Viper Princess," Liam stated, his voice calm, but filled with a new, quiet authority. "And you underestimate me." He pointed his finger at her, and the Cosmic Fire Tiger Clone roared, charging forward, its fiery body tearing through the air, heading straight for Viper Princess Sael. The battle was about to begin.