bookpub Chapter 187: Setting the Ambush
Chapter 187: Setting the Ambush
Lassim and the team set off from the sect, the air still cool from the ever darkened sky filled with thunder clouds. Their destination lay deep in the southern desert.
Lassim’s speed was the fastest amongst the bunch, but it seemed that each individual on the team had their own movement techniques that sped up the travel quite a bit.
None of them seemed to be as good or as fast as Lassim’s [Tempest Steps], but part of that was possibly the fact that his cultivation level was exceedingly higher than even the group’s leader.
As they moved beyond the reach of the perpetual storm that enveloped the heart of the desert where the Lightning Sect’s headquarters resided, the familiar landscape of dark, cloud-covered skies gave way to the blazing sun and endless sand dunes of the southern side.
The familiar singing dunes were apparently present on the southern side of the desert as well, right along the border to the heart of the desert. Their millions and billions of grains of sand chirping like a chorus of birds rang in Lassim’s ears. Though, they quickly passed by them and continued on.
The journey was long and continued nonstop for the next few days, but the team pressed on with determination and took very few breaks to make it in time to their ambush location.
The sun hung high in the sky, beating down on them relentlessly. However, unlike the northern side where Lassim had initially journeyed, the southern desert was dotted with numerous oasis spots, each a shimmering pool of water surrounded by lush vegetation.
Lassim took in the surroundings, noting the distinct change in terrain and increased frequency of oasis spots as they traveled.
"Why are there so many oases here?" he asked aloud, wiping sweat from his brow as to why passed another grouping of trees surrounding a clear pond. "The northern side didn’t have nearly as many when I traveled through."
One of the other Initiate Rank disciples, a young man named Rylan, explained from beside him. "That’s because we’re approaching the southern side of this continent," Rylan explained. "This area is unique. It’s said that there are underground nodes of Elemental Spirit Stones beneath the sand, which create these oases."
Lassim raised an eyebrow. "Elemental Spirit Stones create water sources too?"
Rylan nodded. "Yes and no. They help the plant life grow and stay healthy, but there’s more to it. There’s an ancient tale about a magical water source deep underground. According to history books, it’s a wellspring of pure elemental water that feeds into the desert, creating these oases.
It’s said there used to be an entire ocean covering this side from a hidden water elemental dimension that leaked out. The ESS nodes act as conduits channeling the water from deep underground, or the hidden dimension, if you believe the tale about the elemental plane that is, to the surface."
Lassim looked around, his curiosity piqued. "A magical water source elemental plane underground? Sounds interesting."
Rylan chuckled. "Perhaps, but it’s a tale passed down through generations. We mainly just use it to spread the knowledge about the oases so that people don’t go and dig up the ESS. If everyone knows that the ESS is the reason why they have water available in the middle of the desert, the easier it is to enforce protection to make sure no one messes with it.
We all need water, especially the weaker cultivators and merchants traveling through. My family is from the south, where we’re headed and I actually took one of the caravans that we’ll be protecting when I first came to the sect. Everyone from there has heard the story many times while growing up."
The group moved swiftly, Darian leading the way with confidence. Lassim observed his surroundings, taking in the vast expanse of sand dunes and the occasional rocky outcrop or oasis that broke the monotony.
The desert was eerily silent though, the only sound the crunch of their footsteps on the sand and the occasional gust of wind. Lassim hadn’t spotted signs of other travelers or even beasts since they left the sect.
Regardless, they made good time, their pace steady and unbroken.
As they arrived at another oasis, Darian called for a halt. "We’ll rest here for a moment before we continue. Make sure to hydrate and meditate if you need to replenish your reserves. I want everyone fully prepared for battle in case we run into the bandits," he instructed.
Lassim took a seat on a nearby rock, pulling out his water flask and taking a long drink. He glanced around at his teammates, noting their focused expressions as some took the time to sit cross legged and meditate. Thankfully Lassim was constantly absorbing and converting divine mana through his progenitor marks, so he was constantly at his peak.
"How much further?" Lassim asked, wiping sweat from his brow before summoning a wave of water elemental mana from the nearby pool to refresh his bottle and cool down his head.
"Not far," Darian replied. "We should reach the ambush point by nightfall. We’ll set up camp and scout out the best ambush point to prepare for the bandits’ arrival."
The team resumed their journey and soon nightfall came. The temperature dropped rapidly, the heat of the day giving way to the chill of the night.
After the sun finally set, they reached their destination just thirty minutes later. That’s when Darian called the group to a halt near a rocky outcrop that provided a good vantage point over the surrounding area.
"This is it," Darian said, surveying the area. "We’ll set up camp here first. Keep your eyes peeled for any signs of the bandits. Once we’re set up, we’ll split into groups of two for some preliminary scouting of the nearby terrain. I’ll assign a rotation so that two people will guard the camp while we conduct our