Forced to Retreat

As they approached the next target, it became immediately clear that something was different.

The differences lay not just in the fact that this outpost was larger and more fortified with multiple layers of defenses.

The main difference was the population of its denizens. The air crackled with the presence of numerous powerful cultivators. Unrestrained, their auras were a palpable force in the early morning's dawn.

Lassim signaled the team to halt, his expression darkening as he surveyed the outpost.

"So, wasn't this supposed to be just another outpost according to the map?" he asked. "It looks more like a command center. They're definitely doing more than just coordinating logistics or staging a defensive point from here."

Aerin frowned, his sharp eyes scanning the area as the wheels of his mind turned, processing the changes. He was formulating what their next action should be.