Counter Bait

At the sound of that low, monotone voice, all three of them turned to see Caelus walk into the hall, holding a strange, mechanical sphere.

"If this is a Great Void Sect ploy, they'll likely underestimate Ryker from his previous performance," he continued, "This may be our chance to glean information, if we can capture their agents."

"That is, of course, if you'd be willing to risk yourself, Hu Long."

Caelus nodded slightly in Hu Long's direction, holding out the strange sphere. It glowed with a blue light, whirring incessantly before gently floating into Hu Long's hands.

"This focus contains several contingency spells designed to keep you alive for as long as possible. We can arrange to test them beforehand, if that would help your decision."

"... No, I trust you. Though, if we can test them just so I can understand how they work…"

As the two of them began discussing how best to go about baiting their would-be baiters, Ryker shook his head, getting between them and giving Hu Long a concerned look.

"Hey, wait, you aren't even gonna think about this?" he started, "If they bring out something stronger than the Steel-Back, you'd be in a lot of trouble, wouldn't you?"

"Don't worry, Ryker. I have some life-saving methods of my own, as well," Hu Long said.

"I just need to hold out until you can get there, right? It shouldn't be a problem."

Ryker folded his arms, letting out a skeptical 'hmm' as Hu Long just gave him a bemused smile.

"You'll be leaving soon, won't you? There's no guarantee they won't still target me after you leave, so I'd like to nip this problem in the bud while I still have your help," he explained.

"Having info on how exactly they're targeting us and getting proof would be of great help if we can bring it to the sect leader. With your influence, I'm sure they'll keep an eye out for me, even once you're gone."

"... Well, if you say so. I guess we really do need to do something about those guys."

There were still some concerns, but Ryker had to admit that the Great Void Sect would be troublesome if they didn't do anything about it. And what Hu Long said was true; just because he and his friends left the Dabang Sect doesn't mean they wouldn't still go after him.

Still, it pricked at his conscience, letting Hu Long be bait. That was usually his job…

"Let's discuss more as the time approaches. For now, we need to get you ready to ascend to Foundation Establishment."

Caelus and Hu Long nodded at each other, heading to the lab, with Cui Feng following meekly behind, having long since resigned herself to her fate as a secondary guinea pig.

The past few days, when they weren't engrossed in sparring, Caelus had been carefully refining Hu Long's foundation with various pills and medicines. He'd taken reference from Mini C's analysis of the Foundation Coalescing pill while alchemizing, almost perfectly recreating its foundation solidifying effects.

Cui Feng, too, benefited greatly from taking part in Caelus's experiments, though not as dramatically as Hu Long. Seeing her reluctance to try the more dangerous pills, Caelus gave her some of the less effective but mostly safe variations. As a result, she was able to safely advance from Sixth Stage to Seventh Stage Qi Refining.

Ryker, on the other hand, was continuing in his role as Caelus's primary test subject. Luckily, they'd been able to pinpoint the most efficient pill for him to consume, which was one refined with the stalks of a Purple Heart Chrysanthemum.

There were of course plenty of side effects, but at least he wasn't exploding…

He'd been able to push his cultivation to the Peak of Foundation Establishment, waiting only for an opportune environment to condense his Golden Core which they surmised would lie within the Pill Saint Mystic Realm.

Even with his increasing strength, however, Ryker couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen.

"I should see if Sis is gonna be back anytime soon… Mini C, can you put me through with C's compad?"

[One moment…]

Ryker patiently watched the compad's ringing screen as Mini C connected him to his sister, as he thought about what he could do to ensure their plan goes off without a hitch.

—

Two days later…

"Little Hu Long, you've ascended to Foundation Establishment?"

Wang Mang was in a state of disbelief as he and Hu Long walked from Caelus's villa, getting ready to meet up with the rest of the expedition team outside the sect.

"Indeed, Sir Caelus's methods are truly miraculous."

"Haha, don't sell yourself short, Little Hu! I'm sure it's thanks to your natural talents, as well!"

Hu Long smiled at Wang Mang's jovial praise, but inwardly, he kept his guard up, keeping in mind that it all might be a ruse.

He really didn't want to believe Wang Mang was involved in a plot to kill Ryker. The older youth was one of the few peers back in Wandering Battle City that never despised or looked down on him, and he had fond memories of them training martial arts together.

It would be best if all of their speculation was just that, and this really would just be a simple expedition with an old friend.

But a feeling in his gut told him that the timing was too coincidental, and the years of suffering insult from the rest of his so-called 'friends' back home only intensified his pessimistic premonition.

"Is something wrong, Little Hu?"

"No, just a bit nervous. I've never really been good with formations."

He lied through his teeth, masking his misgivings so as to not tip off Wang Mang. Whatever he was feeling, he still had to confirm whether this was a Great Void ploy, or not.

'Foolish disciple. I still think putting yourself at risk like this is folly.'

As they walked, a gravelly voice filled his head, his master once again voicing her dissent.

'Maybe, but this is a good chance to pay them back for everything they've done for me,' Hu Long thought back in reply, 'And you also agreed that the Great Void Sect would be a future danger, didn't you?'

'Yes, but the solution to that is to lay low and get stronger! You also felt the aura of the expert that was present during the demon beast's attack. Do you think you would last a moment against them, as you are now?'

Hu Long mulled in silence over this. Indeed, he had sensed the presence of another cultivator, back when he and Ryker were attacked by the Steel-Back Wraith.

They seemed content to simply watch the events unfold, much to his luck; if they had intervened, neither he nor Ryker would be alive right now, he believed. His master told him that the expert was only in the Golden Core realm, but he had felt a heavy killing intent emanating from them, stronger than any he had ever felt before.

He didn't know that they were from the Great Void Sect, at the time, but if that was the case, why hadn't they taken the opportunity to kill them? Just what were they after?

'... Of course I'll take caution, Master. But I still think helping Ryker and his friends is the right thing to do.'

There was only silence in response, though he could feel his master shaking her head in resignation. Still, he could only smile ruefully, unmoving in his beliefs.

A drop of water should be repaid with a surging spring, after all.

—

Outside the gates of the Dabang Sect, a small group of disciples stood idle, only stirring once Wang Mang and Hu Long arrived.

Their meeting was an uninteresting affair, though there were of course those that looked at Hu Long with jealousy or disdain.

In the eyes of the ordinary disciples of the sect, Hu Long was like a shooting star, rising to the position of outer disciple from a servant, even under the suppression of Elder Jiang, who was a prominent figure in his own right.

It didn't help that his breakthrough from Qi Refining to (now) Foundation Establishment was attributed mostly to Caelus, the strange guest cultivator that had made his home at the sect, recently. To them, Hu Long was just a brown-noser who made a lucky connection, hugging Caelus's thigh.

As for what Hu Long thought of all this…

So what?

He'd hug as many thighs as it took, as long as he could get stronger!

Shame? What was that? Could you eat it?

Having shame wouldn't get him his revenge, so he might as well be shameless.

They soon departed for the Nine Revolutions Maze, Hu Long doing his best to remain aloof and ignore the occasional dirty look thrown his way.

However, perhaps because of this, he missed the cold, ruthless gaze of a certain Disciple Yao, who was taking up the rear behind them…