The month of quiet cultivation within Aethelgard passed in a focused blur for Li Yu. He emerged from his secluded courtyard feeling fundamentally stronger.

He found Jian Xuan sparring with some of the city's garrison troops in a large training field. Jian Xuan moved like a golden-white whirlwind, his swordplay fluid, free, joyful and utterly overwhelming. He hadn't broken through to the next Soul Formation level, but the 'Singing Blade of the Unfettered Heart' he'd learned in the Ruins had clearly elevated his combat prowess significantly.

"Brother Li!" Jian Xuan called out, sheathing his sword as he saw Li Yu approach. "You emerge! Your aura... it feels even more profound! Excellent! The Crab God rewards diligent cultivation!"

"You seem stronger as well," Li Yu noted.

"Ah, the library was generous," Jian Xuan beamed. "This new sword art... it’s principles, it sings to my very soul! But alas," he sighed dramatically, "no breakthrough. Have you heard? Grand Elder Theron arrives the day after tomorrow. Prophet Khaos's guard duty is officially over."

"I thought as much given the time," Li Yu said. "Any incidents while I was away?"

Jian Xuan shook his head, his cheerfulness momentarily fading. "None. Utterly, dreadfully quiet. It's unnatural. An entire month and the cultists haven't done anything. Or at least that’s how it seems. It's as if the entire continent is holding its breath."

It was strange. The lull Theron had predicted had held firm. Li Yu had expected at least minor skirmishes to resume once the three-day truce ended but reports from across the southern continent indicated an almost unprecedented period of inactivity.

Both sides seemed like they were focused entirely on absorbing their gains from the Ruins, wary of provoking conflict before they were ready. It felt less like peace and more like the tense silence before a tsunami.

"Since we have two days," Li Yu suggested, "perhaps we should see the city?" He hadn't explored Aethelgard at all.

Jian Xuan's eyes lit up. "An excellent idea! A brief respite before the inevitable storm!"

They left the training grounds and walked through the streets of Aethelgard. It was a city built for war, scarred but resilient. Unlike the rough mining outpost of Blackstone Gully or the functional fortress of Fort Torrent, Aethelgard possessed an ancient enduring quality. Its walls were impossibly thick, built from massive blocks of obsidian-like stone that have been worn over time. Strange multi-layered arrays pulsed faintly within the walls, remnants of defenses built over millennia.

The architecture was a mix of sturdy, pragmatic military structures and surprisingly elegant spire-like towers that reached towards the sky. Many bore the marks of recent battles but repairs were already underway.

They saw unique shops selling local Aethelgard specialties: 'Glimmer-weave Fabric,' known for its faint, inherent resistance to Qi attacks and 'Deep Iron Ore,' a metal found only in the mines beneath the city. It was prized for its ability to channel spiritual energy and its high physical resistance.

The citizens regarded Li Yu and Jian Xuan with caution. They didn't recognize the specific white robes or the individuals, as neither had operated openly within the city before. However, the sheer power radiating from Jian Xuan's undisguised Soul Formation aura marked them as significant figures. He always flared it proudly, wanting to be noticed and admired.

People kept their distance, whispering amongst themselves. They were likely speculating about their identities or connection to the terrifying Prophet Khaos whose oppressive presence still lingered over the city from the central spire. There was wariness but no hostility.

Two days later, Grand Elder Theron arrived and he was accompanied by a small contingent of Forest of the Radiant Dawn elders and disciples. He looked weary from all the work he has had to do but was relieved to see Aethelgard still standing and untouched. His first act was to formally meet with Khaos.

Li Yu and Jian Xuan were present for the brief exchange. Khaos emerged from his spire, his aura as cold and indifferent as ever.

"Prophet Khaos," Theron said, offering a respectful bow. "On behalf of the Allied Forces, I thank you for standing guard over Aethelgard during this critical period. Your presence has been an invaluable deterrent."

Khaos merely inclined his head slightly. "The transaction is now complete. Thanks are unnecessary." His gaze flickered towards Li Yu and Jian Xuan, a silent acknowledgment that they were even there. He simply went to stand silently near Li Yu and Jian Xuan

Theron sighed softly. Dealing with Khaos was like negotiating with a force of nature. He turned to Li Yu and Jian Xuan, his expression warming considerably.

"Commander Little Crab, Commander Jian Xuan. Your efforts at the beginning of this war... you helped to shift the balance when we needed help the most. Countless lives have been saved because of your intervention. You have the Alliance's gratitude."

"We merely follow the Crab God's will, Grand Elder," Jian Xuan declared piously. Li Yu simply nodded. "We fulfilled our agreement as allies."

"Indeed," Theron said. "With Khaos's duty fulfilled and the continent in this strange lull, you are free to move as you wish for a time. Explore and see what this beautiful continent is like with no fighting. Should hostilities resume, I trust we can call upon your aid once more?"

"If the cause aligns with the Crab God's divine plan," Jian said grandly. "And of course, If the terms are agreeable."

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Theron chuckled. "Of course. Travel safely, Commanders."

Li Yu, Jian, and Khaos were preparing to leave Aethelgard. Their plan was not to cultivate further immediately; Li Yu, while at the peak of Core Formation, felt the true breakthrough to Soul Formation was still distant, requiring more insights or perhaps a specific opportunity.

Instead, they intended to travel the southern continent as Theron suggested. Spending at least a few weeks doing so before returning home. It would be an opportunity to see this land that they might not return to for a while and to seek out potential resources, hidden dangers or perhaps engaging targets of opportunity among the scattered Cultist forces, adding to their personal wealth.

Just as Li Yu was about to summon Tempest and Khaos was about to return to the Koi Sanctuary, the ground trembled.

It wasn't a localized quake. It was deep and violent, seemingly shaking the entire continent to its foundations. Dust rained from the ancient walls of Aethelgard. Cultivators stumbled, alarms blaring across the city.

"What is this?" Jian Xuan exclaimed.

Before anyone could answer, far away the sky tore.

Way off in the distance, miles beyond Aethelgard's walls, a massive swirling vortex of black-red energy ripped open in the sky. It looked horrifyingly familiar.

"Like the Ruins..." Li Yu breathed, his eyes narrowed. "When the demons arrived."

Khaos who was beside him said nothing, his gaze fixed on the rift, his usual indifference replaced by a flicker of... something else. Calculation? Interest?

Without a word the three of them shot into the sky. Theron and others, equally alarmed followed them

They flew towards the disturbance. As they neared, the rift pulsed and figures began to spill out.

It was Demons.

A chaotic torrent poured forth. Some were horned and hulking, others slender and shadow-wreathed. Some insectoid with multiple limbs and others wreathed in chilling frost or unnatural flames. They poured forth like insects from a hive.

But unlike the organized force from the Ruins, this group seemed... chaotic. Disoriented. And weaker. Li Yu's spiritual sense scanned them, mostly Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment with only a handful of Core Formation demons mixed in. They were looking just as confused as the humans arriving here and a bit battered.

Theron flew forward, his 6th-Level Soul Formation aura flaring. "Demons! Halt! By what right do you invade this realm? Speak your purpose!"

The demons looked startled by his presence, milling about in confusion. One of the Core Formation demons, a four-armed brute similar to Ur'goth but clearly younger and weaker, hesitantly flew forward.

"Invade?" the demon asked, his voice surprisingly clear, speaking the same language as them like the other demons. "We do not invade! We... we don't know how we got here!"

Theron frowned. "Explain."

"There was... a storm," the demon stammered, clearly intimidated by Theron's aura. "A violent tear in the sky in our own realm. It sucked us in! We were flung through... chaos... and then we appeared here! We seek no war with this realm! We merely seek passage back!" He gestured to the disorganized, low-level demons behind him. "Would we invade with such a weak force? With mere fledglings?"

His words rang true. This was not an invasion force. But if they weren’t an invasion force, what was going on here.

Just as Theron was processing this, his communication token flared urgently. He activated it. Reports flooded in from across the entire southern continent.

Massive rifts, identical to this one, were opening randomly. Near Blackstone Gully. Close to the Serpentwood Marsh. All around. And demons were pouring out of all of them. Most were weak like this group but some reports mentioned sightings of stronger demons, even a few isolated Soul Formation individuals, looking equally confused.

"Grand Elder, what are your orders?" a voice crackled from the token. "Do we engage?"

Theron's mind raced. This didn’t seem like an invasion. It was a random, chaotic event. Perhaps a backlash from the dimensional instability caused by the Ruins? To attack these disparate, confused groups might eliminate a minor threat, but it could also provoke the true Demon Realm.

If word got back that humans were slaughtering their accidentally exiled brethren... it could trigger a genuine, full-scale war. It might not come any time soon but it could come and he would be a sinner to the human race.

His decision was swift and pragmatic. "Do not engage!" he ordered, his voice sharp. "These demons are not invaders; they appear to be refugees or exiles. Establish containment perimeters around each rift. Treat them as... guests, for now. Offer basic sustenance but restrict their movement absolutely. Assign Soul Formation experts to oversee each major containment zone. We will not provoke a wider conflict until we understand the situation."

He turned back to the Core Formation demon before him. "You and your people will be escorted to a designated area. You will remain there. You will not cause trouble. Attempt to leave and you will be treated as hostile invaders. Understand?"

The demon, seeing the array of forces now surrounding them, wisely bowed its head. "We... understand. We seek only refuge until we figure out what is going on and how to get back to our own lands."

Theron issued further orders through his token. Construction teams were dispatched. Temporary containment zones—large areas surrounded by powerful arrays and guarded by allied troops—began to be erected around each rift location across the southern continent.

The demons, under the command of their few stronger members reluctantly complied, moving into the designated zones. It was confinement but it was better than annihilation. Li Yu watched the process unfold. He tried probing the rift with his spiritual sense. It felt violent and unstable and he wondered if they could cross through it.

Someone had already beaten him to it, an elder from the forest tried throwing objects through the rift but it merely bounced off of it. He then tried throwing a random beast he brought out of his beast bag through the rift and it also merely bounced off it. It would seem that the rift is just one way, at least for now.

"Grand Elder," Li Yu asked Theron, "Is this happening elsewhere?" His mind snapped to his home continent. The forces of the southern continent were somewhat prepared for such a thing. His own home was not, if the same thing was happening there, he would need to get back immediately.

Theron shook his head but still looked grim. "I've already contacted the Gatekeepers and liaisons on the central and northern continents via long-range transmission arrays. They report nothing is happening on any of the other continents. No rifts, no demons. It seems... this phenomenon is localized entirely to the southern continent."

“Why? Why only here? Was it related to the Ruins? Was it related to the Cultists' activities? Or was it something else entirely?” An Elder of the Forest spoke to himself loudly. His thoughts echoing what everyone was thinking.

Khaos continued to stare at the rift, as though he was trying to see through it and what was on the other side.

The brief period of peace was over. A new unknown variable had just been thrown onto the already chaotic chessboard of the southern war. Tens of thousands of demons, scattered, confused but undeniably present were now trapped on their continent.