"The plan is simple. We will need to split into two teams, one builds an array within the town, allowing them to form the most powerful construct they can, while the others sneak into the facility while that is happening, to signal to the sect and beginning sabotaging the whole operation."

They all nodded along to that, all happy with the simple but effective plan.

We would have to move on from that process quickly, though. We had to start implementing it. The backup squad was due in a day or two, but we couldn't be sure if they would actually come to the aid or reclamation of the tower with the internal strife. They wouldn't have heard anything from the survivors, so they may consider it a lost asset and continue with all the operations they still had control over. Losing the assets that were in the tower would not be a big blow in any scenario.

They would have hundreds more Foundation building assets at their disposal, so losing a dozen wouldn't even register with the higher-ups, If I were in their positions, I would cut my losses and focus on the strengths and plans we still had in place that was working.

"So we attack and execute immediately, I will perform one more reconnaissance mission. You prepare the materials needed for the strongest construct we can manage with Yurt as the foundation."

Yurt didn't say anything in the argument, so they all agreed readily, even Bin Ji was set on the course now, steeling her face to look how she imagined a leader should, confident of the course ahead.

Still, her clenched fist spoke to a different story.

All agreeing with the course of action, they quickly moved out to the task at hand. Walking through the base, I was impressed by the zeal of the untested towards combat. They were really looking forward to bringing justice to the scum of the Demon Hair sect no matter the odds, compared to Bin Ji's passive nature, it was really lovely to see.

Leaving the camp, I began to make my way back to the town.

The town had changed little in my few hours gone, still filled with poverty and despair. The beggars had moved from their spots, a new set stood in the prime spots, or they would be if there were any people in the town. The hope still lived on in some of them. making them prime specimens for negative experiments. The hope leaving them slowly allowed a long-term energy source that quite a few demons from the nether and various other voids really enjoyed.

Still, the power of mortals was always limited no matter how dense the population, that was the inherent problem with limiting a populace so much. Even one or two cultivators in the town would greatly increase the return many times over.

The splinter group from the Ghost devouring sect obviously had different reasoning for all the issues they had created for the town. The army powered from a temporary power source of karma that they must have acquired from the main sect. Such power with only the small number of cultivators directly led to the karmic imbalance that they were all suffering from.

It affected people of high cultivation far more than mortals, so the cultivators were suffering from real mental imbalance from cosmic forces. While the mortals were suffering the same from the cultivators, it was quite a nice little circle.

Going through the mansion, seeing those suffering from the effects, was always a startling sight. I had tried to keep my self away from such things. For sect royalty like my prime, it would be seen as greatly weak to resort to such measures that cause long-term issues in my subordinates, something these folk had no issue with.

The long journey down into the depths was as dreary as before. Not much had changed; the people passing me didn't even take a second to see who I was, their glazed eyes and mind leading them down whatever path and thoughts took their fancy.

The army of Hair was as amusing as ever to see. The ever-growing constructs bringing me a greater sense of joy; an army was being built for me right in front of my eyes.

It would be a normal day; for me, it was still a novelty. There weren't any new core formation constructs. I had figured they had come with the initial group as I had yet to see another Core formation cultivator apart from ghost. His had been the only presence that created any danger to my senses, even with minimal. His strength of a mid-core formation couldn't impress me very much.

Moving through the field of arrays and concentrating cultivators, not a one took any notice of me. I was free to stroll around the compound, looking for the central control areas. I could sense that Ghost was in the same place he had been when I first came into the town, at the head of his table of sycophants.

I knew he could sense me much the same as I could sense him. Either way, he seemed unconcerned with what I was doing. There hadn't been a single person trailing me since I entered the place; he was entirely too confident about his dominion over the army and the building.

Something I would hope I would soon be able to change. The control room had yet to appear. I had searched all through the area of the foundation builders. Now I would have to go to the area where the core formation constructs lay dormant.

Moving past them and their still forms, thrumming with power.

The control arrays came into sight.

With it the second Core formation cultivator in the building.

My senses were really letting me down.

His lucid eyes told me all I needed to know about the true power of the operation. His peak core formation power also told all the stories I needed.