Midway through on their trip back to the sect, Red stopped in the middle of the road. He was leading the group back, so they all froze with him and looked at the youth with confused gazes.

“What is it?” Allen asked. “Did you notice something?”

Red shook his head. “No. We’re not being followed as far as I can tell.”

“Then what is it?” Domeron asked.

“I need to check on something. Before we return to the sect, that is.” Red said.

The swordsman frowned. “Alone?”

“Yes.” Red nodded.

Rimold glared at him. “Are you insane? Didn’t you just tell me that the imperials can track us through some magical means? What if some assassin targets you?”

“I can disguise myself.” Red said.

The rogue seemed taken aback. “… Even then, you still shouldn’t be alone! I’ll go with you.”

“No.” Red cut him off. “I need to do this alone or else there is no point to this.”

‘You’re the last person I can take alongside me.’

Domeron seemed hesitant, but he still nodded in the end. “You understand this threat better than any of us, so I believe in your capability to deal with these risks. That being said, you should be quick about doing whatever it is you need to do. Do you understand?”

Red nodded. “It shouldn’t take long.”

Allen also stared at Red with concern. “Be careful.”

“I will.”

It didn’t take long for them to separate. Rimold, in particular, gave him a meaningful stare before they parted ways. Above everyone else, Red had worked a lot with the rogue over these past few years, so they acquired a deep understanding of each other’s mannerisms.

Rimold, in turn, knew that whenever Red went out of his way to tend to secret personal matters, it couldn’t mean anything safe for the rest of them. The rogue, however, couldn’t imagine that this was related to his own personal safety.

Once Red couldn’t detect his companions with his crimson sense, he started to move. He sneaked through the town, and in a few minutes, he arrived at another hideout in the middle of a few ruined buildings - an old cellar hidden amidst bricks and toppled walls - a different one than the one they had just been at.

This hideout in particular wasn’t known by Rimold or anyone else. It wasn’t that Red suspected the rogue of foul play, but he already experienced his companions being possessed by malicious forces. He couldn’t discount the possibility that this had happened again.

The cellar was empty for the most part, barring the broken remains of wine barrels and appliances. As soon as he made sure the room was clear, he took out the insectoid core from his pouch and stare at it intently.

“What happened?” Red asked.

“What do you mean?” Aurelia’s voice echoed in his ear. “If something happened, I would have told you about it.”

“What happened?” Red frowned and repeated the same question.

There was an extended silence following his question.

“… I thought it would be better to be safe, so I decided to hide myself.” Aurelia said in a resigned tone.

‘Like I thought.’

“What exactly did you sense?” Red asked.

“The man you met, he had traces of a strange energy in his body, something I’ve never felt before. That, coupled with the story he told, made me think twice about showing myself in front of him.”

Red frowned. “What was so strange about this energy?”

“It was extremely faint, so much so that even a cultivator at the Spirit Core Realm wouldn’t be able to feel it. The only reason I could detect it is because of the resonance this energy seemed to have with his soul…” Aurelia trailed off. “Wait! Did you see it too?!”

Red nodded. “I saw an aura surrounding his body. I couldn’t tell much more besides that.”

“That… Even with your new ability, you’re still not even in the Lesser Ring Realm! How could you possibly sense it?”

The youth obviously didn’t know how to respond to her, so instead he shifted topics. “Was he being possessed?”

“… No, I don’t think so. Whatever this energy was, it was far more subtle than what I’ve ever seen in a possessed individual.” Aurelia said. “I can’t really tell you for sure what this energy is doing without examining it more closely, and I don’t think any of us wants to risk it.”

Red hesitated. “… The rest of his story, do you have any insights about it?”

“Depends on what way. His story does sound absurd just by virtue of how unlikely it is for this kind of bone dagger to remain hidden for so long in such a remote region, but it’s technically not impossible. Some treasures have a way of influencing their surroundings through natural phenomena in various ways, and it would certainly explain the strange disappearances… However, if it’s really some kind of demonic influence behind this, it raises another problem.”

“You’re saying it might be responsible for what’s happening to Rimold?” The youth followed her logic.

“Very likely. Maybe just by looking into this matter, he could have attracted the attention of whatever is behind this, in which case it’s safe to assume nothing good is waiting for him in the future.”

Red frowned. It was all the more reason to look into this matter.

“Do you think it’s safe to investigate this?” Red asked.

“Safe? Absolutely not.” Aurelia said with a mocking tone. “If it’s really a treasure of a near-ascendent cultivator, just by being near it, you might be torn to shreds… However, these effects your friend talked about seem rather subdued and random for a treasure at that level, which tells me either this thing is in a weakened or hibernating state, or it isn’t as strong as we might think.”

Red raised his eyebrows. “Are you telling me there’s a chance?”

“There could be, as long as you are aware of the inherent risks of this.” Aurelia said. “All I’m telling you comes from my knowledge and experience, but I can’t claim to be completely confident. After all, I still don’t know what this energy in your friend’s body is doing, and there’s no guarantee the same thing won’t happen to you if you look into it.”

Red frowned. “Do you think this could be connected to my curse?”

Aurelia scoffed. “How would I know? I don’t even understand the nature of this curse, much less what might be connected to it. Still, judging from how many weird things have been happening in this region, it wouldn’t surprise me if there was a connection.”

“… So what do you recommend?”

“… I think taking risks is an inherent part of a cultivator’s journey.” Aurelia said after some thought. “Death and injuries might come to those that brave danger, but those that avoid it will definitely never reach the end of this path.”

The youth sighed. “What’s the point of being so enigmatic?”

“What enigma?! If you can’t understand the meaning behind my words, then you’re the one with an issue!”

Red, of course, understood what she was saying. The rewards that could help the youth in his path would never come free of risk, and if he wanted a chance of walking further on this road, he would obviously need to explore every option. Suffice it to say, a bone dagger made out of the body of a cultivator that was at the very least on his master’s level could change his entire outlook into the future, even if it came with a great danger.

Not to mention, there was still the possible connection with the underground to explore.

“Will you tell me if you sense anything strange?” Red asked.

Aurelia snorted. “Isn’t it clear at this point that our fates are tied? If you were to die, I would likely just fall into the hands of a necromancer or one of these imperials and be at their mercy!”

Red assumed this was a yes, so he didn’t say anything else. He stored the core back in his pouch and left his hideout.

The youth was never one who liked to rely on others for help, but after having the ghostly woman around for long enough, he couldn’t deny her usefulness. Without her, he would never have been able to disguise his presence from the imperial’s tracking method, and he could have also died in that ghoulish ambush.

It wasn’t that Red changed his mind about trying to be independent, but he would be foolish not to recognize he was out of his depth here. As long as Aurelia was willing to provide her help in making it through these dangerous waters, the youth was more than happy to play along with her idea of an alliance for now.

…

Some twenty minutes later, Red returned to the sect.

He could sense the presence of Rimold, Allen, Domeron, and Hector in the meeting room. Surprisingly enough, there were no sounds of discussion, and Red was greeted into the room by the sight of Hector sitting at the head of the table with a thoughtful expression.

He looked up upon the youth’s arrival. “We were waiting for you.”

Red looked around, noticing Rimold’s troubled expression. “Did they already tell you everything?”

“They did.” Hector nodded. “You really are willing to go investigate this matter?”

“I think it’s worth looking into.”

“I think so too, but the danger can’t be understated. If this is really something related to a cultivator that powerful, then it’s beyond any of us to try to control it.”

“I have my ways of dealing with that kind of danger.” Red said. “If things seem to be getting out of hand, then I won’t hesitate to back away.”

Hector frowned and seemed to be considering something. However, before he could say anything, Domeron gave him a deep glare from the other side of the table, and the elder fell silent.

Red and the others all noticed this exchange, but they thought better than to ask what it meant.

Hector looked back at Red. “Domeron is going with you. As much experience as you have in these matters, it will do you good to listen to his advice and follow his commands when things get dire. Do you understand?”

Red nodded. “I do.”

“Good.” Hector looked back at Rimold. “As for you, you are forbidden from leaving the sect for the foreseeable future. Allen will be looking after you, as the others suggested.”

Rimold nodded with some reluctance. “I understand.”

“Good, then there is nothing more to say.” Hector got up from his chair and looked at Red and Domeron. “I will leave the specifics of this mission to you both. I’m sure you can figure it out.”

With those words, Hector returned to his room upstairs. Red and his companions were surprised by how brief the discussion on a matter of such import was, and for a moment, they were all baffled by how swiftly Hector ended their discussions.

Allen was the first one to break the silence, though.

“Right, you can move to my room for now, Rimold!” Allen said, looking over at the rogue. “I need to make sure you don’t do anything stupid!”

“I’m not going to sleep in your room, you stupid brat!” Rimold glared at the young master before storming out of the room in anger.

“Ah, wait, where are you going?!” Allen followed behind the man in a hurry.

A few moments later, only Domeron and Red were left in the meeting room.

Red looked over at Domeron with a frown. “What was that about?”

Domeron shook his head with a helpless smile. “Hector probably wanted to investigate it himself.”

The youth was surprised. “… Why?”

“I suppose he feels reluctant to risk your life in such a dangerous task after what happened to Rog. Unfortunately, if he left the sect, it would instead risk the life of everyone else in here.”

“Is that why you are coming?” Red asked. “To look after me?”

“We lost Narcha and Eiwin already, and after what happened to Rog, our sect’s strength is at the weakest it’s ever been.” Domeron said. “Right now, what matters the most is to protect our future, and if we lose you too, then I think none of us can survive what’s yet to come.”

Red didn’t know how to respond to this.

Domeron smiled. “That is why you need to live, Red. Understood?”

The swordsman didn’t wait for his response and walked outside of the meeting room, leaving Red to ponder upon his words by himself.