Earlier that afternoon, Cao Xun was leading his patrol back toward the fortress. Their path narrowed between a low rocky ridge and the grass. Xu Wei followed with his spear in hand, and Jiang Yun walked behind him. Xu Wei was at late-stage foundation establishment, Jiang Yun at mid-stage.
A presence brushed Cao Xun's spiritual sense. He stopped and reached for his saber, searching the grass beside them. He could feel it close by, but could not tell where it was.
Xu Wei glanced at Cao Xun's hand on his saber and brought his spear forward. Jiang Yun reached for his sword.
The grass behind them folded flat. A serpent's head shot toward Jiang Yun's shoulder, its jaws spreading. Qi pressure rolled off the beast. Both guards grimaced, and Jiang Yun froze with his hand on his sword.
Cao Xun crossed the space as quickly as he could. He caught Jiang Yun's robe and pulled him sideways, bringing his saber up against the side of the head. The blow turned the jaws away. It also drove Cao Xun back until his heel struck the ridge and broke through the loose stone.
Jiang Yun drew his sword as Cao Xun released his robe and stepped between the serpent and the two men.
Cao Xun inwardly cursed their luck. A core formation spirit beast, this close to the fortress.
The serpent swung its head back toward Cao Xun. He fed qi into his blade and cut at its mouth. The serpent twisted aside, but Xu Wei thrust his spear past Cao Xun's shoulder toward its open jaws. It lifted its head to avoid the spear tip. Cao Xun stepped in beneath the withdrawing spear and struck its body just behind the head.
His blade cut through scales. Blood spattered the path.
The serpent's body swept toward his legs. Jiang Yun caught Xu Wei by the arm and pulled him back. Cao Xun jumped clear as a coil struck the ridge where he had been standing. Stones flew across the path.
He landed facing it, saber raised. The dark scales were fading. Through the curve of its body he could see the grass beyond, then the head vanished too.
Grass bent to his left. He cut toward it. His blade struck earth, and something heavy scraped across the stones on his right.
Cao Xun drew back before it could close on him.
"Stay behind me. We're going back to the fortress."
Xu Wei and Jiang Yun moved behind him. Cao Xun retreated with them. Whenever he heard something scrape over the stones, he turned toward the sound. The serpent's presence kept brushing his spiritual sense, too indistinct to guide his blade. Twice he stopped when the grass moved, but the serpent did not attack.
They had gained some distance. Xu Wei held his spear ready while Jiang Yun watched for movement along the rocky ridge.
Something slammed into the ridge behind them, blasting stone across the path.
Jiang Yun sprang back, but the flying stones struck his legs and knocked him sideways. Xu Wei seized his arm and hauled him upright. Cao Xun turned with them, already cutting low.
His saber struck the serpent beside Xu Wei's leg, forcing its head aside. A fang tore free of Xu Wei's thigh as he cried out in pain. Blood ran down his leg through the torn cloth.
Cao Xun caught him under the arm with his free hand. Xu Wei leaned against him, his wounded leg trembling.
Cao Xun helped him retreat, keeping his saber raised. Xu Wei managed three steps before his knee folded. Jiang Yun sheathed his sword and caught him under the arms. Cao Xun released his hold as Jiang Yun dragged him toward the broken ridge.
The spear fell across the path.
Cao Xun glanced at the wound. The flesh around it was darkening. Xu Wei was trying to speak, but the words came out thick and unfinished.
"Get him behind the ridge."
Jiang Yun dragged Xu Wei off the path. Cao Xun stayed close, his saber raised.
A stone shifted on the other side of the ridge.
Cao Xun waited with both hands on his saber. If he turned to lift Xu Wei, it would be on them before he could turn back.
The broken stones lurched toward the two men. Jiang Yun threw himself backward, hauling Xu Wei with him. Cao Xun stepped into the gap they had left and swept his saber across it.
The blade struck hard. Weight drove against his arms, carrying him sideways. He let his feet move with it and turned the edge into the neck sliding past him. Qi surged from his core into the saber. Scales grated along the steel before it sank into flesh.
The serpent jerked away. Cao Xun went with the pull, his boots ploughing through the loosened earth. For a moment the head showed beside him, jaws snapping toward his shoulder. He tore his blade free and brought it down again before the neck could slip beyond his reach.
The head struck the path. The body lashed over the stones and hammered the ridge, scattering them around his feet. Cao Xun stumbled back with his saber still raised.
The serpent twisted once more, then lay across the path with its neck cut through.
Cao Xun stood over it until the body stopped moving. His hands ached around the hilt. Behind him, Jiang Yun was calling to Xu Wei.
"Brother Xu. Open your eyes."
Cao Xun turned. Xu Wei lay against Jiang Yun's chest, his head fallen to one side. Cao Xun crouched beside them and swept his spiritual sense over him. He was alive, but he did not respond when Cao Xun touched his shoulder.
"We have to get him back."
Jiang Yun adjusted his hold beneath Xu Wei's head. "I'll help you lift him."
Cao Xun laid his saber beside him, took a bottle from his robe and fed Xu Wei a Basic Antidote Pill. It was meant for common poisons. Against a beast lord's venom, he could only hope it would buy them a little time. Xu Wei did not stir. Cao Xun put the bottle away.
While Jiang Yun supported Xu Wei, Cao Xun picked up his saber and returned to the serpent to cut out its core. He put it in his pouch, wiped his saber on the grass and sheathed it.
He took another small bottle from his robe and tipped two qi-replenishing pills into his mouth. As he swallowed, he looked back along the path toward the grass where the serpent had first struck. Was anything else out there?
Cao Xun put the bottle away and crouched with his back to Xu Wei. Jiang Yun lifted Xu Wei against him. Cao Xun hooked his arms beneath Xu Wei's knees and rose while Jiang Yun steadied the unconscious man's back.
"Run to the fortress and ask Commander Han to send guards to meet us on this path. We need to get Xu Wei inside before the blood draws more beasts."
Jiang Yun picked up the spear and ran toward the fortress.
Cao Xun followed, watching the grass beside the path. He had too little qi left for another fight, and Jiang Yun could not defend them alone. Xu Wei's arms hung loose against his chest. Scavengers would soon find the serpent's carcass. Sending Jiang Yun for guards was their only chance of getting back alive if they ran into more spirit beasts.
...
Han Rui, commander of Azure Dragon's northern section, stood just inside the gate, checking the patrol leaders' names on a board. He had reached Cao Xun's name when the cultivator tending it looked past him toward the entrance.
"Here they are, Commander Han."
The man lifted his rag toward the mark beside the name. Han Rui turned. A cultivator was coming through the gate alone, passing the first of the loaded carts waiting outside.
"Wait. Where are the other two?"
The rag lowered. The returning cultivator came straight to them and bowed.
"Commander. Cao Xun sent me ahead. A serpent beast lord ambushed us. We killed it, but Brother Xu was poisoned. He's unconscious."
Han Rui furrowed his brows.
"Commander Han, I hope you can send some brothers to help me protect Brother Cao and Brother Xu until they make it back to the fortress," the man said.
Han Rui turned to the keeper. "Fetch Master Fan."
The keeper set his rag beneath the board and hurried into the yard.
Han Rui asked where they had parted. The man stepped to the inner edge of the gateway and pointed out the path he had taken back. He said Cao Xun had been carrying their companion toward the fortress. Han Rui joined him and looked down the path, but could not yet see either man.
Inside the yard, three patrol guards were gathering to leave. Their leader came over when Han Rui called him, and the other two waited by the wall.
"Are you heading out on patrol?" Han Rui asked.
"Yes, Commander," the leader said. "We were about to leave."
"Go with Jiang Yun and help Cao Xun bring Xu Wei back," Han Rui told the patrol leader.
The loaded carts began to pass through the gate. Han Rui and the two men moved beside the board to let them into the yard.
An older cultivator sat on one of the carts beside a youth. When the cart stopped beyond the entrance, the older man climbed down and turned to help his companion. The youth brought his feet over the side slowly, one hand braced on the cart. He hesitated before putting his weight forward. The older man steadied him as he stepped down.
The cart rolled a little farther into the yard and stopped.
"If we go with Jiang Yun, we won't have time to finish our patrol this afternoon," the leader said.
Han Rui looked toward the two guards waiting for their leader. They had moved away from the passing carts and stood together near the wall.
"Leave the patrol for today. Keep watch for beasts."
The leader bowed his head. "Yes, Commander Han."
He called the other two guards over. "Lead the way," he told Jiang Yun. The man joined them, and all four passed the last of the carts and continued out along the path.
The older arrival approached with the youth beside him, keeping to the edge of the yard. He stopped a few paces away.
"We are looking for Commander Lu. I am Wang Hongwei. This is Wang Ben. The Prince wrote to him about us."
"I am Han Rui. Commander Lu told me to receive you, Master Wang." He glanced at Wang Ben, who held one hand against his ribs. "There is a bench beside the board. Please sit for a moment. I'm waiting for two men to come back."
"Of course," Wang Hongwei said.
Wang Ben walked to the bench and sat down. Wang Hongwei sat beside him. Han Rui was glad another formation master had come; the fortress needed their skills.
Cao Xun's mark remained beside his name. Han Rui moved to the open side of the gate, where he could watch for the men coming back.
...
Wang Ben had only just settled on the bench when the keeper returned with an elderly cultivator.
"Master Fan," Han Rui said. "One of our guards, Xu Wei, was poisoned by a serpent beast lord. They're bringing him back now."
The alchemist joined him at the gate. Hongwei sat beside Ben, watching the path. A group came into view beyond the entrance.
A guard carried a man on his back. Another cultivator walked beside him, with two more guards following. The man who had led the guards out walked on the carrier's other side.
"Cao Xun," Han Rui called.
Cao Xun looked toward him. "Commander."
Master Fan reached them first. Xu Wei's eyes were closed, his cheek resting against the guard's shoulder. He did not stir when Cao Xun spoke to him. The alchemist took his wrist and pressed two fingers against it. Ben felt the faint stir of spiritual sense as the alchemist began examining the man's meridians.
"The poison is serious," Master Fan said at once. "Set him down."
The guard crouched, and Cao Xun helped lower the man to the ground. He knelt behind him, supporting his head and shoulders. The alchemist knelt in front of them, pulled a small bottle from his robe, tipped a pill into his palm and fed it to the unconscious man.
The man did not open his eyes. Ben watched the alchemist's hands. He thought of his father moving between the beds in Redstone.
"This should slow the poison," the alchemist said. He put the bottle away and rose. "Follow me."
One of the following guards helped Cao Xun settle the man on the carrier's back again. The alchemist led them into the yard. The man who had led the guards out went with them, walking close beside his unconscious companion.
Cao Xun followed Han Rui back toward the board and took a beast core from his pouch. From the bench, Ben could see it resting in his open hand.
"From the serpent we killed," Cao Xun said, offering it to Han Rui. "It kept vanishing while we fought."
Han Rui took the core and turned it in his fingers.
"A beast lord," he confirmed.
[ANALYSIS: Reported concealment is consistent with a male Poison Marsh Serpent. The core's relatively small size suggests early-stage core formation.]
Ben's fingers tightened on the edge of the bench. He remembered Liu Mingde lying on the stretcher, his robes torn and the flesh around his wounds blackened. A Poison Marsh Serpent had killed him. Ben looked toward the yard where the alchemist had taken the injured man.
"We saw spirit beasts well outside the forest today," Cao Xun said. "I've never seen them come this close to the fortress."
"Where did you meet this one?" Han Rui asked, handing the core back.
Cao Xun put it away, then pointed down the path beyond the gate and described where they had fought. The two guards who had remained stood nearby, listening.
Han Rui turned to one of them. "Tell the men on watch about the attack on Cao Xun's patrol. Have them watch the forest approaches closely."
"Yes, Commander," the guard said, and left.
Cao Xun glanced after the alchemist. Han Rui nodded to him, and he bowed before following his companion into the yard. The other guard went with him.
"All three are back," Han Rui told the keeper.
The keeper picked up the rag from beneath the board and wiped away the mark beside Cao Xun's name. Han Rui waited until he had finished, then came over to the bench.
Hongwei rose. Ben put a hand on the bench and stood carefully beside him.
"Welcome to Azure Dragon, Master Wang. And you, Wang Ben," Han Rui said. "Your rooms are ready. You can put down your things and rest."
"Thank you, Commander," Hongwei said. "It will be good to be off the road."
Ben glanced toward their cart. It still stood where the driver had left it, beyond the entrance.
"Our things are on that cart," he said.
Han Rui called the keeper over and pointed it out. "Help them get their things, then show them to their rooms."
"Yes, Commander," the keeper said.
He tucked the rag beneath the board and went toward the cart. Hongwei turned to follow, then paused beside Han Rui.
"Please thank Commander Lu for making the arrangements."
"I will," Han Rui said. "I'm glad you've come, Master Wang."
Hongwei cupped his hands. Ben did the same, then walked with him to the cart. The keeper was already speaking to the driver. When Ben reached for their belongings, the keeper said, "Young Master Wang, allow me." He took them down and kept hold of them.
"This way," he said.
Ben lowered his hands and followed him across the yard, with Hongwei beside him. When he glanced back, Han Rui had returned to the gate.