The formal summons arrived three days after the initial dispatch.
Wang Ben stood in the clan's great hall as Patriarch Wang Tiexin broke the seal on the second scroll, its contents confirming what everyone had expected. The Azure Dragon Fortress had accepted the Wang Clan's proposed delegation, and reporting instructions followed in precise military language.
"Deployment begins in twelve days," the patriarch announced to the assembled council. "Formation support personnel are to report to the Western Transit Station for escort to the fortress. Standard military protocols apply during the journey and throughout the service period."
Twelve days. Less than two weeks before Wang Ben would leave the relative safety of Redstone City for the realities of the kingdom's war front.
[DEPLOYMENT TIMELINE ANALYSIS]
[Days until departure: 12]
[Transit time to fortress: Approximately 8-10 days via standard routes]
[Total journey: 20+ days including processing]
[Service period: 20 days at fortress location]
[Estimated return: 6-7 weeks from departure]
The numbers painted a picture of extended absence. Nearly two months away from home, from his cultivation routines, from the careful balance he had maintained since the political resolution.
"The delegation composition is finalized," Elder Wang Hongwei said, consulting his own copy of the instructions. "Myself as senior formation master. Three mid-level formation masters. And Young Master Wang Ben as junior formation master."
Junior formation master. The title was appropriately humble for someone of Wang Ben's cultivation level, even if his actual capabilities far exceeded what the designation suggested. It would allow him to contribute without attracting undue attention.
"There's an additional consideration." The patriarch's voice drew attention back to the central platform. "Zhao Yu has requested permission to accompany the delegation as personal security for Young Master Wang Ben."
Wang Ben felt surprise ripple through his composure. He hadn't known Zhao Yu intended to make such a request.
"Zhao Yu's cultivation is early-stage qi condensation." Elder Wang Hongwei's tone carried skepticism. "The fortress environment will be dangerous for someone of his level. Is personal security truly necessary for a formation support mission?"
"Young Master Wang Ben has survived one assassination attempt." The patriarch's response was measured. "His value to both Bastion and kingdom interests makes him a potential target. Having dedicated security is prudent, not excessive."
[ASSESSMENT: Zhao Yu accompaniment request]
[Probable motivation: Personal loyalty, debt obligation from prior life-saving incidents]
[Security value: Moderate. Battle Soul capabilities provide enhanced combat awareness]
[Risk factor: Zhao Yu's lower cultivation makes him vulnerable in high-threat environments]
[Recommendation: Accept with conditions. Zhao Yu's instincts have proven valuable in crisis situations]
The council debated briefly before reaching consensus. Zhao Yu would accompany the delegation, officially listed as Wang Ben's personal attendant rather than security. The distinction was subtle but important for the political optics of sending a qi condensation cultivator to a mortal shedding battlefield.
"Then it's settled." The patriarch rose, signaling the formal conclusion of proceedings. "The delegation departs in twelve days. May your cultivation serve the kingdom's defense."
Wang Ben found Zhao Yu in the training yard afterward, the young warrior running through combat forms with the focused intensity that characterized everything he did.
"You didn't tell me you were requesting permission to come."
Zhao Yu completed his current sequence before responding, his breathing barely elevated despite the physical exertion. "I wasn't certain the patriarch would approve. No point discussing it until the decision was made."
"You could be killed." Wang Ben kept his voice level, though concern colored his words. "The fortress is under active assault. The casualty rates are significant."
"And you could be killed." Zhao Yu sheathed his practice sword, turning to face Wang Ben directly. "You saved my life twice. Once in the Blackwood, once during the Xue compound battle. You think I'm going to sit in Redstone City while you walk into a war zone without backup?"
[ANALYSIS: Zhao Yu's stated motivation]
[Primary driver: Personal debt and loyalty]
[Secondary factor: Battle Soul instincts may recognize enhanced threat environment]
[Behavioral pattern: Consistent with established character. Zhao Yu prioritizes obligation over self-preservation]
"Your Battle Soul abilities make you more effective than your cultivation suggests," Wang Ben acknowledged. "But they also make you a target. If the enemy identifies someone with precognitive combat senses..."
"Then I'll deal with it." Zhao Yu's expression hardened. "Wang Ben. I know you're carrying secrets. I know there's more to your capabilities than you've told anyone. I'm not asking for explanations. I'm asking for the chance to stand beside you when it matters."
The directness of the request cut through Wang Ben's objections. Zhao Yu wasn't naive about the risks. He understood what the fortress represented and had chosen to face it anyway.
"Thank you." Wang Ben extended his hand in the formal gesture of alliance. "I'll try to keep us both alive."
Zhao Yu clasped his hand firmly. "That's the plan."
They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of the commitment settling between them. Zhao Yu had become more than a retainer over the past months. More than an ally bound by obligation. He was becoming something closer to the sworn brother that the old cultivation traditions spoke of, someone whose loyalty was personal rather than political.
"There's something else," Zhao Yu said, releasing Wang Ben's hand. "Something I noticed during the assassination attempt."
Wang Ben's attention sharpened. "What?"
"The way you moved. The techniques you used." Zhao Yu's voice was careful, measuring each word. "They didn't match your cultivation. They didn't match anything I've seen from anyone in the clan. It was like watching a completely different person."
[ALERT: Observation regarding combat anomalies]
[Subject Zhao Yu has noticed discrepancies between stated and demonstrated capabilities]
[Recommendation: Acknowledge without explanation. Zhao Yu's loyalty has been proven through action]
"I have resources that others don't," Wang Ben said, echoing the partial truth he had shared with others. "Advantages from my training that I can't fully explain. They saved my life that night."
"I know." Zhao Yu nodded slowly. "I'm not asking what they are. I'm asking if you can use them at the fortress. If whatever you did that night is something you can do again when we need it."
"Yes." The word came without hesitation. "When it matters, I can do what's necessary."
"Then that's enough." Zhao Yu's smile was brief but genuine. "Whatever secrets you're carrying, they're yours to keep. I just wanted you to know that I've seen enough to trust them."
Wang Ben felt something ease in his chest, a tension he hadn't realized he was carrying. Trust given without demand for explanation. It was more than he had expected, and exactly what he needed.
"Thank you," he said quietly. The words felt inadequate, but Zhao Yu seemed to understand.
The preparation montage that followed consumed the remaining days before departure.
Wang Ben reviewed his formation tools and materials, ensuring everything was properly maintained and packed. The work required for fortress infrastructure would demand specialized equipment, and replacement supplies would be limited once they left Redstone City.
[INVENTORY CHECK: Formation supplies]
[Formation chalk: 12 cases (premium grade), sufficient for 40+ array implementations]
[Resonance crystals: 8 (grade 7), 15 (grade 8)]
[Binding compounds: 6 containers, various formulations]
[Tool kit: Complete, recently maintained]
[Personal cultivation supplies: Standard allocation]
[Note: Consider acquiring additional materials before departure. Fortress supply lines may be constrained]
He took the System's advice, spending much of the afternoon at the Merchant Association acquiring supplementary materials that might prove useful. The vendors who had once treated the Wang Clan with wariness now offered respectful service, the political resolution having shifted perceptions throughout the city's commercial district.
"Young Master Wang." The formation supplies merchant bowed with genuine respect as Wang Ben entered his shop. "We received word that your clan would be supporting the western front. A noble contribution to the kingdom's defense."
"The obligation was established during the recent negotiations." Wang Ben moved through the displays, selecting additional chalk compounds and stabilization agents. "We're simply fulfilling our commitments."
"Modesty befitting your reputation." The merchant wrapped each selection with careful attention. "If I may offer some advice? The fortress environment is harsh on standard formation materials. The qi density fluctuations from constant combat can degrade chalk compounds faster than normal usage. I'd recommend the reinforced variants for any critical array work."
[MERCHANT ADVICE ANALYSIS]
[Qi density fluctuation effects: Confirmed. Combat environments produce unstable ambient spiritual energy]
[Material degradation rate: Approximately 40% faster than standard conditions]
[Reinforced compound recommendation: Valid. Cost increase justified by performance reliability]
"I'll take a case of the reinforced compounds as well." Wang Ben added the merchant's recommendation to his purchases. "Thank you for the insight."
"Happy to assist, Young Master. The Wang Clan's success at the fortress reflects well on all of us who supply them."
The transaction completed, Wang Ben returned to the compound with supplies that would prove invaluable in the weeks ahead.
Wang Tian helped with the technical preparations, reviewing Wang Ben's packed equipment with the eye of someone who had supported formation work for decades.
"Your grandfather used to pack like this." Wang Tian's hands moved through the organized supplies, checking seals and verifying quantities. "Everything in its place, nothing wasted. He said a formation master was only as good as his materials."
"Grandfather Wang Tiexin taught you?"
"Among others. Before my..." Wang Tian paused, the old pain flickering across his features. "Before everything, I spent years learning the foundation work. I never had the aptitude for advanced formations, but I understood the principles."
[CORRELATION: Wang Tian's formation knowledge]
[Training period: Approximately 35-40 years (pre-sabotage era)]
[Skill level: Intermediate. Sufficient for support work, not primary implementation]
[Note: Wang Tian's experience could be valuable for consultation during deployment]
"You could come with me." The words left Wang Ben's mouth before he fully considered them. "Your foundation establishment cultivation would be more valuable at the fortress than my qi condensation."
Wang Tian shook his head slowly. "My place is here. Your mother needs stability while you're away. Chen needs his father present. And..." He hesitated. "My alchemy is improving. The Alchemist Association examiner will visit in four months. I need to be ready."
The reasoning was sound, even if it left Wang Ben facing the deployment without his father's support. Wang Tian had his own obligations, his own path forward that the sabotage years had delayed but not destroyed.
"Your alchemy will be excellent," Wang Ben said. "I've seen your work. The consistency is returning."
"Because you help me see what I miss." Wang Tian's eyes held gratitude that went beyond simple appreciation. "Ben'er. Whatever you find at the fortress, whatever you face... remember that you have a family waiting for you. That's worth coming home to."
They worked together through the afternoon, father and son side by side as they had rarely been during Wang Tian's years of decline. Now, slowly, something that had been strained was beginning to heal.
"I never taught you formation work," Wang Tian said during a quiet moment. "Not properly. Your grandfather handled your technical education, and I was too... focused elsewhere."
"You taught me other things." Wang Ben set aside a case of resonance crystals, giving his father his attention. "You taught me how to present myself to merchants and nobles. How to read the political currents in a room. How to survive in a world where cultivation alone doesn't determine success."
"Social skills." Wang Tian's laugh was self-deprecating. "The refuge of those who couldn't compete in more meaningful arenas."
"The skills that kept our family together when everything else was falling apart." Wang Ben's voice was firm. "The skills that let you maintain relationships with suppliers and allies even when your cultivation was failing. Those aren't nothing, Father. They're the foundation that let us rebuild."
Wang Tian was quiet for a long moment, his hands resting on the packed supplies.
"When did you become wise, Ben'er?"
"I'm not wise." Wang Ben thought of the knowledge he carried, the archived understanding of cultivation and conflict that had been gifted to him through circumstances he still didn't fully understand. "I just see things clearly sometimes. Probably because I'm young enough to look without the weight of decades of experience telling me what to see."
"Perhaps." Wang Tian smiled, and for a moment he looked like the confident alchemist he must have been years ago. "Or perhaps there's more to you than even I realize."
Li Mei's farewell was quieter, conducted in the privacy of the family quarters on the evening before departure.
She had maintained her composure throughout the preparation period, offering practical advice about travel and climate while avoiding the emotional weight of what the journey represented. But now, with only the night remaining before Wang Ben would leave, her carefully constructed calm began to fracture.
"The nights are cold in the mountains." She pressed a bundle of additional clothing into his hands. "The fortress is high altitude. The temperature drops faster than you expect."
"I know, Mother." Wang Ben accepted the bundle, adding it to his already comprehensive packing. "I've reviewed the climate reports."
"And the food will be military rations. Bland and barely adequate." She produced a small case of preserved delicacies. "These will keep for weeks. Something to remind you of home."
"Thank you."
Li Mei's hands lingered on the case before she released it, her expression caught between the practical focus she maintained and the fear she wouldn't voice.
"Your grandmother disappeared when I was seventeen." The words came suddenly, unexpected even to her judging by the slight surprise in her own eyes. "One day she was there, protecting me, making me feel safe. The next she was gone, and all she left were seals I couldn't understand and letters I couldn't read."
Wang Ben set aside his packing, giving his mother his full attention. She rarely spoke of Xu Lanying, the grandmother who had sealed her cultivation and then vanished without explanation.
"Now you're leaving." Li Mei's voice trembled slightly. "You say it's formation work, that you'll be safe behind walls. But I know what war looks like. I know what it does to the people who walk into it."
"I'll return."
"Everyone says that." Her eyes met his, and Wang Ben saw the accumulated fear of decades of uncertainty crystallized in a single moment. "The words mean nothing. Only the return itself matters."
He crossed the space between them and embraced her, something he rarely did now that he had grown past childhood. Li Mei stiffened for a moment, then relaxed into the contact, her arms wrapping around him with desperate strength.
"I have advantages that others don't," he said quietly. "Resources that will keep me safe. I can't explain them, but I promise they're real."
"I know." Her voice was muffled against his shoulder. "I've watched you become something I don't understand. Something beyond what your training should have produced. Whatever you are now, whatever you're becoming... use it. Use everything you have to survive."
"I will."
She pulled back, her composure reassembling itself with visible effort. "Go. Finish your preparations. I'll see you in the morning before you depart."
Wang Ben nodded, gathering his supplies and leaving his mother to the privacy of her fears.
The morning of departure arrived with grey skies and the promise of spring rain.
Wang Ben stood in the clan compound's main courtyard, his travel pack secured and his formation supplies loaded onto the waiting transport cart. The delegation had assembled around him: Elder Wang Hongwei in formal traveling robes, three mid-level formation masters whose names Wang Ben had learned over the past days, and Zhao Yu in the practical gear of a security attendant.
The patriarch presided over the departure ceremony, his ancient presence lending gravity to the moment.
"You go to serve the kingdom's defense," Wang Tiexin intoned, his voice carrying across the assembled clan members. "You carry the Wang Clan's reputation with you. May your cultivation be steady, your formations strong, and your return swift."
"We accept this charge," Elder Wang Hongwei responded formally. "We will bring honor to the clan through faithful service."
The ritual exchange completed, the delegation began boarding the transport. Wang Ben paused at the cart's edge, looking back at the family members gathered to see him off.
Wang Tian stood with quiet pride, his restored foundation establishment cultivation visible in the steadiness of his bearing. Li Mei held Wang Chen on her hip, the toddler waving with the enthusiasm of someone who didn't understand goodbyes. Even Dao Zhen had come, the vassal clan heir offering a formal bow of respect.
[OBSERVATION: Departure emotional weight]
[Family status: Stable but anxious]
[Political situation: Favorable for Wang Clan interests]
[Personal readiness: Physical preparation complete, psychological preparation adequate]
[Note: Maintain communication where possible. Family stability benefits from regular contact]
Wang Ben returned Dao Zhen's bow, then climbed into the transport beside Zhao Yu.
"Ready?" Zhao Yu asked, his Battle Soul senses already scanning their surroundings despite the safety of the clan compound.
"As I'll ever be."
The transport lurched into motion, carrying them toward the compound gates and the journey that awaited beyond.
Wang Ben watched Redstone City recede through the cart's rear opening, the familiar streets and buildings giving way to the western road that led toward war.
The fortress awaited. And with it, the reality of an obligation he had known was coming but couldn't have truly prepared for.
He touched the formation supplies secured beside him, feeling the weight of responsibility they represented. He had advantages that others lacked. Knowledge archived across millennia. Techniques refined through countless applications. Efficiency that made every action more effective than it should have been.
Those advantages would be tested now. Not in the controlled environment of home, but in the chaos of active warfare.
Beside him, Zhao Yu maintained the vigilant awareness that had become his natural state. The Battle Soul within him sensed threats that ordinary perception couldn't detect, and even now, surrounded by clan allies and traveling secure roads, he remained alert.
"The merchant at the western gate mentioned increased traffic," Zhao Yu said quietly. "Refugees from the frontier regions. More than usual."
"The war is getting worse." Wang Ben had seen the reports, understood the implications. "The fortress wouldn't have requested formation support if their situation was comfortable."
"No." Zhao Yu's eyes scanned their surroundings with the unconscious precision of someone born for combat. "But we'll handle it. Whatever we find there, we'll handle it together."
Together. The word carried weight that transcended its simple meaning. Wang Ben thought of the clan members who had gathered to see them off, the family who waited for his return, the obligations that bound him to powers both seen and unseen.
He was not alone in this. Whatever the fortress demanded, whatever the war required, he faced it with allies at his side and advantages that no one else possessed.
The transport continued westward, carrying them toward a reality that none of them could fully anticipate.
The journey had begun. And with it, the next chapter of a story that would reshape everything Wang Ben thought he understood about war, about duty, and about the cost of the knowledge he carried.
END OF CHAPTER 96