Immortal Ice Empress: Path to Vengeance

As the first light of dawn pierced through the darkness, casting an ethereal glow upon the formidable domain of the Battle Maiden Sect, a small group of scouts from the Shadow Necromancer Sect ventured forth on their perilous mission. 

Cyrus hadn't solely asked the Toxic Blade Sect to assist him in this war. He had also reached out to the Master of the Shadow Necromancer Sect, hoping to draw them into his campaign. He could've asked the other Sects, but he knew that doing such a thing would be no different than letting in a wolf to deal with a tiger.

Unlike the Toxic Blade Sect, the Shadow Necromancer Sect had no intention of getting directly involved in the war. However, everyone worked for benefits in this world, so if Cyrus were willing to pay up, then there would surely be people lining up despite the risk.

Although he might not have been able to commission any of the elites, he was more than satisfied with what he had. 

Riven, a seasoned commander of the Shadow Necromancer Sect, led the way with an air of silent authority. Like shadows given form, they moved with utmost stealth and precision, their footsteps almost imperceptible against the rugged terrain.

His eyes scanned the treacherous landscape for any signs of hidden danger. The scouts followed in his wake, their movements synchronized and their senses heightened by the lingering presence of blood and death that seemed to blanket the mountain.

As the scouts delved deeper into the heart of the Battle Maiden Sect's domain, they encountered formations of ancient symbols etched into the very fabric of the environment. The runes looked invisible and hidden on the outside, but someone knowledgeable would be able to sense the faint killing intent they released. 

Elysia, a scout with a keen eye for Formations and Arrays, approached one of the formations, scanning the supposed location with her Qi.

"This formation... possesses a malevolent intent," she murmured, her voice carrying an eerie undertone. "It seems like it's a Killing Formation. Heaven-Grade at the very least."

Riven's gaze sharpened.

'A Heaven-Grade Killing Formation so soon? Was the Battle Maiden Sect really so rich?' 

Now, Riven understood why Cyrus was so careful in approaching this branch Sect, despite the previous battle where he ordered the disciples to charge in like a bunch of maniacs. Aside from the natural terrain being perfect for defending against a siege, they had much more time to prepare.

Carelessly approaching this Branch Sect would only lead to major losses. In fact, if they didn't handle things right, this mere Branch Sect might be the end of the road for them.

'Aelina may have gotten involved as well, making this situation much more complicated,' Riven speculated before shaking his head. That wasn't for him to figure out. Right now, his job was to clear a path to the Sect.

"Can you disarm it, Elysia?"

Elysia thought for a moment but shook her head. "If you want me to sit here all day, then I might be able to do it, but there's a high chance that I'll be discovered in the process." 

Riven groaned. That wasn't what he wanted to hear. 

"What if we set it off with a Revenant? Do you think we'd be able to disable the Formation by forcing it to run out of energy?"

Suddenly, before Elysia could answer, they heard a loud explosion in the distance, soon followed by the ground shaking and loud, pained wails. A large plume of dust and ash rose above the skyline just a few kilometers away from them.

Riven and his team dashed away to cover, where they began communicating through Soul Sense.

'It seems like a scouting team was just wiped out by one of the Trap Formations.' Elysia informed.

Riven understood that her words were directed at him. She was essentially saying, "Unless you want to die, don't use a Revenant to activate the Formation."

Riven clicked his tongue in annoyance but immediately came up with another plan. 

'Alright! It seems this spot isn't a good location to begin the invasion. Let's move somewhere else and see if we can find a spot with fewer defenses.' 

'Yes, Sir!'

Riven marked the surrounding area, letting the other scouts know that this place was dangerous before they dashed off in another direction.

As they darted through the mountainous terrain, they occasionally caught glimpses of Battle Maiden disciples patrolling the area with their Soul Senses scouring every centimeter of the land. The scouts used a special technique called [Soul Veil], which allowed them to hide from someone's Soul Sense. The effects varied depending on the disparity in strength and weren't always reliable, but for a situation like this, where they are moving fast, it was perfect. 

Combined with [Soul Veil], they used a Footwork Technique that allowed them to merge with the shadows, further concealing their presence from any prying eyes.

After a few minutes of running, Aric, a scout with an innate understanding of spiritual energies, approached Riven with a sense of urgency. 'Commander Riven, I sense an aura of detection up ahead. I don't know if it's an Array, Formation, or something else, but I'm certain someone is watching that area.' He said through his Soul Sense.

Riven's eyes narrowed, his mind working swiftly to devise a plan. However, before he could say anything, he sensed someone swiftly approaching their direction.

'Hide and scatter!' He ordered. 

His subordinates were quick to follow, not daring to question him, as they dashed in opposite directions of one another.

Just a moment after they disappeared…

*BOOOM!*

A bombardment of spells and techniques obliterated the place they had just stood.

"I could've sworn I sensed someone over here!" A woman appeared above the destroyed land, followed by three others. "No, I definitely sensed someone's presence. Their concealment techniques are just too good that I can't pinpoint their location."

She turned to the women following her and shouted, "Find them! We can't allow such skilled people to roam our territory!"

"Yes, Ma'am!" The women bowed and flew in separate directions. 

However, whether by coincidence or not, each of them followed the paths that Riven and his team took.

Once they were gone, the woman that had ordered them revealed a sinister smile, her eyes glancing in Riven's direction.

'Dance for me, little monkey.'

***

Riven and his subordinates ran for over ten minutes, cursing in their minds as they were still being chased. Occasionally, they'd manage to lose them, but then they'd near another Formation or Array and 'seemingly' get spotted again.

At a certain point, it almost felt like they were being played with. 

That is until Riven reached a flat, rocky clearing when they no longer sensed anyone following him. He quickly hid himself under a few rocks, using his concealment techniques to hide from the Battle Maiden Sect's eyes. 

There, he sent a message to his team through a Communication Talisman to meet him at the rocky clearing. 

It took another 10 minutes or so for them to lose their pursuers and safely arrive at the location, but they all made it in one piece.

'That was close,' Elysia said through her Soul Sense. 

'Mmhm. I thought I was going to die for a second, but luckily, the woman chasing me was distracted by another scout group, allowing me to escape.'

Riven narrowed his eyes in doubt. If before his suspicions about being played with were faint, now, the feeling was more intense. He knew his subordinates well. They might be able to escape the eyes and senses of normal cultivators, but they were only slightly above average in the grand scheme of things. 

'But… for what reason would they let us live? Or, are they really allowing us to live?' Riven speculated. Things were becoming more complicated, and all he wanted to do right now was leave before their situation got any worse. 

'Guys…' Elysia spoke, interrupting his thoughts, 'I just noticed it, but I don't think this place has any traps.' She said, scanning the area with her Qi and Soul Sense.

No matter how far she inspected, she couldn't find anything even relating to a Formation. 

'Really?' Riven's eyes lit up, 'Go check out the rest of the area!' 

Elysia nodded and sprinted out from underneath the rock. 

A few minutes later, she returned, this time with a wide smile. 

'There really aren't any Formations or Arrays! At least, not until we reach the other side of the mountain, where there's a massive Formation covering the bowl!'

Riven smiled back, 'Alright! Let's head back with the information and give it to Cyrus. Who knows? Maybe he'll increase our compensation for this information.'

The others' eyes couldn't help but light up with greed when they heard that. 

Under his orders, they dashed out of the Battle Maiden Sect's territory as quickly and quietly as possible. 

However, they didn't know that a pair of eyes were watching them from a distance this entire time.