The high hopes John had for the Glorious Veil were shattered as soon as he saw their techniques. Especially with the prominence of the Glorious Veil and how impressed John was with the Blind Tower, he had expected far more. Instead, he got a number of cultivators blurring their spiritual energy together before splitting up to run in different directions.

Running wasn't the wrong choice. Even if they didn't recognize him from intel gathered during his first visit to the region, his method of approach had made his intentions clear enough. That wasn't what he was criticizing. Instead, he was disappointed that their uniforms, masks, and technique were all meant to make them blend together and they just weren't good enough to make it happen.

There was a late Consolidated Soul Phase cultivator among them, so she should at least have been able to keep up her concealment for a few moments. John couldn't imagine that even a mediocre disciple from the Blind Tower couldn't see through the Glorious Veil's techniques. How were they the ones to rise to prominence- simply by having more spiritual energy?

Unless John was wrong and he had been completely fooled. In which case he would be quite embarrassed. But ultimately, he chased after the one he had pegged as the strongest among them. "Stop right there, Glorious Veil!"

He didn't expect her to stop, of course. He was merely hoping she would yell something back at him so he could make a better judgment about her.

It seemed she noticed the perimeter. As she ran along, she rounded a bend before jumping into a pool of water. A strange tactic, because John didn't believe they went anywhere. Nor was she a water cultivator.

As John chased after, she rapidly jumped back out, but he let her go. If she properly fooled him then he would accept his loss… but he still sensed her in the pond. Several of her, in fact, at varying levels of reality. Another figure ran before he reached the edge, then a half dozen split in all directions.

To her credit, she didn't quite pick the direction opposite him. That would have been too obvious. Still, even with the benefit of Midnight Island's darkness element she just wasn't quite as stealthy as she wanted to appear.

John was impressed at how far her clones split from her, though. He was tracking a few of them and they had already reached a few dozen meters without disappearing.

With a flick of his wrist, he tossed a dagger infused with light after her. Rather than actually trying to strike her, he detonated it not far from her. He wanted to see how well her connections to her clones held together.

Surprisingly, they didn't fall apart immediately. However, they all became significantly less substantial before she ultimately dispersed them. The woman spun around, preparing to face John. She probably didn't expect what he did next.

It was a poor technique, really. An improvised copy that primarily relied on other techniques. Even so, John appeared to split into six forms, one of each element. All were equal in power. John made use of the principles of diversion to try to lead her to false conclusions. Ultimately, he wanted to see her fight more.

As John 'surrounded' the woman, she also created clones of herself. It was a bit harder for John to pick out the true body with his focus on his own technique, but he was fairly certain he observed the moment she stepped forward. She had formed a dozen clones- counting her main body. "I know they aren't all real."

"Are you certain?" John's voice came from behind her. The air clone. "Does it even matter?" the fire clone standing two places over spoke next. "I still have the power to defeat you," John's darkness clone said.

Each held a copy of his sword, and of course his throwing knives. John could feel the woman trying to pick out which one was his true body.

"Surrender and you will be given a path to survival."

The woman charged forward, all of her bodies forming different sorts of attacks. John was actually impressed at that- if only she were better at hiding which one were real, he would have a tough time responding. Even as it was, he only managed to mutually strike her. She parried his sword with one short blade she held while slicing with another. Her attack revealed the insubstantial nature of his 'clone', but couldn't disperse it. John's surrounding clones managed to slice out two portions of her energy as she pulled away.

It only took her a moment to reform new clones- they were extremely low energy, without any attacking power. John's could attack, but they were clearly quite inefficient. It was really just him manipulating a whole lot of spiritual energy all at once. There was a simple trick, though. He wondered if she would figure it out in time.

John's light clone went on the offensive, cutting down clones. He knew how to prevent his own energy from annihilating, but she clearly didn't have the same experience. Ultimately, his six clones moved in closer. John imagined the woman was used to being on the other side of the equation, surrounding her target either on her own or with her sect. The way she moved certainly indicated that she wasn't prepared to be encircled.

After several clashes, she stood still alone looking up into the sky. "I am well aware that I cannot defeat an Ascending Soul Phase cultivator."

"Wondering if water has covered the island yet?" John asked. "Sorry to say, you can't swim away just yet. Maybe in a few minutes. Until then… if you can figure out my trick I'll be more merciful."

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Personally, he thought it was quite obvious. Perhaps she hadn't had enough time observing him.

The woman clenched her teeth. "Do I have to wound you?"

"You just need to find what is real."

She looked determined, creating more clones. John had to say that the one impressive thing was how little spiritual energy they took. It was a tradeoff with the difficult to detect her true body, though. Furthermore, as she launched more attacks it was obvious to John that she was trying to clash with every one of his clones.

After she clashed with five… "Fire!" She declared. "That has to be the one that is real, because the rest are not."

"Oh, so close," John said. "But unfortunately you are wrong. I will still accept your surrender."

"Hmph. You think to go back on your word then? I solved your conundrum. I shouldn't think that you would keep your word about my surrender."

That was when John grabbed her wrists from behind. He twisted her arms behind her back, pointing the daggers in her hands such that they could not threaten him. "So you believe. But I am quite serious." Of course, it wasn't any of the clones. Just his real body. Around John stood six figures still. "The trick was the light one. I don't even have a light totem, you know! How could I possibly possess an equal amount of spiritual energy?"

It was just a third as much as anything else. John was already quite proud of that accomplishment. Overall, he'd used a bit less than a third of his spiritual energy, keeping some light in reserve and using proportionately less of each other element. Then he just properly concealed his main body.

"... How?"

"If you'd trained with the Blind Tower, I'm sure you would have noticed," John said. "Your sect really should have engaged with your neighbors more… peacefully. Now then, about that surrender?"

"... I surrender." She dropped her daggers.

John pulled out the best shackles he had. It was quite difficult to make any that would restrain Ascending Soul Phase cultivators, but she was just late Consolidated Soul Phase. As long as she didn't come up with any tricks like Ursel, she would be well enough constrained. Well, if she actually advanced to the next Phase while shackled the real issue would be her simply being too strong.

"What is your name?"

"Zula."

"You likely already know, but I am John Miller. Sect Head of the Six Elements Crossroads."

"I am aware."

"See how easy this can be?" John smiled. "Now then, let's go find the rest of your people."

-----

Having the strongest of them captured- and all of their ships- really helped with rounding up the rest of the Glorious Veil cultivators. Perhaps a few swam away, but that didn't matter. John wasn't expecting to go completely unnoticed. He just needed to get information- and to have some leverage against the Glorious Veil. Zula herself should be a good bargaining piece, as they couldn't easily afford to lose one of their top cultivators.

Even if they had two confirmed Ascending Soul Phase cultivators, she should still be somewhere within the top ten of their sect. If nothing else, having her out of future conflicts should be sufficient.

Obviously she wasn't a threat to John, but he was mid Ascending Soul Phase. She could have likely defeated most of his apprentices with her higher cultivation, probably two or three at once depending on whether they saw through her technique.

She could also be a thorn in his side if he'd had to fight her and any of the Ascending Soul Phase cultivators.

Zula had sufficient loyalty to her sect to not immediately give up information, but with the right methods of questioning they eventually came around to a certain detail. She wouldn't even confirm that Apurva was their spy- at least not verbally, though small changes in expression at the name confirmed it in John's heart. Instead, the ultimate admission that she made was that nobody had been ordered to kill John specifically.

That was, in theory, in the best interests of her sect. John believed her words, and it did match what he already knew. It didn't make him want to forgive the Glorious Veil, though. Any group that was willing to try to poison anyone to further their goals couldn't be trusted. Ultimately, the point was that he managed to soothe any final suspicions he might have held in his heart.

-----

Lochan once again met John as he approached Great Eye Island. This time, however, he was expected. The fleet had taken their time approaching for precisely that reason, so that the sect's scouts could become aware of their presence.

"You have returned," Lochan said. "And with a greater presence."

He paid special attention to Steve and Yustina. Indeed, with their presence the continental forces were a threat to his own sect. Though John would have said that just himself and Astrid might have been enough previously.

"I believe you had some matters to settle with the Glorious Veil Sect. We thought we might assist you in that endeavor." John wasn't simply bringing this up for the first time. It had already been discussed, he was just confirming that was their intention. "The seas will be safer once matters like this are settled."

Lochan nodded. "Come, have your fleet dock. We will need a few days to prepare- and to send out missives to our allies in the region."

John was pleased. Specifically, at the show of trust. Previously only their flagship had been allowed at the docks. Now they returned with greater force, but were still welcomed properly.

-----

If John thought he would manage to visit the island without receiving another round of exotic fruit, he was wrong. He didn't mind it, of course. Jayendra was personable enough, and truly enthusiastic about the matter. Apparently, Jayendra had just gotten a shipment of a few things they didn't grow. John happily tried them with the Sect Head- though it was likely that Lochan would be taking over that official position soon enough.

Jayendra would likely be happy enough as an agriculture elder or some such position. It wasn't necessary to have the highest ranking cultivator in the sect be the sect head, but as the gap in cultivation between the two grew- which John suspected it would- it would draw more attention. John did think Lochan could stand to learn a bit more of his father's friendliness, even if it was merely for diplomatic show.

Nobody tried to poison John. He really hoped that fact would never again be notable in the future… but he'd keep training his body just in case.

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