The next day Alrin was once again left behind to guard Alara while the other three continued going around the town placing formation to slow the corruption of the Sencia.
"This is harder than I thought it would be. I feel like I'm missing something but I have no idea what." Alara left her room to complain to Alrin deciding to take a short break to eat.
"Unfortunately I can't provide much help I don't have the talent." He calmly said serving kabobs for lunch made from the meat of a tyrant elephant.
"It's fine I can feel that its possible I just don't know if I can figure it out fast enough." She said in between devouring the kabobs as if someone would steal them from her.
After a moment of silence Alara asked, "Do you think Kor could finish what he was saying?"
"No the few other times hes become lucid like this he ends up slumbering for at least 2 weeks afterward." Alrin said shutting down her hope.
"Why don't you tell me how you've been trying maybe I can give you a different perspective." Alrin said.
"OK but exactly how familiar are you with Sencia as a body cultivator?" She asked.
"Surface level at best." He replied truthfully since he never had the chance for a proper education.
Hearing that Alara decided to also explain how traditional cultivators utilized Sencia as it would be of help to him in the future.
"Sencia is fundamentally nothing without the exertion of some type of will on it, it simply exists all around us does doing nothing because it is nothing. This is what makes cultivation methods so important because they are a guide on how to manipulate Sencia for cultivation of course if you enough talent you won't you can do without one. On the other hand If you don't have the talent and try to cultivate without some type of method it is extremely easy to do something wrong and ruin your cultivation because Sencia will try to return to a dormant state or take a different form than intended. For example when creating cores for each of the 9 elements Earth, Water, fire, Air, Space, time, light, darkness, and soul it is possible to unknowingly mix some of the energies together especially for light and fire which exhibit similar properties on the surface. Of course as a body cultivator your treating your body as one giant core to house them all so your difficulties are naturally different. Before becoming an immortal that is the limit of what you can do with Sencia because you can't directly exert your will on it and manipulate it how you wish without the strength immortality brings. As a mortal it is closer to guiding it in the direction you want which is why it gets harder to cultivate as you get closer to your 9th core. This is why I'm struggling to purify the Sencia here because I'm trying to use my will to guide it back to its dormant state but it doesn't want to." Alara's explanation was short but concise and gave Alrin a much better understanding of cultivation and left him pondering for a few minutes.
"Are you sure your incapable of directly exerting your will on it? Kor said your blessed by the world so maybe it would listen." Alrin wasn't sure if it would work but trying was at least worth a try.
Hearing Alrin's suggestion left Alara unable to refute after all it was true that she had never tried because she had never needed to. For her cultivating was already an incredible simple matter for her as half the effort would result in 10 times the result.
"I'll be back." She said taking off to see if it would work.
At the same time the other 3 were currently taking a break to have a meal for lunch.
"So what are your thoughts on those two." Rex asked.
"In what regard?" Edward asked.
"Did Alara actually fall for him?" Rex replied to which upon hearing Edward turned to look at Vera.
"Probably but she definitely doesn't realize it." Vera said after a moment of pondering.
"That's good, I can't wait to see Zeke's face when he gets back to the sect!" Rex said gleefully at the thought of another's suffering.
"I'm interested in seeing how Alrin responds to him. Body cultivators are known for being insane but he's been far too normal." Vera said.
"Normal? No I can assure you he is a body cultivator. Do you know how it felt seeing that hand you almost sliced off use that moment to grab your sword and attack you?" Edward said thinking back on their spar to which they nodded their heads in agreement.
They all knew body cultivators were to be avoided unless specialized in dealing with them such as the one of the other great sects the Fortune Sealing Sect. If not from such a sect body cultivators were said to be avoided in battles at all cost due to their inherent undying nature. Even if a body cultivator had their heart pierced as long as they still drew breath the battle would continue.
After their meal was over they continued patrolling the town but other than slowing the ritual they did not gain much at least not until later into the night when Alara shout echoed throughout the house.
"I figured it out!" Alara gleefully shouted shortly before leaving her room causing the others to show up.
"You're able to purify the town?" Vera questioned.
"Yes, at my current speed it will take a few days but I can do it." Alara replied.
"I assume you will be entirely unguarded while you are doing it?" Vera asked another question.
"Unfortunately yes." Alara replied.
Hearing that Vera asked a few more questions before coming up with a plan on how to go about the situation. Fortunately she did not have to be directly inside of the town and could be just outside of it while purifying it but if she could she preferred to draw out the fiend. With that being the case she came up with two plans one for drawing him out and if that didn't work for protecting Alara while she purified the town.
The next morning they went to see the mayor once again.
Inside the room they previously spoke in the town mayor greeted them, "I'm glad to see your doing well immortals to what do I owe the pleasure?" The mayor asked.
"I need you to ensure no one leaves their home for the next few days."
"Of course but may I ask for the reason?"
"We figured out to deal with the fiend and if that happens he will either run or face us to which I'd prefer no-one getting in the way." Vera explained.
"I understand I will ensure no one leaves their homes."
"Good, we will begin tomorrow morning ."
"Ah in that case allow us to prepare a feast for all of you tonight. I don't know what will happen tomorrow but at least allow me to thank you for fighting to protect us today." The mayor spoke with the warmness of a grandfather speaking to his grandchildren.
"We would be grateful." Vera said with a grin.
Later that night the 5 of them were seated a large table filled with food. Despite the time of year with food being more scarce they did not hold back with the preparation for this feast.
"I hope you all enjoy we went all out with this feast." The mayor said before taking his leave, leaving only the servers with them.
"Man it's been too long since I've last had a drink." Rex said reaching for the alcohol.
"Rex let Alrin take the first sip this is his first mission after all." Alara said chiding Rex.
"OK OK let the newbie go first then." Rex said dejectedly.
With that said everyone turned their attention to Alrin who if not for being a cultivator would be too young to drink. Alrin calmly reached for the glass of wine and for the first time in his life took a sip of alcohol. It was his first time drinking it but he drank it as if he was drinking water showing no reaction to the taste keeping a calm expression the entire time.
"It seems your prediction was correct Vera it was indeed poisoned it seems like it is a type of Sencia dispersing poison." Alrin calmly said despite having been poisoned.
Hearing Alrin reveal that it was poisoned the rest were about to make a move but before they could someone was even faster appearing behind Alrin.
The one thing they had failed to take into account was how decisive a fiend could be in such a moment.
Out of thin air appeared a man that made a move so fast they could only watch in horror unable to do anything as most of Alrin's torso disappeared with a swipe of his hand. Alrin immediately began to fall over as blood poured-out of his body onto the ground with him unable to do anything.
"ALRINNN!" Alara shouted as she watched Alrin's body collapse.