The ancestral estate of the House of Blackwood loomed large and imposing against the perpetually overcast sky of the Western Marches. Its ancient stone walls, intricately carved with the family's distinctive black tree emblem, stretched for acres, encompassing vast gardens, training grounds, and numerous auxiliary buildings. From their vantage point on a secluded ridge overlooking the estate, Eric and his team observed.
"The defenses are formidable," Anya whispered, her eyes scanning the subtle spiritual fluctuations along the perimeter. "Standard Imperial formations, but expertly layered. And I sense several high-level cultivators within."
"As expected," Eric murmured, his gaze sweeping over the manor. "A family of their standing would be well-protected. Our goal isn't to force entry, but to infiltrate discretely." He turned to his team. "We need to get inside, establish ourselves, and move silently. We'll blend in with the staff. Each of you will take on a role that grants you access to different areas of the estate, allowing us to triangulate information."
He looked at Kord. "Agent Kord, your strength and knowledge of formations make you ideal for the manor's guard detail. You'll gain access to security rotations and patrol routes. Keep your cultivation suppressed, stick to the facade we discussed."
Kord, still nursing a bruised ego from their earlier confrontation, merely grunted but nodded his assent. The defeat had instilled a grudging respect, if not warmth.
"Anya," Eric continued, "your stealth and keen senses are perfect for the personal attendant staff, particularly those serving the main family. You'll gain close proximity to the inner circle." Anya's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
"Lysa, your meticulous nature and knowledge of spiritual herbs suggest the gardener staff. You'll have access to the outer grounds and possibly the cultivation chambers."
"Jin, your tracking and investigative skills will be best utilized as a stable master. The stables are often a hub of gossip and outside contact."
"Roric, your physical strength and unassuming demeanor suit the kitchen staff. Food and supply deliveries touch every part of the manor."
"And Seraph," Eric concluded, looking at the quiet woman, "your illusions and ability to observe without being noticed will serve well as a chambermaid. You'll have access to various residential areas and be privy to domestic conversations."
"And you, Team Leader?" Lysa asked.
"I will attempt to gain a position as a spiritual tutor for the younger members of the family, or perhaps a scribe in the family archives," Eric explained. "Both roles would grant me access to knowledge and influence, and allow me to observe the family's true dynamics. My 'reputation' from the Academy might make this plausible. We will use the cover of being Academy graduates seeking employment after the monster war, looking for a place of long-term stability and patronage."
The plan was audacious, but plausible. Over the next two days, they subtly spread rumors of their availability, leveraging Eric's fabricated background as a talented but somewhat naive Academy graduate seeking patronage. The Blackwood family, in their usual recruitment cycles, proved surprisingly receptive, especially given the ongoing uncertainties in the Western Marches.
Eric secured a position first, surprisingly easily, as a Junior Scribe in the extensive Blackwood Family Archives. His public renown as a brilliant Academy student, coupled with his subtle (but still present) Foundation Establishment Stage 5 aura, made him an appealing candidate for cataloging their vast collection of ancient scrolls and cultivation texts. The head archivist, a stooped but sharp-eyed old man named Elder Thorne, seemed more interested in Eric's potential to organize his cluttered chambers than any hidden agenda.
Within the manor, life unfolded with a slow, deliberate rhythm. The Blackwood estate was a sprawling, self-sufficient entity, a micro-society unto itself. Hundreds of servants, guards, and cultivators moved through its halls, their lives dictated by the strict hierarchy of the clan.
Eric spent his days meticulously organizing dusty scrolls, his fingers brushing over ancient spiritual characters. The archives were a treasure trove of information, and he absorbed it all, not just seeking clues about the Crimson Veil, but also delving into the history of the Blackwood family, their alliances, their rivalries, and their spiritual lineages. He learned that the Blackwoods were renowned for their Earth-elemental cultivation techniques and their mastery of defensive formations.
His colleagues, the other scribes, were mostly quiet, studious individuals, more interested in their work than in gossip. However, Elder Thorne, despite his seemingly innocuous nature, possessed sharp, observant eyes that missed little. Eric found himself subtly tested, his knowledge of ancient scripts and cultivation theories probed, but he always managed to pass, carefully selecting what information to reveal.
He quickly realized the immense difficulty of their mission. The Blackwood family was a tightly knit unit, their secrets guarded fiercely. Every movement was observed, every conversation potentially overheard. He had to be patient.
Anya, as a personal attendant to Lady Isolde Blackwood, the eldest daughter of the current Patriarch, Lord Damien Blackwood, found herself immersed in the daily routines of the inner family. Lady Isolde was a beautiful, ethereal woman in her late twenties, a powerful Core Formation Stage 3 cultivator with an air of quiet melancholy. Anya, with her sharp senses, picked up on the subtle tensions within the family. Lord Damien, a gruff but seemingly benevolent Patriarch, was often absent, attending to "family business" in the deeper reaches of the Western Marches. His wife, Lady Seraphina (not to be confused with the Imperial Princess), was a stern, unapproachable woman who spent most of her time in her private meditation chambers.
Anya also encountered Lord Gareth Blackwood, the ambitious younger brother of Lord Damien, a flamboyant and overly charming Core Formation Stage 2 cultivator who seemed to enjoy flaunting his authority. He was often seen with his own cadre of loyal, heavily armored guards. Anya also noticed a subtle, almost imperceptible trace of corrupted Qi around Lord Gareth, a faint echo of the energy Eric had sensed from the Crimson Veil cultists. It was too faint to be conclusive, but it was a crucial detail.
Lysa, tending to the sprawling spiritual gardens, found them meticulously maintained, rich with rare spiritual herbs, yet something felt off. There was an excessive number of protective formations around certain sections, more than necessary for mere cultivation. She also observed a small, dedicated group of gardeners, always working in silence, always under the watchful eye of armed guards. Their Qi signatures were weak, almost like commoners, yet they moved with a strange, unnatural efficiency.
Jin, in the stables, heard snippets of conversations from visiting merchants and minor clan emissaries. There were rumors of unusual spiritual energy fluctuations in remote parts of the Blackwood territories, and strange disappearances of travelers. He also noted the unusually frequent comings and goings of heavily cloaked figures, often arriving and departing at odd hours, their faces obscured, their horses bred for speed and endurance, not show.
Roric, toiling in the busy kitchens, discovered that unusually large quantities of raw meat and rare, spiritually potent herbs were being delivered, far more than a noble household of this size would typically consume. The head chef, a perpetually stressed man, constantly complained about "special dietary requirements" from certain "guests" who never seemed to appear in the dining hall.
Seraph, as a chambermaid, found herself in the less trafficked, older sections of the manor. She discovered locked doors that seemed to lead to disused parts of the estate, and faint, almost imperceptible echoes of strange, chanting sounds that resonated through the ancient stone at odd hours of the night. She also noticed that some of the manor's staff, particularly those working in the deepest parts of the cellars, carried a subtle, almost imperceptible mark on their inner wrists, a small, stylized black tree, but with an almost crimson hue to its edges.
After three days of meticulous observation and quiet infiltration, Eric called for their first clandestine meeting. They met in a rarely used storage room in the deepest part of the archives, its spiritual suppression formations making it safe for discreet conversation.
"Report your findings," Eric whispered, his voice low.
Anya went first. "Lady Isolde seems to be genuinely suffering from a long-standing illness, unrelated to the cult. Lord Damien is often absent. But Lord Gareth... he's the key. I sensed a faint trace of the corrupted Crimson Veil Qi around him. Not strong enough for him to be a full cultist, but enough to indicate direct contact, or even collaboration."
Lysa followed. "The gardens have excessive security, especially around certain sections. And there's a group of silent, weak-Qi cultivators working there. They act... almost mindlessly."
Jin nodded. "Frequent, discreet arrivals and departures of heavily cloaked individuals at the stables, at unusual hours. And rumors of disappearances and anomalies in remote Blackwood territories."
Roric added, "Unusual quantities of raw, spiritual meats and rare herbs are being consumed by 'guests' who are never seen."
Seraph's voice was hushed. "There are locked, unused sections of the manor, and I've heard faint chanting. And some of the lower staff, especially those working in the cellars, bear a peculiar, almost crimson-tinged Blackwood emblem on their wrists. It's subtle, but distinct."
Eric listened carefully, connecting the dots. The pieces were beginning to form a chilling picture. "The faint corrupted Qi around Lord Gareth, the excessive security, the unseen 'guests,' the chanting, the subtle crimson mark... it all points to the same conclusion. The Blackwood family is indeed involved. Not just a rogue member, but potentially the core leadership, or they are being deeply controlled. The 'silent cultivators' in the garden and the 'mindless' lower staff could be victims of spiritual manipulation, or even some form of energy draining. And the vast amount of meat and herbs... for what purpose?"
His eyes narrowed. "The Crimson Veil isn't just causing chaos. They are consuming resources. And they are operating from within one of the Empire's most powerful noble families. This suggests a deep, insidious infiltration, or a complete corruption. This is far more dangerous than we initially thought."
"What's our next move, Team Leader?" Kord asked, his voice now devoid of challenge, replaced by a grim determination. The evidence was overwhelming.
"We need to find out what they are doing with those resources, and what exactly is happening in those hidden sections of the manor, especially the cellars," Eric stated, his gaze decisive. "And we need to verify Lord Gareth's involvement. Our goal is still intelligence, but we must be prepared for direct confrontation. This is deeper than just a rogue cultist. This is a viper in the heart of the Empire."
Their infiltration had been successful. Now, the true danger began. They were deep within the enemy's lair, with very little room for error.