Karl approached the clearing, and found that Hawk had already cleared a ten square metre portion for his space. That was enough to make him happy, as he didn't want to flood the space with the same flowers.

"Alright, let's start picking. Get them carefully, surround the roots with dirt and move the whole thing to your space without touching it. It's the best and safest method." Nate warned.

Everyone began the work of picking the flowers, careful not to pull ones that were side by side.

It was a well-known trick in the Immortal Worlds that if you didn't pick adjacent plants, anything monitoring the area was much less likely to pick up on the discrepancy.

The feeling would simply fade a little as you worked, instead of the feeling of the zone shrinking.

Hawk wasn't quite doing that. He had a priority system to pick only the most mature and healthy plants, so he was taking under a third of what he found, though some were side by side.

That feeling that they were getting when they first arrived was getting stronger, and Mark suddenly stood and motioned for everyone to retreat.

"Get back into the trees, away from the orchard. Move like we're just passing by it," he warned.

Karl followed the instructions, and the beasts all returned to his space, preparing for an ambush, should something come for them.

It was easier to jump out of their space and into position than it was to adjust while they were already out, especially for Opal and Hawk, who could appear in the air at quite a distance overhead from Karl.

Within seconds, the group was clear of the flower patch, and dozens of presences in the distance began to trigger Karl's Mana Manipulation sense.

"There are others coming. Powerful ones, I suggest we keep moving," he whispered to the others.

"Alright, I know just where to go. There is an earth element cave not far from here. If we head directly toward that, we might be able to convince whoever is coming for the flowers that it wasn't us who thinned the crop."

Mark led the way, with only Karl, Dana and Nyan visible behind him.

Nate and Jim were stealthy sorts, and the beasts were waiting in ambush, but Karl suspected that making their group look smaller might actually draw more aggression their way.

If the enemy thought that they could bully them, there was a real chance that they would try to force the group to turn over what they had.

From her space, Cara kept up a running commentary using her limited prophetic skills and her rather unique senses.

[They've gone to the flowers. One Elder and ten who have just finished their Immortal Spirit. None of them feel strong, and they've all got the same magical aura, so I think they all trained the same thing.] She narrated.

[They're really broke, too. That guy can't even afford a proper ride, so he's flying on some beat up old sword.] Tian added.

Karl laughed, [He's what?]

[Right? He's just standing on his sword like an idiot, do you think that he's just learning to fly and he needs support?]

Dana laughed quietly as she replied. [I suppose it's possible. It would make more sense to use a flying transformation. Are they at least fast?]

[No. You fly faster, Karl without wings flies faster. They're just generally bad at life.] Tian informed them, while Cara laughed at something only she could see. [They've realized that the best flowers were picked.] Cara informed them. "There is a group at the flowers now. They've realized that the best ones have been picked. I will keep you updated." Karl whispered to Mark.

[They're searching the area for signs. Lol, someone tasted Thor's pee.]

Dana grimaced. [There has to be a better way to find out what a mystery liquid is than to taste it.]

[I think they've realized that whoever did it might still be close. I can't hear them, but they're gesturing all around.]

Before he could give the update, the group shot up into the sky and began to search in every direction from the flower patch. There was a junior acolyte coming their way, definitely on the lower side of the Immortal Spirit Realm. "We've got incoming."

Mark shrugged. "If there's a problem, I can fight a duel well enough."

Karl laughed. "I don't think that will be necessary, unless you really want to. I am exceptionally talented when it comes to duels. I've even got an item that gives me a bonus to damage during them."

The Immortal stopped in front of them, clearly blocking their way, and Mark brought the group to a halt.

"You, New Home peasants. Turn over the stolen resources, and I might let you leave here," the stranger demanded.

"Is he dumb, or is he stupid?" Dana mock whispered, loud enough that the man could hear her.

The young Immortal sent up a red flare, and a half second later the leader of their group, an Elder at the peak of the Void Immortal Realm, appeared ten metres above the ground beside him.

"Good work.

Now, who is in charge of your group? Out of respect for Clan Leader Nerissa, I will let you leave alive. Just leave the stolen resources and the girl."

Karl turned to Mark. "Did something happen to them? Like, some sort of curse that makes them stupid?"

Mark shrugged. "Arrogance is a common trait for Immortals. Intelligence is

optional."

Karl lifted off the ground, so he was standing eye to eye with the Elder, only ten

metres apart.

"Let me explain how this is going to go. Either you are going to leave, or I am

going to put so many holes in you that your Sect will use your body as a lawn sprinkler before they resurrect you."

In her space, Rae shifted in anticipation. Those words definitely meant that she was going to get to come out to play.