A solemn expression appeared on Vin's face at this moment, he knew how hard his first battle against the Tenebrous Taskforce was.
Although he had won, it's was partly due to his Breakthrough. And now with double the combat strength, even though they were mostly in the Body refining realm, they were still greatly outnumbered.
All the thirty members of his Order were only in the third stage of the Body refining realm and although their combat strength allows them to fight those at the fifth stage, it still wasn't enough.
Because he was sure their weakest members were in the fifth stage, they couldn't possibly take them all on when he was fighting with their leaders.
He raised his head towards his master, his concerns written in his face.
"I understand your concerns, but I can't help you out in this, you are their leader so you should be able to figure out a small issue like this, besides you're a runic expert now so this should be a walk in the park" old Bai stated with a faint smile on his face.
"Yes you're right, this is our first mission together, so I don't want to recruit any alies, The Exodus Order don't have any problems fight against multiple enemies at once, but the strength of our enemies this time is stronger than ours.
"But what if they had the same cultivation level which we can handle?, that would definitely even the field, so the best solution right now. Is to suppress the strength of those in the Body refining realm to the fifth stage.
"Since I have no issues handling anyone in the Spirit sea realm, I'm good to go, but if we can suppress the strength of those below that, then we're good to go" Vin spoke up the thoughts he had analyzed after a while.
Old Bai looked at Vin in praise as he nodded his head in approval, he was impressed at how his deciple could come up with this solution after only thinking about it for a while.
Even the rest of the Exodus Order looked at Vin in reverence, they too had thought about the issue and the problems associated with it, but with this solution, the battlefield would be even.
Even if they had to fight against hundreds fifth stage Body refining realm experts, they could still pull it off, though it would be a hard spent battle, and there would be casualties, they would still strive to come out victorious.
"Now that's the perfect solution for this issue, and since you've thought of it to this point, I might as well help you a little bit" old Bai said as he pulled out an old scroll and from his spatial ring and handed it over to Vin.
"This is a skill called Equinox, it's a compass type domain skill, the same type of element I cultivate. Equinox is a very powerful compass element skill that uses a celestial compass to suppress enemies within a specific radius.
It's creates a gravitational field that affects anything and anyone in it as far as their strength doesn't surpass you by much.
And that's not all, it can also be used to suppress the cultivation levels of anyone within its range. This is a very powerful domain type skill of the compass element, although I've never needed to cultivate it, I know it's worth." he explained.
Vin took a look at the scroll and read the description of the skill, it was exactly as his master had said.
_Equinox Domain_
_Type:_ Domain Skill
_Effects:_
- Suppresses enemy cultivation levels to match user's desired level
- Gravitational force slows movement (30%)
- Imprisoning boundary prevents escape
- Disrupts enemy cultivation advancement
- Allies gain stability and resistance to suppression
_Duration:_ six hours (Duration can increase with mastery of the skill)
_Cooldown:_ 9 days (Cooldown reduces with mastery of the skill)
_Weaknesses:_
- High-level enemies may resist or break free
- User's spiritual energy and skill level affect domain size and duration.
Even the duration and cool down were something he could work with, and with his terrifying comprehension rate, it wouldn't take him long to master the skill to perfection but for now he'll make do with this.
It was then he asked a very important question "Master where's the location of the base, and how long do we have till this news spread to the sect."
"The location is a small village at the outskirts of the Flaming sun sect's territory called Hage village, and since it's still within their territory, it would only take about half a month till the news get to the sect.
And even then, it would take about five days before the forces sent to deal with them, would get there, but still you must accomplish this mission before the sect even sends their deciples, which means you only have fifteen days to accomplish this mission.
With your speed, getting to Hage Village would only take you about five days to reach there, so you only have ten days to master that skill." old Bai explained.
"Hmmm. Ten days huh. That's plenty of time." Vin said as he looked at his subordinates and addressed them "You all should prepare yourself, in ten days time we'll be moving out on our first mission, use these few days to cultivate and train your strength.
"You've just broken through to the third stage, so used this opportunity to hunt down the demonic beasts within the outer layer, and firm your foundations, in ten days time we move out. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Lord Zero"
"Good. You're dismissed"
The members of the Exodus Order stood up, gave a deep bow and left the throne room.
Their mission to exterminate the Tenebrous Taskforce was mere days away, but fate had granted them a brief respite - ten days of free time to prepare and hone their skills. Vin knew that this window of opportunity was crucial, and he had already made up his mind on how to utilize it.
He watched as his subordinates left the throne room, their faces set with determination. They knew that the upcoming battle against the Tenebrous Taskforce would be no trivial matter, and they were eager to hone their skills and increase their chances of victory.
However, Vin had other plans for himself. While his teammates would be focusing on combat strength, he had decided to use this time to learn the domain skill Equinox.
He had already been fascinated by the potential of this skill, which could suppress enemy cultivation levels and create a localized gravitational force, among other effects.
Vin knew that mastering Equinox would grant him a significant advantage on the battlefield, and he was determined to make the most of this opportunity.
With a deep breath, Vin set off towards his secluded training after discussing with his master about the training of the Exodus Order
Finally, after a few minutes of walking, Vin arrived at the training area - a vast, open cavern that was mostly empty, except for the glowing crystals that lit up the place, and the murals that adorned the walls.
The air was crisp and clean, and the silence was almost palpable. Vin knew that this was the perfect place to focus on his training, away from distractions and interruptions.
Without hesitation, Vin began his training, pouring all his energy into learning the intricacies of Equinox. He spent hours each day practicing the skill, honing his control and precision, and studying the ancient tomes that held the secrets of runic symbols to better master them.
As the days passed, Vin's progress was nothing short of remarkable. He could feel the power of Equinox growing within him, and he knew that he was on the cusp of a major breakthrough.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Exodus Order was also making tremendous strides in their training. They had divided themselves into their groups, each focusing on a specific aspect of combat that better suited their cultivation technique.
The sound of clashing steel, the hum of skills, and the thud of fists echoed through the air as they pushed themselves to new heights.
Their hard work and dedication were evident in their improved performance, and Vin couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and admiration for his subordinates.
They were a true embodiment of the Exodus Order's spirit - strong, resilient, and unwavering in their commitment to their vows.
As the tenth and final day of their training drew to a close, Vin and his subordinates gathered once more in the throne room, their faces filled with a mix of exhaustion and exhilaration.
They knew that the road ahead would be fraught with danger, but they were ready. They had grown stronger, both individually and as a team, and they were confident in their ability to face whatever challenges lay in store.
Vin, in particular, felt a sense of accomplishment and pride. He had learned the domain skill Equinox, although it was only at small success stage, he knew that this would be a game-changer in the battles to come. With a deep breath, he turned to his Exodus Order and nodded.
"It's time," he said, his voice low and steady. "Let us go forth and exterminate the Tenebrous Taskforce, together and as one."
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