"I suggest you wait."
The declaration felt like a punch to the gut. Zac couldn't believe his ears as he robotically took back [Verun's Bite] from the brawny man. Had he come to the wrong place? The walled-off garden undeniably looked different from any smithy he'd seen before. Instead of furnaces and bellows, there were golden pools and shimmering mounds of metallic topsoil. The smith himself resembled a monk more than a blacksmith, too.
No, this wasn't a mistake. The templar before him was an Early Autarch and the greatest blacksmith of Ascension Gate. Sure, some of Hollow Court's Grand Elders or hidden Dao Reserve might be more experienced artisans, but Zac had no way of eliciting their services. In fact, Hall Master Pustor only agreed to a meeting because of Zac's Fertile Earth Token, not because he was a Sealbearer or a disciple of Fuxi Halls.
"She can't be repaired?" Zac asked to confirm, worried his companion's injuries were worse than he'd realized.
"Oh, repairing your axe is no trouble. A few supplementary materials and a recasting would do the trick, and she'd emerge stronger than before," Pustor said. "Helping it advance a stage is no issue either, for that matter."
"Then what's the problem? If it's payment—" Zac said anxiously.
"Calm your heart, boy," Pustor replied. "Considering your friendship with our order, I've decided to present you with an opportunity."
"An opportunity?" Zac asked, anxiety replaced with intrigue.
"Have you heard the Theomore Dynasty's announcement?" the blacksmith asked.
"I did. A gateway to the Left Imperial Palace will open in a few weeks, and those who are fated can use it," Zac said. "What does this have to do with Verun? Is the Theomore Dynasty renowned for their smithing?"
"An Imperial Bloodline is unlikely to be lacking in any regard, but that's not it. I happen to know of a certain guest elder of theirs," Pustor said as a deferential expression appeared on his face. "That senior possesses skills you should only be able to find in the Imperial Capital. Not only that, he's in possession of a certain treasure that has unique effects on spirit tools."
"A supreme blacksmith," Zac mused.
"Balance and longanimity are necessities in cultivation and crafting alike. There are limits to how many recastings a Spirit Tool can go through, especially in a short order. A second round can do more harm than good, particularly in such a short window," Pustor explained.
Zac slowly nodded in thought. The explanation was similar to how skill fractals couldn't be redrawn willy-nilly. Even Zac, with his unusually malleable pathways, couldn't mess around repeatedly without leaving his fractals brittle. If Spirit Tools could infinitely be upgraded by having a blacksmith recast them until they had a perfect product, then cultivators wouldn't spend eons arduously nurturing their Spirit Tools.
"I suggest waiting until the portal opens. If you turn out to be fated with the Theomore Dynasty, you can try your luck with Master Akke. If not, you can come back here, and I'll patch your friend right up," Pustor said.
"I'd be honored to have that elder work on my companion, but meeting with Senior Pustor was difficult enough," Zac slowly said. "Even if I'm fated with the Left Imperial Palace, I'm not necessarily able to meet Lord Akke."
A sly grin appeared on the old blacksmith's face. "It just so happens that I studied under Master Akke for a few decades. Since you're a friend of the order, I can provide you with an introductory letter that can guarantee an audience. For a price, of course."
"How much?" Zac said.
"Fifteen thousand Longanimity should about do it," Pustor said. "But to be clear, it's only an audience. It's up to you to convince Master Akke to upgrade your friend."
Zac's eyes bulged at the cost of a simple letter. It was almost half his reserves, and like Pustor said, it didn't guarantee any service. The ancient blacksmith might be busy crafting something for the Theomores—very possibly the Fifth Pillar itself—and shoo him away after a short audience.
"I'll buy it," Zac said through gritted teeth as he extended his disciple token.
"So confident?" Pustor whistled in surprise, not immediately extracting the Longanimity. "You can wait until the portal opens before making your decision."
"No need. My instincts are telling me this is the correct path for me, and they haven't let me down so far," Zac said.
As a Flamebearer, there was naturally no point in waiting. Zac was certain that if he left for the Left Imperial Palace, he wouldn't return to the outer courts. Since he'd decided to bet on this Akke, he may as well go all out.
"Good, this is the kind of determination a Cultivator should have. Patience is a virtue, but one also needs to strike when the iron is hot," Pustor nodded. "Since you're so confident, I have another suggestion."
Zac emerged from the unusual smithy ten minutes later with a vacant expression and a paltry 500 Longanimity left in the bank. For a templar and a blacksmith, the Hall Master displayed an inspired level of mercantile fortitude. It was like he could smell how much merit Zac possessed and didn't shy away from squeezing him dry. The 500 points he had left were only through desperate bargaining toward the end. Otherwise, he'd have been wrung dry.
Naturally, Zac didn't regret it for a minute. He infused a mental tendril into his Worldring, where a small fish tank had appeared. Verun was already placed inside. The axe floated in a viscous mixture the color of bark. It was a resource from Pustor's own reserves rather than Hollow Court's exchange. The concoction was called [Bitterbone Bark Essence], and it was technically a spill product from a unique B-grade smithing process the templar had performed.
"Spill product" didn't sound good, but even the scraps from B-grade materials could have shocking effects on lower-grade equipment. Furthermore, the bark essence was very rare. Three thousand years of tempering had only yielded the five gallons of extract in the fish tank if the blacksmith could be trusted.
The [Bitterbone Bark Essence] wouldn't repair the damage to Verun's foundation. Instead, it was able to nurture and purify Tool Spirits, with greater effect on spirits attuned to Life, Nature, or Conflict. With Verun checking two of the boxes, it was almost a perfect match. Simply put, it was a supercharged version of the mysterious stone he bought at the New World Government's auction during the integration.
It would improve Verun's talent, allowing for speedier growth in the future. It would also shorten the gap between Verun and Alea in terms of potential. Zac believed it was a necessary investment if he wanted Verun to accompany him for the millennia ahead. After all, the origins of [Verun's Bite] were quite humble.
Zac had received it as a reward during the wolf tide quest at the beginning of the integration. The beast series [Verun's Bite] belonged to was quite standard among the System's quest rewards, and the various treasures he'd fed it since weren't enough to bring it in line with top-tier Spirit Tools like the sword that had damaged it.
Meanwhile, [Love's Bond] had been crafted with a near-perfect foundation by the System itself. Alea's soul was also much stronger than normal Tool Spirits, and she'd gained a Spiritual Flame to accelerate her growth. Without some additional love, Verun would soon start to fall behind even if he reforged the axe.
The [Bitterbone Bark Essence] would also prepare Verun to make the most of the upcoming recasting. In case the audience with the Akke fell through, Verun would still greatly benefit from the essence. Considering that the vat of liquid only cost as much as an introductory letter, Zac ultimately felt he'd come out ahead.
If things with Master Akke didn't pan out, [Verun's Bite] would likely have to recover on its own. Just in case, Zac also purchased two Peak D-grade axes for the interim. The stand-in axes weren't crafted by Pustor himself but by one of his disciples. They should still be able to tide him over until Verun was back on her feet. After that, he could keep them around as proper spares.
Technically, the axes were defective products that failed to birth Tool Spirits, which meant they were made of durable materials. On the other hand, without any spirit to draw energy from the Cosmos, their features, like self-repair, were severely diminished. Their energy transmission was also weaker, making for slightly slower skill activations and reduced power. The latter wasn't truly a problem for Zac, who could circumvent the weapon's deficiencies by activating his skills with Void Energy.
The sprawling gardens of Ascension Gate awaited Zac as he emerged from Pustor's smithy. One field grew blue flowers the size of mansions, with stems covered in azure thorns that made Zac's heart palpitate. Another resembled a bamboo forest, with thousands of knotted golden poles reaching hundreds of meters into the air.
Zac was by no means an expert in herbology, but he estimated the plants were saplings of at least C-grade quality. Those that showed promise would be transplanted to less cramped growing conditions. The ambient energy of Ascension Gate was extraordinary, yet everything was gobbled up by the young plants. Zac almost felt starved as he walked the dirt road between the fields.
Seeing the lack of other structures in the area, and the surrounding fields being tended by eerily lifelike steel puppets, it was likely the whole area was the blacksmith's personal garden. Whether the thorns or the poles, both seemed like they could be used in weapon crafting. Zac studied the unusual plants a little longer before approaching a solitary Spirit Tree standing just beyond the fields.
'Where to?'a gentle voice entered Zac's mind.
"Entrance, please," Zac said, and the tree extended a branch toward him.
A drop of golden water gathered at the branch's tip, soon enclosing Zac entirely. He felt as though he'd returned to the womb, surrounded by warmth and life. Unfortunately, the experience was short-lived, and he soon found himself on the branch of a much larger tree of the same species. Perhaps it was the same Spirit Tree that had offshoots spread throughout Ascension Gate.
Hollow Court's Life-attuned chapter generally carried a sense of tranquility, but there was still a hustle and bustle by the tree. When Zac flew down to the ground, he found himself surrounded by Lifegivers of Ascension Gate clad in simple hemp robes. Many were coming from the tree or preparing to teleport to another part of the gate.
Considering the steady foot traffic between the tree and the massive seed bank nearby, Zac guessed the disciples were picking up their monthly quota of seeds. From there, they'd search for unclaimed patches of soil with the help of the transportation tree. There was also a trickle of people heading toward the large gate leading to Hollow Court's welcoming square.
Zac's appearance drew a few cursory glances, but the locals had long since grown accustomed to the visiting Sealbearers. Through the timeskips brought on by the halos, more than seven decades had already passed since the Outer Courts opened their gates. Rather than new arrivals, they were fast approaching the exchange's conclusion.
The ancient Sealbearers were furiously cultivating and gathering merit to make the most of the last stretch of their trip. The courts still hadn't explicitly explained what it took to become a permanent member, so those who sought to make their stay permanent could only work hard at showcasing their talents.
Trialtakers like Zac had no interest in actual discipleship, but they undoubtedly felt the time crunch more than the ancient Sealbearers. Decades had passed in the blink of an eye, and they'd be lucky if they got six more months of accruing opportunities inside the courts. Zac was no different. There were a few weeks before the teleporter opened, and Zac planned to make the most of the remaining time.
His human half woke up in the real Ninth Hell three days ago, after what easily was his shortest stint inside a memory lantern. He never returned to the C-grade Revenant's flying vessel, and he didn't see Fuxi after his transmission of knowledge. Thankfully, the Undead Monarch's efforts in taking him back weren't for naught. Zac had appeared in a completely different part of Ninth Hell, and Hollow Court's central square was only a short distance away.
Nevertheless, a distance that could be crossed in hours took Zac the better part of two days. He'd been busy digesting the vast amounts of information that had been crammed in his head. Zac only managed to absorb a percent or two of the star's knowledge, yet that was enough to skip decades of intensive studies.
Different from the vast amounts of data inside his Chaos Library, there was no need to use Ultom's enlightenment to comprehend it. It was directly made part of his theoretical knowledge, a foundation ready to be built upon. Beyond the relevant information, the impartation also gave Zac a much greater understanding of exactly what Fuxi's "unity" referred to.
It was so much more than just the [Grand Unity Canon], which was an actual cultivation technique with ancillary features. Fuxi's Unity Library had the same purpose as the [Book of Duality] Zac referenced when creating his Cosmic Core blueprint, only at a vastly higher level. When brought to its absolute limit, Fuxi believed it could transcend the Terminus.
As far as Zac could tell, Fuxi's description of unity incorporated everything from the heavens to the earth, literally. Unity explained the hidden spirituality that made up the physical world, which Zac had pondered at length during his stay inside the Peregrine Ocean's alternative reality. Unity was the convergence of truth at the peak, where Supremacies could have their Dao be anything and accomplish anything.
Unity was also more suitable to Zac than duality. Zac had ultimately rejected Yrial's oscillating path, where he'd cycle between Life and Death but never use them together. He was a true Edgewalker pursuing Chaos. Deepening his understanding of unity would help him achieve this goal in all kinds of ways.
For instance, he'd already seen [Primal Edict] display the ability to fuse unstable chaos motes for devastating attacks. With the right theoretical framework, Zac could adapt the skill fractal to better pursue this route. The same was true for his other skills, not to mention his unstable Chaos blasts. There was also the matter of his crude Dao Molds. By better understanding unity, Zac would be able to fashion molds no worse than the Dao Arrays made by elites on the fly.
The possibilities were endless, as showcased by the vast scale of Fuxi's Unity Library. Zac barely had his foot through the door, but he could see it becoming a central part of his cultivation system. This didn't mean adding yet another component to his already complex cultivation system, rather having a cohesive set of parameters when working on everything from his skills to [Void Emperor Apotheosis].
Of course, Zac wouldn't start rearranging his whole cultivation system after catching a glimpse of an impressive thesis. It wasn't that he doubted the knowledge he'd seized. Much of it consisted of concepts he'd already experienced firsthand when refining his path, only explained at greater depth and placed in a broader context. The thing to be cautious about was Fuxi's motivation for appearing out of nowhere.
Transmission of knowledge was undeniably an important pillar for Scholars. If you had a class related to Literary Daos or Confucianism, teaching was one of the most effective ways to refine your skills and gain levels. Inheritance also held a profound symbolic meaning in the multiverse. With immortality but a distant dream, creating a heritage was, in some ways, the only true claim to Eternity.
Seeing that nearly 10,000 Longanimity had been extracted from his disciple token upon waking up was a weight off Zac's shoulders. It did prevent a burden of Karma, but he still felt there was more to Fuxi's actions. Most likely, it was related to the Unity Library he'd thrown out as bait toward the end, and Zac knew exactly where the other part of the [Grand Unity Canon] was hidden.
Grand Unity Hall must have secured the other half of Fuxi's mantra, while accessing his library required the whole thing. Who knew how many years they'd been banging against its doors, hoping to make Fuxi's vast knowledge their own? The Fifth Pillar was their chance to achieve their long-standing goal.
Nevertheless, Zac didn't regret telling Ventus about Fuxi's statue. Discovering the true meaning behind those runes was impossible without the right opportunities and deep affinity. Zac could tell that the Numerologist's path had little in common with Fuxi's teachings. Most likely, the elf would find himself stuck much earlier than Zac, possibly without forming a single rune in his mind's eye.
Even if Grand Unity Hall's Daoists managed to use what they'd discovered during the Trial to open Fuxi's library, it was no skin off Zac's back. The Unity Library would make his cultivation journey easier, but it wasn't a strict necessity for him. The pieces he'd glimpsed were enough to give Zac a general direction, and he could fill in the blanks he needed through his own efforts.
Zac's ambitions differed from Fuxi's. While the ancient sage sought Eternity through Grand Unity, Zac only needed to unify the various components of his path. The parcel of knowledge he'd seized was related to just that, and with Verun settled, it was time to capitalize.
Passing the seed house, Zac continued through the gate into Hollow Court's main square. Enormous structures surrounded him from every direction. After orienting himself, Zac set a course for library. While skills, cultivation manuals, and secred methods cost Longanimity to peruse, there was a vast number of free-to-peruse scriptures.
Zac intended to use his free time to gain a deeper understanding of the next stage. The information he'd gathered from Tavza and Esmeralda wasn't enough to begin planning his next steps in earnest.