Chapter 99 – Tier 2 Void Ring, Techniques and Artifacts

Hello, dear readers! Here's chapter 99! Finally getting some valuable things!

What's up this week: I got a huge migraine on monday, so no writings. Also, I revived my professional instagram account (@calmwandereroriginal) and I'll do my best to post there from time to time, mostly patre0n stuff like advance chapters. I know I can do some stuff from patre0n to instagram but I'm not sure how. I'll have to check it out later.

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Bright Star City, Bright Star Island, Flowing Stars Archipelago, Earth

Demian's P.O.V.

A few minutes later, Ling had brought them to a secluded but relatively large courtyard where she explained. "This is where you'll stay. Each of you has a bedroom, cultivation room, alchemy room..." She swiftly reviewed every part of the masterfully crafted building made of light gray stones as its foundation and ancient wood as walls, windows, and roofs, with a collection of plant and animal carvings placed strategically. A small stream of clear water, which originated from the Serene River they walked by on the way, ran through the building, creating a sizable pond on one side of the courtyard before moving through the middle building toward somewhere unknown. In the pond, a school of colorful fish of different sizes was swimming lazily, their vibrant scales mesmerizing under the bright sun, especially as the Energy emitted from their bodies reached Low Tier 1 for the smallest and Peak Tier 1 for the strongest. None of them seemed aggressive, though. Instead, they seemed busy absorbing the Spiritual Energy floating in the air. Speaking of the Spiritual Energy... "So dense..." Demian muttered, grabbing Ling's attention, who asked rhetorically with a knowing smile. "Are you talking about the Spiritual Energy concentration?" Nodding his head, he added. "Yes. It seems even denser than when we were at the Regional Relay Station."

With a small gesture, four tokens appeared before the older woman before floating in their direction. "Those are the Formation Tokens. It will give you full control over your own rooms' Formations, shared control over this courtyard's common rooms' Arrays, and guest access to the Mansion's Main Formation. Use a drop of your blood to bind them to yourself." As the four followed her instructions, Ling continued. "Back to your question. The reason for such dense Energy is because of the Peak Tier 3 Energy Gathering Formations installed in this courtyard, linked into a whole Low Tier 4 Compound Formation. That same Formation is also linked to a few other similar Arrays placed strategically in the Mansion's area, which together form a Peak low-tier 4 Spiritual Energy Gathering. By the way, all of these Arrays were created by my husband himself. Just so you understand how precious it is: The overwhelming majority of Tier 3 Cultivators, or in other words, Core Formation Cultivators, do not have access to Tier 4 Energy Gathering Formation. At most, they can cultivate under a Peak Tier 3 Array, and even that depends on how rich or influential one is. So, I hope you will treasure this opportunity."

The four of them nodded their heads with a resolute expression, with Demian declaring. "Don't worry, Aunty Ling. The four of us have been through enough to know how to make the best out of most situations." The other three echoed his statement, which brought an appreciative smile to Ling's face, who replied. "That's good. That aside, if you need anything, you can contact one of the maids working in the Mansion through the token. You can also use it to contact me and Sergei. Keep in mind that it only works in Bright Star City. If you leave the City area, you'll need to use your Federation Identity Token to contact any of us. You can think of it as a Cultivator mobile phone that also serves as an identity card." In a doubtful tone, Seraphine asked. "Is it reliable?" The question brought a light giggle from the Asian woman before she answered. "If your question is if someone can steal and use it, then don't be afraid. The Token has three main protection measures. The first is the intricate Tier 4 Arrays used to make it function, which isn't something that even an average Tier 4 Formation King can hack. The second is your blood essence fused in those Arrays." Seeing the confusion in the four's eyes, she specified. "Are you confused about how your blood can be a protective measure? Well, it's because it contained your unique signature. Think of it as the DNA of a Cultivator, but much harder to copy perfectly. After all, Mortals can only detect a part of what makes someone an individual, which is what they call DNA. But as you already know, a human being, or anything living for that matter, is not made only of 'body matter'. There's also your Soul and Energy, which are both fused into your blood and can serve as an identifier for you. Speaking of which, do not under any circumstances leave any drop of your blood lying around in case someone uses it against you. That also goes for things like hair, nails, etc. There are some nasty methods out there, and you don't want to experience them, believe me!" Pausing for a second, she then added. "As for the third protective measure, it comes from the fact that your information is stored in a central database, which is protected behind even stronger measures. So there's virtually no chance of fraud."

After making sure all of them were acquainted with the place, Ling instructed them to settle down and wait for Sergei to come back from his shopping trip. She then left to take care of the Mansion matters, leaving the four alone. While throwing a glance toward the three women, Demian said wistfully. "I guess that's it, isn't it? We've truly reached the Cultivation World..." His words brought thoughtful looks on the other three, with Adeliya replying softly. "Yes, we have... It feels a bit strange. Arriving here, I mean. It's almost like we've traveled to another world." Nodding her head, Seraphine retorted. "Well, it's not entirely wrong when you think about it. With how isolated the Origin Islands are, it would be appropriate to call this place another World. Especially with the difference in size between the two regions." Her comment elicited a nod from the other three, after which Brynhild remarked. "Whatever the case, we need to quickly improve not only our Cultivation Base but also our knowledge about this place. From what Aunt Ling and Uncle Sergei mentioned, this place is much more dangerous than where we're from, and Chi Gathering and Foundation Building Cultivators don't seem to be worth a lot here."

Cocking his brow as those last words reached his ears, Demian asked rhetorically. "You also noticed?"She simply replied with a 'yes' while Sera had a knowing look on her face, which seemed to confuse Adeliya, who questioned. "What are you three talking about? What did you notice?" Seeing the older redhead's reaction, he suddenly remembered that her Cultivation Base, along with her Senses, was much lower than their own, prompting him to explain. "When we arrived at that Relay Station, the one in Bright Star island, I mean, I was feeling curious, so I paid attention to those travelers' Energy fluctuations. I didn't use my Soul Sense, of course, but with my Energy Sensitivity, it wasn't hard to find out how strong most people back there were. And what I noticed was that most people were between Peak Chi Gathering and Peak Foundation Building. I did sense stronger fluctuations from a few people, but I couldn't tell their exact level. I only know they were at least at the Core Formation Rank..."

His voice fizzled out without explaining more, but Adeliya seemed to catch on if the look of realization appearing on her face was any indication. Indeed, her next words were: "So from that observation, you've concluded that Foundation Building Cultivators are very common... It would make sense if you take into account the dense Spiritual Energy around, but we've only been the Relay Station, and from what Ling said, there should be billions of people living in this City. Proportionally, I doubt that there are that many people at Tier 2 or higher." Nodding his head, Demian remarked. "You're right, but that ultimately doesn't matter. Even if only one Foundation Building appears out of 100,000 Chi Gathering Cultivators, which is already a low prediction, how many of them do you think you'll find among Billions or even tens of Billions of people living in this City? Not only that, but Cultivators live long lives. That means there's bound to be an accumulation through time. And that's just in this City. Bright Star Island is vast, with many cities. Also, it's only one Island among many and..."

Waving her delicate hand in front of him to stop him from continuing, she retorted, exasperated. "Fine, fine! You're right. We do need to grow our Cultivation a lot more before we can explore further." Those words ended the 'debate' and were followed by a light-hearted conversation as the four chose their own bedroom. The courtyard they lived in was divided into a main building at the back, which housed the common rooms, such as the kitchen, dining room, etc. There was even an open-air bath behind it, which was completely fenced off and protected by obscuring Arrays. As for the two-wing buildings, they each housed two bedrooms along with their associated rooms, such as the Alchemy room, Refining room, Study room, etc. The distribution of each bedroom was relatively straightforward, with Seraphine and Demian choosing their own on one side while the two redheads chose the other wing's building. Naturally, the two buildings could be accessed either by the courtyard itself or through the main Building if one wished to be more discreet.

Satisfied with their choices, the four then went to lounge on the comfortable sofas installed by the pond and, while admiring the colorful fish swirling around in the water, they shared some of their plans and aspirations about their 'new' life of Cultivation, wondering about the change in mindset a hundred years later or even further in the future. "Do you think we'll change? After all, holding that kind of power for so long has to have an effect on how you view things..." Adeliya pondered out loud, prompting Brynhild to respond calmly. "Probably. I've seen many lose themselves as soon as they gain some money and fame. But then again, I also believe it depends on the individual. You can't really generalize." Her words brought a few nods from the others, with Seraphine declaring with a smile. "As long as we help keep each other's hearts in the right place, we should be fine."

Before the rest could reply, a 'new' voice reached their ears. "That's the right Mindset for Cultivation. Keeping your Heart true will smooth your Path. If you don't, the chance of Cultivation deviation and bottlenecks will increase greatly." The new arrival was actually Sergei, who had just come back from his 'shopping trip' along with Ling, who was following by his side, an appreciative grin visible on her face as she gazed at them. "Is Heart Cultivation another cultivation system?" Demian asked, curious. While walking toward one of the empty lounge chairs, Sergei responded. "Yes and no. Unlike the other three Systems, Heart Cultivation doesn't have a proper way to be enhanced, and each Layer's description is a bit vague, which is the complete opposite of the three Main Cultivation Systems." Tilting her head slightly, Sera questioned. "How so?" Her question was answered by her Ling this time. "The other three systems have precise steps with clear limits. Easy to follow and easy to identify. Well, more like obvious and logical than easy, but..." As her voice trailed off, Brynhild asked. "How vague are we talking about?"

The question was met with a calm smile from Sergei, who took over the explanation. "Heart Cultivation is divided into four Layers. Red Dust, Refining Seed, Pure Lotus, and Flawless Like Water. Those four Layers are relatively vague, and although it's essential to improve your Heart Cultivation if you wish to further your Cultivation Base, there's no Heart Cultivation Technique available in the Federation. At least, as far as I know. But we're not privy to the Federation's core secrets since we're barely considered Outer Elders due to our achievements as Tier 4 professionals, so take what I say with a pinch of salt." That statement plunged the four Mikhailovs into thoughts, with Demian questioning in a slightly worried tone. "Will that be a problem for us?" After a light shake of his head, Sergei responded. "Not necessarily. Although there's no true Technique doesn't mean there aren't tricks you can use to improve your Cultivation. It's simply less straightforward and efficient." After further inquiry, those 'tricks' turned out to be things like experiencing Mortal life, especially with the First Layer 'Mortal Dust'. The name 'Mortal Dust' came from Buddhism and designated the hustle and bustle of the Mortal World, or more specifically, the different emotional entanglements created among people resulting in emotions such as Love, Sadness, Betrayal, Happiness, etc. Through experiencing those emotions and overcoming them instead of being overcome by them, one could grow and reach the Second Layer of Heart Cultivation.

Naturally, most Cultivators were stuck at the First Layer for their entire life, which ended crippling their Cultivation Path, although most people's Cultivation qualifications were poor anyway, so it did not really affect them. As Sergei stated: 'A high Heart Cultivation Base did not necessarily mean one was at a high Tier, but someone at a high Tier definitely had a High Heart Cultivation Base. That being said, what was low and high varied greatly, as each individual, even within the same Level, could have vastly different circumstances and strengths. This was something that Demian and the women had experienced firsthand during their fight against the Danilovs. With only their Late Chi Gathering Cultivation, the three managed to obliterate three Cultivators one Rank higher than them. Granted, none of the enemies went beyond the Early Foundation Building, and their Energy was relatively muddled, but it was still a massive achievement for them.

As a few stray thoughts appeared in his mind, his attention was suddenly attracted to the appearance of four silver rings floating in the air in front of his teacher. The items then quickly flew to float in front of each of the Mikhailovs while the older man explained. "These are for the four of you. Inside, you'll find Cultivation Techniques, Spells, Body and Soul Techniques, a few Artifacts and Cultivation Pills, and last but not least, your Federation Identity Token, which you should carry with you at all times if you don't want to experience trouble in this City." After grabbing the Ring in front of his eyes, Demian took out one of the scimitars he was never able to use during the life-and-death battle due to its low quality and slashed the palm of his hand while making sure to lower his body's defense and regeneration. With incredible control over his own body granted by his Special Physique, the young man pushed a drop of blood out of the shallow wound before letting the injury heal instantly, leaving only unblemished skin behind. As soon as the drop fell on the ring, a connection was established between him and the Void Ring, allowing him to view its content. As it was not the time and place to delve deeply into the things stored inside, he only briefly scanned the tens of meters cube space, noticing the abundance of Pills, the strong fluctuations coming from the few Artifacts lying together, and the collection of Information Storing Jades laid on a beautifully carved wooden shelf.

'So generous...' Demian thought with amazement. He was already aware of how expensive Tier 1 Items were, but all of the items contained in his Ring were Tier 2s! Completely incomparable! "So much..." Adeliya muttered before looking toward the Sergei couple and asking, in a tone half grateful, half doubtful. "How can we even repay you two for all those gifts? Bryn and I aren't even your students..." While a few giggles escaped Ling's lips, Sergei explained with a calm smile. "We're not capable of saving the world, but we can certainly help the people around us, can't we?" Ling then added with a reassuring smile. "Don't mind it, Sister Liya. Those trinkets are nothing to us. You'll understand once you get more used to the Cultivation World that the difference between Tiers is colossal, and the higher the Tiers, the larger the difference. That also goes for the prices of goods. We're Low Tier 4 professionals, so those Tier 2 Items are not worth much to us." After her explanation, Demian's feelings settled down slightly, although the gratitude did not disappear. After all, it may not be much for them, but it was a massive favor for the young man and his family.

With a small gesture, Sergei said. "Don't mention it anymore. Anyway, I also wanted to tell the two of you..." His gaze fell on Seraphine as those words left his lips. "...That I couldn't find any Low Heaven Grade Cultivation Technique with Shadow Attributes. The only one I found was a Mid Earth Grade one." Shaking her head slightly, the young woman replied with a smile. "It's fine, Uncle. The Technique I use matches my Bloodline and Physique perfectly, so I don't need another one." Nodding his head slightly, Sergei responded. "I thought as much. I did find a few Spells and Body and Soul Techniques you can use, though. They're all in your Ring." With a nod, she replied with a simple thank you while Demian asked. "I was wondering one thing, Teacher. What's the difference between the different Techniques' Grades? I mean, I know they determine your upper limit, but how so?" Tapping his finger on the chair's arm repeatedly in a strange, calm-inducing rhythm, the older man responded. "The difference is multiple-fold. Whether it be the purity or quantity of your Elemental Energy, Soul Energy, or Physique, the higher the Grade, the better it is. It also impacts the synergy between the three Main Cultivation Systems, with the Low Heaven Grade Cultivation Techniques being very easy to merge as long as the Elemental Attributes are similar."

Feeling thoughtful, Demian then commented. "In other words, the better the grade, the higher the ceiling." Nodding his head, Sergei said. "A bit too simplistic, but essentially, yes." Pausing for a second, he then added. "If you feel like those Techniques don't fit you well, you can visit the Bright Star Library to view the Tier 1 and 2 Techniques. They're free for any registered citizen." Seeing the question in the four's eyes, he specified. "I did the registration earlier, and your Identity Token is the proof of that. You can ask one of the maids to bring you to the Library if you're interested. If not, you need to focus on reinforcing your foundation and breaking through to Tier 2 in all three systems. By doing it at the same time, you'll gain the most benefits. In the meantime, if you have any questions about Cultivation, feel free to find me or Ling. We'll be happy to help resolve your doubts." After a few more exchanges, the couple then left the courtyard, stating that they had to go back to deal with work-related issues. From their words, their stay was only supposed to last a few weeks, but ended up lasting a few months due to meeting the Mikhailovs. Because Cultivators had a different notion of time, it was not overly serious, but the sooner it was done, the better.

Being not only fully geared up but also finally owning the means to perfect and grow his Cultivation Base, Demian could not help but feel some anticipation for the near future. 'Tier 2 is just around the corner.' Demian exclaimed inwardly as his hand held Seraphine's own while her head was lying on his left shoulder, her mind lost in her own thoughts.