Secondly , you’d have to find a Fate Kernel matching your path . If the kernel’s affinities were even partly off , they’d do more harm than good . Third , there was no way to easily find them . At least there were no publicly known methods . They were hidden by natural formations , and stumbling upon them was a matter of luck and fate—hence the name . They even moved around , so encountering a good but unusable kernel was useless . You couldn’t sell the location to a cultivator . Most cultivators would spend a couple weeks in the Quarry to try their luck . If they hadn’t found anything by that point , they simply weren’t fated .
As for Zac , he likely wouldn’t have bothered with more than using the free week in the Quarry if not for Engo’s comment . Learning about the function of the Fate Kernels had only increased Zac’s confusion rather than explained Autarch’s suggestion . After all , Fate Kernels wouldn’t work on him .
The kernels improved your Core Formation process by amplifying your affinities , but what good did that do him? It was useless even if he lucked out and somehow found a Life-Death-Conflict Peak-quality Fate Kernel . A 20% boost on zero was still zero , something which Null had confirmed . A normal mortal might have some use of the kernels , though cultivators with high affinities had the most to gain .
There were no other treasures in the Quarry except the Fate Kernels either . The environment was essentially F-grade , with just enough spirituality to not cause discomfort . It was a far cry from the Calamity , which was so overloaded by energies and Dao that it was almost hard to breathe . Even then , Zac was full of anticipation as he set out . Perhaps there were secrets to this place beyond the publicly known information in Vastness City . Lord Engo shouldn’t be so bored as to throw out red herrings to random low-grade cultivators .
Zac looked around the forest and spotted a small marking on a tree . He began walking in the opposite direction , following a series of guiding markers until he arrived at a stout tree almost twice as big as the others .
You’re here , - Ogras grinned as he stepped out from its shadows . - How’s the missus? -
She’s fine , - Zac said . - Odd that items useful for core formations would appear in this kind of world . -
Definitely , - Ogras agreed . - This place reminds me of some of the rootless worlds I visited in the Million Gates Territory . It’s almost unnerving there’s not even beasts to keep you on your toes . -
So , we should just pick some random direction and start looking? - Zac asked .
We might want to head to the riverbeds , - Ogras said as he took out a large map depicting the region . - From the looks of it , the riverbeds have been producing a good number of Medium-quality Fate Kernels . A few have even walked away with High-quality kernels from there . -
What’s so special about the rivers? - Zac asked curiously .
Not sure , - Ogras said . - Might be energy patterns or something . One theory is that the - best’ region changes over time , or perhaps between Cosmic Galleries . My map has six other observed hotspots , but the riverbeds are the closest . Of course , with your Luck , we can probably go anywhere as long as we avoid the starting region or the dried up veins . -
This place isn’t that big , - Zac said . - The riverbeds are just over one day’s travel away . We can check it out first and then try another hotspot before returning if we don’t find anything within a few days . -
Sure . - Ogras stowed the map and they took off at a run . - Let’s rush straight for the hotspot . I hear it’s almost impossible to find anything this close to the— -
There’s one , - Zac interjected .
They stopped , and Ogras followed Zac’s eyes to a nondescript stone a few meters away .
What? That thing? - Ogras said skeptically . - How could you possibly know that? I hear you need to release your Daos in waves to create resonance . And if that fails , break open things to see if anything’s inside . Are you making things up , hoping to prove me wrong? -
Just a hunch . - Zac smiled as he walked over . - Proving you wrong would just be a fun bonus . -
Whatever , - Ogras said with a roll of his eyes . - No one will be happier than me if you can actually sniff out Fate Kernels like a bloodhound . We might not be allowed to bring those things out of this place , but we could make some Mana selling your talents . -
Guess we’ll find out , - Zac laughed .
He touched the stone and felt a cool sensation , and his heartbeat sped up as his hand entered the surface as though it was liquid . He reached around a second before dragging out what looked like a metal walnut . A smile spread across his face as he felt the weak fluctuations from within . The kernel was clearly Low-quality , and it contained a Dao Zac didn’t quite recognize . He guessed it was something related to the Peak of Impetus , but its aura was too weak to confirm .
What the . . . - Ogras muttered . - It doesn’t even seem slightly related to you . There’s no way you’d resonate with this thing . What did you do? -
Honestly? Not sure , - Zac said , frowning as he tried to gain some sense of the small ball . - I just felt it somehow . -
Zac wasn’t making things up . How did he know it was there? Even now , Zac wasn’t quite sure . As Ogras said , the Fate Kernel didn’t resonate with his Daos or path . Neither was it his newfound spiritual domain , which apparently was called Soul Sense , according to Catheya . It had told him it was just any normal rock . Yet he’d felt a minute pull from the stone .
The situation was a bit reminiscent of the trial Three Virtues had set up for him inside the Orom Word , where he had to use his heart to discern true from false . Yet , Zac could tell it wasn’t his heart either . If that were the case , the knowledge would have spread far and wide . After all , while Heart Cultivation was quite rare , it wasn’t unheard of . There were even cultivators having the heart at the center of their path , and there were others who had incredibly tempered hearts due to various reasons .
Perhaps my Luck? - Zac ventured , even if it didn’t feel like it .
Well , whatever it is , keep it up , - Ogras grinned . - Find me a good one , yeah? Shadows and Illusions . I’m not greedy , needing a Peak or Supreme-quality stone . Even a High-grade will do . -
Is that all? - Zac said as he threw away the kernel . - First of all , let’s see if it was a lucky hunch or not . -
The guides wouldn’t confirm or deny the matter , but there were some rumors that it was best to return any kernel you found . If you let them dissipate , you’d weaken your Fate with the Quarry , lessening the odds of finding something useful . The grass rippled like water as the stone sunk into the ground . A moment later , it was gone , likely relocated to some other corner of the zone . During the process , Zac didn’t sense anything , and he had no better answer as to why he’d known the kernel was there .
They kept moving until Zac stopped again . This time he wasn’t looking at a rock but rather up at a small bird’s nest in a tree . He climbed up and observed the nest with all his senses and took out one of the eggs . He cracked the egg , and instead of yolk , a small amber broach depicting a beetle appeared . Before that point , it had looked and felt exactly like the other eggs .
They come in all shapes and sizes , huh , - Ogras commented after Zac jumped down .
Zac curiously looked at the broach . - Earth and sun? Interesting combination . -
More importantly , it really looks like your treasure sense is tuned to these things , - Ogras said , his eyes gleaming .