A silence spread across the crowd , and all eyes were trained on the human mage . A few looked at her like she was a fool , while most had ruminating or downright jealous expressions .
One point five , - the barbarian said with grit teeth . - Come on , darling? I’ll owe you one . -
Five , - the mage countered without missing a beat , completely ignoring the barbarian . - But on one condition . -
Zac didn’t answer immediately . He turned to the others , but everyone indicated they were out . Zac was disappointed , though he understood their thoughts . Fate Kernels ultimately had limited usefulness . Those who had the qualifications to arrive here were either extremely talented or connected . Forming a Cosmic Core was almost a given . A Fate Kernel could slightly improve the result , but the Perennial Vastness was already doing most of the heavy lifting with its Mana .
The kernel would save a few decades of cultivation in the D-grade at most . Paying multiple C-grade Nexus Coins for that simply wasn’t worth it for most . Furthermore , few scions would carry that wealth for their cultivation . For example , Catheya only had a few hundred D-grade Nexus Coins until her experiences in the Twilight Ascent elevated her status . This young woman was no doubt a real big shot .
Five C-grade Nexus Coins was a massive windfall even for Zac with all his ventures . He’d hoped for 1 C-grade Nexus Coin if a heated bidding war erupted , but this woman threw out money like it was worth nothing . A smile tugged at Zac’s lips upon seeing Ogras turn a shade greener on the sidelines . Perhaps he was even regretting absorbing his kernel instead of pawning it off .
What condition? - Zac asked when it was clear no one planned to outbid her .
I want to know the origin and nature of the opportunity you encountered , - the mage said .
I can divulge the origins but not what I got my hands on , - Zac said after some thought .
That’s fine , - the mage said as she walked over .
Meanwhile , the emerald barrier around the valley dissipated , and Zac was surprised to see eight people standing outside . The barrier had looked transparent , but it had been manipulated not to show Zac that more people had arrived . He wryly smiled , not too broken up about it . The windfall was already better than he’d expected from his impromptu scheme .
Should’ve asked Grandma for more money , - the barbarian muttered as he strolled away . - Hey , dead guy . I’m Kruta . If you’re planning to head to one of the war zones , bring me along , yeah? I could use your luck . -
Sure . - Zac smiled . - But we’d be in contention for the treasures . -
You bring the chaos , and I’ll fish in the muddy waters , - the barbarian laughed before he jumped away .
One by one , the rest left as well . The opportunities were gone , but everyone knew this place would get more volatile as time passed . They’d already been scammed out of some Mana and weren’t interested in bringing more trouble down on their shoulders . A handful stayed on , refusing to give up based on just Zac’s words .
The mage erected a barrier around them , which far surpassed any of the isolation arrays Zac possessed . He couldn’t sense a thing from the outside , like the array had formed a separate dimension .
I’m Arcaz Umbri’Zi , by the way . -
I’ve heard of you , - the mage nodded . - Asta Ar . -
Do you sell these arrays? - Zac asked curiously .
This one has proprietary solutions , but I sell slightly depreciated versions . They only lack 8% strength and lack the defense against a few types of advanced spying methods , - the mage said . - However , they do not run on Miasma . -
That’s fine , - Zac shrugged as the canister floated over . - Give me a couple and deduct the price from your purchase . -
I studied the pillar for two hours before it dissipated , - Asta commented . - This glass case is fake . -
Sure , but the kernel is real , - Zac said , not too surprised an array master could figure out his scheme .
How did you prevent it from dissipating? -
Just filled the canister with the weird energy inside the inheritance . I figured I’d notice if it started to break apart . -
I see , - Asta said , clearly not buying Zac’s explanation . - And the origins? -
The First People , - Zac said and recorded a translated version of the primer’s first chapter .
The First People , how extraordinary , - the woman sighed , her face softening quite a bit . For a moment , she reminded Zac of Vai , brimming with academic curiosity . - Where did you get this text from? -
I found a book with historical accounts rather than skills or Cultivation Manuals . -
It’s really one of the 229 , - Asta muttered , prompting Zac’s eyes to widen .
You knew of this place? -
I didn’t know it was a precept of the First People , but I have read about their heritages . A few of their remnants have appeared over the years , including one in a neighboring empire . It had collapsed , and the inheritance was lost , but the explorers found a book . As it often does , some of the contents were leaked and spread . Are you amenable to selling the book or making a copy? -
You can come and get a translated version after I’ve read the book in full , - Zac said after some thought . - I want to ensure there are no hidden impartments within before handing it over . -
The First People’s greatest desire was to be remembered , so Zac felt he could just as well spread the primer . It was just a small act of reciprocity in the face of the massive gift they’d given him . But he’d keep the original for himself , just in case .
That’s acceptable , - Asta said . - I’m a member of the Tranquil Moon Pavilion . Please let me know if you find any other items or writings of historical significance during your stay . We are always searching for lost and ancient knowledge . -
Sure , - Zac waved .
He had no idea what the Tranquil Moon Pavilion was , but he guessed it was a powerful sect from the Heartlands . It wasn’t often Zac met sect disciples . Most regions were dominated by clans rather than sects , which wasn’t surprising . A family had an easier time maintaining cohesion against outside threats , and they had a cultivation advantage regarding bloodlines . Besides , the Limitless Empire was governed this way , which created echoes across the Multiverse through the System .
Still , many regions were fully controlled by sects , who maintained their dominion by ensuring no families grew too powerful . They held rigorous testing across their lands , making sure to bring talented children into the fold long before they could grow up and become pillars of a family .
Asta left , and Zac followed suit after confirming Ogras was already gone . He ran through winding paths for a few minutes before activating Abyssal Phase] . The mountain range turned into a blur as Zac pushed the skill to its limits , crossing vast swathes in minutes . When he couldn’t maintain the skill any longer , he reformed and kept running for another twenty minutes .
Zac stopped before a seemingly normal wall , but he passed right through it after scanning the region as best as he could . A series of tunnels would lead to the other side of the mountain , but Zac simply took out a chair and sat down . It was a meet-up location he and Ogras had prepared before heading toward the final seal .
Twenty minutes later , Ogras stepped through the illusion array , grinning as he saw Zac sitting in meditation . - Everything went well? -
No complaints . -
No complaints , - Ogras said with a roll of his eyes . - Heaven-touched bastard . I thought I made off like a bandit , selling information packages and recordings for 18 , 000 D-grade Nexus Coins . Clearly , my ambitions are too low . -
Well , that’s not too bad a haul for some information , - Zac said . - Where’s Catheya? -
She’s not too far from here , - Ogras said . - She opted to move closer to the teleportation pillar after the first group of people arrived . She could send a warning in case there were some big movements that way , and I guess being a solo undead in this kind of situation is asking for trouble . -