— Pangaea South Ward, Black Heart City’s Inner District
Six weeks later…
“I can’t believe this is happening.”
“Just let it happen. It’s the experience of a lifetime.”
“How do you make it spin like that?”
“It takes finesse.”
Jodye Trill and Dessa Chimes were in a large stone building that was swarming with people. Many of these people were martial warriors, but most of them were regular mortals. Even though Jodye was technically a mortal as well, he cultivated divine energies. His current lifespan could reach 150 years, and his strength and lifeblood were bound to rapidly increase. Whereas for those who were unable to cultivate with divine energy, they would at most be able to become one with a single earthen force, and even that was rare. Most mortals didn’t even reach a lifespan of 100 years.
This building had various magical machines and gadgets, it was very cool. In front of a strange device made of thunder-smoke steel that looked a bit like a giant snow globe, Jodye was using his divine sense to make the fog of origin energy inside the container at the top spin rapidly until it became a milky white round ball of energy. Dessa marveled as she couldn’t truly understand what was happening, in spite of having it explained to her. The spiritual sense could be used like this? She felt masters on Mr. Jupiter’s level were truly impressive.
“Okay, now put an amethyst coin in the slot and press the colors in the order they appear,” said Jodye Trill. Dessa followed his instructions and placed an amethyst coin inside the coin slot. Different energies in the globe began to react and light up. The first time Dessa put a silver coin in, and Jodye hadn’t done anything to the origin fog. The colors lit up at nearly the same time, but you have to input the correct order of the forces from most active to most inactive. This was extremely hard, and Dessa lost her silver coin as a result. However, now that Jodye was using his divine energy to manipulate the fog the lights wrapped around the sphere of origin fog diagonally like a rainbow ribbon.
This was far easier.
Fifteen seconds later, 1,000 amethyst coins came raining out of the device.
“You see now? This is why you must take your security role more seriously,” said Jodye Trill to Dessa as he pocketed the coins into his space ring. “This is a part of your training. If a master walks into these lower level gambling houses, they’ll be able to rob us blind! These games are not sophisticated enough to trouble any master above the C-Grade, so you must be cautious! If you see any suspicious behavior, contact the supervisor or me immediately.”
“Yes, my lord,” replied Dessa Chimes with a subordinate’s salute.
“Good. Learn as much as you can, we may emulate this business model one day. Let’s go,” Jodye Trill was clad in blue raiment with Star Security written on the back in hieroglyphics. He first exchanged his coins for crystal notes, then led Dessa, who was dressed in the same fashion, back to the office on the lower level. Inside this office, Cassan was lecturing Aiken on some cultivation principles. Jodye walked over and made a report, “Mr. Cassan, we have finishing patrolling all floors of the Middle and Inner District’s Shooting Star Heavenly House. I’ll be leaving now.”
Cassan smiled and nodded at Jodye, and continued his lecture.
Black Heart City of the Star Reaching Region was famed for its gambling houses. This large city covered several kilometers and was separated into four districts. Each district had its own gambling houses, but there was one gambling house that was famous in each area.
Shooting Star Heavenly House!
This business was started by none other than Sigma Octanis.
Each district had a larger location than the previous, the most luxurious being located in the golden district. You had to be a mage to even go to the golden district, let alone the Shooting Star Heavenly House in that location. Jodye had yet to visit the golden district because even Uncle Sigma could only enter the first area, he couldn’t pull any strings for Jodye.
Following that, Jodye went back to Sigma’s third base via the dimensional portal Cassan kept on himself. These two were from an upper star realm, unlike Jodye himself. They had access to technology that couldn’t be imagined on this planet. To the denizens of Black Heart City, Sigma Octanis was a mysterious and innovative phenomenon. However, in reality, he just grew up in a good family and had significant wealth from a much more powerful star area.
The Bronze and Silver Star Realms just couldn’t compare to the Golden Star Realm. Furthermore, Sigma had informed Jodye that Gaea was technically from a different star area but had drifted to the outskirts of the Bronze Star Realm. Apparently, this had something to do with the curse that was placed on this planet.
Sigma Octanis was seated in the caverns next to a large white crystal. He beckoned Jodye over once he sensed his presence, “This is an advanced-level magic life qi crystal. None of these magic or force crystals have a rank lower than the advanced level. You can use them to gain insights, but you won’t be capable of refining this energy until your progress surpasses the primary level.
“To make magic elixirs or hex potions, you need to have the proper foundation in magic or voodoo respectively. What primary force do you specialize in?”
“Chaos,” said Jodye Trill calmly.
However, Sigma Octanis was dumbstruck, “Did… did you just say?! Y..y..y.y.you..you! The chaos? Are you serious? How do you know?”
“My mother told me so, and then the fates did as well. Actually, I don’t know how to use chaos force, only magic or voodoo. What’s wrong?” asked Jodye puzzled by Sigma’s reaction.
“Kid, chaos force is like the key to a brighter future! With chaos force, you can perfectly fuse the magical powers of life and death to create three times the effect! Spells or curses backed by chaos force are the most powerful version of creation casting,” Sigma’s eyes were flashing with bright golden lights as he explained.
“So then, I can only use chaos force by fusing magic and voodoo?” a lightbulb suddenly turned on in Jodye’s head. ‘So that’s what it was…’
“Not exactly. Understanding a chaotic concept will be what allows you to fuse the powers of life and death. However, your understanding of the two must still reach a certain level before the fusion can be perfect. Only the predestined can comprehend chaos force,” Uncle Sigma was convinced that this boy was his lucky star.
“I see…” Jodye Trill pondered deeply for a few moments before speaking again, “Uncle Sigma, have you been able to find any of the medicine on that list?”
“A few of them… but as for the majority, I doubt we’ll find them on this continent,” responded Sigma.
“A few is enough!” said Jodye excited.
“A few it is then,” Uncle Sigma removed a spatial ring from his own, “Here.”
Jodye instantly performed a blood ownership claim on the ring, and when he looked inside, he was pleasantly surprised. “This is!”
Forlorn Guide Grass!
Eclipsed Star Weed!
Mushroom Rockets!
Plus there were around seven other herbs that he couldn’t name, but the properties of these plants matched his requirements.
“Hahaha, so what do you say, huh? Did your teacher do good or not?” Sigma Octanis laughed in satisfaction when he saw Jodye’s reaction. The boy was absolutely ecstatic.
“This is awesome, Unc!” Jodye Trill finally had what he needed to attack the next level of the Wimpy Man realm! His Titanic Rage path would finally take another step forward. The door to the future was finally pushed open a little further.
“Good kid, enjoy. Now let’s start today’s alchemy project!”
Like this, Sigma Octanis instructed Jodye on how to use his alchemy techniques. Although Heaven Howling Sect’s alchemy techniques couldn’t compare to the ancient methods of Jupiter Titan, they were still renowned and unique amongst the golden realm’s five supreme galaxies. Among their methods, Sigma’s Eighteen Star Reaching Palm was ranked #12 in the entire Gold Star Realm!
This was very impressive indeed.
Through Sigma, Jodye also became aware of how warriors of different paths were classified together. Warriors at the first realm of a path, such as the Scholar Realm of the Sage Path, were known as foundation class warriors. Those at the second cultivation realm of a cultivation path were known as rookies. At the third cultivation realm, they were known as experts, and at the fourth realm, they would be called elites. From elites they became champions, then conquerors, and after conquerors they became kings. The king level was not the end of the path, but everything else was far from Jodye’s reach.
This overturned Jodye’s previous understanding of what an expert was. If this were the way things were viewed in the upper realms, Jodye would, of course, stick to this classification. He felt his time in the lower realms was destined to be limited.
A few hours later Sigma was still talking, “Let’s not forget the Alpha Merit Pill. This pill can allow body transformation path martial artists to temper their blood with divine energy. This can potentially awaken the bloodline limit earlier! Alpha Merit pills are famed for helping warriors training their bodies, such as saints, break through bottlenecks and ascend in their realms!”
“Hey, Unc!” Jodye suddenly spoke out and interrupted Sigma. “What exactly is a bloodline limit?”
“Hm? Well, that’s a martial lesson but… ah, what the hell. A bloodline limit is a set of abilities and skills unique to an individual because of their bloodline. The hero race is not unique in this ability, as the blood of most creatures can assimilate the dormant laws within our souls to nourish our bloodlines.” Sigma explained in further detail, “Once our physical strength and realms reach a certain height these laws manifest as new abilities. The bloodline limit of Sage path warriors especially is far more dangerous than others.”
Unknowingly, Sigma lectured Jodye and Dessa for five hours before he stopped. The light of intelligence danced in Jodye’s eyes as Sigma explained the philosophies and methods behind medicine refinement. Jodye already knew most of this information. However, he still enjoyed reconfirming things. After all, these memories weren’t his own. After Sigma asked Jodye if he had any questions or thoughts that confused him, he was swarmed with dozens of items and had to answer them for the next two hours. Sigma responded to each question patiently, with more passion in each following answer than in the last.
Alchemists could only get excited when communicating with fellow alchemists. Dessa was bored to tears, but she was also learning a lot of information. Jodye’s questions answered many things she wasn’t bold enough to inquire about, which allowed her to slowly understand many things.
The time seemed to fly away, and it was already late at night.
In his private room in the secret base #3, Jodye Trill organized the information he learned today into his mental filing cabinet. Then, he activated Pharaoh’s Law4Lawthe rules and principles that create, govern, and maintain the energies of the universe. When laws come into harmony they form different systems naturally, with as many functions as the laws in harmony. For laws to enter a state of harmony, they must be compatible and have a proper conduit such as a star, or anything with its own unique Origin source law. With a good enough conduit it is possible to make incompatible laws reach a state of harmony, but in such a scenario there is a high chance of the force turning cancerous. The condensation of law energy produces what is known as Force or Qi.. as he took out his brand new Silver Skies Heaven Cauldron. Jodye picked out this alchemical cauldron in Sigma’s shop in the outer district. This was a C-grade alchemical cauldron! Jodye was attempting to refine some pills using the Eighteen Star Reaching Palm technique.
After organizing all the ingredients required for a D-grade Alpha Merit Pill, Jodye’s hands moved in the air according to Sigma’s technique, as he used his divine sense to manipulate the ingredients into floating in front of him. After processing the components, Jodye used a sacred flame crystal to heat the cauldron. He excelled in the method rather quickly, yet he failed to perform the so-called ‘Perfected Palm, collapsing stars.’ After practicing deep into the night, Jodye finally decided to call it a day. He had refined
From what Uncle Sigma had told Jodye, it took him 20 years to master this technique! Jodye never felt he could learn it in only a night, but he had tried anyway. Based on his progress, this was definitely impossible. He was only able to produce several D-grade pills with this technique. This left Jodye utterly disappointed in himself. It seemed he was foolish to believe he would automatically perform at an expert level. He had to train his body to match his mind.
However, if Sigma was to see how much progress this brat has made in merely one night, he might just pass out.
Following a light meal that Dessa prepared for him, Jodye cultivated in the main cavern next to a large white crystal full of white sparkling swirls.
B-Grade magic life crystal!
This was an advanced level magic life qi crystal.
Although Jodye couldn’t really absorb advanced level Qi, he was able to seek enlightenment. He wanted his perfected nascent level magic qi to evolve into level primary magic qi! His Advent of Creation force concept was the only one that had yet to reach the primary level. This was mainly due to Jodye’s comprehension of dragon force being too lacking. His Advent of Creation Concept was primarily based on his Dragon qi.
For an entire month, Jodye would spend his days training Dessa Chimes as he slowly corroded the cursed fate seal in her origin pool with astral essence. His astral essence was still very imperfect, making this a complicated process. After that, the two youths would work as security for Sigma’s various businesses, and then train in alchemy in the afternoon, and then cultivating at night. Fusing his true essence power and his astral power seemed to be improving his pure essence qi significantly.
In the last month that Jodye had spent with Dessa, not only did Jodye almost entirely remove her cursed fate seal, he even taught her a few of the basic level spells he learned from Sigma and his mother. Jodye was prepared to heavily invest in Dessa’s future, as she would be spending this future with himself until his death. Who could go against the will of the heavens?
A month later, Dessa was finally freed from her oppressing seal, but Sigma Octanis interrupted Jodye’s nightly meditation with big news.
“Hey kid, weren’t you looking for an auction? Well, I’ve got some news about a big one.”
