It was impossible not to have heard of Zenith Elixir during the gathering. Truga Ur himself ntioned it in passing. It was Black Zenith's most famous product, and having a monopoly on its concoction was an important reason for Truga's unshakeable position. There were multiple stronger Monarchs in the region, but no one wanted to harm the goose who laid the golden egg.
"Unfortunately, young master should've heard that the purification takes a significant amount of ti. Every day, a single drop is added to the stockpile, and there are many who clamor for the Zenith Elixir," Truga continued, looking forlorn. "At most, I can gift young master one vat."
"One vat," Zac slowly said. "I'm afraid that's not enough. I was thinking ten."
"Ten?!" Truga Ur yelped, looking like Zac had asked him for his heart. "Impossible! That's millennia of accumulation! I might barely be able to scrape two vats together by calling in a few favors."
'This old man has eight vats stockpiled in the basent. Maybe I should steal the other six to teach him a lesson,' Esralda said, looking ready to sneak out of her shrine again.
Half a day had passed since they entered Black Zenith, which had given Esralda enough ti to perform a series of experints. She could freely interact with the environnt now that Zac provided passage. Zac had also gained newfound admiration for the toad's thods. She'd co and gone right under the nose of the guests, even explored the mayor's mansion without triggering any alarms.
'There's no need. I know a way to make this old scamr open his wallet.'
Instead of throwing out a counteroffer, Zac silently placed a bottle of pills on the table. Truga looked at the bottle with confusion before his eyes widened with genuine shock. Soon, he couldn't help himself. He picked up the bottle and gingerly poured one pill into his palm, acting like the common Healing Pill was a priceless treasure.
"There's not a speck of Earthly Taint!"
With Earthly Taint being ever-present in the pre-System age, you'd find it in everything from pills to equipnt. An important part of any craftsman's skillset was minimizing the contamination. There were countless thods to extract the good and leave the bad. Even so, not even grandmasters could craft pills as pure as the ones Zac presented. Such things could only appear when the materials and environnt were rid of Earthly Taint.
"Like I said, any worthwhile undertaking cos at a cost. Nevertheless, the Empire wouldn't do sothing if they weren't confident in success," Zac said, giving the Monarch a pointed look. "Pills like these cannot be mass-produced yet. At most, they can act as a proof of concept, showcasing the value of the Imperial Road Project."
"How marvelous," Truga Ur muttered, and Zac could see the wheels turning. "Ten vats is still impossible, but I might be able to scrounge up a little more. I keep a modest ergency stockpile for periods when the Refinent Array malfunctions. How about three—"
Zac inwardly laughed, knowing it was just a matter of striking the right balance now. He could easily have taken out a small mountain of such pills, but he still showed a reluctant expression as he took out another bottle. Twenty minutes later, the negotiations were complete, with each side feeling they'd pulled one over on the other.
"The Wendimars are as straightforward as the rumors say," the Monarch said with a pleased smile.
Twelve pill bottles and three boxes holding unblemished Natural Treasures flew into one of Truga's sleeves. Zac similarly put away a Cosmos Sack holding a small fortune of refined Spiritual Crystals. They were the predecessor to Nexus Crystals and Cosmic Crystals and the Limitless Empire's unofficial currency. So spending money could co in handy further down the road since taking out his System-era materials would always co with a risk.
"Six vats it is. The final refinent will take six days," Truga said.
Zac took the news in stride, having already learned this during the banquet. The final refinent was critical to creating a product fit for consumption, but it resulted in an unstable product. The elixir would only remain fresh for a few days after being completed, so it was stored in a semi-refined state until it was ti to be used.
"Accommodations have been prepared; feel free to explore the city until the refinent is complete," Truga continued.
'He wants you to fan the flas even further,' Esralda laughed.
"Thank you," Zac said and left after exchanging so pleasantries.
He'd been given a large courtyard reserved for esteed guests. Zac ushered away the servants before sitting down by a large pond. The gentle rain of mory lanterns was muted in the night sky, causing the waters to ripple with an ethereal glow. The tranquil atmosphere soothed Zac's mind, and he took out a piece of wood and an artisanal axe.
He'd picked up carving while working on his Cosmic Core. It helped him express the blueprint, and he'd used the sa thod many tis since. Today, he wasn't cultivating. He simply carved because he wanted to. The block of deep-red wood was the most similar to the trees in the Pangonian Wilds his undead side had on hand.
The only sounds in the courtyard were those of crickets and woodcarving. The piles of shavings grew as a bust started to take shape. The tranquility was shattered when a huge toad appeared out of nowhere, turning the pond into her bath. Zac didn't react, calmly continuing his work.
"We're clear," Esralda confird, comfortably stretching her long legs. "You know the mayor intentionally exposed his plan, right?'
"I know," Zac said. "No fool could reach Monarchy in the shallows. He understands balance, that he needs to pay a price to get what he wants. It's one thing to scam the local warlords, another to make a Founding Family an unwitting accomplice. He wouldn't be able to stay inside the Empire."
"I listened in on so conversations while I investigated the city. He's quite popular. The weak lead better lives here than in most settlents," Esralda humd. "Maybe he's a noble thief, just like ."
Zac had a feeling that Esralda was closer to a wealth-hoarding dragon than a Robin Hood type but saw no reason to call her out. Neither was Zac convinced Truga Ur was a sliball hiding a noble heart. Like everyone else, he was a mix of good and bad. It didn't matter to Zac. They were only passing boats in the night, using each other to get what they needed.
Zac continued working on his sculpture until distinct features appeared. He eventually stopped, intentionally leaving so roughness in his work. The lack of details made it impossible to guess her age, trapping her in a state of uncertainty. Only ti could tell what was real.
"Not bad. You managed to replicate a hint of true fire. If you keep at it, you'll reach the level of an artisan. At that point, you can imbue your works with actual power," Esralda said. " Who is it?"
"Terea Wendimar," Zac said, stowing it away. "Are you sure about this?"
"You think the mayor's going to silence you?" Esralda curiously asked.
"No. A son of the Ironblooded Wendimars disappearing in Black Zenith would cause him no end of trouble. I think he'll send off under great fanfare, praying I'll never co back," Zac said. "I'm talking about the delay."
They'd originally only planned on staying the day before continuing toward the rcurial Court. Losing connection with his other half wasn't that big a deal. He couldn't share senses, but Zac still shared one soul and Cosmic Core. He'd already worked out a few simple ssages by drawing on his core and ntal Energy. His other half knew he'd encountered an opportunity and would take a while.
"We shouldn't be overly anxious. This trial won't be over in a day or two. We'll only harm our chances if we ignore the opportunities along the way," Esralda said. "We could both benefit from the elixir, so we should just set the ti aside."
"You're right."
Zac spent the next day touring the city, both out of interest and to collect information. His understanding of the Limitless Empire improved a lot despite Black Zenith being an unimportant frontier city. Reading historical records couldn't compare to actually walking through history.
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Beyond information, Zac also tasted the local cuisine and traded for so interesting materials. Zac could see how the atmosphere grew more heated by the hour. Everyone was discussing the Imperial Road. The rumors reached a fever pitch when three pill bottles appeared on display at the city's Auction House.
New information was added to the rumors—the Imperial Road would open the path to cultivation. Living close to it would transform the fate of one's descendants, removing the blight of Earthly Taint. As unbelievable as it sounded, the unblemished pills acted as proof. Zac could barely walk the streets despite having guards keeping people at bay.
It was obvious the mayor would use the pills this way. It was the only reason Truga was willing to pay such a hefty sum. The elixir was priceless. The few vats that appeared on the open market went for the equivalent of multiple C-grade Nexus Coins. So bottles of Early D-grade pills couldn't compare, even if they were free from Earthly Taint.
Zac didn't go out the following days, partly because of guilt over his role in Truga's scam. Facing the misguided hope was uncomfortable, even if it was all ancient history. Zac didn't have ti to spend the whole week sightseeing anyhow. Things had finally cald down, and there was much Zac needed to catch up on.
Black Zenith remained stable throughout, showing no indication of collapse or other discrepancies. The golden shimr of Imperial Faith gradually faded during this stay, but it was nowhere near as noticeable as the end of his previous vision. Zac could stay for well over a month at the current rate of expenditure.
Staying that long didn't prove necessary. Right on ti, an attendant inford Zac that everything was ready. The servant led him to a guarded basent that had to be dug directly into the skull. The mayor waited before a sturdy door covered in arrays.
"Everything is ready," Truga said after excusing the servants. "I took the liberty of preparing my personal chamber rather than one of the public rooms. It can retain the elixir slightly longer."
Zac nodded in thanks and stepped into the room. It was mostly empty beyond a pool in the middle. It was filled with spiritual water and heated by arrays. Standing behind it were six sealed vats, each the size of a barrel. They emitted a fearso aura, making it seem like a ferocious beast had been sealed inside.
"Be careful. Any dicine will beco poison if taken in excess," the Monarch reminded. "Even refined, there is a significant amount of desolation left. Absorb it too quickly, and it'll affect your ntal state. From there, it's a short journey to insanity."
"I know my limits," Zac assured, looking back at Truga Ur with interest. "If I hadn't arrived, what would you have done?"
"I would have invited my contact from the Celestial Workshop to double-check my work," Truga smiled. "Of course, I'd have to provide a few gifts to make the arduous journey seem worth it."
The door closed, sealing the chamber. Zac laughed, having expected an answer along those lines. It was difficult to reconcile an unfathomable undertaking like the System's creation with local politics and bribery, but human nature infiltrated everything. Zac had a feeling Truga Ur did well for himself in the original tiline.
'The room is clean, but I'll add another layer of isolation just in case,' Esralda said before erging from the shrine, directly taking up two-thirds of the pool.
"The Wendimar na made this visit a breeze," Zac comnted as he disrobed. "I doubt our reception would have been the sa if I'd entered as so random schmuck."
"You'd be sward the mont you took out one of your pretty little pills,"Esralda giggled.
Their visit to Black Zenith had reinforced just how massive Leyara's favor was. It might not have put him head and shoulders above the other trial takers, considering they had weeks of finding a good mory lantern before the trial began. Still, gaining the identity of a founding family had to be close to an optimal start.
"There's no guarantee that the Wendimar na will work everywhere. We should try and find a mory lantern with a high status in the rcurial Court," Zac said.
"We'll figure it out," Esralda said with a greedy expression. "Hurry up. I want to see if this stuff is as good as advertised."
Zac laughed and ripped off the seal on the closest vat, prompting a desolate roar to shake the chamber. It felt like the huge skull resonated with the elixir, causing a vibration that made Zac's body co alive. Zac's stomach growled with hunger and unease when faced with the viscous tar. The concoction was incredibly potent, far surpassing his Fiend Crystals.
The Zenith Elixir felt closer to the Life-attuned cactus thorn he'd found inside the Centurion Lighthouse, though lacking any specific attunent. What it lacked in attunent, it made up with intensity, and there were six full vats of the stuff.
Zac knew they'd made the right decision staying in Black Zenith. Both he and Esralda had greatly overexerted their bloodlines in the Centurion Base, to the point their foundations were damaged. A terrifyingly vigorous concoction like the Zenith Elixir was the perfect nourishnt to accelerate their recovery.
"Do your best, but don't get mad if I accidentally take the lion's share," Esralda teased as profound runes lit up across her body. "If you have to bla sothing, bla my amazing talent."
Zac took out a Death-attuned Natural Treasure suitable for body tempering. "I thought you'd know better by now."
On the other side of the continent, Zac's human half waited inside a newly erected Cultivation Cave. He'd spent the last week crossing dozens of mountains, only finding a new hiding spot when receiving the heads-up from his other side. Zac still didn't know what they'd stumbled onto in the mory city, but he was ready to assist no matter what opportunity ca their way. He had managed to complete his core formation with his mind separated, relying on instinct and a shared understanding of their path.
Zac felt a prickling sensation, and his body tensed. It had begun. Shortly after, rivers of frenzied energy poured into his Soul Aperture and Cosmic Core's quantum space. The energy was neither suitable for his soul nor core, and its re presence put the spaces under great strain. Unfortunately, it was the easiest way to transfer energies between bodies since his Quantum Gate was split into the Alpha and Oga Hidden Nodes.
Wasting no ti, Zac dragged the incredibly dense Fiend Energy into his body. Zac didn't need to share mories to know what his other half was thinking, and he pulled out a life-attuned treasure. The gleaming stone was ant to be ground into dicinal clay for his body-tempering technique. There was no ti for such luxuries, so Zac directly bit into the rock.
The crunch of crushed gravel filled the cave as Zac entered his Void State, taking the first step of his augnted [Void Vajra Sublimation]. The weakened swirls of golden dust inside his cells were reluctantly rallied into action. Zac didn't have to keep them going with willpower alone. If his cells were a rusty old engine, then the incredibly intense Fiend Energy was jet fuel.
The golden hurricanes rotated faster and faster with no hint of running out of steam. Rather, they showed signs of instability. The small amounts of Life-attuned force couldn't contend with the chaotic urges of the berserk energies, and the cyclones representing his Void Vajra Constitution collapsed en masse. A million stabs of agonizing pain almost broke Zac's ntal state, but the Cosmos guided his body into the next position of his sutra.
The Void pulled, extracting the Life-attuned stone's spirituality. Joining it were five streams of possibility stemming from the Shards of Creation. Boundless possibility fused with the unyielding hunger of Life's evolution. Together, they beca a force of renewal, an incarnation of his Earthly Dao of Reborn Life.
The mixture spread through every nook and cranny, helping Zac in fighting the Fiend Energy's attempts at tearing him down at a cellular level. The golden hurricanes of his Void Vajra Constitution reford with newfound power, but the Fiend Energy kept coming through his quantum spaces. Whenever the balance was disturbed, Zac consud another treasure to right the ship.
Over and over, the painful cycle of rebirth tore down his body and rebuilt it stronger. Zac quickly reached the new limits created by the Law-imbued treasures, yet the forces only grew stronger. Zac found it harder and harder to hold on. If he kept going like this, it wasn't the golden hurricanes that would collapse. It would be his body. Was he being too impatient?
Just as Zac was about to disperse the berserk forces and lessen the pressure, what he'd been waiting for finally ca. It was like the floor of his cells had fallen out, and most of the accumulated energy disappeared. Eyes blazing like torches, Zac took out two more treasures mid-step. Different from the items before, they were originally ant for his core and were not suitable for direct consumption.
Such trifling details didn't matter to the Void.
The two Late D-grade treasures were sucked dry almost instantaneously, pulled into the Void Plane through millions of microscopic gates. His cells trembled from strain, but the Fiend Energy prevented his bloodline from going back to sleep. Zac knew he couldn't keep going like this for long, and he frenziedly tore into one treasure after another as he continued his dance of Life.
Soon enough, the Void reciprocated. Void-touched Life seeped out of the depths and fused with the golden cyclones. It was less than five percent of what Zac supplied, but that was more than enough to drastically improve the effect of his body tempering. Between the Fiendish Energy supplied by the other side and the infusion of Life, Zac was making extre progress on his constitution.
The agony was intoxicating. The power was addicting. The hunger was excruciating. He needed more.
The more Zac consud, the more starved he beca. The craving was becoming unbearable, and Zac found it harder to keep his bloodline in check. A wind was born inside the secluded chamber, and dust was dragged toward his body as Zac's senses instinctively extended outward in search of sustenance.
Zac forcibly retracted his will before a scene similar to the Centurion Lighthouse occurred. There might be a huge number of treasures in the mountain range, but there were also dozens of Beast Emperors who would take offense to him gobbling them up. His gains were already good, and there was no point in going crazy with greed.
A pulse of boundless Abyssal Death jolted his soul and overruled his caution. The tenuous balance he'd held onto collapsed, and the cave imploded around him. It looked like a giant had taken a bite out of the mountain wall, with Zac standing in the middle. The burst of unfamiliar power had infuriated the local tyrants. A cacophony of roars, one more powerful than the other, reverberated through the mountain range.
Zac was already on the move, furiously holding back against the madness transmitted by his other half. He would have found the situation funny if his Danger Sense wasn't wailing for him to run for his Life. It wasn't the first ti his breakthroughs made a ss of things, but it was the first ti he'd experienced the process as an 'outsider.'
He owed a lot of people an apology.
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