Within a year Anton had exhausted the readily available options for remnants of ancient sects. Unlike the secret realm of the Luminous Ocean Society, most had not remained intact- and they certainly didnt have functioning training areas. Most were preserved better than the Enlightened Cloud Sect, though sotis that was because the value of the materials in question was not worth the effort of dismantling. Others were saved by sects or clans interested in preserving history, though such cases were unfortunately rare.
As for finding more of Everhearts tombs, while there were always rumors about them cropping up in so place or another none were legitimate. Anton still went to check out a few regardless, but he knew that any real one would manage to have a further reaching announcent.
That could have been where he gave up. The ti and effort he was willing to devote to such an endeavor wasnt unlimited, and tracking down ever more obscure rumors was bound to be a waste of his ti. However, more options had opened up in recent years. Specifically, outside of the continent.
In the half a decade since the initial expeditions to reconnect with the rest of the world, travel had beco easier. With a set route in place, attacks were minimized along the route. Beasts were either killed or learned not to attack the cultivators, though there were always exceptions. Even so, so manner of trade had been developed. Luxury goods for the most part, since each continent was quite self-sustained and the costs to ship low value goods were far too high.
Along with luxury goods there were of course cultivators. They were able to deal with risk and had reasons to travel long distances, seeking their individual goals. And while teleportation was planned, it took more than a handful of years for people to beco comfortable with the idea of foreign sects just being able to show up nearby. Location was important- though whether people wanted the teleportation formations to be closer or further away was also sothing that had to be managed. It could provide significant benefits of detrints to a region depending on how things were set up. And while cultivators were able to move swiftly in so instances, in others they tended to drag on, like all human bureaucracy.
So Anton took a boat. It was a boring trip with no krakens or giant turtles involved- though it seed there were so groups interested in tracking the general migration of Paradise he wasnt part of the standard routes.
Anton took one of the faster ships, built for speed rather than durability. That ant he was able to arrive in around one week rather than three or four. Sitting around doing nothing productive for two extra weeks was just a waste. He could always discuss cultivation with those on board, but he had no guarantee anyone would be interested or that either side would benefit. So he chose the faster option.
Then he had a whole continent to pick over. For the mont, he set his target on two different groups. The closer of the two was the Tomb Seeking Cult. Hed had little interaction with them outside of guiding one of their disciples for part of his ti in Erygan, when hed been trying to find the Twin Souls smith. But if anyone would know about more of Everhearts tombs, it would be them. The second option was the Million Sword Vault, but they were closer to the far side of the continent.
The Tomb Seeking Cult took their obsession very seriously, and that reflected in their main headquarters or lack thereof. They did have a central location in the middle-western portion of Aicenith, but it was basically just a section of roughly tracked wilderness with temporary structures set up. Lots of tents and log cabins, and no defensive formations. Anton wasnt even sure if they technically owned the area, but nobody seed keen on removing them either.
Given that cultivators were prone to travel, finding his one acquaintance there was a stroke of luck. He could have easily been off on so mission or dead. It was an unpleasant thought, but with the Tomb Seeking Cult being particularly zealous in their hunt of Twin Soul Sect mbers they had taken recent losses. But Agus was present and alive, so Anton quickly found his wave over to the man.
Master Anton! Agus greeted him enthusiastically as he approached. I had wondered if we would ever et again.
Its sothing you can never know until you do, Anton shrugged. There wasnt much deeper aning to that thought. It was just that eventually people would et for the last ti. Well, take a look at yourself. Youve advanced quite nicely into early Essence Collection.
It is thanks to your advice, Agus inclined his head. For what reason have you co to seek us here?
Its quite simply a matter related to your specialty, Anton explained. I was wondering if you or the others had received word of any more of Everhearts Tombs since the one fifteen years ago. It surprised Anton to say that last part, but ti had been flowing rapidly. If he thought back he could see how all he had done filled the years, but if he did not focus they seed to slip through his grasp.
Not a single one, Im afraid, Agus shook his head. It is a matter of so disappointnt among us, though there have been longer periods. Id like to tell you sothing useful, but if we havent heard then no one has. And if any of us had heard of one, we all would have. Asking the others wont change the answer.
Anton nodded. With the common thread between them being that specific thing, any tomb of Everheart wasnt sothing that could be kept secret- even by those higher up. In fact, it beca even more important for them to share the information. I suspected as much. In that case, I am interested in historical records of previous tombs. And perhaps visiting them myself.
Oh! Well, Maxine will be very excited. Shes the current keeper of lore, Agus explained. Would you like to go see her now? Anton nodded. Then co with .
He headed imdiately for so of the more permanent structures in the area. The area around them was the most trafficked and thus had the least random undergrowth impeding them, not that it was a huge issue for cultivators- which was how the various paths managed to be rather straight between points of interest instead of winding.
The great libraries of sects were usually well guarded, but beyond the various disciples wandering nearby there werent any standing watch. Then again, various nearby structures housed many of the higher ranking cultivators among them. The structure they were heading towards seed to have been expanded upon as necessary, various horizontal and vertical extensions not matching any of the others in age or even necessarily style.
Inside was only a single person at the mont, presumably the lorekeeper Maxine. The typical image of such a person was old and decrepit, but Maxine was nearly the opposite. She wasnt exactly young, but she showed only minimal signs of age. She looked up as they entered. Hello. I dont recognize you, her gaze focused on Anton in particular.
Im not a mber of the Tomb Seeking Cult, Anton pointed out. So that is to be expected.
Really? She raised an eyebrow. Id have thought you were. I sense the influence of so of Everhearts techniques on you.
With how many hes made, Id be more surprised if anyone didnt have sothing tied to his techniques in so way, Anton pointed out.
Sure, Maxine shrugged. But these are more specific. Not terribly often practiced. I sense so old scars from Candle Wax, and I believe you practice Fleeting Youth?
Im surprised, Anton admitted. Especially at recognizing the latter. I thought it was rather less known. In fact, before he obtained it he presud no one had it. Has it so quickly spread to this continent to the point you instantly recognize it?
Oh, youre from Brogora? Maxines eyes lit up. I have so many questions! But first, yours. Its been here for a while. Its honestly practiced very little, except among us- a few elders who have desired a boost in power. Most wouldnt recognize it, but I have studied everything I can in detail. That one I cant use myself. Not for a few decades at minimum. And Im not really ready to give up on certain things. She coughed. But um. Brogora. Tell everything you know about Everhearts Tombs there! Its so hard to get reliable information! I was thinking of going on a trip myself but-
Alright, Anton cut her off. But Id like to exchange so information. Im interested in things local to Aicenith, for example.
Absolutely! I believe that information should be freely shared. A lot of people hate Everhearts forbidden techniques, but they were just forbidden because it was dangerous for them! Or the practitioners, but I dont see why people complain when theyre clearly marked. Maxine sighed, People know what theyre getting into. Why not let them?
Most people dont enjoy the prospect of themselves or others getting hurt. And encouraging forbidden techniques also encourages those being used against them to so extent. If everyone makes use of self-destructive thods to battle, it could result in both sides perishing and no victors.
Sa as regular wounds, Maxine shrugged. People accept certain hits to land their own attack. I dont think its much different.
Anton disagreed on a philosophical level, but she was entitled to her opinion. I wanted to see a list of what tombs had appeared. And where.
Ah, easy. Maxine waved her hand and a thin notebook flew off the shelves. Here it is.
Thats it? Anton raised an eyebrow. It was hardly more than a few pages, listing dates and locations.
What? Maxine shrugged. They appear maybe every handful of years on average, which ans no more than twenty a century. Less than a hundred total, including what we know of Brogora.
Thats a fair point, Anton admitted.
Also the description of what was inside each all are separate, Maxine pointed out. So of us have made extensive docunts on traps and formations and other features. Im so frustrated I didnt get to visit the last one! How was I supposed to know it was on the moon, and had its own ecosystem? She waved her arms about. He just said it was about ascension! Why would anyone but Life Transformation cultivators need to go there? Obviously I would have anyway, but not everyone could go she shook her head. But, yeah. Thats it. The whole list.
I can add a few more on here, from Brogora, Anton noted. It probably wouldnt make much difference either way since they were basically all rubble now, but in the interest of completion he added the first one hed visited, then the unannounced one in Ambati.
Ooh! One that wasnt publicized? Fascinating! Maxine reacted as he explained it. A sha it was so broken down though.
It was a strange one for that, Anton admitted. Many others had their structural integrity compounded against their future however that works. I dont know why one would be in such ill repair.
Maybe he made a mistake, Maxine shrugged. Then she looked around. So mbers view him as the pinnacle of perfection, but Im more cautious than that. Though he was amazingly impactful, even after his death.
Or ascension, Anton offered the alternative.
Right? Nobody knows!
He did say hes probably dead now though. Or rather, one of his projections, Anton nodded. Sothing about too many enemies. It seed so of them might have been ascended as well. Or perhaps he was implying making new enemies?
You spoke to his projections? Tell everything! Maxine was quite excited, sweeping a pile of potentially important papers and books off of her desk and placing down blank parchnt and preparing to write.
So Anton explained what he had heard, as well as he could rember. His mind had been tempered which helped with recall, but there were still possibilities to forget details. Taking the ti to properly reflect on a certain ti period helped. After he finished, he was interested in trying to see if any of the tombs on Aicenith had been less destroyed than the norm. If anyone would know, it should be Maxine and the records of the Tomb Seeking Cult.
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