Chapter 419: Stunting For Power
After a few monts of collecting their thoughts, Ash finally spoke out again.
"Hmm, so is this Ancestor Seeker clueless... or is there so higher power in play?"
"If I’m to guess," Elysia said, "I think she knows, I an why else would this place be like this?"
"She’s probably here trying to achieve so higher purpose?" Creara chid in.
"Or maybe it has sothing to do with why she actually selected you as a champion?" Unara said.
Hearing this Ash for the first ti began to view Ancestor Seeker as sothing more than... a woman to be had.
Because no matter how interesting, how beautiful one appeared to be. He did not like being so pawn for any higher purpose.
"My life’s goal is simple, don’t involve
in your bullshit." He said with a frown. During his path so far nothing he had done ever revolved around him saving so grander danger.
If any danger was resolved by him, then it was only a result of the things he had done.
All he wanted was the freedom to do whatever the hell he pleased, which is why boundlessness was the goal.
"Before, I was fine being involved in this ga." He said, "But... I don’t mind breaking every damn thing."
Elysia pinched his cheek with a teasing smile.
"Calm down, big guy~" she said.
"Things will be revealed in due ti... it’s always the sa in the end. Gain more power. You know how it works."
Ash let out a slow breath, the tension easing just a little.
"Yeah... yeah."
He turned back toward the lone wooden door.
This ti, stepping through, he could clearly see where it would take him — right to the front of the Library of True Reality.
To the outside, the doors didn’t open at all.
----
True Reality
Ash stepped into an open space where thousands of beings from countless races and realms were making their way out.
With his decree still active, he was all but invisible to the bustling crowd.
Hands in his pockets, he lingered in silence, watching as people dispersed.
Bits of conversation floated by from cultivators, nobles, and scholars leaving the hidden Library.
"...a century at least. Maybe more. The Seeker left years ago."
"What a waste. I waited three cycles just for her to shut it down so suddenly?"
"Right.... so, where are you headed now?"
A tall, four-ard cultivator at the front of the group sighed.
"The Alchemy domain. Word is, the fourth-ranked among the Seven Top Alchemists is giving a lesson in the City of Eternal Equations—Luna, the Weaver of Alchemy herself. Might as well make the trip worth it."
Another being nodded eagerly.
"I heard the sa.... She’s covering everything from the basics to the Origin level. If we’re lucky, we might even see her craft ingredients straight from the reality script."
A third voice chid in with excitent.
"Exactly. Even if the library is closed, watching the Weaver at work is worth the trip. They say she can conjure elixirs from nothing."
The groups kept moving, their chatter fading as they made their way toward distant teleportation arrays or flying mounts, all bound for the sa destination.
"Well, looks like your lucks at it again," Creara said as Ash had already blended into the crowd.
"Hmm, learning a bit of alchemy wouldn’t be so bad," Ash remarked.
"Who’s doing the learning?" Unara teased. "You’re perfect... in everything, Master."
----
Ash arrived alongside thousands of others in the Alchemy Domain, a boundless expanse of drifting clouds stretching in every direction.
The ground was a soft, ever-shifting layer of condensed mist.
Enormous cauldrons of all sizes floated throughout the realm.
So small and ornate, others vast enough to engulf entire mountains—each inscribed with glowing runes that pulsed with raw creation energy.
Scattered between them were other alchemical tools.
Things like massive crystal mortars and pestles, floating shelves of rare herbs blooming and withering in endless cycles and towering distillation columns that thrumd with concentrated essence.
Welcoming them were countless zafus and plush, couch-like cushions of cloud-silk were set in tidy rows and circles across the misty plain.
High above, the other six of the top seven alchemists floated on zafus of their own.
And at the very front, standing on a raised dais, was Luna.
She wore a neat white blouse tucked into tailored navy trousers, slim leather belt, and polished ankle boots.
Her yellow hair and eyes caught the ambient light of the realm, giving her an almost ethereal glow.
As the room filled, she lifted her hands in a warm gesture, greeting the last few to arrive.
"Welco, everyone," Luna called, her voice ringing out effortlessly across the hall.
"Thank you for joining this session on Alchemy. Today, we’ll cover everything from the basics to creating ingredients from pure reality script without using external diums. Please take a seat and—"
Her sentence broke off abruptly.
Her yellow eyes scanned the crowd... and landed squarely on Ash.
For a split second, her composed expression cracked.
Then shock flickered across her face as she muttered sothing under her breath — too quiet for anyone else to hear, but Ash’s eyes read it perfectly.
"...What?"
Ash now sat among the thousands, as a small, casual smile on his face as he t her gaze.
The other six top alchemists noticed the sudden pause and followed her line of sight, their own expressions shifting to curiosity and mild surprise.
Luna swiftly regained her composure, clearing her throat and restoring her polished, professional smile.
"...Please, make yourselves comfortable. We will begin shortly."
Her gaze lingered on Ash for a mont longer before she finally turned her attention elsewhere.
Ash allowed a quiet chuckle to escape.
"Seems I’ve caught her attention."
"Not only hers..." Elysia remarked as her eyes then shifted toward the watchful Alchemist.
"Tsk, who cares about those old relics," Creara interjected. "It’s ti we stunt for so power!"
"Indeed, my dear spirit." He said as he didn’t care about them one bit. "We must keep our eye on the prize."
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