After realizing the primary reality of Eater, Minos, and his wives set aside going to the surface. Walking through the streets, stairways, and thoroughfares of the city, they discovered this planet was not as simple as Zocarro.
Eater's valuable surface was only for the planet's strongest, where Celestials ruled and Supres were the only ones who inhabited the surface apart from these planetary sovereigns. Anything below the 12th stage wouldn't last long on the surface and shouldn't, under any circumstances, make its way there.
But even the Supres didn't have it easy on the surface and reaching it was no trivial matter. A dense layer of dust and gas separated the surface of Eater from the areas where the planet's massive floating artificial cities were located. Flying across it bordered on the impossible, even for high-level Supres, while the thods to reach the surface were neither easy nor cheap.
So before continuing their exploration towards the surface, Minos, and his wives headed inland to the city they had arrived in, trying to get to know the area.
They quickly learned the native languages of the area and did so business, exchanging resources for local currency. They listened to the local buzz, learning about problems in the area, prominent forces to watch out for, but also rumors on the surface.
Most of Eater's native population was born, raised and died in floating cities. But news from the surface occasionally reached the cities. Naturally, the inhabitants dreaming of one day being able to reach the surface of their wonderful planet talked a lot about what little reached them.
The surface was like a semi-Upper Realm for these people below the 12th stage. It was a wonderful place, where fantastic plants and animals existed, where a walk through the forest could reveal fruits of imnse power, capable of elevating them to expert status.
The people of this city that they had the chance to listen to had the idea of striving to reach the surface strongly imbued in their essence, and many would risk their lives to make it to the surface.
They thought they could change their lives overnight just by landing on the surface!
But it was no wonder. Local stories said that the energy and laws on the surface of Eater were 10 tis stronger than in the floating cities. anwhile, traces of the Upper Realm could be found by groups willing to explore and experience the dangers of the majestic magical world below the clouds.
As they discovered these and other things, they gradually arrived at what they wanted: information about Celestials!
Although it seed difficult to search for an item that may or may not be on several planets in a quasar, the item of interest to the group had a deeper history. It had been part of a Celestial, a rare type of cultivator even in this powerful area of the universe, and it was an item that certainly had an intense demand attached to it. In other words, its demand was very specific.
They quickly found individuals in that imnse city who were willing to talk about Celestials!
...
In a small room, where apart from a table and chairs, there were only several bright screens around, the four humans from the Spiritual World were sitting facing a level 124 individual.
This alien looked like a carrot, with orange skin, thin legs, and broad shoulders, with green leaf-like hair on his head. But he had body appendages like arms, antennae on his head and butterfly wings on his back.
Minos and his wives didn't know what race this creature belonged to, nor its peculiarities. What they were interested in was the information he claid to have and was willing to sell them.
"So you're looking for information about Celestials?" he asked in the local language, looking curious in his relaxed gaze in their direction.
Minos shook his head affirmatively. "Yes. In particular, Celestials who have died in this world. We're investigating the journey a certain individual made after being seriously injured. Our hypothesis is that he passed through Eater, so we're looking for signs of individuals who arrived here wounded and probably died here."
"That's hard to say. Normally, people like don't have access to information about the vital state of Celestials who enter the planet. After all, they manage to enter our atmosphere without passing through the space stations... But I can help you with Celestials who have died or been presud dead throughout Eater's known history," the man said without much ado.
"That's good enough for now. We don't know if this being was a native of the planet, so we're interested in such information about natives and non-natives."
"All right. My information is better on natives, but I have records of high-level foreigners who have lived or spent enough ti on my planet to be rembered." He said as he fiddled with his space storage item, an item similar to a bracelet with several small shiny stones on it.
Then a folder appeared in one of his hands, showing Minos' group one of his files.
"This docunt in my hands deals with all the cases that fit your requirents. In all, I have 13 nas of Celestials here with so of their characteristics, fa, and history in Eater. This is sensitive information, so it will self-destruct after you read it and the cost won't be cheap."
"How much are we talking about?" Abby asked.
"A thousand Chips."
Chips were the most valuable local currency. Each Chip was equivalent to an amount capable of enriching a level 114 Sovereign.
A thousand Chips for a re piece of information that could lead to nothing was not cheap!
Minos accepted the deal, paying the lost amount and receiving that briefcase.
"Is there anything else you'd like to know? I have a lot of useful information for a group like yours. I can help you prepare to go to the surface, if that's your interest." He offered, seeing that he was with a wealthy group capable of buying his 'products.'
Minos wouldn't say he was after the Divine Tail, as that could backfire on him later. Saying he was looking for the remnant of a True Celestial would be even worse. So he just asked the information vendor what kind of surface knowledge he could pass on.
Maps with indications of territories and interesting areas of the surface would be interesting to acquire if the information was really reliable.
Minos believed this man to be reliable, a sign of the Incorruptible Heart and also of the Nautilus' Compass.
The man smiled, then showed the group what he had to offer before securing a few more sales for this wealthy group of foreigners.
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