Book 6. Chapter 7: Fhesiah - Treasure Hunting and Bargain

Book 6. Chapter 7: Fhesiah - Treasure Hunting and Bargain

Fhesiahs kitsune flames danced around her, creating a powerful illusion as she traversed the twisting tunnels. The Radiant Flame sect had no idea that she was using draconic flight to navigate through the tunnels so rapidly, and she wanted to keep it that way.

The ruins of this ancient sect were built within a natural cave system, with dozens of cultivator caves dug out within. Molten magma periodically blasted through the tunnels at a furious pace, causing every twist and turn to become a chamber of death.

Influenced by vast quantities of fiery heavenly energy over thousands of years, the walls themselves now echoed the truths of the dao. A piece from the cave walls were nearly to the point that it would be considered a treasure. The natural formations and expressions of fire, metal and earth mixed into and became a larger piece of the heavens, and one could learn more about them simply by paying attention to the fractal patterns contained within.

Her Divine Sense had a significant range, enabling her to both see dangers coming, but also hone in on her targets: treasure.

She pilfered cultivation caves and natural resources from the ancient sect, and unraveled various protections with her superior skill. The Radiant Flame sect she was competing with for treasure may be many, and they might work together, but their activities were slow-going.

They would waste time removing the protections of a nearly empty room some of the time, having only a few marginally skilled in sensory. Other times, they might not sense danger coming and need to back off instead of progressing. Then, the energies within were far too turbulent for utilizing flying treasuressomething her draconic flight had no problems with.

Fhesiah blitzed through the tunnels, nearly never slowing down. Items flew into her cosmos sack from adjacent corridors, tearing them away from their various protections. Most of the arrays and formations had already degraded as they were lost to time, and many only needed a small nudge to erase.

At the same time, these protections were often what kept the pills, seals, and natural treasures from being erased and joining the heavenly energy magma soup flowing through the tunnels.

She was homing in on one of the three top targets. Fhesiah suspected there was a perfect area for forming ones core in this spatial realm, and it was suitable for the Radiant Flame sect. The other appeared to be the den of a large creature, and she would actually tackle it with her forced allies, probably.

That was why she instead headed toward a small chamber, as she looted many others. It was difficult to reach, and she would only barely fit inside the entranceafter she blasted it open a tiny bit. Okay, maybe a lot.

Waiting for the right moment, Fhesiah gathered her yin flames. Her tails flowed behind her, dancing in the wind wake of the passing magma burst. She was now nearly ten times the distance away from when she collected those fireblooms, being much more careful this time to conceal her aura.

A powerful burst of flames shot forth from her, a beam of black-purple fire that rocked the cave with its immense force. Several meters of rock were shattered and sheared, revealing a path downward.

She flew into the newly established hole and sealed the exit to prevent the magma from entering, and the path barely big enough for her to fit. This area was shielded from the magma, and she could feel the difference the moment she entered.

The previous caverns had a vast mixture of fire and earth Qi, and even some metal Qi mixed in. But deep in this chamber was true fire alone.

As a cultivator, it was entirely possible to cultivate the Qi in the previous caverns, increasing ones level. A fire cultivator could filter out the other elements and take only what they wanted, and could even have a technique that did exactly that, utilizing that special environment. She imagined the ancient sect contained both fire and earth cultivators, with some that likely cultivated both.

However, absorbing such pure and perfect flames like those within this chamber would result in fewer impurities within oneself, and allow one to absorb it faster and without detriment.

The thin tunnel eventually widened into a larger chamber, and she cut out her kitsune flames. There was still plenty of light within the cave, streaks of flames covering the wall. Fractal patterns like curling vines and swirling flames were shown on the wall, true expressions of the dao contained within. Lights and shadows danced on the wall, from movements deeper in the cave.

She had already spotted what was causing the movement with her divine sense, but she was still a bit surprised by the sight as she crested over the stones blocking her view. A swarm of fire spirits danced and flew, circling around an unadorned fiery stone.

Like little pixies, the tiny creatures had shapes reminiscent of a humanoid: a head, flaming wings, arms and legs, and were small enough to fit in ones palm. Dozens of them flew, their flames matching the signature of the fiery stone.

It was some kind of core of a being of fire, likely an elemental at the peak of the second Tier. However, while it had died, its core had lived on and was refined by the unique environment within this chamber, becoming a true treasure.

It both molded the environment, but also was molded by it. The fire spirits had eventually found this unique environment, and accomplished the same with their dancing and frolicking, the creatures becoming a deep red matching the treasure itself.

The fire spirits sensed her approach, and hid within tiny pockets in the walls nearby. Individually they were not very strong, but working together, the swarm could likely slay several members of the Radiant Flame sect. Their extremely pure flames would be difficult to stop, breaking right through their defensive skills and protections. Then, they would likely be able to drink or be impervious to the Radiant Flame Sect members flames.

But Fhesiah was like an apex predator in their midsts, capable of consuming all flameeven them. Then, her flames with the power of her path infused could overwhelm the creatures and slay them. The tiny creatures could sense this, fleeing in fear rather than fighting.

At the same time, the beasts core was like their home, something they required in order to live and progress.

Perhaps in a few hundred years, the pixies would begin to evolve thanks to this treasure. This was the only reason they didnt flee the area completely, as the fate of their home and futures was at stake.

Taking from the pixies felt like taking candy from a baby. They were victims, and she was a tyrant taking what was theirs for perhaps hundreds or thousands of years. At the same time, she needed this to save lives, whether it be from earning points in the Battleground or for her own future.Thi/s chapter is updated by nov(e)(l)biin.co/m

Im sorry little ones, but I need this. Conflict is heavenly law, and you are not strong enough to defend what is yours. Your luck has run out.

The creatures seemed to flicker in both anger and remorse, somehow understanding her meaning. The fire spirits were ancient, having intelligence that belied their tiny frames.

She withdrew the mysterious lamp she just obtained. Or perhaps, your fates have shifted. While this room is special, its a bit boring. Wont you come with me? I will feed you many flames, and we can go on adventures as friends. Who knows? Maybe I will find you an even more special flame to enjoy.

Fhesiah filled the lamp with different flames, from her draconic flames to her kitsune flames, to even the rest of her familys from her hearth. The many flames floated within, drifting and circling around the lamp lazily, almost like the sprites themselves.

The sprites floated from their hiding places as they approached the lamp in wonder, an interest in the many unique flames. However, while there were many interesting flames contained within, the quantity and quality was not as impressive as the core.

Some pixies were interested, while others remained unhappy. Next, she withdrew her Hestias Torch. A veritable font of fiery energy, this could constantly draw the special flame into the environment within the lamp. She filled the lamp with even more flames, the quantity increasing with each passing moment.

Now all the pixies flew toward either the torch or lamp, like moths to a flame. They danced and spun in the air, drawing in the flames of the torch and playing with it.

If you come with me, you can have the flames anytime. I have a hearth at home that is even more abundant, and much more special than this core.

A few enterprising spirits seemed to nod their assent, and she sucked them inside the lamp. They floated inside happily, observing and enjoying the special atmosphere contained within. She then filled it with more of the flames from Hestias torch, building up the flames within further.

Fhesiah then stored the elementals core in her sack, and that was the straw that broke the camels back. The final spirits decided to join, understanding their home was gone, and moved into their new one.

She focused on improving the many flames within, the hundreds of flames dancing and growing in intensity. They created an odd orbit of various flames moving within, the spirits dancing as they consumed and played with them.

With that, she had obtained the main treasure, and she could see her score on the ladder jump significantly having obtained it. This was a peak Tier 2 treasure, bordering the third. The amount of energy contained within would allow her to even use the powerful flame as a bomb against her enemies, though that would be a tremendous waste of such a special treasure. Instead, she hoped to use it at home to mold her own cultivation chamber for the second Tier.

She returned to the main path, and worked her way toward the chambers that appeared perfect for core formation. The Radiant Flame sect were working toward it, and were now only a few chambers or corridors away. She kept feeding the lamp with the torch and her hearth, until she got near to her destination and stowed them away.

The pixies were beings of nearly pure energy, and could live within her cosmos sackespecially within the lamp.

Fhesiah finally reached the ascension chambers observing their capabilities and removing their protecting arrays. The large room had a stream of magma flowing from above in the center, as if being poured from an endless pitcher. The formations and scripts appeared to filter the magma entering, making it perfect for the cultivators purposes.

The magma flowed around the outskirts, filling various troughs and lines meant to power various formations. A large pool of it had gathered, like an immense battery of heavenly energy.

In the middle of the large chamber on a platform, there were five dome-like rooms seen, with sealed doors. Within each chamber was a special pedestal, for placing your core formation materials. Activating the rooms formations, energy would be infused into the treasures and into the room, allowing one to refine them and put them into a malleable state.

Someone ready to form their cores could then bring the treasures into their dantian, filling them with energy beyond their Tier. They would then house their spirit inside, and mold their core to their path. If they had mastered any daos, this process would go quite smoothly, usually. Their very will would mold the core rapidly, painting it in the aspects of their path and building a solid corejust before the tribulation.

Otherwise, they would simply need to rely exclusively on their cultivation technique, to draw the energies through their channels and organs forged from those same techniques throughout their lifetime, and form their core.

Either way, they would need substantial amounts of energy to mold and establish their core, and the room would accommodate them with the powerful, filtered magma filled with Qi. Fhesiah could tell these chambers had been loaded with the required energies, and would take years to build up again after each usage.

A total of five could attempt ascension here today. The previous opportunities only allowed for one, and there were two different opportunities.

In both, those attempting failed and died. She had taken each aside, and tried talking them into joining the Framework before they enteredonly offering them a small treasure for their secrecy before they made their attempt, and took the secret to their graves.

While it wouldnt have been the end of the world if they learned she was a member of the Framework, she figured it would have painted every interaction with the Radiant Flame Sect up to now in a negative light.

Instead of her being a gift from the heavens and someone that they wanted to win her favor, they would see her as someone who had drunk from a tainted well and were forced to cooperate with. Not as bad as if she were an unorthodox cultivator, but close.

Fhesiah thought she had built up enough merit and rapport with them now, and she decided that five was too many for her to hold back the secret any longer. She would lay her cards on the table.

She then worked her way toward the Radiant Flame sect members, who were working together. Large double doors made of metal and flowing fire barred their entryshe had entered from a separate chamber. They were working to remove the protections, even as a dozen of them shoved with their strength.

Fhesiah removed the protections for the door from her side as they shoved, and several of them comically spilled out onto the floor and onto each other as the resistance was removed, and the door creaked open ponderously. Fhesiah floated above them with Qi, as she looked down indifferently, like a bored goddess.

Ah, youve made it here now, good work. Did you find anything useful?

A few of their cheeks reddened in embarrassment at her taunt as they attempted to stand, while others reddened in anger. Her lips curled upward at their responses, but Weiyan laughed as he walked into the room.

Youre here already, Senior? You are truly capable, thank you for your aid with the door. This room

She interrupted, Is special, and should be perfect for some of you to form your coresI am uninterested in this environment. There are five chambers stocked and ready, but before that, I have a proposition and a bargain for the Radiant Flame Sect.

What! Youre saying I would fail?

She nodded. I would give you less than a one in four chance of ascending as you are now, without the Framework and my aid. Your foundations are poor, your aura unstable. Let me guess, you knew the battleground was coming soon, and you stuffed yourself full of pills like some kind of greedy chipmunk to prepare?

The young master got even angrier as several elders chuckled and stroked their beards, but two attempted to calm him, to moderate success. Likely, only Fhesiahs strength quelled his anger and kept him from doing something stupid.

Fhesiah continued, While I think you could improve and make it before the end of the Battleground, your chances are better if you join the Framework. But hold that thought. Are there any takers among you elders? The first will get the best treasure of the bunch. Allow one of the elders to pave the way for the rest, and prove my words. I am hoping the first will allow the others to watch, the chambers can accommodate this.

Weiyan was surprised, You are that confident of their success?

I am. After you witness the New Heavens yourself, you will too. I believe our paths crossing is fate, that I was meant to aid you.

She then spent some time detailing the threat of Tartarus, in case it had never reached their ears, though it appeared they were already mostly familiar. They had truly chosen to forgo joining, and having it interfere with their pursuit of the dao.

But she added that it doesnt interfere, that she was able to continue her path despite joining. It aided her, and helped her find a path forward. The Framework offered a guiding hand, like an elder or general, rather than a puppet and its master.

Weiyan seemed mostly convinced. This Battleground is more dangerous than we had thought before we entered, and we had been naive in thinking this was nothing more than an opportunity. We are not halfway up the mountain, and we have already lost two before it became more dangerous, not even counting those that failed to ascend. If not for Senior Hart, wed have lost many in the blood sphere incident.

The sect members, and even Fhesiah grimaced. The blood sphere was a nasty trap unleashed as they ransacked a previous spatial realm, the Radiant Flame Sects attacks useless against it. Even her kitsune flames had trouble penetrating it, and she had nearly needed to use one of her scrolls to get them out before they were torn apart and drained. But she used one of Jakes powerful spell scrolls, which was able to freeze the sphere long enough to get the trapped sect members out before they died from wounds and loss of blood.

Weiyan continued, As it stands, without help, nearly none will escape this Battleground alive. Still, is it possible we can see this New Heavens? Are there any takers to Seniors bargain?

To her surprise, Elder Wang eventually stepped forward. I will do it. I will join! I feel itthe pull of fate.

Weiyan frowned. You, Elder Wang?

He chuckled, as he stroked his long beard. I dont have long left, that was why I came. If I have a chance of ascending, I want to grasp it. I was humbled, and learned something for the first time in a long time. I want to see more, to experience the dao as Senior does. Even the Patriarchs flames are lacking in comparison.

Fhesiah nearly laughed as the sect members nodded and murmured in agreement. They didnt even get to see her draconic flames, just what would have happened if they did? Maybe she could have taken over their sect?

Without much ceremony, Fhesiah initiated him into the Framework. She paid the price in CP, and a wave of golden light entered him as he accepted.

Fhesiah could feel all the cultivators were scanning him with their divine sense and spells, looking for anything out of place. However, little had actually changed. The longevity gained as a cultivator was not very significant compared to the Highlands Beastkin, and would likely not change much even if they waited for the Framework to make its changes.

Alright. Elder Wang. She floated the fiery treasure in front of him. It was a refined core of a powerful spirit beasta creature that could cultivate. Beast cores were not appropriate for human cultivators and contain a portion of essence that would actually harm one, but this one had been refined by ancient methods and purified for a cultivators usage. She felt high levels of yang energies contained within, the power of the sun.

He chuckled. No need. I have long since prepared the proper treasure for me. Alchemists enjoy a special status in the sect.

Elder Wang revealed an ornate box, and she could feel the energy levels inside were a match for the treasures shed found. However, there was a more earthly tone inside, and she realized it may match the Elder just a little better than the one she had prepared.

This simply meant she would need to compensate less with her formations and the rooms arrays.

You consent to the others watching?

Id like the others to watch. This way, they can see this New Heavens you told us about along with me, and make the best decisions for themselves. Its another way for me to help my sect in case

Fhesiah smiled reassuringly. Worry not, Elder Wang, and I thank you. No matter what happens, you will live to see another day. I personally believe you shall succeed.

They entered the chamber with the twenty in tow. The chamber, aside from a platform in the center, was nearly spherical in design. There was a small section of the chamber for monitoring, meant for elders to aid in the process. The sect members all joined here.

The same fractal patterns filled the cracks like the many hallways, but the energy contained within them was dense.

Fhesiah floated out several of her scribe tools, and began drawing out the formations on the walls. Heavenly Energy crystals of fire and earth were inserted in specific places, to enhance the effect of the natural formations contained within.

While she didnt have a complete understanding of Elder Wangs path, as she finished each section, the aura the walls themselves gave off began to match his much further.

Are you ready, Elder? Go ahead and add your core formation treasure.

He did so, and she activated the apparatus in the room. Qi surged into the chamber, filling the formation lines she etched. The treasure, a crystallized earthen flame, liquidized and shifted as heavenly energy poured inside the bowl. She did what she could to shift the treasure closer in alignment with his path, without tainting it with her own.

Fhesiah brought out Hestias Torch, adding the flames to it and purifying it further.

Elder Wang looked at it with awe, and the other cultivators monitoring as well. T-This treasure These flames are from a truly higher realm. A Framework item?

A reward from another goddess for services rendered, Hestia.

The elder took his core formation pill, filling him with vast amounts of energy. He used his cultivation technique, harmonizing his body and dantian with the heavens, and matching the room and treasure.

The power within his body and the room continued to build, until he looked at Fhesiah in question. She nodded, and he brought the results of the liquid treasure into his dantian.

He continued with his eyes closed, breathing and continuing moving the energy inside him. The energy lining the spherical walls drifted toward the elder, all aligning with the center of his being as he began floating into the air.

Fhesiah backed off to the rear of the chamber with the elders, as it was at this time: the new heavens had arrived.

Space seemed to distort, and golden clouds drifted into the room above Elder Wang, as if they were standing outside beneath the sky. Lightning roiled within and built for a time, before it began striking at Elder Wangs core.

Fhesiah knew that the elder was forming a sphere around his spiritual temple, a core that would encapsulate his path, mind, and the connection to his soul.

Fhesiahs Core was a bit unique, a sign of her immense foundations. Normally, a spiritual temple would be only that: a singular temple or shrine within their dantian. When one formed their core, it would start becoming more like a miniature world within.

But Fhesiahs had already started becoming a world into its own, with the temple becoming more like a castle, and a lake holding vast energies out front. The difference of the hearth and the power of her bloodlines brought her well beyond what should be possible in the first Tier.

A Cultivator Core cultivator would still require their body to live, but in the second tier they could heal even the loss of their heart or head, though usually, not both at once. The lightning continued to strike for a few minutes, but rather than weakening the elder: it felt like he became stronger.

Imperfections were shown, and weak areas destroyed and removed. The elder shifted his core and rebuilt what was destroyed with the Frameworks guidance providing small nudges in his mind, the core better for it. While the old heavens would attack these weaknesses and use them to strike him dead, the new heavens only laid them bare to see.

The elder shouted to the heavens as they receded, a powerful aura being released from him. A flame was released from his chest, an earthen spirit flame matching his path of alchemy.

He had successfully formed his core, with the many Radiant Flame Sect people watching with shock. While they might not have believed her words even after feeling the flames of her path, witnessing the new heavens gave them a new perspective.

She covered him in her flames, removing old skin and detritus from his body as it shifted and changed. When her flames were removed, he looked like a much younger man. Previously, he had looked like he was on deaths door, with liver spots and a balding head. But now, he looked like a man in his late forties, with salt and pepper hair instead.

The increase in longevity from raising in Tier was significant. His core formation didnt just succeed, but had a decent result instead on top of that. Normally, such a good result would have saved him months or years of progress.

The mans power had increased significantly. While she would wager his attributes only increased maybe thirty percent, the difference was even more substantial than that. In a long fight, he would produce double, or even triple the amount of Qi for battle. His core would act like a reactor that pulled Qi from the surrounding area, and produced fiery Qi capable of being used in powerful attacks.

Elder Wang looked moved, his eyes wide as he appeared to examine his body. The New Heavens it really helped me. This feeling its hard to explain. We truly need this strength to defeat this evil, dont we?

Fhesiah nodded. Congratulations, Elder, and this is exactly right. Our enemy does not fight fair. It is unorthodox, straying from heavens path. Like the Framework, it is an entity that competes with the heavens themselves. If we dont stand together and take this righteous power for the fight as it is given, then we shall all fall.

Weiyan looked moved. This New Heavens is truly different than we had imagined. I will allow those wishing to take Senior Harts bargain to join the Framework, and just hope I can convince the Patriarch and the Council of the same when we return.

Fhesiah smirked. Better to ask for forgiveness than permissionespecially when your life is in danger.

The rest of the sect members nodded their assent. She would help four more ascend to the second Tier this day, increasing their chances of victory in the battleground and beyond. Today wasnt just about them, but convincing many others to join the Framework, and her cause.

So whos next? Who will overturn fate and ascend, becoming the heroes the multiverse needs?

All strode forward, even Weiyan. While she didnt think it was all going to be sunshine and roses, she had found a group of decent allies for the rest of the battlegrounds.

She would do her best to convert as many to the Framework as she could within the Celestial Nexus, and those would continue to spread the knowledge of the new heavens to many others. Then, she would try to get as many of them to come to Sector 87 as possible.

It was a challenging day, but rewarding. She knew she was missing out on whatever fun Jake and family were taking part of, but maybe they had some annoying problems to take care of too?