Chapter 454
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Chapter 454
The group took a somewhat more circuitous route back to the Library, even though they were fairly certain nobody was following them still. There was only so much any group would do for a specific level of reward- and while the equipment they had looted would certainly make them seem more valuable targets, the fact that they had defeated enemies of significant power would balance that out. Notoriety such as that could be either beneficial or detrimental depending on the circumstances.
Were here to turn in a bounty, Hoyt said at the entrance, pulling out the technique manual for Essentia Lockbox.
Ah yes, that one, the Everheart present nodded. It wasnt supposed to be stolen. Wheres the perpetrator?
The bounty didnt mention anything about needing them, Hoyt said cautiously.
Ah, whatever. Its fine, Everheart waved him off and grabbed the manual. Youre going away where youll be safe now
About that, Hoyt said. It seems it was rather easily stolen. Some individuals were quite interested in getting their hands on it
Yes yes, I know all that, Everheart nodded. It will be more secure than previously. It should have already been placed with the forbidden manuals.
... but there are forbidden techniques literally everywhere in the Library, Hoyt said. Perhaps it wasnt a good idea to continue to engage Everheart in conversation, but he couldnt help it.
Forbidden depends on who youre asking, Everheart grinned. You should know that by now, I imagine. This one fits my standards. Its simply that with so many techniques, some get misplaced.
Everheart didnt feel like the sort to make mistakes but, perhaps he was right. With a library of this magnitude, it only made sense that there would be some slip ups occasionally.
Now then, how are you dividing the points?
Equally, Hoyt said. That should still be enough for us to go to the fourth level, correct?
Everheart sighed, Yes, I suppose it is. After they walked past, he muttered to himself, Not enough people taking everything for themselves these days. How sad.
-----
With the passage of time, more cultivators at the peak of Life Transformation had decisions to make. Anton wasnt aware of many of them, though he did know there was a surprisingly steady flow of people attempting and presumably succeeding with Ascension. Within the Order there were two in particular that needed to finalize their choices- Devon and Velvet. Both came to Anton for advice.
Devon was the first. I enjoy my life here on Ceretos, but I havent comprehended any method to advance further in cultivation. I believe I could succeed if I Ascended, but Im not sure if I wish to.
Anton nodded, Then you must ask what is more important- your cultivation, or your home. Their cultivation paths were different, and so far Antons advice had borne no fruit for Devon in terms of alternatives to Ascension.
My home here Devon said, But I also want it to be safe. Acquiring more strength so that I can hopefully return to fight in the next invasion
Safe, of course, was a relative term. A dislocated arm or a few broken bones were only natural when facing a superior opponent, and Vari didnt want him to hold back too much. There was something interesting about being a cultivator where the ground was often soft enough to give way before the cultivator. That was the norm in Life Transformation, even with standard stone. The training grounds was just dirt, so when she felt like she impacted a solid steel floor Vari knew something was different.
She just lay there for a few moments, trying to figure out what had happened. Kiran had already backed up- likely meaning it as a learning point. If he continued to brawl with her afterwards, she wouldnt remember as well.
Certainly, impacting the ground at a faster velocity would make it give way in a different fashion, but there wasnt much of a dent beneath her. That meant there had to be more to it. Thinking about how Kirans energy flowed, she recalled a slight hint of it going into the ground. That would do it, perhaps. Hardening the ground was certainly a valid option, though it involved splitting focus and would require some familiarity with the material. Or would it?
Certainly, if she wanted to work with the material that would be a requirement, but she could make a barrier there or anywhere, really. Though forming one beyond someone could be rather difficult, and then there was the question of anchoring it. Still, it was a good idea. She stood up ready to try it and was partially successful.
She was fairly certain that Kiran let her slam him into a barrier once, but he certainly didnt bother to feign any actual injuries. The Hardened Crown Sect had tough bodies, and even if that wasnt the case his cultivation was still higher. He could have absorbed the impact purely with his energy, unless he was careless about how he defended. Still, it seemed to be more of a matter of power and practice most of all.
Combat training was all well and good, but advancing to the next stage of cultivation would be the biggest leap for her. She had plenty of inspiration, but she had to do it right. She wouldnt get a second chance, after all. Thus, she had to allocate time for training towards that goal as well.
On the way out of the sparring grounds she was stopped by an unfortunately familiar figure. Hello there little sister. The face that was in front of her was the woman who wielded only a shield.
Varis first instincts was to destroy her eardrums- her second instinct was much more rational and told her that she had just barely started to recover them. Besides, she had to face this eventually. I am not your little sister. Im no longer part of the Harmonious Citadel.
But you are. We have not allowed you to leave. I was quite disappointed in your results the other day. Tell me, do you have time for a little spar?
Varis body responded for her. Of course not. Last second willpower overcame the command. Shed been practicing that, though obviously without practical experience she couldnt know for sure it would work. The result was adequate. I wont be drawn into something like that.
Something like what? the woman raised an eyebrow.
Some sort of match where you can accidentally kill or maim me. And the rules here dont allow battling without mutual consent. Vari wondered if influencing her mind did not count as an attack. Or maybe Everheart wasnt monitoring the area. Perhaps that was true, if pigs could fly and up was down.
Nonsense, I was just planning to teach you a friendly lesson. But about those allies of yours I will be needing your assistance to bring them down. Youll do that for me, wont you.
Yes, of course elder sister. It wasnt just the response that bothered Vari. It was that she knew it was true. This time, the force of the womans personality bearing down on her was irresistible. But before that I need to say something.
And what is that? Im curious.
Your hair is stupid.
Perhaps it wasnt smart to provoke someone who had control over her in that way, but it made sense at the time. Hold still, the woman commanded. Vari had no option but to comply. A flash of movement and power, and the sharp edge of the shield was looking her in the eye. Vari could feel her own hair falling to the ground, not evenly severed but in chunks. The woman smirked.
Vari really hoped this was one of the times the rules meant something, but as seconds dragged on she began to get the feeling that it somehow didnt count as an attack. Perhaps she should have pushed through and leaned forward just enough to get cut. And if not, she could at least figure out a way to circumvent orders and kill herself before she did anything to hurt her friends.
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Chapter 454
The group took a somewhat more circuitous route back to the Library, even though they were fairly certain nobody was following them still. There was only so much any group would do for a specific level of reward- and while the equipment they had looted would certainly make them seem more valuable targets, the fact that they had defeated enemies of significant power would balance that out. Notoriety such as that could be either beneficial or detrimental depending on the circumstances.
Were here to turn in a bounty, Hoyt said at the entrance, pulling out the technique manual for Essentia Lockbox.
Ah yes, that one, the Everheart present nodded. It wasnt supposed to be stolen. Wheres the perpetrator?
The bounty didnt mention anything about needing them, Hoyt said cautiously.
Ah, whatever. Its fine, Everheart waved him off and grabbed the manual. Youre going away where youll be safe now
About that, Hoyt said. It seems it was rather easily stolen. Some individuals were quite interested in getting their hands on it
Yes yes, I know all that, Everheart nodded. It will be more secure than previously. It should have already been placed with the forbidden manuals.
... but there are forbidden techniques literally everywhere in the Library, Hoyt said. Perhaps it wasnt a good idea to continue to engage Everheart in conversation, but he couldnt help it.
Forbidden depends on who youre asking, Everheart grinned. You should know that by now, I imagine. This one fits my standards. Its simply that with so many techniques, some get misplaced.
Everheart didnt feel like the sort to make mistakes but, perhaps he was right. With a library of this magnitude, it only made sense that there would be some slip ups occasionally.
Now then, how are you dividing the points?
Equally, Hoyt said. That should still be enough for us to go to the fourth level, correct?
Everheart sighed, Yes, I suppose it is. After they walked past, he muttered to himself, Not enough people taking everything for themselves these days. How sad.
-----
With the passage of time, more cultivators at the peak of Life Transformation had decisions to make. Anton wasnt aware of many of them, though he did know there was a surprisingly steady flow of people attempting and presumably succeeding with Ascension. Within the Order there were two in particular that needed to finalize their choices- Devon and Velvet. Both came to Anton for advice.
Devon was the first. I enjoy my life here on Ceretos, but I havent comprehended any method to advance further in cultivation. I believe I could succeed if I Ascended, but Im not sure if I wish to.
Anton nodded, Then you must ask what is more important- your cultivation, or your home. Their cultivation paths were different, and so far Antons advice had borne no fruit for Devon in terms of alternatives to Ascension.
My home here Devon said, But I also want it to be safe. Acquiring more strength so that I can hopefully return to fight in the next invasion
Safe, of course, was a relative term. A dislocated arm or a few broken bones were only natural when facing a superior opponent, and Vari didnt want him to hold back too much. There was something interesting about being a cultivator where the ground was often soft enough to give way before the cultivator. That was the norm in Life Transformation, even with standard stone. The training grounds was just dirt, so when she felt like she impacted a solid steel floor Vari knew something was different.
She just lay there for a few moments, trying to figure out what had happened. Kiran had already backed up- likely meaning it as a learning point. If he continued to brawl with her afterwards, she wouldnt remember as well.
Certainly, impacting the ground at a faster velocity would make it give way in a different fashion, but there wasnt much of a dent beneath her. That meant there had to be more to it. Thinking about how Kirans energy flowed, she recalled a slight hint of it going into the ground. That would do it, perhaps. Hardening the ground was certainly a valid option, though it involved splitting focus and would require some familiarity with the material. Or would it?
Certainly, if she wanted to work with the material that would be a requirement, but she could make a barrier there or anywhere, really. Though forming one beyond someone could be rather difficult, and then there was the question of anchoring it. Still, it was a good idea. She stood up ready to try it and was partially successful.
She was fairly certain that Kiran let her slam him into a barrier once, but he certainly didnt bother to feign any actual injuries. The Hardened Crown Sect had tough bodies, and even if that wasnt the case his cultivation was still higher. He could have absorbed the impact purely with his energy, unless he was careless about how he defended. Still, it seemed to be more of a matter of power and practice most of all.
Combat training was all well and good, but advancing to the next stage of cultivation would be the biggest leap for her. She had plenty of inspiration, but she had to do it right. She wouldnt get a second chance, after all. Thus, she had to allocate time for training towards that goal as well.
On the way out of the sparring grounds she was stopped by an unfortunately familiar figure. Hello there little sister. The face that was in front of her was the woman who wielded only a shield.
Varis first instincts was to destroy her eardrums- her second instinct was much more rational and told her that she had just barely started to recover them. Besides, she had to face this eventually. I am not your little sister. Im no longer part of the Harmonious Citadel.
But you are. We have not allowed you to leave. I was quite disappointed in your results the other day. Tell me, do you have time for a little spar?
Varis body responded for her. Of course not. Last second willpower overcame the command. Shed been practicing that, though obviously without practical experience she couldnt know for sure it would work. The result was adequate. I wont be drawn into something like that.
Something like what? the woman raised an eyebrow.
Some sort of match where you can accidentally kill or maim me. And the rules here dont allow battling without mutual consent. Vari wondered if influencing her mind did not count as an attack. Or maybe Everheart wasnt monitoring the area. Perhaps that was true, if pigs could fly and up was down.
Nonsense, I was just planning to teach you a friendly lesson. But about those allies of yours I will be needing your assistance to bring them down. Youll do that for me, wont you.
Yes, of course elder sister. It wasnt just the response that bothered Vari. It was that she knew it was true. This time, the force of the womans personality bearing down on her was irresistible. But before that I need to say something.
And what is that? Im curious.
Your hair is stupid.
Perhaps it wasnt smart to provoke someone who had control over her in that way, but it made sense at the time. Hold still, the woman commanded. Vari had no option but to comply. A flash of movement and power, and the sharp edge of the shield was looking her in the eye. Vari could feel her own hair falling to the ground, not evenly severed but in chunks. The woman smirked.
Vari really hoped this was one of the times the rules meant something, but as seconds dragged on she began to get the feeling that it somehow didnt count as an attack. Perhaps she should have pushed through and leaned forward just enough to get cut. And if not, she could at least figure out a way to circumvent orders and kill herself before she did anything to hurt her friends.
Chapter 454The group took a somewhat more circuitous route back to the Library, even though they were fairly certain nobody was following them still. There was only so much any group would do for a specific level of reward- and while the equipment they had looted would certainly make them seem more valuable targets, the fact that they had defeated enemies of significant power would balance that out. Notoriety such as that could be either beneficial or detrimental depending on the circumstances.Were here to turn in a bounty, Hoyt said at the entrance, pulling out the technique manual for Essentia Lockbox.Ah yes, that one, the Everheart present nodded. It wasnt supposed to be stolen. Wheres the perpetrator?The bounty didnt mention anything about needing them, Hoyt said cautiously.Ah, whatever. Its fine, Everheart waved him off and grabbed the manual. Youre going away where youll be safe nowAbout that, Hoyt said. It seems it was rather easily stolen. Some individuals were quite interested in getting their hands on itYes yes, I know all that, Everheart nodded. It will be more secure than previously. It should have already been placed with the forbidden manuals.... but there are forbidden techniques literally everywhere in the Library, Hoyt said. Perhaps it wasnt a good idea to continue to engage Everheart in conversation, but he couldnt help it.Forbidden depends on who youre asking, Everheart grinned. You should know that by now, I imagine. This one fits my standards. Its simply that with so many techniques, some get misplaced. Everheart didnt feel like the sort to make mistakes but, perhaps he was right. With a library of this magnitude, it only made sense that there would be some slip ups occasionally. Now then, how are you dividing the points?Equally, Hoyt said. That should still be enough for us to go to the fourth level, correct?Everheart sighed, Yes, I suppose it is. After they walked past, he muttered to himself, Not enough people taking everything for themselves these days. How sad.-----With the passage of time, more cultivators at the peak of Life Transformation had decisions to make. Anton wasnt aware of many of them, though he did know there was a surprisingly steady flow of people attempting and presumably succeeding with Ascension. Within the Order there were two in particular that needed to finalize their choices- Devon and Velvet. Both came to Anton for advice.Devon was the first. I enjoy my life here on Ceretos, but I havent comprehended any method to advance further in cultivation. I believe I could succeed if I Ascended, but Im not sure if I wish to.Anton nodded, Then you must ask what is more important- your cultivation, or your home. Their cultivation paths were different, and so far Antons advice had borne no fruit for Devon in terms of alternatives to Ascension.My home here Devon said, But I also want it to be safe. Acquiring more strength so that I can hopefully return to fight in the next invasionSafe, of course, was a relative term. A dislocated arm or a few broken bones were only natural when facing a superior opponent, and Vari didnt want him to hold back too much. There was something interesting about being a cultivator where the ground was often soft enough to give way before the cultivator. That was the norm in Life Transformation, even with standard stone. The training grounds was just dirt, so when she felt like she impacted a solid steel floor Vari knew something was different.She just lay there for a few moments, trying to figure out what had happened. Kiran had already backed up- likely meaning it as a learning point. If he continued to brawl with her afterwards, she wouldnt remember as well.Certainly, impacting the ground at a faster velocity would make it give way in a different fashion, but there wasnt much of a dent beneath her. That meant there had to be more to it. Thinking about how Kirans energy flowed, she recalled a slight hint of it going into the ground. That would do it, perhaps. Hardening the ground was certainly a valid option, though it involved splitting focus and would require some familiarity with the material. Or would it?Certainly, if she wanted to work with the material that would be a requirement, but she could make a barrier there or anywhere, really. Though forming one beyond someone could be rather difficult, and then there was the question of anchoring it. Still, it was a good idea. She stood up ready to try it and was partially successful.She was fairly certain that Kiran let her slam him into a barrier once, but he certainly didnt bother to feign any actual injuries. The Hardened Crown Sect had tough bodies, and even if that wasnt the case his cultivation was still higher. He could have absorbed the impact purely with his energy, unless he was careless about how he defended. Still, it seemed to be more of a matter of power and practice most of all. Combat training was all well and good, but advancing to the next stage of cultivation would be the biggest leap for her. She had plenty of inspiration, but she had to do it right. She wouldnt get a second chance, after all. Thus, she had to allocate time for training towards that goal as well. On the way out of the sparring grounds she was stopped by an unfortunately familiar figure. Hello there little sister. The face that was in front of her was the woman who wielded only a shield. Varis first instincts was to destroy her eardrums- her second instinct was much more rational and told her that she had just barely started to recover them. Besides, she had to face this eventually. I am not your little sister. Im no longer part of the Harmonious Citadel.But you are. We have not allowed you to leave. I was quite disappointed in your results the other day. Tell me, do you have time for a little spar?Varis body responded for her. Of course not. Last second willpower overcame the command. Shed been practicing that, though obviously without practical experience she couldnt know for sure it would work. The result was adequate. I wont be drawn into something like that.Something like what? the woman raised an eyebrow.Some sort of match where you can accidentally kill or maim me. And the rules here dont allow battling without mutual consent. Vari wondered if influencing her mind did not count as an attack. Or maybe Everheart wasnt monitoring the area. Perhaps that was true, if pigs could fly and up was down.Nonsense, I was just planning to teach you a friendly lesson. But about those allies of yours I will be needing your assistance to bring them down. Youll do that for me, wont you.Yes, of course elder sister. It wasnt just the response that bothered Vari. It was that she knew it was true. This time, the force of the womans personality bearing down on her was irresistible. But before that I need to say something.And what is that? Im curious.Your hair is stupid.Perhaps it wasnt smart to provoke someone who had control over her in that way, but it made sense at the time. Hold still, the woman commanded. Vari had no option but to comply. A flash of movement and power, and the sharp edge of the shield was looking her in the eye. Vari could feel her own hair falling to the ground, not evenly severed but in chunks. The woman smirked.Vari really hoped this was one of the times the rules meant something, but as seconds dragged on she began to get the feeling that it somehow didnt count as an attack. Perhaps she should have pushed through and leaned forward just enough to get cut. And if not, she could at least figure out a way to circumvent orders and kill herself before she did anything to hurt her friends.
