[How old were you when you died] Lady Azlan taking a seat on the edge of her island, wetting her legs in the pond
"I fell the day of my one millionth birthday"
[You were so young, how did you lose your body?]
"I am only half a dao beast, my life span is tied directly to my cultivation- human. How I fell is unimportant."
[I think it very important, your fall from your home has set you on a path most weary. But I understand your hesitance in not wanting to talk of it] Azlan looking upward through a slight crack in the roof of her cave that carries her sunlight, thinking of her old friend
"Lady Azlan, I am grateful for your favor and confidence, but I should be leaving. I have things I need to do, things to prepare." Standing from his spot of breakthrough and bringing his hands together over his chest in a show of respect
[Little Lion, before you go let me see your ring]
Tossing his artifact to Azlan across the pond, she douses her divine sense in and over the ring
[Alright, now I can watch as you journey. Go forth now, little lion]
Bringing his hands together again to show his respects, Edward leaves the cave
Now with a fresh forged spirit Edward takes flight, an ability he has been looking forward to. Flying in the direction he left Liam, he realizes he can't maintain his flight.
[My middle core isn't as large as my lower, and the Chi inside of it isn't as dense]
Thinking it a shame he cant witness Liam progress with his eyes, but would instead have to use the ring with his soul to check.
Using his divine art to once again head back the Golden Eagles hill, the Poison Scaled Viper is curled up on the twig nest.
[Did he claim the hill now that its master is gone?] wondering as he hovers down over the beast
The viper rising from its sleep lets out a hiss but quickly swallows his aggression after seeing Edward. Climbing down from the nest the viper places his chin on the ground, and raises its mid section in the air, like un upside down U.
[He is being submissive, must be because of spirit stones I fed it]
"Your submission to me is welcome. My orders will be your way of life, and you will be rewarded for living." summoning the beast into his ring
Edward wanting to check the progress of Liam but is more focused on the issue of his core, begins to lay down an alchemy array, different than the One Phoenix Five Refining Dragons array
The array triangle in shape, unlike a typical circle or square array, two flames burning at base points. Tossing even amounts of herbs into each fire, and weaving signs, the herbs turn to liquid. After all are refined, Edwards changes his signs, little by little the liquid medicine travels up the legs of the triangle. Reaching the apex of the array the liquid solidifies into pills, in great quantity but average quality.
Before Edward begins his work, he comes to a sudden realization. The extract of the lion given by Lord Gregor, was simply Azlans blood that was extremely diluted, given to the alchemist to enhance their product.
[There is no way the alchemist knows what it truly is. I refuse to believe the Patriarch of this family would disclose it. He probably passes its name of as being named after the family's sigil. Still a small bottle of diluted blood was great help to Liam, with me being full blooded the effect should be much greater]
Activating the rank 6 Double Flame array, Edward throws all 36 Chi flowing pills into the fires. Waiting for the array to progress, Edward breaks the skin of both thumbs and drips his blood over both legs of the array. The added property enhances the grade of the pills multiple levels, but the amount is less than before.
Taking the pills and meditating, Edward compresses the Chi in both his cores until they are full.
Cultivator's cores fill with thin Chi, so they compress it to hold more, when they use their techniques, arts, and arrays, they will need to compress the Chi again when it fills with the thin Chi of nature.
With his cores full, and the moon rising, Edward uses his soul to purify his middle core in the same fashion as his lower core. His middle core founded with pure and dense Chi was already large and above average, but not to his standards. His soul had made the Chi of nature taken into his core layer its self-multiple times over before it allowed it to enter. With large cores that only allow dense Chi in its hold, the compressing of it on top of his physical prowess, results in great stamina.
Now at his current peak of internal strength Edward takes flight steady without feeling weary. Liam now not in his thoughts at all, he gathers all his spirit stones into a single ring.
[This number of spirit stones, is not nearly enough] Edward who was still waving the paintbrush in his mind is stuck, not having the means to carry out his current vision.
[I need scared stones, but where are they kept in this estate? Edward Alberts memories don't help, he only heard of them]
With his Divine Void Steps Edward steps into Lord Gregors office, action that took more than a dozen steps to travel over a thousand miles.
Edward appearing like smoke cause Lord Gregor to jump from his seat and spill his ink over his desk
"Young Lord! Wh wha- Why are you here? Your trial..."
"Sit down" Edward without the use of his art using only physical ability steps behind Lord Gregor. While Lord Gregor could keep up with the movement, he didn't resist as Edward put his hands on his shoulders and pressed him into his seat.
"Young Lord, what can I do for you?" Gregor surprised with Edwards growth feels proud of his Young Lord
"I have been thinking of the Banquet of Three. As this year's host, I plan to make it the grandest event the three kingdoms have ever held. My time in the forest made me realize how perfect a venue it is for the martial portion of the event. I know what you're thinking, the forest is sacred, and outsiders can't enter. The competition will only take place in the first two zones, so its alright, I will push the matter forward with my father and it will become the venue." Edward walking out from behind the desk and sitting in the chair Infront of it
"Young Lord, you traveled all this way to what? Ask for my support in pushing this proposal?"
"No, I came for a different but related matter."
"Explain, Young Lord"
"I need sacred stones, a dozen at minimum."
"Young Lord!" Lord Gregor slamming his hands down on his desk "This topic of material is not something I can help with."
"I understand. Sacred stones have near infinite energy, like I said I want them for the banquet and not personal use."
"Still, I cannot help you"
"Willingly or not, you will" standing from his seat and reaching his arm out for a handshake, Lord Gregor takes the hand. Edward sends his soul through the arm and into his brain, scanning quickly only for the information needed, not wanting to break the steward.
"Ah" Lord Gregor holding his head falling back into his seat
"My Lord, are you alright?"
"Yes yes. I just have a raging headache all of a sudden." waving his hand at Edward
"I understand. I will take leave then, My Lord."
Stepping into the hallway with a smirk, Edward uses his art to step south into Lions Hall
[Good thing no one is here] Walking through the hall, up the small flight of stairs, and behind the false wall of an array, Edward continues past the room he met the Patriarch in. Knowing exactly where to go, Edward inters a study, full of half completed arrays and arrays that are broken and would never work. Inside of Patriarch Kayce's workshop, Edward breaks the array over a small chest, inside is two dozen spirit stones- all of the Alberts sacred stones accumulated over thousands of years.
[Holy, I was unsure there would even be a dozen, but this realm was made to be rich in resources.]
Taking thirteen stones from the chest, one for himself, and a dozen for the plans in his mind.
Heading to his chambers, unseen, Edward takes a rest in an actual bed before heading back into the forest.
-
"Your deity is a thief, Grand Sage" Patriarch Kayce smashing a teacup in his palm
"Hm, what happened My Lord?"
"He has stolen sacred stones from my own study, I sensed the array on their container broke, and my men confirmed it"
"How many, did he take? Only one I assume"
"Thirteen. One more than half of them"
Master Haos eyes widen in amusement "Then he must be planning to make some sort of arrays, if he took them to cultivate one would be enough. If you dont approve of what the kid does, we can just take them back."
"It is the principal, this is theft that is happening right under my nose."
"While he is not my deity, I still will give him council throughout his life, let me speak to him after his trial My Lord" [Thief... no. These things were made for him and people like him] Master Hao amused but doesn't speak his true feelings
-
The rising suns light through Edwards window, illuminating his face and warming his skin wakes him. Walking across his room to the closet and changing his robes, Edwards regrets not being able to order a meal and his pitcher being empty. Drinking the spirit water from his ring, Edward heads back into the first zone of the forest.
Avoiding the area Rhea is patrolling, he plants five of the spirit stones across a fifty mile stretch of the zone. Heading into the second zone and placing another five, Edward flies above the edge where the zones meet. A hundred miles of forest become shadowed under a giant array, complex and of high grade, Edward lays down a grade 12 Differential Space Monitoring array. The array able to replay the scenes of anywhere inside the one hundred miles of forest, was a large and worrying check off of Edwards list, allowing him to continue painting his grand design in his mind.
[That took nearly all of energy, quite amazing considering my vessels stamina]
Summoning his eagle from his ring and draping himself over its back, tired despite just waking up "Go into the heart of the forest, where you are most scared of"
"SCREEEECH"
-
"My Lord, whatever that array was, it is quite grand." Master Hao pouring wine instead of tea despite it being morning
Not replying, Patriarch Kayce thinking of the image he took of the array in his mind, trying to comprehend it
"You have stayed in this pavilion since they entered the forest, you worry for Rhea that much?"
"I am able to see her from here, she is making steady progress. That ghost left her only in the first zone, or I would have taken her back home."
"My Lord, you are understandably hostile towards your "son", but you cant be like this forever. You must accept that Edward was marked for death, and that his body, a body with your blood will become a towering figure in the world. Even if he doesn't become the Earthen Deity, he will make your clan much more powerful and do right by all its people."
"What if just leaves the clan, or slaughters people that voice against him"
"I have seen his heart and dao, he takes from others sure, but is generous to his own. Plus he will never be able to act aggressively towards you or Rhea, that I assure you."
"Grand Sage, you cant make such insurances."
"I can make at least this assurance. If he does not accept the fact that you are his father, and Rhea is his sister, then he will crumble."
Confused Kayce doesnt try to understand but demands for the answer "What do you mean, stop speaking in riddles."
"What I mean to say is, he will have to accept he is Edward Albert now. If he does not his body will shatter, and his soul will not escape the universal will."