Chapter 287: Gluttonous Halberd

In the meantime, back in the Nether Lands, Regaleon remained seated in meditation, patiently absorbing the energy contained within the Essence Crystals Caelestra had given him.

Several minutes had passed since he began the process, yet the Aether entering his body remained a modest trickle rather than the invigorating torrent he had grown accustomed to when absorbing Aether Cores.

Nevertheless, he continued to draw upon the crystals, allowing their energy to seep into his Aether Veins while his Soul Essences carried on with their peculiar consumption.

Although Essence Crystals were not as readily accessible as Aether Cores, the method Caelestra had taught him proved remarkably effective. By establishing a connection with the Aether concealed within each crystal and gradually loosening its internal structure, he could extract the energy without prematurely compromising the crystal’s integrity.

The process was delicate, requiring him to maintain a steady flow of Aether while carefully coaxing the energy from its mineral prison.

Unfortunately, effectiveness and speed were two entirely different virtues.

Regaleon could tolerate a great many things, including aching muscles, fractured ribs, and the indignity of being thrown around by creatures that looked as though nature had assembled them during a particularly unpleasant nightmare.

However, watching precious cultivation energy trickle into his body at a pace that would make a crawling snail appear industrious was rapidly testing the limits of his patience.

As another thread of Aether entered his body, Regaleon’s attention shifted toward his Soul Essences. The energy had scarcely reached his Aether Veins before it was seized by the familiar, insatiable hunger lurking within him.

His Armour absorbed a portion, but the Halberd appeared to be consuming the lion’s share, devouring every wisp that approached it with an enthusiasm bordering on the obscene.

It was almost enough to make him wonder whether his Soul Essences possessed stomachs hidden somewhere within their metaphysical existence.

If they did, then his Halberd had evidently developed an appetite worthy of a starving giant.

Regaleon exhaled slowly, resisting the urge to abandon his meditation and find a faster solution. He had already considered several alternatives, one of which involved breaking the Essence Crystals apart to release their stored energy all at once.

The thought had seemed perfectly reasonable.

After all, if the crystals were merely containers holding Aether, then destroying those containers should make their contents easier to access. Rather than painstakingly drawing out the energy through the method Caelestra had demonstrated, he could simply shatter a crystal and allow his Soul Essences to consume whatever emerged, just he had done the first time.

However, his reasoning had lasted approximately three seconds before Caelestra noticed what he was contemplating and immediately dissuaded him.

According to her, the Aether contained within Essence Crystals was neither as concentrated nor as stable as the energy sealed within Aether Cores.

The crystals accumulated Aether gradually over long periods, preserving it within their internal structures. Once that structure was broken, however, the released energy would begin dissipating into the surrounding environment.

And it would dissipate quickly. Therefore, by the time he finished breaking one apart, a considerable portion of its energy might already have escaped.

And though Etheryeans had the some of the sharpest senses out there, but even Regaleon wouldn’t be able to see the energy before they fully dissipate.

Regaleon had not doubted her explanation. Caelestra might have failed to awaken as a Merchant in the traditional sense, but her understanding of Essence Crystals was considerably more practical than his own.

Still, he privately suspected that his Soul Essences might react quickly enough to consume the released energy before it dispersed completely.

Perhaps he could even break several crystals simultaneously and allow his Halberd to feast upon the resulting abundance.

It was an intriguing possibility but it was also an expensive gamble.

And although Regaleon was not opposed to taking risks when circumstances demanded it, wasting valuable cultivation resources merely because he disliked waiting would have been a remarkably foolish way to demonstrate his courage.

There was a difference between boldness and stupidity. Unfortunately, the distinction became rather difficult to maintain whenever impatience entered the discussion.

Consequently, he had abandoned the idea and continued with Caelestra’s method.

For the time being, patience would have to suffice.

As his meditation continued, Regaleon discovered another peculiarity about his constitution. Ordinary Etheryeans generally found Essence Crystals more difficult to use than Aether Cores.

While the latter could be absorbed through relatively straightforward cultivation, extracting energy from the former required a greater degree of control and a thorough understanding of the process.

Yet Regaleon encountered no comparable difficulty once he established the necessary connection.

The energy flowed into him steadily, responding to his efforts without the resistance he had anticipated. It was slower than absorbing Aether Cores, certainly, but the process itself remained surprisingly smooth.

Perhaps the explanation lay in his unique constitution. Perhaps his Soul Essences were influencing the process in ways he did not yet understand. Given their recent behaviour, he was increasingly reluctant to dismiss the possibility that they possessed peculiar properties beyond anything he had been taught.

Whatever the reason, the results were undeniable and there was little to no doubt that the mystery might remain unsolved for a long time.

Aether continued to enter his body, replenishing his depleted reserves even as his Soul Essences devoured the majority of it.

Unfortunately, the arrangement was rather less generous toward his Aether Veins.

The nourishment they received amounted to little more than a token allowance, a meagre sip from a cup that was being drained by someone considerably thirstier.

The lion’s share disappeared into the voracious entities he called his Soul Essences, leaving his own cultivation to survive on whatever scraps they happened to overlook.

If his Aether Veins could speak, Regaleon suspected they would have submitted a formal complaint.

They might even have demanded a redistribution of resources.

Alas, his Soul Essences appeared to have little interest in economic fairness.

The Halberd, in particular, seemed to grow more ravenous with every passing moment. The moment fresh Aether entered his body, its presence became unmistakable, as though the weapon were a famished beast capable of smelling food from miles away. It consumed the energy with such urgency that Regaleon could scarcely perceive any improvement in his personal reserves.

His Armour was not entirely innocent, either, but its appetite was considerably more restrained. The Halberd, by contrast, behaved as though every wisp of Aether might be its last meal.

But Regaleon could hardly blame it for being eager. The weapon’s advancement had become a matter of considerable importance to him, not merely because of the strength it would grant him, but because of what that advancement represented.

His Armour had already reached the Count Tier, while his Halberd remained a Viscount Tier Soul Essence. The disparity had plagued him for days, creating an imbalance in his fighting stances.

Also, he had endured enough ridicule to understand that proving his worth would require more than stubborn persistence. He needed tangible results, and advancing his Halberd would be a meaningful step toward achieving them.

If Essence Crystals could provide the nourishment necessary to push it across that threshold, then he was prepared to endure a little discomfort.

Or rather, a considerable amount of discomfort.

Because, despite the steady replenishment of Aether entering his body, Regaleon gradually realized that his own reserves were receiving far less than they needed.

His Soul Essences were consuming energy faster than he could accumulate it, leaving his cultivation in a peculiar state of perpetual deprivation.

He was feeding his weapons while starving himself. There was something profoundly ridiculous about the arrangement.

An Etheryean cultivated to strengthen his body, expand his reserves, and improve his ability to wield Aether. Regaleon, meanwhile, had somehow become a glorified feeding trough for two exceptionally demanding Soul Essences.

If anyone had told him years ago that he would willingly sacrifice his own cultivation progress to satisfy the appetite of a weapon, he would have questioned their intelligence.

Yet here he was, doing precisely that.

Still, he had no intention of complaining. The prospect of his Halberd finally attaining the Count Tier outweighed the inconvenience of enduring a temporary shortage of Aether.

Besides, if his suspicions were correct, the Halberd’s growing hunger meant that it was approaching a critical threshold. Its appetite might be insufferable, but it was also the clearest indication he had received that advancement was possible.

He only needed to continue feeding it.

Thus, with the ruined temple silent around him and Caelestra’s remaining Essence Crystals arranged within reach, Regaleon resumed his painstaking cultivation.

The faint sounds of the others shifting in the distance occasionally reached his ears, but he paid them little attention. His concentration remained fixed upon the delicate connection between himself and the crystals, drawing out their Aether one slow thread at a time.

He would not rush the process.

He would not shatter the crystals.

And he certainly would not surrender his chance at advancement simply because his Soul Essences had developed the manners of ravenous beasts.

Like a determined ascetic enduring a self-imposed fast, Regaleon’s body continued to starve, surviving on the pitiful remnants his Soul Essences could spare him.

For the sake of his Halberd’s advancement, he would endure it a little longer...