Chapter 417: A Road to Eternity

Lucan moved a step to the side before he could stop himself. Only after slipping clear of the golden fist’s path did he draw a sharp breath.

That thing could kill him.

"A solid fist image, perfectly condensed, yet held without release..." He stared at Cassian’s hand. "You’ve reached Accomplished at the very least. Haven’t you been practicing Origin Divine Fist for barely more than a year?"

He took a moment to recover his composure.

"Even in the Ninefold Sanctum, that would make you a genius among geniuses. You might reach Transcendence in the Upper Volume within your lifetime. Then you could begin the Middle Volume."

"The Middle Volume?"

Cassian let the golden image dissolve.

"Please, tell me more."

The Origin Divine Fist book he had bought contained only the Upper Volume, just like Warbody. He had long wondered what lay in the other parts of those arts.

Lucan answered readily.

"On the Realm Battlefield, a Skill Book lets you learn an art instantly. But Legendary items and anything above them cannot pass freely into and out of the main world. Skill Books are no exception."

Cassian nodded.

"So even a true disciple like me had to study Origin Divine Fist the hard way before entering the Realm. The complete art is so profound that centuries could pass without a single disciple reaching Basic. Our founder divided it into Upper, Middle, and Lower Volumes to give us a way in."

"And even the Upper Volume is a top Legendary skill."

"Exactly. Anyone who learns it before entering the Realm qualifies to become an inner disciple of the Ninefold Sanctum."

Cassian’s interest sharpened.

"If the Upper Volume is Legendary, then the other two..."

"The Middle Volume is Mythic," Lucan said. "The Lower is Eternal. Once your Upper Volume reaches Transcendence, you can choose whether to undergo Skill Rebirth."

Cassian breathed in slowly.

So his suspicion had been right.

He had wondered about that possibility ever since obtaining Warbody. If its volumes followed the same progression, he was already practicing an art that could lead all the way to Eternal.

There was still the matter of his visitor’s purpose.

"Then have you come to ask me to forget the skill?"

An art could be forgotten as well as learned. Past experience would make learning it again much faster, but that hardly made the prospect appealing.

"Of course not." Lucan looked surprised. "Over the years, many of our disciples have died far from the Sanctum. Plenty of Origin Divine Fist books have dropped with them. If one found its way into your hands, there’s a connection between you and our school."

His expression grew warmer.

"Why not make that connection official? Join the Ninefold Sanctum. As fellow disciples, we could look out for one another. On a larger stage, you would have room to achieve far more."

Cassian said nothing for a moment.

He had certainly not expected the conversation to turn that way. Was this Lucan’s own idea, or had someone above him sent him to make the offer?

"I’m grateful," he said politely. "But you’ve seen how much I have to manage here. I can’t simply leave the Homeworld."

"Come now, Cassian. I do hear news from outside."

Lucan smiled.

"I know about Fivefold Heaven. Their methods are disgraceful, but no one will make an enemy of the Fivefold Sect for the Homeworld’s sake. Not even the Ninefold Sanctum."

The upper Human Realms were certainly well informed. Since the Racial Gates had opened, news traveled quickly. Cassian had barely exposed the plot before Lucan appeared at his door.

Still, at least the man had not come to cause trouble.

Relieved, Cassian arranged his face into an expression of solemn determination.

"I was born in the Homeworld. Even if there’s no hope, I have to try."

Lucan’s smile faded into respect.

"An admirable resolve. But forgive me for speaking plainly: willpower cannot overcome every difference in strength. What will you do after the Homeworld falls?"

So he already considered Cassian a man with nowhere else to go.

Cassian sighed.

"If it comes to that, I suppose I’ll have to join the Ninefold Sanctum and ask for your guidance, senior brother."

"Excellent!"

Lucan laughed, then hurriedly checked himself. Celebrating the destruction of his prospective junior brother’s home was hardly gracious.

"I’ll await the good news—well, what I mean is, I’ll be there to welcome you."

He was already treating Cassian as a fellow disciple.

Cassian saw no reason to correct him.

"In that case, senior brother, there’s a favor I’d like to ask."

Lucan was in an excellent mood. Cassian’s strength a month earlier had surpassed all his expectations. Bringing Humanity’s Paragon into the Sanctum would greatly strengthen Lucan’s position, even if he never learned the man’s secrets.

And if Cassian rose high enough, he might remember who had welcomed him in.

"Tell me what you need. Though if you’re asking me to fight Fivefold Heaven, I’m afraid that’s beyond me."

"Nothing like that." Cassian smiled. "I’d like to buy Legendary Blood Essence. The Homeworld’s supply is too limited."

Legendary blood was a valuable ingredient in high-grade potions, but arranging a purchase was no great difficulty for Lucan.

"Leave it to me. How much do you want?"

Cassian considered briefly.

"A trillion Aether’s worth to begin with."

"A hundred million? At roughly two hundred thousand per drop, that would be..." Lucan stopped. His eyes widened. "How much did you say?"

"One trillion. To begin with."

Cassian made the number very clear.

"There’s no upper limit. The more you can find, the better. I’ll pay ten percent above the market price, and the difference is your commission."

Ten percent of a purchase that size was no small sum even to Lucan. Yet he looked doubtful.

"What could you need so much Legendary blood for? Unless..."

An explanation occurred to him.

"I’ve heard that you’re close to Vespera, Blood Throne’s First Saintess. Are you planning to hire powerful Bloodkin to help repel the invasion?"

Cassian stared at him.

That was quite a leap.

Lucan took his silence as an answer and chuckled.

"Don’t worry. We choose our own friends. As long as you don’t betray Humanity, no one will make an issue of it. I’ll help you arrange the blood."

To his mind, it made no difference. Whatever Cassian tried, the outcome would be the same. Even several million more veteran Crown Lords descending from older sectors could not save the Homeworld now.

"Then you have my thanks, senior brother."

Cassian was already picturing the Mythic troops that blood would let him raise. The more he looked at Lucan, the more agreeable the man seemed.

Their conversation became warmer still.

It also brought Cassian another welcome discovery. The Ninefold Sanctum controlled an Origin Gold vein.

By the time they finished talking, a second deal had been settled. Cassian exchanged a thousand of his "reject" Spiritlink Swords for three months of mining rights at the vein. The last missing material for his Fountain of Life plans finally had a source.

Both men were delighted with the trade.

"I should take my leave," Lucan said at last. "Remember our agreement, junior brother. I’ll be waiting for you in the Sanctum."

Only after he had gone did Mira speak.

"Boss, wasn’t all that formal language exhausting? I was tired just listening to it."

Cassian laughed. With a much larger Mythic force now within reach, he was in a wonderful mood.

"We’re hospitable people in the Homeworld. He likes talking that way, so I joined in. It would have been rude to spoil it."

Mira rolled her eyes.

"Well, now that you’ve found somewhere else to go, remember to take me with you." She quickly amended that. "All of us, I mean. Everyone in Divine Province."

She had no doubt that they would follow him. Leaving their home for the Ninefold Sanctum was one thing. If Cassian asked them to walk through fire, his people would go without hesitation.

"Don’t worry."

Cassian nodded, then shook his head. He patted her shoulder, his confidence plain.

"Neither Fivefold Heaven nor the native Royal Courts can take away what we have. The Homeworld will win this war."