Timeless Prominence

“All these books are recorded knowledge that Master Yirn had requested me to collect throughout our journeys. Master Yirn himself did not own any when I first met him, but obviously, I had to collect these for juniors, and…”

Chenhr trailed off at this point, reminiscing on the fact that the other disciples were no longer with them.

“Regardless, there is too much information in this world to pass down through lips-- as advancers, our minds are sharpened beyond mortal comprehension.”

“It is your own responsibility to use this collection of knowledge for your own benefit. I will first provide you with some superficial understanding, such that you have direction in your own search.”

“Let us start with the state of this Fusion Realm. Since you want to play, you have to know the pieces on the board first, no?”

Chenhr held the folded fan that he had used as a weapon previously. He now used it as a pointer instead.

He took a scroll as tall as himself out of its resting spot inside a vase. As he unrolled the scroll on an empty space surrounded by the shelves, the musky scent of tanned beast pelt filled the second floor of the tower.

With the assistance of two heavy stones that appeared as light as feather under Chenhr’s strength, the scroll was prevented from returning to its original furled position.

Chenhr pointed at the center left of the map with his folded fan. “This is our location, Minhr Nation. The advancer sects in this nation do not like partaking in mortal affairs. Ironically, those without any backing are most likely to have an opportunity in the advancer world through inheritance schools and sects. These schools and sects were built by normal folk to contend against the noble clans.”

“The difference between these two? Rather arbitrary. Inheritance schools are more concerned with passing down a specific style of advancer magic. Sects are more focused on ideology and principles. The two sometimes intersect.”

“Now, in response to the formation of schools and sects, a significant number of advancer clans eventually grouped up together to maintain their position in society, and they govern the mortals to this day. The sects could not stop this. They already have their hands full, particularly because they attract the vast majority of the advancers, who do not have any significant background.”

“This is only natural. No matter how bright a mortal shines, they will still never stand at the top of an existing clan, for clans are inherited through bloodline. As previously mentioned, most sects are unwilling to waste advancer resources managing the mortals, but once a bright seed is found, the sects would undoubtedly step in. This situation has forced a tacit cooperation between the clans and sects.”

Indeed, the Golden Desert Town, before its destruction, had many sects and schools that tested the aptitude of young children every single year.

“Thus, this is the state of the Minhr Nation.”

The tip of Chenhr’s folded fan moved to the center east of the map. “East of the Minhr Nation is the Zoh Empire. Unlike those of the Minhr, the Zoh advancer world is more or less ruled by... a group of elites.”

“It may be hard for you to understand, as you grew up in Minhr, but in the Zoh Empire, the strongest seven advancer sects have long developed a united front. These seven sects have an agreement to cooperate and suppress any sect that may challenge any of these seven sects. The clans in these lands have a strong hand in these ‘ruling’ sects. In fact, multiple clans cooperate to rule each sect.”

“On the surface, the Zoh Empire has less conflict between the sects. However, the reality is that no sect would dare to challenge any of these seven sects. And any rising threat would be silently razed to the ground overnight.”

“The Zoh Empire has all its aspects controlled by these seven elite sects, who have pledged allegiance to the Hall of Heroes.”

Chenhr’s fan-tip now pointed to a location south of Minhr, which was also southwest of the Zoh Empire.

“This area is rather complicated. The sects in this region each completely rule their own area and the mortals within it. However, they also do not overly interfere with each other. In the past, both the Minhr Nation and Zoh Empire have tried to expand, only to discover that these sects in this region will cooperate when truly necessary, while maintaining their distance to each other in other times.”

“Thus, this area has a constant rate of change. Sects rise and fall, but regardless of the state of the region, any outsider involvement will lead to an alliance between all existing sects. Scholars in the advancer world refer to this region as the Shroud Alliance!”

North of the Minhr Nation and Zoh Empire.

“This is the Golden Desert, ruled by the nomadic tribes that many in this Minhr Nation see as barbarians.”

West of the Minhr Nation.

“These are the Evergreen Mountains bordering the west of this nation. Many of the sects that operate in the western half of the Minhr Nation have built their sect headquarters here.”

“These mountains are named as such due to the richness of aurae in the region.”

“I personally find the history of this area to be laughable.” Chenhr shook his head as he chuckled. “Supposedly, centuries ago, the ruling clan of Minhr exiled certain troublemakers to the western wilderness. Those people survived and instead built the sects that now occupy these Evergreen Mountains, serving as a bulwark against the wilderness.”

“The sects in this area are truly independent and considered unruly in the ruling clan’s eyes.On the other hand, the sects within the Minhr Nation are significantly pressured by the Minhr clans and very much have to play by the rules.

Even farther west. “This area is what you mortals call the wilderness. It has a few mountains here and there, but for the most part, the area is rather desolate. The fallen devil sects operate in this region. Quite obviously, their doctrine is wholly evil in most aspects.”

“Even farther west exists a mysterious and expansive jungle.” Chenhr frowned. “No one has been able to explore this area properly, and nothing dangerous has had its source traced back to this neverending jungle in Minhr’s history.”

Rein snorted internally. His belief was that the rather ‘arrogant’ Chenhr must be clearly dissatisfied about the fact that he knew little of  this area.

Bottom right of the map. It was quite obvious to anyone that this area was the vast seas. Chenhr, not bothering to waste any breath, simply uttered a few descriptions.

“Vast, unexplored. Rogue advancers and small factions fighting over islands.”

He then pointed at a large island that was just off the coast, equidistance to the Minhr Nation, Zoh Empire, and the Shroud Alliance.

“This large island is the Fusion Sect. The true ruler of this realm. Underneath their island is the core of the realm itself. Whoever controls this heart has an… unseen power throughout the realm itself.”

Rein, who’s mind had started to dull due to boredom, instantly snapped to attention. This world has a heart, and whoever controls the heart, controls the realm?!

His guess was immediately semi-rebuffed by Chenhr’s next words. “It does not amount to being able to destroy a realm, or killing anyone one might want to. However, the heart would give favors to its user during critical moments, within the realm. These will only appear as ‘luck’ to an outsider.”

Still shocking. Rein silently contemplated and determined that the Fusion Sect must be powerful beyond imagination then, to be able to control such a treasure.

“The Fusion Sect’s function is simple. It is in reality a recruitment center, to find and funnel talented individuals to a higher realm…”

Rein nearly fell over, his knees weak. For the heart of this realm to be controlled by a recruitment center?! Then for whom is this Fusion Sect recruiting for…?

He realized that there must be an even more powerful entity behind the Fusion Sect.

“The Fusion Sect’s goal is simple. It has, historically, avoided interfering in conflicts unless necessary. It believes that a certain level of conflict is necessary to separate and discover the hidden talents. If anything, it tries to create some. However, it will interfere if it considers that the ‘conflict’ has grown to the point of impeding the growth of the ‘seedlings’, that in their very own words, ‘have yet to sprout’.”

Rein greedily absorbed all this information. Was he previously aware of some of this information? Only a tiny fraction. As a mortal merchant group, the Hehr merchants really only had access to information that the ruling clans deigned important to mortals.

Chenhr’s tone turned solemn. “Ah yes, you should have already met that elder from the Fusion Sect. The white-robed lady of the Green Trout City. She is Baejenh, an outer advancer dispatched by the Fusion Sect to keep an eye on the Green Trout City. Her tracking mark was unable to withstand the cleansing of the Bleak Mountains.”

Rein recalled the interrogation-- he had no idea when the austere looking white-robed lady had placed a tracking mark on his body. Luckily, the odd conditions of the Bleak Mountains removed it...

“As for other information, it will be your own responsibility to learn. Master Yirn has always said that those who are unable to pursue that which would contribute to their own survival will not last long in the advancer world. I will, however, begrudgingly provide you some additional guidance as ordered by Master Yirn.”

“Origin skills aren’t always just ‘skills’. They are an ancient true god’s mastery of a certain aspect of the world. Somewhat inferior versions have been shown to live on through bloodlines. Some origin skills are also passive in nature, such as simply boosting certain aspects of a user’s magic. Understanding the different types of origin skills will allow you to plan an appropriate response and approach enemies with care. Though rare, you are bound to come across other origin advancers sooner or later.”

“Some bloodline related inferior versions were created by a number of organisations that are all too happy to research origin skills, some through torture. There’s a vast number of them, but at the very least, you must be aware of the House of Origin, Bloodline Genesis, and the Hominin Prime.”

“Hmph,” Chenhr grimaced in disgust. “You better not attract these three organizations or ones even minimally affiliated with them! Not even Master Yirn could guarantee his ability enough to save you or me if such a situation came to be.”

Rein irritatedly picked up a brush, dabbed it in ink to start noting down all these highly dangerous names.

“Of course, there’s the vast number of realms, some controlled by hominins, some by beastkins, and a rare few by plantkin, specters, fallen devils, and various organizations.”

“There are some multi-realm organizations that control goods to both mortals and advancers. Their connections make them untouchable.”

Chenhr yawned, seemingly tired of speaking so much. The amount of details in his words further decreased.

“Bounty organizations, resource organizations, anything you can think of…”

“Ah yes. The Hall of Heroes. A truly powerful organization that recruits across realms to execute what they determine as just. The one you’re meant to infiltrate for us. I hope you understand the importance of understanding their nature.”

“Now, last of all, and I do believe this is of utmost importance. Inscriptions. Inscriptions function because it is the language of the way of the world. That is why it has the capacity to store and express advancer abilities. Any slight variation can guide the aurae of the world in a different manner and create a different effect.”

“You must learn its language. It is universal across the realms.”

Chenhr then leisurely exitted the tower while fanning himself with his treasured weapon, relieved of his distasteful duty.

Rein stayed within the second floor of the tower flipping through thick books bound by string, opening scrolls even taller than himself.

He prioritized understanding the language of inscriptions and those three horrifying organizations named by Chenhr. He felt queasy after discovering the type of experiments that these three organizations had done. There was even a research journal of one who forcefully extracted blood and aurae from a subject and then forcefully injected it all into another subject.

On the surface, this might not seem that gruesome. However, Rein soon discovered through the journal that each advancer’s blood and aurae had its own uniqueness. In some ways, it can be seen as a type of individual signature, their unique aura.

Thus, when two, three or even four different ones were mixed together in hopes of developing some type of bloodline that could bolster another’s affinity in advancer magics… 

It was best not to remember too many details from that journal entry, and experimental report.

Of course, Rein also tried to find further understandings of his own and Chenhr’s origin skills. He found no information, and felt incredibly stupid for trying in the first place.

After all, Chenhr had said that understanding an origin skill can give a combat advantage-- particularly since many advancers that have such skills will avoid using such skills unless at a critical juncture.

Chenhr would not easily expose his own strength.

“Ahem…” The sound of a throat being cleared echoed through the tower.

Rein jumped in fright, spinning around to find that Master Yirn’s figure had appeared. Peering out of a window of the tower, he saw that the underground paradise had slightly dimmed, though the stalactites up high still had a soft glow that illuminated the whole area.

Master Yirn, with a raised eyebrow, beckoned with an arm. WIth his other hand, he reached forward and twisted his wrist in midair, opening an invisible doorknob.

Rein blinked, and in that single instant found himself in an unfamiliar room.

Master Yirn pointed at the rows of scrolls on the dusty row of shelves that lined the room. “Meditative arts. Gain your enlightenment through the memories of others’ pasts.”

Rein perked up. These meditative arts are of critical value. He recalled the exact background of these meditative arts.

Guard Wein, when first introducing him to advancers, had said that each meditative art contained the chants that express the heart and mind of a unique advancer. If he can find one who might resonate with his own experiences, that would assist him in gaining insight into himself.

In his current inner advancer level, that would assist him in gaining control over his own emotions, such that the aurae of the world flowing within him remains stable and uniformly transforms the state of his body.

However, looking left, right ,up and down, all Rein could see were unending rows of scrolls.  How was he to find the right one?

Master Yirn snapped his fingers. Rein looked around, but nothing happened. He blinked his eyes in confusion.

The moment he blinked his eyes, he found himself back in the second floor of the tower, with five scrolls now lying in front of him on the ground. Master Yirn had already chosen the scrolls for him.

Worried that Master Yirn would leave soon, Rein desperately expressed his request that he had long considered.

“Master! I sincerely request assistance with saving my younger brother! I am willing to pay any price!”

Rein had long thought to request Master Yirn’s help. However, he wasn’t sure how powerful Master Yirn was in the first place. Furthermore, he was only a half-disciple. Not to mention, Rein had just met Master Yirn yesterday-- they were more or less strangers. His desperation won out in the end, and thus came his plea.

Master Yirn frowned for a moment, before looking out one of the tower windows, as if observing something far into the distance. Though, they were in an underground paradise, so it was impossible for Master Yirn to see particularly far with normal eyesight.

“Very well, half-disciple. I have yet to set sights on your younger brother, so I will need a strand of your hair.”

Although Rein did not fully understand the nature of such magics, in his desperation, he was not about to question Master Yirn’s methods. Rein plucked out a strand of his hair for use.

Master Yirn crossed his legs as he levitated off the ground with the strand of hair floating in front of his chest.

The strand of hair started spinning as Master Yirn closed his eyes. Rein found his hands sweaty with nervousness, especially with Master Yirn’s furrowed brows.

“Half-disciple. His location cannot be found. Either blocked by a high power, or he’s long left this world.”