Chapter 484: What Strength Attracts

Within a UNI residence in Kyros Galaxy, Rethan sat beside a low table and examined the sealed case resting upon it. Beyond the wide window, vessels moved between the docking sections of the UNI hub, their hulls passing beneath the lights of its outer rings. Oskel sat across from him, waiting while he compared the pale crystal inside the case with the description displayed beside it.

"Starlight Sanctum sent what they promised," Rethan said, closing the description. "The quality is right, and the seal has not been disturbed. We can consider the assignment finished."

Oskel leaned forward to look at the crystal. "How much do you think it will help Mireth? The last resource helped her understand a few things she had been struggling with, but her progress had slowed again by the time we left."

"It should help her think more clearly while she studies. How much she understands during that time will still depend on her," Rethan replied. "I want to go through the rules with her again before she uses it, so we can decide where it might help most."

Their younger sister had completed her first Divine Concept long ago, but her progress through the second remained slow. Both brothers had taught her, explaining the rules in different ways and working through the places where she became confused. They could help her understand individual problems, yet every difficult section brought another long delay.

The brothers had each mastered two powerful Divine Concepts, fused their foundations to enter the Astral Stage, and eventually attained Anchor of Consciousness. They had cultivated for a very long time to reach that point and possessed the knowledge Mireth needed to follow the same path. However, even with both of them teaching her, she struggled to comprehend it.

Neither brother belonged to a sect. Independent Anchors were rare, but their strength allowed them to choose their assignments and ask for rewards few others could obtain. Resources that could help Mireth comprehend her inheritance were often worth more to them than payment in UNI-Coins, and their assignment for Starlight Sanctum here in Kyros had offered one. With the work complete and the reward delivered, they were free to leave Kyros whenever they wished.

"Have you found anything worth taking after this?" Oskel asked. "If we can collect something else before going back, we might give her enough to work through more than another small part of the inheritance."

Rethan put the case away in his storage ring and opened the network forums through his UNI-OS. Several reports appeared above the table, followed by a discussion from one of Andromeda's local forums. He moved it toward his brother and brought the dates of the attached accounts into view.

"There is something I want to look into in Andromeda," he replied. "Crimson Vital has been appearing in the reports much more often lately. People visiting its headquarters have seen far more Astrals and Peak Rule disciples than anyone expected."

Oskel read the first account before opening another. "Several new Astrals? Are these different sightings, or are people repeating the same story?"

"Different visitors, on different days. Merchants dealing with their businesses have reported changes as well. The accounts disagree about the total number, but enough people have seen them that I doubt the growth itself is a rumor." Rethan selected another report. "There are also large numbers of Peak Rule disciples. That is what made me start checking their history."

Rethan had compared the recent accounts with records from before Andromeda's war. Hestia had led a Lesser Minor Sect for most of a million years, yet within the last few years Crimson Vital had become a Lesser Major power ruling the galaxy. Its disciples were now advancing beyond even the strength recorded during that war, only months earlier.

"Their first foundation is Crimson Vital Dominion," Rethan continued. "Sect Leader Hestia has possessed that inheritance for a very long time. These disciples are completing something her sect has been teaching for ages, but the number reaching Peak Rule has changed greatly."

Oskel moved past a long discussion and opened the account beneath it. "People here think they found a cultivation treasure."

"Some do. Others believe the organization said to support them is supplying resources. People are arguing over both explanations, but nobody has shown what the sect is actually using."

Rethan had read enough of those discussions to recognize how easily the same evidence could support entirely different conclusions. To some observers, Adrian's claim that a hidden organization supported Crimson Vital had always been a story intended to protect whatever valuable discovery the sect had made. To others, Crimson Vital's continued growth made the existence of such an organization more believable, since a sufficiently powerful backer could provide advantages Hestia had never possessed while ruling a Lesser Minor Sect.

"What kind of resources are they suggesting?" Oskel asked. "If it is only more cultivation time, Mireth could still spend most of it struggling with the same rules."

"Powerful Time Formations, specialized chambers built to make particular concepts easier to study, comprehension pills, rare materials, or some combination of several things." Rethan indicated a discussion where people had listed different possibilities. "Any of those could help explain how they are training so many cultivators at once, assuming they possess enough of them."

Neither brother needed the forum to explain what such facilities could do. Powerful sects had used formations for ages to reproduce environments where particular rules became easier to observe, allowing disciples to comprehend principles that would otherwise remain abstract. Knowing that such places existed was easy enough.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Obtaining access to one whose conditions were suitable for a particular inheritance was far more difficult.

Oskel remained quiet for a while as he studied the reports before looking back toward his brother. "If they really are helping this many cultivators advance, then it is worth asking. One talented disciple would prove very little, but all these people cannot have suddenly become more talented on their own."

"We do not know how Crimson Vital selected the disciples appearing in these reports," Rethan replied. "Some might already have been close to advancing. Still, I agree that there is enough here to investigate. Whatever changed inside the sect appears to be helping more than a handful of people."

"Have they offered any assignments with access to those facilities as a reward?"

"I checked. There is nothing offering help with comprehension, and they have not listed any service that explains these results. At present, we would be approaching them without knowing what they can provide."

Oskel pushed the reports aside and looked across the table. "We can meet their Sect Leader or speak with Elder Adrian. With both of us going, they should at least be willing to hear what we want."

Rethan considered what they could offer. They had accumulated considerable wealth through their assignments, and two Anchors could also provide services that a Lesser Major Sect might find valuable. There was a reasonable chance of arranging an exchange if Crimson Vital was willing.

"We could ask to purchase whatever help is suitable for Mireth," Rethan said. "If it is a resource, we can discuss buying enough for her to use. If they rely upon a cultivation chamber, perhaps we can pay for her to train there. We do not need their inheritance. We only need something capable of helping her continue along the one she already has."

"That should make the request easier for them to accept," Oskel replied. "They can keep their treasure, formations, or methods. We are asking them to help one person, and we can pay them properly for whatever that requires."

"Provided their method can help her," Rethan said. "A chamber designed only around Crimson Vital Dominion may be useless for the rules Mireth is struggling with. Before we agree to any price, we should explain exactly where her comprehension has stalled."

Oskel nodded, although his attention soon returned to the reports still floating beside the table. "And if they possess something suitable but refuse to sell access?"

"There is no need to assume the worst before we speak with them," Rethan replied. "Perhaps they need a resource we can obtain, or perhaps they have work valuable enough to justify an exchange. Let's first go and meet them."

"I am willing to make a fair offer," Oskel said. "But if they have exactly what Mireth needs and will not even discuss terms, we can put some pressure on them. They should feel the strength of both of us before deciding it is easier to send us away."

Rethan exhaled quietly. His brother had done exactly this through more negotiations than he cared to count. Oskel would bargain patiently over a price, but once he believed someone was refusing simply because they could, he preferred to give them a reason to change their mind.

"Adrian is an Anchor himself," Rethan said. "He forced the three visiting elders to withdraw, and none of them has returned to challenge him. We should remember that before deciding how much pressure we can apply."

"I remember. I am not assuming either of us could defeat him alone. But both of us together would give him reason to think carefully before making enemies over a request like this."

"That depends entirely upon how strong he actually is," Rethan said. "Driving away those elders might not have required everything he was capable of doing. We also know almost nothing about the organization said to support him, assuming it truly exists. I want better information before we attempt to pressure anyone."

Oskel returned to the account discussing the three elders' visit and read through it again without answering immediately. Their years of cultivation had taught both brothers the same lesson countless times: sharing a consciousness stage did not mean two cultivators possessed comparable strength, and the public reputation surrounding a sect rarely revealed every resource or method it could use when truly threatened.

"We can judge more once we meet him," Oskel said at last. "I am not suggesting that we arrive and begin a fight. I only want them to understand that we are serious about this. We have spent too long gathering every small advantage we can find for Mireth to ignore something that may actually change her situation."

Rethan understood that impatience better than anyone. He had spent enough time beside their sister to know how exhausting it was to watch her overcome one obstruction only to meet another soon afterward. Even their successful assignments usually provided only temporary help before the search had to begin again. He would gladly pay far more for something Mireth could continue using.

"I want their help as much as you do," Rethan replied. "We will speak with them and make an offer. Let us hear what Crimson Vital wants before deciding how to respond."

Oskel accepted that with a nod and rose from his chair. "Check the route. If we are going to ask, I would rather do it before taking another assignment somewhere else."

Rethan closed the discussions and opened the hub's travel services. A recently added connection appeared among the available destinations, and he checked its notice before turning the display toward his brother.

"UNI has opened a portal route from this hub to Andromeda. The service only began recently, so we can reach the galaxy without taking the ship across."

Trade and travel involving Andromeda had increased enough for UNI to extend its services. Nearby galaxies did not automatically receive a direct portal connection; maintaining the route had to be worth the resources it required. The new service gave the brothers a convenient way to investigate Crimson Vital before returning to Mireth.

Rethan confirmed the departure location and closed the display. After checking that they had collected their belongings, he joined Oskel at the entrance, and the two brothers stepped out of the residence.

…

Across the galaxies surrounding Andromeda, other cultivators continued studying many of the same reports.

Some were interested in whatever advantages lay behind Crimson Vital's sudden growth and searched for a way to obtain them for themselves. Others cared less about cultivation resources and more about how the sect's rise might alter the balance of power throughout nearby regions. Starlight Sanctum, Cerulean Spear, and Veiled Horizon remained among those monitoring Andromeda, but they were far from the only organizations paying attention.

For now, Most preferred to let someone else approach first.

Too little reliable information existed about Crimson Vital's resources, Adrian's true strength, or the organization said to stand behind him. Forum accounts could reveal that something had changed, but they could not explain exactly what had caused it or how Crimson Vital would respond when an outsider directly asked for access.

Another party's encounter could answer questions that endless discussion threads never would.

If Crimson Vital offered terms, those watching could decide whether making their own approach was worthwhile. If negotiations failed and a confrontation exposed the sect's strength, or drew out the hidden supporters Adrian had claimed existed, the observers would finally gain a clearer idea of what they were dealing with.

Until then, they continued gathering reports and watching the galaxy under Hestia's rule, waiting for someone else to make the first move.