Chapter 105: Page 4: Fire stone conversion array
[STATUS
Cultivation: Soul cultivating stage- Essence gathering layer (3rd level)
Core grade: Unique (multi-elemental)
Gate Channel opened: 3/8
-Gate of strength
*skills can become stronger with more essence used
-Gate of rejuvenation
*healing of wounds has become faster.
-Gate of senses
*six senses are heightened passively. Vision, olfactory, gustatory, auditory, and tactile senses have doubled its abilities
Skills:
Movement skills:
~Thunder steps (advanced success)
-ghostly steps skill mastered
-mirage skill added
*due to the incredible speed, an after image can be left on the previous position
-can be evolved when requirements are met
Martial art skills:
~Sword of Twelve Critical Strikes (mastered)
~Sky Sword of Critical Strikes (perfection)
-sky tier
-can be evolved when requirements are met
~Blazing Sky Palm (perfection)
-sky tier
-can be evolved when requirements are met
~White Dragon's Martial skill (perfection)
-sky tier
-can be evolved when requirements are met ]
Enhancements:
~Sword Aura
-imbued to a weapon to enhance additional effects
~Sharpness Intent Mastery (initial success)
-the weapon of choice (rapier) will gain an addition of 50% sharpness in every attack. Objects except the weapon of choice will have the sharpness of a rusty blade.
~Sword Energy (initial success)
-materialization of a weapon's properties into a form of energy that can be released for a long ranged attack.
Cultivation Base: Five Elemental Conversion(???) ]
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The skip of cultivation levels and the opening of the third gate was surprisingly amazing. This just proves the value of the fire crystal vein that he just acquired. In addition to that, the movement skill that didn't improved for a long time had moved to the advanced success. This just tells him that his speed has yet again where its previous stat improved to double the value. It is a great day for him. Now that he was able to absorb this level of fire essence, anymore of this kind of essence will not improve the flame quality in his red core. In the future, he must look for another flame source that is stronger than the red flame crystal that he absorbed today. If there's another crystal vein that he would be able to encounter in the future, he can at least use it to increase his cultivation and maybe to open another essence gate According to the elder, there are different kinds of flame essence materials in the macrocosm that he might be able to find from another place as long as he is fated with it. If he plans to loot these mines, the small stones would not much be efficient but at least he can sell it for more coins.
Long Bai wore a new set of clothes he got from his cosmic pouch. After securing everything, he took out the concealment array and jumped out of the small crevice he hid from.
Right now, the old mine must be in chaos. It is also possible that high ranked officials will be checking the situation so going there would be a bad idea. As of now, Long Bai thought of returning first to the city and check how things are in there after some practice sessions so he could get used to his new level. It is time to go hunting some beast in the wild.
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At the trade center back at Cinnabar city, Yue is currently exchanging some shards for coins. While she is doing so, she's also asking some questions about the resources of the city.
"Young lass, did you came from another city? How come you don't know much of our city?"
"Uhm, yes it is , senior sister. I'm thought of finding my fortune in another place and this place is where my feet lead me. Would it be too much to hear some advice from senior?"
"I see..Hm? If you are looking for work in this place, you'll only find few decent jobs like desk works. Look around. All of the workers here are females while the males go out and work harder. Some go out and hunt but the highest paying work they would avail would be a miner. The fire crystal they mine is sold here in the city and is being processed to become a cultivation resource. You see, the essence inside the fire stone can't be absorbed just like that so the city's array masters convert them into white crystals."
"Fire stones? What happens when one absorb its essence?"
"It's not good to imagine it but I'll say it. You will get burned by flames that can't be extinguished. The flames will only be gone unless you turn to ash. Gross right?"
"Senior sister, surely you jest."
"I'm not joking here. By the way, those huge number of shards. Do you know that if an officer caught you selling this outside, you'll be sentenced to die or become a slave? Good thing you brought it here."
"(gasp)! Senior sister, what's wrong with females doing things? I noticed that there are no female cultivators that roam the streets. Can you please explain it to me?"
"Come closer little miss. Since you came to this window, I'll treat this as an exchange of the great commission I can receive from this exchange. I know innocence is sweet but in here, ignorance excuses no one so listen carefully. You must be new so I'll give you a heads up. This place is one of the regions of the Nomkop country which is located at the east of the great continent. Aside from the Cinnabar Region, there's the Region of Vermillion City and Fuscia city. These three regions make up the Nomkop country that the free cities dispise. In here, females are treated differently. A female can't cultivate more than the body cultivating stage. If a female is caught because she broke this code, she will be sentenced to immediate execution. This all goes back when the country was still lead by nobles. A certain group rebelled against the king. The assassin was successful in poisoning him but she died by the hands of the ever loyal General of the king. After the incident, the General lead the king's armies to round up the conspirators, banished some families, and killed the secret society members that was made up of all females. After the investigations, it was learned that the queen was part of it. Because of this, the general that assumed control of all three cities implemented restrictions to females to never step at the soul tempering stages or else they will execute them immediately. Aside from that, females can only do certain jobs outside like manning stalls but never to sell raw materials like shards and fire stones."
"That's harsh. I can't imagine that something like this is halpening. Why don't you go to another place?"
"What's the difference? Even if I aim to be a great cultivator, i would never be able to break this world's curse."
"Curse? Senior sister, what are you talking about?"
"No one really knows what's going on but there's a theory that is well known about this world. They said that this world is sealed by a vengeful monarch after he was betrayed by its people. To punish them, the vengeful monarch put a restriction to this world where in all who would attempt to cultivate the world's essence will never be able to reach the immortal realm. Because of this, no one will be able to escape the earth realm. No one knows how long this has been that even the oldest can't be certain about it. From what I know, the strongest and oldest existences today are the two leaders of each country, the general and the king who are both at the 8th level of spirit manifestation layer of the Spirit Tempering stage."
"Senior sister, why do I feel that you know about the existence of other worlds?"
"Oh! So you are from another world. This is the second time I encountered one. You are young and yet you're adventurous. How nice... Ah! I apologize. Yes, I know about it since I have heard many things about it. Even some of the things we enjoy today were brought by them. The last news about new visitors were about 50 years ago. At first, fight broke out between the natives and the visitors but after some time, peace was established through equivalent exchange. With the resources this place in exchange of certain array techniques. Today, array masters are found as the pinnacle of all professions. The most important thing they taught to the natives was the fire stone conversion array wherein the crude fire essence in fire stones that can't be absorbed can be converted as earthly essence. The converted crystals are even slightly superior than the beast crystals. In every region of the two countries, you'll be able to find a fire stone mine which supports the cultivators of this world.
Little lass, I will warn you though. Don't roam near the mines. If you plan to visit another place, make sure to follow the proper route. In this region, they can actually catch whoever theu see that would try to intrude the mines or its perimeters."
"What happens to the captives? Will they be freed at some point?"
"If someone will bail for them, that's possible but the cost would be huge. Intruding a mine is a huge crime in this place. If you will go against it, you'll be facing the high officers of the city where that mine is situated."
"Officers?"
"Yes. Let me explain the ranks here so when you encounter them, you know whom you are dealing with.
These are the following ranks:
-General; symbolized with a golden star, the leader of the country
-Colonel; the brand of phoenix, right hand of the leader
-Liutenant Colonel; the brand of a tiger, left hand of the leader
-Major; plum blossom flower, city manager
-Captain; two crisscrossing spear, platoon leader
-Liutenant; single golden sword; office manager
-Sergeant; three arrow lines pointing up, patrol officer
-Corporal; two arrow lines pointing up, Senior guard officer
-common guard; single arrow line
By the way, don't forget that the general will always wear golden robes, while the captain and Liutenant colonel will always be in red. For majors, captains, and Liutenant they'll be wearing green. Sergeant and Corporal will be wearing cyan while the lowest rank will be wearing an insignia with brown color."
Yue returned to the place where she's currently staying. The information she received from the talkative worker was incredibly useful. After knowing that much information, she was antsy to share it with everyone. The is just one problem. The agreed date as to when they will meet did not yet come. There's still some few days before the appointed assembly.
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At another part of the city, Long Bai entered an establishment that specializes on converting fire stones into white essence crystals. There weren't many people who enter and exit the place but they were surely dressed well. The ones who can only afford the place must be the ones who are working with the City Major.
Inside the establishment, there were at least ten stone tablet, 1 meter high from the ground. On the surface of the stone tablet, an inscription is laid, probably the formula used to convert the fire stone into a white essence crystals.
"Good afternoon young sir. Are you planning to use an array tablet?"
An good looking woman approached and asked. From the looks, every tablet was accompanied by a female host. On one active site, the hostess was supervising the man's attempt to use the array tablet.
"Yes please but may I ask how this works?"
"Young sir, if you want to use the array tablet, you just need to lay the fire stones on the surface and inject your essence into the array to activate it. During the conversion, you just need to maintain the amount of essence supply until the crystals turn white. If you don't want to do it, you can hire our service with an additional of 20 copper coins for every ten fire stones to be converted. If you don't like that, just pay the minimum amount of 10 copper coins."
"Thank you for the information. I'd like to do it myself."
"Alright then, please follow me."
The female guide lead Long Bai to the left most array tablet which might have been her own spot. Their working system might be based on how many customers they can pull into their own station which will determine their commission. After receiving some final instructions, Long Bai started his survey.
First, he touched the array to let the system analyze the inscriptions and duplicate it for him. While he was doing such thing, he heard elder Kong's voice.
"Hoho, that array is good. It might have been introduced by a grade 6 array master. Looking at it, this array must have been at least 10 years old already. There are some parts that are starting to fade. This isn't good. This fading will affect the quality of the product from it."
"Huh? Elder Kong, you can see thing around already?"
"Ahaha, thanks to the fire crystal vein, I was able to regain some of my spiritual capabilities. I can extend my consciousness for up to three meters and perceve the things around you. If this continues, I might be able to regain my spiritual strength when I was still living before I can gain a body."
"That's great to hear, old elder."
[System notice: Scan of the fire stone array completed. Do you want to initiate reconstruction to increase effeciency? Y/N?]
Just after he selected the option for "yes", he heard the lady beside him clearing her throat.
"Young sir, you may now please proceed. Is there a problem?"
Long Bai's pause must have been a bit long that took the lady's attention.
"Ah yes. I'll start now."
At least the system was done analyzing the array. Once he get back to the inn, he can recreate the array himself and continue the conversion. z
As Long Bai injected his essence into the array, the surface of the tablet glowed with bright gleam. He was observing the whole process how the fire stone was being converted. With his improved senses, he can see the small changes that's happening. The fire essence was being destroyed and then a white essence which is the earthly essence that everyone is mostly familiar with gets caught in a space and is being reinjected into the crystal.
"Hm, exquisite. This is ingenuous, really. Back then, no one has thought of such method."
"Elder, you know what's happening here? I can see it being destroyed but what's the principle behind it?"
Long Bai and the elder are conversing while the fire stones are being converted.
"Of course I know. This array was taken out from the 5 elemental array formation. You know that an element can be created and be destroyed right? However, that's not the complete truth. In this macrocosm, it is believed that everything that is in it originated from one another. It just goes on a cycle of being created and being destroyed. A rock could have originated from dirt and that dirt may form another rock. When one is destroyed, it is reverted back to its simplest form. In this fire stone's case, the flame essence is destroyed but that destruction reverts itself into the most general form which is the opposite of what should happen. Elemental essences are pure, singular and the most basic form while earth essence is more general. Earthly essence contains combinations of the elements which is why it is the most compatible with the general populace of cultivators. Now, the only reason why the flame essence flame that's specific is converted to earthly essence is because of the essence that you injected in the array. A small part of it is added to the process as a catalyst to reverse the process. Of course, it's the arrays job to do such complicated process."
"I didn't know that. That's something an array master should really know. With that knowledge, I think I can improve the array even more."
Just after the conversation went to that extent, the flame colored stone on the tablet finally turned into a white crystalline shard.
"Congratulations young sir, you successfully converted all of your fire stones into white crystals."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone