Bonded Summoner

Fhesiah’s kitsune flames danced around her, creating a powerful illusion as she traversed the twisting tunnels. The Radiant Flame sect had no idea that she was using draconic flight to navigate through the tunnels so rapidly, and she wanted to keep it that way.

The ruins of this ancient sect were built within a natural cave system, with dozens of cultivator caves dug out within. Molten magma periodically blasted through the tunnels at a furious pace, causing every twist and turn to become a chamber of death.

Influenced by vast quantities of fiery heavenly energy over thousands of years, the walls themselves now echoed the truths of the dao. A piece from the cave walls were nearly to the point that it would be considered a treasure. The natural formations and expressions of fire, metal and earth mixed into and became a larger piece of the heavens, and one could learn more about them simply by paying attention to the fractal patterns contained within.

Her Divine Sense had a significant range, enabling her to both see dangers coming, but also hone in on her targets: treasure.

She pilfered cultivation caves and natural resources from the ancient sect, and unraveled various protections with her superior skill. The Radiant Flame sect she was competing with for treasure may be many, and they might work together, but their activities were slow-going.

They would waste time removing the protections of a nearly empty room some of the time, having only a few marginally skilled in sensory. Other times, they might not sense danger coming and need to back off instead of progressing. Then, the energies within were far too turbulent for utilizing flying treasures–something her draconic flight had no problems with.

Fhesiah blitzed through the tunnels, nearly never slowing down. Items flew into her cosmos sack from adjacent corridors, tearing them away from their various protections. Most of the arrays and formations had already degraded as they were lost to time, and many only needed a small nudge to erase.

At the same time, these protections were often what kept the pills, seals, and natural treasures from being erased and joining the heavenly energy magma soup flowing through the tunnels.

She was homing in on one of the three top targets. Fhesiah suspected there was a perfect area for forming one’s core in this spatial realm, and it was suitable for the Radiant Flame sect. The other appeared to be the den of a large creature, and she would actually tackle it with her forced allies, probably.

That was why she instead headed toward a small chamber, as she looted many others. It was difficult to reach, and she would only barely fit inside the entrance–after she blasted it open a tiny bit. Okay, maybe a lot.

Waiting for the right moment, Fhesiah gathered her yin flames. Her tails flowed behind her, dancing in the wind wake of the passing magma burst. She was now nearly ten times the distance away from when she collected those fireblooms, being much more careful this time to conceal her aura.

A powerful burst of flames shot forth from her, a beam of black-purple fire that rocked the cave with its immense force. Several meters of rock were shattered and sheared, revealing a path downward.

She flew into the newly established hole and sealed the exit to prevent the magma from entering, and the path barely big enough for her to fit. This area was shielded from the magma, and she could feel the difference the moment she entered.

The previous caverns had a vast mixture of fire and earth Qi, and even some metal Qi mixed in. But deep in this chamber was true fire alone.

As a cultivator, it was entirely possible to cultivate the Qi in the previous caverns, increasing one’s level. A fire cultivator could filter out the other elements and take only what they wanted, and could even have a technique that did exactly that, utilizing that special environment. She imagined the ancient sect contained both fire and earth cultivators, with some that likely cultivated both.

However, absorbing such pure and perfect flames like those within this chamber would result in fewer impurities within oneself, and allow one to absorb it faster and without detriment.

The thin tunnel eventually widened into a larger chamber, and she cut out her kitsune flames. There was still plenty of light within the cave, streaks of flames covering the wall. Fractal patterns like curling vines and swirling flames were shown on the wall, true expressions of the dao contained within. Lights and shadows danced on the wall, from movements deeper in the cave.

She had already spotted what was causing the movement with her divine sense, but she was still a bit surprised by the sight as she crested over the stones blocking her view. A swarm of fire spirits danced and flew, circling around an unadorned fiery stone.

Like little pixies, the tiny creatures had shapes reminiscent of a humanoid: a head, flaming wings, arms and legs, and were small enough to fit in one’s palm. Dozens of them flew, their flames matching the signature of the fiery stone.

It was some kind of core of a being of fire, likely an elemental at the peak of the second Tier. However, while it had died, its core had lived on and was refined by the unique environment within this chamber, becoming a true treasure.

It both molded the environment, but also was molded by it. The fire spirits had eventually found this unique environment, and accomplished the same with their dancing and frolicking, the creatures becoming a deep red matching the treasure itself.

The fire spirits sensed her approach, and hid within tiny pockets in the walls nearby. Individually they were not very strong, but working together, the swarm could likely slay several members of the Radiant Flame sect. Their extremely pure flames would be difficult to stop, breaking right through their defensive skills and protections. Then, they would likely be able to drink or be impervious to the Radiant Flame Sect member’s flames.

But Fhesiah was like an apex predator in their midsts, capable of consuming all flame–even them. Then, her flames with the power of her path infused could overwhelm the creatures and slay them. The tiny creatures could sense this, fleeing in fear rather than fighting.

At the same time, the beast’s core was like their home, something they required in order to live and progress.

Perhaps in a few hundred years, the pixies would begin to evolve thanks to this treasure. This was the only reason they didn’t flee the area completely, as the fate of their home and futures was at stake.

Taking from the pixies felt like taking candy from a baby. They were victims, and she was a tyrant taking what was theirs for perhaps hundreds or thousands of years. At the same time, she needed this to save lives, whether it be from earning points in the Battleground or for her own future.

“I’m sorry little ones, but I need this. Conflict is heavenly law, and you are not strong enough to defend what is yours. Your luck has run out.”

The creatures seemed to flicker in both anger and remorse, somehow understanding her meaning. The fire spirits were ancient, having intelligence that belied their tiny frames.

She withdrew the mysterious lamp she just obtained. “Or perhaps, your fates have shifted. While this room is special, it’s a bit boring. Won’t you come with me? I will feed you many flames, and we can go on adventures as friends. Who knows? Maybe I will find you an even more special flame to enjoy.”

Fhesiah filled the lamp with different flames, from her draconic flames to her kitsune flames, to even the rest of her family’s from her hearth. The many flames floated within, drifting and circling around the lamp lazily, almost like the sprites themselves.

The sprites floated from their hiding places as they approached the lamp in wonder, an interest in the many unique flames. However, while there were many interesting flames contained within, the quantity and quality was not as impressive as the core.

Some pixies were interested, while others remained unhappy. Next, she withdrew her Hestia’s Torch. A veritable font of fiery energy, this could constantly draw the special flame into the environment within the lamp. She filled the lamp with even more flames, the quantity increasing with each passing moment.

Now all the pixies flew toward either the torch or lamp, like moths to a flame. They danced and spun in the air, drawing in the flames of the torch and playing with it.

“If you come with me, you can have the flames anytime. I have a hearth at home that is even more abundant, and much more special than this core.”

A few enterprising spirits seemed to nod their assent, and she sucked them inside the lamp. They floated inside happily, observing and enjoying the special atmosphere contained within. She then filled it with more of the flames from Hestia’s torch, building up the flames within further.

Fhesiah then stored the elemental’s core in her sack, and that was the straw that broke the camel’s back. The final spirits decided to join, understanding their home was gone, and moved into their new one.

She focused on improving the many flames within, the hundreds of flames dancing and growing in intensity. They created an odd orbit of various flames moving within, the spirits dancing as they consumed and played with them.

With that, she had obtained the main treasure, and she could see her score on the ladder jump significantly having obtained it. This was a peak Tier 2 treasure, bordering the third. The amount of energy contained within would allow her to even use the powerful flame as a bomb against her enemies, though that would be a tremendous waste of such a special treasure. Instead, she hoped to use it at home to mold her own cultivation chamber for the second Tier.

She returned to the main path, and worked her way toward the chambers that appeared perfect for core formation. The Radiant Flame sect were working toward it, and were now only a few chambers or corridors away. She kept feeding the lamp with the torch and her hearth, until she got near to her destination and stowed them away.

The pixies were beings of nearly pure energy, and could live within her cosmos sack–especially within the lamp.

Fhesiah finally reached the ascension chambers observing their capabilities and removing their protecting arrays. The large room had a stream of magma flowing from above in the center, as if being poured from an endless pitcher. The formations and scripts appeared to filter the magma entering, making it perfect for the cultivator’s purposes.

The magma flowed around the outskirts, filling various troughs and lines meant to power various formations. A large pool of it had gathered, like an immense battery of heavenly energy.

In the middle of the large chamber on a platform, there were five dome-like rooms seen, with sealed doors. Within each chamber was a special pedestal, for placing your core formation materials. Activating the room’s formations, energy would be infused into the treasures and into the room, allowing one to refine them and put them into a malleable state.

Someone ready to form their cores could then bring the treasures into their dantian, filling them with energy beyond their Tier. They would then house their spirit inside, and mold their core to their path. If they had mastered any daos, this process would go quite smoothly, usually. Their very will would mold the core rapidly, painting it in the aspects of their path and building a solid core–just before the tribulation.

Otherwise, they would simply need to rely exclusively on their cultivation technique, to draw the energies through their channels and organs forged from those same techniques throughout their lifetime, and form their core.

Either way, they would need substantial amounts of energy to mold and establish their core, and the room would accommodate them with the powerful, filtered magma filled with Qi. Fhesiah could tell these chambers had been loaded with the required energies, and would take years to build up again after each usage.

A total of five could attempt ascension here today. The previous opportunities only allowed for one, and there were two different opportunities.

In both, those attempting failed and died. She had taken each aside, and tried talking them into joining the Framework before they entered–only offering them a small treasure for their secrecy before they made their attempt, and took the secret to their graves.

While it wouldn’t have been the end of the world if they learned she was a member of the Framework, she figured it would have painted every interaction with the Radiant Flame Sect up to now in a negative light.

Instead of her being a gift from the heavens and someone that they wanted to win her favor, they would see her as someone who had drunk from a tainted well and were forced to cooperate with. Not as bad as if she were an unorthodox cultivator, but close.

Fhesiah thought she had built up enough merit and rapport with them now, and she decided that five was too many for her to hold back the secret any longer. She would lay her cards on the table.

She then worked her way toward the Radiant Flame sect members, who were working together. Large double doors made of metal and flowing fire barred their entry–she had entered from a separate chamber. They were working to remove the protections, even as a dozen of them shoved with their strength.

Fhesiah removed the protections for the door from her side as they shoved, and several of them comically spilled out onto the floor and onto each other as the resistance was removed, and the door creaked open ponderously. Fhesiah floated above them with Qi, as she looked down indifferently, like a bored goddess.

“Ah, you’ve made it here now, good work. Did you find anything useful?”

A few of their cheeks reddened in embarrassment at her taunt as they attempted to stand, while others reddened in anger. Her lips curled upward at their responses, but Weiyan laughed as he walked into the room.

“You’re here already, Senior? You are truly capable, thank you for your aid with the door. This room–”

She interrupted, “Is special, and should be perfect for some of you to form your cores–I am uninterested in this environment. There are five chambers stocked and ready, but before that, I have a proposition and a bargain for the Radiant Flame Sect.”

Weiyan nodded. “Addressing the whole sect? This must be important. We would love to hear Senior Hart’s proposal.”

“This environment is probably above what many in your Sect could hope to achieve, but those with strong foundations should wait. We shall see much better throughout this Battleground as we ascend, and the results will be significantly enhanced. I feel instead of the young masters, we should allow the older generation a chance at ascension here.”

“The elders? But we need them for the unraveling of the seals, and their chances of survival…”

Fhesiah nodded. “Don’t look good. They have expended their longevity, their bodies and dantians alike hardened and less malleable to the heavens. Under normal circumstances, unique environment or not, they would be destroyed by the heavenly tribulations as they attempted to ascend.”

Both young and old grimaced, thinking of the difficulties of both forming their core, but also fending off the attacks of the heavens as they defied fate, and shed some of the shackles of their mortality. Those old would have trouble forming their core–even without the tribulation lightning.

Weiyan raised his brow. “Under normal circumstances?”

Fhesiah nodded with a smile. “That’s right. I offer a path for you, the members of the Radiant Flame Sect. Take my offer, and I will provide these treasures and personally help with your ascension, with the exception of taking on the tribulation.”

She revealed a gambit of treasures, each perfect for aiding in a fiery core formation. From pills with ample energies to fuel the process, to what she considered middle-quality core formation treasures. Treasures that were substantial enough that an elder would consider handing them down to their descendants and simply just dying of old age, in the hopes that their successor could carry the torch instead and succeed where they failed.

Shocked gasps and murmurs ran through the crowd, and Weiyan looked on with a frown. Several even looked like they would attack and rob her of them if given the chance, as cultivators saw paths to their immortality floating in front of them.

Weiyan was calm, these treasures not enough to fill his heart with greed. But his tone questioning. “And what do you ask in return?”

“There are two stages and conditions. First, those that hear my real offer must taste my flames, my dao. In return, they will earn these pills.” She shook the floating pills which were perfect for core formation. Even the young masters should be interested in the resource, as she had found several special ones throughout her travels.

If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

“Taste them? As in…you will attack them?”

Fhesiah chuckled. “That’s right. But they will not be the same flames as before, these will actually carry the flames of my path. No harm should come to them, but it’s my belief those that do shall understand me, and won’t turn away my real offer out of hand. As mentioned, I want this room for the elder generation, but those that accept my offer now, I shall aid them in future realms should we come across the appropriate opportunities.”

Weiyan frowned. “This is a strange proposition, but I suppose your need for subterfuge is dubious at best. All of us felt your flames and strength. Should you desire our destruction, you only need to will it. Why go this roundabout way?”

Fhesiah smiled. “Taste my flames, and you shall find out. Take my second offer or not, I don’t think you’ll regret it.” She shook the pills again with her Qi. “Only those that take my second offer will get the treasures and my assistance. If the elders do not accept the second offer, I would agree that they should not make the attempt in the chambers. We need their assistance, and many of them have much to live for.”

“Can those not interested in the offer still witness the first part? If so, I don’t see the harm.”

“They may. Those wanting a pill for core formation, step forward.”

Nearly twenty of them stepped forward, a total of forty within the chamber. A total of five had stayed outside the portal with the Adventurers to monitor it, and to help defend and send warning in case an enemy arrived outside.

Fhesiah was happy to see that Elder Wang had stepped forward. He was an alchemist, and he was on the decline. His and the other elder’s chances of forming their cores were nearly nil before the Battleground, and this was likely the reason they came in the first place.

A chance to overturn fate, or a means to help the younger generation pass through safely. Finally, more likely than not, a chance to obtain treasures to pass onto their descendants.

Weiyan had stepped forward most likely just to see her second offer, but he looked over at Elder Wang in surprise. “Elder Wang? You? We have resources for you, and we can get you a spot further up the mountain.”

“It is not about materials, and how can I covet what the younger generation truly needs? I don’t have much time left, and Senior Hart’s methods are unfathomable. If I have a chance at forming my core, is it not with her aid? I’d be fooling myself if I thought I could succeed even with the perfect environment.”

Weiyan looked conflicted, but understanding seemed to be shown in his eyes. He turned to Fhesiah and nodded his assent, that he was ready.

She withdrew her fan from her sack, which had been upgraded. While crafting a brand new item with heavenly energy was beyond her family as of yet, they still managed to improve both the materials and the enchantments thanks to the Framework’s aid. They had purchased a special token with their contribution points.

Jake then upgraded the enchantments, bringing the quality of the fan to the peak of Epic. One side held golden engravings of celestial moons and kitsunes with a blackish-purple background that matched her robes and flames. On the other side, a red background, with golden dragons and suns depicted.

The fan was now even more in tune with her Dao, the enchantments a joint effort between herself and Jake. It was a true work of art, and the demonic runes that acted as Qi stencils made them highly effective.

“Those taking my flame are allowed to activate defensive skills, but external sources of strength are not allowed. Those that choose to escape instead will miss out on the opportunity.”

She ran her Qi through the fan as she raised it above her head, and pushed with her will to manifest her path and fill the demonic runes. Five flames flickered into existence above her at first, their black and purple flames absorbing the light in the chamber rather than giving it off, darkening the room.

The Radiant Flame members all activated their own spells and defensive skills, each having unique choices, but following the same theme.

One man was covered in powerful flames, while another created a giant sun in front of him. Weiyan grew flaming wings, while a fiery halo appeared above his head. A fiery mystic cauldron appeared in front of Elder Wang, while others activated a simple flaming shield in front of them.

She gathered up three more sets of five flames, the power contained within them shocking. The Radiant Flame Sect members looked on at them with fear and awe, able to feel the power of her path. While it was like one against twenty and this was not meant to be a deadly attack, they felt certain death contained within the flames, their immense weight on reality.

Her twenty flames shot forward like arrows at their targets, slamming into the fiery constructs intent on blocking her attack. The sound of explosions and crashes rang out, as her fire was slowed by their defenses.

But her flames did not stop, and would not be snuffed out. The twenty flames only grew from consuming the defensive abilities, her flames spreading despite the twenty member’s methods.

One after the other, the defensive skills failed, and the black and purple flames surpassed their barriers. The flames continued to strike the cultivators, surrounding them in her kitsune flames.

As they were struck by the flames, many shouted in alarm or screamed for mercy, but paused as their breath caught in their throats. The flames were not harming them, but burning through their bodies harmlessly.

These people were not Fhesiah’s enemies, and her kitsune flames contained the powers of the goddess Bastet. Her divine spark altered the kitsune flames to carry a profound holiness, that enabled her to burn enemies and aid allies if she willed it.

The flames covered their bodies, burning away ailments and removing the detritus contained within their channels.

Weiyan and Wang’s defenses had lasted nearly the longest among those that faced her flames, and the latter let go on purpose, to allow her flames through, seeing the results.

The twenty not taking part in the attack looked on with rapt attention. They had prepared to attack in case she outright murdered their allies, but seeing that they were receiving benefits instead, made their gazes covetous.

Her attack complete, she pulled the flames from the twenty, returning them to her fan. She snapped it closed, and sucked the flames into her cosmos sack–to the lantern within.

The Radiant Flame Sect looked over at her in shock. While she had retracted her flames, those struck by them knew that if she had just willed it, they would have been burned and killed–unable to stop her.

Weiyan was nearly breathless from exerting effort. “Heaven-merging realm… Just… what are you?”

Fhesiah smiled. “You’ve earned your answer, but those that did not take my offer should leave for now as I give my second one.”

The other men hesitated, but ultimately left the chamber, closing the large door behind them. They could certainly re-enter, but the room was sealed from their senses.

She gave her speech, “You’ve felt my flames, and my flames are my truth. You felt the echoes of the dao contained within, so you know that they contain a piece of the heavens.”

“I am the Champion of the goddess Bastet, a Knight of the Framework. Those flames you felt had just a tiny fraction of her power, and she can compare to a Heaven-merging realm cultivator. My offer is not for you to join and worship my goddess, but to join the Framework in the great battle against Tartarus. In return, the New Heavens will protect your immortal soul and aid you in changing your fate.”

Elder Wang asked, “New Heavens? It will aid in forming our cores?”

“That’s right. If you join, when you form your core–you will still experience a tribulation. However, it will be levied by the New Heavens instead. It will strike your core, but instead of trying to strike you down for defying the heavens, it will try to build you up. It will aid you in removing imperfections, and help you cross the threshold.”

She continued, “If you fail and die, you will be able to be resurrected and continue aiding your Sect until the end of your days, nothing lost. If you succeed, you’ll have subverted your fate.”

The men all had different expressions. Some were unhappy at the offer to deviate from heaven’s path, but they had been moved by her flames. They kept quiet, listening to her continue.

“This is in addition to protecting your soul from Tartarus, and preventing the unorthodox cultivators from turning you into something terrible. As you know, unorthodox cultivators often use curses, sacrifices, implant horrible creatures into your bodies, and even control your minds and bodies. These are all fates worse than death, but the Framework can protect you. The multiverse needs heroes, and I can feel the Radiant Flame Sect is full of them. Why not join?”

Weiyan asked, “You can initiate us into the Framework?”

“I can. I am a Knight of the Framework, having helped save an entire world from certain doom with my family. My husband is a Baron, the ruler of three worlds. I can initiate up to five per day, though with the temporal effect in this realm, it will probably be five per ten days. If we find a Node in the realm, I can accommodate much more.”

Weiyan frowned. “So if we join the Framework, you will aid us and provide the core formation treasure? And if not?”

“That’s right. If not, I won’t stop you. But so far, I only see three of you that I have confidence in your success, even if we get further up the mountain and find an even more perfect chamber, at least without the Framework’s aid. You knew your fates were teetering in the balance, and that was why you accepted coming to this Battleground in the first place, and then accepted my bargain.”

Weiyan looked confused. “Which three?”

Fhesiah smirked, and created a managram of blue arrows pointing at them. Weiyan was one, and then two of the younger generation. The older fellows were all doomed to die within the chamber, her betting that one in ten would succeed at best. But one of the younger ones was shocked when an arrow did not include him.

“What! You’re saying I would fail?”

She nodded. “I would give you less than a one in four chance of ascending as you are now, without the Framework and my aid. Your foundations are poor, your aura unstable. Let me guess, you knew the battleground was coming soon, and you stuffed yourself full of pills like some kind of greedy chipmunk to prepare?”

The young master got even angrier as several elders chuckled and stroked their beards, but two attempted to calm him, to moderate success. Likely, only Fhesiah’s strength quelled his anger and kept him from doing something stupid.

Fhesiah continued, “While I think you could improve and make it before the end of the Battleground, your chances are better if you join the Framework. But hold that thought. Are there any takers among you elders? The first will get the best treasure of the bunch. Allow one of the elders to pave the way for the rest, and prove my words. I am hoping the first will allow the others to watch, the chambers can accommodate this.”

Weiyan was surprised, “You are that confident of their success?”

“I am. After you witness the New Heavens yourself, you will too. I believe our paths crossing is fate, that I was meant to aid you.”

She then spent some time detailing the threat of Tartarus, in case it had never reached their ears, though it appeared they were already mostly familiar. They had truly chosen to forgo joining, and having it interfere with their pursuit of the dao.

But she added that it doesn’t interfere, that she was able to continue her path despite joining. It aided her, and helped her find a path forward. The Framework offered a guiding hand, like an elder or general, rather than a puppet and its master.

Weiyan seemed mostly convinced. “This Battleground is more dangerous than we had thought before we entered, and we had been naive in thinking this was nothing more than an opportunity. We are not halfway up the mountain, and we have already lost two before it became more dangerous, not even counting those that failed to ascend. If not for Senior Hart, we’d have lost many in the blood sphere incident.”

The sect members, and even Fhesiah grimaced. The blood sphere was a nasty trap unleashed as they ransacked a previous spatial realm, the Radiant Flame Sect’s attacks useless against it. Even her kitsune flames had trouble penetrating it, and she had nearly needed to use one of her scrolls to get them out before they were torn apart and drained. But she used one of Jake’s powerful spell scrolls, which was able to freeze the sphere long enough to get the trapped sect members out before they died from wounds and loss of blood.

Weiyan continued, “As it stands, without help, nearly none will escape this Battleground alive. Still, is it possible we can see this New Heavens? Are there any takers to Senior’s bargain?”

To her surprise, Elder Wang eventually stepped forward. “I will do it. I will join! I feel it–the pull of fate.”

Weiyan frowned. “You, Elder Wang?”

He chuckled, as he stroked his long beard. “I don’t have long left, that was why I came. If I have a chance of ascending, I want to grasp it. I was humbled, and learned something for the first time in a long time. I want to see more, to experience the dao as Senior does. Even the Patriarch’s flames are lacking in comparison.”

Fhesiah nearly laughed as the sect members nodded and murmured in agreement. They didn’t even get to see her draconic flames, just what would have happened if they did? Maybe she could have taken over their sect?

Without much ceremony, Fhesiah initiated him into the Framework. She paid the price in CP, and a wave of golden light entered him as he accepted.

Fhesiah could feel all the cultivators were scanning him with their divine sense and spells, looking for anything out of place. However, little had actually changed. The longevity gained as a cultivator was not very significant compared to the Highlands Beastkin, and would likely not change much even if they waited for the Framework to make its changes.

“Alright. Elder Wang.” She floated the fiery treasure in front of him. It was a refined core of a powerful spirit beast–a creature that could cultivate. Beast cores were not appropriate for human cultivators and contain a portion of essence that would actually harm one, but this one had been refined by ancient methods and purified for a cultivator’s usage. She felt high levels of yang energies contained within, the power of the sun.

He chuckled. “No need. I have long since prepared the proper treasure for me. Alchemists enjoy a special status in the sect.”

Elder Wang revealed an ornate box, and she could feel the energy levels inside were a match for the treasures she’d found. However, there was a more earthly tone inside, and she realized it may match the Elder just a little better than the one she had prepared.

This simply meant she would need to compensate less with her formations and the room’s arrays.

“You consent to the others watching?”

“I’d like the others to watch. This way, they can see this New Heavens you told us about along with me, and make the best decisions for themselves. It’s another way for me to help my sect in case…”

Fhesiah smiled reassuringly. “Worry not, Elder Wang, and I thank you. No matter what happens, you will live to see another day. I personally believe you shall succeed.”

They entered the chamber with the twenty in tow. The chamber, aside from a platform in the center, was nearly spherical in design. There was a small section of the chamber for monitoring, meant for elders to aid in the process. The sect members all joined here.

The same fractal patterns filled the cracks like the many hallways, but the energy contained within them was dense.

Fhesiah floated out several of her scribe tools, and began drawing out the formations on the walls. Heavenly Energy crystals of fire and earth were inserted in specific places, to enhance the effect of the natural formations contained within.

While she didn’t have a complete understanding of Elder Wang’s path, as she finished each section, the aura the walls themselves gave off began to match his much further.

“Are you ready, Elder? Go ahead and add your core formation treasure.”

He did so, and she activated the apparatus in the room. Qi surged into the chamber, filling the formation lines she etched. The treasure, a crystallized earthen flame, liquidized and shifted as heavenly energy poured inside the bowl. She did what she could to shift the treasure closer in alignment with his path, without tainting it with her own.

Fhesiah brought out Hestia’s Torch, adding the flames to it and purifying it further.

Elder Wang looked at it with awe, and the other cultivators monitoring as well. “T-This treasure… These flames are from a truly higher realm. A Framework item?”

“A reward from another goddess for services rendered, Hestia.”

The elder took his core formation pill, filling him with vast amounts of energy. He used his cultivation technique, harmonizing his body and dantian with the heavens, and matching the room and treasure.

The power within his body and the room continued to build, until he looked at Fhesiah in question. She nodded, and he brought the results of the liquid treasure into his dantian.

He continued with his eyes closed, breathing and continuing moving the energy inside him. The energy lining the spherical walls drifted toward the elder, all aligning with the center of his being as he began floating into the air.

Fhesiah backed off to the rear of the chamber with the elders, as it was at this time: the new heavens had arrived.

Space seemed to distort, and golden clouds drifted into the room above Elder Wang, as if they were standing outside beneath the sky. Lightning roiled within and built for a time, before it began striking at Elder Wang’s core.

Fhesiah knew that the elder was forming a sphere around his spiritual temple, a core that would encapsulate his path, mind, and the connection to his soul.

Fhesiah’s Core was a bit unique, a sign of her immense foundations. Normally, a spiritual temple would be only that: a singular temple or shrine within their dantian. When one formed their core, it would start becoming more like a miniature world within.

But Fhesiah’s had already started becoming a world into its own, with the temple becoming more like a castle, and a lake holding vast energies out front. The difference of the hearth and the power of her bloodlines brought her well beyond what should be possible in the first Tier.

A Cultivator Core cultivator would still require their body to live, but in the second tier they could heal even the loss of their heart or head, though usually, not both at once. The lightning continued to strike for a few minutes, but rather than weakening the elder: it felt like he became stronger.

Imperfections were shown, and weak areas destroyed and removed. The elder shifted his core and rebuilt what was destroyed with the Framework’s guidance providing small nudges in his mind, the core better for it. While the old heavens would attack these weaknesses and use them to strike him dead, the new heavens only laid them bare to see.

The elder shouted to the heavens as they receded, a powerful aura being released from him. A flame was released from his chest, an earthen spirit flame matching his path of alchemy.

He had successfully formed his core, with the many Radiant Flame Sect people watching with shock. While they might not have believed her words even after feeling the flames of her path, witnessing the new heavens gave them a new perspective.

She covered him in her flames, removing old skin and detritus from his body as it shifted and changed. When her flames were removed, he looked like a much younger man. Previously, he had looked like he was on death’s door, with liver spots and a balding head. But now, he looked like a man in his late forties, with salt and pepper hair instead.

The increase in longevity from raising in Tier was significant. His core formation didn’t just succeed, but had a decent result instead on top of that. Normally, such a good result would have saved him months or years of progress.

The man’s power had increased significantly. While she would wager his attributes only increased maybe thirty percent, the difference was even more substantial than that. In a long fight, he would produce double, or even triple the amount of Qi for battle. His core would act like a reactor that pulled Qi from the surrounding area, and produced fiery Qi capable of being used in powerful attacks.

Elder Wang looked moved, his eyes wide as he appeared to examine his body. “The New Heavens… it really helped me. This feeling… it’s hard to explain. We truly need this strength to defeat this evil, don’t we?”

Fhesiah nodded. “Congratulations, Elder, and this is exactly right. Our enemy does not fight fair. It is unorthodox, straying from heaven’s path. Like the Framework, it is an entity that competes with the heavens themselves. If we don’t stand together and take this righteous power for the fight as it is given, then we shall all fall.”

Weiyan looked moved. “This New Heavens… is truly different than we had imagined. I will allow those wishing to take Senior Hart’s bargain to join the Framework, and just hope I can convince the Patriarch and the Council of the same when we return.”

Fhesiah smirked. “Better to ask for forgiveness than permission–especially when your life is in danger.”

The rest of the sect members nodded their assent. She would help four more ascend to the second Tier this day, increasing their chances of victory in the battleground and beyond. Today wasn’t just about them, but convincing many others to join the Framework, and her cause.

“So who’s next? Who will overturn fate and ascend, becoming the heroes the multiverse needs?”

All strode forward, even Weiyan. While she didn’t think it was all going to be sunshine and roses, she had found a group of decent allies for the rest of the battlegrounds.

She would do her best to convert as many to the Framework as she could within the Celestial Nexus, and those would continue to spread the knowledge of the new heavens to many others. Then, she would try to get as many of them to come to Sector 87 as possible.

It was a challenging day, but rewarding. She knew she was missing out on whatever fun Jake and family were taking part of, but maybe they had some annoying problems to take care of too?