Cora felt a vein throbbing on her forehead. The massive woman was in her large office far up in the largest tower at the center of the sect. It was not as tall as the Darkmoor Kingdom or Divine Sword Sect, but quality was far above either. The maximum power of materials was capped at tier 1 Sky Realm, so low grade 4 was the best they could use.
While other great powers had to use local resources, only the Divine Sword Sect had access to similar materials but focused more on their cultivation than buildings. Cora was usually soothed by the feeling of similar tier materials of pristine white borite stone. Linings in illurium gold forming arrays to empower the upper levels with Sky Realm quality Qi.
Her verdant wood desk was a pleasant warmth in caramel color as well as shining with lacquer made in the Floating Isles. The scrolls and jade slips on the shelves lining her walls were full of reports and projects mostly but the drawers of her desk held the cultivation techniques Cora used to progress in her path.
She had been in the Sky Realm for 2 centuries but had been alive far longer. Her potential was almost used up, but there was always hope, and now a report sat in front of her about the young buck they had taken in.
When Shoti had revealed an elixir master willing to join them as a guest elder, it had seemed like the spirits were smiling on them. Pills were powerful and consistent resources to rely on, but the legend of elixirs were facts to the Maidens.
They had a few grade 4 elixir masters over the billions of years of their history, but they were only ever able to mimic pill effects or blend them. Lind Frey had gone far beyond that. He had created elemental tempering elixirs that had never existed before.
Although there were gaps at the higher realms due to the wars over the epochs, the Maidens were recognized as a reliable historical resource for many powers. They had sent the reports up and received back more requests for nurturing him carefully as being a 6 elemental was a frustrating hindrance.
Myths and legends had been re-examined to see if anything could help the boy successfully breakthrough but there was nothing. The most ancient beasts had legends that there were bloodlines that could cultivate all 6 elements, but even they knew of no humans that could replicate their process.
A critical difference was aether beasts did not seem to have the harmonies that humans did. Beasts just consumed and battled their way up through cultivation. They had to face tribulations the same as others, but it was unknown what their equivalent 6 elementals would face.
Cora pushed all her thoughts aside as she glanced at her favored warhammer. It was not a wooden handle, but bone. It was made from the bone of a manifested aether beast that had shown up on the Silver Strands in the Floating Isles. It was a flood dragon. Although they could not exist on the 3 continents, the Floating Isles was home to far more myriad flora and fauna.
The hammer head was forged of corodite steel, a bluish steel that could withstand far higher inscriptions from weapon refiners. She wished she was back on the battlefields in the Floating Isles but her turn had come up to serve down here and she answered.
She had truly enjoyed nurturing the next generation of talents that grew up on the 3 continents but she despised the politics of her role as 1 of 3 Vice-sect Mistresses. The other 2 were currently out on the other 2 continents but Cora had plenty of Sky Realms to pull on if needed.
The Demon Empire had learned to its eternal shame not to push the Heavenly Maiden Sect. Sky Realm armies were impossible to overcome for younger powers. Cora pushed her idle thought aside as she touched an array on her desk. It glowed with her Qi and an acolyte entered.
Many powers would balk at calling an Iron Tier an acolyte, but the Heavenly Maiden Sect was an ancient power. World Realm Iron Tier was easily achieved.
"Yes, Mistress." The young girl was ambitious but Cora saw a soul worth pushing farther. Ambition was fine, but greed can lead to an early death.
"Samantha, please get Qing and Shoti here. I want to talk with them no matter what they are doing." Cora could summon them, but there eyes and ears inside the sect at their level so it was better to follow normal procedure. The less they could draw attention to Lind Frey, the better but the idiot boy had practically hung a banner!
The acolyte nodded and quickly moved off. Qing was a highly respected healer so Samantha would treat her with great respect, but Shoti had slacked off on her breakthrough, yet was a powerful warrior. The fact the whipmaster could so easily move up through the Sand Tier spoke to her potential.
Cora heavily sighed as she waited for the 2 of them to arrive. The temptation to take her warhammer and bash some beasts into puddles of meat was very high as she thought of the many layers of paperwork she would have to do soon.
****
"How does it feel?" Lind had completely recovered overnight but Bord had taken longer. The older man was not injured but he was consolidating his gains. His once white beard was now laced with black hair. His full head of hair had also recovered color as well. His wrinkled face has actually smoothed out quite a bit as well. Lind was noting down all the effects of his new elixir.
"There is still a little pain. I don't think that is ever going away. My forced breakthrough to Sand Tier cannot be undone, but I feel a lot better overall." Bord channeled all 6 of his elements. Lind noticed an oddity as he did.
Despite being in the Stone Tier, Bord's elements seemed of lesser quality than his own. Lind was only in the Soul Realm, but it gave more information on the differences between the realm of the cores when formed. His divine cores clearly had higher potential.
Lind could also see flickers of burnt orange in the Qi which he used to have issues with back in the lower tiers of the Soul Realm. Bord had clearly followed a path most 6 elementals did in trying to mimic techniques and simply overcome the backlash effect. It worked but over time would make the harmony flame come out unintentionally.
Lind glanced in gratitude at his staff as without it, he would not have had the time to experiment before being committed to a similar path just to progress. He had to find a way to replicate the staff effects or better yet, to figure out a way to lower the comprehension he had achieved so far in his life.
He had finally begun to piece together the tempo of tempering and raising the foundation as well as successfully blending the elements on his own. It was slow and painstaking at times, but now that he knew, he wanted to see if it could be replicated.
The inspiration of the Dantian Restoration was only barely grasped by Lind. The elixir was peak low grade 3, just shy of mid grade! It was his best one yet and he was confident he could improve it. The bottleneck on his elixirs was loosening slowly but he did not stop making grade 1 and 2 elixirs either. A variety of elixirs had begun to show up beyond healing and restoration.
He had successfully made a mental clarity elixir that also helped body refiners unclog their meridians faster. He had made an elixir that critically helped Qi deviation recover along with increased absorption of Qi afterwards for Soul Realm. Lind had made several simpler ones as well that were closer to pill effects but as they were elixirs, could last longer over the tiers.
Grade 1 was extremely popular for small powers as Body Refining Realm was often the most common existence in their people. Grade 2 on the low or mid range were probably the most steady flows of income. High and peak grade 2 were practically making money hand over fist for Lind and the Sapphire Auction House.
The low grade 3 elixirs, aside from his close friends, were solely for the Heavenly Maiden Sect and had been sent up to the Floating Isles for further testing. The results had been surprising as through tier 2, the elixirs were still potent.
This new elixr was something more focused than the others. It was not so much a combination of effects or tempering, but the restoration of a damaged dantian. Lind would need to test it on other World Realms that had damaged their dantian to be sure it was usable on all combinations.
He was making more notes when Qing and Shoti walked in with solemn faces. Solon had been unusually quiet as Lind spoke with Bord, but the return of the girls sparked him back to hopping around. He was about to clearly make a comment when their mood shut him up again.
"Lind, we need to talk." He saw their looks and nodded.
"Senior Bord. Please make a jade slip keyed to you or Solon and notate all after effects or issues. It is vitally important for not just for yourself, but future use of this elixir." The now vibrant red eyes were fierce as Bord stood up and pulled out his sword.
"I swear on my blade, you have but to call on me, Master Frey, and I will come." Solon was right behind him with misty eyes himself. Lind smiled and simply bowed in honor of their oath. For the Divine Sword Sect, such an oath was on par with a heavenly oath. There was a real chance of deviation if they went against.
"Please wait before leaving my courtyard." Lind followed the 2 women to his personal rooms. While it was normally a very warm and laid back atmosphere, Lind felt it was far more serious than any time before.
"Vice-sect Mistress Cora called us to her office. She first congratulates you on your miraculous new elixir and wants one to study. However, it has created a problem." Qing started as Shoti now looked a little frustrated. "It seems leaks have begun about your identity here. Master Bord is not an unknown member of the Divine Sword Sect. While we have an amicable relationship with them, this recent event cannot be hidden."
Lind sighed as he realized he had let his pursuit of knowledge blind him again. Puzzles were bad enough with his actions in the Ruins long ago, but now he had put his greatest help in a pinch politically. Essentially, the Divine Sword Sect would be grateful but would demand to honor the "guest elder" that made such a wonderful elixir.
His recent decision a few days ago came back. A sad feeling filled his chest as Lind moved forward and pulled both women into a hug. They were far stronger than he was but neither stopped him and even returned the hug fiercely.
"I have to leave, alone, don't I?" Lind was now cured, so far as his heart demons were concerned. He would have to be as careful as any other cultivator, but knowing about them in advance helped mitigate their formation by a great deal. As such, his official need to stay was over.
Both nodded on his shoulders and he pulled them in tighter.
"I wanted to talk with you both about something important but I am betting Senior Cora ordered I had to leave sooner than later." Lind backed up and saw tears on their faces. The gentle Cora only looked more beautiful to him in that moment, but Shoti stunned him as this side of her he had never seen. She was a vibrant storm of life even when she was being serious.
"It is not fair! I wanted to tell you–" Shoti was about to get wound up but Lind put his finger to her lips. Both women were stunned by Lind's actions but his next words made their tears change.
"I think it best Cyntilla be with us for that conversation. Don't you agree?" To anyone outside of the 3 of them, it would seem like they made a promise to rescue Cyntilla first, but Lind had never mentioned his intentions before. He had changed after the trial of the Mirror of Will. He was more confident and less oblivious, but still no words were spoken before this moment.
Qing slowly nodded and Shoti scratched the side of her cheek as they both blushed, but Lind felt shaky on the inside until they did. He did not know how things would unfold but he would not hide his feelings nor deny others anymore.
"I really want to do it all at once but I have to get stronger. I need to go somewhere far away due to my bad habits, but I will come back. Can you both accept that?" Both nodded and then stopped him when he was about to return to the swordsmen.
Lind was pulled into a much tighter hug and wetness fell on his shoulders and cheeks at the same time.
"We will visit branches as much as we can so let us know where you are. Make sure to let me know if you need any help with mental scars too!" Qing was far more shaky than Lind expected but Shoti was still Shoti.
"If you pick up any more girls, I must give approval first!" Lind and Qing both laughed and they stayed in the hug for a few more moments. The world would not stop and Lind had to get stronger. He was going to break through to the World Realm but he was going to do it right. He would find the way no matter what!