This research wasn't without its expenses though… Aside from the financial difficulties I was facing with this, albeit the financials were hardly a worry for me. The second obvious difficulty was directly happening to me. You see, every time we used the furnace, I had to observe the inner workings, which was made out of literal Chaos. Had it not been for my immense understanding of this mighty dao by this point, I'd have been sucked inside along with those resources. After so many tests I was feeling the strain.
"Husband, you're alright, right? You don't seem to be doing well." Bing Xue asked, worried about my wellbeing.
"I won't lie, it's a bit taxing. Chaos tends to have a bit of an effect on me. I don't think it's a bad effect, it honestly feels mildly nurturing." I answered, with a single breath.
"Should we take a break, Young Master?" Ma Fan asked.
"No." I shook my head slowly with a smirk. "I have yet to determine how sending in just one resource type works. That is the last key I need to understand what's happening to this poor thing." I added as I gently glided my fingers along the Furnace's carvings. My eyes lit up for a moment and an epiphany came to me. "You, consider this a war time decree. If anyone refuses they can come and complain to me directly. Go and find as many high ranking Furnace type artifacts as you can. Mid ranks won't do. And do it with haste like you're being chased by a hoarder of Royal Lords and you're trying to warn the Old Ancestors. GO!" I ordered, my eyes still shining.
The two elders from Yin-Yang Paradise and Gold Antelope didn't even bow before making their move. Each moving in sync with a purpose. After a sudden change like what they witnessed and an order that sounded so severe they wouldn't be able to call themselves Elders if they didn't listen. Neither was apathetic to being ordered around by someone, who to them, was basically no older than a newborn when comparing their ages with mine. Another sign of needing to respect the position I was unfortunately placed in.
"Young Master, what was that for?" Ma Fan asked, completely puzzled.
"I'm about to create a second one of these furnaces. But to do it, I need a vessel to contain the chaos in." I answered. "You see, it isn't this shell here that is the furnace, it's the chaos contained & controlled within. While we wait for those two to return, continue the experiments. Start with 1 resource, then add them in 1 by 1. Wait a breath before putting in the next one." I instructed. The experiments continued.
~Outside The Hall~
"Hey look, aren't those the Elders who went in before us? Why in such a rush? It's almost like they are burning their cultivation to move faster. Did something…" A bystander asked, pointing out the scene. They stopped speaking once they noticed the intensity of the fluctuations coming from inside the Hall. It felt like ripples of power. None on their own were all too strong, but the repeated and constant number of them was nothing one could ignore.
"Brothers and Sisters, who else among you is like me and suffers not from these fluctuations? If you don't suffer adverse effects, spread your influence to protect the others." One 7th rank explained, forcing his presence and aura to expand, forming a bulwark breaking the ripples before reaching those who would be affected by them.
"I'll help!" Another 7th rank said stepping forward with a similar setup.
"Same here, these ripples aren't anything to worry about. And we should protect those who have a hope of reaching the 8th rank, unlike us." Another 7th rank said, a peak 7th rank. A man who had reached his peak. It also just so happened to be the same old mana that Yang Kai had made bleed prior to Yang Kai breaking through to the Open Heaven Realm. "If this will act as some level of repayment so be it. You two take a break, instead take a look at the peak." He said, in a teaching tone, raising a palm. A complete and total barrier covered the area, protecting the 6th ranks.
"Impressive. It seems I'm still far from the peak." The first one to have stepped up mentioned.
"Same here. It really does feel like the 7th rank might as well be a whole Major Realm in division. But, how is it that Senior Brother was injured by Yang Kai so long ago?" The second elder to have stood up asked, curiously.
"Ahahaha, that's not something I like to remember. But, to put it simply… Hmm, Palace Master Yang Kai, or I guess I should use his new title, Sir Void Divine Monarch." The old 7th rank answered with an obvious sense of regret and respect.
~ Inside the Hall~
The experiments with single elements were far faster and easier to take note of. With each new result I came closer to understanding the limits as well as the damage that had been done to this ball of chaos. After a few days of testing we had finally finished going through the entirety of my rank 1 resources.
I floated around the room while rubbing my chin. "I think I've learned the extent of the damage that was done to this Good Fortune Divine Furnace. But, I'll ask you a question Ma Fan. Is a first rank Open Heaven realm anywhere close to the 6th rank?" I said, after a few hours of mulling the thoughts around in my head.
"Young Master, surely that's not a serious question. A 3rd rank can blow away a 1st rank without a second thought or really much issue at all. Of course there are outliers, but the average of both ranks it's almost insulting to ask. That same division is 3rd to 4th as well. Let alone a 6th rank." Ma Fan answered feeling offended by the question.
"Ah, perhaps you didn't understand my intentions behind that question, oh well. I got the answer I was looking for. And that is, that of course there is a substantial gap that would. outside of unusual circumstances, never be narrowed." I chuckled a little at the fiery response. "So why is it that the Furnace seems to think so? The rates you said for a successful result are clearly the same for the first rank, no?" I explained, pointing to the furnace.