The next morning, Aurelius, Jake, Lana, and Chris arrived at Major Luther's office at 5:45 AM, wearing their military uniforms. As they waited, they engaged in small talk with the Major.
At 6:00 AM, Major Luther led them to the teleportation gate. With the help of Major Luther, everyone entered the teleportation formation. Within moments, they vanished from Major Luther's office and arrived at the teleportation gate of the imperial army treasury.
As soon as they arrived at the imperial army treasury, a group of stern-looking Imperial guards approached Aurelius, Jake, Lana, and Chris.
"Identification, please," the lead guard demanded.
Aurelius and his companions raised their wrists, each displaying their military ID on their watches. The guard scrutinized each ID carefully before nodding in approval.
"Leave your storage rings here," the guard instructed, pointing to a secure box.
Reluctantly, they removed their storage rings and placed them in the box. The guard locked it securely and handed the key to one of his subordinates.
"Now, walk through the space detector," the guard continued, gesturing to a large archway nearby. "This will scan for any hidden spaces, dimensions, or other space-related gadgets. It scans both body and soul."
One by one, they stepped through the detector. The machine emitted a soft hum as it scanned them thoroughly. When all four had passed through without incident, the guard nodded in satisfaction.
"Follow me," he said, leading them through a series of corridors to Block-4, door #531. Once there, the guard used his watch to scan the door and typed in a sequence of data. After a moment of confirmation, the door unlocked with a soft click.
"You may enter," the guard said, stepping aside to let Aurelius, Jake, Lana, and Chris through.
As soon as they stepped inside, another pair of Imperial guards walked towards them, ready to assist.
"Welcome," one of the new guards said. "We'll guide you through the process of selecting your Spirit Foundation Treasures. Please follow us."
As soon as they stepped inside, another pair of Imperial guards approached them, ready to assist.
"Welcome," one of the new guards said. "We'll guide you through the process of selecting your Spirit Foundation Treasures. Please follow us."
The guards led them deeper into the treasury. As they walked, Aurelius, Jake, Lana, and Chris couldn't help but marvel at the various vaults they passed. Each vault had a description inscribed on a plaque beside it, detailing its contents. One vault was labeled "Body Refining Materials," another "Soul Refining Treasures." They passed vaults containing "4-tier ores" and "4-tier pills", and many others housing rare and powerful items. The sheer variety and quantity of treasures left them in awe.
After walking for a considerable distance, they finally reached the last vault, known for its Spirit Foundation Treasures. This vault had an especially grand appearance, with intricate carvings and a shimmering aura surrounding it.
"Another identification check," the lead guard said, stopping in front of the vault. He gestured for Aurelius, Jake, Lana, and Chris to present their IDs again. Once their identities were confirmed, the guards used their watches to scan the vault door and typed in the necessary data. After a moment, the vault door unlocked with a soft, resonant chime.
"You may enter," the guard said, stepping aside to let them through.
Aurelius, Jake, Lana, and Chris stepped inside, finding themselves in a spacious, well-lit chamber filled with an array of Spirit Foundation Treasures. Each item was displayed on a pedestal, glowing softly with an inner light.
"We'll leave you to search for your treasures," the guard said. "Take your time and choose wisely."
Nodding to the guard, Jake went to the Fire rack, Lana went to the Shadow rack, Chris went to the Water rack, and Aurelius went to the Five Elements rack to select their spirit root foundation treasures.
Each rack was dedicated to a specific element and had seven shelves: the lowest shelf contained 1-3 grade spirit foundation treasures; the second shelf held 3-6 grade spirit foundation treasures; the third shelf displayed 6-9 grade spirit foundation treasures; the fourth shelf was for human-level spirit foundation treasures; the fifth shelf housed earth-level spirit foundation treasures; the sixth shelf showcased heaven-level spirit foundation treasures; and finally, the seventh shelf contained chaos-grade spirit foundation treasures.
Aurelius noticed the differences between the various ranks of spirit foundation treasures. The first distinction was the engravings marked on each treasure, which indicated their grade and type. For example, a first-grade fire element spirit foundation treasure had one fire engraving, while a second-grade had two engravings, and so on up to the ninth grade, which had nine engravings.
From the human grade onward, the complexity increased significantly. Human-grade spirit foundation treasures had 25 engravings and three spiritual veins, representing their liveliness and spirituality. Earth-grade treasures had 50 engravings and six spiritual veins, while heaven-grade treasures featured 75 engravings and nine spiritual veins. Finally, chaos-grade treasures had an impressive 99 engravings and 12 spiritual veins, marking them as the most potent and vibrant of all.
Aurelius turned his attention directly to the chaos-grade spirit foundation treasures, where ten distinct five-element spirit root foundation treasures lay, each exuding a unique essence. Each treasure carried the elevated energy of the five elements but varied in its core nature, cost, and divine abilities. Here is a detailed description of each treasure:
1. Quintessence
- Cost: 150 million merit points
- Description: Embodying the purest form of all five elements, Quintessence is adorned with 99 celestial engravings. Its 12 spiritual veins pulse with vibrant, harmonic energy.
- Unique Ability: Perfect Elemental Balance - Enhances the user's control over all elements, allowing seamless transitions between them.
- Divine Ability: Elemental Symphony - Unleashes a devastating attack combining all five elements in a symphonic burst of energy.
2. Aether
- Cost: 140 million merit points
- Description: Representing the ethereal essence of the elements, Aether exists between the physical and spiritual realms. Its 99 engravings form delicate, interconnected webs, glowing with 12 luminescent spiritual veins.
- Unique Ability: Ethereal Flow - Grants the user the ability to phase between the physical and spiritual planes.
- Divine Ability: Astral Convergence - Summons a celestial force that merges both realms, amplifying the user's power exponentially.
3. Elementum
- Cost: 135 million merit points
- Description: A robust and resilient treasure, Elementum's engravings resemble ancient runes of power. Its 12 spiritual veins exude a steady, grounding energy.
- Unique Ability: Elemental Fortification - Increases the user's physical and magical defenses significantly.
- Divine Ability: Elemental Bastion - Creates an impenetrable shield combining the strengths of all five elements.
4. Essence
- Cost: 130 million merit points
- Description: Essence distills the core nature of the elements into a harmonious blend. Its 99 engravings glow softly, with 12 spiritual veins radiating a serene, balanced aura.
- Unique Ability: Harmonious Aura - Balances and enhances the user's elemental affinities, providing increased control and efficiency.
- Divine Ability: Serene Equilibrium - Generates a field of perfect balance, neutralizing all chaotic forces.
5. Harmonix
- Cost: 125 million merit points
- Description: Known for its perfect synchronization of the five elements, Harmonix features symmetrical patterns in its engravings and spiritual veins that hum with rhythmic energy.
- Unique Ability: Resonance - Allows the user to create and manipulate sound waves with elemental energy.
- Divine Ability: Elemental Resonance - Produces a resonating wave that amplifies the power of all elemental attacks.
6. Pentagram
- Cost: 120 million merit points
- Description: Symbolizing the unity of the five elements, Pentagram's 99 engravings form a star pattern. Its 12 spiritual veins shine with mystical light.
- Unique Ability: Elemental Synergy - Enhances the user's ability to combine elements for more potent effects.
- Divine Ability: Star of Elements - Summons a powerful elemental star that radiates destructive energy.
7. Primal
- Cost: 115 million merit points
- Description: Primal captures the raw, untamed power of the elements. Its engravings are bold and dynamic, with spiritual veins pulsing with intense, primal energy.
- Unique Ability: Elemental Fury - Increases the user's attack power and elemental intensity.
- Divine Ability: Primal Rage - Unleashes a berserk mode, significantly boosting elemental attack speed and power.
8. Core
- Cost: 110 million merit points
- Description: Representing the fundamental essence of elemental power, Core's engravings form a solid, central motif. The spiritual veins emanate a stable, focused energy.
- Unique Ability: Elemental Anchor - Grants the user a stable and unshakable elemental core, enhancing endurance and focus.
- Divine Ability: Core Burst - Releases a concentrated burst of elemental energy, devastating everything in its path.
9. Nexus
- Cost: 105 million merit points
- Description: Acting as a conduit for elemental forces, Nexus's engravings form intricate pathways. The 12 spiritual veins glow with interconnected brilliance.
- Unique Ability: Elemental Network - Allows the user to link with and draw power from surrounding elemental sources.
- Divine Ability: Elemental Nexus - Creates a nexus point that channels elemental energy from the environment into the user, greatly enhancing their power.
10. Origin
- Cost: 100 million merit points
- Description: Embodying the beginning of elemental creation, Origin's 99 engravings trace primordial patterns. Its 12 spiritual veins shine with pure, radiant light.
- Unique Ability: Primordial Force - Grants the user access to the most ancient and potent elemental energies.
- Divine Ability: Genesis Wave - Releases a wave of primordial energy, resetting and purifying the elemental balance in a large area.
As Aurelius used his watch to check the compatibility of the chaos-grade spirit foundation treasures, he was disappointed. All the chaos-grade treasures had a compatibility of less than 50%, while a minimum of 80% was required to utilize a spirit root foundation treasure effectively.
Just as Aurelius was about to look for other treasures, he remembered a conversation with his master from the previous day.
Flashback to Yesterday:
After talking with Jake, Lana, and Chris, Aurelius returned to his room. After meditating for two hours, he received a call. Seeing the caller ID, "Oldman," he smiled and answered. It had been 100 years since he last spoke with him.
The old man began, "Kid, it seems you're creating waves in the 4-tier battlefield."
With a smug smile, Aurelius replied, "Old man, remove the word 'seems.' I am creating waves."
The old man's eyes narrowed, "Kid, it seems being in the battlefield has made you arrogant. Are you missing the 'fist of love'?"
Remembering it, Aurelius shivered. "Master, why do you say that? Aren't I making you proud with my accomplishments?"
Seeing Aurelius change his tune, the old man laughed loudly, "What happened, kid?"
Aurelius then explained everything: how he was about to leave when an emergency notification popped up, how he took on a mission, traveled to the end of the battlefield, fought a peak 5-tier abomination, and returned to receive his rewards.
The old man listened with a proud expression and finally said, "You've been through a lot, kid. So, for the spirit root foundation, do you have any ideas?"
Aurelius replied, "Master, you know I am a soul body born on Earth, and I have no elemental compatibility. Initially, I tried using fire and water, but I couldn't master any element. That's why I fight with a sword. So, I am thinking of using a five-element spirit root foundation treasure, as the five elements are compatible with every life form since every life form is born from the five elements."
The old man nodded and asked, "The five elements are unique. They are compatible not only with the living but also with the dead. But compatibility varies with each being. What will you do if your compatibility is less than 50%?"
Aurelius sadly smiled, acknowledging a weakness in his cultivation journey. "I'll have to look for other elements. The imperial army treasury contains all the elements, even rare ones. I'll first look for compatibility with the primary elements and then check the derivatives for compatibility."
The old man listened thoughtfully. "Your method is good, but it will take a lot of time. And you are in the imperial army treasury. Even if they haven't given a specific time, it's not good to take too long."
Aurelius sighed, "What can I do, master? Finding a compatible element is hard. I don't know what else to do."
The old man then revealed, "I have a technique for you. It's an ancient one called the 'Breath Compatibility Technique.' I found it in a ruin. This technique will help you find your compatibility with specific elements. The more compatible you are, the stronger the pull you'll feel. Just follow the feeling."
Aurelius's eyes lit up. After the old man changed the call setting to private, he taught Aurelius the technique. For an hour, Aurelius memorized it. The technique was profound, as his master said. It used the core of one's being as bait and the body as a fishing rod, releasing a unique energy to create a link to nearby elements. The link's thickness and pull indicated compatibility.
Understanding the technique, Aurelius smiled, knowing it would save him time and effort in finding the right spirit root treasure. He thanked his master, who replied, "Use the technique wisely."
Aurelius then asked, "Master, how is Eisheth?"
The old man replied, "She is working hard. She has completed the basic layout of the intelligence agency in the western region as you instructed. I don't understand all the intricacies. You'll have to come back to understand the whole thing."
Aurelius nodded, and after a few more exchanges, he ended the call.
Back to the Present:
Remembering his master's technique, Aurelius used both hands to form a seal with intricate finger positions. He pressed this seal onto his body, anchoring it in place. Changing his technique with different finger positions, he activated a gravitational pull from the seal.
This pull drew core essence from his soul body, causing the seal's engravings to glow brightly. The glowing seal released a unique energy, forming a white line resembling a fishing wire. This wire then split into numerous strands, each one reaching out to test the compatibility of the surrounding elements.
Some of the strands even moved towards the five-element spirit root, but they are thin, and the pull from the spirit root foundation is weak.
Some strands are too thin, some are medium-sized, but no thick strand. It shows Aurelius has no high compatibility with any elements.
Seeing this, Aurelius frowned. He had hoped to find at least one element highly compatible with him, but none among thousands showed high compatibility.
Just as he was thinking how to proceed, Aurelius suddenly felt a strong pull. He took ten steps before stabilizing himself. A happy smile appeared on his face. Sensing the pull, Aurelius moved towards its origin.
Walking to the room's end, Aurelius passed thousands of element racks. He saw some of the rarest elements like space, time, fate, and others.
Feeling no attraction, Aurelius reached the room's end. Despite finding nothing there, he still felt a pull from the area.
The area was empty, devoid of racks or anything else, yet Aurelius felt a pull from its middle.
Aurelius stopped and thought, "There might be a separate dimension here. The chance of danger or safety is 50/50 for now."
"What should I do? Since I've cultivated the technique, there's a high chance a spirit root foundation treasure highly compatible with me is inside this dimension. I might never get another chance," Aurelius pondered.
After thinking for a while, determination gleamed in Aurelius's eyes as he stepped forward to enter the dimension.
As soon as Aurelius entered, time stopped in the entire underworld. Every being, every abomination froze in time except for the King of Hell, Aurelius's master—the old man—and the seven lords of the underworld.
Sensing the change, the King of Hell lifted his head and thought, "So he's finally entered the core of the underworld."
The old man said, "Kid, since you cultivated the soul cultivation technique I gave you, you've lost affinity with all elements. Now, you can only have affinity with one supreme element—the Law of the Underworld. If you pass the trial, you can control all the underworld's elements. I hope you don't disappoint me, kid."
The seven lords of the underworld whispered, "It appears that kid is undergoing the underworld spirit root trial. Only those acknowledged by the will of the underworld are given this opportunity. If he succeeds, he can ascend to great heights; if not, he will plummet."
[Please don't forget to vote and comment, I will be grateful]