1952 Chapter 1944: Possessing a Daospark
Ancient Zenith calmly and patiently answered any questions asked by those present. She displayed a magnanimous personality, characterized by thoughtfulness and strength, allowing her superiority to linger only as a testament to her presence and granting her words and answers an unforgettable impact. She was a wonder to observe, far from the immaturity that Tian Xiaolu possessed, yet containing an unrivaled ambition.
As Wei Wuyin respectfully listened, appreciating this woman of supreme skill, cultivation, and galactic authority, Magus was trembling with excitement. Some of these answers regarding the Battlefield had helped resolve a few mysteries that had long plagued its thoughts and studies.
"Daospark! Why is it so hard to acquire information regarding higher domains of power and quality? Blah!" Magus complained as its hands were swishing across a lengthy scroll, as its fingers acted as ten brushes, writing extensively within.
It had already experienced the diverse domains of power, realizing that cultivation was multifaceted, not at all limited. When it came to Daospark Heavenly Treasures, Magus had gleaned greater insight into the truth regarding the Resonant Soul Realm and a variety of treasures.
Specifically, the truths regarding Armaments of the Great Daos and Treasures of the Three Thousand Heavenly Realms.
Armaments were graded based on the three great daos of cultivation-Mortal, Mystic, and the eternal dao. Their divisions were simply: Foundation-Grade, Qi-Grade, and Astral-Grade for the Mortal-Rank; Mystic-Earth, Mystic-World, Mystic-Heaven, and Mystic-Soul for the Mystic-Rank; meanwhile, Faux-Soul was the sole rank that Wei Wuyin or Magus had ever come across.
However, for treasures inexplicably linked to one or multiple of the Laws of the Heavenly Realms, this was divided into Heavenly, Supreme Heavenly, and Daospark Heavenly ranks, all seated within the extent of the authority of Law that was extracted or refined, acting much like a talisman of authority. Even those without the Authority of Laws could wield these external means of authority. With this tiny addition of information, Magus could confidently conclude that the next step of authority was touching upon the authority of the Dao in question.
When they had waged war within the Heavenly Realm of War, he had gathered greater insight into the Dao of War or War Dao, especially how it possessed its own individual and semi-independent cultivation path, working in tandem with the three great daos. In the Heavenly Realm of War, the three great daos had no influence or effect.
The only cultivation path was the War Dao.
If incomplete Heavenly Treasures exerted connected with the Heavenly Realms on the level of Seeds of War, complete Heavenly Treasures possessed a degree of connection not inferior to the level of a Minor Authority, and Supreme Heavenly Treasures connected on the level of a Major Authority, then Daospark Heavenly Treasures must form a connection with the Dao itself!
If so, then...
Wei Wuyin gazed at the soul-stirringly beautiful Ancient Zenith intently. His gaze would meet hers at times as she idly waited for others to think of their questions or concerns to address. When their eyes met, Wei Wuyin's gaze flashed with overt admiration and interest, to which she responded with a graceful smile. There was a hint of acknowledgment and teasing within.
Even though Wei Wuyin was keenly aware that she was pandering to his ego, he was rather satisfied with these interactions.
"She's seeking Athena, isn't she?" Ori concluded. If Ori could figure it out, so could the rest, especially Magus and Eden.
That was right!
Athena was a Spirit of Dao, possessing inherited knowledge of the War Dao and the Law of War. She was likely the 'spark', or at least, the 'seed' that would give birth to the spark. If not for Wei Wuyin's underwhelming cultivation base for her, she might have long since exposed her blinding brilliance as a Spirit of Dao, no less inferior than the two Bai Xius, who could withstand concocting a Transcendent Mystic-Heaven grade product without exploding or resisting the taboo of creating a forbidden product all those years ago.
They were special entities of their respective Daos.
[Item]: --
[Exchange Rate]: 5,000,000 War Souls.
[Availability]: Soldier & Commander.
[Description]: Heavenly War Spirit.
This was Athena's simplistic description within the list of Soldiers and Commanders for the Stellar Battlefield. As vague as it was, 5,000,000 War Souls was an outrageous amount.
"..." Athena remained silent in the face of this revelation. Within his Mind's Eye, her gargantuan Heaven's Gate thrummed softly with the rumble of war, the hymn of war drums and chantings of spirit desiring victory, slaughter, and the thrill of spilled blood, lost lives, and clashing of souls.
"Athena! You're so cool! You're a Daospark!" Ori immediately made way to Mind's Eye metaphysical space to admire Athena, piling on praise upon praise, including subtly asked questions regarding her abilities. Athena's seething emotions calmed down from Ori's genuine joy and interest.
"You acquired far more than five million War Souls due to the disparity calculation involved, and your hoarding of every merit. It seems the logic of the Battlefield functions akin to the Heavenly Daos, awarding more for completion of tasks for lesser cultivation bases, similar to the Heavenly Daos. I wonder...if that's..." Magus began as it thought of the Heavenly War Spirit managing the list, including Athena's identity as a potential Daospark.
In the end, Magus set that aside for later, continuing: "If you were a Starlord at the time, even if you achieved your past merits, it's not very likely that you would acquire five million, or perhaps you would just barely pass that threshold."
Wei Wuyin silently agreed. The awarding of War Souls was relative to the feats achieved compared to the cultivation base of the one who completed it. After all, he was no different than a peasant farmer waging war on a continental empire by himself...and winning.
Due to that, he had won over thirteen million War Souls in the Stellar Battlefield alone!!
How difficult would it be for a Supreme Sage to acquire 5,000,000 War Souls as a Soldier or a Commander of the Galactic Battlefield? And according to Ancient Zenith, War Souls were divided into Stellar-grade, Ascendant-grade, and Galactic-grade, each with varying qualities. This question was only brought up due to someone asking whether they could keep a bit of their War Souls for personal usage, to which Ancient Zenith explained that she only needed Galactic-grade.
[Item]: War Talisman.
[Exchange Rate]: 1,000,000 War Souls.
[Availability]: Champion.
[Description]: A talisman forged by a supreme expert of war. All 10,000 Spirits of War defeated in the Nexus Battlefield can be summoned by one's behest, following one's complete command. The talisman can be upgraded through infusing War Souls or refining Soul Light into it.
Only (1) Available. The talisman can be repeatedly used indefinitely. All destroyed Spirits of War can be restored after destruction at the cost of War Souls or Soul Light.
The description of the War Talisman, also known as the Nexus War Flag, rose within Wei Wuyin's mind. The last sentence of the first paragraph caught his attention. Since he acquired the Nexus War Flag from the special list beyond Soldier and Commander, something that can only be acquired under special circumstances within the Nexus Battlefield, he had been using his Soul Light to temper the Spirits of War within.
However, what fundamental changes would happen...if he infused Galactic-grade War Souls into the talisman? After all, the War Souls by which the Spirits of War were created derived from the Nexus Stellar Battlefield!
What was the Nexus War Flag? Even now, Wei Wuyin couldn't say it was a Heavenly Treasure or an Armament of the great daos despite considering it as a Heavenly Treasure for so long. He decided to inquire from Athena after she had consolidated after her transformation.
"Heaven-Saint Ancient Zenith, how many War Souls do you need?" Su Yi asked his first question. Quite a few perked up, even those who had been a part of past inquiring sessions while on the way here from the respective galaxies or realm territories in the Void-Blank Space between galaxies.
Ancient Zenith didn't hesitate to answer either, "A little over one million War Souls for the Daospark Heavenly Treasure. As for the Mystic-Soul Concoction Method, as I've said before, the requirements to acquire this are different, and I hope to leverage all of your incredible alchemic skills to acquire it."
"...!" The answer sent waves throughout the crowd.
"Just one million?" Tianshi Ya was taken aback. They had asked just prior to that the cost for a Daospark Heavenly Treasure was listed as five million. Any who had ever reached the rewarding phase of the Battlefield and studied the list would know this. It was publicly available on all battlefields, after all.
Ancient Zenith clarified with surprising honesty, "I've participated in six expeditions to the Battlefield of War & Order. I've gathered a little under four million War Souls total from them and conducted trades from experts who've kept a few in reserve. Each attempt has yielded greater gains than before. I intend to complete my objective during this seventh expedition."
When her last sentence echoed out, there was a divine steel-like firmness and resolve within. They could all sense her confidence and unyielding spirit.
"I wonder why she needs Athena?" Ori asked, adding: "Find out! Find out! Find ou—" Ori urged before Eden enveloped it in thick roots, silencing its spiritual transmission akin to placing a hand over its mouth. The muffled reverberations of its voice caused Wei Wuyin's Sea of Consciousness to surge chaotically.
"Our objective is to seize every advantage we can, not offer Athena up," Magus informed Ori sternly, and then asked Wei Wuyin: "Do you think the Champion List is different in the Galactic Battlefield than it is for the Stellar Battlefield and Ascendant Battlefield?"
"I was thinking the same," King gently echoed. This was important for maximizing gains.
"Athena, do you know?" Wei Wuyin asked. She was the overseer of the Stellar Battlefield at the time, and while she might not be aware of the other Battlefield details, there was a chance.
Finally, this broke Athena out of her silence. She answered, "Yes. There's variation in each list. For example, the Stellar Battlefield's Soldier and Commander merit exchange list lacked any methods exceeding the Earthly Saint Phase or that touched upon cultivating the True Soul. The Champion List is slightly different too."
Wei Wuyin's eyes illuminated with elation. The five Mystic Souls vibrated excitedly.
"So we're doing it?!" Kratos asked in an explosive roar. "Others might not be able to traverse the Battlefields, but us—we can!" The confidence in its words was utterly supreme in foundation!
Unbalanced calculation of merits based on the current cultivation base and varying lists for rewards!
Since that's the case, how could Wei Wuyin not try to enter the Ascendant Battlefield?! Re-enter the Stellar Battlefield?! How could he not...try to MAXIMIZE HIS GAINS?!?!
For his empire!
FOR HIS EMPIRE!!!