Lian remained by the peephole for a long time, his blue void eyes drinking in every reaction below. The auction hall had transformed. What started as a gathering of greedy bidders had become something far more primal — a den of predators sensing fresh blood. The announcement of the Kharvax Prime spatial rift had ignited something dangerous in the crowd.

Whispers continued to ripple through every section. In the lower tiers, young cultivators who had never heard of the rift spoke with wide-eyed excitement, dreaming of treasures that could elevate them from mediocrity. Some were already calculating how much they could borrow or who they could ally with. In the middle sections, veterans exchanged grim stories — tales of friends who entered the rift and returned missing limbs, broken minds, or not at all. Yet even they had a hungry glint in their eyes. The possibility of real growth was too tempting to ignore completely.

The VIP boxes were quieter, but no less intense. Powerful figures communicated through encrypted devices or subtle hand signals, already forming temporary alliances and plotting betrayals six years in advance.

Lian’s lips curved into a cold, thin smile.

This was opportunity.

Real opportunity.

He could feel it in his bones — the chance to temper himself in true danger, to claim resources that normal cultivation could never provide, to grow strong enough to hunt the white-eyed old man. Six years. It wasn’t much time, but it was enough if he used every second wisely.

He finally stepped back from the peephole and returned to his corner, sliding down to sit cross-legged once more. Dust rose around him, but he paid it no mind. Elara watched him silently, her back still against the wall, arms crossed over her chest. She could see the shift in him clearly now. The disgust from earlier had been burned away by pure, focused ambition.

The auction continued below, but the energy had changed. The host was smart enough to ride the wave. He brought out several more items — defensive artifacts, high-grade pills, and ancient maps — but many bids were half-hearted. Most minds were already on the rift. Preparations had unofficially begun.

Lian closed his eyes again, breathing deeply.

His foundation felt solid, but it was not enough. Not nearly enough for what awaited in that lost universe. He needed to become stronger. He needed better techniques, better weapons, more resources. Most importantly, he needed information. Detailed, reliable information about Kharvax Prime — known safe zones, common creature types, the nature of the life-eating organisms, how previous survivors had succeeded, and how they had failed.

He couldn’t afford to die there.

Elara finally broke the long silence.

“Six years,” she said quietly. Her voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of concern. “That’s not a long time.”

Lian opened his eyes slightly.

“It’s enough,” he replied, voice low. “If we use it correctly.”

Elara tapped her alloy fingers against her arm. “We’ll need money. A lot of it. Equipment. Information brokers. Training resources. And... allies, maybe.”

Lian’s expression darkened.

“Allies are liabilities. They become enemies the moment real treasures appear.”

Elara didn’t argue. She knew his mindset too well by now. Trust was a luxury neither of them could afford.

Below, the host announced another item — a set of precursor navigation beacons said to help map unstable rifts — and the bidding picked up again, though still subdued compared to earlier. The Eternal Veil Syndicate representative bid aggressively on several pieces, and once again, few dared challenge him. The fear he commanded was absolute.

Lian listened to it all with half an ear. His mind was elsewhere — planning training regimens, possible ways to earn massive credits quickly, methods to strengthen his body and core further. The Harvest Path lingered in the back of his thoughts like a dark temptation. Faster growth. But higher risk. He hadn’t forgotten the voices, or the other self waiting inside him.

Elara moved closer and sat down near him, her back against the same wall, leaving a small space between them. She stared at the dusty floor for a while before speaking again.

“When that woman released her scent earlier... I felt weak,” she admitted quietly. “Not just physically. It reminded me how small we still are.”

Lian nodded once. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

“That’s good. Remembering weakness keeps you sharp.”

They sat in silence for several minutes. The auction continued its rhythm below — bids rising and falling, items being sold, servants moving through the crowd. But the real conversation in the hall was no longer about the current treasures. It was about the rift. Teams were being discussed. Routes planned. Supplies listed. Betrayals already being considered.

Lian’s smile had faded, replaced by cold, calculating focus.

Six years.

He would enter that rift stronger than almost anyone expected. He would take what he needed. He would kill whoever stood in his way. And he would return even stronger — strong enough to settle every debt from his past.

Elara glanced at him again. She could almost see the dark flames burning behind his void eyes. She didn’t try to lighten the mood this time. Instead, she simply said:

“I’ll follow you. Wherever this path leads.”

Lian didn’t respond with words. He simply gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.

Power Scale / Cultivation Realms (Quick Reminder)

Foundation Realm (Layers 1–9): Body forging, no external Qi.

Circuit Awakening Realm (Early–Peak): First Qi loop, internal bursts.

Core Condensation Realm (Early–Peak): External Qi release, short flight.

Stellar Circuit Realm (1–9 Stars): True flight, Qi armor, energy projection.

Nebula Dominion Realm and higher: Domain control, galaxy-level power, etc

Power Scale Reminder

Lian Yu: Stellar Circuit Star 1.

Elara Voss: Core Condensation Middle

The Four Pillars: the most powerful organizations in the lower core universe — ancient, influential, and dangerous beyond measure.

Keep it as reminders