Chapter 102: Spoils of Survival [2]
Since Soren and Ryan had been carted off to the hospital unconscious, the Bureau workers had to step in to retrieve the rest of the cores and loot from the scene, taking a standard processing fee before handling the payout.
’Although we lost some money due to that, it’s definitely better than losing everything,’ Soren reasoned, finding the silver lining. Then, as if recalling something, his eyes narrowed into a slight squint.
’We still have to discuss how to handle the monolith...’
According to Sister Zoe, the Bureau had also managed to dig up and transport the massive structure out of the gate during their cleanup operation. However, she didn’t know more than that.
According to the law, any unique artifacts or anomalies unearthed within a gate technically belonged to the awakeners who cleared it, provided they registered the discovery. However, when it came to something as unprecedented and potentially hazardous as a monolith, the state always reserved the right to step in under national security protocols.
However, Soren knew exactly what kind of terrifying potential was packed into that stone structure. That’s exactly why he hoped the Bureau wouldn’t try to use those protocols to permanently confiscate it.
At the same time, he couldn’t help but wonder if their research teams could even discover what it actually did. Without the right appraisal methods, they might just see it as a highly volatile, dangerous battery and completely miss its true function.
’They’ll probably contact us once their initial analysis is complete,’ he mused.
For now, speculating was useless. He needed to ensure that when that meeting finally happened, he had enough personal leverage and strength to avoid being pushed around by the authorities.
If possible, he wanted to keep it for himself, so he planned to do his best to negotiate or fight for his rights when the time came.
’Hoo...’
Shifting his thoughts back to the present, Soren took a deep breath and let the future worries fade away.
He let his eyes land on the last remaining object on the training mattress: the manual.
It was the technique hidden within the Ring of Boundless Void, a personal gift from the Sunless Emperor. He had been stopping himself from looking at it until now, deliberately holding back his curiosity until he had enough privacy.
’Let’s see what kind of treasure this is~’
With a flicker of excitement, Soren reached out and picked up the manual. The moment his fingers brushed the cover, a strange, profound sensation washed over his skin, like holding a cold piece of the night sky itself.
His anticipation growing, he gripped the edge of the cover and opened it.
’...’
’...Why isn’t it opening?’
Soren frowned. He increased his strength, pulling at the pages with enough force to tear ordinary parchment, but the book remained completely unyielding, its pages sealed shut like a solid block of steel. He was completely dumbfounded.
Refusing to give up, he channeled a thin strand of mana through his fingertips, infusing it directly into the cover. When that didn’t provoke a single reaction, he bit the tip of his thumb and let a drop of blood fall onto the binding, testing the classic recognition methods.
Still, nothing happened. The manual sat in his hands, completely inert and stubbornly closed.
Staring at the uselessly sealed book, Soren let out a dry laugh. Then, a sudden realization hit him. Recalling that he possessed a literal cheat ability designed for evaluating hidden value, he focused his gaze and quickly used Investor’s Insight on it.
A crisp chime echoed in his mind as the familiar translucent interface flickered to life over the ancient cover.
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[Stellar Soul Weaver Sutra]
Classification: Mental Cultivation Method / Spiritual Intent Refinement
Rank: Legendary
Current Status: Restricted / Sealed (Gender Mismatch Detected)
Requirements to Unseal: Female Gender, Innate Mana Sensitivity, Calmed Mindscape.
[Description]: A high-tier heritage technique originating from an ancient lineage of cosmic cultivators. It utilizes the naturally delicate, flexible, and intricate spiritual pathways unique to female consciousness to map the mind according to the alignment of the stars.
[Core Effects]:
- Stellar Filament Construction: Transforms raw mental energy into microscopic, luminous threads of starlight. These filaments can extend outside the body, remaining entirely invisible and untraceable to ordinary senses and standard detection spells.
- Constellation Mapping: Allows the practitioner to weave these mental threads into complex sensory arrays or direct offensive webs.
[True Potential]: At mastery, the user can use these invisible threads for flawless, long-range telekinetic manipulation, track targets across vast distances, or directly invade an enemy’s mindscape to sever their thoughts, effectively paralyzing their cognitive functions.
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Soren stared at the description, his jaw dropping slightly as he read through the details.
A Legendary rank technique.
Even in his wildest guesses, he hadn’t expected the Sunless Emperor to drop something this monumental.
Then, his eyes drifted back up to the requirement section, and the corner of his eye twitched.
’Gender Mismatch Detected...’
A helpless, dry chuckle escaped his lips as he shook his head, looking down at the stubbornly sealed book.
He had been racking his brain trying to figure out why a legendary entity would hand him a useless brick, but as his eyes lingered on the strict activation requirements, the pieces began to fall into place.
The Sunless Emperor hadn’t chosen this manual at random; he had specifically selected a solution tailored for his wife, Ethea, after listening to Soren describe her paralyzed condition during their encounter. That ancient powerhouse had actually taken those details to heart, intentionally passing down a legacy that bypassed physical limitations entirely.
And given Ethea’s quiet nature and the immense mental focus she probably possessed, a technique that relied on a calm, intricate mindscape was an absolute, flawless match for her.
As he focused on the specific effects listed on the screen, the gift’s true utility became clear.
’Invisible spiritual threads, telekinesis, and cognitive paralysis...’
His initial annoyance entirely evaporated into a deep sense of satisfaction.
If she could master this, her physical confinement would no longer completely isolate her from the world.
With invisible threads and telekinesis, she would be able to interact with her surroundings, lift objects, and essentially ’move’ things through her sheer willpower.
It was a beautiful alternative to her immobility, granting her a profound level of freedom and independence that her own body denied her.