Emperor of the Source

Chapter 287: The Mysteries Beyond Rule Stage

Adrian exhaled slowly and dismissed the chain of thoughts that had begun drifting toward the deeper mysteries of the universe. Questions about the structure of reality, the Source, and the Heavenly Order could wait for another time. Those were mysteries that likely stretched far beyond the understanding of a Peak Rule Stage cultivator.

For now, he had far more immediate concerns to deal with.

He removed the ring from his finger and placed it carefully on the table beside the other two prototypes he had created earlier. The three rings rested next to one another, each representing a separate experiment. Despite being inscribed with the exact same spell structure, the results they produced had been vastly different.

Among the three, the hybrid composite base made from Void Alloy and Graviton Steel was clearly the best performer. However, Adrian did not consider the other two materials to be useless. Even though their compatibility with the spell was poor, they still managed to hold the inscription without structural degradation and were capable of activating the spell successfully. The mana consumption and spell's effect might have been inefficient, but the true value of the artifact was the willforce recovery effect itself.

Adrian leaned back slightly and considered the implications.

Every cultivator possessed a different amount of willforce, and the natural recovery rates varied greatly from person to person. Willforce was something that grew through experience. Every cultivator lived a different life, faced different hardships, and accumulated different levels of mental endurance.

Because of that, every individual possessed a unique willforce capacity and recovery profile.

If Adrian gave any one of these rings to someone like Aerin, for example, the effect would be extraordinary. Aerin was still a child and had very limited life experience. Her willforce capacity would naturally be much lower compared to an older cultivator. For someone like her, this recovery spell could feel almost miraculous. It would passively restore the willforce she spent whilst cultivating, allowing her to recover far faster than normal.

Even in more common scenarios, such as cultivators trapped within dangerous relics or engaged in prolonged battles, the ability to recover willforce more quickly could easily determine whether someone lived or died. Under such circumstances, the exact efficiency of the artifact mattered far less than its existence. Many cultivators would willingly pay enormous sums for even a partially effective version of such a device.

Adrian folded his arms and considered the next stage of his plan. These three rings were sufficient for now. He could select the hybrid composite ring as the primary artifact and use it for the first introduction sale at an auction. Once he obtained sufficient funds from that initial sale, he could begin securing a steady supply of the composite materials required to produce additional rings.

If he intended to scale production, the process would become much more complex. He would need to purchase large quantities of materials or negotiate direct supply contracts with blacksmith centres capable of producing the composite ring bases.

That was only the beginning.

After the auction, there would be many additional steps, such as establishing production infrastructure, securing distribution channels, and eventually integrating the artifact into a larger economic system.

For now, however, the most immediate concern was the auction itself.

Adrian had absolutely no intention of revealing himself as the creator to the public for now. This artifact might very well be the first of its kind within the universe. Once it appeared on the market, countless cultivators and sects would become interested in it. If his identity were exposed, the artifact would immediately be connected to him and, by extension, to the Crimson Vital Sect. In the long term, that association could create significant complications.

Of course, if Adrian possessed overwhelming strength, this would not have been an issue. However, his recent trial against Nightshade had made something painfully clear. Compared to truly experienced cultivators within the universe, Adrian was still weak.

Nightshade had only been testing him during that trial. If the encounter had been a genuine battle, the outcome could have been completely different. Because of that realisation, Adrian had no intention of taking unnecessary risks. Every step he took needed to be calculated carefully.

He retrieved his UNI-OS token and began researching the forums, searching for information about how auctions operated throughout the universe.

It did not take long for him to understand the basic structure of the auction system. Auctions were divided into two major categories: galactic auctions and universal auctions.

There were several powerful sects that operated auction networks across the universe. One such example was the Nine-Vault Commerce network. Through these premium networks, cultivators could sell items that would be auctioned across multiple galaxies or even the entire universe.

However, participating in a universal auction required two important conditions.

The first condition was the item's value.

In almost every developed galaxy, there existed UNI-Hub, and Sects that had premium auction networks usually maintained their own centres inside those hubs. Cultivators who wished to auction items needed to bring them to these centres so the item's value could be evaluated by professionals.

Not every artifact qualified for universal auction; only items of extraordinary rarity or value were accepted.

The second condition was far more restrictive.

To auction an item on a universal scale, the seller needed to possess Privileged UNI-Authority. Without this level of authority, it was impossible to access universal auctions.

Privileged UNI-Authority was an exclusive tier granted only to recognised members of major sects or individuals endorsed by organisations with established universal influence.

Adrian did not possess that level of authority. As a result, universal auctions were not available to him.

He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table as he continued browsing through the forums.

The Andromeda Galaxy was well developed, and it had many different auction centres. Adrian needed to find the one best suited for his purposes, somewhere reputable enough to attract serious bidders, but also provide anonymity to the seller.

Soon, Adrian discovered that the UNI Sect itself operated an auction facility known as UNI-Auction inside every UNI-Hub.

Compared to private commercial networks, the UNI-Auction platform was considered one of the safest options available. Sects like Nine-Vault Commerce also provided anonymous options, but the influence of a Great Sect like the UNI Sect was far greater.

Few individuals would dare create trouble within a system directly managed by them.

Adrian scrolled through several threads discussing the UNI-Auction's policies. The anonymity protocols were robust, and the platform's reputation for enforcing contractual agreements was unmatched. Sellers could remain completely concealed, and buyers were bound by strict UNI-Contracts that prevented retaliation or investigation into the seller's identity.

That was exactly what Adrian needed.

After learning all this information about auctions, a doubt struck Adrian's mind.

Adrian had thought that his artifact might be the first of its kind in the universe. But that assumption had been based largely on his limited knowledge. From a certain perspective, all he had truly done was replicate the effect of the Crimson Will Lotus through rules and inscription. If Adrian could accomplish such a thing, it was entirely possible that others somewhere in the vast universe had done the same long before him.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Adrian began researching information related to willforce artifacts and the Crimson Will Lotus.

Adrian scrolled through dozens of threads, searching for any mention of willforce recovery, artifacts designed to accelerate mental restoration, or even general discussions about the Crimson Will Lotus itself. He found scattered references to the plant, mostly alchemists debating its market value or cultivation requirements, but nothing about artifacts.

He searched for quite some time through the public Andromeda Galaxy forums, but Adrian found nothing. There were no recorded artifacts that directly replicated the effect of the Crimson Will Lotus, and not even much information about willforce beyond basic definitions. Even with his Commercial UNI-Authority access level, he could find no references.

Adrian frowned slightly, his gaze narrowing at the interface. The absence of information was not necessarily proof of uniqueness. It could also mean that such artifacts existed but were restricted to higher circles, sold privately, or kept secret by the sects that developed them. Public forums were filled with surface-level knowledge. Anything truly valuable rarely appeared there.

At that point, Adrian decided to subscribe to a premium network. Such networks were not limited to a single galaxy's public forums and usually contained far more reliable information.

He opened the list of premium networks available through his UNI-OS. Adrian recognized a few names immediately: Nine-Vault Commerce, Runic Concord, Black Meridian. Each specialized in different fields.

After browsing the available options, he selected the Astral Archive Pavilion Network, which specialized in information services. A major sect managed this Astral Archive Pavilion Network. Adrian also saw a better premium information network called the Heaven-Weaving Pavilion Network, said to be from a great sect. But it required some kind of invitation to get access to that network.

A prompt materialized before him.

› No Subscription Found

› 5,000 UNI-Coins Per Month — Subscribe?

› Yes / No

Adrian selected Yes without hesitation.

› Subscribing to Astral Archive Pavilion Network...

› Success — Subscription will expire in 30 days

› Connecting to Astral Archive Pavilion Network...

› Connection Success

The moment the connection was established, Adrian noticed the interface shifting smoothly into a golden color scheme. The mechanics reminded him strongly of the network switching system he had designed back in the Milky Way Galaxy between the Origin Net and the Lexaria Network.

Within the interface, Adrian could see multiple menus such as forums, public notices, and information feeds. Structurally, the layout looked similar to the standard galactic networks. The real difference lay in the quality of information available. The Astral Archive Pavilion Network was a premium information network, and the forum posts were managed by administrators belonging to the Astral Archive Pavilion itself. Most of the information available here was verified, rather than the mixture of reliable and false information commonly found in public forums.

Adrian tapped the forums section, and the display expanded.

Threads appeared in organized categories: Sect conflicts, resource discoveries, market trends, authority technique discussions, and dozens more. Each thread bore a small verification seal beside its title, a golden emblem indicating that the information had been reviewed by the Pavilion's analysts.

Seeing such a vast amount of information, Adrian got distracted from his original purpose and began scrolling through the trending threads. One title immediately caught his attention.

› Upcoming Major Sect — Three Minor Sects Destroyed After Attempting to Seize Aurora Crystal Belt

Adrian opened the thread. The report described a battle that had taken place only a few weeks earlier within the Nivot Galaxy. According to the information, a massive asteroid field known as the Aurora Crystal Belt had recently been discovered there. The belt contained naturally formed Aurora Crystals, an extremely rare resource compatible with nearly any life-based conceptual essence. These crystals were highly prized by smiths because they could be used to craft artifact bases suitable for life-based divine concepts.

Adrian read carefully, absorbing the details.

Unfortunately for the surrounding powers, the belt lay within the territorial domain of the Radiant Spiral Sect, an upper minor sect known for its aggressive expansion within that galaxy.

Three other upper minor sects within the same galaxy had formed a temporary alliance in an attempt to seize control of the crystal belt. Their assumption was simple: three upper minor sects working together should easily overwhelm a single rival sect.

But what followed had shocked many observers.

Adrian scrolled down and found embedded recordings. He tapped the first one.

The footage showed enormous asteroids and even planets shattering under the impact of divine spell collisions. Massive beams of energy streaked across the void as Rule Stage cultivators unleashed authority techniques against each other. In one segment, the sect leader of the Radiant Spiral Sect raised his hand and summoned a spiraling halo of golden rings above his head. Moments later, those rings launched toward an opposing sect leader.

The enemy desperately activated multiple defensive authority techniques. But the defenses lasted only seconds before collapsing.

The enemy leader's body disintegrated completely, leaving no opportunity for escape. Not even ash remained.

The battle lasted only a few days before reaching its conclusion. The Radiant Spiral Sect leader proved far stronger than anyone had previously believed. His willforce and mana reserves far exceeded those of his opponents. During the battle, he also revealed that he possessed a second divine concept at High Rule Stage. In addition, the sect itself had several elders who had already reached Peak Rule Stage. With such overwhelming power, the allied sects were completely annihilated. Their fleets were destroyed, their elders were killed, and the surviving disciples scattered across nearby galaxies as fugitives.

The Aurora Crystal Belt remained firmly under the control of the Radiant Spiral Sect.

Adrian closed the recording and sat back.

The thread concluded with an analysis section written by Astral Archive Pavilion analysts. They estimated the Radiant Spiral Sect would ascend to major sect status within the next ten thousand years if their sect leader successfully reached the Astral Stage. Several sects in the neighboring galaxies had already begun sending diplomatic envoys.

Adrian closed the thread quietly. This information confirmed something important to him. Truly powerful minor sects existed far beyond the Andromeda Galaxy.

The universe was vast, and Andromeda was only one galaxy among billions. What he had witnessed in the Milky Way, the demon war, the empires, even the Void Emperor's barrier, all of it represented only the smallest fraction of what existed within this vast universe.

Adrian continued scrolling through the forum. Another post soon caught his attention.

› Thorn Twins of the Celestial Thorn Sect Slaughter an Entire Upper Minor Sect

His gaze lingered on the title for a moment before he opened it.

According to the report, two cultivators known as the Thorn Twins from a major sect had attacked an upper minor sect located in the Perseus Galaxy.

The reason was a personal one. Millions of years ago, the father of the twins had been assassinated during a resource conflict involving that minor sect. Although the individuals responsible for the assassination had died long ago, the twins had spent millions of years cultivating and searching for the descendants of everyone involved. When they finally located the sect connected to the original dispute, they personally descended upon it.

Unlike the previous post, this thread did not include any battle recordings. However, the written report contained an even more shocking claim. The entire battle had lasted less than ten minutes.

Millions of disciples, including the sect leader and multiple elders who had reached Peak Rule Stage, were reportedly killed within seconds.

Adrian's eyes narrowed.

The reason was straightforward. The Thorn Twins were Astral Stage cultivators.

He leaned forward, rereading the passage.

"How?" Adrian muttered quietly.

Even if the twins were Astral Stage beings, they had attacked an entire upper minor sect alone. That particular upper minor sect was not weak; it could even be compared to the Radiant Spiral Sect in the previous post he had just read. Such a sect possessed millions of disciples and multiple Peak Rule Stage cultivators.

If the sect had been pushed to desperation, they should have used the multi-domain suppression strategy, overlapping countless domains to weaken the authority of their attackers. Even if the attackers were Astral Stage beings from a major sect with stronger divine concepts, the overlapping domains of millions of cultivators should have reduced their authority significantly.

Under such conditions, ending the battle in under ten minutes was impossible.

Adrian examined the thread carefully, hoping to find an explanation. But the crucial section was locked.

› Upgrade to Privileged UNI-Authority to view more…

Adrian stared at the message for several seconds, his jaw tightening.

"Seriously?" he muttered under his breath. "If you don't want to show it, hide the entire post. Why are you guys showing even this?"

The only visible portion beneath the locked content consisted of user comments. Some condemned the twins for their brutality, calling the massacre excessive. Others praised them for avenging their father, arguing that the sect had brought ruin upon itself by participating in the original assassination.

One comment stood out.

ShadowGord47: "Anyone surprised by this clearly doesn't understand what Astral Stage actually means. Rule Stage is just the start. Astral Stage is a completely different realm."

Adrian paused on that comment, rereading it twice.

He closed the thread slowly, his thoughts churning.

The information he had already seen forced Adrian to reconsider something. Until now, Adrian had assumed that Astral Stage cultivators were simply individuals who possessed higher authority percentages, stronger divine concepts, and larger reserves of mana and willforce than Peak Rule Stage cultivators. But if that were the entire difference, the events described in the thread should not have been possible.

Two Astral Stage cultivators should not have been able to annihilate millions of Rule Stage beings in under ten minutes, no matter how overwhelming their authority. The multi-domain suppression strategy existed precisely to counter such scenarios.

Yet the massacre had ended in minutes.

The reality appeared far more complex. Astral Stage clearly contained far more mysteries than he had previously imagined.