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“This is really an annoying problem,” Sage muttered, his voice tinged with frustration. “The concept seems straightforward, but the real challenge is maintaining an equilibrium of energy inside the subspace. If the balance shifts even slightly, the subspace either starts reducing its size by expelling energy or triggers a feedback loop, causing instability.” Eshmund frowned, arms crossed as he sifted through countless hypothetical solutions in his mind. One idea was to create an energy generator that could extract energy from spirit stones and release it into the subspace to compensate for any losses. In theory, it should stabilize the system, but in practice, it was unpredictable. The fluctuations in elemental energy made it impossible to control precisely. Another approach involved binding a second Void Stone inside an isolation chamber, effectively caging its influence until the subspace settled. It seemed like a smart and practical solution – until they ran the tests. The result? A significant reduction in the size of the subspace before stability was achieved, making it an inefficient method. “If we shrink the isolation chamber, we might get better results,” Eshmund suggested. “that is a good idea, if less energy is filling the isolation chamber, the subspace won’t loose its size too much, Sage said. They then adjusted their approach, refining the setup until they found a more feasible solution. The key was in how they directed the energy between Void Stones. Instead of managing each stone separately, they devised a way to connect them in a controlled loop. The output of the second Void Stone would be redirected into the input of the first. To achieve this, they needed a conduit – one that wouldn’t interfere with the delicate energy balance. “Cold Umbra Glass,” Sage proposed. “Shaped into a tube. We can inscribe a magical circuit inside it to facilitate efficient energy transfer.” The design was elegant in its simplicity. By momentarily stabilizing the second Void Stone with this closed-loop energy transfer, they could bind it to the subspace without causing energy fluctuations. Once the system distributed the energy and stabilized, they could remove the tube, leaving behind two bound Void Stones. To add a third stone, they would use a T-shaped connector, linking its output to the inputs of the first two stones. This method ensured an even energy distribution, preventing any single Void Stone from becoming overloaded. “The fourth stone – rinse and repeat,” Eshmund murmured, sketching out the process on a holographic display. “It’s a sound proposal. Let’s run a test,” Sage said. The test began. The moment the second Void Stone was introduced, the Cold Umbra Glass tube flickered with faint blue energy lines, guiding the flow of power in a controlled circuit. The system trembled but didn’t collapse. Instead, the subspace stabilized – albeit momentarily. Sage analyzed the results, then suggested an improvement. “We need to contain the entire process within an isolation chamber,” he said. “It’ll minimize external interference.” Eshmund nodded. “Agreed. And to be safe, let’s deploy nanobots inside the subspace to seal any potential leaks.” With a clear plan in place, they prepared for the next step. while waiting for the test results, Eshmund fell asleep.
When Eshmund woke up, the sun was already high in the sky, its warm rays filtering through the leaves and brushing against his face. He blinked, adjusting to the daylight, and realized he had fallen asleep on the couch in the rooftop nursery above the workshop. He stretched, feeling a pleasant soreness in his muscles, but thanks to his body’s conditioning – now on par with a expert-level martial artist – he recovered quickly. Shaking off his drowsiness, he headed downstairs into the house and made his way to the kitchen. He wasn’t using this place as much since his underground base was completed, but he still kept it clean and organized. As the water boiled, he retrieved a meat bun from his space pouch and took a slow sip of his tea, enjoying the quiet moment. After breakfast, he walked to the empty space near the workshop – his designated training ground. His routine was set: a few laps to warm up, stretching interwoven with martial arts movements, then practicing Phantom Steps and the Four Kings Fist. But something felt off. Unless he went through at least 300 full cycles, his body barely even felt the strain anymore. “I probably need to get more intense martial arts training soon,” he thought to himself. Once his training was complete, he took a quick shower and descended into his underground lab.

There, he pulled out a few sheets of paper and began writing. One letter to his grandparents, another to Anise, and a third – encrypted – addressed to Carlan. Only the two of them knew the decryption key. In the letter, he explained his situation with the space pouches, detailing his ongoing experiments and the challenges he faced. He also asked Carlan to reach out to Silas from the Isayu Family – the same man Eshmund had helped recover a locket for in the past. With his letters sealed, he made his way to the market. The first stop was the escort service to send the letters, then he restocked supplies – food, materials for his nanobots, vegetable seeds, and some additional herbs for his rooftop garden. Of course, no trip to the market was complete without stopping by the pawn shop. The moment he stepped inside, a familiar cheerful voice called out. “Hei, hei, hei! My lucky star is here!” Eshmund turned to see the shopkeeper – round spectacles perched on her nose, her usual bright smile in place. She looked particularly cheerful today. “Hi, big sister. Business doing well?” Eshmund asked. She grinned. “I made quite a profit from those pearls you sold to me last time.” “Really? Congratulations! So, does that mean I get a discount today?” he teased. She laughed. “Hah! Haven’t you noticed? I’ve always been selling things to you at a discount.” Eshmund smirked. “Meh. You’re supposed to tell me how much of a discount before I buy. That way, I feel good about myself and keep coming back.” The girl chuckled. “So that’s how it works? Well, you keep coming back anyway, so I must be doing something right.” “Got any more treasure to sell?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “Nope. Haven’t been fishing lately – been too busy with life,” Esmund replied with a shrug. “I’m here to buy today.” She burst into laughter. “Busy man, huh? So, what are you looking for?” “Do you still have more Boric Ink? And I’d like to buy some Void Stones and Cold Umbra Glass – if you can give me a good price.” She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I do have some, but they’re all damaged. Not sure if they’re still usable. You know how it is – this is a pawn shop, not a treasure trove. Most of the time, we just get broken stuff. But you can take a look and see if anything’s salvageable.” “Sounds good.” Eshmund said

She disappeared into the back, and soon, the sound of crates being shuffled and items clattering filled the air. After a while, she emerged, strands of spiderweb tangled in her hair, dragging a massive wooden bucket across the floor. It was filled with jagged, black-glass-like shards. “This thing’s heavy as hell,” she huffed. “Probably around 60 kilos.” Eshmund stepped forward. “No worries, big sis. I’ll take it from here.” She gave him a skeptical look. “Are you sure? That’s a lot of weight.” “I practice martial arts. 60 kilos is nothing.” She still looked doubtful, but Esmund simply reached down, lifted the heavy bucket effortlessly with one hand, and carried it over to a stool in the corner. The girl blinked in shock. “Damn.” Eshmund grinned. “Told you.” He set the bucket down and sat on the stool. “Sage, help me sort these out.” “We can use practically everything for the nanobots,” Sage responded. “But I’ll highlight the ones best suited for space pouches and other projects.” Green overlays appeared in his vision, marking the usable pieces. “Alright,” Eshmund muttered, rolling up his sleeves and getting to work.
Esmund spent almost an hour sorting through all the broken Void Stones and Cold Umbra Glass, muttering to himself as he separated them into rough categories. “I’ve sorted them. This is the Totally Useless bunch, 26 kg of Void Stone fragments.” “This is the Probably Useless Too bunch – 13 kg of Void Stone fragments in total.” “Maybe Useful bunch, 9 kg of Void Stone fragments.” “I Don’t Know Yet bunch, 12 kg of Cold Umbra Glass fragments.” He laid them neatly in groups on the counter. The girl chuckled in amusement as she watched him. He dusted his hands off and looked up at the girl behind the counter. “So, how much are you gonna charge me for all this?” The girl eyed the piles with an unimpressed expression. “You actually have a use for this?” She picked up a piece, rolling it between her fingers. After a short pause, she sighed. “Honestly, it feels kinda wrong to even sell this stuff. You do know Void Stones need to be a certain size to be useful, right? We already checked these – at most, they can be used as catalysts in alchemy or material refining. But they’re dirt cheap. There’s just way too much of this junk lying around. It’s like Spirit Core Dust maybe worse. Nobody even asks for them.” Eshmund shrugged. “Well, I’d feel guilty if I just took them for free. Just give me a price, and I’ll take them off your hands.” “I’ve heard people say that Cold Umbra Glass can be melted, but it costs too much to be worth the effort. I’ve never heard of Void Stones being recycled.” The girl said. Eshmund picked up a shard, holding it up to the light. “They look pretty nice, though. Cut and polish them into diamond shapes, and they could work as decorative gems.” The girl chuckled. “Aren’t I supposed to be the one coaxing you into buying? Feels like our roles are reversed here.” “Just covering my bases,” Esmund said. “If I do end up making money off this stuff, I don’t want you coming after me saying I scammed you.” She finally laughed. “Alright, fine. Whatever. Take them for 1,000 points. Just promise me you’ll sell me more of those pearls later.” “Deal.” Eshmund nodded. The girl slid a small bottle across the counter. “Here, some more Boric Ink. What are you using so much ink for, anyway? You’ve bought a lot.” “Formation Master class,” Eshmund said, picking up the bottle. “I’m training my scribing skills. I’m pretty good, but still not satisfied.” The girl squinted her eyes at him playfully. “You’re not doing something illegal, right?” Eshmund rolled his eyes. “What illegal thing could I even do with ink?” She smirked. “You tell me.” “That’ll be 1,700 points, right?” Esmund handed over his token. “Yup.” She placed it into the payment array, and after a faint glow, the transaction was complete. Eshmund stored his items in his pouch and turned to leave. “Nice doing business with you.” “The pleasure’s mine,” the girl said, still grinning. “Come again.”
“That was smooth,” Sage remarked as they exited the shop, his voice carrying a note of satisfaction. “I think we made it big this time. Among the batch, there are even high-grade and top-grade Void Stones. They really are useless by normal standards.” Eshmund slowed down, gazing into the distance. He exhaled, then stopped to pick up a pebble from the ground. Twirling it between his fingers, he flicked it into the grass beside the cobblestone path before continuing to walk. “Yeah I can’t help but feel a little guilty about it, though. She had no idea what she was giving away. But we really can’t tell her the truth.” He clicked his tongue. “Let’s just give her a pearl later. That should make up for it, right?” “A pearl, huh? Generous.” Sage’s tone was amused. Eshmund ignored the sarcasm. “Anyway, I’ll be depending on you to cut and etch them into usable stones.” “Naturally.” Sage said and then suddenly shifted the topic. “By the way, I think we might have found the Kasan Tuber’s symbiotic partner.” Eshmund paused mid-step. “Wait – seriously? You mean the reason why the soil alternates between alkaline and acidic every three days?” “Exactly. And it turns out, you were right. It is a symbiotic relationship, but it’s neither an insect nor microbes, like we originally suspected” Eshmund’s anticipation grew. “Then what is it?” “Another plant.” Sage’s answer caught him off guard. “A plant?” “Yeah, a rather interesting one at that. It’s a poisonous plant called the Bitter Umbrella. It’s a vine species with red leaves and red stems. When it matures, it produces a purple flower that looks like an upside-down umbrella – hence the name.” Eshmund frowned, running the name through his memory. “That sounds familiar” “It should. It’s a pretty common magical spirit herb used in alchemy. We even have a patch of them growing in our herb garden.” That caught his full attention. “Wait – so we’ve had the symbiote all this time and just never noticed?” “More or less,” Sage admitted. “The Bitter Umbrella has plenty of known uses, but it’s mostly famous as an ingredient in making Elemental Affinity Boosting Pills. Those pills help cultivators absorb elemental energy more efficiently and can even enhance elemental magic power.” Eshmund crossed his arms. “So how do they work together? What’s the mechanism?”

Sage pulled up some data. “We observed the plant closely and found that during the three-day budding phase – when its flower is preparing to bloom – the soil around it becomes alkaline. Then, when the flower fully blooms, the plant releases chemicals into the soil, turning it acidic. This cycle continues until the flower withers, which also takes three days.” Eshmund nodded slowly. “That lines up with the soil changes we observed. But if they weren’t planted together in our garden, how did you confirm their interaction?” “Luck.” That answer made Esmund arch an eyebrow. “We happened to find a Kasan Tuber and a Bitter Umbrella growing together in the wild inside the sect,” Sage explained. “The spy bots have been monitoring them for two days now.” Eshmund’s eyes widened. “In the wild? Inside the sect? Where exactly?” “Not far at all. It’s behind the shrub near the Alchemist Hall.” Eshmund blinked. “That’s not in the wild’ – that’s practically our backyard!” “I don’t think anyone planted them there, though. That’s why I called them wild.'” Eshmund shook his head. “Well, that’s not wrong either. Let’s go check it out.” “Sure. I’ve uploaded the location to your map.” Following Sage’s directions, Esmund arrived at the spot in no time. The scene before him was exactly as described. He spotted the Bitter Umbrella vine curling around a nearby bush, its leaves swaying slightly in the breeze. A budding purple flower sat at its center, not yet in full bloom. And right beside it, unmistakable with its silver-veined leaves, was the Kasan Tuber. He crouched down, running his fingers lightly over the soil. “So, the soil is alkaline right now?” “Correct. In approximately 64 hours, 14 minutes, and 43 seconds, the flower will bloom, and the soil will become acidic.” Eshmund hummed in thought. “Does the Bitter Umbrella continuously produce flowers?” “Yes, for 90 days straight. After that, the plant sheds all its leaves and dies.” His head snapped up. “It dies?” “Normally, yes. That’s what happens when it’s growing alone. The vines wither, but the roots don’t completely die off – they just go dormant until conditions are favorable for new growth.” Eshmund narrowed his eyes. “But you’re saying it’s different when the Bitter Umbrella grows alongside the Kasan Tuber?” “Correct. In that case, it doesn’t just rely on regrowing from its root – it actually produces seeds. A single Bitter Umbrella plant can produce around 15 seeds within those 90 days.” Eshmund absorbed that information, his fingers idly tracing the Kasan Tuber’s silver veins. “Fifteen seeds, huh. But I’ve never heard of Bitter Umbrella having seeds before.” “That’s because it doesn’t release them like a normal plant. Instead, it embeds them into the Kasan Tuber, its symbiote.” Eshmund’s breath hitched. “What?” Sage continued. “The Bitter Umbrella’s roots send its seeds directly into the Kasan Tuber’s silver spots. Not all of the silver spot, but a Kasan Tuber could have 15 of those spots contain Bitter Umbrella seed.” Realization dawned. “That explains it The silver spots are the most valuable part of the Kasan Tuber, so they’re always harvested and processed. That means cultivators have been unknowingly destroying the Bitter Umbrella seeds all this time.” “Exactly. In return for this hidden relationship, the Kasan Tuber benefits from the alternating soil states, which are crucial for its tuber growth.” Sage pulled up a projection of the cycle. “The tuber can remain dormant for extended periods, waiting for the right conditions to germinate. Meanwhile, it nourishes the Bitter Umbrella seeds hidden inside. When those Bitter Umbrella seeds eventually sprout, their root system suppresses other plant growth in the area, ensuring that the Bitter Umbrella and the Kasan Tuber can grow undisturbed. However, the Kasan Tuber itself is a bit fragile – so often, it dies off, leaving only the Bitter Umbrella behind.” Eshmund rubbed his chin. “We’ll need more time to properly document this and confirm the full interaction.”His mind was already spinning with possibilities. “We need to protect this spot and bring Elder Qiyang in on this.” Sage hesitated. “Are you sure? I thought we were planning to make money off this first.” Eshmund smirked. “We are, but the plan’s shifted a little now that we can make space pouches. This discovery could give us and the sect a major advantage. If we use it right, it’ll be far more beneficial than just growing them and selling them.” “Got it. I’ll leave the scheming to you.” Eshmund scoffed. “You make it sound like I’m some kind of villain. This isn’t scheming – it’s called strategic skill-selling.” Sage chuckled. “Right. Says the guy who just made millions by sweet-talking an innocent girl.” Eshmund rolled his eyes. “Hey – that was a completely different situation.” “Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that.” Eshmund groaned. He could already tell Sage wasn’t going to let him live that one down.
Since they were near the Alchemist Hall, Eshmund decided to report this to the elder. The guards at the entrance recognized him instantly – he was the guy who occasionally supplied herbs from the garden. After a quick glance at his token, they let him through without much fuss. Inside, Elder Qiyang was seated at the edge of the hall, sifting through a stack of scrolls while keeping an eye on a group of alchemists sorting materials. “Greetings, Elder.” Eshmund cupped his hands and gave a slight bow. “Ah, Eshmund. Delivering another batch of herbs?” Elder Qiyang asked without looking up. “Not today, Elder. I have a couple of things to report – and I also need your help.” “Oh?” The elder finally glanced at him. “You sound serious. What’s the trouble?” “It’s nothing urgent,” Eshmund reassured him. “I came here for two things. First, about my martial arts training. Since my teacher isn’t around, I need some guidance.” Elder Qiyang raised a brow. “Go on.” “I don’t think my current training is helping anymore. I can barely feel any progress, and I don’t even get tired from it,” Eshmund explained. “Hm? Really?” The elder was surprised. He knew Eshmund was practicing Phantom Steps and the Four Kings’ Fist – both solid techniques. Standing up, he motioned for Esmund to follow. “Let’s see it for ourselves.” They made their way to an inner hall – spacious and empty. The air inside was noticeably warmer. “You seem curious,” Elder Qiyang remarked. “This is actually a refining hall, but it’s not in use right now. We just finished cleaning it this morning. Once we have enough materials, we’ll fire it up again.” Eshmund nodded. That made sense. The Alchemist Hall produced pills and potions in batches, refining materials in bulk. During downtime, they’d naturally clean and prepare the hall for the next round. The warmth in the room likely came from the Earth Fire sealed beneath the floor, waiting to be tapped. “You’ve been training in Phantom Steps and Four Kings’ Fist, right? Attack me. Let’s see where you stand,” the elder instructed. Eshmund circulated the energy within his body, channeling it into his legs and fists as per Muhsan’s teachings. A dim blue-orange glow flickered around him as he moved. He launched a punch. The elder blocked it effortlessly with his palm. “Again,” he said.

Eshmund complied, his movements growing sharper. He mixed in back-kicks from Phantom Steps, his attacks relentless. Yet, no matter how fast he struck, Elder Qiyang stopped every blow with ease, barely moving. “Don’t hold back,” the elder urged. Eshmund gathered more energy, his speed increasing. Still, every strike was blocked as if it were nothing. He pushed himself harder, maintaining a steady assault. Only after nearly three thousand energy-infused punches and kicks did he finally start to feel the strain. The elder exhaled in amazement. “In just two months, you’ve reached the expert stage? That’s incredible. You just broke the sect’s record.” Eshmund blinked in surprise. “The last person to achieve that was your teacher, Muhsan,” Elder Qiyang continued. “He did it in five months – but he’s a cultivator. You’re not.” He shook his head in disbelief. “The two of you aren’t even comparable.” Eshmund was still catching his breath when the elder added, “Your stamina is astonishing, and the amount of elemental energy you can cycle through your body is absurd. It’s comparable to a sixth-level Qi Condensation cultivator.” The elder narrowed his eyes. “Can you use any magic?” “I’ve learned basic spells for all five elements – fireball, wind arrow, ice shield, earth wall, water bullet that kind of thing,” Eshmund replied. The elder stared at him. “You learned those on your own?” “Not really. I read about them in books, but I also attended classes to see them in action.” Elder Qiyang stroked his long beard, deep in thought. He vaguely recalled that Muhsan had arranged a special token for Eshmund. “Show me your hand.” Eshmund extended his arm, and the elder pressed two fingers against his wrist, sending a stream of energy through him. His spiritual sense enveloped Esmund’s body, carefully probing. A heavy silence followed. “What a shame,” the elder muttered at last. “You really can’t cultivate.” Eshmund’s gaze sharpened. “I thought I might have made a mistake before, so I checked again. But no – you’re completely cut off from the path of cultivation. A real shame. Does anyone else know about this?” “No,” Eshmund admitted. “Even Teacher Muhsan never saw me using spells. He only ever said I was talented in martial arts.” The elder let out a dry chuckle. “Talented? That’s an understatement. This isn’t normal – it’s almost supernatural.” His expression grew serious. “Apart from your teacher and me, promise me you won’t display this too openly. Some people would go to extreme lengths to figure out what’s inside you.” With that, Elder Qiyang took out a talisman, channeling energy into it. A faint blue glow spread across its surface. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead – it was clearly a high-consumption item. “This is a cultivation-concealing talisman,” he explained. “It’s meant for cultivators, so I can’t guarantee it’ll work perfectly for you. But at the very least, it should mask the unnatural amount of energy stored in your body.” Eshmund gave a deep bow. “Thank you, Elder.” The talisman floated toward him, stopping in front of his forehead before vanishing into his skin. A golden light briefly enveloped his whole body before light fades. The elder checked his pulse again and nodded. “That should do something.” He then pulled another item from his pouch and sent it floating toward Eshmund. “This is a technique called Forge Demon Body Refining Art. It’s the best one I can give you.” “Demon?” Eshmund frowned as he caught the book. Elder Qiyang let out a laugh. “Don’t worry about that. The creator probably just thought the name sounded strong. There’s nothing demonic about this technique at all” Eshmund still looked skeptical.

“If you’ve heard of the Qilin God Blessing Technique – a blacksmith’s breathing and training method – it’s basically a simplified version of this one. That technique helps blacksmiths withstand heat and enhances their strength. They even changed the name to make it sound more acceptable,” the elder added, chuckling. Eshmund relaxed. He still remembered those records of demonic cultivators from the old scientist’s archives – those people had destroyed Earth. They didn’t seem like the type to name things just because it sounded cool. “Thank you, Elder,” he said sincerely. The elder waved a hand dismissively. “Look through it and give it a try. It’s a safe technique, and training with Earth Energy should help you progress.” Then he glanced at Esmund expectantly. “Now – what’s the second thing you needed help with?” Eshmund straightened. “It’s about the Silver-Spotted Kasan Tuber.” The elder’s eyes flickered with interest.