Temple of the Heavens 2

In a place where time and existence have no control over –

The Heavens was currently holding back Chaos, and Fate from quite literally obliterating everything, even if they were older than everything else in existence they still fought like children. However, the Heavens could not blame Chaos, as Fate had truly gone too far this time. It had influenced affairs within its own temple, even within its own domain. If the Heavens intervened it would have received a backlash for going against its own Dao, so it could only helplessly look on as Fates blatant interference continued.

Fate however, looked rather smug as it had arranged, at the last moment, for the jade slip of the spirit root to appear last. With the combination of both Gu Erin's unlocked bloodline and physique, the circulation of his spirit root would cause a major backlash.

However, just as Fate was about to triumphantly gloat over Chaos, the three primordial existences watched Gu Erin go to the cultivation counter. Within the cosmic energy Fate shuddered in absolute fury and frustration as it knew what was coming next.

Sure enough, the Heavens broke protocol to restore balance. In fact, Fate watched as the Heavens purposely put a discount on the first chapter of the optimal technique for Gu Erin. Fate nearly roared as it watched him sit down and start to cultivate, his body already starting to slowly heal.

Chaos's smirk could be heard in his voice as it boomed in the chaotic cosmic energy. "Go Back to scheming little bitch, this martial uncle can't wait for your next failure." Chaos then burst into laughter as Fate stormed away like an angry tempest.

Meanwhile the Heavens was looking at Gu Erin, it had tried to remain neutral, yet it had ever so slightly tipped the scales in the mortals favor by recommending him a cultivation technique. As a cultivator who has a high affinity with chaos it meant that he could cultivate nearly any technique and be somewhat successful. As such the Heavens would have had to list all of them out until Gu Erin chose one. Once one chose a technique, they would be stuck with that technique, as switching caused one to injure their pathways. A minor setback, but one that would greatly affect the mortal in his path.

This process could have taken hours, but by skipping this Gu Erin could survive, however, the Heavens wasn't going to let the balance remain in his favor, it would let Fate rebalance the scales this time. The Heavens must always maintain its fair disposition in this world where power rules.

***

Gu Erin who had just received his cultivation technique was still trying to cope with his now searing mind. If Gu Erin could imagine what it was like to have your brain beaten with a meat tenderizer, he would imagine it felt similar to this. But, despite this Gu Erin still sat down to cultivate.

Although one could cultivate anywhere they had to be wary of those around them, there was a reason why cultivators went into seclusion. If one were to be disturbed and stop mid-circulation the resulting backlash could be deadly. To say that cultivators were always living on the edge of life and death would be correct. In the best of cases, one would simply fall into cultivation deviation.

Gu Erin circulated the technique within his pathways and spiritual root before guiding the mass of energy to his dantian to be refined and contained. With a single circulation Gu Erin could feel his small dantian being stretched to the limit. Gu Erin felt the abundance of energy now contained within his body and let it fuel his healing. Although this was a far more direct and crude way to heal one's self, not to mention wasteful in the eyes of average cultivators. To Gu Erin who now could cultivate maybe a hundred times faster than any other cultivator it wasn't wasteful at all.

Once Gu Erin stabilized his cultivation and let his body relax, he looked back up to the green robed figure called 'Swindler' in his past life. Mortals from Earth who weren't knowledgeable in cultivation or martial techniques would more often than not buy incompatible techniques and cause either a backlash, or in some severe cases death.

Gu Erin was about to ask why he had been given a recommendation but chose against it. He might regret it, or rather he was sure he would be paying for this favor tenfold.

Standing firmly in front of Swindler, he asked the question that was starting to gnaw at his mind, "How much does the second chapter of the Cosmic Returning Origin cultivation technique cost?" Gu Erin asked hesitantly.

What he heard next made him want to cry but he had no tears. "The second chapter of the Cosmic Returning Origin cultivation technique costs five thousand low grade spirit stones. The third chapter requires fifty thousand low grade spirit stones or fifty medium grade spirit stones."

With a heart full of anger Gu Erin asked the next pressing question. "May I receive the Universal Heart Sutra?"

"Yes" Swindler responded, and with a wave of his hand another jade slip appeared on the table.

This was the most important boon within Heaven's Mercy, it was one of the reasons why newly introduced mortals from Heaven's Mercy were either enslaved or destroyed. The Universal Heart Sutra.

It was a gradeless technique that could be learned for free within the Temple of the heavens within Heaven's Mercy. The Universal Heart Sutra would allow one's mind to be focused and unnaturally clear. It was a commonly known fact, that any technique learned within Heaven's Mercy could not be taught or transferred to anyone else.

It was a quirk of the jade slips created by the Heavens, if you tried to teach anyone else about the technique your words would simply not make any sense. As your portrayed like a madman who was speaking gibberish.

The reason why this technique was so sought after and feared was that it allowed one to apply this focus and calm to any facet of life. Martial arts could be learned three times faster as you can focus on each muscle of your body and on the knowledge you are referencing.

Or likewise if one was under immense pressure in battle they could use the Universal Heart Sutra to calm one's mind and think clearly without sacrificing your speed of thought. Such effects were highly desirable. Some alchemists, desperate enough to even seek part of this near enlightenment like state, produced pills and elixirs that brought similar effects, but had high amounts of impurities.

Gu Erin learned this technique, and it flowed into his mind like the last puzzle piece, making him sigh out in contentment. Gu Erin pushed down the great urge to start the first stages of the Blood Transforming Realm. Within this realm one had to refine his body, most cultivators were fooled and satisfied with the bare minimum of just refining their blood for each stage. But, Gu Erin found out with some misfortune, that one could refine far more than just their blood.

Blood, muscle, tendons, ligaments, bones, organs, and even your nerves, furthermore, he found out that one could refine them more than just the believed ten times, once for each stage. One famous cultivator spread his findings that he could hold back his breakthrough and continued to refine his body. For each additional refinement one could nearly double the average strength within the next realm.

Gu Erin's eyes glinted; he wondered how many times he could refine each part of his body? Until then however, Gu Erin made his way to the final figure standing behind its desk.

Wearing a light purple worn robe the figure like all the others did not even acknowledge his approach. This figure was only called 'Token.' Which made Gu Erin feel bad, as he was far more useful than just receiving one's jade token. You could buy another's jade token information from him as well. So, put simply, if you wanted to find your family it would be through him. But, in the beginning the fee was far more expensive than any single individual could bare.

"I would like my Jade Token.' Gu Erin asked simply, and almost unceremoniously a jade token appeared on the counter.

As soon as Gu Erin touched the jade token it disappeared, with Gu Erin's mind's eye he found the Jade token within his divine soul. Most if not all, would not be able to do this as their divine soul would be in its infancy. But, Gu Erin saw that the jade token that once looked like any other green jade had lit up like a small galaxy and took the form of a seven-point star.

Gu Erin again was confused, in his past life his jade token took the form of an ice jade sword, but now? What kind of jade was this?

Gu Erin was about to investigate his jade token further, but thought better of it. He was still on a timer. He needed to see If any of his people gathered outside so he could start walking them through the process of getting their rightful boons. With this knowledge, their groups should be able to make good progress, because the first event wasn't the only threat waiting for them.

After all, all humans were given this opportunity, that included the worst of Earth's population. By the time the first event occurred, there should already be ten or more factions in Haymire, Gu Erin knew that one or more of these would be a collection of troublesome individuals.