Chapter 1,371 – Longanimity

“What are you thinking about?”

Zac looked up and saw that Ogras had returned. Zac and Tavza had been waiting by the gates while the demon made a quick sweep of the outpost in search of hidden information and other opportunities. Tavza busied herself with studying the compasses and the seeds of the [Ketumati Lotus], while Zac was lost in thought.

“I was thinking about the Templar’s parting words,” Zac said after the demon had erected a shroud of insulating shadows. “Saying that the journey was as important as the destination didn’t seem like a general suggestion. Meanwhile, the differences between the Outer Courts are becoming more apparent the further we progress.”

Ogras nodded in agreement. “So I noticed. Do we need to change our plans?”

“I think the availability of merit inside the Hollow Court is lower than in the Mercurial Court. We might not have enough points to achieve our goals when we arrive if we rush headlong through the layers,” Zac mused. “If so, performing well here is more important than the challenges.”

If his suspicions were correct, his two bodies had reached the same stage of the trial. His Draugr side was sending updates on his exploration of Citadel, and he was currently heading toward the Peregrine Isles to farm Potentiality. It was very similar to their current task. Out of curiosity, Zac infused some mental energy into the compass given by General Vatnus. No prompt listing merit appeared.

Like a proper compass, it simply pointed in a certain direction. Zac shook his head and stowed it again. “The priest should have noticed we were in a hurry to catch up, seeing how the trial started a few months ago.”

“It wasn’t the only hint,” Tavza said as she stepped through the wall of shadows.

“Come right in, won’t you?” Ogras muttered under his breath.

Tavza treated Ogras’s comment as air, continuing unabated. “Our farming task above ground and the need for ‘longanimity’ to be awarded a nucleus from the Temple of Fertile Earth tested our patience. They’re urging the Sealbearers not to rush blindly to the Hollow Court. They’re not opening their gates out of generosity. They need our accumulated Fate to reinforce the bond between the Lower Planes and the Left Imperial Expanse. Only by furthering the cause will we be rewarded.”

“I think you’re right. It doesn’t change the overarching plan; we’ll just have to put a little bit more effort into completing these tasks,” Zac said. Seeing no point in asking Tavza to leave, he continued the subject. If he and Ogras had something to discuss in private, they could always do so telepathically. “How about things on your end?”

“Nothing worth mentioning. There are three factions who are licensed to trade through this realmgate. They generally stay one or two days before setting off toward Kabaton together. Safety in numbers, and all that. Between those visits, the outpost may as well be in hibernation. Us Sealbearers visiting is the most excitement the soldiers stationed here have seen in years,” Ogras said.

“Did you figure out—”

“One hundred fifty-three have passed through this outpost already, and there’s at least one more. It’s impossible to say how many of them are our kind,” Ogras said. “The journey to Kabaton should take a week, but who knows if that holds now.”

“And the bazaar?”

“There’s no point in waiting for it to reopen. It’s just a bunch of requests from the soldiers stationed here right now. The merchants bring it while passing through and sell the items at a terrifying markup. We have a better hope of finding good stuff in Kabaton, provided it’s like this place.”

“What about that big building?”

“Not sure. Not even the locals seem to know. Only a handful have access, and Sealbearers are not among them.”

“It’s a tuner,” Tavza said, gazing at the pillar of life. “It harmonizes Poised Meadow’s Dao of Life with the Left Imperial Expanse’s broader Heaven. I believe this outpost is both part of the continent and the Lower Planes. They are being merged through Faith and Destiny.”

The theory aligned with Zac’s suspicions, seeing as Poised Meadow’s aura was naturally woven together with the camp’s Imperial Faith. Whether the outpost and Kabaton’s main purpose or the task given by General Vatnus, they were the same as what Joyful Gardens were doing with their Garden Spirits.

“There’s no point in us sticking around, then,” Zac grunted as he got to his feet. “Let’s get going.”

The trio once more displayed their credentials to pass through the outer gates. An obscuring mist stretched all the way to the domain’s edge, stopping them from observing the beyond. A few tests confirmed there was a stable environment on the other side, at which point Zac stepped through to check things out. The mists parted, and Zac finally got a proper look at Poised Meadows.

It would have been reasonable to expect a huge forest waiting outside. In reality, Poised Meadow more resembled the Calamity of the Perennial Vastness, with a smattering of small worlds floating about like an endless asteroid field. Then again, the chaos of the enormous storm was completely absent, replaced with an absolute tranquility Zac hadn’t expected from a Life-attuned realm.

There were hundreds of floating islands in view, not two of them alike. Some were no larger than a football field, while others were the size of his island back home. The only thing unifying them was their powerful lifeforce. The islands were alive, and not in a vague, abstract sense. A few islands reminded Zac of Mossy, a large mass of plant matter. Other lifeforms took on shapes from the natural world. There were mountains, floating fields, even rivers and storm formations.

Just as many were born from manmade objects. There were more than a dozen floating buildings within view, all of them exhibiting a powerful spark of life. There were also sculptures and large objects Zac couldn’t identify. Zac guessed they were things left from the Limitless Empire that had long since gained sapience thanks to Poised Meadows’ unique atmosphere.

An almost faded aura of ancient resentment indicated that not all the structures were relics left by the Limitless Empire. The massive war that swept across the Left Imperial Expanse in its final days had reached Poised Meadows, so some of the islands could be made from items left by the invaders.

The memory domain was fastened to a large seashell, with the closest island being a large temple that Zac actually recognized. While some incomprehensible changes had been made, it was the church of the Order of Fertile Earth they’d just visited—the real one, and not part of a memory. Apart from Tam Brooks’ grave and Mercurial Court’s ruins, it was the first proper relic connected to the memories.

Seeing it indicated that this section of Poised Meadows had been hidden from the Heavens. Otherwise, the temple would have been tainted by the Empire’s sin and suffered the same misfortune.

Staying hidden in the Lower Planes came at a cost. The temple was now a living entity like the rest of the islands, and it had noticed Zac’s appearance. He felt himself being observed through a powerful perception. It only reached the depths of a Late D-grade cultivator, but like Mossy, it had a scope exceeding the limits of its grade.

The temple wasn’t the only local to notice Zac’s arrival, perhaps because he had to rotate his Daos to shield himself from the environment. The outpost’s protective aura had kept Poised Meadow’s influence suppressed, and it was now trying to awaken life in both Zac and his belongings.

Dozens of locals inspected the unfamiliar presence in their midst. Zac wasn’t sure how to react, so he simply bowed in greeting.

“Hello, I’m just passing through the area.”

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Like their scattered appearance, the locals all had their own thoughts about a foreigner appearing among them. A few islands trembled and began adding more distance, though silently and careful not to encroach on a neighbor’s domain. Others wanted to draw closer, either out of curiosity or spite. Most didn’t react at all, perhaps unable to hear him or process the message. They were content staying within their own bubble, absorbing the generous Life-attuned energies.

None of the odd lifeforms actually came over. Zac had a feeling that the memory domain had a deterring effect. It created a safe zone that allowed Zac to inspect the environment for threats. After minutes of waiting and fully releasing his aura a few times, Zac confirmed the most important point: his presence didn’t draw the Realmlord’s attention, nor the attention of any high-grade locals. Only at that point did he signal his companions to enter.

“The compass still works,” Ogras commented while looking around with interest. “It feels like an aired-out cellar.”