In the universe, countless unique Fields existed that Adrian had never seen back in the Milky Way.
One of the more intriguing ones Adrian had learned about was the Relic Prospecting Field.
The universe was vast beyond imagination, and its history had been written in blood. Every era saw sects rise and fall. Minor sects were erased over the course of centuries. Major sects collapsed over millennia. Even Great Sects, believed to be eternal, occasionally vanished, leaving behind scattered rumors and half-forgotten legends.
But where power once stood, remnants always remained. Ancient sect grounds buried beneath layers of time, collapsed secret realms drifting through unstable voids, abandoned inheritances sealed in desperation, half-finished divine formations frozen mid-creation, these relics were scattered everywhere throughout the universe.
Most cultivators lacked the time, strength, or patience to search for such places.
That was where Relic Prospectors came in.
Rather than exploiting these sites themselves, organizations within this Field specialized in discovering, verifying, and securing them. Once a relic site was confirmed, it would be isolated within a sealed spatial domain, and its coordinates would be erased from public records.
Access to these sites was then monetized.
Keys, spatial gateways, or other methods of controlled entry were sold through auctions, private exchanges, or directly to sects and powerful individuals. What lay beyond the seal varied wildly. Some locations held priceless inheritances or rare resources. Others contained lethal traps or certain death. Once purchased, everything beyond the seal became the buyer's responsibility.
For Relic Prospectors, profit lay not in cultivation, but in information and control. They sold opportunity.
Of course, this Field walked a razor-thin line. Finding such locations was already difficult enough, but if the sect operating in this Field lacked strength, the moment a relic key was announced for auction, the prospectors themselves would become targets.
Over time, the sects in this field had developed methods to mitigate these conflicts. Rather than selling a single key, prospectors would often sell multiple keys to the same relic site. This ensured that even if several sects desired access, they could all obtain it, shifting the conflict away from the prospectors and toward the buyers themselves.
When Adrian read about this, he understood that in the universe, even the past had become a commodity. So now, the moment Lyra mentioned a relic key, he understood everything.
"This key unlocks a relic containing the materials you need," Adrian said, confirming his conclusion.
Lyra nodded. "Yes. The key was sold as access to a ruin left behind by an ancient minor sect that specialized in alchemy. The Nine-Vault Commerce Sect, which sold this key, said they had discovered it buried within a star system. According to their analysis, even though that ancient sect was just a minor sect, the ruin still contained an intact alchemy garden, with plants that had aged nearly one million years."
One million years.
Adrian's expression did not change, but his mind calculated the value instantly. A place like that could very well contain the materials required to heal a damaged Rule Core. Beyond that, even acquiring a fraction of those plants would make any minor sect unimaginably wealthy.
Lyra's fingers traced the edge of the purple token, "There were two keys announced, and we both sects bid for them. The Everlasting Pill Sect won the first key."
She paused briefly before continuing, "To win the second key, we paid everything we had. Every UNI-Coin. Every treasure. Every resource accumulated over millennia. We bankrupted ourselves for this chance."
"And even with one key already secured," Adrian said calmly, "they still decided to hunt you for the other."
"Yes." Lyra's voice hardened, her pale blue fingers tightening around the key. "The Everlasting Pill Sect couldn't allow us to reach the ruin. If we both entered, they knew conflicts would arise and could end up in a situation where they would have to split whatever resources existed inside."
"They wanted it all," Lyra continued, "so after the auction, they tracked us and intercepted our group. I wasn't alone. Several carefully selected disciples and I were led to this mission by a sect elder. Still, it became impossible for everyone to escape, so the others chose to hold them back while I fled with the key."
Her gaze lowered slightly, "Varkas was the only one free to pursue me. I thought I could lose him in the crowds of the UNI-Hub, but he found me and activated a sealed-space formation."
Adrian studied her expression closely. Exhaustion was etched into her features, yet beneath it lay something unyielding. She had run for nine days, drained her willforce to the brink of collapse, and still refused to surrender.
"How many disciples does your sect have left?" he asked.
The question caught her off guard. Her eyes flicked toward him, confusion briefly replacing exhaustion.
"Less than one hundred thousand, including me."
That number was shockingly low. Minor sects usually possessed millions of disciples. Such low numbers meant the war had carved deep wounds into the Crimson Vital Sect's foundation.
"And the Everlasting Pill Sect?"
"They still have at least half a million disciples."
The disparity was overwhelming. Both sects were now betting everything on their leaders, knowing that whoever recovered first would dominate the outcome.
"What will you do now?" Adrian asked.
She took a slow breath. "I will return to my sect and arrange a team to explore the ruin. We have no other choice. Without those plants, our sect leader could die at any moment."
Adrian leaned forward, "What if I told you there was another option?"
Lyra's eyes widened slightly, "Senior, I cannot ask—"
"You're not asking," Adrian interrupted, "I'm offering."
He gestured toward the key, "Your sect needs those plants, but you also need protection. The moment you enter that ruin, the Everlasting Pill Sect will attack with everything they have."
"I know," Lyra said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "But we have no alternative."
"You do now."
Adrian rose from his seat and walked toward the viewport overlooking the UNI-Hub. Millions of beings moved through the colossal structure below, unaware of the decision being forged above them.
"I came to Andromeda looking for a sect," Adrian said, his back still turned. "Your sect pursues transcendence through alchemy, and more importantly, it has people like you. That interests me."
He turned back to face her, his eyes meeting hers, "Let me and my people join the Crimson Vital Sect. In return, I will ensure the Everlasting Pill Sect never threatens you again."
Lyra stared at him in disbelief, her mouth parting slightly before she caught herself. Usually, every sect had its own requirements and entrance exams. With her status as an inner disciple, allowing outsiders to join wasn't impossible, but the being standing before her was no ordinary cultivator. He even promised he would ensure the Everlasting Pill Sect would never threaten them again. And hearing such a promise, Lyra could not help but take it seriously.
Anyone capable of killing Varkas so effortlessly couldn't have risen without an extraordinary background. Such a being asking to join here lesser minor sect, was what truly shocked her.
She spoke carefully, "Senior, I don't understand. You are already so strong. Even if you are seeking a place for the mortals I saw earlier, you could easily join an upper minor sect, or even negotiate with a major sect. Why choose my sect, one already standing on the brink of destruction? This decision could drag you and your people into a war we might not survive."
Adrian gave a faint smile, though it held no arrogance. He had once rejected the Void Sect because he didn't want to cultivate alone. And now selecting this Crimson Vital Sect seemed dangerous precisely because they were already in danger.
Adrian knew this and still wanted to join. Why? Because what he sought was not power alone, but trust, connection, and a place built on something more than ambition.
When he had checked the forums during his research, he had noticed patterns. Even within sects, politics festered. Disciples backstabbed their own for resources. Elders hoarded knowledge. Factions warred internally whilst enemies circled outside.
Enemies and danger from outside were one thing, but having the same poison within one's own home was something Adrian detested. Of course, he didn't know with absolute certainty that these things didn't exist within the Crimson Vital Sect, but according to the research his people did, the compiled lists of potential sects had the Crimson Vital Sect as the first one.
More importantly, this research was done when Lyra was unconscious, when they had no idea of which sect she was from. And now, seeing Lyra and hearing about the entire situation from her, this felt like the best choice.
And danger did not frighten him. Survival in the universe was inseparable from danger. Every sect had its own conflicts and enemies. He chose this sect because of its better reputation, and this situation would also boost him and his people from the peaceful enclosure they had till now. If he intended to one day stand against the Great Sects, then what was the risk of a lesser minor sect war?
"I'm not looking for a powerful sect," Adrian said evenly, "I'm looking for one with a good environment for my people."
He extended his hand toward her, palm open, "So I'll ask again. Will you let us join?"
Lyra stared at his outstretched hand for a long moment. She slowly understood what was happening. This man didn't pursue power for its own sake. He valued trust, bonds, and the safety of those under his care. It reminded her of her own sect leader.
Finally, she stood, her legs trembling slightly from lingering exhaustion. She bowed deeply, pressing her fist to her palm in formal respect.
"The Crimson Vital Sect would be honored, Senior."
Adrian's expression softened, just barely. "Then we have an accord."