Adrian stood up and stretched slightly before raising his hand and summoning a portal leading directly to the UNI-Hub within the Andromeda Galaxy.
With the teleportation spell he now possessed, traveling to any set of spatial coordinates had become incredibly easy, as long as the destination was not blocked by spatial interference or defensive formations from the other side, and Adrian had already visited those locations for him to know the proper spatial coordinates.
The energy consumption of the spell was also surprisingly manageable. Mana expenditure depended entirely on the distance traveled, and Adrian had already verified that even traveling to the distant galaxy containing the relic consumed only a few hundred mana units for one person. Compared to the enormous reserves most Rule Stage cultivators possessed, such a cost was almost negligible. That meant traveling anywhere within the Andromeda Galaxy would practically cost him nothing.
Adrian looked at the portal for a moment without stepping through. For a brief instant, his thoughts drifted toward the Milky Way Galaxy.
Now that he possessed reliable spatial teleportation, returning there would actually be easier than reaching the distant relic galaxy. The Milky Way was located extremely close to Andromeda in the universe, meaning the spell could easily reach it.
When Lysandra had been discussing potential plans for establishing a private workshop, they had only talked about the relic galaxy. In a way, the Milky Way galaxy was a familiar territory they could use for the private workshop, yet in the end, they had rejected that idea.
The reason was simple: the Void Sect.
It was a great sect, and after witnessing the scale of power within the universe, Adrian and Lysandra understood what that truly meant. A great sect was not merely stronger than minor sects; it was an organization capable of influencing the entire universe.
Until now, Adrian had attempted to gather information about the Void Sect through the forums and other networks within the UNI system, but he had discovered almost nothing. The sect's information was either heavily restricted or completely absent. In the end, Adrian realized that he knew almost nothing about the Void Sect, and in truth, they did not even fully understand the deeper history of the Milky Way Galaxy itself beyond the relatively recent history.
If he returned there now and established a private workshop, he would be operating directly under the surveillance of the Void Sect. Every action he took could potentially be observed. Adrian and Lysandra had both reached the same conclusion: entering that sphere of influence prematurely would be dangerous.
Neither Adrian nor Lysandra wished to operate under that level of surveillance. For now, their plan was simple: They would grow stronger.
Adrian's mind pulsed faintly, unconscious but steady. A promise carved into his very being.
One day, they would return to the Milky Way Galaxy, but not merely as visitors. They would return to take it back from the Void Sect.
Adrian pushed those thoughts aside and stepped into the portal. A moment later, he materialized within the UNI-Market district inside the UNI-Hub.
The surroundings looked exactly as they had during his previous visit. The enormous market remained crowded with travelers, stellars, wandering cultivators, and outer disciples representing countless sects scattered across the Andromeda Galaxy.
Adrian moved calmly through the flowing crowd. Along the wide pathways, he passed several familiar establishments: Lifeforce Rejuvenation Centers, UNI-OS distribution centers, and various trade centers where cultivators conducted transactions related to resources, relics, and information.
Adrian ignored it all.
He continued walking until he reached a wide plaza lined with specialized service centers. Among them stood a building marked with a dark metallic emblem: A blacksmith center.
Adrian walked toward it and entered. The entrance shimmered faintly as a thin golden barrier parted to allow him through.
The temperature dropped immediately once he crossed the threshold. Cooling formations lined the interior walls, maintaining a comfortable environment despite the forges operating within.
Inside, Adrian immediately saw rows of shelves lining the walls. Each shelf displayed numerous artifact bases crafted from different materials. Rings, amulets, weapons, and other equipment rested inside transparent containment fields. The craftsmanship was clearly professional, but the items themselves contained no inscriptions yet. They were purely prepared bases, ready for inscribers to engrave their own rune structures.
As Adrian observed the displays, an attendant appeared beside him. The figure was humanoid but bulky in build, possessing four arms that suggested a lifetime of smithing work. Two of the arms clasped together in greeting while the other two gestured politely toward the displays.
"Welcome, honored customer," the attendant said politely. "How may the Blackfire Smith Center serve you today?"
Adrian glanced across the shelves. To be honest, he had very little idea what he was looking for. He did not yet understand the differences between the materials displayed here, their strengths, limitations, or compatibility with different types of inscriptions. His first task would be simply identifying which materials might withstand the spell he intended to inscribe. And there was also the matter of cost.
At the moment, Adrian possessed roughly eight hundred thousand UNI-Coins. His original share from earlier had been one million, but he had already spent a portion of it purchasing the Ruin-Engraving Formation, the Boundless Mana Body Art, several batches of mana pills, and distributing coins among his companions.
The reason he still had eight hundred thousand remaining was largely because Lysandra had transferred some of her own funds to him. Even so, the amount was not unlimited.
He would need to be selective.
Adrian turned toward the attendant. "I want durable ring bases. Show me the different types your center has."
The attendant nodded immediately. Customers like Adrian were common, inscribers who preferred to inspect materials first before deciding which one suited their needs.
"Of course." He gestured with one of his lower arms. "This way, please."
He led Adrian toward a specific section of the hall. "Standard Durability-focused ring bases are displayed here," the attendant explained while gesturing toward the shelves. "Most inscribers begin with these when they are uncertain about the exact intensity of the inscription they intend to create."
Adrian walked slowly beside him, studying the items. Each ring base floated within a small transparent containment field. Above every display hovered a holographic label listing the material name, price, and typical inscription compatibility.
The first shelf displayed rings forged from Ironveil Alloy, a dull grey metal priced at fifteen thousand UNI-Coins per base. The label noted compatibility with low-level divine inscriptions and a degradation period of 10 years.
The next shelf held rings crafted from Starlight Jade, a pale green stone that shimmered faintly under the ambient light. Twenty thousand UNI-Coins each. The label claimed excellent compatibility with life, light, healing inscriptions, and a degradation period of 15 years.
Adrian studied both of the rings. Both were clearly labeled that, it could only hold low-level divine inscriptions. His WillForce recovery spell is actually a low-level divine spell and was from a low-tier divine concept, so technically, this ring made with Ironveil Alloy should work.
But every spell structure was different, and based on that, the amount of pressure applied against the material will also differ. All these factors combined could make even a low-level divine spell break the material.
If there were a material that had excellent compatibility with rules like feedback convergence, recursive reintegration, and accelerated coherence, things would become much easier for Adrian. But here, he couldn't see anything like that.
"Is there something specific you are looking for?" the attendant asked, watching Adrian's careful inspection.
"Do you have something that can withstand repeated use of high-level divine spells?" Adrian said without looking away from the displays. "Preferably something that will not degrade over time."
"Then you will want to examine the premium materials," the attendant said, gesturing toward the far end of the hall. "Follow me."
Since none of the standard materials were compatible with the rules he needed, he could only consider premium materials. These standard material like Ironveil alloy, also had an extremely short degradation period, which Adrian didn't like.