After two more weeks of work, Anton was ready to check his contribution points. The bow he had borrowed from the armory had been taken away when he was arrested. He hoped it hadn’t been purchased… and that he was still allowed to make such purchases. Then again, there hadn’t been any talk of ongoing punishments. If it wasn’t necessary for proper training, Anton might have put off getting a weapon just to make the elders feel more assured. Then again, as long as he had it for a time and didn’t mishandle it, they could also be assured he wouldn’t do anything worrying. It wasn’t that Anton wouldn’t be willing to redo what he did, but if a similar situation came up… he would be less likely to attempt a lethal shot. Attempting to kill fellow disciples was rightfully frowned upon. And he likely didn’t need to do anything, since an Elder had been watching. He just hadn’t thought they would arrive so quickly.

The walk to the central area was still the same length, but Anton arrived more quickly. He could see how they actually functioned with sections so spread out. Most people just… moved quickly. Anton found his way to the rewards hall.

“Elder Lois,” Anton inclined his head. “I would like to check my contribution points.” He’d worked extra hours the last two weeks just to make sure he would have enough. Assuming he got similar rates to what he had before, at least.

“Of course. You are…” she took a moment to find his name, “Anton Krantz, correct?” she held out her hand.

“Oh! My token.” Anton’s identity token was with him at all times, but he rarely thought about it. Especially during his two weeks in a cell. He also had little use for it while farming.

Elder Lois smiled, activating the token with her energy and making it glow. Since she recognized him it probably wasn’t necessary, but she followed the protocol regardless. She handed him his paper with the number. That too radiated energy. It would likely be hard to fake… and Anton had no interest in that. “Elder Evan mentioned awaiting your return some time ago.”

“Let us hope I was not too slow,” Anton shook his head. “I… was indisposed for two weeks.” Elder Lois just smiled in response as Anton made his way towards the armory.

‘626’, the paper read. He probably hadn’t needed to work so many extra hours, then, but what was he going to do… sleep? He already did enough of that. He could cultivate the Ninety-Nine stars while farming, and without a bow time spent training archery was inefficient. He would likely reduce his hours farming somewhat after the current point, though he could always use more contribution points.

Elder Evan still looked younger than him, but potentially wasn’t. “Good day, Elder Evan,” Anton inclined his head.

“Anton. Congratulations on your breakthrough.” Elder Evan smiled, “I had expected you here earlier.”

“I had some reasons I couldn’t come sooner. I suppose I am too late?”

Elder Evan reached into a bag by his waist- one that looked to barely be able to hold a handful of apples and certainly not a full length bow- and pulled out the very bow Anton had looked at before, and then the string. “No one else acquired it. I assume you have the five hundred contribution points?” Anton held out the slip of paper, which had his name, the date, and the number of contribution points. Elder Evan took it, holding a token similar to Anton’s identity token over it. When he handed it back it said ‘126’. He likewise handed over the bow. “Do take good care of it. Practice well, and all that. I might suggest attending lectures from the various elders or some of the senior disciples. If there are any you find particular insight from, you might also spend some of those contribution points on personal lessons. Learning from others can be much faster than studying on your own, even if you have the talent. Cultivation is all about time.”

Anton nodded. If he could save a dozen hours cultivating a technique, he could work that dozen hours to earn more contribution points. Plus, there were also free lectures. He hadn’t felt the need so far, but he’d only just come to the Order a couple months prior… with two weeks of that in a cell- though he didn’t find those two weeks were wasted. “I appreciate the suggestion. Are there any good archery masters?”

Elder Evan laughed. “Are there? If archery masters are mentioned in the Order of Ninety-Nine Stars, the only proper answer is Elder Kseniya. She developed Spirit Arrows.”

Anton’s eyes widened slightly. He knew that techniques were all made by someone, but the way everyone acted everything in cultivation was said to be ancient techniques and the like. But of course there would be people from the Order who had new innovations, and Spirit Arrows seemed quite special, though Anton couldn’t claim to have a deep understanding of the full limits of cultivation. “Does she lecture?”

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“Something like that, at least. You should check the schedule.”

Anton nodded. “Of course.”

It wasn’t far to the lecture halls, where a young looking woman sat behind a desk. “Excuse me…” Anton was fortunate to catch sight of her badge and her cultivation level before making a terrible mistake, “Senior disciple…?” He was so used to everyone being an elder that he’d been about to say it.

“Brita,” she inclined her head to him. He could tell she was in Spirit Building, perhaps the thirteenth star. Her young age was… probably exactly correct. Somewhere in her actual twenties, he thought. “How can I help you?”

“I was wondering when Elder Kseniya’s next public lecture was.”

“One moment,” Brita flipped through a dozen pages in an instant. Anton considered that he should learn to do that. It seemed quite useful. Perhaps that ability came naturally with cultivation, to some extent. “At the end of the month. One and a half weeks from now, in the afternoon.”

“Thank you.” Anton almost left, but he supposed he didn’t have to think about just one thing. “Are there any upcoming lectures?” he gestured inside.

Brita didn’t even need to check the list. “Advanced formations in half an hour. An hour until sword techniques… oh! Elder Vincent just started a cultivation basics lecture five minutes ago. You can likely still catch most of it.”

“Which way to Elder Vincent’s?” Brita pointed to her left, and Anton headed down the hallway- and soon he was able to find the rest of his way from Elder Vincent’s voice and energy.

Anton stepped through an open doorway into a large semicircular hall. There were rows of seats in tiers so that everyone could get a view of the lecturer- and the hall was packed full. There were only a few seats in the very back.

“...in early cultivation is important,” Elder Vincent’s voice carried easily throughout the room without the use of energy. “For the Ninety-Nine Stars, the most critical parts of the first ten stars, Body Foundation, are the second and fifth stars.”

Well. Anton had already passed that point. He hoped he hadn’t made terrible decisions.

“The first and tenth, of course, refine the whole body. But the second and fifth are important because of the basis of the Ninety-Nine Stars. Cultivation seeks the truths of the universe… though whether those truths are properly understood can greatly influence the effectiveness. Thus, great care must be taken to learn from those who come before. As for the basis of the Ninety-Nine Stars… nine is a symbol of completeness and power. In addition to that are the prime numbers. Thus, the Ninety-Nine Stars are the summation of the first nine primes.”

It was only a moment later when a young man in the crowd raised his hand.

Elder Vincent smiled, “I believe I might anticipate your question. Let me guess. Don’t the first nine primes sum to one hundred?” Elder Vincent looked at the student, who lowered his hand and nodded. “A good question. That is, quite simply… the limit. Neither the founder nor any who have come after managed to form the hundredth star. People have already been known to call those in the fourth tier of cultivation deities… what would we call someone who has surpassed a deity?” Elder Vincent shrugged. “Though naming perhaps isn’t that important. Claiming to be a deity, though, is a bit much. Our Galaxy Construction cultivators say the same. But, back to the question. Surpassing the final known tier of cultivation is a goal for many. Some say it is impossible. Those who try either die or disappear… either through transcending to a higher plane, or destroying themselves so thoroughly there’s nothing left… there’s no way to know. But ninety nine stars seems to be the limit for now.”

Anton found that answer satisfactory. Even if the hundredth star couldn’t be reached, a technique that was good enough to reach the peak of cultivation was quite something. Though of course, just because the technique was capable of reaching that peak didn’t mean he could. He was already old. He just needed to surpass the Body Tempering stage to avenge his family.

“But!” Victor declared loudly, “The second and fifth stars… the first prime and the first and second added together. What you choose to temper at those points sets you up for the future. It isn’t that you can’t later achieve the same level of tempering in such a category, but you are set up for an early boost. That is why most of us refine the meridians at the fifth star.” The same young man raised his hand, and Vincent pointed to him. “Yes? What is your question?”

“Why not refine the meridians at the second star? They affect all of cultivation. If we knew this before entering the Order at three stars, could we not be more successful?”

“Certainly,” Vincent said. “Or you could be dead. Trying to force things ends up that way. Tempering the body is not equally easy. Tempering the meridians is the hardest, and thus requires experience. Though sometimes people try it and die.” Vincent’s eyes looked straight at Anton. “Except rarities.”

Anton had to admit that he had found it quite dangerous. It almost spiralled out of control and killed him. Then again, that was his entire experience with cultivation up to that point.

Vincent continued, “The prime temperings are especially difficult, but also more effective. However, if one steadily cultivates past Body Foundation, they can eventually smooth out the road before them. So no matter what decisions you have made up to this point, there is no permanent harm done. Take advantage of whatever strengths you have obtained for yourself while you are young.”