It took less than three weeks for Pef to visit the nearby galaxies and gain a basic understanding of the new universe, and some stories of other universes.

Major sects and the Imperial Army controlled the important resources like spirit stone mines or other restricted cultivation zones. This in turn guaranteed their continued elevation as the strongest powers in the universe, due to being able to train their disciples or officers with the highest quality cultivation aids.

However, there was one single exception to this rule, the Shamballah-Tzi Mausoleum, which was in principle open to anyone. From Sky rank onwards, cultivators were able to enter this mausoleum and try to advance through its nigh-infinite halls, levels and realms.

"I have heard Duan Che Zung has reached the Blue Realm!" a disciple wearing azure robes proclaimed to her companions.

"I don't believe that! Nobody bellow the rank of Universal God can enter the Blue Realm" another girl argued with a dismissive voice.

Pef drew closer, still under cloak. Information about the mausoleum was easy to find, yet not really helpful.

'I suspect each individual receives a tailored experience in their trials, based on their abilities' the glove commented, seeming interested as well.

Pef nodded inward, as he kept spying on the young cultivators that attempted to prove themselves with increasingly more outrageous rumors, and sometimes pure lies.

"... Sister Yue, do you plan to enter the Mausoleum as well?" a thin girl asked her companion, a long-legged beauty with near indigo hair and eyes. There were other special traits though, which made Pef take another look.

The other girl was also mildly interesting for Pef, as the Azure Sky disciple was able to bend light and darkness with equal ease, despite a cultivation realm barely entering Monarch rank. Perhaps it was her dual aura as well, white and indigo, which not even the glove knew what it signified.

Sister's Yue indigo eyes flashed as she turned towards the speaker. Her robes billowed for a second as well, as if a wind has passed. "I am going alone, Senior Sister Wuming. There is something I need to try for myself." she replied in a calm voice, hiding a glint of steel inside.

The first sister nodded and changed the subject, as if she didn't care.

However, her qi pulsed with a coded message heading towards the planet's orbit. Pef's core senses followed the transmission to the ship in orbit, curiously belonging to a rival sect, the Autumn Hafaz.

On board, three young men nodded at each other as soon as the communique arrived, then walked over to their Elder. "She will be alone, Master. Probably as soon as the Orange Realm..." one of them announced and smiled wickedly. The old man smiled back, while tugging his long white beard.

Pef sighed inward and scratched at his cheek in deep thought. 'Well then. I guess I should also enter the mausoleum, and keep an eye on Sister Yue.'

The glove didn't reply, as there was no need. While these sects did have Elder Gods as protectors, such eminent cultivators were quite removed from the daily operations of their sects, or even important stuff, barely lifting an eyelid should a war or invasion bother their secluded cultivation. All the Elders were only focused on reaching Tier 7 and the real immortality, and thus the growing pains of their sects were simply ignored.

The daily operations of the sects were organized by Tier 3 and 4 cultivators and only the Sect Masters reached Tier 5, or Universe God levels. And even they were barely passable, in the glove's evaluation. The old cultivation methods were simply bad, took much too long and focused on the wrong priorities. It was a wonder any old-style cultivator even reached Elder God status, after billions of wasted years.

Our hero followed the Monarch ranked woman on her journey to the mausoleum, which was rather boring and slow, due to the sects' ships being powered by inefficient qi engines powered by a handful of Tier 2 Elders.

Eventually, they arrived in the Shamballah system and made orbit around planet Tzi.

The mausoleum itself was a tall spire reaching into orbit, where a giant spacestation provided berth for thousands of ships carrying hopeful cultivators.

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

The station was manned and operated by the Imperial Army, and provided amenities such as restaurants and hotels, trade bazaars, smiths and armorers and dozens of auction halls.

There were always lucky fellows exiting the mausoleum with various treasures, from gems and bones to rare metals, intact beast carcasses and various artifacts, from pills to weapons or cultivation skills inscribed on jade.

Pef approached a security officer and decloaked. "Hello, I also want to visit the mausoleum..."

The armored guard lowered his visor and stared at Pef for a few seconds. "Wait a moment here. You are under restriction." he commanded as he passed the newly arrived guest to his superior.

In a minute, the station commander himself arrived to process the guest. And he was a Tier 5 God, proof the ruler of this universe took security of the mausoleum area quite seriously.

"I am sure Lord Mu Feng has specified this already. You are not allowed to leave our current universe, correct?" the commander asked rhetorically.

Pef raised an eyebrow. "I just want to explore this building, Commander. Surely it is located in this universe...as anyone can see."

The man sighed, as there wasn't anyone else to pass this problem to. "...Normally yes, Lord Xi. However, on occasion the trails have been known to open portals to other places, or perhaps create new universes. Nobody is sure how the thing works, after all."

Pef smiled and shrugged. "People return here for exit, right?"

The Commander grimaced with a scowl. "Not everybody returns."

Pef blinked at the warning, then smiled again. "I will return. My family is here."

The Commander measured him with suspicion, then produced a palm-sized metal badge, inscribed with a thousands small formations of unknown function. "You will carry this fold anchor at all times, Lord Pef. And try not to die on me. Lord Mu Feng needs you alive."

Grabbing the metal anchor, Pef immediately discovered the device was resistant at being stored, refusing to fold in a storage ring or his inner universe.

'Can you store this?' he asked inward, passing the anchor into his gloved hand.

'Not right now. Your rank is too low.' the glove replied after a second.

Pef sighed and tied the badge to his belt, then nodded politely to the station commander and walked on, soon vanishing among millions of cultivators populating the station.

Soon, he located his target and sat in front of her at a restaurant table.

Yue glanced at him, then continued to pick at her meal with her wooden sticks.

'Still no spoons...' Pef commented inward as he browsed the menu for something exotic. What was to point of travelling to another universe if not to try new cuisine?

However, while he could endure all the spicy and strange dishes, his efforts at dipping in hot sauce and chewing raw octopus that was flailing frantically to escape, only provoked a small snort from the woman sitting at the table in front.

"It's not easy, you know? Not that any food likes being eaten..." he muttered with an accusing glance at the amused woman.

A thin limb crawled out and wiggled out of his nose, just as Pef complained. Sister Yue burst into a melodic laughter, then hid behind a fan, showing only a pair of beautiful indigo eyes.

"You're a silly man, mister." she muttered in a small voice.

Pef nodded in a hurry. " So, I've been told, many times. Anyways, what realm comes after Blue?" he asked with a qi transmission.

The azure-wearing disciple froze for a second, then shook her head. "It should be Indigo Realm. Our Sect Master said she lasted 78 seconds." the woman replied with her own transmission.

Pef scratched his cheek, adding the new knowledge to what little he had. 'Sounds rather dangerous.' he consulted the glove.

'I am extrapolating. You should last over 90 seconds.' the sentient artifact answered in a minute.

With a thankful nod, Pef left the table and headed out. "Beware of orange, Miss Yue." he sent while leaving the restaurant.

As he made his way towards the mausoleum entrance, Pef begun preparing the ground. Clones were spawned and dispersed to gather more information, then other clones to wander the station and visit auction houses or shops. His Legion regiments back home still needed lots of cultivation aids, and new recruits as well.

And this place was a wonderful treasure ground.