Naath processed the rest of the monkey's body and rationed it out. He put it into his spatial ring as well. When he walked out of the cave and looked up again he still didn't see the top of the mountain but now he was refreshed and motivated to see what other secrets the mountain was hiding as he climbed. Naath stepped up to the cliff face again and started to climb once more. Naath began to see it as a fun activity to use his new innate ability to sense for treasure as he climbed.
After climbing for only ten minutes Naath sensed the fluctuation of a treasure. Naath changed his course and began to climb in the direction of the fluctuation. In a few minutes, he had arrived in front of a strange-looking flower growing out of the side of the cliff. It had a bright red stem and an orange flower that gave off a faint heat. Naath didn't know what it was but he knew the fluctuation was telling him it was a treasure. In Naath’s soul sea the rune said “I guess when you find a treasure brat I'll have to explain it to you.
This flower is a low-grade fire essence buttercup, it’s beneficial to those who cultivate in flame-based arts. It also helps some wild beasts who are elementally inclined to fire. However to you, any spiritual herb is useful so go ahead and pick it for now and use it to cultivate later. It will help to strengthen your bones and clean impurities.” Naath nodded his head and picked the flower, throwing it into his spatial ring without much thought. After another three minutes of climbing Naath felt the fluctuation of treasures once more.
He began to slowly climb towards it like he had the fire essence buttercup. This time it was an earth element fruit growing off of a hanging branch. This pattern continued all the way up the mountain making Naath completely forget the fatigue and exhaustion he would normally have felt as he climbed. It became like a treasure hunt to him, the further he climbed the more wealthy he would become. Before he had genuinely not cared for treasures much but now it was almost like a fun game to pass the time finding treasures.
The rune in Naath’s soul sea said “god damn, brat how can anyone get this lucky?! I know I told you to take that innate skill but this is ridiculous you haven't even practiced it to the second stage yet. But even with this pathetic little range you find one low grade herb after another and even a few good ores? Bah where was this luck back whe- You know what nevermind forget it you don't need to know.” After that, he went quiet and Naath silently chuckled and also partially ignored it and continued on to another faint fluctuation he had sensed.
In a hall at the top of the mountain sat seven elderly people each in a chair at the edge of the room. On the far side of the other room was a large projection screen, on that screen was a young man maybe 8 or nine years old. He was rather thin but with clearly defined muscles, deep black hair like the abyss, and emerald eyes that had an unnatural depth to them, this young man was precisely Naath. One of the elderly men spoke up asking “Haha this kids got some good luck what do you think brothers?” All around the room the other six elderly people nodded their heads.
One of them spoke up saying “his luck is good indeed, however how did he know how to refine that earth monkey's innate ability if he really is from some backwater village?” Another of them spoke up saying “perhaps he has the assistance of a master behind him we simply cannot see?” Another of them spoke up saying “yes yes elder chu and perhaps he is a reincarnator who was previously some sort of prodigy.” As this elder spoke she rolled her eyes.
Elder chu said “bah what do you know old hag fen? Who knows perhaps he truly is a reincarnator! Hmph!” After that the elders watched on in silence as Naath continued to scale the mountain unaware of the fact that he was actually being tested and observed this entire time. As the elders watched they grew more and more fascinated. Eventually one of them asked “when did our mountain gain so many treasures? Are the heavens growing them simply for him to find?!”
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None of the other elders reacted to him as they were just as dumbfounded as he was. It seemed like piles of treasures were throwing themselves at the young man on the monitor desperate to be found by him. It was even to a point that the rune in Naath’s soul sea was actually getting tired from giving so many explanations about the various treasures. After 12 hours had passed Naath was still climbing and finding treasures however now he had to stop and let out a frustrated sigh.
“Senior, is there any way to expand a spatial ring?” The rune was absolutely flabbergasted. He asked “you filled it already?! Yes, there are ways but unless you get or make a spatial artifact I don't think that you will ever have enough for the treasures the heavens will throw into your lap! Seriously what's with this luck?! At this rate the only spatial treasure that will ever be able to satisfy you will be an infinity gourd!” The rune was so consumed in its own anger that it was completely ignoring the surroundings Naath was seeing and feeling. Naath stiffened for a moment and broke into a cold sweat as he asked “uhhhhh senior. What does an infinity gourd look like and where does it come from?”
The rune let out a breath and if it had a face its eyes would be closed as he pinched his nose. He said “it's an incredibly rare type of plant that only grows in environments with heavy earth type attributes. It’s of course in the shape of a gourd and it is a dull golden colo- FUCK ME, BRAT WHAT’S WITH YOUR LUCK?!” In Naath’s palm was a freshly picked gourd fruit that seemed to be hollow inside like a bottomless abyss back at the top of the mountain in the elders’ hall all of them fell out of their chairs and lost all of their composure completely.
They no longer had the dignity of elders it now seemed as if they were surprised children. They then began to argue with each other fiercely the subject of the argument being who would get Naath as a disciple. They all wanted him as a disciple because if his luck was that heaven defying then how many benefits would they reap?! After thirty minutes of arguing they finally agreed to simply let Naath decide and to carry out the procedures as they would normally. Naath back down on the cliff face was trying to calm down his rune and get an explanation on how to refine the infinity gourd for himself.
“Senior please teach me! I will do whatever you ask!” “fuck off brat, there’s nothing you can do for me that is worth this kind of torture!” “senior come on, I'll even devote the next month to soul exercises for you, after all, isn't this a once in a lifetime treasure? How can you not help me obtain it as my teacher?” The rune let out a harumph and said “fine brat I will teach you but after this don't expect any favors for a year! The heavens themselves blessed your stupid ass enough as it is!” After that the rune slowly released the information to refine the infinity gourd into Naath’s soul sea.
Once Naath had the information memorised he took out one of the swords from his spatial ring and cut out a small indent in the cliff to sit in. He held the infinity gourd in his hand and slowly began the refining process. After a period of three hours, he had completely refined it into his own spatial treasure. It was Naath’s and Naath’s alone, if he were ever to perish the gourd would be destroyed with him and all the treasures inside torn apart by a spatial storm and completely destroyed forever. Back on the peak of the mountain inside of the elder hall. “Hahahaha you see that you old hag fen he even knows how to refine an infinity gourd. How can he not have some sort of master or “be some kind of prodigy reincarnator”? Haha” Elder Chu just about laughed to the point of falling out of his chair again.
The other elders were in stunned silence and elder Fen simply let out a huff of displeasure on making elder Chu’s laughter even livelier. Naath back down on the cliff was in the middle of transferring all of his treasures into the infinity gourd. When Naath was done refining the infinity gourd he scanned its internal space and realised why it was called an “infinity gourd” the space inside was enough to fit an entire continent! Naath’s treasures couldn't even count as a drop in the ocean in this ridiculous space. He tied a thin rope around the center of the gourd and made a makeshift handle carrying it at his waist.
Finally, as the sun rose the next day Naath reached the summit of the mountain and in front of him was only a single simple building. Naath smiled knowing that it was the building the elders were residing in. He stepped towards it and opened the doors walking into a pitch-black circular room.