“What’s your take on this, Young Noble?” Holyfrost asked Li Qiye regarding the origin of the meteor.
Li Qiye wasn’t actually looking at the meteor. His focus was towards another direction in space, completely fixated as if it was more interesting than the meteor.
Holyfrost followed his gaze and saw the other side. Though it was far away, she was strong enough to see everything clearly.
A resplendent world just like an ocean drowning everything in the nearby vicinity. At the deepest part was something akin to a pond with a crimson glow - a piece of cornelian engraved in this ocean.
Strangely enough, this pond and its bloodlike flow didn’t stain the ocean in the slightest. There was a clear distinction between the two.
Most importantly, the ocean was certainly a majestic entity. However, this tiny pond seemed to actually be the core, the ruler of this great ocean.
Thick rays of light flowed around this ocean just like heavenly swords. Even the strongest being, once close enough, would be turned into mincemeat by these rotating rays.
“Ascension Pond.” Holyfrost murmured: “One of the six redeeming grounds.” [1]
“It changed position again. There has to be a reason, right?” The bull looked in the same direction and laughed.
“Maybe it has something to do with the meteor.” Holyfrost murmured.
Li Qiye only smiled and didn’t offer his take on the issue.
At this time, other experts have arrived as well and saw the massive meteor. Others took note of Ascension Pond on the other side.
“Ascension Pond? Why is it here? Just a coincidence?” A big shot shouted in astonishment.
“That’s one of the six redeeming grounds, Master?” A junior asked with curiosity.
“Yes.” The big shot nodded with a serious expression: “It hasn’t changed location for a generation now, as far as I know. Why is it here on the opposite side of the meteor, so strange…”
This pond, a mysterious and strange place, has always been in Sky Ruins. Its name had various explanations.
Some said that after entering this place, it would be the person’s last moment in the mortal world, a final ascension of sorts. Of course, there were other hidden meanings behind this explanation.
As one of the six redeeming grounds, it had a similar mechanic.
One difference was that anyone could enter Ascension Pond. However, they needed to be mentally prepared.
One could exchange anything in this place - the only requirement was that it had to be the most precious thing in their heart - a thing that they couldn’t give up. That’s the only thing that has value in this place.
For example, a peerless treasure or familial love, or it could be some seemingly random memento that has no value to others. It just needed to be the thing the trader valued the most.
Living people were also counted here - a parent or spouse…
All in all, as long as it was their most precious thing, they could trade it for anything here. They could get ultimate power for a pebble if the rule applied.
“Master, we can really trade for anything here?” A junior asked.
“Yes, anything, and you can get whatever you want too.” The senior seemed frightened of this place.
“Really…?” The junior inquired again.
The senior answered with a stern glare to shut the youth up.
Another young cultivator began joking with his friend: “Wanna go there and see if we can get the power of a True Emperor?”
“Huh? Is that possible?” The friend became excited with bright eyes: “That’s definitely worth a shot if we can become that powerful.”
The young cultivator immediately smiled and asked: “What do you treasure the most in your heart?”
The friend tilted his head in contemplation.
“Foolishness!” An elder nearby slapped the both of them and gave them a murderous glare: “I’ll feed you two off to some monster the next time I hear this nonsense again.”
“Elder, we’re just messing around.” They felt indignant about the harsh scolding.
“This isn’t something to joke around with or it’ll become your heart devil.” The elder sternly said: “There is no free lunch in this world. Something that comes so easily will always bite you back in the future!”
“Why?” The junior inquired.
“Because the second you agree to a deal, you’re no longer you. Only the heart devil is left.” The elder had a profound gaze. Alas, there was a hint of fear looming in there.
“Really?” The junior remained skeptical.
“Let me tell you the story of a mortal.” The elder could tell that these juniors didn’t buy his teaching and elaborated: “A great scholar versed in all aspects of life, a walking library. Unfortunately, he came from a poor family but just happened to love a noble daughter. His love was unreciprocated since she eventually married an official instead. He eventually suffered humiliation and was bullied, resulting in resentment and indignation.”
“Later on, he came here with help from others and decided to do a transaction.” The elder continued.
“What did he offer?” The juniors naturally enjoyed the tale.
“His talents and education.” The elder went on: “All of his lifelong knowledge in order to become an invincible existence.”
“What happens next?” Another junior immediately asked.
“He became invincible indeed and returned to his home with vengeance on his mind. He killed those who humiliated and looked down on him, all of them, including the noble daughter he once loved!”
“Hmm…” A few juniors were startled.
“That’s not too bad.” A more extreme junior said nonchalantly: “A man always pays a debt of gratitude while having a duty to get even with those who have wronged him. He’s already invincible and isn’t afraid of others avenging the dead ones.”
The elder glared at him and said: “Not too bad? Do you think he’s still himself? The moment he made that transaction, his heart devil had devoured him completely. He became nothing but a moving corpse.”
“What happens next to this scholar, Elder?” A different youth cared about the main character of this tale.
“Death and destruction.” The elder coldly said: “He gradually became insane and went on a rampage. No one in the world could stop him back then but don’t think it ended well for him because of this. Someone eventually found him dead in a corner all alone.”
“Death from insanity.” The juniors felt a chill. This invincible master eventually died without knowing what was going on due to his mental instability - the opposite of what he traded for power.
1. This title might change depending on the context. It's one of those with several meanings