Chương 309: The Deal

I stood in the crystalline heart-space, watching Astralis as he paced back and forth, the dying stars in his hair flickering with what I could only interpret as agitation. The boy-shaped inner world spirit was an odd creature, simultaneously ancient and childlike, powerful yet desperate. The Celestial Sovereign had quite the interesting guardian for his realm. Han Renyi's consciousness was currently in a deep state of hibernation, slumbering quietly in the recesses of his own mind.

Unlike last time, when Astralis had forced him into sleep, this time I'd asked Han Renyi if Astralis and I could have a moment to ourselves. He had agreed without hesitation, retreating his consciousness voluntarily. I could feel it now, dormant but peaceful. As much as I trusted my 'disciple', my inner world held secrets I couldn't yet reveal. It was simply better this way.

"Let me make sure I understand correctly," Astralis said, stopping his pacing to look at me directly.

"You want treasures specifically to make your inner world more habitable? Not just for simple plants, but for complex life forms all the way up to sentient creatures?" The way he emphasized "sentient creatures" made me wonder if he found the request unusual for someone at my cultivation level. Which, to be fair, it probably was. Most Qi Condensation cultivators were focused on advancing their personal power, not developing complex ecosystems within their inner worlds.

"That's exactly what I want," I confirmed. There was no point hiding my goals from Astralis. As Azure had explained, the inner world spirit couldn't lie to me, which gave me a distinct advantage in our negotiations. Astralis crossed his arms, looking contemplative.

"I don't have treasures like that just lying around, you know." I waited, watching his expression. When he didn't turn his head to whisper a contradictory statement, I knew he was telling the truth. No surprise there, the Starhaven Realm was dying, and most of its valuable resources had likely been consumed long ago in the desperate effort to keep it stable.

"That's not a problem," I said with a slight smile.

"I don't expect you to have such treasures on hand. But you can get them from the Celestial Trade Nexus, can't you?" Astralis went completely still. The stars in his hair froze mid-twinkle, and his eyes narrowed.

"How does a cultivator at your stage know about the existence of the Celestial Trade Nexus?" he asked, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

"You're playing a very dangerous game, cultivator." I maintained my composure despite the sudden shift in atmosphere.

"You shouldn't worry about how I know. What matters is whether you can connect to it. Can you?" For a long moment, Astralis simply stared at me. I could almost see the calculations running behind those ancient eyes set in a child's face.

"Yes, I can," he said finally.

"Without the resources from the Nexus, the Starhaven Realm would have died centuries ago."

"Good," I said, nodding.

"Then we have the basis for a deal. In exchange for you obtaining specific treasures from the Nexus for me, I'll provide more energy to feed the trees." Astralis's expression immediately brightened at the mention of more blue sun energy. The eager look that crossed his face reminded me of a thirsty man being offered water in a desert. The dying realm's desperation was palpable through its guardian.

"How much energy?" he asked, trying and failing to hide his eagerness.

"Enough to significantly delay the realm's decay," I replied.

"Similar to what I provided before." Astralis nodded, the stars in his hair dancing with renewed vigor.

"Very well. Do you know the name of the treasure you seek?" Now came the tricky part. I knew from my conversation with Elder Chen Yong and Madam Butterfly that the Celestial Trade Nexus contained items of unimaginable value. But I also knew that Astralis, despite his inability to lie directly, would try to give me the cheapest options possible.

"I don't know of any names, all I need is the most effective item for making my inner world habitable for advanced life forms," I said plainly.

"Something that will prepare the foundation for everything from basic organisms to complex wildlife and eventually human-like beings." Astralis tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"There are three treasures that would suit your needs perfectly," he said after a moment.

"The Primordial Essence Bottle, the Lifespring Seed, or the Genesis Clay." He gestured, and three illusions appeared floating between us.

"The Primordial Essence Bottle contains the purest form of primordial soup, the original mixture from which life first emerged in the earliest realms," he explained, indicating a delicate crystal bottle filled with swirling, opalescent liquid.

"Pour a single drop in your inner world, and basic life forms will begin to emerge within days." Had it not been for the unique quality of my inner world, even a single drop from such a treasure would be too much for the inner world of a Qi Condensation cultivator to handle. The second illusion showed what looked like an ordinary seed, though it pulsed with a subtle rainbow light.

"The Lifespring Seed can be planted in your inner world. Once rooted, it creates a network that enriches the soil and atmosphere, making conditions perfect for transplanting various species." Finally, he pointed to what appeared to be a simple ball of clay with softly glowing veins running through it.

"The Genesis Clay is perhaps the most straightforward. You can shape it into whatever form you wish, and it will transform into that creature, starting a breeding population." I studied the three options carefully, looking for any sign that Astralis was trying to mislead me.

"These are the best options available for what I need?" I asked, watching him closely. Astralis's expression remained normal as he nodded.

"These three treasures are exactly what you're looking for." But then, just as I'd anticipated, he turned his head slightly to the side, and a dark smirk crossed his face.

"But little does this fool know," he whispered, "these are actually the cheapest options. The World Tree Origin Soil would be infinitely more valuable and compatible with what he wants, but I'll never tell him that!" A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. I blinked, keeping my expression neutral despite the urge to smile. This was exactly why dealing with an entity that couldn't lie had its advantages.

"Actually, I think I'll take the World Tree Origin Soil instead." I said nonchalantly. Astralis's head snapped back toward me, eyes wide.

"What? How did you—" He stopped, the stars in his hair flickering chaotically.

"You heard that," he stated flatly, not a question.

"I did," I acknowledged.

"You really should be more careful with your whispers." Astralis let out a sound that was half-groan, half-childish shriek of frustration. The stars in his hair actually dimmed momentarily.

"Fine, but it's far more expensive than the other options," he warned.

"But worth it, I'm sure," I replied smoothly. Then, a thought occurred to me.

"There are three world-stabilizing trees in this realm, each requiring my energy. By my calculation, that means I should be able to select two more treasures to make this an equal exchange." Astralis's face contorted with indignation.

"That is absolutely not fair! One treasure is already generous compensation!" I frowned, considering the inner world spirit's reaction. Was this negotiation pattern typical of all inner world spirits, or was it a reflection of its creator? I couldn't help but wonder if the Celestial Sovereign himself had been this stingy with resources.

"The trees are the foundation of this entire realm," I agreed.

"A realm that is dying without my help. You need my energy far more than I need your treasures." That wasn't entirely true, I did need those treasures to advance my cultivation, but Astralis didn't need to know that. We had reached a standstill. Astralis glared at me, the stars in his hair twinkling furiously, while I maintained a calm, uncompromising expression. The crystalline fragments surrounding us seemed to pulse in rhythm with our deadlock, reflecting the tension in the heart-space.

Finally, Astralis sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly.

"I don't have enough treasures to exchange with the sellers for three items of such value, if I did, I would have exchanged for more Life Realm energy and not be in this situation," he admitted.

"But I could offer you two important pieces of information instead of additional physical treasures." I waited, watching carefully to see if he would turn his head and expose another lie. When he remained facing me directly, I nodded slowly. It seemed the inner world spirit was telling the truth this time.

"What two pieces of information?" I asked. Astralis straightened, regaining some of his dignity.

"First, the Ethereal Link Technique that allows cultivators to connect to the Celestial Trade Nexus. Second, the universal coordinates to establish that connection." I felt my heartbeat quicken despite myself. The Ethereal Link Technique and the coordinates to the Celestial Trade Nexus? That was... unexpectedly valuable information. Perhaps too valuable to be offered so readily. Azure's voice whispered in my mind, confirming my suspicions.

"Master, be careful. There's something odd about this offer." I studied Astralis more carefully, thinking through the implications of his proposal. With the technique and coordinates, I could theoretically connect to the Nexus myself in the future... but I had just seen a living example of what happened to cultivators who attempted to access the Nexus prematurely. Liu Kai's broken mind and ravaged inner world were consequences I had no intention of sharing.

As if confirming my thoughts, Astralis turned his head slightly and whispered, "Once he has the technique and coordinates, he'll inevitably try to connect directly! And when he does, his mind will break, and I'll have a perfect vessel to channel his blue energy endlessly into the trees! It's the perfect plan!" I suppressed a smile. Astralis's inability to hide his schemes was almost endearing in its transparency. The information itself could be valuable, perhaps even tradable to the right parties in the future.

"I accept your offer," I said.

"The World Tree Origin Soil, plus the Ethereal Link Technique and the Nexus coordinates." Astralis smiled, clearly thinking he'd won some victory.

"Excellent choice," he said, his voice taking on that faintly patronizing tone adults often use with children. He stepped forward and placed a hand on my forehead. Immediately, I felt a rush of information flowing into my mind. The Ethereal Link Technique was surprisingly elegant in its construction, creating a specialized projection of consciousness that could safely interact with the Nexus without revealing the coordinates of one's inner world.

The information included warnings about maintaining proper energy levels throughout the process, the dangers of connection instability, and most critically – the mental strain that would overwhelm anyone below the Life Realm. The universal coordinates were even more fascinating. It was a fixed point in a seemingly infinite multidimensional space, the only known stable coordinate in existence.

I could see why possessing these coordinates would be tempting for any cultivator; they offered a direct path to resources normally inaccessible until the Life Realm.

"I'll need to connect to the Nexus now to acquire your World Tree Origin Soil," Astralis said, stepping back.

"This will take a moment." He closed his eyes, and the stars in his hair began to orbit his head like a galaxy in miniature. The crystalline space around us rippled, and for a brief moment, I caught a glimpse of something vast and complex through the distortion, endless bridges of light connecting countless glowing platforms, each platform hosting what looked like a shop or trading post floating in a boundless void. The vision lasted only a second before the crystalline space stabilized again.

Astralis remained motionless, his physical form present but his consciousness clearly elsewhere. I took the opportunity to confer with Azure.

"What do you think?" I asked mentally.

"The technique itself seems sound," Azure replied.

"The safeguards are comprehensive, it has multiple layers of protection against tracking, intrusion, and mental contamination. It's clearly designed by someone who understood the dangers of connecting realms."

"And the coordinates?"

"Genuine as far as I can tell. They're remarkably stable for universal coordinates, which matches what we've heard about the Celestial Trade Nexus being the only fixed point accessible to all cultivators."

"But still not worth risking a direct connection before reaching the Life Realm," I concluded.

"Absolutely not," Azure agreed firmly.

"Liu Kai's fate should be warning enough. But having the knowledge itself is valuable, especially since we now know exactly what we're avoiding." Astralis suddenly opened his eyes, the stars in his hair settling back into their normal pattern. He held out his hand, the space before it rippled and tore, and a small cloth bag fell into his palm.

"Here," he said, holding it out to me.

"The World Tree Origin Soil. You have no idea what I had to trade for this. The seller was particularly difficult, wanted something precious from the Starhaven Realm as payment. You should be grateful your blue energy is so vital, or I would never have made the exchange." I accepted the bag carefully. Even through the cloth, I could feel an ancient, powerful energy radiating from the contents.

The Genesis Seed in my inner world stirred with obvious interest, its roots reaching toward my connection to the soil as if eager to taste it. Opening the drawstring, I peered inside to see what appeared to be ordinary dark soil. But as I focused my spiritual sense on it, I realized there was nothing ordinary about it at all. The soil contained billions of microscopic formations, each perfectly crafted to nurture and develop life.

It felt ancient beyond measure, as if it had witnessed the birth of the very first living things.

"This is..." I began, then paused, genuinely impressed.

"This is remarkable."

"Of course it is," Astralis huffed.

"It's soil from an age before the current epoch." I carefully retied the bag and stored it safely. The Genesis Seed's excitement was palpable, sending pulses of anticipation through my inner world.

"Thank you," I said, meaning it. Despite Astralis's attempts at manipulation, he had provided something genuinely valuable. Astralis waved away my thanks with a dismissive gesture.

"Time for you to hold up your end of the deal," he said, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"The trees need feeding, and only your blue energy will do." I nodded, preparing myself for the energy expenditure to come. The exchange was fair, possibly even in my favor, considering the value of the World Tree Origin Soil and the information I'd received.

"Let's begin with the Ancestor's Tree."