As she looked at the dozens of treasures in this room, her eyes flashed with interest. The room was grand, with pillars of light surrounding each item. The floor was coated in the most exquisite white marble, while the walls were covered in precious Supreme Ranked materials for protection. Clearly, the work that was invested in here was incomparable to the rest of the Treasury.
Sui Xing spoke at this moment. "Yasenia, won't you go check the pill that Tatyana spoke about?"
"The pill?" Yasenia tilted her head and then recalled it. "Right, there was a hidden compartment or something, right? Still, how about we check the items here first? If I do not need anything, we can go check that pill. If Mom found it interesting, it is clear that it is far from ordinary."
"Up to you. I was worried you forgot after being overwhelmed by so many treasures."
Yasenia didn't deny it, showing a bit of embarrassment. "I was indeed distracted. I might've only recalled it after looking at Mom. By then, it might've been too late."
Soluna giggled. "That's very unlike yourself!"
The dragoness snorted. Even she could get excited, alright? Seeing the gorgeous woman pout, the treasures laughed teasingly.
"Let's see… Most of the Ancient Ranked treasures are weapons and defensive treasures, so they are basically useless. Speaking of which, why are most high-grade treasure weapons?"
Sui Xing's answer was another question. "What's the most important thing in the world?"
Yasenia blinked and answered. "Strength."
"Right. In our world, there is nothing more important than strength. And since the thing that will give you the most strength is a good weapon, most blacksmiths and people of other professions will use their best materials trying to craft an unparalleled sword, halberd, shield, robe, or similar combat items."
"It makes sense."
Yasenia was satisfied with that answer. As she walked, she noticed some of them were peculiar. "Is this… a flag?"
Standing in front of one of the light pillars, Yasenia looked up at the massive floating flag. The flag was magnificent. It was a deep ocean blue in color, with golden threads woven at the edges. In the middle of the massive flag, the aesthetically pleasing "Endless War" words shone with multiple lights, written in an ancient language. The flagpole was pure black in color, as if something had scorched its surface.
Yasenia squinted and commented. "It says… Endless War, right?"
"Oh?" Sui Xing was surprised. "That's right. I didn't expect you to understand this language."
Yasenia smiled. "It was among the few that Tatyana taught me when I was little. While I have not practiced it since then, I still recall a little."
"I see. The words you are seeing are written in Ancient Human. This language was the predominant one around sixty million years before the Heavenly Cataclysm. Eventually, there was a shift, and some important figures changed it to our current common language."
"Ho~. So, this flag is from over sixty million years ago?"
Sui Xing hummed. "Probably not. While it is a treasure that has traces of time in it, I believe that it was created not too long ago."
Dramel asked, confused. "How much is not too long ago?"
"Well… Around two or three million years ago."
Yasenia snickered. "If that's not too long ago, it seems that I can't even be considered a fetus."
Sui Xing snorted. "Once you reach the Eighth Realm, you'll understand that the current time frames are nothing but blinks of an eye. We are just a million years after a grand event. Back then, there were clans and empires that had existed for so long that their ancestors saw the births and deaths of nearby stars."
Yasenia listened in detail, feeling fascinated. Still, there was something that bothered her. "With such long timeframes… Don't relationships and family connections fall apart?"
"Why would they?" Sui Xing smiled. "You are still thinking much like a mortal, Yasenia. When two people become Dao Companions, the chances of betraying each other are close to none. The longer-lived the couple, the harder it is to separate."
"Really?" Yasenia was puzzled. She honestly had expected the opposite. "I don't understand."
"You will, eventually. Do not worry. Now, even if I explained, you wouldn't get it. You are far too young."
Yasenia hummed and glanced at another pillar. "That's… a wooden wheel? Although the colors and accessories in it are grand, it is a wheel, right?"
Sui Xing clarified again. "Yes. Wheels are great shapes to craft items with profound effects. The wheel represents continuity, an endless cycle. The concept is also linked to progress and movement; it even gathers the progress of civilization and the infinite potential of a single item."
Yasenia noticed something. "Aha… So that's why some artifacts have such odd shapes. When crafting something, what you craft it into will have an influence."
"Most of the time, with powerful items, that's the case."
That answer opened several other questions, and since Sui Xing was answering, Yasenia didn't hold back from asking. "Then, if that's the case, why are all of the treasures that enter my Dantian transforming into planets or stars?"
Sui Xing hummed. "I do not know the answer to that question. Honestly, Yasenia, your Dantian is too peculiar and unique. Usually, a Dantian is a space with an Energy Core and endless seas of energy. If there are any cultivation techniques, they would be hidden away in the spiritual sea inside your soul. However, you have an all-encompassing space that links all Dantians, the body, and the soul."
Yasenia nodded and explained. "It was not like this at first. When I first developed my Celestial Energy, the Celestial Energy Star manifested and gathered all the treasures in the nascent form of a Solar System. Now, it has evolved to what you see."
"I see." Sui Xing smiled, glad that Yasenia trusted him so much as to share these details. He thought deeply for a few moments, and eventually, he answered. "The only thing that I can conclude for now is that your 'planets' and 'stars' are represented as such due to your innate nature."
This explanation was something Yasenia already expected, so she wasn't surprised. She was "The" Empyrean Cosmos Dragon, a progenitor that controlled the primordial Celestial Energy. Her body's core, representing a solar system, felt like the first step toward developing it into something grander and more all-encompassing.
Of course, guesses meant nothing for now, so Yasenia decided to stop bothering about it. "I'll solve it once it influences me. Until then, thinking about it from time to time is enough."
After walking around and seeing the treasures, Yasenia sighed. "The one that tempts me the most among these is the flag. Since I govern over a concept related to war, I feel that this flag will help me greatly. That wheel is also interesting, but I would not choose it over the flag."
Sui Xing commented. "If that's the conclusion you've come to, then we will follow your lead."
Yasenia nodded and smiled. "Before that, let's go and take a look at the pill that piqued Mom's interest."
She walked outside and traveled across the treasury, eventually reaching the hidden location.
The room was dim, a single pedestal supporting one pill jar. Yasenia glanced at the wooden walls, floor, and ceiling with curiosity. "It feels like we are in an ancient cabin. The wood that makes up this room is not a common one at all, though."
Sui Xing commented. "This is [Essence Sealing Wood]. It is usually crafted in small boxes to keep pills fresh and avoid their scent from leaking out. The pill jars are good, but sometimes not enough. The amount of [Essence Sealing Wood] used for this single pill should tell you how important it is."
Yasenia squinted and approached the pill jar. Once close, she sniffed a few times, and a tantalizing scent hit her brain. For a second, she lost control as her mouth salivated and her eyes showed unconcealed greed.
Thankfully, Yasenia's will was as hard as steel. So, a moment after she lost control, the confusion in her eyes disappeared, and clarity returned to her beautiful golden slit eyes. Even when she regained clarity, she took two steps back warily.
"That pill's scent is really too powerful. What is it?"
Sui Xing shook his head. "I am knowledgeable in many things, but this pill is not something I've seen in the past. Still, I can deduce that it is a Four Star Ancient Ranked pill. As for the effects… You'll have to ask Lan Shuyao."
The dragoness pondered for a moment and nodded. Even if she wanted to ask, taking this pill from the room was nothing but asking for trouble. It was sealed for a reason, after all. So, she walked outside, closing the door behind her, and went to look for them.
Once she arrived, Yasenia took a seat on the chair by the tea table they had set up. Lan Shuyao smiled at Yasenia. "Done? You've taken quite a bit of time this time around."
Yasenia smiled and shook her head. "I am hesitating between two items. Although one of them is a bit stronger than the limits you've imposed."
"Hm~." Lan Shuyao squinted, and her nose twitched. Her eyebrow raised. "Aha, so you've gone to visit the pill your mother told you about."
Yasenia nodded. "Yes. Since I've narrowed the choices down to two options, I wanted to consult both of you. Is that alright?"
Tatyana paid attention.
"The two items are the pill Tatyana told me about, and the other is a flag with an ancient 'Endless War' set of letters written on it. Which one do you think suits me better? You must know that I am developing the [Tyrant Warlord Intent Domain], so anything related to War will be great in my hands."
Tatyana glanced at Lan Shuyao and smiled. "If you let her have that pill, I'll do something for your clan."
Lan Shuyao felt that the offer was tempting. However, she eventually shook her head. "I understand that Lady Tatyana's strength and favor are great. Nevertheless, that pill is something our clan has stored throughout generations. We don't want to use it before a peerless genius appears in our family."
Tatyana squinted. "Is it really impossible? I know that the limits you've set up for Yasenia were to prevent her from getting this pill. Still, I want to insist once more."
Lan Shuyao shook her head again. "I can't. Although I really like Little Yasenia. This pill is something I can't give to others. After all, I have the identity of the successor of the Lan Clan. If I, as a leader, were to give up such a pill for just a liking, I would be disqualified to lead anyone."
Tatyana sighed softly. "I see." Turning to look at Yasenia, she smiled and spoke. "Go get that flag, love. It is probably the best treasure in this place other than that pill."
Yasenia was curious, but since she had no fate with that pill, she decided to let it go. "Alright, I'll go get that flag and come back."