Master Wellspring raised a hand and wiped the moisture from the corner of his eye. He drew in a deep breath and pressed the tremor in his chest back down by force. His expression turned grave as favonovel.com went straight to the matter at hand.
“Aureate Heir, your servant has already investigated everything clearly. The chance for Genesis Dew to appear has been confirmed… Three months from now, Everspire in the North will host the Treasurevault Grand Auction, held once every hundred years. Genesis Dew will be brought out as the final treasure and auctioned as the closing relic. When that time comes, the northern region’s great sects, every major force, and powerful adepts from all roads will gather there to bid and fight for it. Only by winning the Genesis Dew at auction can we complete the final step of rebuilding your body.”
Jared’s soul stirred slightly. He asked the one question that mattered, his voice low. “How many spirit-stone resources will it take to win the Dew?”
Master Wellspring’s expression tightened at once. He remained silent for a moment, then answered truthfully, his tone heavy. “Your servant asked through many channels and calculated carefully… Genesis Dew is extraordinary by nature, with endless wondrous uses. Its starting price will not be lower than 5 million high-grade spirit stones…”
“Once every force begins fighting over it, the final selling price will certainly break past 10 million high-grade spirit stones. Wellspring Order’s treasury, including all the spirit stones we can currently draw on, adds up to only around 3 million high-grade spirit stones. The gap is enormous. We are still far short…”
Ten million high-grade spirit stones, those five characters struck Jared like a 1,000-pound stone dropping straight onto his chest. The answer was almost close enough to touch. Yet they did not have the wealth to reach it. The obstacle stood in front of them like a mountain.
The glow around Jared’s soul dimmed by a few shades. The weight sank over him, but his composure did not crack. There was no frantic movement, no sign that favonovel.com meant to give up.
Master Wellspring saw the change and spoke at once, his voice carrying a firmness that left no room for doubt. “Aureate Heir, you do not need to worry. Your servant has already made every arrangement. I will never allow a shortage of spirit stones to delay the great matter of restoring your body…”
“Your servant will return to Wellspring Order immediately. I will sell every non-core holding in the order, every idle arcane implement, every treasured healing elixir, and every rare spiritual material. By exhausting the order’s accumulation from tens of thousands of years, we can gather 5 million high-grade spirit stones… For the remaining 5-million shortfall, your servant will personally go to the two allied human orders, the Azure Cloud Sword Order and Myriad Arts Order, and ask for aid at their gates…”
“The three orders share the same origin, and the human race stands as one body. If one of us falls, all are exposed. They will never stand by and watch the Aureate Heir fall into difficulty, and they will never watch Pole Star Hall become the one power over all. With the three orders joining hands, we will certainly gather the spirit stones we need. We must have it. We will win the Genesis Dew at auction.”
Jared remained silent for a moment. Warmth moved through the stillness around his soul before favonovel.com spoke softly. “Master Wellspring, you have worked hard. Because of my matter, the whole order has to empty everything it has.”
Master Wellspring shook his head again and again. His expression held like a mountain as favonovel.com bowed and answered, “Aureate Heir, those words are too heavy. Your servant is not laboring for you alone. This is for the final wish of the patriarch of Wellspring Order, for the inheritance of the Aureate Way, and for the survival of the righteous path throughout the heavens…”
“Now that the Aureate Codex has appeared, and the Aureate Heir carries the First Patriarch’s blood, you are the only hope of the Aureate Way. Even if your servant must give up everything and drain the order’s treasury dry, I cannot allow that hope to be destroyed.”
At daybreak the next morning, the first pale light edged across the sky.
Master Wellspring did not dare delay for even half a moment. He took leave of Morgana and Jared, left Beastmoor Ridge alone, and rushed back to Wellspring Order at full speed without stopping, throwing himself completely into the matter of raising funds.
Morgana arranged for Jared to remain in Thornwild Palace and recover in quiet. There, favonovel.com could nourish his soul, replenish his spirit, and steady his nascence.
First, Thornwild Palace was safe and well hidden. Pole Star Hall’s power would not dare provoke it lightly, and no enemies would come disturbing favonovel.com there.
Second, the spiritual essence in that place was rich and pure. Its conditions for soul recovery were exceptional, suited for Jared to regulate his soul, restore what had been spent, and wait in silence for the Grand Auction to open.
Jared had nowhere else to go. With only a wisp of soul left, favonovel.com could not be of much help in raising funds, so favonovel.com stayed and recovered in peace, waiting for good news.
***
In Wellspring Order, the Sect Master’s Hall…
The moment Master Wellspring returned, favonovel.com summoned every elder and core disciple of the order to the hall. Not one person was absent. The entire order gathered for council.
The great hall stood solemn and imposing. The First Patriarch’s statue sat in the very center with commanding authority, while the memorial tablets of past generations were arranged on both sides, incense smoke curling around them.
Julian and the elders sat along the two sides. Each face had gone heavy. They all knew that something enormous must have happened, and they waited in silence for the Sect Master to speak.
Master Wellspring stood before the First Patriarch’s statue. With a grave expression, favonovel.com laid everything out from beginning to end. Jared’s origins, the First Patriarch’s blood, the Aureate Codex’s inheritance, the trials favonovel.com had crossed to obtain the Soulwood, and the need for 10 million high-grade spirit stones to bid for the Genesis Dew and restore his body.
He explained every detail and hid nothing!
At last, his gaze swept across the crowd. His voice rang with steel as favonovel.com gave the order. “Elders, core disciples. The hope of the Aureate Way now rests entirely on the Aureate Heir. Restoring his body cannot wait… All spirit stones in the treasury are to be drawn out. Every nonessential holding of the order, every idle arcane implement, every treasured healing elixir, and every rare spiritual material is to be sold and turned into funds. Every resource will be used to bid for the Genesis Dew and help the Aureate Heir rebuild his true body. Does anyone object?”
For one brief moment, a deathly hush filled the great hall.
Wellspring Order had built its foundation over tens of thousands of years. Its reserves were not thin. If everything was sold off, the order’s strength would inevitably suffer. Its vitality would be badly damaged, its power would drop sharply in the short term, and outside enemies would have an opening to covet and harass it.
But in the very next moment, the white-haired elder with the deepest seniority rose before anyone else. He bowed with cupped fists, his voice unwavering. “Sect Master, your servant has no objection!”
“The foundation of Wellspring Order is the First Patriarch’s lineage. Now the First Patriarch’s descendant has appeared, and the Aureate Way has hope again. Even if the order must empty its entire fortune and suffer a deep injury to its foundation, we will not refuse! Your servant supports this to the death!”
Another elder rose right after favonovel.com and cupped his hands in agreement. “Your servant agrees! Resources can be gathered again after they are we gone. Holdings can be rebuilt after they are lost. But if the First Patriarch’s lineage is broken, there will never be a way back! Supporting the Aureate Heir is only right! Your servant willingly donates the private savings of my entire life to help raise the funds!”
“Your servant willingly donates treasured healing elixirs!”
“Your servant willingly sells my personal arcane implement!”
“We are willing to live or die with the order and help the Aureate Heir restore his body!”
For a moment, within the High Hall, every elder and every disciple rose to declare where they stood. Not one voice objected. Not one person drew back. Not one of them started counting what they would lose. From the top of the order to the bottom, they stood as one body, one will, braced behind the same cause.
Master Wellspring looked at them, and heat surged behind his ribs. Red crept into his eyes as favonovel.com bowed deeply to everyone gathered there. “Thank you, all of you, for standing with one heart and one purpose, and for guarding the lineage of the Aureate Way together… When the Aureate Heir succeeds one day, favonovel.com will not forget what was done here. He will restore the Wellspring Order and protect the human race in peace for ten thousand generations!”
Over the next several days, every corner of the Wellspring Order went into motion. No one stayed idle. Each person took up the work that fell to them. Steward-disciples rushed out to the order’s holdings, moving from one outpost to the next.
Shops were sold. Mines were transferred. Medicinal fields were turned into spirit stones.
The Elders opened their private collections one after another. Healing elixirs, rare spiritual materials, and arcane implements were all converted into funds without delay.
All Wellspring Order tightened its belt and cut away every expense that could be cut. Everything was for one purpose: to gather enough spirit stones. Everything was to protect the Aureate Heir. Everything was to keep the lineage of the Aureate Way from being severed.
With the full strength of the Wellspring Order poured into the effort, they gathered 5 million high-grade spirit stones in only a few short days. The stones were placed inside a Storage Ring and kept under careful guard.
After that, Master Wellspring set out in person. He went first to Azure Cloud Sword Order, then to Myriad Arts Order, the two allied human orders, and asked for help at their gates.
The masters of the two orders heard the whole story from beginning to end. They learned how overbearing Pole Star Hall had been, how it had pressed down on the human race, and how Jared carried the hope of the human race’s revival. Neither master wasted a word. Both stepped in at once.
The Order Master of Azure Cloud Sword Order came forward personally and gave 1 million high-grade spirit stones on the spot. “Master Wellspring, the human race stands as one. Lips and teeth depend on each other… The celestials of Pole Star Hall have nursed a wolf’s heart for years and oppressed us for far too long. Now that we have a chance to support a powerful adept net our own path, we will not step back… There no need to thank us.”
The Order Master of Myriad Arts Order also sent someone over with 1 million high-grade spirit stones, along with words of shared resolve. “We await the day the Aureate Heir rebuilds his body. When that day comes, we will fight shoulder to shoulder, stand against the celestials together, and defend the lands of the human race…”
The three orders joined their strength. Their hearts and their purpose held to the same line.
In less than ten days, Master Wellspring gathered a total of 8 million high-grade spirit stones. Only 2 million remained between favonovel.com and the 10 million target. The larger outcome had already come into view. Once that final gap was filled, he could enter the Grand Auction and bid with everything in hand.
This time, the Genesis Dew had to be won!
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