NOVPUB“The Infinite Ring Complex, which you now reside in was built. The idea was both brilliant and simple. The danger of high amounts of energy coming from Chaos is that something can come through and corrupt the energy that is used. That is why anyone poking through layers must be exceedingly careful and the layers act as a natural filter for energy. Also, why idiots who know nothing in the Material, break their fragile bubbles and fall downwards into the Mechanical Layer by drawing in more and more energy,” Immortal Nianzu narrated from his chair.
“What do you think we did?” he asked me. I carefully considered the question, since he wanted a more in depth answer.
“You drew energy into higher layers to process it in some way, most likely with this place, the Infinite Ring Complex,” I stated. It made sense since we were in the Mechanical Layer at the moment as far as I could tell.
“A good answer. Instead of expanding outwards in a layer, where we would run into other threats and struggle to win. We decided to be smart. Massive filters were constructed as rings, emulating the natural processes of the layers of Reality. Each ring would be linked to the next, and energy would go through the various rings to be filtered excessively before we would use it. We built both up and down, matching intake with our ability to process the energy. Extensive tests were done. For no amount of safety could be too much. We always assumed the worst, since the horror stories regarding Chaos have existed since forever,” I nodded at this. If some being that could go through time and create effects without a corresponding cause attacked, it would be the end. How would you even fight that? It made me wonder how this place survived but almost everyone was dead.
“The energy would be pumped upwards in a massive amount, filtered heavily, countless times, more than anyone thought was absolutely necessary, but we took no chances. Once the energy reached the top, it would then filter back down into the habitats we created for the Soaring Star Society. Vast areas where cultivators could grow and strengthen themselves, with the best being accepted into our ranks through careful observation and questioning.” Well that clearly wasn’t happening any longer. The Great World was a complete mess and there was no sign of the Soaring Star Society.
“This facility actually exists at the top of the Infinite Ring Complex, resting inside the Material, where we are the safest.” Cultivator Nianzu waved his hand and blue holographic display appeared in front of him. Each layer was labeled like a cake, with the Infinite Ring Complex going through the layers, like a rod, but with highlighted blue rings instead. I counted around 10 rings in each of the middle three layers, with only one ring in Chaos and another in the Material.
“The idea being that we would eventually find out what exists beyond all layers, creating a ring of rings. The ultimate goal of the Infinite Ring Complex. Going through Chaos into the Material or finding new layers that no one knows about. Such a discovery would herald a new age or something greater. Once again we were exceedingly careful. Using disposable drones, constructed in a disposable facility, to build the ring that we descended into Chaos. We did that for all rings, since we would build them in the Firmament and then push them up and down. Careful to limit all vectors that could be attacked,” he explained with a shake of his head.
“It worked too. The amount of energy we drew up was immense. Beyond immense, only limited to what the Infinite Ring Complex could handle. Taking the Soaring Star Society to new heights. We easily beat back all attacks from Chaos creatures and other super organizations. Our cultivation became glorious. If I were to unveil my true power, you would die unless you were the lowest of Immortals. Other cultivators had to bow their heads to us, even the Heavenly Alliance. In time we would have become something beyond a super-organization. Something that has never been recorded into the history of Reality as far as anyone knows,” Cultivator Nianzu had excitement in his voice and began to rise up in his chair. Then he sagged back down.
“We underestimated Chaos. Filters. Checks. Safety measures, so many and complex that it would take a hundred cycles to remember the smallest fraction necessary for the most menial of tasks. But we persisted, since we would have unlimited energy. Our leftovers flowed into the places like the Great World, allowing our garbage collectors to advance their cultivation and bring new members into our super-organization where they would ascend to new heights. But that was our hubris. What do you think happened exactly?” he asked me. Clearly it had to be something with Chaos. Clearly not some kind of super monster, perhaps something smaller.
“Something clearly got through and impacted your cultivation. A disease of some kind?” I speculated.
“An answer tinged with the foolishness of hope and youth. You have learned about micro-cultivation, but not how one passes through the second bottleneck with our path, where your mind is moved from your physical body to the energy you control. What do you think is our method of breaking through?” Cultivator Nianzu asked me.
“Absolute control, focusing on the smallest detail,” I replied and he nodded slowly at this answer. Something far worse seemed to have happened.
“A good answer. To completely control one’s DNA in order to create a body that would naturally develop such a feature, separating one’s soul naturally. But we pushed further. Past that to molecules, and then atoms. Before we finally began focusing on smaller particles that make up energy itself.” I leaned forward in my seat. This was actual physics. I was always curious how energy reconciled with the physics I had learned. What exactly was energy?
“Chaos is not intelligent in a sense, but often it is assigned agency due to the things that inhabit it. Trying to manipulate energy itself. Some would compare it to light, but I would compare energy to a pervasive energy field like gravity. A parasite of infinitely small size was eventually formed as we sought to control everything about ourselves to this smallest detail. It was speculated that it got through our filtering and safety checks by hiding itself as inert energy and then forming once our energy reached a certain structure. Once that happened, the parasite traveled backwards through time to infect the founders of the Soaring Star Society, leading us to our cultivation method, and eventually the parasites appearance. The reason we were so successful in micro-cultivation was due to the parasite in our cultivations,” Cultivator Nianzu explained while I frowned. The parasite caused itself to appear. That made my head hurt.
“You are confused?” he asked me with a small smile.
“I am trying to reconcile the fact that the parasite created the circumstance of its very existence,” I replied. I knew Chaos could break the chain of cause and effect, but the scale of such a thing was beyond belief. That had to be millions if not billions of incredibly powerful cultivators and all of them were infected.
“Cause and effect. Chaos does not need to adhere to such rules that govern Reality itself. That is the true danger of things from Chaos. Even if you take nothing else away from our conversation, that is something you should understand and remind all who think they can tame Chaos. We even tested and checked for this very thing. That is how extensive and comprehensive our safety procedures were, but the parasite found a way, infecting everyone who had crossed over the second bottleneck,” Cultivator Nianzu explained.
It hurt my head to try and understand. The Soaring Star Society had success with their cultivation method due to a parasite, which ultimately destroyed them and infected them in the future. “The parasite grows in strength, by consuming the energy we draw in. Unlike you Heavenly Alliance cultivators, we don’t connect our souls to the Astral Plane. We draw energy from around us. Our defenses are centered around ourselves and control over our bodies and spirits. Once the parasite infected our spirits cultivators began losing strength as well as their minds. Ask,” he said.
“Those that mean the past cannot be changed? How does time even work?” I asked.
“Was the parasite always there or was Reality changed to accommodate the parasite? The answer is both and neither. The present always exists and cannot be changed. You are here now. Chaos would either erase you in some manner or create a circumstance where it will win. If you are erased, then you would no be here. There are rare signs of super organizations and other beings that ceased to exist, but remnants of them have been left behind. Chaos is powerful, but it uses linked energy. That is why certain methods of energy manipulation are called paths. Since all who tread the same path are vulnerable to such things which have brought down the Soaring Star Society,” he explained.
“How concerned do I need to be?” I asked.
“The Heavenly Alliance is aggressive, but they fear Chaos far more than they should. But perhaps we did not fear it enough. The Chaos creature that is targeting you will not be a concern unless you go to the Astral Plane. Then you will die. Since you are here, that is probably not going to happen.”
“Then I could be erased from existence and would have never existed in the first place,” I replied trying to make sense of temporal nonsense. It truly made my head hurt.
“That is one way to look at it, but not something to depend on. While Reality likes to reassert cause and effect, things leak through. That is why the remnants of erased beings have been found, indicating they were erased, indicating they existed at one point. It helps that the more energy you have and the longer you have existed, it is harder for such a thing to occur. But it can always happen eventually. There are beings in Chaos that have infinite energy. Infinite always beats a non-infinite,” he explained. All of this was clearly above my paygrade, and we were getting off track. I would worry such things later once I advanced my cultivation.
“But you survived, and this place is still standing,” I replied, wondering how there was someone left.
“I am almost dead child. My cultivation was reversed to return to my physical body, hoping to purge my spirit of the parasite. It both succeeded and failed. The parasite is still there, merged perfectly with my energy. But it no longer impacts my mind,” he explained, with a shake of his head.
“As for this place. It is failing. Without the extensive safety checks, the only option was to purge rings to prevent Chaos from infecting them.” The holographic display above his desk changed highlighting the rings in the Astral Plane and the one in Chaos in red while nine of the ten rings in the Firmament turned yellow. Red clearly meant they were lost, that much was understandable.
“What does yellow mean?” I asked.
“They are overrun by other forces in one way or another. That is why your craft was able to sneak through. Almost all the small-scale defenses from the Mechanical Layer and the Material have been repurposed. But without cultivators it is only a matter of time before the Infinite Ring Complex is lost. Unlike the other layers, the primary construction complex in the Firmament was the lynchpin holding all of this togeather in a sense.”
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“You can’t just teleport me?” I asked. This was a super organization. In my mind, they should be able to do almost anything.
“Access has been cut as well as the connection tunnels. What remains is either a war zone or inhabited by dangerous creatures.” Can’t you send your golems or something? I didn’t want to get frustrated since I was asking for help, but it felt like this restrictions were arbitrary.
“But the Heavenly Alliance came to pick Yang Heng up? Wouldn’t they attack you to take this place?” I asked.
“The Cultivation Deity Treaty is bound at the highest levels. As long as I live or a single immortal of the Soaring Star Society lives on, they are bound by the treaty and so am I. We do not attack them, and they do not attack us…well just me now,” he replied. I was surprised any cultivator would respect such a thing, but the treaty probably had some enforcement mechanisms.
“The cultivators of the Great World don’t count? Can’t you induct them into your super-organization?” I asked.
“Do you know why I hold the title of Chief Administrator?” he asked me.
“Everyone else is dead,” I replied, and he nodded.
“An incomplete answer, but still is correct. This entire complex is governed by automated systems as you have seen. And this is the highest possible position I can take, without a vote of the Ruling Council. I cannot form a quorum of the Ruling Council to accept the petition of new members since there is only me. Bringing people here will only lead to distractions like yourself. It is pleasant, but I am only bothering with this, since I can sense my end is near,” Cultivator Nianzu replied.
I wanted to scream at this. You don’t control all of this. I could imagine it now. They tested out an experimental procedure on someone low ranking. Everyone died as their spirits were consumed by the parasite embedded into their very cultivation. The last person not pushed up to the highest non-appointed position. They probably never seriously considered there would be no one left when they built all of this.
“How near is your death?” I asked the rude question hesitantly.
“Shortly,” he smiled. “I will finally be able to rest. I don’t want to die, but even with my immense cultivation, a physical body can only last so long even as my spirit has been shredded.” That was useful to know, but not helpful.
“How can I leave this place?” I asked. This place was a very fancy graveyard at best and a prison at worst.
“I do not have the authority for that. You are free to travel about the complex as an honored guest. Try not to wreck anything, otherwise the golems will put you in prison. Same with restricted areas.”
“You didn’t leave and seek out a cure?” I asked and he shook his head slightly.
“There is no cure. Everything has been attempted already. I underwent an emergency procedure and only woke up after everyone was dead, since someone needs to manage this place. I can’t leave without the approval of the Ruling Council. And where would I go? How would I go there? We were an insular sect. While this is the monitoring area for the various rings and monitoring station, our manufacturing and other facilities are all located in the Firmament. Those have been lost.”
“But there is one ring remaining down there. Can’t I go there?” The way he talked about his death and his carefree attitude indicated it would be sooner rather than later. I needed to get as much information as possible, as quickly as possible.
“We are sealed off from that layer. That is the automated emergency system in effect. Cutting off compromised layers from the rest in order to protect the cultivators not located there. I can’t override such things. Once I die, everything will become a mess.”
“What will happen?” I asked hurriedly. From the way he was talking, he would drop dead any second.
“Well, with no command authority or a cultivator of the Soaring Star Society present in the Infinite Ring Complex monitoring station, the automated system would assume an enemy force has taken over. We would never allow a hostile force to seize this place and we would seek to destroy our enemies. It will take a bit of time, but this entire place will begin a full descent into Chaos, dragging everything else nearby, to ensure they regret attacking us and not allowing our enemies to claim our greatest secrets. With how the rings are set up, such protocols are likely still active,” he replied.
“The trillions of people…” I said in shock, and he shook his head. Everyone would die. Not just in the Great World I had been traveling through, but all the other ones as well. More than trillions. I couldn’t even begin to come up with a number for the amount of people about to die.
“The descendants of the Soaring Star Society. They will all cease to exist. Either the Great Worlds break apart or Chaos will eventually consume them. There is nowhere for them to go. No way to save them. We were too good with our safety measures and defense. I have spent my time looking into getting around the automated systems, but there is no way.”
I was shocked in silence. Everyone and everything was going to die. I couldn’t argue against his technical expertise, since I had no practical knowledge of how this place worked. “Ask, you clearly have more questions. It is nice to unburden myself before death.”
“The lack of energy in the Great World?” I asked while trying to get my thoughts togeather. I just picked a question that had been bothering me for a while.
“Without the draw of energy from the lower layers, it has to come from somewhere. Also emergency protocols to keep the systems maintaining the place active no matter what.”
“Tribulations?” I asked.
“Probably the automated system reacting to something it doesn’t like. The cultivators who could answer such a thing are long dead. I was in charge of handling filtration system number 172. While some knowledge carries over, I can’t answer the specifics.”
“The books in the waiting area?” I asked.
“They are organized like that to create frustration in our guests. It is polite to provide books and entertainment to guests, but the Soaring Star Society wasn’t the nicest to guests, since they were beneath us. Also, they are organized in some convoluted scheme related to other super-organizations in order to frustrate intelligent people who want to find deeper patterns or meanings. Again, not my area of expertise,” he replied.
“There has to be a way to leave this place?” I asked. I needed to leave if all of this was going to be destroyed. I took his warning about being killed if I went to the Astral Plane seriously, and going all the way to Chaos was an instant death sentence.
“Not that I know of child. Why would anyone want to leave the perfect Soaring Star Society?” The question was stated with sarcasm. “Still, your best option is to attempt to reach the ring located in the Firmament once I die. The internal security protocols and other systems will divert energy to fuel the descent of the entire structure into Chaos.” He reached over on his desk and picked up a pad and handed it over to me. I carefully took it. “This contains the map of the Infinite Ring Complex. Oh, the energy pumps will stop working so a lot of other systems will begin to fail as well. A complete mess. But there is some hope for you.”
I listened closely. “There are escape pods at the edge of each ring complex. They won’t work if the ring descends below the Firmament to prevent Chaos corruption, but you can use them before. Also, you can’t wait until the descent. Once it happens, it will go quickly, and all systems will begin to completely lock up or fail as the different layers cause issues with their design. What works in the Mechanical Layer, won’t properly work in the Firmament and so on. The pad should keep you apprised of any changes to the automated systems running this place.”
“Thank you, but why are you being so helpful?” I asked. This was more than I expected. I knew he said he was close to death, but Nianzu had gone from lecturing to helpful.
“For amusing an old man before his death. Nothing more, nothing less. Drink a cup of tea for me in the future, like you would your masters. While you might have spent more time with them, you still lived in the Infinite Ring Complex for a time. At least one being will remember me fondly after my death and the end of the Soaring Star Sect. Ah, one more thing,” he said, and I listened intently. He grabbed another pad and tapped away at it for a couple of minutes before setting it down with a heavy sigh.
“Young cultivators always wanting more. But I understand the drive to improve yourself. I have detached a hyper compressed energy storage cannister for review and testing. It cannot be teleported. But if you want something valuable from this place you can take with you, that is it. Our cultivation path and techniques are useless. The rest is just decorations. If you damage the materials, the defenses will activate,”
“The parasite? Will I have to worry about it?” I asked with a bit of worry.
“Will find no purchase with what you have done to your soul. While I wouldn’t say your path is superior, it has not reached a dead end like the path of the Soaring Star Society. The wealth of our super-organization was our unity, our ability to build, and massive amounts of energy we gathered. Other items have been put away into the secure vaults to protect the inheritance of deceased cultivators. These vaults cannot be accessed unless you are a member of the Ruling Council to prevent theft of personnel items. It would have been amusing to give you some powerful weapons or other items,” he chuckled softly at this.
“The look the cultivators of the Heavenly Alliance you would have with an intact Seven Star Battle Golem would be hilarious. We always did like showing the expressions of other cultivators when they had to bow their heads. Ying Sing, truly was the best gossip,” he trailed off, clearly recollecting the past.
“Thank you, Senior Nianzu,” I replied and bowed my head.
“You can take your minions with you or leave them. It matters not. What happens, happens.” His pad let out a beep and he picked it up. “And so it begins even before I draw my last breath. A swarm of some kind is attacking rings in the Mechanical Layer. The defenses will only hold for so long. Oh, and take this since I will have no more need to such a symbol,” He pulled a ring off his finger. I carefully took it and looked it over.
It appeared to be made of gold and silver twisted togeather and there was no gem. There were tiny stars etched into the metal. It was quite heavy. Looking closer with my eyes there was something off about the ring. It took me a moment to realize that it was made of solid energy. I looked up in shock. “Hyper condensed energy. The specialty of the Soaring Star Society. The Heavenly Alliance uses old equipment we sold to them for their continents, wishing they could be half as efficient as us. If you cannot reach the cannister I set aside, that ring is quite valuable. It can’t be stored spatially, but consider it a reminder of this place and my help.”
“Thank you, Nianzu,” I said. He gave me a soft smile.
“Now that is the best answer. If only we never thought of ourselves as invincible gods. I wish I-“ he then flopped over on his desk face forward. I blinked in surprise at the suddenness of Nianzu’s collapse. I took a moment to process the fact that he had just spontaneously died. There was no coughing, pain, or anything else. He just died. He had control over his biology and there were issues with the parasite infecting his spirit. It might have broken a bit too much and then, he just died. Speaking with me might have also killed him. I felt a bit of guilt at that, but he clearly knew the end was close and chose to speak with me. Or it could have been something else entirely.
Nianzu’s body was slowly losing energy. I suspected that once it was all gone, this place would begin to self-destruct. Once the automated systems of this place realized he was no longer among the living. I needed to hurry. It was hard to say how long I had, but the time would probably be measured in days or hours at most, not in cycles or years.
Looking about the office, there was nothing to take of value. The entire place was completely barren. I walked around the desk and checked the drawers. They were completely empty. Nianzu had probably cleaned out everything before the end. Leaving only this ring and the pads he used to control the Infinite Ring Complex.
“Thank you, Senior,” I gave his corpse a bow before leaving the office. The cloaked drone was not present. I quickly raced back to the elevator. Well, I got my answers, now it was time to leave. I needed to get the hyper compressed energy tank and then find a way to the escape pod in the bottom ring that was in the Firmament.
There was one major choice I still had to make though. Should I go back for the three junior cultivators who had come all this way with me, or leave them to die when this place descended into Chaos? “Level Two Alert. All personnel please go to red level duty stations,” a feminine voice announced as I reached the elevator. That was probably the automated system doing things.
I quickly selected the option for the guest level. Ten seconds later, I was there. They had come all this way and believed in me. I was not about to leave my companions behind. Also they might be useful as distractions and carrying the hyper compressed energy tank. I wouldn’t be able to put it in my spatial storage. I had tried with the ring and it refused. 𝓃𝓸𝓋𝓹𝓾𝓫.𝒸ℴ𝓶
The amount of energy in the ring was hard to say, but it was far more than any amount of spirit stones. This was the product of a super-organization, their specialty product. A full tank of this stuff, might allow me to reach the second breakthrough. With this super-organization about to disappear, the value would only increase.
