Vahn retreated to the quiet privacy of his hut after the morning’s eventful breakfast. His heart still pounded with the thrill of acquiring a Divine Grade Art, and he couldn’t wait to test the terrifying power of the Nine Heavens Lightning Art.
He quickly settled down and focused, drawing upon the secret knowledge now etched into his soul. He tried to execute the very first form of the technique: Destruction Sword.
He channeled his newly refined Void Qi, intending to channel it through the complex pathways dictated by the Lightning Art. But the moment he attempted to force his Qi to resonate with the element of lightning, his meridians seized up. The energy refused to transform, recoiling inward with a painful jolt. He tried again, pushing harder, but it was like trying to ignite water. The power simply would not manifest.
Frustrated, Vahn stopped and instead tried executing the Art Of Healing that he had learned from Seraphina. This time, it worked perfectly. A soft, warm Light Qi flowed easily from his palm, gentle and life-giving.
The conclusion hit him with the force of a physical blow.
He could not wield the Nine Heavens Lightning Swords no matter what, because he lacked the necessary Lightning Affinity. This was an iron law of cultivation: without the required elemental affinity, one could not wield that type of elemental art. Forcing it would only cause severe internal damage to the energy pathways.
Vahn was thoroughly confused. "Why would the System reward me with something I can’t even use?"
He had acquired the Light Affinity through his connection with Seraphina. The logical conclusion was that he must acquire the Lightning Affinity in the same way.
He ran through the names of his wives.
Was there even someone among them who had the lightning affinity?
Maybe, yes. But he couldn’t wait for that long. He needed to find another way.
So, he asked around. Eventually, he arrived before Fatty Liam, the talkative senior outer disciple.
"Junior brother, you’re looking for a way to get Lightning Affinity? But why?" Liam asked, confusion clouding his plump features.
"Aren’t you satisfied with the Light Affinity? I mean, if you want to become stronger, you can just go for attack-type Light Arts. There are countless in the Scripture Hall."
Liam squinted at Vahn suspiciously. "Anyway, you haven’t even completed your Body Tempering yet, right? So, why are you thinking about cultivation Arts so early?"
Vahn offered a smooth lie, "I’m close to completing my Body Tempering. But I have an exceptional Lightning Art from my family’s inheritance that I simply must learn. So, if you know a way, I would be very grateful."
Liam nodded, understanding Vahn’s desire to use a powerful inheritance.
"I see... But there isn’t any easy way to get those affinities. They are innate; people are born with them. Some have one, some two, and the Holy Sons with three."
"Is there really no other way?" Vahn pressed, not wanting to give up yet.
Seeing Vahn’s seriousness, Liam became thoughtful, rubbing his chin. After a while, his eyes lit up.
"Yes. Now that I think about it, there’s another way."
"And what’s that?" Vahn asked eagerly.
"The Lightning Seed."
"What’s a Lightning Seed? Where can I acquire it from?"
Liam’s eyes reflected a momentary longing as he explained,
"Elemental Seeds... They are a type of Heaven and Earth resource extracted from the Elemental Spirits of extreme elemental places. They often appear in Auction Halls. Each of them is extremely rare and pricey."
Liam leaned in conspiratorially.
"But you’re lucky, Junior Brother. There’s an auction scheduled in the Holy Light Empire tomorrow that deals in such rare items."
He then became stern.
"But I must warn you: you’ll need a fortune to acquire one. Moreover, it’s also a gamble. There is no guarantee you’ll awaken the affinity. So think carefully."
"I understand..." Vahn sighed, his mind already calculating the risks and rewards.
From there, Vahn headed straight for Seraphina’s Cave, his mind buzzing with the logistics of acquiring a Lightning Seed.
But upon reaching the entrance, he found Seraphina preparing to leave. She was dressed in her traveling robes, her usual peaceful demeanor replaced with a focused intensity.
"Seraphina, are you going somewhere?" he asked.
"Yes, Vahn. I don’t always stay closed door. I have my own duties, and today’s is an important one."
"Oh, what’s that?"
"The Emperor of the Holy Light Empire has fallen terribly ill. The suspicion is that someone used an ancient curse on his Soul, which is normally hard to heal. But after receiving the Soul Healing Art, I am sure I can pull this off. Truly, your gift came just in time. That emperor should feel really lucky, I must say," she said, looking relieved and confident.
"Then I am glad to relieve some of your burdens. But there is one thing I need help with," Vahn scratched his head, looking hesitant.
"What is it? No need to be so hesitant about it, Vahn. Tell me what it is you need."
"It’s nothing special. I just need one Transportation Jade Slip to go to Radiant City in the Holy Light Empire. I have something important to purchase there from an auction hall."
Seraphina’s gentle eyes reflected surprise for a second.
"You want to attend an Auction Hall? But do you have the Spirit Stones, Vahn? Why don’t I lend you some?"
Vahn chuckled. "Come on, Seraphina. What kind of man will I be if I had to rely on my wife?"
Seraphina crossed her arms over her chest, pouting in response. "What kind of logic is that, Vahn? Do you think all women are weak? Then I might as well tell you I have millions of Spirit Stones in my Storage Space Ring. So, you don’t need to shy away... Just ask away..."
"Wow! You’re certainly talkative today," Vahn replied, finding her usual calm and gentle composure replaced by genuine smiles and happiness. Indeed, her often gloomy personality was changing, and for the better.
She fell silent, looking inward for a moment as she replied with emotion, "Maybe it is because of a certain someone who brought me out of my shell. And I am very grateful to that person."
In the end, she looked at Vahn’s face, confirming he was the reason for her change.
At last, both of them agreed to go together since they were heading to the same city. Seraphina was heading to the Imperial Palace, and Vahn was heading to the auction. It was a perfect coincidence.
However, Vahn set certain conditions for himself.