[You have selected the name, Talonfall]

  [Do you confirm your selection?]

  “Yes!”

  [Slot 1: Talonfall]

  [Pillarshard Grade: Impure]

  [Descension Status: 67%]

  [Core Mantle Options Available:]

  [Spawn Inhabitants — Empower Pillarshard]

  Dejiu raised his frozen eyebrows. This was all new to him — new, but welcomed. Ha! His focus trailed towards the first option.

  [Spawn Inhabitants Effect — Sacrifice descension status to generate natural inhabitants. Inhabitants bend to your will. Inhabitants cannot leave Pillarshard’s domain.]

  “Miss Bing Xin, can you explain this a little more?” He asked after trying and failing to get further explanation. Some of the terms weren’t too clear.

  “The natural inhabitants are the original daimons that populated the Pillarshard. Think of those Hollow Talons and soldiers.”

  Dejiu nodded. But then his curiosity sparked further. “...Does it also include the guardian?”

  “Indeed. But it will take an immense amount of Hell Shards to bring that descension status to the amount needed.”

  “How much?”

  “A hundred percent. You will be given the option to complete the descent to the Sixth Hell or to spawn the guardian.”

  “I see. Then what is this about the domain? How large is the domain and what does it do?”

  “A hundred steps. The same reason I never allowed you to leave a hundred steps back then. That is the base domain range. Now that you’ve conquered it, you and your allies have a greater advantage in case of intruders. Well, perhaps not in your case.”

  Dejiu frowned. That didn’t sound good. Well, not saying anything really sounds good out of her mouth, but this was worse. “How so?”

  “Your strongest prana element will be replenished faster within the Pillarshard and its domain. Only you and those you deem as allies will share this. However, your strongest is the hell element. Those monks do not share this trait.” Bing Xin answered.

  “...”

  Dejiu sighed, icy breath escaped. Of course! Just rub it in. Bah, who cares, at least he’ll be stronger inside there. Well, if the Arhats didn’t decide to do something extreme like execute him or something.

  He moved along and checked the second option available.

  [Empower Pillarshard — Sacrifice descension status for a variety of empowerments.]

  [Options Available: Expand domain — Heighten prana replenishment — Build infrastructure — Heighten The Call]

  Most of them were self-explanatory… except one. “Miss Bing Xin? What’s The Call?”

  “The Call to less resilient and strong-willed daimons towards the Pillarshard. Why do you think those monks are setting up a perimeter the moment they flooded from the entrance?”

  “...Oh. Well, I guess that’s handled.”

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “Indeed. You’re fortunate that you didn’t have to defend it the moment you conquered it. Well, aside from those poor Feng Clan cultivators.”

  “Poor!? I’m the damned poor one. I’m here in this frozen cell because of them and their greed!”

  “Don’t forget your lack of wealth.”

  His face twitched, perhaps cracked if it was frozen. “I’m a monk, of course, I’m penniless!”

  Now, tell me about the remnant.” Bing Xin said.

  Dejiu glared at her. Is this the right time? Shouldn’t she be formulating a plan to break out? Or an elaborate scheme to lie with her wits to help save him?

  “I’m waiting, little monk.”

  “Fine, wench! It's your fault if I’m ousted or executed.”

  He closed his eyes and willed his reward to come forth.

  [You have received a Soulbound Remnant: Diluted Droplet of [Redacted]’s Blood]

  [Remnant Grade: Pure Tainted]

  [Remnant Type: Consumable]

  [Remnant Description: A droplet reaved from cold desolation. Lamentable and silent, it is unfathomable to think even the most diluted of droplets remain.]

  “Redacted? Is this your blood, Bing Xin?” Dejiu asked as he recalled the description of the Dark Flower cultivation method.

  Perhaps. She said snarkily.

  He sighed. Of course she couldn’t give him a clear answer. What more could he expect? Well if it was one consolation, it likely was her blood. The damned description itself was as mysterious as her answers.

  He turned his attention back to the actual object.

  In his left hand was a small… ice sphere. Cold to the touch, the frozen blood never seemed to melt. Dejiu frowned. Initially, he pushed his reward to the back of his head because of circumstances. The Seekers Accord called it a consumable. Should he swallow it? That’s what it means, right? Wait. Wait, wait, wait. Why am I just noticing it? Before he could even consider consuming it, he realized its grade.

  “Pure Tainted?” He whispered. A Pure Tainted reward for conquering an Impure Pillarshard?

  “Indeed little monk. You completed it alone. You started as a Mid Initiate. That old bird’s meddling. You were rewarded accordingly even with my help. You don’t know how much of an achievement you made. The Seekers Accord recognized that.”

  Dejiu watched as her shadowy figure dispersed into the darkness of the night before her hazy hands covered his own. Clouds of darkness surrounded him as she swirled and looked at the frozen blood sphere.

  “Ah, but the blood’s ranking is a little low if you’d ask me. Nevertheless, this is perfect.” Bing Xin said.

  He frowned. Perfect for Bing Xin was very different from perfect for him. “What do you mean by perfect?”

  Bing Xin’s silhouette swirled a bit. Is she excited? “This will solve your problem of affinities and prana elements. Remember what I told you back then?”

  “Oooooh! Will this help me fit inside the temple more? I was a little worried about Teacher Jiansu teaching me when I don’t have much ice element prana insid—”

  “No. Your prana affinities wouldn’t change. You’re most tied to the following in ascending order; Ice, death, hell, blood. You could reach the Earthly Stage after a lifetime of using the temple’s cultivation method. But it would be idiotic to do so. A constant cycle of cultivating in the highest and coldest of peaks where ice prana is richest, yet it would still be tainted by your affinity to other elements no matter how distant they are. Then it’ll take an absurd amount of time to refine them back to ice. Futile.”

  I-I see. He thought downcastedly. Looks like it wasn’t even too late to learn the temple’s cultivation method — it was never fit to begin with.

  “But it would be almost equally as foolish to ignore your affinity to ice element prana. So I will teach you how to use all you were born with. First, advance to the Advanced Stage. I cannot do anything with this frozen blood until then.” Bing Xin said.

  What’s next for me then? Another Pillarshard? Dejiu wondered.

  “No. I doubt you’ll be able to.” Bing Xin answered.

  He frowned. Huh? How come?

  “You’ll find out soon, little monk.”

  He opened his mouth to ask further, but he heard quick steps coming into the room. He narrowed his eyes to the hallway that led to his cell.

  Four figures emerged.