Shattered Sanity

Mister Aldren Voss walked towards the Imperial Anatomist’s drugstore quite absentmindedly, as the circumstances surrounding his employment made him wonder about the true nature of the assignment.

Being a Flame Rank Ascendant, he occasionally accepted private commissions to guide the children of wealthy families through their first breakthrough to the Ember rank. However, never before had he received a commission quite as unusual as this one.

The letter instructed him to arrive alone, speak to nobody about the assignment, and complete the entire job within no more than two days.

In return, he would receive one full gold coin.

The reward honestly baffled him.

One gold coin was an absurd amount of money for a task that ordinarily consisted of little more than answering a few questions, supervising a breakthrough, and ensuring that nothing went wrong during the process.

”I wonder what sort of big-shot noble child I’m going to meet for the reward to be this high?

And that too for such a simple assignment.

Usually, noble houses have their own instructors for something like this, so I don’t know why they would need to hire outside help...”

He muttered, as he continued making his way towards the Imperial Anatomist’s establishment.

Before long, the modest-looking drugstore came into view.

From the outside, it looked no different from the countless herbal stores scattered throughout Stoneville Town, making it difficult to imagine that one of the Empire’s greatest anatomical geniuses secretly conducted his life’s work beneath it.

Aldren stepped inside the store, as the Imperial Anatomist and the young storekeeper immediately hurried forward to receive him.

”Ah, Mister Voss, welcome.

We are truly grateful that you accepted our request.

The Young Master has been eagerly awaiting your arrival,”

The Imperial Anatomist announced, as he respectfully guided Aldren further into the store.

Only then did Aldren notice the young man seated quietly beside a nearby table.

Unlike everyone else, the youth made no attempt to greet him.

Instead, he simply watched Aldren approach with calm, composed eyes that carried an inexplicable sense of confidence and authority.

’Quite the presence...’ Aldren thought, as he unconsciously straightened his own posture.

”Young Master,” the Imperial Anatomist said respectfully, as he introduced the two.

Only then did Riven slowly stand from his chair before offering Aldren a small, courteous bow, that was no different from a head nod.

*Nod*

As caught completely off guard, Aldren instinctively returned an even deeper bow without giving it any conscious thought.

*45° bow*

”Oh no, you are my teacher, Mister Voss.

You must not bow deeper to me than I bow to you.

I am here today to learn from you, Sir.

Please, let us both remain true to our respective roles.”

Riven said, as he immediately inclined his own head once more, subtly erasing the difference between their greetings.

The gesture lasted only a moment, yet it left an unexpectedly deep impression upon Aldren.

Although the young master possessed every reason to accept the deeper salute, he instead chose to restore the dignity of his teacher without making the gesture appear forced, which, without a doubt, reflected the upbringing of an exceptionally refined noble house.

’What a considerate young noble...’ Aldren thought, as his opinion of Riven improved almost instantly.

”Please, if you don’t mind, could you explain to me what exactly happens when one breaks through to the Ember rank, and what changes I should expect my body to undergo afterwards?”

Riven requested, as everyone present turned their attention towards Aldren.

”Certainly, Young Master.

Reaching the Ember rank marks the beginning of every Ascendant’s journey.

It is the threshold where one ceases to be merely a mortal and takes the very first step upon the road towards immortality.

Although the difference between an ordinary person and a newly ascended Ember Rank cultivator is not particularly great at first, two major changes occur within the body following the breakthrough.

The first concerns the Soul Vessel.

While both ordinary people and Ascendants possess Soul Vessels capable of holding Aether, the quantity that an unascended individual can store is negligible at best.

With such limited reserves, it is impossible to sustain powerful techniques, cast complex spells, or continuously circulate Aether throughout the body.

However, upon reaching the Ember rank, the Soul Vessel undergoes its very first expansion, dramatically increasing the amount of Aether that it can contain.

The second major change concerns elemental affinity.

If an individual is born with a natural affinity towards a particular element, their Soul Vessel begins naturally drawing that element’s Aether from the surrounding environment after the breakthrough.

From that moment onwards, the Ascendant can begin cultivating that affinity and gradually pursue mastery over that particular element.

Also, beyond those changes to the Soul Vessel, the breakthrough also improves the body itself.

Every muscle, tendon, bone, and organ becomes capable of storing and utilising greater quantities of Aether, resulting in noticeable improvements to one’s physical strength, endurance, reaction speed, and even cognitive ability compared to an ordinary mortal, giving them somewhat of a superhuman edge.”

Aldren explained, as Riven listened attentively before nodding as though satisfied with the explanation.

”I see.

And how long does the breakthrough procedure usually take, assuming that one’s body and mind are both adequately prepared to begin the process?”

Riven asked, as Aldren briefly turned towards the Imperial Anatomist.

”Have you prepared the breakthrough medicine?”

He inquired, as the Imperial Anatomist immediately nodded before retrieving a small crystal vial from within his robes.

”I have procured the purest breakthrough medicine currently available on the market for the Young Master,”

He replied, as he respectfully presented the vial to Aldren, who inspected the liquid inside by swirling it within the vial, before eventually nodding in approval.

”Excellent.

This is indeed a top-quality breakthrough medicine.

With something this pure, there should be virtually no chance of any complications arising during the breakthrough.”

He commented, as he returned the vial to the Imperial Anatomist before shifting his attention back towards Riven.

”As for your question, Young Master, the breakthrough itself is actually quite brief.

For most cultivators, the entire process lasts somewhere between fifteen and thirty minutes.

However, there have been a handful of exceptionally gifted individuals throughout history whose breakthroughs have continued for considerably longer, sometimes lasting anywhere between forty-five minutes to an hour.

Fortunately, there is no cause for concern.

Regardless of how long your breakthrough ultimately takes, I shall personally supervise every moment of it.

With me present, you have nothing to worry about, since I will personally ensure that you pass through the process safely.”

Aldren assured, as Riven acknowledged his answer with a small nod.