Value and worth are like my illusions. I can conjure an empty version of the real thing that might appease me for a time, but it lacks value and substance. No matter how accurate and beautiful something looks, it’ll lack depth. The desire is only held up by the hype. A thing’s value or worth is only determined by its depth.

~Gwyddion, God of Illusions

Fifty-one, two, three… They hit their stride and started clearing them reasonably fast. The northern section had five Shrines, the southern had four, and the other nine averaged ten a piece. Those nine sections might have between eight to twelve Shrines which was why they averaged to ten per zone. The only exceptions were the north and south regions.

After another two months, they hadn’t cleared another section, but they were close to completing seventy Shrines. That was the minimum required to enter Raven’s Beak. To be exact, they completed sixty-seven Shrines, and he already enough to get Iolo the ability. However, they hadn’t returned yet.

There were now three zones that were missing one Shrine to complete, but they couldn’t find them. Crow was sure these were the reward-type Shrines. Each section had one, and most were tricky to find or reach. In this scenario, they couldn’t find them.

They’d spend a few weeks searching before rushing to another zone to grab another Shrine. Even with how he created a spatial map, he was running out of land. In theory, Hooligan should be able to see the Shrines with the patterns he was taking, but that wasn’t the case.

They numbered the zones, with one being the area that Sanctuary was in, and then clockwise around Raven’s Beak, he incremented the number. The tenth zone was the volcano, and the eleventh was the glacier. So they’d solved all the Shrines in one, nine, ten, and eleven while two, three, and eight only had one Shrine left.

Their primary exploration was zone two and three because they were narrower than eight, so it was easier to cut through to the fourth zone and find a Shrine.

Sighing again, they took the portal back to Sanctuary, and Crow bought Iolo. Hooligan wandered into the area with miscellaneous treasures because she didn’t want to distract him.

While reading through Iolo, he realized the technique’s description was misleading. There were no circles, not like the other technique, anyway. It was closer to a cultivation method than a technique. It was hard to describe because wood shaping didn’t feel like anything he’d researched or any of his other abilities.

If he had to describe it, it was like the focus he’d enter while Soul Carving, but with one significant difference. The primary function of Wood Shaping didn’t involve imbuement. So he could take his time shaping the wood and didn’t have to do it all at once.

The circles mentioned were different ways to combine wood with other organic things. The example shown was adding a thorny shrub to a shaped wooden staff, which reminded him of a branch from an Acacia tree. The thorns didn’t have to be visible either. As long as he combined the two materials, he could activate the thorns through an infusion of mana.

That was the simplest of the so-called circles. The second one dealt with mixing wood and toxins, and the last was merging beast cores with wood, but it was beyond his current ability. Even toxins might be too dangerous for him, but with his Night Fire, he could protect himself from most poisons, venoms, and toxins.

The merging ability was very interesting, but it was something that leaned more toward Scholarly Talents than actual combat. That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be highly useful in combat, but it required preparation, such as combining the things ahead of time.

In his initial study of the technique, the greatest benefit was the increase in his Wood Mana sensitivity.

“You done?” Hooligan asked.

“I got my technique if that’s what you are asking.”

“Here, I got this for you,” Hooligan said, handing over an object he instantly recognized.

“I told you not to buy this. It is a waste of points,” Crow said slowly, trying not to offend her but not understanding why she was so stubborn. The item was expensive. It could benefit a team, but the individual that bought it would severely limit the rewards they could get from this place. The thing only had one purpose: to locate Shrines. It was a compass that would point toward the closest Shrine.

Crow wanted it, but if they found all the Shrines and completed each zone, they’d get 209 points at most. Using over a fourth of those on this treasure, which was only valuable in this place, seemed a waste.

“Listen to me before you condemn my actions,” Hooligan said. “Let’s be honest. I wouldn’t have reached this far without you. Chances are, I would have died or left long ago. I am not a fool and know how much you’ve protected me—don’t talk!” Hooligan put her finger over Crow’s opening mouth. “I know you are going to spout some nonsense about the team and how you couldn’t do it without me, blah blah blah. However, this is my investment in you. I know you would never let me suffer, and I know, despite your nonchalance, that you want whatever the legacy is in that place. I can see it burning in your eyes, that hunger. I’ve realized I’m very much in love with you, and this is not a sacrifice. I don’t regret my choice, and I never will… I’m not talking about this stupid compass either. These are just things. And… I’ve already got the biggest reward from this place.”

Hooligan kissed him. Her finger traced along the edge of Crow’s ear, causing him to shiver. Crow wrapped his arms around her. His disappointment faded, and he realized his emotions were immature. He was stubborn in trying to maximize his gains and neglected something he always believed—a cultivator’s strength wasn’t treasures or techniques but the people they surrounded themselves with.

Others may see allies, friends, and family as weaknesses, but not Crow. These people were his drive, his energy, and his life.

“This is not a stupid object,” their consciousness interrupted them. Crow sensed the moment it activated but still couldn’t understand how the formation worked. “In this place, it finds Shrines, but its true name can’t be divulged until someone purchases it. That item is called the Soul’s Desire Compass, and if you yearn for something, the compass will activate and guide you there. Its accuracy is as strong as your desire. So if you passively want something, it’ll urge you in a direction, but nothing more. But if your desire is overwhelming, it’ll react even more violently. Legends say it has even torn through space to bring the person there.”

“That…” Crow was stunned.

Hooligan punched him while laughing hysterically, but Crow grabbed her chin and turned her face toward him. Hooligan immediately stopped laughing, unsure why he was so… intense.

“Listen to me carefully. Never—and I mean never—tell anyone you have that thing.”

“I… don’t understand?” Hooligan whispered because he whispered to her.

“Do you know about Chaos Artifacts?”

Hooligan paled and looked at the compass in her hand with shock. “Y-you are joking, right? How can something like that be here for a measly fifty-five points?”

“Heh,” their consciousness laughed. “If something isn’t purchased, the price goes down after every event. It shows the greed of people, unwilling to sacrifice for their team. Had anyone taken the chance—”

“They’d be dead,” Crow interrupted. “If their party members didn’t kill them, some other power would. People inherently like to brag or gossip, and most people here are too young to know what that is. That is a very cruel and vindictive trick.”

Their consciousness remained silent, but they could both sense the amusement shown by the Sanctuary.

“You keep it,” Hooligan said.

“No. I believe treasures like this have a will or purpose, and it chose you. I’ll use it in this place, but you take it with you. Desire is a powerful motivation; it could save you in times of danger. However, you must disguise it somehow and never show it to others—not even your family.”

“Alright.” Hooligan nodded. In her heart, she was excited. Hooligan wondered if she could use the item to find Crow. She doubted she was strong enough to activate a portal to him, but if it could help guide her to speed up their future reunion, she’d check it daily.

“I know what you are thinking, don’t use that thing recklessly. There is a reason they are called the Twelve Artifacts of Chaos, and that is because they are dangerous.”

“The artifacts are just that,” she refuted. “They are dangerous because of humanity’s greed and thirst for power. I don’t seek any of those things.”

“What if the thing you want requires it? Wouldn’t that compass take you to objects of power or wealth to help you achieve your goal? And at what cost? It is an inanimate object that does what they designed it to do, and it does not care for you or those around you. The twelve artifacts are dangerous because they are powerful and unpredictable.”

Hooligan’s smile faded, and she realized that Crow wasn’t being unreasonable. His warning was logical, and she couldn’t ignore it.

Crow rubbed her head and smiled at her. “I’m not saying you can’t use it, but don’t be blinded by its results and always exercise caution, understand?”

Hooligan nodded.

“Good. Let’s go to the Frostburn Glacier. I need some… resources.”

“Like the lava?” Hooligan asked, her eyes twinkling because he told her about his Soulverse and found it fascinating. Hooligan had also talked to Lily when Crow placed his forehead on hers. He linked their Minds, and Lily was able to converse with Hooligan.

Lily made Crow promise not to eavesdrop, so he isolated that part of his Mind and let them have their girl talk. That didn’t mean the conversation wasn’t stored, but he sealed it off and gave them their privacy. Crow admitted being curious but didn’t access the memory out of respect.

“Yes, like the lava. And then we’ll start clearing these zones,” Crow said, leading the way toward the henge.