Infinite Potential System

"It's been 105 years since I last saw you, Brother Yoshiki. It looks like you've gained some weight, and maybe even found a special someone, I'm jealous." a smiling Yu Shinpai said while seated in his throne. He was staring down on the bulky man that had changed quite a bit since their last meeting.

Other than his bulkier frame, the main difference that Shinpai noticed was a unique glimmer in Yoshiki's eyes, which reminded him of the expression he wore after his first marriage. The marriage hadn't lasted long for Shinpai, but he could tell that the love between Yu Yoshiki and his special person was still blossoming.

"Haha, yeah it seems even a guy like me was made for love." Yoshiki laughed as he scratched his head. "How have you been, Brother Shin?"

Shinpai waved his hand in dismissal, "A little this, little that. Cultivation is very slow right now. I wish you had been here to spar with."

"Slow? You? Not possible." Yoshiki looked at his former Young Master with surprise, though he already knew what had happened.

When Yu Shinpai first started Cultivating, Yoshiki was already in the Core Formation Realm, close to the peak. But after just a few weeks, Shin had already reached the Foundation Establishment Realm. If it had to be compared in percentages, Yoshiki knew that Shinpai's Cultivation speed was more than double his.

Then why were they so close in Cultivation? It was obvious.

"You don't have to slow down your Cultivation for me, Brother Shin. I'll catch up to you eventually, and we'll meet again when I Ascend."

"Slow down? And for you at that?" Shinpai laughed. "Maybe I'd do it for a pretty girl, but I've been taking it easy so my family can prosper, that's all."

"Okay." Yoshiki didn't press the matter further. "What about your family? Are they doing well?"

"For the most part. Did you hear about my older cousin Vellus?"

"No, what did he do?"

"It's not about what he did, but what he WANTS to do." Shinpai shook his head as he retrieved an Artifact that played a recording throughout the throne room. The holographic form of a young male with blonde hair and blue eyes appeared and he was in the middle of a speech, inside what looked like an auditorium.

"I've discovered the location of the Superior Death Core, and it's surrounded by four other Greater Death Cores. If we can absorb these, the Pillars of Justice will be able to control the life and death of anyone that dares to oppose the Azures Continent."

There was a murmur in the crowd before someone spoke up, "But Master Vellus, do we have the ability to absorb these? I know you're strong, but..." the voice trailed off.

"Not to worry. Us of the Yu Royal Family have a few Techniques that may be able to absorb the Superior Core. The only problem is getting past the Lightless Dragons that are guarding the Cores, but I know we can do it with time and planning." Vellus replied with confidence.

"Lightless Dragons? They'll tear us apart in an instant! How can we in the Soul Formation Realm possibly handle something like that? Only you can, Master Vellus..."

"I'm not asking you to lay down your lives for me. Just distract them for a few minutes while I absorb the treasure, and I'll save you all when I get out. I won't let anyone die in vain. This is for the best of the Organization, and with the Elfyia Continent's attitude lately, this will be the best deterrent."

The holographic recording ended there.

"He's very ambitious. When was the last time someone tried to absorb the World Cores? A thousand years ago? Ten thousand? Have we already forgotten what the scriptures say about absorbing the Cores? He of all people should know this, it's taboo!" Yoshiki sighed in frustration.

You could save a stupid person from others, but it's hard to save others from a stupid person. If Vellus wasn't careful, who knows what could happen?

"I've tried to reason with him, but he thinks the scriptures were just left by some powerful Cultivator that didn't want people to steal his treasures. He thinks someone left them behind before Ascending, then wrote in a warning to all future generations while planning to come back later."

Yoshiki sighed again, "We've all thought something like that before. It's hard to stare at such a tempting treasure and not want to steal it. After all, a Superior Core is more than just a normal treasure. It can even elevate one's C-Rank Affinity to the S-Rank directly...even I'm tempted."

The memory flipped a few months forward, where Unbreakable Right could be seen sitting in one of the guest rooms at the Yu Family's residence. A book was open on his lap, but he was distracted from the writings by a knock at his door.

"Come in." he said. Explore more at m,v l'e-m|p| y r

The carved wooden doors adorned with gold trim swung open, a blonde haired, blue eyed young man stepping in with a calm smile on his face. "Yu Yoshiki, or just Yoshiki if you prefer it, how are you? It's good to see you again!"

"Vellus." Yoshiki nodded, unsure of why Shinpai's cousin came to visit him directly. He looked at the man's hands, which were carrying a leather-bound case filled with an unknown item. Even his Soul Formation level perception couldn't see through the case.

Vellus sat down at the end of Yoshiki's bed, swinging the case until it landed at the base of Yoshiki's feet. "I'll keep it brief. Do you know about my plan?"

"Your suicide mission? I know of it, yes." Yoshiki snorted at the word "plan".

It was hardly a plan, to say the least. Distract the creatures while Vellus goes inside and absorb the treasure. That was the result of four months of planning, maybe more.

"It wouldn't be, if you were there." Vellus replied simply.

"Is that what this visit is about? If so, then you can leave now. I have no interest in angering some all-powerful Cultivators or whoever put those things there."

"You won't be involved in that way, don't worry about that. Besides, I have more information from my latest visit to the Core." Vellus looked excited as he opened the leather-bound case and revealed its contents to Yoshiki, causing his eyebrows to go up in surprise.

"Where did you get these? From the cave that houses the Cores?" Yoshiki asked as he picked up a vial containing a black crystal the size of his fingertip. It was a Superior Death Shard, one of the most valuable Elemental Shards in existence.

It had a variety of uses, depending on how it was refined and applied to equipment. It could be used as a core for Artifacts to increase the power of one's Death Magic, fitted into armor to increase resistance to the effects of opposing Death Magic, or even brewed into a horrifying potion or pill that would be used for high-level assassinations.

A Superior Death Shard had once been auctioned at the Azures Auction (replaced by the Night Market a few hundred years later), which sold for a whopping forty thousand Mana Stones!

And in front of Yoshiki was roughly a hundred vials of these Shards!