Two weeks had passed since the Karat Grand Tribulation, and Emery's brief visit had brought him back to Neo Terra with more than he had expected.
The first was a gift.
A single box filled with rare apothecary herbs and high-grade beast cores, each one carefully selected with obvious thought. It was not a generic reward of valuable treasures. Someone within the Karat faction clearly knew exactly what Emery needed and had assembled the collection accordingly, making the gift feel as thoughtful as it was generous.
The second gain had been an unexpected bonus.
His participation in resisting three of the tribulation's lightning bolts had left behind a profound trace of the Law of Metal. Metal had always been the element he lacked most, and the insight filled a crucial gap in his understanding, rounding out his mastery of the natural laws in a way that years of ordinary cultivation might never have accomplished.
This was one of the hidden blessings of a heavenly tribulation.
