After choosing some cultivation books, Leo perused the soul training arts. There were only four of these books total. This told Leo that training the soul was harder. The four books had multiple copies for all of the people in the 3rd domain.
The first book is called 'One of One.' It is about strengthening the mind and soul by using your cultivation and mana to shield you. It is an easy technique for those at peak Mana Fighter to learn as they have a vast reservoir of mana.
The second book to choose is called 'Demon Heart.' It is about using illusions and soul attacks to build up your strength. This is the brutish method of all four. It can cause one to fall unconscious and not wake up.
The third book is the thickest book and is called 'Maze Mind.' Using multiple techniques and formations to set traps in your soul and mind for when enemies attack. This is the most challenging method of the four to learn.
The last method is the most scrutinized method to be able to learn. It is called 'Pure of Heart.' A person must not have evil thought and using pure natural good ideas no one will be able to penetrate your soul or mind.
These four books were pretty amazing. Leo wondered which was the path he should take. Maybe he should talk to Lucy and Aarav about what they chose.
A weird feeling came over him. He was still relying on others to make decisions just like how he was when he had Sprite.
"No. I will decide my own path here and now."
Leo looked over the books again. He didn't have a pure heart, so he didn't even consider the last one.
He opened up the thick compendium of mind traps, and it was excellent mana arts. Leo could barely understand the introductions on each page. He closed the book and looked at the two remaining ones.
He looked at the first book, and it was straightforward in how to use. The only problem was his reserves of mana wasn't enough to hold this technique for long.
Then it is decided. Leo chose the second book. He started flipping through the pages. The concept was simple. You grab a lantern relic from the shelf and stick your hand in it. The lantern will produce mind attacks to strengthen your will and soul slowly.
Leo looked up and saw a shelf with five lanterns on it. He grabbed the one on end and put it on his stack of books.
Leo walked back to his room with the four books and lantern. Sitting in his small bedroom, he decided to train his mind at night and his cultivation in the morning.
Since it was getting late, Leo decided to study the 'Demon Heart' book. He took it out and began to read it.
Injecting mana into the lantern it turned warm, but Leo saw no flames. Looking through the book, he realized he would only see the flame in my mind. That is why the book calls it the Mind Fire.
Sitting down, Leo reached out with his eyes closed. In his mind, he could see the flame above the lantern vividly. He touched the, and pain on par with the mountain strain attacked him.
Every sad moment, Leo ever had flashed before him. He had to see his dead mother again. Leo then saw flashes of all the things Leo ever killed. The faces of all those he struck down engraved into Leo's mind. His mind then started to make up stuff, as him watching beastmen kill Joe and Samantha. Mermanians were striking down Lucy before he could save her.
Everyone in the third domain heard screams coming from Leo's room. He sounded like he was dying. Lucy ran down the hall and tried to open Leo's door. A voice was heard in her head, "leave the boy alone, he is training."
Lucy frowned. She knew this voice belonged to the guardian. This meant Lucy had no power to help Leo. "Leo, I hope you are alright," she whispered.
Aarav showed up just a few seconds later and some of the other residents. Lucy told them to leave him alone. She sat down outside his door to make sure he wouldn't be disturbed.
She pulled out the third book 'Maze Mind' and began studying it like crazy. She chose this book for two reasons. One, it is that it was the most reliable defense against mind and soul attacks — two when proficient enough one will be able to use it on allies also. She chose this one to help Leo.
Leo's torture continued for two more hours before he awoke soaked in sweat. His temples hurt and he had an awful headache. He stepped out of the room and saw Lucy sitting in the hallway in front of his door.
She looked up at him with the most serious face. She said, "for now on when you cultivate. I will cultivate in the room with you." Her voice told Leo, he had no choice but to agree.
Leo nodded, and Lucy returned a smile. She looked over and saw the lantern and knew Leo instantly was training using the 'Demon Heart' book. "Why does this boy take the hardest road every time?" she asked herself. "First it was raising an entire mountain, and now it was the demon heart." Lucy sighed. Now she was more determined to master 'Maze Mind' book more than ever.
Lucy stood up and walked with Leo to grab dinner.
The next two weeks went by quickly. Leo and Lucy trained in his room everyday side by side.
Lucy focused solely on 'Mind Maze' book.
Leo split his focus between cultivation techniques and honing his soul and mind. His afternoon sessions were rough for Lucy. Most of the time she wouldn't even train or study. She would watch Leo place his hand in the lantern and scream for hours in pain.
Grief, sadness, and anger would come across Leo's face. Lucy wanted to help him in any way but had no means too. Some days she cried when she saw his body twitch and collapse. She wondered why the world of cultivation was like this for some people.
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"Mahisha your boy did it again." Lankani was staring at Leo from the sky. "He chose to torture himself again."
The weird thing was Mahisha was smiling. This told him, he chose a great disciple. He didn't want someone blessed or talented. Mahisha wanted a diligent and hard worker.
The female figure smiled at the man she loved. In her many years of being with him, she hadn't seen that smile in a long time. The last time she saw that look was when Mahisha challenged her in their previous duel.
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In the nightmares Leo was having, he screamed out, "yes, those people died, and yes, I killed those people. This vision is fake." He was staring at a scene where a beast killed Lucy. The past week they got closer, and she became an anchor in his mind and knew anything related to her was fake.
"Break!" The vision in his mind shattered and Leo was left staring at a man made of fire.
"Boy, you think you won against me, Mind Fire, the game is just beginning." The lantern was an artifact with its own intelligence and Leo just angered it.