-In the 'stoner' realm-
Ray stood still, his eyes closed, as he focused on grounding himself amidst the disorienting illusions that surrounded him. He took deep, steady breaths, allowing his heartbeat to slow and his mind to settle.
'Alright, let's see if this works.' Ray mused in his thoughts.
*Phoo*
With each breath, he consciously let go of the chaos and confusion, honing his senses to pierce through the psychedelic veil. He felt that nothing illusive could disorient or confuse him.
*Phoo*
As he reached a state of calmness, Ray extended his awareness, expanding his perception beyond what his eyes could see. With a calm mind and a steady heartbeat, Ray harnessed the full capability of his current level of sense.
He could sense the vibrant colours and bizarre shapes dancing around him, but he knew they were merely illusions meant to deceive.
Ignoring their alluring distractions, he delved deep into the heart of the illusion, seeking to go past through them and unveiling what lay hidden beyond it.
Ray expanded his senses, reaching out beyond what his closed eyes could see. He could feel the subtle shifts in energy, amidst the cacophony of illusions.
*TWING*
And then, like a beacon of light amidst the mind-bending chaos, he felt something. A presence, hidden behind the illusive façade. The presence emanated a sense of purity and serenity, contrasting with the vivid and bewildering illusions.
As Ray focused his senses, he could make out the outline of a door, gleaming in bright white.
The door stood tall and majestic, its opposite end concealed from his sight. It radiated an aura of possibility and intrigue, beckoning him to step forward.
Ray knew that the door was his way out of this illusive realm. He had to make his way to the door.
Still keeping his eyes closed and with the help of his powerful sense, Ray made his way through the psychedelic illusions and undulating ground, and stood before the door, emanating a radiant white glow.
'I wonder how the other cultivators would fare in my place…' Ray chuckled inwardly.
In his opinion, it was extremely rare for someone of the cultivation world to understand or experience the psychedelic and mind-boggling encounters.
While others might have been overwhelmed or lost in the disorienting illusions, his unique background as someone from Earth endowed him with a deeper understanding of such phenomena.
Stepping closer, he could feel the cool energy emanating from the door's surface. Without any hesitation, Ray crossed the threshold, stepping through the doorway into the unknown.
"Ahh…" A low moan involuntary escaped his lips as he felt a comforting energy envelop his body.
In that moment, the illusive realm faded away, giving way to the vast expanse of his own mindscape. Darkness stretched around him, punctuated by the rays of light danced that around him, casting a warm and inviting glow.
"Wait a minute…" His mind buzzed with recognition as he surveyed his surroundings.
A memory surged forth, reminding him of the significance of this place.
"This is where I saw-"
He interrupted himself as he once again witnessed the manifestation of his soul floating right in front of him. It was within the depths of his own consciousness that he had previously glimpsed the manifestation of his soul. And now, here it was again.
Unlike his first visit, the middle-aged silhouette representing the manifestation of his soul, shimmered and glowed with an inner radiance.
He couldn't tear his gaze away from the figure before him. He had so many questions in his mind. Why is it glowing? Why is it right in front of him? Why is it a silhouette of a middle-aged man? Why does it closely resemble me? Why is it not a baby in the case of other cultivators? Is it gonna do anything?
'Once again, I'm weirded out by this whole situation.' Ray stared at the glowing manifestation of his soul.
In that moment, he felt an indescribable sensation as he looked at the manifestation's blank face. A thin slit materialized, where the eyes should be, as the space simultaneously rumbled around them.
After a few more seconds of unnecessary shaking, the rumbling subsided. The two slits became more prominent as Ray saw a pair of deep, mesmerizing pools of purple adorning its face.
Ray couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement, for those mesmerizing pools could only be its eyes. As those captivating pair of vibrant purple eyes opened, a surge of energy pulsed through the air, causing Ray to shiver with anticipation.
The pair of deep purple eyes fixated on Ray's own, creating an intense connection that transcended mere visual contact. Ray was frozen in place as he was held within the gaze of his own manifestation.
Rays of purplish energy radiated from their intertwined gazes, intertwining and merging, creating a mesmerizing display of pulsating light. Ray felt a surge of power welling up within him, a deep sense of recognition and resonance with his own soul.
He didn't know why nor could he explain it, but he vaguely felt that those pair of eyes held a deeper meaning in it to which he could not decipher.
On the outside in his cultivation room, his physical body was faintly glowing with a purple hue and wisps of lightning crackled around his body. Whatever was happening in his mindscape, led to the changes occurring around his physical body.
The intensity of their gazes increased as the purple glow in both the pairs of eyes intensified, pulsating with a divine energy. If this happened on Earth, he would be 100% sure that others would think they were having a staring contest right now.
Ray could feel the strengthening of his mind in relation to the intensity of their gazes. He could feel his mind expanding, stretching to encompass new horizons.
He realized that this power-up was not just a fleeting surge of energy, but his mind and soul were being elevated to a whole new level, transcending the limitations of his previous state.
With each passing moment, the connection between Ray and his soul manifestation grew stronger, forging a link that was otherwise non-existent prior to this.
Just for a second, he could sense his limitations and self-imposed boundaries melt away, replaced by a sense of liberation and boundless potential. He felt like he had the potential and power to perform any and all kinds of feat.
As the connection between Ray and his soul manifestation deepened, the transformation within his mindscape mirrored the enhancement of his mind and soul. In an awe-inspiring display, the once dark expanse of Ray's mindscape underwent a profound metamorphosis
A boundless land appeared in the midst of the vast expanse of Ray's mindscape. Vibrant green grass sprouted from the desolate ground, covering the vast land in a lush carpet of life.
The air became alive with the gentle rustling of leaves as trees, tall and majestic, burst forth from the earth, their branches reaching towards the dark sky.
Ponds appeared, shimmering like mirrors amidst the verdant landscape. Their tranquil waters reflected the brilliant night sky above, mirroring the transformation taking place within Ray's mindscape.
The once empty mindscape now teemed with life and beauty, a stark contrast to its previous barrenness. It was as if Ray's deepened connection with his soul had breathed life into his mindscape, manifesting a sanctuary of serenity.
Eventually, the glow in their eyes subsided as they both returned to their previous state. The soul manifestation faded back into the depths of his consciousness, giving no time for Ray to ponder and observe the purple eyes of his souls' manifestation.
As the surge of power and the intensified feeling subsided, Ray was left standing in mystified awe of the transformation that had taken place within his mindscape.
He was so deeply focused with his own soul that he didn't notice the beautiful transformation of his own mindscape.
"When the fuck did this happen…" Ray muttered with wide discerning eyes.
From the once barren and empty expanse of his mindscape to a beautiful and vibrant land filled with nature, it was no surprise that Ray was shocked at the breathtaking sight.
Ray couldn't help but take his first steps into this transformed realm. Each footstep resonated with a sense of vitality, as if the very ground beneath him celebrated his presence.
His now heightened and improves senses, allowed him to appreciate the intricate details of his wondrous mindscape.
"Hmm…could I shift myself between the outside world and my mindscape?" Ray curiously contemplated. His finger gently tapped against his chin as he pondered the possibility of shifting between his transformed mindscape and the outside world.
The thought of shifting to the outside world appeared in his mind, and in the blink of an eye, the serene landscape of his transformed mindscape faded away, replaced by the familiar sights of his cultivation room.
The sound of silence enveloped him, broken only by the gentle hum of spiritual energy flowing around him.
"Soo, that's it?" A smile tugged at the corner of Ray's lips as he didn't think it was that simple.
As his gaze swept across the room, Ray's eyes landed on his collection of Spiritual Beryls. However, to his surprise, he noticed that the once abundant array of his Spiritual Beryls had diminished. Only two Middle-Grade Spiritual Beryls, one Top-Grade Spiritual Beryl and a singular Elite-Grade Spiritual Beryl remained.
"Huh!"
Puzzled by the massive reduction, Ray turned to the system for clarification, "System, can you explain why my Spiritual Beryls have reduced in number?"
[Ding]
[Your Energy Points were insufficient to breakthrough to the 23rd Apex Point. Hence, your body automatically consumed the nearest energy source to replenish the required Energy Points.]
"…" Silence enveloped the room as Ray absorbed the information.
"The 23rd Apex Point…?" Ray slowly whispered, and once again asked the system, "System, please display my current status!"
[Name: Ray
Age: 17
Race: Eternal Human
Title: None
Cultivation Realm: Natal Realm (Apex Points - 23)
Energy Points: 384/2600
Bloodline: Eternal Lightning Bloodline
Physique: None
Element Affinities: None
Passive Skills: Eternal Body
Skills: Eternal Speed (1st Stage), Bloodline Transformation (1st Stage), Lightning Wings (1st Stage), Trinal Coat (Bronze Level), Behind the Veil (1st Stage)]
"…"
"Ookayy…"