After they had decided to return, Azrael called for Iussum. She took them back to the Headquarters. The Elders of the Zodiac Council were very happy they could finally begin teaching the young Cosmari Empyreans. They even had a small internal argument as to who would be the first teacher.
Azrael and Lily appeared in a large room where they would meet their first teacher. Suddenly a bird appeared in the room and after flying around it a few times, it stopped in from of them.
Azrael and Lily could practically feel wisdom oozing out of this creature. This wise creature had the body structure of an owl, with a graceful yet powerful form. It stood tall on sturdy legs, and its feathers had a combination of colors inspired by the peacock and the dove.
The feathers on its head were reminiscent of the owl's feathers, with deep brown and black hues forming a distinctive facial disk. The eyes were large and intelligent, reflecting the depth of wisdom within.
The wings of this creature were broad and expansive, showcasing vibrant feathers that exhibited a dazzling array of colors, drawing inspiration from the peacock's magnificent plumage. The feathers on the wings shimmered with hues of blues, greens, and purples, forming intricate patterns that symbolized knowledge and enlightenment.
The beak of this being was slender and curved, resembling that of an ibis bird. It signified its ability to delve into the depths of wisdom and uncover hidden truths. The beak was also adorned with intricate markings, representing ancient scripts and symbols, emphasizing the creature's connection to knowledge and writing.
As this being moved, it carried an aura of serenity and grace, akin to the peaceful nature of a dove. Its movements were fluid and deliberate, exuding a sense of tranquility and harmony.
In terms of size, this wise creature was of moderate stature, neither too large nor too small, symbolizing a balanced and well-rounded understanding of wisdom. It spoke in a clear and ancient voice, "My name is Aurelian, the Zodiac of Wisdom and Knowledge. But you will address me as Teacher."
"I will teach you the basics of what it means to be a Cosmari Empyrean and the significance we hold. I will also teach you about our Way of Cultivation." Azrael and Lily listened to him with full concentration.
He then continued, "I will unseal you now. Take today's time to comprehend the changes you have gone through and tomorrow, we will begin our first lesson." He tapped their foreheads and disappeared.
Azrael and Lily felt a wave of energy rushing through their bodies. For Azrael, this energy was familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. He had felt this energy and experienced its effects when he was just a fetus.
It was Chaos Energy. Even though it was weaker in intensity than the energy of the Chaotic Lotus, it felt far more complete. He decided to call it Primal Chaos. As Azreal used inner vision, he was shocked to find 108 trillion universes inside him, all teeming with the energy of Primal Chaos.
Lily on the other hand 80 trillion universes inside her. They were filled with a combination of the Seven Deadly Sins Energy, the Five Basic Elements, and Dragon Energy. They looked at each other in shock and spent that day trying to make sense of what was going on.
The next day, Aurelian returned and began the first lesson. He first talked about the Cosmari. He began, "Countless Dimensions exist in the #@$%&$ &#*!#@^%$. We reside in the Astrolith Dimension and are its rulers."
"It is the only known Dimension where we can exist. In other Dimensions, sentient celestial bodies are very rare. So rare that in 100 Dimensions a single one may exist. Even that is like an emotionless machine, unable to feel anything. We are practically immortal and only a few Cosmari have experienced natural deaths. We count our age in aeons. An eon is equal to 100 eons."
He let this information settle in fully aware that some of his words were incomprehensible. Lily wanted to ask about what he meant but just as she was about to, he interrupted, "It is better to remain unaware of some things until you have enough strength."
He continued the lesson and asked, "What do you know about the pillars of cultivation?"
"There are three pillars of cultivation; Body, Energy, and Soul." Aurelian looked at him and said, "You are wrong. There are four pillars of cultivation; Body, Energy, Soul, and most importantly, Will. I've seen some cultivators exist with just their Will."
"Remember that they are not just pillars of cultivation but also existence. After all, cultivation is the method of elevating one's level of life. The first level of cultivation for the Cosmari is the Prima Realm. There are 9 stages in this Realm."
"You will form a minor Realm of Existence for every stage inside your universe or in your case your multiverse. Little Iussum is currently in the 5th stage of this realm. A normal Cosmari has to form a path of cultivation that includes at least the Body, Energy, and Soul pillars of cultivation unique to themselves for the inhabitants of their universe."
"Unlike a normal Cosmari, we, the Cosmari Empyreans can form multiple paths for different universes, or even use already existing ones after forming at least one. Now, I will explain how we grow stronger."
"Think of the inhabitants of your multiverse as filters. They absorb the impurities in your energy and grow stronger. The stronger your path of cultivation, the more efficiently they can absorb the impurities, and the quicker you can ascend to the next stage."
Azrael and Lily started thinking about their families and friends. Were they also like that, absorbing impurities so that Iussum could advance? Aurelian could easily guess their thoughts and felt the need to correct them.
"I know you think that this process is cruel but it is not. For them, those impurities aren't impurities. I'll explain it so that you can understand it more easily. Imagine a drop of pitch-black paint. What will happen if I keep mixing a very dark grey in it? Eventually, it will also become that shade of grey."
"Our way of cultivation is just like that. The inhabitants are the pitch-black drop of paint. Our impurities are still purer than them. So don't feel bad, this process benefits us both."
Azrael and Lily felt much better after this explanation. And now they wouldn't feel guilty for the inhabitants of their multiverses.
Aurelian continued "Forming a path of cultivation can be a complicated process so you will send avatars to the universes of your seniors for inspiration. Class dismissed."
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