"GREY, YOU'VE AGED 5 YEARS!!" Sifu declared, his eyes wide with disbelief.
I felt a sinking feeling in my chest as the implications of this revelation hit me. Aging 5 years in the span of a few days was mind-boggling. It was impossible by any natural means.
Sifu, noticing my shock, began to explain. "Grey, the Immortal Refining Cauldron doesn't just transform your body; it reconstructs it according to your biological and soul age. And this process is absolute."
I listened intently, trying to wrap my head around what had happened. It made no sense. I had clearly been 7 years old before entering the cauldron, so how could I now be 12?
As Sun Wukong pondered the situation further, panic began to creep in. I realized that my soul's age didn't match my biological age, and if they figured out that I was a reincarnated otherworlder, it could have serious consequences. I needed to find a way to distract Sun from dwelling on this matter.
Just as I struggled to find the right words, Ddraig's voice came in.
"This outcome was to be expected due to the difference in the age of our souls," he began. "The cauldron chose the most optimal age of Grey suitable for both growth and development. This was only possible in the first place due to my soul being ageless compared to a mortal one."
When Sun heard this explanation, he furrowed his brows in contemplation. After a brief pause, he nodded in agreement. "That does make sense. I've seen stranger things in my time."
I felt a wave of relief wash over me as Sun seemed to accept the explanation.
Ddraig's voice resonated within my mind,
~Partner. I don't know why your soul age and biological age are different. Frankly, it doesn't matter much to me. What matters is that YOU sought me out and formed a pact with me. I Only care about you and that's what counts. Whatever you decide to do, remember that I'll always be right here with you. Because You're my partner, Grey.~
Hearing Ddraig's words filled me with a deep sense of gratitude. His unwavering loyalty touched my heart.
While the immediate issue appeared to be resolved, the possibility of others probing my soul and discovering the truth still weighed on my mind. With this in mind, I thought it might be wise to buy a soul defense or protection item. However, before I could delve deeper into this consideration, Sifu called out to me, drawing my attention back to the present.
"Disciple, now that you're fine, put on some clothes. Our real training begins today," Sifu said with enthusiasm as he exited the room to make preparations.
Arya, already heading out, added, "Take care of yourself, My Lord. I'll leave you two to your business."
Once it was just Kuroka and me, I couldn't help but look at her with a tinge of guilt. I was genuinely saddened that our intimate moment had to be interrupted. She quickly grasped my emotions and walked toward me with a warm smile. She embraced me tightly, resting her head on my chest.
"I understand that you don't want to leave right now," she said softly. "But it's for our future, darling. We need to become stronger to face the challenges ahead. So let's secure our future, where we can do much more than kissing. Understood?"
Her voice turned sultry toward the end of the sentence, leaving me with a knowing grin. "Yes, my little cat. And thank you for the motivation," I replied.
"Good. I'm glad you're motivated," she said, giving me a light peck on the lips before exiting the room.
As she left, I called out to the system in my mind while carefully removing the bandages, 'System, show me my progress.
[CONGRATULATIONS! HOST FOR GAINING THE BODY OF DRAGON]
[CALCULATING PROGRESS...]
[PHISIQUE: DRAGON {UNLOCKED}]
[HIGH-CLASS DEVIL(LOW) ----->-----> HIGH-CLASS DEVIL(LATE)]
[PROMOTION: SHADOWKHAN--HIGH-CLASS DEVIL(MID) ----->-----> HIGH-CLASS DEVIL(PEAK)]
[RACE : HUMAN(ASCENDENT) ------> HUMAN(TRANSCENDENT)]
[5000 POINTS AWARDED]
'Sweet. let the points keep on rolling' I thought.
Afterward, I went to Sifu, dressed in my martial arts practice robes.
During the remaining months until the next year, Sifu focused on teaching me hand-to-hand combat techniques during the day. We delved into mastering various types of weapons as well.
But when night fell, it was a different story. I diligently practiced what Ddraig had told me.
On a tranquil evening, as I meditated in the serene surroundings of our training ground, Sifu Sun Wukong approached me. His eyes held a glint of anticipation as he began to speak.
"Grey," he said in his characteristic wise tone, "today, I will impart a profound technique to you – Martial Soul Manifestation."
My heart skipped a beat. Martial Soul Manifestation was a rare and revered ability, a skill that warriors spent years striving to attain. I nodded with gratitude and readiness.
As I closed my eyes and began to connect with the potent energy of Ddraig within me, something extraordinary occurred. A message from the system abruptly disrupted my meditation.
[DEVIL EMPEROR'S LEGACY RESONATING...]
[ATTEMPTING TO MANIFEST MARTIAL SOUL: THE EMPEROR...]
My eyes widened in surprise, my inner essence responding to this momentous occasion. I felt the power surging within, My revolving core spinning at high rate.
Yet, before I could fully comprehend the significance of this event, another message appeared, bearing puzzling news.
[WARNING! INSUFFICIENT ENERGY DETECTED...]
[ERROR! SOUL MANIFESTATION FAILED]
As the confusion gripped me, doubts swirled within my mind. How could it be that I, who had believed myself to be brimming with power, had failed in this? I had been drawing upon the vast reservoir of energy within me through my core, and yet, it was deemed insufficient?
Then, like a bolt of lightning, realization struck. I had been focusing on drawing energy through a single core, but what if there were more than one within me? What if I possessed multiple energy cores?
The thought sparked a newfound hope. If I could access these additional energy sources, I would have a significantly larger amount of energy at my disposal compared to now.
Seeing that I had failed, Sun Wukong turned to me, his eyes filled with concern "Grey," he inquired, "what went wrong?".
"Sifu," I said, "I believe I may need more practice. Manifesting one's Martial Soul might not be possible on the first try."
Sifu nodded, understanding the challenges of such a profound skill. We continued our training after that.
As I delved deeper into my training with Sun Wukong, I realized the true extent of his martial prowess. Not only did he instruct me in various martial arts, but he also helped me decipher and integrate techniques and manuals from different worlds, which I had acquired from the shop. His understanding and mastery of these techniques were awe-inspiring, a testament to his status as the Battle Buddha himself.
We also found moments of leisure amidst our rigorous training. Sun Wukong took it upon himself to teach me various traditional arts, including calligraphy, Go, and four other disciplines.
These moments of learning and relaxation were truly enjoyable, adding a sense of balance to our intense training regimen.
During what appeared to be a serene night, my inner turmoil was anything but peaceful. I concentrated intensely, trying to harness my void energy at various critical points within my spiritual veins. But time and again, I faltered, unable to compress it adequately.
'Come on, come on, please,' I urged myself, the tension mounting. Then, with a subdued boom resonating within me, the energy dissipated, leaving me frustrated and breathless.
"Huh... huh... huh... damn it, I failed again," I muttered in exasperation. My attempts to compress the void energy coursing through me had been in vain, and I couldn't help but feel disheartened.
Suddenly, Ddraig's voice resounded in my mind, offering a solution to my ongoing struggle.
~Partner, I think it's not your idea that is infeasible; rather, your current strength is lacking,~ he stated.
"My strength? I don't quite understand, Ddraig," I replied, confused by his assertion.
~That's the issue, partner. We've been approaching this problem from the wrong angle,~
he continued. ~Let me explain. To successfully compress the unique energy within your body, you need not only strong willpower but also soul force. So far, we've been fixated on energy cultivation levels while overlooking the strength of your soul. It's possible that your soul power isn't sufficient to achieve complete compression. You should prioritize improving your soul power.~
Ddraig's words made perfect sense. Up to this point, I had neglected the cultivation of my soul, relying on its inherent strength as a transmigrator. But now, in order to use higher-level techniques and gain better control over the energy coursing through me, I needed to enhance my soul's power.
"You're absolutely right, Ddraig," I acknowledged, contemplating how to improve it.
As I searched my memory for any soul cultivation techniques, a particular method came to mind. I promptly accessed the shop and began searching for it. Before long, I had acquired it.
Upon opening the manual, the title greeted me:
|Primordial Chaos Divine Grindstone Visualization Technique|
It was described as an extremely high-grade Divine Soul Cultivation Art. However, practicing it required immense courage to confront overwhelming terror, as those who couldn't control their fear risked having their divine soul consumed by the world-destroying divine grindstone, which in turn purified and fortified the soul.
I found myself teleported into my soul sea, yet this part of it was unlike any I had explored before. I attempted to survey my surroundings, but a sudden voice began instructing me on how to use the technique.
"The divine grindstone was born within the primal chaos, a single turn capable of annihilating gods and devils"
"Visualize the divine grindstone and feel it grind with the Spirit as your anchor"
"Nine rotations, every rotation a new realm"
As the voice faded away, I found myself floating in my spirit form, confronted by a breathtaking and eerie spectacle that simultaneously excited and sent shivers down my soul's spine.
*Rumble!*
The darkness dissipated, replaced by a formless void. This primal chaos had consumed time, space, and everything else, resembling a moment before the inception of existence.
Gradually, an immense shadow emerged at the center of this world. The shadow resembled a black hole, voraciously devouring all. Yet, it wasn't a black hole but an enormous grindstone, seemingly endless in size.
The giant grindstone bore the marks of time all over its surface, dark blemishes resembling the remnants of pulverized gods and devils. It rotated slowly within the void, grinding everything into oblivion.
This grindstone had an upper and lower layer, connected by a vertical, faint, dark-gold line, almost like a scale of sorts.
*Rumble!*
As the divine grindstone rotated, the upper portion of the golden line moved. When it eventually returned to its original position, joining with the lower part, one full rotation was completed.
The Primordial Chaos Divine Grindstone Visualization Technique involved repeatedly casting one's divine soul into the divine grindstone. Through countless cycles of annihilation and reconstruction, the practitioner would undergo a profound transformation, growing stronger.
However, if fear of the divine grindstone overwhelmed the heart, the technique would falter, and the soul cultivation would fail.
The "nine rotations" mentioned referred to the divine grindstone completing a full cycle nine times. Provided the divine soul endured until a full cycle concluded, it would undergo a single transformation.
Merely glancing at the grindstone sent shivers through my soul, but I summoned my courage. With unwavering determination and focus, I propelled myself into the heart of the grindstone.
Within the boundless expanse of the primal chaos, my courage was put to the ultimate test.
In the blink of an eye:
*Boom!*
My Spirit was once more crushed into oblivion by the unstoppable force of the divine grindstone.
A mysterious force sent ripples across the primal chaos, and my Spirit began to coalesce once more. My being shuddered, but I clung tenaciously to my resolve. After what felt like an eternity, I clenched my teeth and hurled myself toward the divine grindstone once more.
*Boom!*
In the vast expanse of primal chaos, the divine grindstone continued its relentless rotation, ruthlessly annihilating the fragment of my existence with each cycle.
'Again!' I shouted silently in my mind, a resolute determination to conquer my fear fueling my every move.
*Boom!*
*Boom!!*
*Boom!!!*
As the cycles of destruction and rebirth continued, my Spirit slowly transitioned from ethereal to substantial, inching closer to its ultimate form.
It wasn't until the one hundred and sixty-ninth time that I finally felt exhausted.
[SOUL STRENGHT : B+ GRADE -----> A- GRADE]
[CONGRATULATIONS!! HOST FOR CULTIVATING SOUL FOR THE FIRST TIME]
[ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: SOUL CULTIVATOR]
[2000 POINTS AWARDED]
~I can't believe this, partner. You are improving your soul power at a rapid rate.~ Ddraig was astonished by the unknown and unseen technique.
With this technique, my soul cultivation was set in motion.
And in the blink of an eye, two years had passed since I became a disciple of Sun Wukong. If I was already skilled in combat before, I was now a deadly force to be reckoned with. With the martial techniques taught by Sifu Sun Wukong, the guidance of my partner Ddraig, and the various cultivation techniques I had invested in, I honed my skills to a formidable level.
The only thing left for me was to master the Absolute Sword techniques, enabling me to wield my Soul swords in their true sword forms.
In the early morning, I received a message from Sifu, indicating that he had something important to discuss. After preparing myself, I made my way to the Ancient Peachtree, the place where our journey had started.
As I arrived, I found Sifu gazing at the peach tree. I joined him in silence, sharing the moment with him.
"You've truly grown, haven't you?" he remarked, still watching the tree. "In the past, I would have been bombarded with questions by now," he continued with a smile.
I chuckled and replied, "Well, when you have a great master, you tend to learn a thing or two along the way."
Sifu turned to me and said, "No, it takes an extraordinary disciple to make his master great. A teacher's pride lies in his students, my disciple," his voice carrying a profound depth of meaning.
I couldn't help but be moved by Sifu's heartfelt words.
"Today marks the end of your training, my disciple," he said with a hint of sadness. "As your Master, I want to give you something that will aid you on your path."
"Sifu, you've already taught me so much and treated me like your own. It's more than enough for me; you don't have to..." I began, but he interrupted me gently.
"Please, let me do this, my disciple. I may not have my iconic staff or a flying cloud, but I have something else, something more important and useful for you, something no one knows about until now," he said.
With a wave of his hand, a large boulder materialized in front of me, standing at the base of the peach tree. It was adorned with intricate crack-like patterns, and within those cracks flowed a brilliant, lava-like energy. The boulder emitted powerful magical fluctuations, so intense that Sifu had to manually suppress them with his will.
"What's this?" I asked, surprised by the sudden appearance of the rock.
"This is the original magic stone from which I was born. I carried it with me throughout my journey and all the events I've been through. I refined it with various types of magic and energy and repaired the rock," he explained.
Sifu then shattered the rock into pieces, revealing a Twilight Crystal. With another gesture, he divided the crystal into two identical pieces, each radiating a different aura. One was as dark as obsidian, while the other shone as brilliantly as a star.
"Take these, my disciple, and fuse them to reforge your dual swords," he instructed. "Don't give me that look; I've seen you practicing under this peach tree. Your swords possess immense power, and with these crystals, you can reforge them to attack the divine souls of even gods and beings with superior souls."
I accepted the crystals with tears in my eyes, expressing my gratitude. Sifu seemed proud of me, saying, "Good, good."
Later, in the courtyard, Sifu warned me, "My disciple, I've heard that Indra is desperately searching for your whereabouts. You must be careful when you're outside."
I nodded. Then, I couldn't resist asking the question that had been on my mind since I first learned about Sifu's adventures in the world of DxD.
"Sifu, why did you serve under Indra as his vanguard?" I inquired.
Sifu smiled knowingly and replied, "Well, I joined him because of Gautama Buddha."
"Gautama Buddha?" I was surprised by the unexpected connection.
"Yes," he continued. "You see, Buddha had promised Indra to help him stop the meaningless conflicts that were happening during that time. In exchange, Indra agreed to his terms. So when Indra needed assistance in battle, he asked me to help him gain experience and alleviate my boredom from sitting idle. I agreed, and that's how I joined Indra for a short time."
"Ah, I see. But wait, didn't Buddha imprison you under a mountain for five centuries? How did he become so close to you?"
Sifu chuckled. "Imprisonment? No, that's what people believe. He did drop a mountain with a mystical seal, but what happened afterward remained unseen. Gautama Buddha invited me to his serene and beautiful abode."
"At first, I was skeptical, but soon my doubts vanished. We spent a great deal of time—over five centuries. We became close friends during that time. Buddha was lonely, just like me, if you don't consider the other monkeys. He had no other friends."
"He taught me many things and showed me a path to achieve Buddhahood. The rest, as they say, is history. I believe you're familiar with it," he concluded with a grin.
"Wow, that's quite a perspective on the story," I remarked, fascinated by this new angle.
"Don't worry, my disciple. Even if I'm not your biological father, if Indra ever comes for you, just call my name, and I'll arrive in no time to wage a war against the heavens once more," Sifu said proudly.
"You're wrong, Sifu. A teacher for a day is a father for life, and you've taught me more than anyone. You'll always be my father, no matter what," I replied sincerely.
"Damn it, you've made this old monkey cry," he said, shedding a few tears. Soon, though, our laughter filled the air.
And we spent the day enjoying each other's company, making every moment count.
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[NAME : GREY]
[AGE : 13 YEARS]
[TITLE : VOID MASTER]
[RACE : HUMAN(TRANSCENDENT) / DRAGON]
[CULTIVATION : CORE FORMATION]
[TRUE POWER : HIGH-CLASS DEVIL(LATE)]
[SOUL STRENGHT : A- GRADE]
[LEGACY : DEVIL EMPEROR]
[BLOODLINE : RED DRAGON EMPEROR]
[PHISIQUE : DRAGON ]
[NEXUS POINTS : 200]
[PASSIVE : STATUS EFFECT CONVERSION; HYDRO-RESURGENCE; 5-ELEMENTAL AMPLIFICATION]
[STATUS : NORMAL]
[WORLD : DRACONIC DEUS]
[SKILLS : SHADOW WALK ; SHADOW BLEND ; ENHANCED HEALING FACTOR(ACTIVE) ; SHADOW MANIPULATION ; ABYSSAL MASTER]
[SHADOWKHAN-- HIGH-CLASS DEVIL(PEAK)]
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x