Chapter 55: Path of Origin
Darius's heart raced with the thrill of his epiphany, a spark of excitement igniting within him.
He needed a moment to contain the surge of energy that threatened to overwhelm his focus. Sitting back on his heels, he drew a deep, steadying breath, letting the calm of the surrounding shade seep into his veins.
With his mind cleared and his pulse settling, he laid his hands flat against the moist earth, ready to channel his newfound understanding into the daunting task, converting the Illusionary Realm Matrix into a runic array.
"Qi flows as a manifestation of the spirit, bound to the cultivation of one's inner essence, whereas mana resonates directly from the world around us, harnessed through the conduits of physical reality," Darius murmured to the stillness, his fingers tracing patterns in the dirt. "The distinct systems, seemingly incompatible at their core, yet both respond to the command of will. My will acts as the bridge, the focal point where intent molds energy irrespective of its origin." He paused, considering the implications. "It's not merely about directing power, but shaping it, bending the distinct energies to a unified purpose through the sheer force of will. This realization—it's not just about converting techniques; it's about writing the fundamental laws that govern them."
Darius smiled, his thoughts drifting to his earlier conversation with Haku.
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"How is digging them up going to help with my Karma?" Haku asked, pausing in his task.
"We're not just going to dig them up; we're going to burn their remains to allow their souls to pass on," Darius explained as they worked. "This might seem odd to you, but many of the rules that govern our universe are actually constructs of our own beliefs. For humans, burial rites are crucial for a soul's transition and reincarnation. Now, here's a question for you: do you think the first human was born knowing these rites?"
Haku paused in his digging, tilting his large head thoughtfully as the dark blue flames around his neck fluttered slightly. "I suppose not," he mused. "So, did the soul of the first human never reincarnate?"
"That's a question I can't answer; you have to find your own conclusions. I just think its fun to think about..."
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"Did his soul wander lost, unable to reincarnate? No. If the universe allowed his passage without rites, then the power lies not in the rites but in our belief in their necessity." Darius's aura expanded, his presence commanding like that of an ancient sage. "Our individual will, our convictions, can reshape reality itself. The laws we deem unchangeable are often just consensus, not absolutes." His expression, serene yet profound, highlighted his youthful features with the depth of ancient wisdom, as if he had mastered the unseen forces that shape our world.
Darius's eyes ignited with an intense glow, fire mana swirling around him like a raging tornado, its force climbing and dissipating into the unseen sky of the beast farm. Seated in lotus position, he lifted his palms, leaving only his fingertips grazing the ground. A surge of fire mana flowed from his touch, spreading like burning tendrils across the earthen floor of the hatchery.
The fiery lines etched deep, weaving an intricate array around the circular edge. Each rune blazed with the culmination of his vast knowledge on formations, and a fusion of the diverse runic systems of Gaia, crafted by the sheer force of his will.
As the fiery tendrils completed their circuit around the hatchery's edge, they converged back towards Darius. From his hands, new flames burst forth, weaving a smaller circle directly around him. This inner ring connected seamlessly with the larger array, the entire formation igniting in a synchronized blaze of mana, encircling him in a ring of fire that pulsed with arcane energy.
Darius's voice rose, resonating with the force of his experiences. "I have traveled the nine heavens to the nine hells of Penglai, shared tea with gods, waged war upon my foes and carved my name into it's very foundation's. When I sought to rob, gifts were bestowed upon me instead. I am the creator of the Taiji Talisman Technique, the Grand Elder, the Insatiable Seeker, the Glutton—my thirst for knowledge eclipsed only by the strength of my will!"
"Elemental Forge Matrix!"
The array under Darius began to ignite, its brightness intensifying to match the fierce light blazing in his eyes. Just as the array neared full activation, it sputtered unexpectedly, the light flickering uncertainly.
A moment of panic flared in Darius's mind, a rapid cascade of potential fixes flashing through his thoughts. Shaking his head, he abruptly halted this mental scramble, steadying himself with a firm declaration, "No. No thinking. I am the creator of this array; there are no boundaries, no room for doubt, I dictate the path... Activate!"
Deep within his consciousness, a small spark ignited—a brief, intense explosion of clarity. The light from his eyes flared powerfully, mirroring the now steady glow of the array beneath him. The solid rising hum that had filled the air ceased, signifying the array's full integration. Mana flowed flawlessly through the etched runes, stabilizing into a silent, potent force.
Darius threw his head back, laughter booming, his body vibrating with exhilaration. "It worked! This proves it—I am the first of my kind!" His laughter grew as he sprang to his feet, eyes wide with awe at the steady pulse of the array. "I am the architect of my fate. I don't merely convert techniques—I forge new paths. I define the rules!"
Thrusting his hand forward, Darius focused intently on the Elemental Forge Matrix, then the egg below. "This is just the first layer, but it's only the beginning. We both have much growing to do. When you hatch, eat and grow strong."
As he held his hand near the array, he could sense the ambient mana of the Beast-Farm converging towards it. "No need for crystals," he murmured, reassured by the flow of energy.
Closing his eyes, he focused on the array. Slowly, a shimmering reflection of himself manifested beside the egg at the bottom of the pit.
After one final look and feeling satisfied, he stepped back and started walking towards the center of the field.
"Since I haven't set up my Arcane Room yet, all my techniques are still limited to the first layer. Plus I have already defined these techniques and their limits."
Darius's azure eyes sparkled, his thoughts whirling with the excitement of his favorite endeavor. "With this new system in place, I need to carefully consider the foundations of my path. I'm not bound to the paths of cultivation or magic, so should my new techniques focus on cultivation and comprehension, or should they align more with Gaia's established systems, where spells are fixed and only require power and knowledge to activate?"
Standing at the center of the open field, Darius took in his surroundings, the gentle babble of the nearby creek the only sound breaking the silence.
Darius pondered the integration of the two distinct systems. 'What would a true balance between Gaia's magic and the cultivation techniques of my previous life look like? Not merely replacing one with the other but harmonizing them fully?' A smirk played at the corner of his mouth. 'And once again, I circle back to Taiji.'
Envisioning a system where elemental manipulation from Gaia's magic and the profound spiritual cultivation of his past were intertwined, he saw potential for a dual-path system. 'If elemental spells could be infused with cultivation insights, enhancing their potency and adaptability through personal spiritual growth...'
He imagined spells that evolved with the cultivator, their power and complexity growing with one's spiritual and elemental mastery. 'Each spell could have layers, deepening in intricacy as the practitioner's understanding of both mana and qi deepens.'
'This could lead to a flexible, dynamic form of magic—spells that are not static but evolve, echoing the continuous growth of a cultivator's soul and spirit.' The thought exhilarated him, the possibilities sprawling out like the myriad pathways of a vast, uncharted labyrinth.
Darius shifted his thoughts, considering the opposite approach. 'What if I used Gaia's straightforward magic systems to streamline the intricate cultivation and martial techniques of Penglai?' He mused, visualizing the potential simplification.
'Could the direct and elemental focus of Gaia's magic serve to demystify the complex layers of spiritual cultivation? Perhaps condensing the essence of Penglai's profound techniques into more accessible spells.'
He pondered the conversion of complex internal energy maneuvers into straightforward, mana-infused actions. 'This would transform esoteric cultivation steps into spells that act directly, harnessing both the spiritual and elemental without the obscure cultivation rituals.'
'A fusion where powerful martial techniques are executed through clear, simple magical commands, integrating the depth of cultivation with the immediacy of spellcasting.' His mind raced with the possibilities, each thought refining this innovative fusion.
Darius envisioned the fusion of disciplines in vivid detail: mages soared through the skies, their wands and staffs extending as conduits of force. Each gesture released rapid-fire martial techniques, once bound by the constraints of rigid cultivation, now unleashed with the fluidity of magic.
On the ground, cultivators wielded the raw elements of Gaia, their movements fluid and powerful. Each motion channeled profound spells through their intrinsic energy, blending the direct simplicity of Gaia's magic with the deep spiritual resonance of Penglai's cultivation.
The air crackled with energy as these two worlds merged in his imagination, each practitioner demonstrating the potential of a fully integrated system—a world where the arcane met the ancient, creating a spectacle of power and versatility.
With a furrowed brow, Darius contemplated his earlier success—the moment he had bent the matrix to his will. "If I can replicate that sensation, that sheer force of will...," he murmured, his gaze sharpening as he paced slowly.
"The techniques of Penglai are intricate, layered with centuries of cultivation wisdom. Simplifying them isn't just about ease of use—it's about harnessing that instinctive command, that impulse where will shapes reality," he continued, his voice gaining a rhythmic cadence as he thought aloud.
"By focusing on this, on refining the martial techniques through the lens of my will, I should be able to access and strengthen that feeling more readily. It's not merely simplification—it's an enhancement, a way to elevate both the technique and the practitioner." Darius paused, letting the weight of his words hang in the air, his plan crystallizing with each spoken thought.
Darius inhaled deeply, his stance grounding as he initiated the Arcane Talisman Technique, switching to water mana, he drew a deep breath, pulling the ambient mana from the surroundings to cycle through his twelve major meridians. His crystalline skeleton, already saturated, began to emit a soft glow, encircled by five sets of elemental runes that hummed with a unified, mysterious power.
With each cycle of his mana, the glow from the water tattoo on his chest intensified, shining just beneath his skin. This cycle enhanced the fluid aura of water mana that ebbed and flowed around him.
He gradually began with deliberate, slow movements, his hands and feet tracing paths through the air and along the ground, embodying the graceful flow of a river carving its way through the landscape. The surrounding mana responded in kind, swirling and cascading around his form, enhancing each motion that mimicked the arcs and flows found in nature.
The world around him blurred slightly, his focus narrowing to the fine control of energy and movement. The ebb and flow of mana became a visible dance around him, each pattern more intricate as he delved deeper into his trance, moving with the precision and fluidity of water itself.
Darius continued, seamlessly transitioning through the elements, each shift erasing more of his awareness of time. As the mana swirled and danced around him, he delved deeper into the essence of his unique discipline, forging ahead on his unprecedented journey as the first Arcane Cultivator.
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Inside the All-Room, the cold stone chamber held only Haku in his Ember-fox form. His black fur, flecked with white, cast a soft glow, brightened by the gentle blue ghostfire dancing on his feet. The room's emptiness echoed around him, the simple stone walls standing silent and watchful.
Haku's eyes snapped open from his dozing, accompanied by a wide yawn. "Still not back," he muttered to himself with a tone of relief.
"What does he expect, for me to meditate all day?" His voice carried a note of exasperation. "All I need is to eat, endure the pain, and the Celestial Beast Soul Mantra will handle the rest." With that thought, he began trotting towards the door of the Beast-Farm, his brows knit with determination.
"What's taking him so long anyway?" Haku muttered, almost to the door when it began to creak open. In an instant, he vanished, reappearing at the center of the room, adopting a pose of meditation as if he had never moved.
Hearing the door shut, Haku stealthily glanced from the corner of his eye, then instantly turned his head in surprise. "What...took you so long?" he asked, his tone lacking any real interest as Haku's gaze fixed on Darius.
Walking casually towards the center of the room with his hands clasped behind his back, Darius wore a gentle smile. "Was it that long? How was your nap?"
Snapping from his daze, Haku quickly retorted, "Nap?! I don't nap, I rest. And yes, I was resting. You know all I have to do is eat and fight. This meditation stuff feels like resting to me; can't help it." Visibly embarrassed yet irritated, the fox hastily shifted the topic. "Did you finish with your new weapon?"
Reaching Haku, Darius laid his hand on the fox's head, prompting a squint of frustration that soon melted into a contented smile, as Darius scratched the perfect spot behind Haku's ear. "I know I can be tough on you, little brother," Darius said, his tone softening. "I'll try to be more mindful in the future. But that doesn't let you off the hook for not cultivating properly."
Haku's panting grin abruptly ceased at Darius's words, his eyes becoming serious due to his big brothers tone.
"To progress in your technique, Haku, it's not just about power—it's about balance and control," Darius explained, removing his hand from Haku's head to face him squarely. "Right now, you remind me a lot of Wu Chen."
"I do?" Haku's eyes brightened, tail wagging energetically, chest swelling with pride.
"Yes, very much so. He was all fire and hot air, couldn't sit still, a lot like you now. Brash, lazy at times—reluctant to look beyond the moment," Darius noted, his tone gentle, imparting observations without judgment.
Haku's tail ceased its wagging, his ears drooping. "I'm sorry, big brother. I'll do better."
Smiling and shaking his head, Darius met his gaze with a clear look. "We will both improve. Remember, it took Wu Chen decades to commit to his cultivation—his nature was too wild, much like yours. Time will reveal all." His tone hinted at challenge more than mere statement.
Haku bristled with determination, his fur standing on end. "I'll surpass Wu Chen! It won't take me decades. I'll start right now!"
Laughing, Darius touched his pouch. "Good spirit! Then prove it, start now." He pulled out the corpse of Shattyr, which landed with a heavy thud, filling a large portion of the room. "Eat the entire body."
Haku gulped, looking minuscule next to the giant Volcanic-Ram. "All at once?"
Darius, maintaining his calm demeanor, replied, "Start with the flesh if you must; take a moment to recuperate afterwards. Then we'll tackle the bones, the crucial part." His smile remained steady, reassuring.
Haku shook his head, teeth clenched, and stood up. Blue flames engulfed him, expanding into his beast form. Just as he was about to take his first bite, he paused, rememebering something, "Since when do we have flowers in the beast-farm?"
"Flowers? What are you talking about?"
"Nothing, nevermind." Haku turned back to his daunting task, the sounds of him devouring Shattyr starting to echo through the stone chamber. 'I swear when he walked in I could smell flowers. And for a moment, I thought I saw...no, he doesn't have an aura. Must have been the light or something.'
The room filled with the noise of tearing meat and cracking rocks. Darius stood to one side, observing, as Haku continued to consume the smoldering remains. Both were committed to their paths, each entirely unique in the world of Gaia.