Chapter 56: Celestial Beast Soul Mantra
Inside the All-Room, Darius sat in the lotus position, deep in cultivation. His body pulsed with the rhythmic flow of mana, a faint blue glow highlighting his calm features. Nearby, Haku lay on his back, eyes closed in a restful sleep, his chest rising and falling steadily.
As Darius's mana cycled through his body, his mind wandered to the imposing presence that filled the room, Shattyr's skeleton. His black bones, interwoven with pulsing cracks of red energy, seemed almost alive. The two curling horns, still glowing as if filled with molten lava.
'Shattyr must have been an extraordinary mana-beast, even in death, his body holds so much residual mana. The fractures seem almost alive.' Darius thought, eyes tracing the cracks pulsing with the fire element.
'It's been two weeks since Haku finished devouring Shattyr's flesh. The process had been grueling, but the results are clear. Haku's aura feels stronger, more refined.'
Darius allowed himself a small smile. 'The path ahead is long, but we're making progress.'
Lifting his right arm, encased in the ornate, form-fitting armor from shoulder to hand, Darius scrutinized the intricate design. 'Aside from this strange orb and my martial techniques, I haven't made any real progress in my cultivation in years.' With a focused thought, the armor began to melt, starting at his shoulder and bubbling down his arm, reforming into the mysterious black orb he had discovered in the artifact room.
Scrutinizing the orb, Darius's brow furrowed, his thoughts flashing to the first discovery of its use. 'Endlessly filling it with mana did nothing,' he recalled. 'It only reacted when I eventually used all five elements.' When he used earth mana, the last element he tried, the orb finally responded.
It had begun floating before him, spinning and making a loud charging hum. Suddenly, it had lunged towards him. In a reflexive gesture, Darius raised his hand to intercept. The orb collided with his palm and seamlessly integrated, wrapping around his arm and solidifying into the form of a gauntlet and vambrace.
'It took using all five elements to activate it,' Darius thought, feeling the subtle imprint he had left on it. 'The key is wielding all five elements, but there's more to this artifact. I feel I'm barely scratching the surface.' The orb floated in his palm, no longer absorbing mana, its only function now to transform between the orb and the gauntlet.
His eyes narrowed, Darius's focus bore into the artifact as his mind spun, 'Since it was never about the amount of mana, and it no longer absorbs what I try to feed it, there are only a few possibilities. Either this is the extent of its abilities—though it doesn't increase my strength, it seems practically invincible, serving well for melee and as a shield.'
With a flicker of his will, the orb began to melt and crawl back up his arm, reforming into the gauntlet. 'Or this artifact can only be fully wielded by someone who not only commands all five elements to imprint on it but can wield them all simultaneously to unlock its powers. Another possibility is there's some spell or material I need, or I just haven't reached a level of strength it recognizes.'
Sighing he eventually changed his focus, his eyes closing, 'with no clear understanding there is no need to focus on it. Not when I still have so many things left to do.'
Darius began recounting his time on Gaia since his arrival. 'So much remains unexplored and understood. Beyond the new system of Origin I've just unearthed, there are the intricacies of this runic language wrapped around my bones and the crafting techniques left by my ancestors in the third room, barely touched. Then there are the memories I've absorbed, which might help end this constant deja vu that's been bothering me lately.' With a sigh, Darius stood and walked towards Haku, his mind swirling with the weight of unfinished discoveries.
Darius's eyes rested on the slumbering fox, his features shadowed by a mix of emotions. "I'm sorry, little brother. The path I've set you on... it's one filled with death. But grow strong, stronger than any beast or man. The life forged for you, though steeped in my choices, will challenge the very laws of this world."
Haku's snoring and the drool that was pooling beside his mouth did little to deter Darius's intent as he made his vow.
Delving deep into his extensive knowledge of martial and cultivation techniques, Darius began to pace, focusing intently on the Celestial Beast Soul Mantra, methodically revisiting every detail of the technique.
'Wu Chen unearthed this on a fallen cultivator from my early days. Over time, he revealed it to be of Chaos level—a primal force, the essence of creation itself. Ancient techniques, crafted by the first immortals, said to be the most untainted forms of cultivation. Through relentless trials and years of battle, Wu Chen eventually unearthed its origins: crafted by the most powerful beast to ever break through the bounds of mortality, the Monkey God.'
A flicker of pride briefly lit up Darius's eyes as he contemplated the legacy of his own creation. "The Celestial Beast Soul Mantra holds its merits, but it pales in comparison to the Taiji Talisman Technique I devised," he bragged with a hint of defiance in his tone. "While the chaos techniques promise immortality, they lead to a plane where death still looms. My technique, however, offers true immortality—beyond the reach of death's grasp, an undying unity of body and soul that no legend could match." His voice carried a blend of conviction and scorn for the half-truths of legendary immortality that still left one vulnerable.
Darius's stride slowed as he considered the depth of Haku's technique. "The mantra encompasses six layers, each unveiling a distinct technique that progresses with its user," he reflected. "These techniques foster the beast's body and spirit, nurturing them through transformative stages until they culminate in the ultimate evolution—the human form."
He halted, eyes intense as he scrutinized Haku. "To initiate this technique, one must continuously chant the Beast Mantra. The mantra's potency reshapes the practitioner, accessing and potentially unlocking or altering the beast's inherent bloodline." Darius's gaze sharpened. "Haku endured six months of unbroken recitation. Any interruption would have risked dire consequences."
Darius honed his gaze, penetrating deep into Haku's transformed state. He observed beyond the fiery flow of mana and standard beast anatomy, his focus narrowing to the microscopic.
"I suspect the mantra altered, not just unlocked, his bloodline," Darius remarked, peering intently into Haku's essence. "His entire being is saturated with the mantra's text." His focus deepened, and before him, a mesmerizing scene unfolded: a vibrant blue light splintered his view, revealing myriad helixes of swirling sigils within the microscopic universe inside Haku.
Darius wondered at the miraculous nature of the Celestial Beast Soul Mantra. Unlike other techniques requiring specific conditions or modifications for different energy systems, this technique stood apart. It was uniquely adaptable, not rooted in the cultivation of qi but in the dynamic cycle of combat and consumption.
What truly set it apart was its indifference to the nature of the energy consumed—whether qi or mana, the technique seamlessly integrated the energy from defeated foes, propelling the practitioner forward without needing any alteration from Darius before Haku could begin cultivation.
"The first stage granted him access to his new bloodline, allowing him to adopt and indefinitely maintain his base form. Coupled with his Ghost-Fire ability, he's mastered the first stage. And having refined Shattyrs's flesh, I sense he has pushed this refinement even further."
Retracting his gaze, Darius approached Shattyr's remains, placing his hand on the horn of the skull, the intense heat radiating through his palm. "Once he awakens and consumes these, the technique will further modify his bones and marrow, amplifying his strength. The second stage will be all about brute force."
"He will have to endure intense, excruciating pain, far surpassing the first layer's." Darius's tone suddenly became more pointed, his words deliberate.
Behind him, the sound of snoring had ceased; Haku lay motionless, seemingly still asleep.
Noticing no movement, Darius sighed, a touch of dejection in his voice, "Poor Haku, if only he knew what else lays in store for him." His shoulders falling slightly.
From behind, a yawning sound broke the silence, followed by a few lip smacks. "What's in store for me?" Haku's tone feigned innocence as he slowly rose, his sluggish demeanor exaggerated. "I thought I heard something as I was waking up." His eyes, surprisingly alert, fixed on Darius. "Big Brother?"
Darius turned, his expression neutral, hands clasped behind his back. "How long were you planning to pretend to be asleep?"
Haku's smile broadened, his large mouth more intimidating than amusing. "Sorry, Big Brother, I was having a really good dream when I felt your Arcane Gaze. I tried to slip back into it, but then your words—well, they caught my interest."
"Interest? More like self-interest."
Haku's ears dipped as a hint of red colored his cheeks under his fur.
"How are you feeling?" Darius paused, stepping back to take in Haku's full form. "And since when can you sense my Arcane Gaze? You've never mentioned that before." He observed the ember-fox, noting the exceptional vibrancy of Haku's fur. Even the black strands shimmered, speckled with twinkling white stars that seemed to reach out, a phenomenon Darius hadn't noted before. The flames at Haku's paws, encircling his front legs and neck, flickered with an intense, dark blue, their dance more vigorous and brighter than ever.
"I feel amazing! I could take you on right now if I wanted to." Haku puffed out his chest, his voice booming with a mix of pride and challenge. "And I just felt it, you know? Like someone peering right into me. Honestly, it was kind of creepy."
Darius smiled, his expression unchanged as he listened to Haku. With one hand discreetly reaching back towards the skeleton and the other touching his pouch, he maintained his calm demeanor.
"Big Brother?" Haku's head tilted, his voice tinged with curiosity as Darius abruptly stored Shattyr's remains and strode toward the center of the All-Room.
Reaching the middle, Darius paused, and the array beneath them began to emit a soft glow. "Sparring room," he announced, his tone even.
The All-Room changed gradually at first, the stone tiles beneath their feet vibrated, sending a low hum through the air, as runes etched deep into the walls came alive with a pale white light. With a series of mechanical clicks and the scraping of stone on stone, the bare walls began to retract, extending back to transform the already spacious room into a vast field-sized arena. Hidden compartments unfolded into training dummies and weapon racks. Above, the high ceiling flickered as if the night sky was painted across it, casting a dim, starlit tapestry over the transformed space.
"Show me how much you've changed." Darius's command cut through the air, his voice sharp. His aura, previously a calm water blue, deepened to an earthy yellow, signaling the surge of earth mana coursing from his bones.
Haku bristled with energy, his grin wide with challenge. "Get ready, Big Brother! This time will be different!" His stance shifted, lowering as a blazing inferno of blue flames enveloped him, muscles tensing in preparation.
The moment Haku moved, two concussive blasts echoed almost in unison. First, the ground shattered beneath him as he surged forward, then, the thunderous impact of his body, slamming against the earthen wall Darius had conjured.
Scrambling up from his crumpled heap, Haku peeked over the wall, ready to complain. "That was—" His protest halted abruptly as he caught sight of Darius throwing a punch into thin air. "Fu—"
Boom! A fiery explosion erupted, blasting Haku squarely in the face and hurling him backward onto the ground.
"Echoing Thunder Palm!"
From behind his earthen barrier, Darius coldly observed as his technique crashed down, Haku's pained cry, "Wait!" going utterly ignored.
Dust swirled and smoke billowed as Darius remained in the same place he had started, his posture composed with hands clasped behind his back, "Still feeling boastful?"
Suddenly, Haku surged upright, his head piercing the settling smoke. His eyes sparkled with surprise as he declared, "Yeah, I am!"
Grinning, he stepped clear of the lingering haze, his fur unscathed by Darius's formidable attack. "I mean, it still stung a little, but I'm good! Devouring Shattyr's remains really pushed my cultivation further, even though I thought I had already reached the pinnacle of the first stage."
As Haku basked in his newfound resilience, boasting unashamed, he missed the subtle change in Darius's eyes.
"Frost Breath of the Serpent."
Darius inhaled deeply, his lightning aura flickering and then shifting seamlessly into water. Exhaling, he released a shimmering mist that quickly gathered into two serpents, each a meter long. They floated beside him, their bodies moving gracefully, one on either side, as if guarding their master.
Haku reassumed his ready stance, tail whipping with eagerness, his fire aura crackling fiercely around him
Darius and Haku charged, their auras clashing as they closed the distance. The ice serpents at Darius's flanks mirrored his speed, their forms slicing through the air. Collision was inevitable; when they met, a thunderous shockwave erupted, scattering debris across the field. Both combatants recoiled, Haku's massive form barely shifting while Darius skidded back, his boots carving deep grooves into the earth.
Regaining their composure, the duo clashed again. Despite Haku's towering presence, his movements were unexpectedly agile, his massive form maneuvering with the finesse of a smaller beast. Darius, his expression serious, tapped into the Ethereal Steps, his figure blurring around Haku in a strategic dance of hit and run. He was a shadow, fleeting and untouchable.
As they engaged, Darius wielded the ice serpents like extensions of his own arms. With precise control, he parried Haku's ferocious swipes and snaps, the serpents lashing out to coat Haku's fur with a creeping layer of frost. Each successful strike from the serpents added more ice, the cold seeping into Haku's joints. The weight and chill slowed Haku's previously fluid movements, drawing a scowl from the massive fox.
In the brief moment where Haku's movements created an opening, Darius appeared at the side of Haku's immense form. Rushing forward, he slid under the towering beast, his movements a blur. As he passed beneath, the ice serpents acted as extensions of his arms, quickly encircling Haku's front and back left legs. The serpents tightened their icy grip, coiling securely. With a forceful pull as he slid, Darius dragged Haku off his feet, the giant beast slamming into the ground.
As Darius finished his sliding maneuver, he propelled himself upwards, flipping backwards through the air. In a seamless motion, one ice serpent slithered over and merged with the other, extending from Darius's gauntlet as a single entwined blade of frost.
Below him, Haku, momentarily disoriented on his side, looked up just in time to see Darius descending, his arm drawn back for a devastating strike.
But as Darius was about to land, a sudden pulse from the Elemental Forge Matrix rippled through his mind, catching his attention and fracturing his focus. Seizing the moment, Haku rolled and swiped at Darius with a massive paw. The impact connected solidly, sending him hurtling through the air.
Darius's body skipped across the ground, scraping against the earthen floor of the transformed All-Room, his slide marking a rough trail in the dirt.
'That was scary, why did his eyes look so dark?' Haku slowly stood, his breath heavy, as he gazed towards Darius, still lying motionless.
Darius lay there a moment longer, his mind reeling. Shaking his head, he regained his composure, puzzled by his own reaction. 'Was that real killing intent? This bottleneck is affecting me more than I realized.' He sat up abruptly. "Time-out! I need to check the Beast-Farm immediately." His voice carried a sharp urgency. As he stood, the light of his azure eyes seemed to brighten back to their original shade, yet leaving a trace of his troubled thoughts.